LAURENCE and Mary Sargeant from Weir Quay and representing the Bere Alston Trekkers, travelled to the Welsh borders and ran in the two day Mountain Marathon in the beautiful Forest of Dean. This was the fifth Mountain Marathon that Mary and Laurence have competed in.

The competitors run in pairs over two days, for five hours on the first day and four hours on the second day navigating a course through the woods and hills of the Forest of Dean to collect as many points as they can in the time allowed carrying their kit, food and water etc on their backs. All the distance is off-road and covers hundreds of metres of ascent in a hilly area.

The weather was perfect, if a little hot causing them to have to carry a minimum of 1.5 litres of water.

Mary and Laurence were by far the oldest competitors competing, Laurence being 65 and Mary 70. They managed to collect 370 points over two days placing them 64th out of an original start quota of 99. They were pleased with their result. They hope to compete in the next OMM, to be held here in the South West in October.

Also competing were their daughter and son-in-law Cameron and Lauren Woodrow and their two friends Alex and Roland Gude, who competed in the mountain biking two day marathon for the first time.