THERE was more cross country cup action for athletes from Dudley Kingswinford Running Club at the weekend but if last week was low key this week was other end of the cross country spectrum as a small group took part in the Midlands Cross Country Championships.

With thousands travelling to the East Midlands to take part in a competition with a proud history going back to 1879 and boasting a roll of honour that includes some of the best names in the sport both individually and at club level the blue hoops were rubbing shoulders with the best in the region.

The race, held this year at Prestwold Hall in Loughborough, was run over a testing undulating course of open parkland, and with age group races starting during the morning by the time the blue hoops took to the field there was already a well defined muddy furrow to follow.

The ladies were off first over a three lap course covering a distance of 8k with Helen Tromans putting illness and missed training behind her to come home in 79th place in 42.03, Hannah McGuire was 128th in 46.53, Carol Fisher was 150th in 48.23, Jacqui Elson-Whittaker finished in 48.57 to take 154th place and Cilla Harding was 185th in 54.51.

The men’s race was away just over half an hour later over a four lap course and advertised at 12k, approximately 7 miles, however it became clear that the course would come up significantly longer than the expected distance, some two miles longer with finishers clocking nearer 9 ¼ miles rather than the expected distance.

With a couple of late defection DK were only able to field five sixths of a team and with the weather turning unpleasant, with freezing cold sleet and a thunderstorm mid way through the race, the event became a proper slog. Darran Bishop made the best of his way home in the conditions to finish in 170th place in 63.45, Dave Norman finished in 65.19 to take 201st place, Mark Homer was 219th in 66.46, Andy Weaver came home in 301th place in 74.35 and Richard Jones was 324th in 75.52.