AN IMPRESSIVE 11 Okehampton Running Club teams took on the Haldon Relays on Friday, July 25.

This relay event involved teams of four with each member tackling a 3km leg of trail running winding through Haldon Forest. The undulating tracks promise a challenge for every runner.

All teams put in amazing performances, notable performances were given by Jo Page, Claire Watkins, Arthur Lane, Stanley Hicks, Paul Evison, and Margaret Jarvis, who all topped their respective age categories. The V50 women’s team (Claire Watkins, Sarah Marvin, Carol Loader and Rachel Russel) also came top in their category.

Chair Emma Jewell said that it was a thoroughly enjoyable event, with a very inclusive atmosphere and great organisation done by Cityruns. She said it made her proud to be the chair of such a supportive club, as they definitely had some of the loudest supporters (as well as the fastest runners) at this year’s event.

Elsewhere, ORC duo Simon Partridge and Ian Ripper were going toe-to-toe with the gruelling Paddy Buckley Round.

The Paddy Buckley round is a tour of 43 peaks in Snowdonia, 100 kilometres and 9000m elevation. To be on the finishers list, runners must complete it in under 25 hours.

Simon and Ian undertook the challenge in a more leisurely, yet still extremely tough, three days.

Climb Southwest provided the support and excellent guiding. Ian said, “It was daunting looking at the day ahead. Rewarding looking at the stunning scenery and empowering looking back at the vastness of landscape we crossed under our own steam.

“Climbing Snowdon itself was an incidental part of day two afternoon, squeezed in between eight other biggies of the day. The sprint finish into Capel Curig was brutal!”

Finally, our ORC action takes us to the iconic Lakeland 50-miler, which goes through the heart of the Lake District, Ambleside, finishing in Coniston.

It is run over the second half of the Lakeland 100 Ultra Tour of the Lake District, completing the final 50 miles of the course. The course is on rough terrain with almost 3000m of ascent to content with. The time limit for the 50 miler is 24 hours which makes it open to both runners and walkers.

On Saturday, ORC Emma Brock took on this 50-miler, finishing in an amazing 10 hours 49 minutes. Emma said she had the best day, “The crowds were like nothing I’ve ever seen at a UK trail race, the views were spectacular, and the atmosphere was immense. What a day, would highly recommend.”

Okehampton Running Club was formed in February 2009. 16 years later, they now have 150 members of all abilities and ages who share that one thing, a love for running.

They meet at the Pavilion in Simmons Park at 6:20 every Tuesday and Thursday with new members always welcome.

There are six groups for different abilities running each night, so there should be one to suit you. Each group is taken out by a qualified leader to help guide you in your training.

Tuesday nights are steady runs, sometimes on road, sometimes through the woods and tracks. Thursday nights meanwhile are technical sessions, aiming to build up stamina and speed. They do sprints and distance loops, as well as hill reps and more.