LAST weekend Okehampton Running Club member, Robert Richards, completed a 100 mile Ultra Marathon event, the Two Moors Way.

It was an exceptional challenge for someone who had only completed their first marathon exactly a year ago.

Starting in Lynmouth, the route climbs out of the town and over the Cheriton Ridge and down to the village of Simonsbath, following the Barle River to Tarr Steps, by which time he’d been running for five hours.

Leaving Exmoor the route crossed Mid Devon via lanes and fields taking Robert into the night time section of the race which he mostly walked. Passing through Witheridge and onto Morchard Bishop, there was a checkpoint manned by some fellow ORCs who raised his spirits. He’d now climbed a total of 1,600m, completed 43mile and had been moving for 11hrs 30mins.

Continuing on through the dark, his next stop was at Drewsteignton, another feed station manned by a fellow ORC, another welcome face who gave him encouragement as with 60 miles done the distance was beginning to take its toll. After a short rest at the Warren Inn on Dartmoor, he had to face the daunting climb over Hamel Down. As afternoon approached he made his final food stop at New Bridge before a last push through Scorriton and a never ending climb over Pupers Hill. With the finish at Ivybridge nearly in sight Robert was so exhausted and disorientated he took the wrong path off a disused railway line, eventually having to retrace his steps to correct his mistake. In his confused state he made a second error once into Ivybridge, adding more time and distance before he finally crossed the finish line after 34 hours 32 minutes 22 seconds of running, having climbed 3,730 metres of ascent and one of only six finishers from the 14 starters of the race.

Robert is understandably proud of his immense achievement acknowledging that it will take him some time to recover from it.

Last weekend saw the first fixture in the Westward League Cross Country series. Held in Plymouth the race, on a hilly course was held in summer-like conditions of warm sunshine with not a breath of wind.

Jo Page was the first home finishing in an excellent position. She was followed by Sarah Marvin, finishing for once ahead of her daughter Molly who was next in, followed by League rookie Karen King who had a great first run. Jane Jackson, was next with newcomer Christine Fritsch just two places behind.

The club was well represented in the Under 15 boys race with two Okehampton runners trying the league for the first time. Sam Priday, had a brilliant run, despite having played rugby in the morning to storm home in fifth place with Harrison King, who is at the younger end of the age group, also running well.

The men’s team also ran well. Paul Crease was first in for the club with a fantastic run that gave him his highest placing ever, with a new member, Steven Sincock coming in next. Young Indigo Ramsey, in his first league outing, finished next followed by Stuart Page. Inspired by his daughter Jo’s successes since joining the club, Ian Page thoroughly enjoyed returning to the competitive League running scene of earlier years, finishing well cheered on by his new club mates.

At the Cardiff Half Marathon on Sunday Okehampton’s Hayden Bond took part in a race he has been targeting and training hard for. This predominantly fast and flat course starts outside Cardiff Castle and heads down past Cardiff City Stadium then out to Penarth, taking in Penarth Marina before crossing the barrage into Cardiff Bay. From there it heads north out of the city with a loop around Roath Park Lake before the grandstand finish in the heart of the city at the Civic Centre. Hayden achieved his first sub-one hour thirty finish with an outstanding run to come home in 1.26.04, knocking four and a half minutes off his PB.

While some club runners were in Plymouth for the Westward League a lone ORC was there to take part in the Plymouth 10k. Despite having done very little training in recent months Cam Whitelaw ran a good race, in a PB to finish in 1.00.24.