LISA Carter returned home battered, bruised but happy after completing the gruelling 21-mile Trigger Race.

The Radcliffe Athletic Club runner not only had to negotiate around 1,650ft of climbing but also had to do so after taking a nasty tumble just two miles in to the annual event.

Carter, who failed to finish last year, feared history would repeat itself but she battled on through the wind and rain to complete the course - where she had to navigate from Marsden to Edale over Black Hill, Bleaklow and Kinder - in six hours and 26 minutes.

“I took a fall two miles in and didn’t know whether I could continue but pushed on,” said Carter who was ninth Vet-40 and 19th lady.

“The high winds and rain together with low clag made it a very tricky course.

“With some really good navigation, I made up quite a few places which I’d lost due to limping along in the first half of the race.”

Sarah Oxley was also pleased with a course personal best of 2hr 09mins 40secs when she travelled across to York to compete in the Brass Monkey Half Marathon.

Closer to home, Radcliffe AC head coach Ian Warrington led by example as he finished first out of 1,080 runners at Heaton parkrun in 18mins 03secs and Chris Whittaker was third in 18mins 21secs.

Also running were Sheila Jones (23mins 39secs); junior Olivia Whittaker (25mins 18secs); Katie Davies (30mins 20secs); Sarah Oxley (32mins 31secs); Deborah Warrington (33mins 56secs); Bev Quinton (35mins 35secs).

Juniors Lily and Ben Darbyshire were tail walkers with mum Amanda, finishing in 58mins 40secs.

Steven Lomas was first Radcliffe runner home at the Bolton parkrun in 27mins 47secs with Caroline Malone (33mins 36secs); Deborah Barrington (33mins 46secs); Lucy Dewhurst (35mins 58secs) and Sarah Rushton (35mins 59secs) also competing.

Nick Barnes ran 23mins 31secs at Worsley Woods, Craig Ward clocked 25mins 34secs and Helen Sandiford 27mins 48secs.

And parkrun ‘tourist’ Vince Ashton notched his 87th venue, running 30mins 19secs at Skegness in Lincolnshire while Elaine Bailey ran 28mins 34secs at Stamford Park parkrun in Stalybridge.