THE second edition of the Skyrun Eryri 14 Peaks Ultra saw regular Aberystwyth Athletic Club fell runners Dave Powell and Richard Anthony line up for the daunting prospect of traversing all 14 of the Welsh 3,000ft mountains.

This event encompasses over 34 miles of arduous terrain and more than 14,000ft of tough climbing.

The route takes runners from the start at Aber Falls distillery in Abergwyngregyn across seven mountains in the Carneddau range, before descending to the picturesque Llyn Ogwen and the near vertical scramble up the iconic Tryfan.

The race continues over the Glyderau, Y Garn and Elidir Fawr before descending to the last three mountains; the infamous Crib Goch, Crib y Ddysgl and finally the summit of Yr Wyddfa before the relatively easy run down the Rangers path to the finish line near Rhyd Ddu.

This year the race encompassed a GB selection trial and was also part of the UTMB series, and as a consequence there were so many pro athletes from across the globe vying for the top positions.

Richard Anthony was the first of the Aber duo home in a time of 10 hours 40 minutes securing 38th place out of 169 runners, followed by Dave Powell, who soldiered on after a heavy fall early in the day in a time of 12 hours 35 minutes for 67th place.

Completing this race was a longstanding ambition for Richard.

He said: “I had long wanted to complete the Welsh 3000s in one go, so when this race started last year I knew I had to sign up for it.

“I was very pleased with my first peak to final peak time of 8 hours 40, as the traditional challenge is to complete the round in under 24 hours.

“The exposed nature of the route is very challenging, with the ridge up to Crib Goch being more terrifying than the Crib Goch ridge itself!

“As is often the case with such races, the weather was also a challenge, including extreme heat, followed by thunder and lightning, with hail and strong winds on the ridges. But the key thing for me is – I did it!”

The Offa’s Dyke 15-mile trail race runs along the Welsh/English border between Hay-on-Wye and Kington.

It offers breathtaking views, rugged terrain, and the thrill of running through history on one of the UK’s most scenic routes.

Aberystwyth Athletic Club’s Heather Webster completed the race in a time of 3.47.30 and was delighted to have run the race for a very special cause.

She said: “This was a really tough course, and the longest I've run, but it’s a fantastic route with a bit of everything, and well worth the many hill climbs for the views.

“The extra emotion attached to running the race for a very special person and Prostate Cancer UK made me all the more determined to complete it.

“I’d had a nasty fall in training a few weeks before for the race and I was very apprehensive I'd be able to complete the course, so I was absolutely chuffed and proud I did!“

If you would like to hear more about Aberystwyth Athletic Club and join in its activities please visit aberystwythac.wordpress.com or find the club on their Facebook page.