MERV Rice and Dave Slocombe were the only runners from Okehampton Running Club to brave the conditions at the Torrington Christmas Caper hosted by neighbouring Torrington AAC.

After the previous day’s rain the mud along Mucksy Lane was even deeper, there was more mud on the tracks through Watergate Woods, a river crossing and a final pull over several acres of bottomless fields.

All runners were rewarded for their ten mile slog with a Christmas pudding and cream. Merv and his daughter Jenny also took home a large bowl of fruit each, some of the prizes to be won, as Jenny finished second lady overall and Merv was placed second in the MV60 category.

ORC Roger Voaden, after a frustrating series of injuries disrupting his quest to run 50 marathons before he is 51, managed to get to Portsmouth to complete his 49th marathon in mud, wind, rain and gale force winds in a time of 3 hours 28 minutes – just one to go now!