ANY 20-mile run is challenging, but for two members of Prestatyn Running Club, there was an added dimension as it involved five peaks of more than 1,000 metres in total.

The Welsh 1,000s is one of the classic mountain races, starting at sea level in Aber and finishing on the summit of Yr Wyddfa, so is not for the fainthearted.

Lee Bailey, who is taking on the even tougher Dragon’s Back Ultra race in September, and Ben  Thomas, came through unscathed and were rightly proud of their achievement.

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Lee finished 13th overall and third in the M40 class in a time of 5-14.40, with Ben, for whom it was his fourth race in five days, clocking 7-03.34.

He was one of 25 club members who turned out in the five-mile Deganwy Dash on Friday evening, with nine of them securing podium places.

One of the outstanding features was the performance of recent recruit Jonah Armstrong, who ran shoulder-to-shoulder with clubmate Oliver Birch-Jones most of the way before pulling away and, in a very strong finish, catching Dave Ellis.

Among the trophy winners were Ann Claire Jones, Ally Reid and Jo Lewis, who took 1-2-3 in the L50 category.

The race also marked a welcome return to competition for Simon Bonfield after a long-term injury.

Results (chip timings): 7 Tom Carter 29.35 (1st M40), 11 Jonah Armstrong 30.57, 12 Dave Ellis 30.56, 15 Oliver Birch-Jones 31.23 (2nd U24),  48 Marc Jones 35.07 (2nd M60), 50 Dan Liddle 35.17 (1st M50), 84 Ben Thomas 37.47, 92 Steve Weedman 38.38, 99 Andy Clark 39.30, 28th lady Ann Claire Jones 39.59 (1st L50),  38th lady Ally Reid 43.37 (2nd L50), 40th lady Jo Lewis 43.45 (3rd L50), 46th lady Sue Hughes 44.11 (1st L60), 50th lady Nicki Triggs 44.36, 142 Simon Bonfield 44.56, 57th lady Liz Martin 45.14, 58th lady Helen Alefounder 45.17, 152 Mike Davis 47.08, 166 Nem James 47.56, 81st lady Debbie Jones 48.19, 100th lady Debbie Weedman 51.10, 106th lady Jo Edwards 51.32, 107th lady Lesley Furneaux 53.36, 151st lady Julie Evans 61.58, 159th lady Suzanne Evans 64.19.

The following morning, nine of those members were in action again in the Nova parkrun, with Dave Ellis and Jonah Armstrong renewing their duel.

Placings: 5 Steve Stocker 18.57, 6 Dave Ellis 19.09, 7 Jomah Armstrong 19.30 (pb), 8 Cam Askan 19.40, 9 Jamie Betts 19.44, 33 Andy Clark 23.40, 35 Steve Weedman 23.49, 48 Andy Carter 25.01, 49 Paul Sanders 25.04, 50 Marc Jones 25.05, 61 Mark Dakeyne 26.11, 92 Sophie Johnson 29.15, 93 Mandy Cartwright 29.17, 97 Ally Reid 29.34, 117 Nem James 31.59, 129 Debbie Weedman 33.23, 156 Steve Hatfield 37.11, 186 Claudia Smith 43.57.

Other parkrun results:

Wepre: 41 Ann Claire Jones 27.45.

Ruthin: 40 Arwel Jones 26.19.

Penrhyn: 138 Cathy Wood 33.00.

Salcey Forest (Northants): 25 Martin Cortvriend 23.43.

It was “Nine in Nine” last Tuesday (May 28) when nine Prestatyn members turned out in the ninth race in the Joe Brown Tuesday Night series of fellraces.

The Mynydd Mawr race near Caernarfon includes a long, steep climb, but this year there was also mud and deep puddles.

The placings were: 11 Lee Bailey 38.32 (3rd M40), 36 Gareth Jones 43.04, 48 Ben Thomas 45.46, 53 Ceri Vaughan 46.41, 86 Sophie Johnson 54.27, 89 Mandy Cartwright 55.03, 98 Mark Dakeyne 57.36, 102 James Rogers 59.46, 103 Ann Claire Jones 60.30.

Ben Thomas completed a “double” in 24 hours, as the following evening he returned to the flat course of the third race in the Wirral Seaside 5k series.

In perfect conditions and helped by a tailwind he finished 145th in 21.52, with Nicki Triggs 237th in 26.26 and Nem James 247th in 27.39.