THE final Gwent Leisure Centre League race of the summer at Bryn Bach Park saw 323 runners take on a 5.2-mile hilly route in windy conditions, including 17 Spirit of Monmouth members.

Tom Chinnick raced home in 32.18 for 32nd overall and sixth over-40 man, closely followed by Ben Saunders in 32.55, placing 41st and seventh over-40.

Kirk Hill crossing in 35.45 for 81st and fifth over-55 somehow smiled the whole way up the climb, while Lee Davies six seconds and one place behind delivered his trademark thumbs-up mid-race..

Sarah Heath lit the afterburners and bagged the over-60s women’s category win in 37.14 and 95th overall.

Brian Evans was next in 38.14, placing 110th, and sixth over-55, while Martin Blakebrough 16 seconds and three places back placed second fastest over-60 man.

Liberty Barlow finished in 39.59, followed by club mate Nick Sloper in 40.23, who enjoyed a scrap with James Exton, crossing in 40.41.

Renske Bouwens in 43.20 declared it “hard but not as bad as expected” despite doing a triathlon days earlier, pipping Holly Janes-Thomas by a second.

Jeremy Creasey in 45.02 added yet another Welsh course to his collection, while Louise Hartree came home in 45.38, followed by Chris Baber in 46.54.

Stephen McMenemy also finished in 49.37, and Alison McMenemy was second fastest over-65 woman in 54.04.

Meanwhile, Sarah Heath also took on her first ever official 10k at the weekend – the Crickhowell 10k along the Brecon & Monmouthshire Canal.

Starting and finishing in Gilwern, with the turnaround at Llangattock, she cruised home in the heat in 45.43 to finish second fastest woman.

“It was hot but I made it. Not sure what a good time is for my age group… Don’t think the time is that great but I will not be doing another one anytime soon,” she admitted.