A MARATHON of any kind is a challenge, but Prestatyn Running Club veteran Cathy Wood took on a particularly tough course at the weekend.

The 57-year-old joined a field of 78 who completed the Pen Llyn Ultra Pilgrims’ Marathon, a 27-mile off-road event along the Wales coastal path.

The race started at Nant Gwrtheyrn near Llithfaen and finished in St Hywyn’s Church at Aberdaron.

Though a fabulously scenic route it has few flat stages, and this year the heat caused another problem for competitors.

“It was brutal,” said Cath, who has previously completed two marathons on much of the same course.

She finished 66th out of 78 in a time of eight hours and 50 minutes.

Cath took up running 10 years ago and has also completed the Manchester and Wrexham marathons.

“I realised early on that I was never going to be fast so went for distance instead, and I love running on my own on the trails,” she said.

She is known by many as “the barefoot runner” because she sometimes trains and takes part in parkruns without trainers.

Even for the weekend’s marathon, she wore only minimalist trainers which are light but offer little support.

Next weekend, she’s thinking of taking things a little easier by joining daughter Rachel Jackson and granddaughter Tia Calland – both also members of the Prestatyn club -  in the Nova parkrun.

Julie Evans also went off-road on Saturday, but her event was less arduous.

She was the only club representative in the Llangollen 10k trail race, much of which is along the canal towpath, and extended her good form with another PB of 71.09.

Last week, Sophie Johnson and Mandy Cartwright also visited Llangollen for the Dinas Bran fell-race, a stiff 4.3 miles with 1,150 feet of climbs.

Both enjoyed the experience, though the results have not yet been published.

Though two members recorded PBs in the Nova parkrun, they are not valid because sea defence works meant that the normal course could not be used.

Nova results: 2 Steve Stocker 18.55 (pb), 10 Simon Bonfield 21.12, 14 Darren Thompson 22.01, 15 Marc Jones 22.03 (pb), 16 Ben Thomas 22.12, 37 Martin Gill 25.58, 65 Nem James 29.18, 69 Rachel Jackson 30.03, 123 Martin Cortvriend 38.38.

Greenfield Valley: 4 Steve Weedman 23.38, 10 Andy Clark 25.48, 27 Debbie Weedman 29.38 (pb).

Ruthin: 56 Roger Harrison-Jones 29.32.

Penrhyn: 77 Ian Cummins 29.30.

Trentham Gardens: 103 Jenna Bagnall 25.30.

On May 17, the club will be hosting the final fixture in this season’s Borders Road-Running League and members who don’t normally turn out in the league are urged to volunteer to help.