Morpeth Harriers in Mont Blanc Ultra Trail
Among those who descended on the race HQ at Chamonix were Morpeth residents John Butters, a member of the Harriers, and Loansdean resident Tony Holt, and both can be justifiably proud of their achievements.
Butters took part in the UTMB CCC 100k event, with a high altitude route and in potentially very difficult weather conditions, over a route that begins at Courmayeur in Italy, enters Switzerland and finishes at Chamonix in France.
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Hide AdFinishing in a time of 16 hours 34 minutes 42 seconds, John was 358th overall and 28th in his Over 45 category.
Holt took on the even more fearsome 171 kilometre race (with a vertical drop of some 10,042 metres) and completed it in a remarkable 39 hours 50 minutes and 56 seconds.
At the sharp end, four time winner Kilian Jornet set a new course record of 19:49:30, having apparently got annoyed at one point at a fellow competitor daring to overtake him!
Closer to home, Cat Macdonald finished 3rd in the Scottish Trail Race Championships on Sunday, which were held in humid and dry conditions over a 6-mile loop in the grounds of Falkland Estate, Fife and crossed part of the Fife Lomond Hills.
Macdonld was 32nd overall, finishing in a time of 38:03, just a second off second place in her category.