Eight members of Okehampton Running Club met to run the inaugural Postbridge Pootle Fell Race on July 27.

The course is approximately 10.5km over the moorland north of Postbridge.

Seven narrow bridges in the first quarter mile makes for an interesting start. The ground then rises quickly to Braddon Tor and this is followed by a ridge of three tors before the descent to Powder Mills Farm.

The final mile is a mostly level forest track which allows for a swift finish.

Okehampton runners performed very well and secured Men’s Team 1st with Chris Turner coming in 4th overall (3rd senior) in a time of 46.09 followed by Paul Crease (1st V50) 46.31. They were followed by Joe Lane (3rd V40 displaying some skilful cattle clearing along the way), Rob Gooding, Ian Ripper and Will Serviour. First ORC lady across the line was Christine Fritsch (1.15.49) followed by Hannah Susorney.

Quite by chance two groups of ORCs decided to try the Parke Parkrun for the first time on Saturday. They were met with warm humid conditions. It is a lovely wooded trail course through the historic parkland of the Parke Estate, near Bovey Tracey, which is owned by the National Trust. There is a challenging hill near the beginning and elsewhere the course undulates but also has some broad level sections where the runners can push forward.

Paul King led the group home in 26.42 with young Ollie finishing just ahead of mum Karen and Jo Page in an excellent 33.34. Soon after came Victoria Evison in 34.30 and just in arrears by a few seconds was dad Paul.

The next day Paul and Karen King were in action again, along with Lucy Gooding, they travelled south to take part in the Stoke Gabriel 10k ‘ish run. The race, which was raising money for charity started at the football club. It proceeded down to the Mill Pool and around the waters edge to the river Dart. Luckily the water was on it’s way out so the runners didn’t get too wet.

From here the runners passed through a largely wooded trail then up, up and up again to a field which has been described as ‘the Hay Field from Hell’. Presumably this caused the runners a certain amount of inconvenience. Then it was through more woodland to the finish. Karen described the course as lovely but definitely not a PB one. At the time of going to print the official times are not in. However Paul’s watch time was 1.18, Karen’s 1.19 and Lucy’s 1.36.

The runners were rewarded with a bacon bap and a pint of cider for finishing.