LAST Tuesday saw the sixth and final race of the Exe 5k Summer Series where eight Okehampton Running Club members took part.

The evening was warm but there was a fairly strong headwind along the canal making it a bit more challenging. Team ORC were in good form with Jeremy Tandy first home and second in the M45 category, running a personal best of 17 minutes 54 seconds, gaining his first platinum award. Stephen Sincock ran a season’s PB of 18.50 placing second in the M55 category and setting a new club record for his age category. Jo Page finished first senior lady in a diamond award time of 19.58 and Claudine Benstead 20.08 for second in the F55 category. Paul Evison also ran a new PB of 22.23 to set a new club record for the MV65 age category. Jo Bradford ran a season’s PB of 23.07 while Jackie Dawes ran a PB of 24.07 winning the F50 category. Jane Richardson finished in 27.15 winning the F70 category.

Three ORCs made the podium for the series with Claudine Benstead winning the F55 category, even though she ran all but the first race after her 60th birthday. Jo Bradford finished third in the series in the closely fought F45 category that went down to the final race. Paul Evison finished third in the M65 category.

Having run a 5k time close to her PB last Tuesday at the Run Exe Series, Jane Richardson was thrilled to run a new PB at Exeter Riverside Parkrun on Saturday where she broke into the 26 minute zone. Five years ago her goal had been to one day run it in under 30 minutes and with the support of the members of ORC she continues to improve and inspire at the age of 70.

Okehampton’s Robert Kelly tested how his marathon training was going with a run at the Exmouth Parkrun on Saturday. Here he ran alongside the highest ranked 13-year-old in the country over this distance and whether it was the company or the fact that his marathon training was going well, Robert ran a superb PB of 16.54 to set a new age group club record.

Saturday saw the re-scheduled Trail Events Dartmoor selection of races, postponed from February due to snow, where there were four distance options from a 31-mile Ultra to a 12k event. The day started with a chilly mist but this slowly burned off through the morning and by the mid afternoon the sun was high in the sky exposing the beauty of the Dartmoor surroundings. The route started at Holwell Farm and on to the finish via Widecombe. Robert Richards was the only ORC representative in the ultra marathon distance completing in a good time of 8hrs 20min. Claire Sprague and Jessica Corcoran tackled the 12k course finishing together in 2hrs 8min.

There was also a selection of distances and combinations at the Flying Fox organised series of races on Saturday afternoon and evening. These set out from Bicton College and took the runners over the heathland of Woodbury Common with the late afternoon 5k or 10k ‘What Came Before’ and the 5-mile or 9.25-mile ‘Nightjar’ races being held when darkness had fallen. Three ORCs, Angus Farrelly, Jane Jackson and Derek Jackson, took on two races with all three opting for the 5k. Angus was the first back in 27.35 while Jane and Derek, both having their first runs in a while due to injury, were happy to just have a steady run round to finish in 33.23. Six ORCs ran the five miler while Angus and Hayden Bond ran the longer distance. Hayden had won the five miler here last year and had another excellent race this time, coming home in 1.04.04 to take third place overall. Angus was happy with his finish time of 1.33.27. In the 5 miler Tom Andrews was the first home for the club in 40.55 with Phil Read close behind. Jo and Phil Turner ran most of the race in the company of Jane and Derek, with a fast finish just bringing them in ahead in 54.15 with Jane and Derek in 54.19.

The Simply Health Great Bristol Half Marathon was the choice on Sunday for two ORCs who were amongst more than 12,000 runners. Dave Bates, a new member, and Jackie Dawes ran the 13.1 miler. Dave put in an excellent performance to finish in 1.37.20, despite slowing with the heat at the back end of the race and going straight in with his first platinum award for the club. Jackie ran a PB pace for the first 10 miles, but then slowed with the heat for the last 3 and was pleased to achieve a gold award with a time of 1.53.29.