WITH temperatures up to 28C, Spirit of Monmouth’s Marina Wright, Brian Evans, Lucy MacDonald and Vicky Roberts headed to Ross to take on The Wyedean Ultra on Sunday – a 34-mile race organised by Rogue Runs along the Wye Valley walk and Offa's Dyke down to Chepstow.
The Spirits and 60 other runners started at Ross bandstand, where they were waved off by family and friends.
The self-navigated and challenging route included many steep climbs, technical rocky off road tracks, shaded forestry sections, and – probably the hardest of the route – some flat unshaded fields.
There were six checkpoints at Kerne Bridge, Symonds Yat, Mayhill, Bigsweir, Brockweir and Wyndcliff, where runners had to scan their wrist tag for their lap times, as well as visiting the well-stocked feed stations.
The Wyedean relay also ran alongside the ultra, which finished at Chepstow Leisure Centre.
“Running through the checkpoints with the relay runners cheering us on felt amazing and gave us butterflies and a real push,” said Lucy and Vicky, who supported each other throughout.
Vicky felt knowing the area and running through her Monmouth home helped make the run even more enjoyable, and it was fantastic to see her family cheering her on and special to have her children running into the checkpoints.
At the top of the Kymin her family were waiting with a big surprise – her uncle Marc Wilding, who was Vicky fundraising for through the ‘The Brain Tumour research’ charity, who are currently supporting him after his recent diagnosis.
Marc joined the run with Vicky and Lucy at the Kymin and onto Redbrook and Bigsweir, being the ladies' biggest fan and spurring them on
Lucy also enjoyed seeing family friends while running for LATCH after her friend's daughter was diagnosed with leukemia.
Her Caldicot RC friend Sarah was running the Bigsweir to Brockweir stage, and the duo shared a huge hug and ran alongside, which gave them a real lift.
Through Tintern they grabbed an ice lolly before the tricky rocky uphill track up to the Eagles Nest, with beautiful Wye Valley views.
The last section saw tarmac paths all the way to the finish, where supporters cheered them in, hand in hand finishing with their children in 26th and 27th in 7 hours 43.45.
Vicky and Lucy thanked everyone who sponsored them and helped them both raise over £700 for their charities. They said the support had been amazing, and anyone who wants to donate can go to their justgiving pages.
Marina also had an enjoyable day finishing in 8.19.45 in 40th position, and said: “It was fantastic to see so much support from family and other clubs,”
Brian had unfinished business with Ultra running, and some training on a recent holiday in Scotland got him ready to go.
The heat was challenging, but despite an early wrong turn costing him an extra mile he enjoyed the "beautiful scenic route" and smashed his goal finishing in 8.51.31.
Nineteen club members also headed to Parc Bryn Bach for the last Gwent Leisure Centre League road races in midweek – a 5.5-mile race consisting of two loops of the golf course either side of one of the lake.
Kirk Hill came in first male Spirit in 35mins 56secs, and Vicky Roberts was Spirit's first woman in 37.08.
Sarah Heath and John Jenkins continued their winning streak coming first in their age categories and Martin Blakebrough also gained another second in his.