RUNNING Forever had another busy weekend with members heading for Wales and London as well as enjoying local medal opportunities.

Five hardy souls headed for Snowdonia on Sunday, one making his marathon debut on what must be one of the most challenging courses in the country and four to take on the 37.5-mile ultra.

Ben Timpson collected his marathon gong in 5.46 having scaled the peaks of Snowdonia on the way.

The Ultra covers the same course but throws in a couple of extra mountains on the way home just for fun so well done Andy Burgess, Matt Blee (both 9.05 hours) and Andy Higham (9.25) for some great running and climbing.

Damon Butler didn’t make it to the end, the heat and the hills beating him after 21 miles.

Also on the Ultra trail were Georgina Brice and Trevor Stow who both took on the 100k Race to the Stones.

Both found the Stones in Avebury, Trevor taking 17.20 hours and Georgina in 17.52.

Helen Moffat travelled to the sunny Dorset coast for a very hot but very scenic Lulworth Cove Half, completing in just on three hours.

It’s been a busy week for Sally Tuer who was the club’s only runner in the 4th Yeovilton 5K event on Wednesday night with a 25.20 finish.

She then earned a 1st in her category finish with her 58.34 run at the Otter Trail 10K on Saturday, where a bottle of Otter Ale was lurking in the goody bag.

It was off to the Big Smoke for Phil Parsons, who pounded the mean streets of the capital for a 63-minute finish in the London 10k.

Peter Hall led a contingent round the Blackdown Beauty on Saturday.

This scenic, self-navigated run organised by Honiton RC takes in four pubs and one cream tea stop on its 17-mile meander.

Hall, John Hunt, Matt Price and Jonathan Newby made it round in about five hours.

Heather Pearce travelled to Bolton for her Iron Man challenge, on a slightly shortened bike course as the moorland fires forced last-minute changes; she managed a cracking 11.02 finish.

Paul Cooper took his IM distance challenge to Tenby, in Wales, where he completed their long-course weekend event in 16.38.

The parkrun tourists went to Minehead and Yeovil, while 31 took part in the local Longrun Meadow event.

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Somerset County Gazette:

CAPITAL: Martin Bluemel, who ran the British 10k in London at the weekend.

TAUNTON Athletics Club’s Martin Bluemel flew the flag at the British 10k in London at the weekend.

Joining 11,000 other runners, Bluemel came second in his age category in 43.22.

Craig Whitemore and Nadine Prouse were in action at the Quantock Beast, finishing in 32.44 and 58.49, respectively.

Thea Sanders was in Chamonix supporting her other half, Toby, in the Mont Blanc Ultra and took in the 10k, finishing in 1.3.40.

At Yeovilton 5k, Marcus Albano finished in 18.04, Mark Bysouth in 21-36, Lesley Westgate in 24.37 and Shaz Kington in 27.57.

Bishops Cannings, in Wiltshire, was the destination for Alice Murray-Gourlay and Will Nicolle who took part in the 5k dash, Murry-Gourlay being the first lady home.

In the Frome Half-marathon, Carl Ward managed the hilly course in 1.41.49.

Lesley Westgate was first age grouper home in 1.32.49 and Nadine Prouse in 1.24.02 when they took up the Honiton Tri challenge.

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IAN Salter was the first Hydro Harriers home at Longrun Meadow Parkrun, last Saturday, in 19m 49s.

Rowland Lyons - benefitting from a high-mileage week - returned a year’s overall best of 23:32, with Charlotte Norman back in 31:44.

Meanwhile, ‘tourist’ Andy White braved Eastville, Bristol, recording an impressive 20:32 on debut.