Sunday 10th March saw Newport & District Running Club member Ellen Deighton toeing the start line again, this time taking part in the Ultra in the Black Country.

The 32-mile loop starts and ends at Baggeridge Park near Dudley. Runners head out through woodland past Fen’s Pool and along the canal towards Merry Hill, before going through the more than 1.5 mile long Netherton tunnel (which proved a welcome respite from the rain!). Continuing along canals towards Wolverhampton, the participants end with a stretch along the old railway line through Smestow Nature Reserve before running through the grounds of Himley Hall and back uphill through Baggeridge Woods to the finish line.

Ellen Deighton at the Ultra in the Black Country!

The weather was wetter than forecast, with plenty of mud along the railway line making for a tough finish. Ellen finished the run in 6 hours 47 minutes and 32 seconds, earning a PB for the 50k distance along the way.