MOST people who are moments away from competing in a ten-mile race will be psyching themselves up for the physical challenge.

But for Dave Coombes there was something far more daunting that lay ahead.

Dave, 49, plucked up the courage to propose to unsuspecting girlfriend Beverly Grant who had simply gone along to watch him race in the Paras' 10 on Sunday.

Dave said: “I had the ring in my running kit and pulled it out to propose just before the warm up. She said yes, and off I went for the run.

“I thought if I propose on the start line and she says no, I’ll have ten miles of angry running to get over it.”

Read the full story in today's Gazette.