MOST people spend their summer holidays relaxing and taking things easy but the Aberystwyth Athletic Club runners like to be more active and throughout the summer have been busy running races at home and abroad.

On Sunday, 3 August, Balazs Pinter took on another ultra-race as he headed to the French Alps to take on the Val Cenis Trail Noir, a 73km run with 4,300m (14,000 ft) ascent and descent starting at 3am and having to complete the loop before 5pm.

Balazs finished 7th in his category and 95th overall in a time of 13:36:32.

Closer to home, on Sunday 10 August four Aber AC runners headed to Caernarfon to take on the 10k race hosted by Eryri Harriers.

First home for the club was Owain Rowlands in 39:13, followed closely by Paul Williams in 39:25, first in his age category V55 and earning valuable points towards the Welsh 10K Road Race Championships. First female home was Julie Williams in 64:10 followed by Sarah Easter in 73:03.

In July, Dave Humphreys took on two of the Poppit Sands 5k races which are multi-terrain races that start at the Poppit Café and after half a mile head on to the sand before returning to the finish at the café and for the runners an opportunity for a well-deserved cake. Dave finished the race on the 15 July in 27:36 and 12 August in 26:35.

Lainey Heckley headed to Cardiff on 30 July to take part in the Cardiff Summer Series 4 mile races and finished her race in 29:19 finishing 5th female and securing first in her F35 category.

Saturday, 16 August, saw four runners head to Tywyn to take on the ever popular Race the Train event.

All Aber AC runners put in great efforts on a very hot day. Owain Rowlands was the first Aber AC runner home in 1;50:56, followed by Llyr Ab Einion in 1:53:39; Sarah-Kay Purdon was the sole female representative finishing in 2:26:08 and John Williams completed the club representation in 2:37:14.

The following day Paul Williams headed to St Clears to take on the 10k which was also the West Wales Championships and on a very hilly course for the first half and down hill on the second half Paul finished in a time of 39:53 and came away with second in MV55 category earning himself a silver medal in the process.