IT was man against horse this weekend for Dudley Kingswinford Running Club athletes.

There were plenty of opportunities for runners to pull on the vest and race, with the sunny weather helping some but hindering others at various venues across the country.

The action got underway at 11am on Saturday with a small group of DK, and former DK members, taking on the Man v Horse race, an annual event where runners and horses cover a 23 mile course of the Welsh hillside and the prize goes to the first one back on either two legs or four.

Although the race was in its 39th year, there have only ever been two human victors with the equine competitors claiming the prize more often than not. This year’s event was a close run affair with the horse winning by a mere 23 seconds.

Of the blue hoops in attendance Steve Holdcroft put in an impressive performance to claim 23rd place in 2.56.19 but the weather put paid to Simon Hughes’ bid as he called it a day at around 16 miles feeling light-headed and shivery in the heat.

A team made up of Dudley runners and former DK members, Matt Biggs, Dave Norman and Darrell Bodin of Dudley and Stourbridge Harriers took part in the event as a relay team finishing in 5th in 2.54.33.

Twenty four hours later Graham Wildgoose led home a trio of DK runners in the Aldridge 10k finishing in 48th place in 44.46, Nicholas Mace was 189th in 55.36 and Dean Trubshaw was 202nd in 56.06.

Another group took part in the Severn Valley Trail run with Martin Cant finishing in 105th place in 36.15 and Tim Rowe coming home in 106th in 36.24 over the 5k distance and Mark Yates crossing the line in 18th place in 51.36 and Karen Doy coming 48th in 58.06.

Further north a couple of blue hoops took part in the Potters Arf, a half marathon around the five towns of Stoke starting and finishing in Hanley town centre. Darran Bishop stopped the clock in an impressive time on 1.31.06 in 71st place and Mark Homer was 87th in an equally impressive 1.32.58.