Tough weather for tough runners

Wet weather gear and the compulsory survival blankets were very much in evidence as the field assembled at the Glenbervie forest headquarters on Saturday morning, ready for the 9am start of the 16km first leg of the off-road event.
Dry gear under wet-weather outer clothing and a courageous spirit were the order of the day for the 5.1km steep climb and slippery downhill on Saturday afternoon.
Competitors and organisers were relieved with the improved weather on Sunday morning for the final but still challenging 21.1km run, making up the full 42.2km marathon.
The 42.2km women's winner, Limby, enjoyed the event. "It's a very challenging event over two days - the variable weather made it more challenging.
"It's a fabulous event - local, with lovely running in the forest."
With last year's overall winner Tim Goodwin a non-entrant, consistent performer Blogg stepped up, overcoming the bad conditions to take the 16km in 1h 11m 59s, ahead of evergreen masters runnerFred Needham in 1h 14m 4s and Luke Bank-Novak in 1h 16m 22s.
The winner of the women's two-day-marathon last year, Amy Burke, looked as though she had this year's race in the bag when she came in fourth overall in the 16km in 1h 17m 27s, well clear of Tina Maher in 1h 22s 40h and Limby in 1h 22m 49s.
Blogg retained his position in the short, sharp tough 5.1km on Saturday afternoon finishing in 22m 5s, while Banks-Novak triumphed over Needham with a time of 23m 3s, 16 seconds ahead of Needham.
Burke's hopes for the overall women's title died in the 5.1km run on Saturday afternoon, when struck by the recurrence of an injury, she ran on bravely crossing the line in 44m 2s, well behind Janice Powell in 26m 1s, Limby - who finished with her son, Lewis Miller - in 26m 7s and Maher in 27m 41s.
In the 21.1km on Sunday morning, Blogg clinched his victory winning in 1h 39m 39s, ahead of Needham in 1h 43m 10s and Banks-Novak in 1h 48m 14s.
Alice Barach took the women's 21.1 km in a fast 1h 50m 17s, ahead of Powell in 1h 54m 28s, and Maher and Limby, finishing together in 2h 24s
When combined into a total for the three events - 42.2km - gold in the men's event went to Blogg in 3h 14m 18s, silver to Needham in 3h 20m 37s and bronze to Banks-Novak in 3h 27m 39s, with Jimmy Kettlewell fourth and the oldest runner in the field, at more than 70 years, Ian Douglas fifth.
In the 42.2km combined total for the women, Limby won gold in 3h 49m 23s, Maher silver in 3h 50m 45s, Jackie Grant bronze in 4h 9m 40s.