IT WAS a great Sunday for a small group of new runners from Tavistock Athletic Club, who only graduated from their Couch to 5k course late last year.

The intrepid club colleagues banded together to run their first ‘real’ races, representing TAC in the 5k and 10k trail runs in Haldon Forest organised by Purple Gecko Events.

They acquitted themselves really well: in the 5km race, Simon Hubbard was the first V50 runner home in 43min & 54s, Gill Turcan gained first FV60 place in 44mins & 58s, followed by Sue Wildman, 2nd FV50, in 1h, 11mins & 25s.

In the 10km race, Hannah Creasy took 6th FV50 place in 1h, 20 mins & 25s, closely followed by Claire Pilsbury in 1h, 21s & 6s. All in all, a great start to their TAC racing season.

Pictured, from left to right, are Gill Turcan, Sue Wildman, Simon Hubbard, Hannah Creasy and Claire Pilsbury.

ELSEWHERE, Tavistock Run Project were represented by Oliver Smart at the BUCS Cross-country Championships in Cardiff on the Saturday.

In a thrilling race over 10.9 km, just seven seconds separated the top 3 three athletes, with European trials winner Tomer Tarragano claiming victory in a race that went right down to the wire. Ollie was also part of the victorious University of Birmingham team.

This is a great platform for Ollie who will contest both the National cross country at Parliament Hill later this month and the Inter Counties in early March before leaving for Font Romeau for a month’s altitude training in preparation for the summer track season.

Coach Dave Chanter believes this could be a breakthrough season for Ollie.