IT WAS a mixture of pain and pleasure, socialising and suffering for members of Prestatyn Running Club at the weekend.

Two weeks after the Welsh 1,000s race, Ben Thomas returned to Eryri for another “tester”, the 17-mile Copper Trail race, part of the Sky Running series.

The race involved a total of 7,500 feet of ascent including the summit of Yr Wyddfa and the daunting Lliwedd ridge.

Ben did himself and the club proud, coming 53rd in 5-41.41.

On the same day was a 10-mile race including 3,000 feet of climbs. Sophie Johnson did brilliantly to win her class, coming 25th overall in 2-21.59.

Close behind, in 29th place and with a time of 2-23.35, was Mandy Cartwright, who took third in her age-group, and the third of the Prestatyn trio was Nicki Triggs, who finished 36th in 2-37.38.

Ben and Nicki also joined fellow club members on the club’s annual social weekend in Aberdaron, where the programme included two runs along the picturesque coastal path.

The weather was glorious – fine enough to prompt some of the members to take a dip in the sea at the end of the Sunday run at Whistling Sands.

Seven members of the club turned out in the final scoring event in the Joe Brown Tuesday Night Series of fellraces.

The 7.5k course at Aber  is one of the longest in the series but also one of the most scenic, with a tough climb to start and a fast descent from the falls.

This time Gareth Jones, who has performed consistently throughout the series, was the club’s first finisher in 29th place, with a time of 40.01.

He was followed by Martin Cortvriend (99th, 51.33. 2nd M70), Sophie Johnson (104, 52.21), Mandy Cartwright (106, 52.24), Ann Claire Jones 108, 52.44), Mark Dakeyne (122, 56.53) and James Rogers (123, 56.55).

The following evening, Ally Reid and Nicki Triggs had a different view of the Welsh hills – from the Wirral.

They competed in the six-mile Thurstaston Multi-Terrain race, with stretches of tarmac, grass, trail and sand. 

Ally finished 111th in 54.57 and Nicki 121st in 58.17.

Closer to home, the club claimed four of the top 10 finishers in the Nova Parkrun.

Results: 2 Cam Askan 19.41, 3 Oliver Birch-Jones 19.47, 4 Jamie Betts 19.51, 6 Dave Ellis 20.53, 21 Steve Weedman 24.06, 38 Meg Lewis 25.19, 94 Nem James 30.36, 104 Cathy Wood 31.22, 120 Rachel Jackson 31.40, 126 Emma Birchall 32.18.

Chester: 76 Andy Carter 25.20.

Wepre: 31 Ann Claire Jones 26.44.

Ruthin: 21 Martin Cortvriend 23.00.