OKEHAMPTON Running Club stalwart Keeley Phillips ran her 500th Parkrun at the Eden Project on Saturday, October 31. Joined by fellow ORC members and friends, she ran the Halloween special in fancy dress. Well done Keeley!

Her recent exploits don’t end there either as she was in action south of the border again the following day.

Keeley was one of five ORCs to run Cornwall’s only all-road marathon, a firm in favourite in the Cornish Grand Prix series for years.

Starting and finishing at Pensilva, the route took runners along the Draynes Valley, through the ‘Poldark’ country of Bodmin Moor, past King Arthur’s legendary Dozmary Pool, Du Maurier’s Jamaica Inn at Bolventor and back along the Fowey Valley. The climb to Foredown between miles 24 and 25 is the section of the race that most runners remember for a long time, and not just for the fabulous views!

There was some great running by with Rob Kelly first ORC home in 3:07:44 (third MV45), followed by Jo Page in 3:16:22 (third lady/second FV40), Paul Carter in 3:29:15 (third MV60), Keeley Phillips in 4:49:14 (a new PB) and Lucy Gooding in 5:04:53 (also a new PB).

Also on November 1 was the Bideford 10-miler, in support of North Devon Hospice, which boasted a great turnout.

This race is possibly the fastest in Devon due to being moderately flat and the Okehampton Running Club cohort was spear-headed by Andrew Vernon, in 1:06:39 (third MV55).

Next came Derek Matravers (1:08:25); Matt Grint (1:18:27 - a new PB); Laura Venton (1:40:22 - running her first 10miler); Kevin Crist (1:44:12); Garry Wallace (1:42:05) and Louise Chancellor (1:42:18 - also a new PB).

Meanwhile, on Saturday, Mary Roberts, Sarah Marvin and Emma Jewell were at Roadford Lake for the Sportiva Events Devon Trail Races.

Mary took on the single loop 10k whilst Sarah and Emma ran the half marathon which was two loops of the same course. The route used some of the best lakeside trails which our ORCs said were beautiful in the sunshine and thankfully not too muddy after the recent rain.

Mary finished as third lady in the 10k whilst Sarah was third lady in the half marathon.

Emma ensured she got her money’s worth and ran her own extended course after taking a wrong turn. However, despite this she still ran a fast race actually finishing as unofficial first lady.

Lastly, Pete Roissetter was furthest afield this week running Kullamannen by UTMB in Sweden. Starting on Friday evening, this 105-mile race took runners on a journey along the rocky shores of Sweden’s Kullaberg and Bjäre peninsulas on the southern Swedish coast.

The route passed through rocky mountains, beechwood forests and along exposed beaches and coast paths with many hours run in darkness.

Pete said the event was not just a race but an incredible experience that revolved around the story of the legendary knight Kullamannen. At the start, a local priest read the Kullamannen prayer before the knight himself appeared on horseback to challenge the runners.

After rolling his ankle after only 6km, Pete was very happy to finish in 29hrs13 (well inside his 30hr target).

A painful ankle made the section between 120km and 150km along a very rocky beach particularly problematic but this was never going to stop Pete from reaching the finish line. Congratulations Pete - what an amazing achievement!