LAST week Bovey Valley Runners presented a cheque for £250 to Connor Balmer from AndysManClub.

Ruth Bushell, acting Chair of BVR commented “What a fantastic week for Bovey Valley Runners! People join our club for many reasons: maybe to improve their physical fitness, for more social interaction or to support their mental well-being.

She continued, “As a club it's great to know we are helping our members make positive changes to their life and health as well as supporting other organisations like Andy’s Man Club that share the same aspirations.”

Andys Man Club is a men’s suicide prevention charity that tries to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and to help men through the power of conversation. More details can be found on their website at https://andysmanclub.co.uk or on Facebook by searching for Andys Man Club Newton Abbot.

Elsewhere for Bovey Valley, Anna Gocher completed a monumental event in the form of the Wild Horse 200. That’s 200 miles. And 30,000 feet of climbing.

This epic event starts in Chepstow and follows the Offa’s Dyke, across the Brecon Beacons, finishing west of Swansea. It is a non-stop event, although short sleeps are permitted with Anna starting at 06:00 on Wed and finishing on Sunday at 20:58. A total time of 110 hours and 58 minutes- what an amazing achievement!

Whilst out on the roads we had several runners at the Great West Run in Exeter, with two distances on offer Mikey Campling took the half marathon route and finished in an excellent time of 1:53:27. In the 10k event Sue Campling completed the race in 1:06:37, with Donna Osborne and Nicola Huckerby sticking together and both crossing the finish line in 1:09:26.

Great West Run representation from Bovey Valley Runners Donna Osborne & Nicola Huckerby
Great West Run representation from Bovey Valley Runners Donna Osborne & Nicola Huckerby (Contributed)

Supporting the local Fire Fighters charity, Maurice Raymont and Jill Bishop took part in the 5-mile route out from Princetown following the old railway line out and around Swelltor Quarries and King’s Tor.

Also out on Dartmoor last weekend there was the Burrator 10k, although this stuck to the roads. Just under two circuits around Burrator Reservoir makes for a relatively flat race.

Andrew Smerdon finished in 1:01:05 and Rebecca Burton in 1:17:15.