ON Saturday, four intrepid members of Bere Alston Trekkers made their way to Princetown to take on the Dartmoor Discovery Ultra marathon.

This 32-mile road race is the UK’s longest single lap road ultra marathon, and often described as the toughest.

The race starts in Princetown and follows a hilly and scenic route passing through Dartmeet, Poundsgate, Newbridge, Buckland in the Moor, Widecombe in the Moor, and Postbridge before making its way back to the finish at Princetown and the legendary hospitality of club hosts, the Teignbridge Trotters. The race features a number of checkpoints and strict cut-off times, to add to the challenge.

First time ultra marathon runners Fran Morgan and husband and wife Dan and Emma Dooney were joined by veteran ultra runner Rachel Wood, but due to illness and injury, both Emma and Rachel were forced to withdraw from the race, leaving Dan and Fran to continue to the finish line in times of 6 hours 24 minutes 23 seconds and 6.25.00 respectively.

Further afield, lone BAT Matthew Head took on the City of Portsmouth AC’s D-Day 10K, a fast, flat road race in Cosham.

The D Day 10K is an annual race held within the Lakeside North Harbour, Portsmouth, and is part of the Hampshire Road Race League, and so attracts a large number of runners from local clubs – with more than 500 participating on Sunday.

Matthew finished in 70th position in a time of 40 minutes 12 seconds, which is a 10K personal best by over 80 seconds.