Members of the MonRoss Trailblazers Running Club, which boasts participants from both Monmouth in Wales and Ross in Herefordshire, have been making waves in recent running events.

In a thrilling race against machinery, Rob Nicholls from the club took on the unique challenge of the ‘Race the Train’ event on Saturday. This 14-mile cross-country race pits runners against a steam train, with Nicholls completing the course in an impressive 1 hour, 41 minutes, and 31 seconds. He secured the 20th position, outpacing the train which finished in 1 hour, 48 minutes, and 10 seconds. Full details of the event can be found on the Race the Train website.

On Sunday, the Hereford Couriers Running Club hosted the Jon Ward 5k, timed by the renowned Ready Set Go. Representing the MonRoss-Trailblazers, Bobby Prichard clinched the 8th position with a time of 18 minutes, earning him the 2nd place in the V40 category. Neil Harper also represented the club, finishing 31st with a time of 22.51. The complete results are available on the Ready Set Go website.

Additionally, the club’s members showcased their prowess in various parkruns over the weekend. At the Ross-on-Wye parkrun, Neil Harper secured the 26th position, while Grant White and his daughter took on marshalling duties. Tony Davies and Sophie Williams participated in the Chippenham Playing Fields parkrun in Monmouth, with Williams also directing the event. Emily Harrison tackled the challenging Woolacombe Dunes parkrun, known as the country’s fourth toughest parkrun, and described it as “tricky, technical, but very enjoyable.” Emma Davies and Rachel Aitken also made their mark at the Mallards Pike and Parc Bryn Bach parkruns, respectively.

MonRoss-Trailblazers Running Club continues to actively support the parkrun initiative. For more information on parkrun events, visit the official website.