MONROSS Trailblazers hosted the first Herefordshire and Borders Summer X-Country series race at Treworgan farm in Llangrove in midweek.

Nearly 200 runners took on the five-mile multi-terrain circular route, with the host club taking the team title by just over three minutes from Hereford Couriers.

Sam Juson of Croft Ambrey crossed first in 28.52, folowed by Black Mountain fell running ace Wyndham Turner in 31.07.

First Blazer home in sixth and fastest over-45 was Rich Foster in 32.55, two places and 13 seconds ahead of club mate Keiron Brown.

Richard Cronin came in 17th in 35.12, with Lucinda Lumley finishing 37th as second woman and fastest over-35 female in 38.06, just 36 seconds behind Spirit of Monmouth's Katerina Adams.

Fifth scoring Blazer in 55th was Megan Gore in 40.04, with Rachael Aitken in 88th bringing the six-strong three men and three women MonRoss team home in 44.36.

The B team also placed 8th, with Gavin Jones finishing 21st in 36.35, Grant White 25th in 37.07, Ben Humphries 30th in 37.28, Vanessa Ward 89th in 44.38, Emma Humphries 110th in 47.03 and Catherine Finlay 112th in 47.26.

Other Blazer times were Tom Walmsley 48th in 39.19, Calum McLeish 50th in 39.32, Jake McBride 56th in 40.07, Neil Harper 57th in 40.22, Andrew Wright 63rd in 41.21, Matthew Webb 92nd in 45.00, Tom Gore 95th in 45.14, and Robert Vidler 135th in 49.25.

Meanwhile, new member Graham Bell took on the legendary Endure24 – a 24-hour trail relay challenge in Reading where solo runners and teams race to complete as many five-mile laps as possible.

Graham’s team, ‘Running Machine 3’, covered 150 miles in total (30 miles each), finishing an impressive 125th out of 1,142 teams and 22nd in the mixed small team category.