ALMOST 300 runners lined up for the annual Race the Train 5k event from Dinas to Caernarfon, and among them were 10 members of Prestatyn Running Club.

Because the A-to-B course is slightly downhill, the finishing times are not acceptable for ranking purposes, but that does not lessen the standard of competition.

Tom Carter, who has suffered from a niggling calf injury, was the club’s first finisher despite taking things cautiously.

Behind him there were two age-group winners in Gareth Hughes (M75) and Roger Harrison-Jones (M85).

The other eye-catching performance came from Nem James, who produced a storming finish.

Placings: 44 Tom Carter 19.13, 65 Dan Liddle 20.20, 128 Sophie Johnson 23.12, 141 Andrew Scott 23.42, 160 Gareth Hughes 24.25, 178 Nem James 24.57, 180 Mandy Cartwright 25.09, 204 Karl Martin 26.28, 207 Debbie Jones 26.49, 243 Roger Harrison-Jones 29.53.

Just a few days later, Sophie Johnson and Mandy Cartwright both recorded PBs in the Greenfield Valley Parkrun, which includes a hill much more to their liking.

Results: 3 Steve Weedman 22.53, 9 Andy Clark 25.14, 11 Sophie Johnson 25.42 (PB –first female), 17 Mandy Cartwright 27.18 (pb), 26 Debbie Weedman 31.40, 31 Julie Evans 36.12.

Nova parkrun: 11 Marc Jones 22.30, 15 Simon Bonfield 23.18, 55 Nicky Triggs 28.40, 80 Cathy Wood 34.25.

Conwy: 58 Martin Cortvriend 26.11.

Ruthin: 2 Steve Stocker 19.06.

Banbury: 81 Sian Beck 25.19.