THIRTY eight members of Okehampton Running Club took part in the Sourton Scramble and the Bideford 10 Miler races which took place on the same weekend.

The Sourton Scramble is an off-road race, the six mile plus route starting and finishing on the Granite Way with a lung bursting climb up Sourton Tor in contrast to the Bideford 10 miler which is all on tarmac, mostly flat, with the return journey along the Tarka trail beside the river Torridge.

The 13 ORCs who took part in the Scramble had some good results with three in the top ten. Club chairman Andy Vallance finished second overall and first EX20 male in 44.31 minutes. Experienced fell runner Paul Crease was fourth in 44.52 and Andy Vernon ninth in 48.37. Karen Skye was the fourth lady home winning the female EX20 prize in 52.32. Other times: Mervyn Rice 55.08, Emma Sizmur 56.01 (first U25, and first local female), Lucy Skye 56.01, Greg Miller 59.24, Margaret Jarvis 62.36 (first F50-59), Lisa Taylor 63.16, Alan Luffingham 68.15, Tracey Manning 79.55 and Ali Heard 80.09.

There were more good ORC results next day at Bideford, the Club having three members among the top 30 finishers. Roger Voaden finished in fifth place in 1.00.55 with Bryan Friend 24th in 1.05.59 and Nick Seccombe 30th in 1.08.00. Roger and Bryan took home the trophies for first and second in the M45 age group. Nick was second in the M20 group.

Other ORC results: David Mugliston 1.08.29, Chris Aylen 1.22.19, Abby Williams 1.23.49, Jo Camies 1.24.26, Fiona Mugliston and Liz Ash 1.25.02, Heather Richards 1.26.32, Abby Metherell 1.27.16, Wendy Abbott 1.35.22, Tracey Mills 1.35.27, Ali Holliday 1.36.11, David Harding 1.40.22.

The mens' veteran team of Roger, Bryan, David and Chris came second and the ladies veteran team of Jo, Fiona and Liz came fourth.

Club coach Jo-Anne Fletcher represented ORC at the Plymouth 10k and finished a superb second in the F35 age group in a good time of 46.12

Chris Aylen completed his second marathon this year. the Snowdonia Marathon — voted the best British Marathon in 2011. The route climbs 1,100 feet up Llanberis Pass with a further 1,200 foot ascent later on. Chris declared it to be 'terrible' but he finished in 4. 22.47– faster than his time on the flat London Marathon course.

Earlier in the month Mags Jarvis ran in the Wirral 10k. Her daughter also raced and was the third lady home with Mags winning the FV55 group in 51.14 – a great result for them both.

Bryan Friend was 15th in the Dart Vale Marathon in a time of 3hrs 26mins 52secs while Laura came second in the F40 category in 1.54.18 in the Dart Vale half marathon.