The Minster Challenge, run in support of the Axminster Community College, is a welcome addition to the local running circuit, writes John Perratt.

The school certainly pulled out all the stops to make a success of it and we were led to the start by a group of young cheerleaders, set off to the ‘haunting’ sound of a Didgery Doo and serenaded by the college steel band at the finish. In between times the course had Axe Valley Runners written all over it and provided an interesting figure of eight over peaks and troughs through the surrounding farmland.

Apart from a few hundred yards at the start and finish, the surface when it wasn’t wet and slippery, uphill was just muddy, uphill. Logic dictates that there must have been some down hill but no one can recall exactly where.

Brian Gosling was off like a rocket and knocked off the seven and a bit miles in an impressive 74 minutes, a full three minutes ahead of club mate, John Perratt. Behind them, Terry Bewes and Trudy Lestor ran together, Lestor getting in some valuable Grizzly training.

, having just been successful with her Grizzly application, got in some valuable training for it and was grateful for the support provided by Terry. She will do well if she keeps this up.