NO LESS than 13 Monross Trailblazers joined nearly 1,000 other runners in the Forest of Dean Spring Half Marathon on Sunday (April 2). 

Matthew Hall was first home in 74th in 1hr 34mins,  followed by Alice Taylor in 99th who was second over-35 woman in 1.36. 

Rob Potter was 102nd in 1.37, Dan Grey 140th in 1.40, and Emma Davies 273rd and seventh over-50 woman in 1.48.

Grant White was 276th in 1.49, Neil Harper 281st in 1.49, and Sophie Williams, Gavin Jones, Emily Harrison and Vanessa Ward crossed together in 2.01 using it as part of a long steady training run. 

Club mate Isabel Harding finished 652nd in 2.11 and raised £425 for the Miscarriage Association (www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Isabel-harding-half).

Barry Davies supported his sister to run her first half marathon and they did it in a time of 2.34.

First in the Forest of Dean Rotary Club event, which incorporated the British Trail Running Championships, was Lee Gratton of Rugeley Runners who sprinted home two minutes clear in 1.10.28.

Fastest woman was Hannah Cowley of Cheshire Dragons in 1.27.53.

Meanwhile, more than 110 runners were well up for the challenge of the testing 15.8-mile Llanbedr-Blaenavon Fell Race last week. 

The classic run taking in the three major Black Mountain peaks Crug Mawr, Sugar Loaf and the Blorenge totalled 4,500ft of ascent and wasn’t for the faint-hearted.

Starting at Llanbedr and finishing at Blaenavon rugby club, first home was Matt O’Keefe of Beacons fell club Mynyddwyr De Cymru, who had half a minute to spare over Wrexham AC’s Joel Gomes finishing in 2 hours 23 minutes 22 seconds.

Joel Wyndham of Black Mountains club Mynydd Du was third another 28 seconds back, with MDC’s Dan Powell fourth in 2.33.30.

Mynydd Du’s Ian Whistance in ninth overall took the men’s over-50 category in 2.38.21, with club mate Ben Gibbinson third in the over-40 class in 10th nine seconds back.

Jackie Lee of Eryri Harriers was fastest woman in 17th overall, also taking the over-40 women’s crown in 2.45.08.

MonRoss Trailblazer Laura Lelievre was next in 2.48.14, with Bethan Logan of Mynydd Du third in 2.53.08. Mynydd Du’s Clare Patterson was third over-40 woman in 2.56.12, 

Fastest over-60 man was Bob Forman of Matlock AC in 3.14.53, with Colin Wilmott of Griffithstown Harriers second in 3.19.10 and Mynydd Du’s Stewart Thomson third in 3.43.47.

Mynydd Du’s Julie Mathias finished in 3.33.45 to claim the over-50 women’s class, with Jane Roscoe of Chepstow Harriers second in 3.38.14, while Flora Gunner of Croft Ambrey took the over-60 women’s class in 3.48.25.