AFTER a fortnight of famine it was a feast for athletes from Dudley Kingswinford Running Club who were spoilt for choice at the weekend with plenty of options over varying terrain and in some cases against different species.

On Saturday a group travelled to Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales for the annual Man versus Horse race.

Started in 1980 the race takes place over a rugged cross country course of around 20 miles of Welsh hillside covering dirt tracks, boggy fields and fire roads with plenty of ups and downs, the course reaching 1633 feet at its highest point.

With options of running as individuals or in relay teams of three only one club member took the individual option, Andy Sprague, coming home in 3.49.55 to finish 36th in his age group and 212th out of 672 competitors, horses included.

There were two male teams and one female team pulling on the hoops with Craig Brown, Dave Norman and Matt Biggs finishing fifth in 2.59.45 and Mick Quane, James Wright and Andy Morrison coming seventh in 3.13.54 behind two teams made up of Royal Marines.

The ladies team finished in the best position of all, the team of Lynn Sprague, Helen Tromans and Jane Pugh running under the name of Three Damn Fine Fillies were fourth in 3.44.31.

Twenty four hours later, DK were back on tarmac as Mark Homer was rewarded with a first prize in his age group at the tough Potters Arf, a half marathon raced around the towns of Stoke on Trent, finishing in 72nd position in a course best time of 1.31.17.

Closer to home, Graham Wildgoose took part in the Aldridge 10k finishing in a course best time of 43.22.

He was joined by Russell Fox who claimed 123rd place in 47.44, Sally McConville was 187th in 52.29, Lisa Kendrick 208th in 53.50, Keith Whitehouse 225th in 55.21, Alison Whitehouse 229th in 55.51 and Nicola Wilkinson came 342nd out of 353 runners in a time of 1.12.44.

A handful of runners took part in the inaugural Severn Valley Trail 10k.

Darrell Bodin, of Dudley and Stourbridge Harriers, took third place in all the fours, 44.44. Karen Doy was 50th in 57.34, Liz Hettle finished in 1.08.19 to take 95th place and Natalie Litchfield was 100th in 1.09.25.