Ellen chalks up a magnificent seven in a row

Starting in Newport, runners headed out towards Stafford along the old railway line before making their way through the town centre.

Due to flooding, there was a diversion just past Stafford before the runners joined the canal, passing Shugborough estate, and heading past Rugeley before leaving the canal for around nine very muddy miles through fields.

Finally, the competitors finished with a stretch back along canal towpaths to finish in Burton upon Trent, 41 miles from where they started.

Deighton finished the run in nine hours, 40 minutes and 43 seconds, just coming in the top 10 female finishers and earning third place in her age group.

Four club members – Annabel Bolton, Scott May, Catherine Hawksworth and Elizabeth McEvilly – made the trip up the A41 to take part in the Chester 10k.

The annual road race started at Chester racecourse and finished in the city centre, and included more than 60 metres of climbing.

Bolton was first of the NDRC contingent home, finishing 1,441st overall, in a field of almost 5,000 runners, with a time of 52 minutes, 44 seconds.

May was next, his time of 55:06 giving him 2,090th position, while Hawksworth beat the hour mark with her time of 59:03 in 2,421st place. McEvilly completed the quartet, finishing 3,246rd in a time of 1:02:26.

After the race, Bolton said: “It was the busiest 10k I have run, but exceptionally well organised with race HQ at Chester Racecourse and a route around Chester which was very well supported by spectators and supportive volunteers.”

Meanwhile, Phil Dolding tasted success across the border in the Anglesey Half Marathon.

Around 700 runners set off on an out-and-back scenic course from Menai to Beaumaris and Dolding impressed as he clocked a time of 1:36:54, which saw him take victory in the VM55 age category.