IT was a busy weekend for athletes from Dudley Kingswinford Running Club as the blue hoops travelled across the UK and into Europe looking for competition.

A small group flew over to the Netherlands to take part in the Amsterdam Marathon. Dave Norman came into the Olympic stadium first of the group to finish in 1,017th in a time of 3.10.56, Mark Homer was 1,239th in 3.14.49 to record his second fastest time over the distance, Mark Judge finished in 3.22.13 in 1,667th place despite an interrupted preparation and Samantha Hemming overcame illness and health problems on the day to finish in 5.19.24 to take 11,692nd position.

Over the half marathon distance, Andy Weaver recorded a time of 1.54.06 in 4,583 and John Gould crossed the line in 13,756th in 2.32.37.

Further south saw some independent groups line up in Spain for the Palma de Mallorca Marathon with Dave Hickman finishing in 4.06.25 to take 487th place and in the half marathon Kathryn Sneyd finished in 1.59.33, Alison Whitehouse clocked 2.05.47, Helen Hickman 2.07.39, Liz Hettle 2.07.39, Karen Doy 2.07.41, Ingrid Cain 2.12.35 and Wendy Martin 2.31.34.

Back in Britain, Sarah Cox took part in the Manchester Half Marathon finishing in 1.589.28 while in Birmingham a large group of hoops took part in the Great Birmingham Run over the 13.1 half marathon distance.

Kevin Duckworth was first back for the club in 137th in 1.24.32, Stuart Perkins was 176th in 1.26.05, Pete Hood was 335th in 1.29.31 and Helen Tromans picked up second in her age category in 1.29.37. Darran Bishop finished in 397th in 1.30.36, Sergej Lyubovnikov was 1,145th in 1.38.37, Tahir Yasin 1,250th in 1.39.28 and Graham Wildgoose was 1,702nd in 1.42.27.

Richard Tonks finished in 1.43.21, Rory Campbell in 1.46.06, Russell Fox in 1.47.07, Nick Ma in 1.52.28, Lisa Kendrick in 1.53.45, John Andrews in 1.54.35, Paul Baker in 1.55.41, Lee Avery in 1.55.41, Dave Ede in 1.55.42, Roger Beddard in 1.56.09, Bob Jones in 2.00.22, Stuart King in 2.02.32, Brian Rowe in 2.03.28, Pete Krivosic in 2.04.43, Jane Campbell in 2.06.11, Hannah McGuire in 2.07.16, Meg Dowen in 2.08.54, Mark Knight in 2.11.07, Nick Murphy in 2.19.04, Jane Sommerville in 2.20.42, Tracey O’Donaghue in 2.20.43, Darren Judge in 2.21.02, Tracey Nicholls in 2.23.10, Julia Griffiths in 2.25.59, Sarah Krivosic in 2.27.04, Karen Flint in 2.35.01, Maxine Barker in 2.35.02 and Charlotte Tonks in 3.16.27.