On Sunday, three members of Newport & District Running Club made the trip up the A41 to take part in the Chester Half Marathon. One of the most popular half marathons in the local area, the race takes runners on an “out and back” route (with some loops thrown in for good measure) utilising roads to the north-west of the city, with race HQ and the start/finish lines at Chester racecourse. Featuring over 100m of elevation changes, this isn’t a flat race, and provides a challenge to all runners.

Helen Mason (with accompanying fun-runner and supporter!) at the Chester Half Marathon

Helen Mason was the first Novaportan runner to finish, doing so in a time of 2 hours, 4 minutes, 34 seconds, which placed her 2,530th in a field of more than 5,000 runners. Catherine Hawksworth was next, taking 4,262nd position with a time of 2:29:50. Liz McEvilly completed the trio, running a time of 2:37:16 in 4,568th place. Helen Mason said afterwards: “It was a gorgeous day and lovely route but I wasn’t expecting all those hills!”