TWENTY one intrepid runners headed into the hills for the third Fell y Cwm Fell Race at Cilycwm in the upper Towy Valley.

And Wyndham Turner of Abergavenny-based Mynydd Du showed the way home, covering the four-mile course and 801 ft of ascent/descent in a new record time of 30 minutes 46 seconds, taking more than three minutes off the previous best mark.

Next runner more than five minutes back was Narberth’s Mike Wright (36.14), who just pipped Harry Williams to second by 10 seconds, with MD's Tom Turner only 10 seconds further back in fourth.

Fastest woman was Alix Arendt of Sarn Helen in 50.37.

Racing across open fields, through woodland, along tracks/bridle ways and over rocky ground, it proved bitterly cold, but the weather held out with bright sunshine providing glorious views at the top.

Sadly, the snow and ice put paid to Saturday's recently launched Llanfoist Crossing 5k parkrun, but organisers will be keeping fingers crossed the ninth edition can go ahead this weekend.

Callum Moore of Great Western Runners took the New Year's Day honours, heading a bumper 236-strong field in a blistering 16 minutes 42 seconds, shaving three seconds off the previous fastest time set by Oliver Jones in run five.

Second and fastest over-40 man was Sam Lewis Jones of Parc Bryn Bach RC in 17.42, closely followed by club mate and fastest woman Lauren Stockley in a new female course record 18.13, over two minutes quicker than the previous benchmark.

The Saturday run two days later saw Lewis Jones first home in 17.50, 39 seconds ahead of San Domenico's Andy Gardiner, with the latter's club mate Catherine Whittle first woman home in the 175-strong field in 22.39.

Weather depending, the free parkrun starts every Saturday at 9am at Llanfoist Crossing. See www.parkrun.org.uk/llanfoistcrossing