YOUR picture of the start of Okehampton marathon entitled 'Those were the days' suggested it was in 1973. Perhaps a ploy to encourage letters? I can't resist writing to inform you with some certainty that this was the second Okehampton marathon in 1983, as I recognise myself fifth in from the left in the black vest. It was won for the second year in succession by Exeter haematologist Adrian Conduit in 2 hours 53 minutes, closely followed by commando Graham Evans. It was a baking hot day with the temperature in the eighties and the organisers had sent out a search party to see if anyone else was still on the course by the time I came in quarter of an hour later followed by local Chagford man Brian Lambert. I was certainly not the third best runner in the field but probably the third best at assessing the conditions that day. In thirteenth position at half way I came in third without seeing another runner, all having dropped out with heat stress. I drank copious quantities of water throughout the race and afterwards and was amazed to note when I jumped on the scales that evening that I had lost  10 pounds in weight or a full gallon of fluid. I passed no water for the next 48 hours! Edwin Baker Forward Green Cottages Bradninch, Exeter