MAX Woods led home the West Cheshire AC contingent at Sunday’s MBNA Chester Marathon.

Woods crossed the finish line at Chester Racecourse in three hours 28 minutes and 39 seconds.

The big race was won by Edinburgh AC’s Ray Ward (2.28:46), with Mel Frazier from Gravesend Road Runners the first female finisher in 2.51:48.

Other West Cheshire AC members in action included Stephen Hillier (3.31:20), Luke Ellis (3.33:54), Michael Gandy (3.49:02), Mark Povey, who sliced 30 seconds off last year’s time to clock 3.50:04, Peer Ovesen (4.02:40) and Kate Jayden (5.15:10).

West Cheshire’s Jack Chapman won the under 11 boys race at the opening round of the North Wales Junior Cross Country League Series at Bangor.

The youngster competed at Treborth and clocked 11 minutes 37 seconds to finish 17 seconds clear of his nearest rival.

Chapman and his West Cheshire AC junior team-mates are now focused on this Sunday's opening round of the North West Sportshall League.

The purple-vested squad are preparing for the first round fixture at Kingsway Leisure Centre, Widnes, on Sunday (12.30pm start).

Tattenhall Runners’ men competed in the first fixture of the North Wales Cross Country League, held in Bangor.

First home for the club was Simon Ellis (57th overall), followed by Rob Arden (72nd), Mike Whiteside (83rd), Steve Hammond (95th), Mike McCorkill (123rd), Rob Webster (126th) and Dave Oldfield (128th).

Mike Davies competed in the Chester Marathon, helped on by raucous club support from the Tattenhall Runners’ manned water station, to finish in a personal best time of four hours and six minutes.

Husband-and-wife team Mark and Alison Smith completed the Rab Mountain Marathon, a two-day event held in the Cheviot Hills, where competitors collect points by visiting checkpoints. The Tattenhall pair finished strongly, amassing 285 points over the two days.

Martin Durrant was among the competitors in Oulton Park Autumn Duathlon, finishing in two hours and seven minutes in 52nd place.

Fixtures this weekend include the Flintshire 10k road race (at Mold) on Sunday.