Seventeen Weston Athletic Club members travelled to Paris to take on the city’s marathon.

Last weekend saw the culmination of four months of training for many of Weston Athletic Club’s members, taking on the first in a series of spring marathons in the racing calendar.

The largest outing was across the channel to Paris, where 17 of the club’s members took on the Paris marathon, a largely flat course taking in many of the city’s famous landmarks along its 26.2 mile route.

Conditions on the day saw clear skies, no breeze and temperatures rising to over 20 degrees C, which left many runners, unaccustomed to running in such heat, struggling in the latter stages of the race.

Steve Kibblewhite was the club’s first runner to complete the course in a new personal best time of 3.11.09 which should see him qualify with a ‘good for age’ place at next year’s London marathon.

Matt Wheeler followed in 3.26.54, and Stuart Diamond took third club spot in 3.32.13, both also achieving personal best times in the process.

Elaine Eldridge was the club’s first female member to finish in 4.14.36. Helen Diamond did exceptionally well to finish, battling with an ongoing injury, and took second club place in 4.25.08. Sara Butcher followed in 4.32.37.

Simon Andrews, Mark Bowskill and Lesley Bowskill all recorded fastest times for the distance.

Meanwhile, at the Taunton marathon, Nick Briffitt excelled himself yet again, taking third place overall, and first in his age category in a tremendous time of 2.46.31.

Jim Hayward followed in 3.48.51, and Tobias Hinchliffe, having completed another 26-mile event the day before, took third club place in 3.58.26.

It was a great showing for the club in the half marathon event, with 28 members completing the 13.1 mile undulating course. Phil Tomlinson took first club spot in 1.29.35, followed by Neale Jarrett in 1.36.24.

Niki Fulstow is showing no signs of slowing down, and took a colossal four minutes off her previous best time to take third club position in 1.39.10.

Jason Wyatt was the club’s third male to finish in 1.39.36, while Nia Davies and Hannah Moore took second and third female positions in 1.41.09 and 1.41.37 respectively.

The club’s next event is the eighth race in the 2015-16 Weston prom run series on April 14. The junior race starts at 6.45pm, followed by the main race at 7.30pm.Race HQ for both events is the Bay Cafe on Weston seafront. Runners can enter on the night, or online at www.westonac.co.uk/promrun