AROUND 600 runners turned out for last Sunday's Mansbridge and Balment Tavy 13 half marathon run, staged in warm spring sunshine.

This is now a major event on the South West athletics scene and this year Tavistock Athletic Club is one of a series of clubs hosting the Devon County Championships.

For the first time there was a wheel chair entrant to the half marathon — also running were a large contingent of soldiers who registered on the day. Rumour had it that they were training on Dartmoor and just told they were doing the Tavy 13 when they woke up on Sunday morning.

Fully integrated into the run is also The Primary Challenge — a fantastic event which brings athletics to pupils in the district's primary schools. This year's fun run also brought more youth participation.

The Tavy 13 is a tough run containing a long hill after Mill Hill and as the heat built though the morning, runners started to find the going heavy despite the fantastic scenery.

Nonetheless a number were heard to say it was 'the best half marathon they'd run'.

The winning time of 1hour 16 minutes from Richard Shelley of Plymstock Road Runners was very creditable for the conditions but the course record of 1 hr 11 min from Tavistock's Pete Freedman holds for another year.

A spokesperson for Tavistock Athletic Club said: 'It was fantastic to have the mayor and mayoress present for starting all the races and for the prize giving. It really added to the carnival atmosphere around the track side.

'Besides the main sponsors, Mansbridge and Balment, support from other local organisations was huge. All were impressed with the ATC boys who kept appearing at different places on the course performing vital tasks.'

'Rob and Eunice Moule of RM Builders set up and ran the refreshments, selling a prodigious number of bacon baps and having to replenish drinks stocks such was the demand.

'The scaffolding team from Lewdown Scaffolding once again came up trumps and the Fairway Furniture van was in pretty well full time use all day moving road cones etc, from one place to another. Many thanks again to Western Road Management who helped with the difficult task of managing the temporary road closures.

'We sincerely strive to minimise disruption with these and will certainly review success in this area and improve if possible.

'Many thanks for the patience of people temporarily put to inconvenience.

The spokesman said the route course marshals were often the unsung heroes of these events but without their diligence the race could not have taken place.

He also thanked West Devon Borough Council for their help and encouragement; Devon highways for the helpful way they deal with road closures and the town council for the loan of, and assistance with, an enormous number of road cones.

'Many thanks to them all and the organisations such as the Lions and round table who were involved.

'Soon we will be talking about what to do next year — the year of the Olympic Games being held in London — watch this space.'