Tavistock Athletic Club (TAC) runners were not taking it easy during a varied programme of races on the week before Christmas.

They entered into the spirit of the season at their own monthly, Saturday, Tavistock 5km run, starting and finishing at their running track in Christmas costume.

Meanwhile, individual TAC athletes took on their challenges in several tough hilly multi-terrain races on testing coastal and inland courses including the North Devon coast and the Wellington Monument. One racer undertook a physical and mental challenge at Tiverton - running as many laps as possible - as long as it was within seven hours.

On Saturday, December 20, Tavistock held their last Tavy 5km race of the year - a special Christmassy edition. The club welcomed a total of 71 entrants - both regular runners and a significant number of first timers, possibly families getting together for the holiday. All were encouraged to dress festively - and they didn't disappoint.

There were some great performances with two Vet 40 male age category runners in first and third places - TAC's Ben Neale took line honours in a superb time of 16min 9s, whilst Joel Heatley of South West Road Runners took third place in 17:15.

Their positions were split by a great run from junior TAC runner Freddie Whybrow, who broke the course record for the U15M age category in 16:15.

Club colleagues Arthur Norton took 4th place overall, and 2nd in the U15M category, with Grant Harvey finished 5th overall and 3rd in his Vet 40M category.

Hannah Gethin, now a TAC member, who 'graduated' from TAC's recent couch to 5k course by completing the November race in 26:59, proceeded to better that time by nearly a minute and a half, finishing in 25:13 in an amazing demonstration of dedicated improvement.

Elsewhere, there were two significant achievements by TAC ladies in their F60 age categories.

On Sunday, December 13, Les Wilkinson took to the ups and downs of the North Coast of Cornwall, taking on the Fairy Tale of Newquay races. She chose the 'long half marathon' distance - nearly 15 miles of challenging terrain with some 2,133 ft of elevation gain. In what she described beautiful weather with stunning views, she finished in 3:11:39, taking 1st place in the FV60 category.

And, on the same weekend, Carole Walters had a similar success at the Wellington Monument 10km race - another hilly event where athletes have to race to the top of the monument hill and back down again. She won her FV60 category in 52:00 amongst nine others in her age group.

Not to be outdone, on Sunday, December 20, Garry Letheren chose the Christmas Canter at Sampford Peverell, Tiverton, as part of his 2026 marathon training. It's a maximum seven-hour challenge where athletes choose as many laps of a 6.55 mile course along the Grand Western Canal as they feel able. Garry chose three laps, totally nearly 20 miles, which he completed in 2:56:36.