James Green’s running has really improved and, after winning at Axmouth a fortnight before he was at it again in the Saturday night 10mile Wild Night Run, writes Dave Mutter.

Green’s time was an impressive 1:10:09, a good time over moorland terrain in the light, let alone the pitch black night and all with a sore toe!

James spoke of the experience saying: “The second instalment of the Wild Night Run series started on Saturday night from South Brent. Competitors were greeted by light rain and a brisk north westerly breeze with some serious chill on the start line. This was soon replaced by blizzard conditions as they passed through the snow line. Once out on the snow covered open moorland, competitors were treated to a well-marked course on technically challenging trails. Once home, it seemed that if you didn’t fall over, you were one of the few! It was certainly another amazing adventure into the night.”

Whilst most of the AVR gang were out Grizzly training, Carol Austin and Lesley Adams were in the midlands at the Stourbridge Stagger - a muddy, hilly off road 10-mile race so good Grizzly practice. Carol was 123rd out of 425 and second W50 in 1:28, a minute faster than two years ago so the Devon hill running is clearly paying off. Lesley Adams ran the 7k over part of the same route finishing 62nd out of 119.

It was a cracking day for the official run around this year’s Grizzly course and three groups of varying speed enjoyed Sunday morning’s sunny crisp weather. Let’s hope the weather on Grizzly race day, March 1, is as good.