WHILE most athletes from Dudley Kingswinford Running Club took advantage of the scarcity of races in August to get in some training, others took advantage of the extended Bank Holiday weekend to go a bit further afield to look for a race.

Richard Tonks travelled to Somerset for the Battle of Sedgemoor 10k, a mainly flat and potentially fast race around the villages of Drayton and Muchelney before finishing in Langport, passing through some extremely scenic rural countryside.

Although it was advertised as a battle, it seemed more of a breeze as Tonks cruised to a massive PB in 42.38.

Elsewhere, a group of blue hoops travelled to the Welsh coastal town of Tywyn for the annual Race the Train event, a unique 14 mile race over varying terrain where runners try to beat the train to the finish.

It is a highly popular event with a field of almost 1,400 runners spread across four races that regularly attracts runners from as far away as New Zealand, Australia, America, and Hong Kong.

Mick Quane was first back for DK in 117th in 1.43.01 beating the train for the third time in as many attempts. Paul Richards was also ahead of the train in 1.46.02 in 143rd and Debbie Richards came home in 738th place in 2.50.08.

Over the shorter 10k distance at the same event, Cath Quane recorded 58.11 for 157th place.

Closer to home, Helen Tromans competed in the Clent 8k, a tough, hilly event and the culmination of the Worcestershire midweek series. She was able to round off the four race series event with an age group win on the night in 47th position in a time of 43.11, which was also enough to claim a series victory.