THERE were personal bests and prizes galore for Pickering Running Club as their storming form continued with more excellent performances at the Goathland Hardmooors races and the Dalby Dash 10k.

Simon Jones claimed victory in the half-marathon at the former, with Steve Watson taking third, while Jayson Cavill came joint second in the marathon despite injury.

Goathland was the second event in the Hardmoors series, and it included a 10-kilometre race, a half-marathon and a marathon. Runners made the long slog up to Simon Howe before the three races took different turns - the 10k ploughing straight back down the hill, the half continuing towards the forest and the marathon also taking in Levisham Moor and Fylingdales.

All of the routes tested competitors with a combination on deep bog, stony single tracks and rutted fields. Heavy rain and a gusty wind arrived later on, too.

Jones set a formidable pace using his strength on the hills to take an early lead, before storming home in one hour 34 minutes.

Team-mate Watson put in an excellent performance to clock 1-39-29.

Smashing her previous half marathon best, Rachael Harper put in a sterling effort to finish in 2-16-03.

Dean Wise also ran a determined race despite a nasty tumble in a descent and finished in 2-55-22.

Cavill took an early lead in the marathon but ankle problems forced him to relax his pace. Crossing the line in 3-51-42 alongside fellow competitor Steven Snape was still some going.

Plucky Richard Todd came a good 25th in 4-57-49 despite feeling off-form leading up to the race.

Nicola Wise put in the performance of day in her off-road marathon debut.

She finished first in her age category, clocking 7-04-51.

Kim England had been on for third place in the ladies’ race but dropped out at 22 miles due to injury.

In the 10k event,Karen Farmer put in a cracking effort to finish in 1-32-38.

Meanwhile, the Dalby Dash 10k trail race was a league counter for the club.

In total nearly 400 runners took part in the event, which covers six miles of forestry track with the first half of the course taking in a gradual incline.

First home for Pickering was in-form Paul Smith who used his recent fell training to bag a new personal best of 40 minutes 58 seconds.

Not far behind was veteran Michael Hetherton who clocked a season’s best of 42-38.

Also clocking a new PB by some distance was Dave Simpson, who timed 48-19.

The first Pickering lady was Serena Partridge, another runner to clock a PB, finishing in 49-05.

Sue Slack ran a great race to finish in 51-15 but she lost a bet with club-mate Toby Wood as he finished five seconds ahead.

Also clocking a PB was personal trainer Melissa Huntsman (55-50) while others were Marion Bets (64-20), mother and son duo Ailish (68-46) and James Lilley (55-27), and Kate Youngs (74-57).