OKEHAMPTON Running Club members tested their abilities last weekend at a variety of events and venues.

On Saturday, Jane Jackson took part in the Gower Coastal Trail Race.

The Gower Peninsular is renowned for its beauty but torrential rain on the proceeding two days had reduced the paths to a slippery morass of thick mud and there were also many areas of sand dunes to cross. Having dropped down in distance from the Ultra to the shorter trail race, Jane was happy to complete the 24.5 miles in 6 hours 20 minutes.  

On Sunday, Paul Carter, Angus Farrelly, Katie Sherjan and new club member Gillian Tabor travelled to Exeter for the Great West Run. All were happy with their runs with Paul finishing in 1.26 and was second M50-54. Angus finished in 1.55. It was Katie and Gillian’s first half marathons and Katie beat her target time by five minutes. Gillian completed the course in 2.07 and Katie in 2.35.

Meanwhile down at the Eden Project half marathon in Cornwall runners found it was a hilly course made up of a mixture of road and trail sections, which were muddy.

Dave Bates won the prize for first male over 60 in 1.39, Jane Richardson finished in 2.23 and was first female veteran 70.

Christine Fritsch, unfortunately, was not feeling well and had a bad day for her, finishing in 2.30. Meanwhile, up in London, at the Royal Parks Half Marathon, Jessie Guscott was delighted to run a new personal best finishing in 2.04.

Finally Jo Page and Anne Binns flew ‘across the Pond’ for the Chicago Marathon. They both had tremendous runs, gaining personal bests. Jo Page broke the club overall record as well as her age category record finishing in a superb 3.14. Anne Binns also ran a storming race. She completed the course in 3.52 which was a club age category record.