The Bideford Half Marathon always attracts a large field of well over 800 but this year, instead of the usual half dozen or so, it was only Andy Shearer from Sidmouth Running Club that took the long drive up to North Devon, writes John Perratt.

The course is a very attractive one, going out alongside the River Torridge and back into Bideford along the popular Tarka Trail.

It is a reasonably quick course although a chilly morning and a fresh breeze meant that it took some time before the runners got warmed up.

Shearer missed the target time of 100 minutes by just two seconds matching, almost to the second, the time achieved by Phil Welsford the previous year.

Down in the depths of the New Forest, Jo Earlam’s quest for her 50 marathons before 50 continued and she cheerfully clocked up Number 21.

There is though very little time to rest as her next one is in Barcelona on March 17, and they come thick and fast after that. It is becoming a real race against time!