MORE than 200 school children signed up for this year's challenge with Lamerton, Gulworthy, Lifton, Horrabridge, St Peter's, Tavistock Community, Whitchurch, Lady Modiford's, Mary Tavy-Brentor, Bickleigh, Bere Alston and St Andrew's primary schools all taking part. Also taking part were Adam Holland and Mhairi McCall's Run in the Park group and Tavistock Athletic Club's junior section.

For the third year in a row the sun shone for us and smiley faces abounded around the Tavistock Athletics track. Dotty Allen and Hannah Colston warmed the children up on the track, before the start of the run and TAC junior member Dean Smith took over leading the children round the one mile route, replacing Adam Holland who entered the main Tavy 13 this year.

The runners were completing their 13th and therefore half marathon mile on the same day as the adults ran the full half marathon. They have run one mile per week since the middle of January, often in inclement weather, and yesterday received their Tavy 13 medal and t-shirt as a reward for their commitment and hard work.

Thanks go to West Devon Borough Council, Western Power Distribution and the Active Villages Project for their sponsorship and support of the Primary Challenge.

All those children who would like to keep running their weekly mile are welcome to attend Adam and Mhairi's Run in the Park Group which meets every Wednesday at the band stand in the meadows, Tavistock at 5pm. Participation is free of charge. All ages welcome.

n Taking part in the Tavy 13 Primary Challenge was the team from Bere Alston Primary School.  The 30 strong running club members from the school had completed three miles per week during training which also included taking part in the schools cross-country competition, over the past two terms.  Some of these miles counted towards their half marathon with the final 1.2 miles being run on the same day as the Tavistock Half Marathon.

For those taking part in the Primary Challenge, silver certificates were awarded after five miles had been completed and gold after ten miles.