New resident of Brecon, Ashley Varley, took part in the City of Newport Half Marathon on Sunday, March 2.

Ashley and his wife are new to the area, having moved to Brecon only 7 weeks ago.

The new Brecon local finished the City of Newport half marathon in a time of 1:17:37 - a time that was good enough to 12th place overall in the race and first in Ashley’s age category (V50).

Varley completed his first half marathon twenty-six years ago, but Sunday’s achievement was his first half marathon completed in under 80 minutes.

Brecon’s newest athlete said: “To say I'm overjoyed would be an understatement.”

He went on to speak about his recent move to the area. Ashley said: “My wife and I only moved to Brecon 7 weeks ago. Having visited the town on a number of occasions, we've fallen in love with the surrounding area, the town and most of all, the people of Brecon.

“The sense of community is palpable, and it was an honour to represent my new home at the City of Newport half marathon.”

Participants of the St Joseph’s Hospital City of Newport Half Marathon was ran by participants raising money for St David’s Hospice Care or for a charity of their own choice.

The route meandered along the River Usk showcasing iconic landmarks of the city of Newport. Runners started at Usk Way at the Riverfront in the heart of the City Centre and headed for the cenotaph memorial at Clarence Place making a sharp turn on Newport Bridge.

They than run through the village of Caerleon before following the River Usk back to Newport.

Participants crossed the Millennium Bridge before taking the SDR Bridge into the final mile.

Everyone who took part received water, t-shirts, medals, and snacks.