DESPITE the wintry weather Okehampton Running Club members, Abi Coulton, Robert Richards and Phil Spinney set out on a Race the Light event near Mothecombe in South Devon on Saturday evening.

The race itself is a shadowy 8.5 mile escapade, meandering through Flete Estates’ secret tracks and trails. Starting on the sand, the runners were crossing the Erme estuary in the freezing waters as the light was fading, getting wet feet and legs from the outset and then on up into the woods.

On the return leg, they left the woods to cross the estuary for the second time, up the slipway and continued on to the finish line at the Old Schoolhouse.

The race had many challenges from racing against the light, the incoming tide, the slippery, sticky mud and off course the biting wind.

This year saw more than 290 runners starting the race and all three Okehampton Running Club members represented the club proudly, sporting their club colours.

Robert Richards came in first of the trio with a time of 1 hour 22 minutes, overall 66th position and seventh in the male veteran 50 age category, second was Abi Coulton with a time of 1hr 33mins and Phil Spinney, despite starting out with a steady pace, suffered a recurrence of a recent calf injury. Although this caused him to slow, his determination and awaiting family ensured he soldiered on to the end finishing in 1hr 46mins.