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Marathon winner gifted entry as Christmas surprise
TL;DR
Richard Gould won the Dartmoor Marathon after being surprised with his entry as a Christmas gift from his wife. He completed the race in two hours and 56 seconds, marking the marathon's return after a 40-year hiatus.
Richard Gould said he was "over the moon" to win the marathon [BBC]
The winner of a marathon said he had not planned to take part in the challenge but was gifted his entry as a surprise Christmas present from his wife.
More than 500 runners set off on the 26-mile Dartmoor Marathon from Tavistock on Sunday, which returned after a 40-year break.
Richard Gould from Bicester, Oxfordshire, won the race, completing the challenge in two hours and 56 seconds. "Up until Christmas Day, I did not know I was coming," he said. "That was a big surprise."
Race organiser Dave Chanter said competitors "seemed to have enjoyed the course and enjoyed the day", adding "most runners are going to appreciate the beauty" of Dartmoor.
The race organiser said the setting was "stunning" [BBC]
The marathon started and finished in Tavistock and wound its way across Dartmoor National Park.
Winner Gould said he was "over the moon" with his success.
"I was hoping for sub three hours," he added.
"Those hills are challenging, that last few hills, 20 miles, oh yeah, that's really quite hard."
The runner said the scenery was "absolutely beautiful", adding it was "a little bit windy on the return pass, Princetown, but after that it was amazing, absolutely amazing weather".
Joanne Page, from Okehampton, was the first woman to finish the race.
She said she would be celebrating her achievement with an ice cream.
"It was everything," she said. "I love Dartmoor."
Page said the wind made the race "tough" as the runners headed out of Princetown.
"You think you've done all of the hills but then it's a bit undulating," she said.
Chanter said the area was "so stunning", adding "the idea was that it's good for the town but also good for the runners".
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Q&A
Who won the Dartmoor Marathon and how did he get his entry?
Richard Gould won the Dartmoor Marathon after his wife gifted him the entry as a surprise Christmas present.
What was Richard Gould's finishing time in the Dartmoor Marathon?
Richard Gould completed the Dartmoor Marathon in two hours and 56 seconds.
When did the Dartmoor Marathon return after its break?
The Dartmoor Marathon returned after a 40-year break, with the latest event taking place on a Sunday.
