THE sun came out on Sunday, and so did hundreds of runners of all ages for this year's Tavy 13 half marathon and Primary Schools Challenge.

Almost 300 started the half marathon at 10am from Crowndale, set on their way by the race sponsors, Gibbs Kirby estate agents with Andrew Kirby taking the role of starter. Runners headed through the centre of town, past Kelly College and back onto the cycle trail at Wilminstone before heading out to the countryside to the west.

As the runners disappeared, almost 250 primary school pupils began their events. They have been running a mile each week since the turn of the year and on Sunday they all arrived, complete with parents and teachers, to complete the last of these in order to reach the half marathon distance.

Organised by Tavistock Athletic Club chair Mhairi McCall this event continues to gain, in popularity and this year it included primary schools from as far afield as Lifton and Delaware, a large contingent from Horrabridge, as well as schools from the town. Such were their numbers that they were split into three races according to year group — 5/6, 3/4 and 2 or younger. Wearing their specially designed T-shirts for the first time, they ran part of the distance along Crowndale before taking the same finish as the adult race, covering just over a lap of the athletics track before passing under the race finish with huge smiles, to the cheers of hundreds of relatives and schoolmates and the encouragement of race announcer Allan Herdman.

All finishers also received a special medal to mark their outstanding achievements.

After a late decision to enter, the half marathon was very much a one-man race for Bideford's Shaun Antell, a leading runner in the region. While his victory was never in doubt after the first few miles, the course record, set by Tavistock's Pete Freedman in the inaugural race, always looked under threat. In the end, the record was missed by some two minutes as the winner crossed in 1hour 13mins 55 secs.

After Pete Tomlin of Newton Abbot took second, the ladies' honours went to local phenomenon Jo Meek who also finished in third place overall. After returning from recent global success in an ultra marathon in South America, a mere 13 miles proved to be a breeze for Jo and her time of 1 hour 22 minutes 57 seconds shaved over half a minute from the previous ladies' record.

There was plenty of success for local runners as Okehampton's Roger Voaden finished sixth and first in the male 45 category, followed closely by club-mate in Paul Carter in ninth and in the same age-group.

First Bere Alston Trekker was Ben Neale in an excellent 13th, with Stuart Medhurst in 21st place.

The second lady finisher was Becky Mingo of Bere Alston Trekkers in an overall 28th, which also won her the senior ladies' prize.

Tavistock's Peter Bazley won his M55 category, followed by Okehampton's Derek Jackson while BAT Tracey Oxborough won in the F50 age group.

In the super-veterans, male honours went to over-70 Trevor Williams of the host club and the outstanding Christine LeFlem took the over-65s ladies' honours for BATs.

In the ladies' team race, Rebeca Mingo, Tracy Oxborough and Eunice Moule clinched top spot, fending off challenges from Bude Rates and Plymouth Musketeers in second and third.

In the men's team race, Bideford AAC easily beat Tamar Trotters, whilst a fine performance from Ben Neale, Stuart Medhurst, Steve Watson and Daniel Dooney meant that Bere Alston achieved third place.

Full results can be found on the race website at w.w.w.tavy13.co.uk and Tavistock Athletic Club would like to thank some of the organisations which helped make the race possible — Gibbs Kirby Estate Agents, Sweatshop of Plymouth, Tavistock Lions, Tavistock Rotary Club and Round Table, Air Training Corps, Dartmoor Radio Club, West Devon Rovers.

The Schools Challenge was made possible with the help of Active Co Sports, OCRA, West Devon Council.

Neither event would have been possible without the members of Tavistock AC and the friends, parents and teachers who made the day a great success.