MUD, mud... and more mud!

That is what faced six Denbigh Harriers when they pull on North Wales vests at the Welsh Inter Counties Cross Country Championships.

It’s a great honour to run for your region and the half-a-dozen Harriers were recently selected to do just that.

Cross country generally means one thing - mud - and this race by all accounts was mud on an epic scale.

This tough course brings the best Wales has to offer and the Harriers acquitted themselves well on this tough course and in an exceptional field.

Special mention must go to a very sensible Victoria Whitehead, who made the difficult, but correct, decision to retire after just 200 metres with hip pain.

Results:

Men: Glen Price (13th M45) 43.36; Vic Belshaw (15th M55) 45.00; Duncan Jones (32nd M55) 52.20.

Ladies: Ceri Diss (10th W45) 31.56; Melina Morris (25th W45) 35.53.

Elsewhere, Rhian Pierce was third at Llandegla’s Dash in the Dark.

She was pipped to the post in the last 200 metres by a Buckley runner who had previously raced this course and had the advantage of knowing that the end was near!

It was a great course and even the stream crossings were fun, but racing in the dark is very different to running in the light.

It was another soggy day at the popular local Vale of Clwyd half marathon, but that didn’t deter six hardy Harriers.

Mat Jones had a fantastic race to finish ninth and the second VM50 in 1-38.16.

This was four minutes faster than his run at Conwy last month.

Next in was Hywel Roberts, continuing his London Marathon training and finishing in 1-44.08 for 17th position.

On her second run of the weekend, Mel Morris was 27th overall and the third VF40 in 1-50.51, just outside her Conwy time.

This is incredible thinking how much cross country would have taken out of her.

Rob Parry is getting ever closer to sub-two hours and he finished in his fastest time in three years.

He crossed the line in 2-01.24 for 48th.

Helen Davies was paced by Ian Jones, again sacrificing his own race to help another.

Helen is working towards her London place and she put in a great performance to finish in 2-17.16 for 73rd.

Ian was just behind to finish 74th in 2-17.18.

There were a few parkruns over the weekend.

Sisters Katy and Elen Baugh took a trip to Leeds to compete in the Woodhouse Park parkrun.

Katy was the 10th lady in 22.36 and Elen was not far behind in 24.27 (21st lady).

At Kingston, Sian Pritchard ran a personal best of 26.59 as she trains for London.

Phil Hayes put in a consistent performance of 24.00 at Conwy, while at Bodelwyddan Castle, David Baugh was sixth in 21.43 and Tony Benton finished 16th in 23.36.

At the third Border League race, Emma Collins and Vic Belshaw ran for their second claim clubs.

Conditions were dry with strong headwinds in the remote and exposed location on the Anglesey coast at Trac Mon.

A total of 280 runners turned out to race round five undulating miles.

Vic Belshaw, having slogged round in the mud at the cross country the day before, breezed around in 33.56 for third spot in a competitive MV55 category.

Emma finished as the first LV55, crossing the line in 36.06.