Okehampton Running Club members have been busy achieving new personal bests at races around the country this week.

Member Tom Poland took part in the Manchester Marathon. The start and finish is near Old Trafford with the route travelling into the city centre and it is a very sociable run. Runners received unrivalled support from the crowds lining the route as they made their way around the course.

The route is described as “the UK’s flattest major marathon, with huge support on route with great PB potential.” This is exactly what Tom came away with: a new personal best of three hours and 24 minutes. Fantastic running, Tom.

Tom wasn’t the only ORC racing to achieve new records; Claudine Benstead ran the Clacton on Sea parkrun on Saturday and achieved first female in a time of 20 minutes and 42 seconds.

Claudine explained that this was a ‘warm up’ for the Bromley 10km which was back for the 8th time, raising money for local charities.

The race is another described as having ‘great PB potential’ and is a clockwise lap of a road course through the Essex countryside. Claudine was “very pleased” with her run, achieving a new club record in the 10km time of 40 minutes and 18 seconds. Claudine’s 5km time was an incredible 19 minutes and 52 seconds.

Having a slightly more leisurely run was Lucy Gooding who took part for the second time in Climb South West’s Sid Valley Ring Half Marathon. With an uphill start from Sidmouth seafront, the route takes runners through quiet country lanes and footpaths and climbs to a height of 236m before dropping down into Sidbury.

Further back lane running brings runners to Harcombe, “the Valley of the Hares” before a steep climb towards Dunscombe cliffs and the coast path. The final downhill section into Sidmouth provides fantastic views and a much-needed reprieve!

Lucy came home in a time of 3 hours and 25 minutes and despite some pretty fierce hill climbs, said she thoroughly enjoyed the event.