Bere Alston Trekker Dave Dencer had plenty to be pleased about as he posted a marathon personal best time in the inaugural Bodmin Beast Marathon.

Featuring a figure of eight course starting and finishing in Bodmin, the route takes in country lanes and tracks and features five churches. Very much a community event, church volunteers manned aid stations at each church en route.

Taking in the parishes of Lanhydrock, Lanivet, Nanstallon and Cardinham and passing through Bodmin Moor, a nature reserve and Cardinham Woods, the course was very much to Dave’s satisfaction as he finished in 4:19:33.

The previous Easter weekend saw BAT Lorna Mulvihill run in the Strawberry Fields Half Marathon which takes place at the Strawberry Fields Farm on the Devon/Cornwall border. A 3.5-mile loop meant several laps along lanes past neighbouring farms and a very creditable third place was Lorna’s reward in a time of 2:37:27.

Also running that weekend was BAT Andy Cowden. On Easter Saturday he travelled abroad, to Wales, and took part in the Llandudno Easter 5k Dash which is a flat and fast out and back course along the promenade encompassing Ormes Bay. Andy finished in a time of 24:28.

The following day, Easter Sunday, Andy took part in the Crewe 10k in Cheshire. A much better course than it sounds as it’s two laps of the Crewe Gates Industrial Estate with an Easter egg as reward. Andy crossed the line in 50:32.