TWO MonRoss Trailblazers took on the recent London Marathon, with Rob Nicholls racing to an impressive 2 hours 47 minutes 32 seconds PB.

Club mate Neil Harper secured his place through the club ballot and also came home in 3.53.41.

Meanwhile, Spirit of Monmouth runners took a break from racing last week, but began a new eight-week training block with 400m repeats on the grass track.

Vicky Roberts also led Nick Sloper, Lee Davies and Michael Visser on a social trail run along the Kymin Dash route including some of the Offa's Dyke path, while the C25K runners were also off on the trails led by Helen Dunn with Julie Gee, Ann Mansell, Sara Moore and Fay Visser.

Thursday night saw two groups head out onto the local trails around Monmouth, with Vicky leading a longer, hillier route up to Caxton Tower and around the fire tracks and paths of Kingswood, while a shorter run incorporating the Duke of Beaufort Bridge was led by Fay.

Vicky and Katie Adams also did a recce of the Rack Run relay’s Leg 11, from Caldicot to Parc Seymour, while Andy and Sarah Clifton did an impressive 16.5 mile hike from Llanbedr around the Waun Fach Horseshoe for their upcoming Big Black Mountain Challenge.

Liz Hattam hunting down the parkrun alphabet got a 1st in category at Valentines in Ilford, while Nick matched her finishing seventh overall at Merthyr.

Matt Visser got a new PB and sixth in 18.51 at Riverfront in Newport, while Julie Gee also got a 1st in class with a sub-29 PB.

Ben Saunders knocked a full minute off his PB finishing fifth in 18.17 back home at Chippenham fields, paced by Tom Chinnick with 18.25, as Forest of Dean AC’s Marcus Benetto led the 210-strong field home in 17.22.

Beth Jones of Parc Bryn Bach was first women home in 20.47, with Spirit’s Carol Oswell fourth in 23.57.