RADCLIFFE AC's Donna and Mark Cartwright proved a winning combination when the couple were first team home in the Ian Hesketh Memorial Duathlon at Rivington.

Donna took on the two 5k runs and keen cyclist hubby Mark the 22k bike ride and they had an overall time of 1hr 27mins 50secs at the Saturday event which started from Rivington Primary School.

Radcliffe had a good turnout with 18 members taking part, either individually or in teams with the cycle on a three-lap course and the run mostly off-road.

Many had never competed in a duathlon but because of its distance and course it was a good event for beginners to try out as well as the experienced.

Following the Cartwrights home was Benn Heywood going solo in 1:35:12.

Chris Whittaker and Ian Hopkinson were second team in with a time of 1:35:17, despite Hopkinson having a spectacular crash finish on the bike.

Lee Cooper (solo) clocked 1:38:47, solo Steve Hamer was third vet 60 in 1:42:22, and solo Jenny Yates was third woman in her first duathlon and first vet-50 in 1:47:06, despite a tumble on the first run.

Dave Rushton and Wayne Holden clocked 1:52:50, solo Paula Abernethy was third vet-50 in 1:55:11, Sheila Jones and Caroline Mullineaux clocked 1:58:53, Caroline Malone and Jen Entwistle 1:59:30, Kath Davies and Lisa Donnelly 2:01:24, and Sarah Rushton and Sarah Oxley 2:05:20.

Meanwhile, Chris Whittaker clinched the first male-35 place in the Hollingworth Lake 5k Series.

He ran in the Wednesday evening fourth race of the series, clocking 18:12, and was first M35 and 11th overall, and also took sixth place overall in the series.

Also running in the hot conditions Kathryn McPrince (V40) clocked 26:54, Katie Benson 27:10, Debi Warrington (V45) 28:07, and Sarah Turner (V45) 31:00 after running with her sister Liz who clocked 30:58 in her first race.

Three took to the hills the same evening to run the 3.5-mile Blackstone Edge Fell Race with 1,200 feet of climbing. In the Littleborough event were Dave McGrath, John Wrigley and Andy Haines.

Dave McGrath was on fine form running on the hills again on Sunday when he came fifth out of 88 in a time of 25:10 in the Saddleworth Fell Race on a tough 2.9-mile course with 950 feet of climbing and a very steep descent.

The event, from Greenfield in Saddleworth, was part of the Run The Moors Grand Prix, which the club takes part in along with several other clubs, so there were points to be fought over.

Twelve Radcliffe members ran with Chris Whittaker, in only his second fell race, taking 17th place and second in from the club in 28:13.

Ian Warrington was 21st in 28:56, John Gibbs ran 30:43, Paul Swyers (V50) 31:50, Peter McNulty (V60) 33:17, John Andrew (V40) 34:01, Kris Lee (V40) 34:44, Lisa Carter (V45) 37:10, Mark Wolfenden (V50) 37:10, Sheila McNulty was first vet-70 in 41:41 and Susanne Andrew (V45) ran 46:39.

Sarah Scott took on the Mast 10k on Sunday running 5k up and 5k down from Smithills School in Bolton to the summit and back of Winter Hill in the scorching conditions, clocking 59:21.

There was a record 80 teams taking on a fun day in glorious weather on Bank Holiday Monday when they ran the Terry Nortley 2-Mile Relay Race in Close Park, Radcliffe.

Radcliffe AC had 15 teams made up of runners, seniors and juniors, family and friends in the popular event organised by club member Vince Ashton with help from  the club.

FAKing up the NumBURRS were the first team home, runners who had met at the Burrs 5k parkruns.

Second were Salford Metropolitan AC and third Bury AC.

Radcliffe team The Cronies – Chris Whittaker, Benn Heywood, Craig Norman and John Gibbs – took fourth.

Teams of four runners did two laps of the Terry Nortley Mile, named after the club's former president who died in 2011.

His son Chris started the event and his wife Vera was also present. There was also a minute's applause before the racing began for the club's former head coach Eileen Royle who died a year ago.

Cash from the event will go to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, including £37 from a coffee pod.

One special group took up the challenge when around a dozen people recovering from strokes, including Radcliffe's club president Tom West, walked one lap of the course.

They had the help of hospital staff and carers and were sponsored on their challenge with entry money going to the MS Society.

They raised £500 in sponsorship for the Bury and District Stroke Group.

The president walked with Joe Stevens, a former member at Radcliffe, who works with stroke victims.