Last weekend saw two AVR members contend with a 24-hour race, writes Dave Mutter.

Matt Clist and James Ashforth headed to Plymouth to test their limits and see how far they could run in 24 hours.

The course was a five-mile loop of trail paths and runners had 24 hours to complete as many laps as possible. Matt started off fairly quickly and his legs had had enough by 20 miles, but he managed to keep pushing until his inevitable retirement at 60 miles (100k), in 10 hours and 11 minutes of running. James, on the other hand, had managed to also complete 60 miles but in 23 hours. Too many blisters on his toes meant he couldn’t go for one more loop!

? AVR were represented at the Run Exe Relays held on the banks of the River Exe in Exeter. The race is a four-by-four kilometre relay and always generates entries from a lot of clubs.

The AVR team involved was a mixed team that finished second behind South West Road Runners. The times and order the legs were run in were: Matt Hewer, 14:00; Flo Swann, 15:28; Rob Collier, 14:32 and Luke Reed, 13:57. Rob Collier also ran the Martock 10k, a relatively flat course on roads and lanes around Martock. In a race won by Zak Harrell of Wells City Harriers in 35:31, Dave Mutter was ninth and third M40 in a PB time of 39:15 out of a field of 470.

? Louis Darrock won the latest Seaton Parkrun in a time of 18:37. Second was AVR’s Tom Perry in 18:52 and Tom Dunn took third spot in 19:01. Cecily Day was the first female, finishing 17th overall in 22:15.

? A reminder now to all that the Parkrun is there for everyone to have a go at, no matter how fast or slow. It is held every Saturday throughout the world at 9am - see www.parkrun.org.uk/seaton for more information.

? The morning after attending a Rolling Stones concert, it was probably not the best idea to get up early and attempt the Cardiff Parkrun, but that is what AVRs Graham and Diane Newton foolishly chose to do!

Maybe it was the aftereffects of the heavy night before, but they had serious difficulty finding the start of the race, and only joined the other 565 runners after a desperate search of Bute Park, arriving with just moments to spare!

Despite this, Graham still managed a very respectable run finishing in 101st in 23:21, and Diane, in 32:10, which also left her first in her age group.

? AVR member Denise Burges completed her second-ever 10k around Exeter Quay for Age UK.

The course was nice and flat – for a change – and the retro element of the race attracted some wonderful fluorescent outfits with many runners in headbands and leg warmers!

Denise completed the run in a time of 1:15, which was a slight personal best (PB), while Carol Austin finished in 48:36 and was also first W50, although she was disappointed that she was beaten home by Wonder Woman!