General manager of the Okehampton Community Recreation Association (OCRA), Ian Blythe, braved the heat on Sunday (April 26) to run the London Marathon in support of the charity.

He successfully completed one of the most famous marathons in the world in 3 hours, 24 minutes, and 7 seconds, beating his fundraising target and raising over £2,000 for OCRA. At the time of writing, the total raised stood at £2,273, but the fundraising page remains open for further donations.

Ian said: “It went really well. It was hotter standing in the start pen than I imagined it would be. I planned to go faster, but I was sensible and paced myself. I had a tougher first half and a stronger second half.”

The money will go towards funding the Oke Memory Cafe, OCRA’s peer support groups and other activities and facilities managed by the charity. It will also help fund a replacement surface for the all-weather pitch. Once Ian’s fundraiser has finished, his page will continue to raise money for the pitch.

OCRA is a local charity that provides sporting and recreational opportunities in Okehampton and the surrounding area.

To donate to Ian’s fundraiser, visit: https://tinyurl.com/2ftrm43b.