Morpeth Harriers in Mont Blanc Ultra Trail

Tony Holt and John Butters still smiling after the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc.

The renowned Ultra Trail Mont Blanc trail races took place at the end of August, with some 10,000 runners - including the best in the world and notably legendary Spanish ultra runner Kilian Jornet - participating in a range of trail ultras high in the Alps, writes Peter Scaife.

Among those who descended on the race HQ at Chamonix were Morpeth residents John Butters, a member of the Harriers, and Loansdean resident Tony Holt, and both can be justifiably proud of their achievements.

Butters took part in the UTMB CCC 100k event, with a high altitude route and in potentially very difficult weather conditions, over a route that begins at Courmayeur in Italy, enters Switzerland and finishes at Chamonix in France.

Finishing in a time of 16 hours 34 minutes 42 seconds, John was 358th overall and 28th in his Over 45 category.

Holt took on the even more fearsome 171 kilometre race (with a vertical drop of some 10,042 metres) and completed it in a remarkable 39 hours 50 minutes and 56 seconds.

At the sharp end, four time winner Kilian Jornet set a new course record of 19:49:30, having apparently got annoyed at one point at a fellow competitor daring to overtake him!

Closer to home, Cat Macdonald finished 3rd in the Scottish Trail Race Championships on Sunday, which were held in humid and dry conditions over a 6-mile loop in the grounds of Falkland Estate, Fife and crossed part of the Fife Lomond Hills.

Macdonld was 32nd overall, finishing in a time of 38:03, just a second off second place in her category.