On Christmas Day Garry Letheren did his first non-UK Parkrun, and indeed the farthest Parkrun of any Okehampton Running Club members to date – he was in New South Wales, Australia, writes Jacqueline Shields.

It was a very rocky and hilly trail route in the bush with a leap over the water. It was a lot warmer than Garry’s normal parkruns, so slower too at 27 mins. He is hoping to try a couple more in next few weeks whilst in Australia.

l For their final race of 2022 on Saturday, six ORCs set off for the Final Countdown 10k at Dartington. This 10k route starts and finishes at the Dartington Estate, and provides a mix of riverside paths, woodlands, hills, fields and maybe another hill or two, all in the stunning Devon countryside.

It was a particularly muddy race – just as a trail race should be. The course had to be changed the day before due to the river bursting its bank and some trees had come down in the winds.

Chris Turner had an excellent race to finish in second place with a time of 43:52, just 22 seconds behind the winner. Jo Page finished next in a time of 49:37, giving her 13th place overall and fourth female. Ian Ripper and his son George, who was home from university, raced together for the first time and finished in 1:02:00. They were followed by Karen King in 1:04:18, Lucy Gooding in 1:19:45 and Janet White, returning from injury in 1:37:57.

There were 255 entrants in total and all who finished gained a bespoke Final Countdown medal.

l To mark the new year on Sunday, January 1, seven ORCs and two junior ORCs took part in the Brown Willy Run from the Jamaica Inn at Bolventor.

This is purely a social run, not a race, therefore there are no race numbers, official timings or medals. The run is approximately seven miles long on boggy and rough terrain, billed as probably the best hangover cure ever!

The run is mostly on open moorland, which may be wet, slippery, boggy or frozen, and steep in places which adds to the fun. Fortunately, the rain held off, although it was very muddy. Even if it doesn’t feel too cold at the start at Jamaica Inn, it may be freezing and blowing a gale on the top of Brown Willy.