LAUNCESTON Road Runners members were out in force at various events during the first three weekends of March.

First up was the notoriously difficult Looe 10 Miler on Sunday, March 2, which was the third race of the Cornwall Grand Prix Race Series.

It’s known for its hefty elevation and up and down nature, meaning personal bests are certainly not on the cards.

Launceston saw eight runners compete with Jon Kappes the fastest in one hour, 15 minute and zero seconds for third in the M55-59 age group, just over five minutes faster than David Thomson who was second in the M60-64 section.

The times were as follows: Jon Kappes – 1:15:00; David Thomson – 1:20:42; Mike Gilbert – 1:28:44; Katie Fowler – 1:35:58; Matt Pickard – 1:36:36; Jason Thorns – 1:50:53; Jackie Chapman – 1:54:13; Becky Wise – 1:56:52.

Saturday, March 8, saw Joe Thomson do a 30km coastal run known as Classic Jack, an 18-mile point-to-point race between St Just and St Ives on a stunning and demanding part of the coast path.

Joe was done in three hours and eight minutes.

Joe then got himself up to North Devon for a 10.30am start the next day for the 30th anniversary of the Bideford Half Marathon.

He then smashed his personal best by nearly ten minutes, crossing in 1:23:08.

Other Launceston runners to finish were Peter McAughey (1:42:47), Jenny Mills (1:50:32) and Ian Grimes (2:09:50) with Mills’ time enough for first in the F75-79 age group.

Known as the ‘Swift Half’, runners head out of the town along the A386 towards Great Torrington before embarking back via the Tarka Trail.

On the same day, the Exeter City Community Trust held the Granite Way 10 and 20 mile races which was either a one or two loop route between Okehampton and Lydford.

Both Richard Foster and Claire Winfield took on the longer option with Claire’s time of 2:53:08 enough for first in the F50-54 age group.

Foster was finished in 2:50:47.

Sunday, March 16, saw several local runners complete the Falmouth Half Marathon which is organised by Cornwall Hospice Care in conjunction with Falmouth Running Club.

The event is the fourth race of the Cornwall Road Running Grand Prix Series and is known for its undulating nature, none more so than the infamous Maenporth Hill.

Four Launceston runners – Jon Kappes (1:32:50), David Thomson (1:37:23), Katie Fowler (1:56:54) and Jackie Chapman (2:18:53) – took part with Kappes (M55-59) and Thomson (M60-64) both securing third in their respective age groups.

That was also the position Bude RATs’ Stephen Hutchinson finished in the M70-74 section, he crossed in 2:04:00.

His club-mate Annie Bover (2:04:46) also raced and crossed 46 seconds later. Bover was also the only RAT to finish the Looe 10 Miler.

There was a better turnout from Bude for the Bideford Half Marathon.

Rob Petrie (2:05:08) and Paula Wilkinson (1:55:08) used it as a chance to get some preparation in for their upcoming London Marathon, while club-mates Nic Emmett (2:06:45) and Ben Rogers (2:08:45) completed the distance which saw nearly 1,000 runners.