Bude Life Boat Run returned this year raising much needed funds for the RNLI. The race is 6.4 miles out and back along the Bude canal.

John Binns was first member of Okehampton Running Club home in 51.21, followed by first female ORC Lu Walsh. Other chip times were Anne Binns 56.16, Margaret Jarvis 1.04, Rebecca Simons, Jo Bradford and Kathryn Volkelt-Igoe 1.08, Jo Teixeira and Olivia Wheeleker 1.20. Margaret Jarvis was particularly pleased with her time as she had not raced since December 2019, due to Covid and injury.

Aiden and Kiera Spinney ran well in the Junior version of the race. Aiden finished in 6.53 minutes and Kiera gave the spectators a spectacular sprint finish in the Year 6 race in a time of 7.42.

The Seven ORC runners who entered the Burrator Horseshoe last Saturday encountered wet and windy conditions. They started at Meavy, then on to Burrator Reservoir, to the top of Sheepstor, then across to Gutter Tor and then downhill to Ringmoor Down and then through the ford and back to the Village Green.

Sam Priday was first ORC home in third place. Next and taking first vet 50 was Paul Crease, with Tom Poland, Andrew Vallance and Joe Lane all following close behind. Daniel Heggs and Hannah Susorney both ran well to finish in 53.58 and 69.00 respectively.

There was a big field for the junior race with 28 runners across the age groups and they all ran brilliantly.

Aiden Spinney was first in the U15s, Arthur Lane was second in U11s and Alistair Taylor was second in U9s. The girls had similar success with Kiera Spinney first in U13s and Eleanor Taylor second in the U11s.

Robert Richards and Richie Pike took on the Tsunami Marathon, which starts from Clovelly Harbour and rises steeply to the coast path and finishes on the lawns of Castle Bude – taking in almost 2,000m of ascent along the route.

The event is part of a series taking place this weekend including 75, 37, 26, 16 and seven-mile distances, all starting at different times arriving as a Tsunami of finishers in Bude. Both Robert and Richie completed the challenge with respectable times.

The Plymouth Half Marathon also took place at the weekend. This race starts and finishes at The Hoe. It passes over the Laira Bridge, loops around Elburton and Saltram before re-crossing the bridge and back into Plymouth.

Gary Letheren took on this race having warmed up the day before by doing the Plymouth Central Park Run (21.02) and came home in the excellent time of 1.38.04.

Plymouth also hosted a 10k race and ORC were represented in this by Karen and Paul King. Conditions were good after the recent hot spell. It was Karen’s first road race back after her injury a year ago so took it easy coming home in a time of 54.09 whilst Paul came home in 48.45

On Saturday Mike Saywell ran the Boscastle Scramble – a 25-mile trail run from Rock to Boscastle along the Coast Path. With more than 5,000ft of elevation it is a tough run, especially as most of the hills are in the second half.

Although a little wet and windy at times the conditions were perfect for running. He was very pleased and surprised to finish ifourth in 5.08.24.

And finally we had an ORC in the Rocky Mountains. Will Seviour snuck away from a work conference in Colorado to run the Summit Trail Running Series French Gulch race near Beckenridge. It was just under 10k and had 200m of elevation gain, but was held at 3,000m altitude! He enjoyed the race but his time of 1.12 was not his fastest as he had only just arrived at altitude.