Nine hardy cross-country runners from Stevenage and North Herts AC made the trip to Holkham Hall in the north of Norfolk for the Southern Counties Championships. The course turned out to be very hilly – not as expected for Norfolk! Their highest placing c

Nine hardy cross-country runners from Stevenage and North Herts AC made the trip to Holkham Hall in the north of Norfolk for the Southern Counties Championships.

The course turned out to be very hilly - not as expected for Norfolk!

Their highest placing came from the increasingly successful Sara Bailey who was sixth in the under-20 women's race, clocking 18:38. She was followed home in 23rd place by Lauren Cunningham, clocking 21:25.

In her under-17 women's race, Jo Mansell was a creditable 10th in a race of 85 finishers with a time of 19:50. She is a first year in this age group.

Hannah Dewhurst's under-13 girls' race had 124 finishers and she clocked 12:25 for an excellent 33rd place.

Another field of 124 faced Lewis Keeble, another first year in his age group, in the under-15 boys' event, where he was 64th in 16:36.

Senior man Adam Searle ran in the biggest field of finishers and he was 180th of the 429 in a time of 57:13.

Under-20 man Marcus McKechnie was timed at 29:29 in 34th place, closely followed by Dan Poulton with 29:54 in 42nd place. Under-17 man Callum McKechnie was 70th in 21:29.

In a warm and dry setting at Chelmsford Athletic Stadium, six club members took part in an indoor open meeting.

Under-17 man Cameron Webb ran three 60m races, clocking 7.5secs in each, coming third overall in the final.

David Paar competed in the under-20 men's 60m event, clocking 7.7 (heat) and 7.9 (final).

First year under-15 boy Daniel Gardner posted a new personal best of 4.53m in his long jump and won his first pole vault competition with 2.00m.

Two club members competed in the high jump event, with senior man Barry Mainstone clearing 1.70m and under-15 boy Paul Spicer clearing 1.30m.

Under-15 girl Hollie Middleditch threw 8.22m in her shot put competition.

Club members will be running for their schools this Saturday in the county schools' cross-country championships at St Albans.

Four others are in the Herts under-13 team for the regional sportshall finals at Norwich.

P Illness could not stop Ryan Parker from Clifton finishing Saturday's Southern Counties Cross-Country Championships at Norfolk.

Parker felt sick from the start but found himself with the leading group of five who had broken away from the rest of the pack.

He still managed to come fourth out of the 85 finishers.

The under-17 men from his club, Bedford and County AC, were one place away from bronze as the team also finished in fourth.

* Three ladies from North Herts Road Runners competed at Norfolk.

Christine Sharp (42:50), Anne Callis (44:03) and Lindsay Cook (48:19) all put in solid performances over the five-mile course.

Marc Trussell took part in the notorious Tough Guy Challenge at Wolverhampton.

He completed the eight-mile assault course in 1-45:00, finishing 383rd out of almost 4,000 competitors.