ON Saturday four Bere Alston Trekkers made the trip to take part in Haldon Trail Runners’ annual charity trail race, the Haldon Heartbeat. This is a circa 8.25 mile race around the stunning scenery of Harcombe Woods in Haldon Forest, starting and finishing at the race headquarters at Exeter Racecourse.

The sun shone and everyone enjoyed the run in this beautiful and unspoilt part of Haldon Forest. The profits from this year’s race will be donated to the Devon Air Ambulance Trust. The BATs were Dave Adams 1.14.25, Martin Head 1.16.55, Pam Adams 1.32.36 and Hilary Head 1.50.23.

On Sunday, Marcia Macey was the lone BAT at the Imerys half marathon. This race is organised by St Austell Running Club and starts and finishes at St Austell College. Imerys Trail Marathon offers a unique experience to runners as for one day only, the land of Cornwall’s china clay industry is open to the public.

The operational working sites, along with land which has been regenerated from the industrial past, provides a challenging and spectacular course. With only short sections of road, this multi terrain route takes competitors on sand roads which leave them thinking they have been on the moon! Together with private farm land and picturesque tracks and trails, the course offers stunning vistas of Cornwall’s countryside and coastline at it’s very best.

However, harsh conditions in the baking sun with the sun reflecting off the china clay! Despite this Marcia finished third in her age class being beaten by four seconds for the second position!

BATs Alison Greaves and Fiona Watford Maddock ventured out on a weekday evening to compete in the Armada 5k race at Saltram this week. This was Fiona’s first race as a BAT. She completed the course in 32.24 and Alison Greaves finished in 28.16.