THERE were plenty of opportunities for athletes from Dudley Kingswinford Running Club to put themselves to the test over varying distances and terrain last weekend.

The biggest contingent travelled north for the Stafford Half Marathon and returned with a bag full of personal bests over the 13.1 mile distance.

Matt Biggs was first back for the club in 61st place in 1.22.17, Dave Norman was 69th in 1.23.00 claiming third in his age group, Lorna Hulme 141st and seventh lady in 1.28.14, Graham Wildgoose ducked under the magical 90 minute mark in 1.28.52 to take 160th place, Helen Tromans was 194th, tenth woman and third in her age group in 1.30.05, Pete Hood was 229th in 1.31.22, Richard Tonks finished in 1.31.41, Kieran Pitt recorded a huge PB in 1.33.56, as did Russell Fox in 1.45.22.

Kathryn Sneyd clocked 1.48.05, Andy Weaver finished in 1.50.28, Dave Hickman 1.53.22, Alison Whitehouse 1.55.49, Lisa Kendrick 1.59.05 and Charlotte Tonks 2.17.56.

Over the same distance at Warwick, Ben Foster claimed third place in 1.14.32 and Andy Fraser clocked 2.05.46. In Leicestershire, James Wright clocked 2.15.48, Mark Homer finished in 2.36.06, Andy Litchfield 2.39.44 and Natalie Litchfield 3.36.06 in the Ashby 20.

Finally, Andy Sprague travelled to deepest Wales for the Ras Yr Aran Fell Race, a 10 mile race run on a mixture of tracks and footpaths leading to unmarked open fells where the high mountain terrain can be featureless and navigational skills may be necessary. Despite this he still finished in 1.48.25 to take 24th place.