ONE brave Bere Alston Treeker (Murray Turner) took on the Giant’s Head Marathon in Dorset on June 25. This was a very tough trail marathon which took in some of the best scenery in the area.

The course went round the Giant’s Head in Cerne Abbas. The giant, carved in solid lines from the chalk bedrock measures in at 180 feet high, and carries a huge knobbled club, which measures 120 feet in length. 

There are numerous theories as to when and why the giant was created, but theory given the most weight by historians is that it was created during the reign of the Emperor Commodus between 180-193 AD, he believed himself to be a reincarnation of Hercules and allowed the cult to revive.

The marathon itself required Herculean stamina to complete, taking in a multitude of undulating surfaces and ten of the longest climbs in Dorset.

Murray thoroughly enjoyed the event, even if it left him shattered, and completed it in a time of 5 hours 38 minutes.

Murray finished in 162nd place out of 376 finishers.  Rebecca Mingo, in one of her first races returning from injury, took on the shorter but equally tough Sybling Hill 10km, and was rewarded with first woman home.

On Sunday BATS tooks on the Six Moor Miles, which is a very popular local trail race held on Roborough Down, Yelverton. BATs fielded 14 runners. The weather was a considerable improve-ment on last year and the event, although tough, was enjoyed by all.

Matthew Head was first BAT home, and ninth overall in a cracking time of 44 mins 15 secs. Murray Turner was next BAT home in 49.48, followed by Andy Bowden in 54.53;  Martin Head in 59.06; Alison ’Ninja’ Greaves and Julie Page in 1.03.46; Julian Sett, running in full DRG kit 1.07.53; Mel Greaves and Laura Hogan in 1.09.32; Hazel Bickley and Cally Barnes 1.15.12;  Amy Frank in 1.19.16; Hilary Head, who finally beat the Turtle, in a time of 1.31.22.