Three Counties Running Club members travelled north of the border into Scotland to take part in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival.

Some took on the full 26.2-mile race, while others settled for the 13.1-mile half marathon distance.

And Sarah Johnson had double cause to celebrate, having always wanted to take part in a marathon for her 40th birthday, which was only days away.

Sarah Melton-Whitelam also made her marathon debut, after years of saying she would never want to go the distance, while Matt Hunter and Zoe Gourley were adding to their experience of the event.

Runners were not anticipating such warm, sunny conditions and the first 10 miles of the race proved very hot, before the temperature cooled.

After a run out along the coast and a turnaround point at 16 miles, the terrain changed to a dirt track for a few miles, then headed back into Edinburgh for the finish.

The undulating course, with long slow drags of mild hills, took it out of the runners, but those tackling the half marathon were on hand to cheer in their clubmates.

Melton-Whitelam came home in a great personal best of 4:50.15, as Gourley clocked 5:08.15 and Johnson ran 5:10.21, with Hunter crossing the line in 5:52.42.

The half marathon, having started two hours earlier at 8am, avoided the sun and Lee Johnson set a personal best of 1:25.20, as Gary Ingrey also went faster than before with 1:44.20.

Lauren Day ran a fantastic personal best of 1:47.07, while Steve Whitelam also beat his old mark to clock 2:10.57 and Lorraine Parker put a series of slight niggles and twinges behind her to finish in 2:13.10.

*March AC's Ryan Jarvis moved another step closer to his goal of running 52 marathons in 2022 as he completed the Zig Zag marathon in Brandon Country Park.

Jarvis completed the course in a time of three hours 55 minutes after another fantastic performance.

Parkrun results, Brandon Country Park: Joely Apps 34.26.

Downham Market: Alex Wilson 21.21, Zoe Wilson 24.17, Tracey Else 25.13, Victoria May 27.19.

Fountains Abbey: Steve Rhodes 24.42, Sandra Rhodes 34.38.

Gorleston Cliffs; Daniel Barnes 19.18, Tamara Barnes 27.17.

King's Lynn: Stephanie Knight 40.25.

Littleport: Laura Vincent 30.26, Donna Johnson 30.27.

March: Mel Green 29.48, Lou Mayer 33.49.

Snowden Fields: Colin Apps 25.53.