JUST six days after the tragic events of the Boston Marathon the organisers of the London Marathon carried on with the race which provided as great a spectacle as ever.

A record crowd defiantly turned out to watch 35,000 runners take on the 26.2 miles on a beautiful spring day. As a television commentator remarked - if you want to break the human spirit, marathoners are the wrong group to pick.

Eleven representatives from Okehampton Running Club converged on the capital complete with their entourage of supporters. For six of the ORC runners this was their first experience of one of the world's major marathons.

Roger Voaden, a veteran of London and many other marathons, led the way breaking three hours yet again with a great time of 2 hours 59 minutes. Robert Kelly was delighted with his time of 3.08.16 and Paul Carter finished in 3.13.55 with Bryan Friend following in 3.15.03.

Claire Down, running her first marathon, led the ORC girls, running strongly all the way to break the four hour barrier to finish in 3.56.57. Karen Vallance achieved a PB with 4.06.25, despite having had treatment to a leg injury the previous week.

Then came Laura Bird 4.12.01, Cathy Carey 4.20.03, Heather Richards 4.20.25, Deborah Cunningham 4.27.23, and Tracey Mills 4.29.29.

The London marathon is not only about running - thousands of pounds are raised for various causes.

ORC members contributed in no small way with Tracey Mills running for Cancer Research in memory of her mother; Karen Vallance for the Exeter Leukaemia Fund; Cathy Carey for the Lymphoma Association; Deborah Cunningham for the South Zeal Scout Group and Cumbria Cerebral Palsy; Claire Down for CLIC; Laura Alm for the Gilead Foundation and Heather Richards for Children's Hospice Southwest.

The total figure raised by the Okehampton athletes looks likely to exceed an amazing £10,000.