SEVEN runners from Radcliffe AC took on the Great Warford 10-miler road race in Cheshire with vet-50 Adrian Harris coming 19th overall in a great time of 1hr 52secs and was fourth in his age category.

It was a day for the veterans with vet-45 Tony Holt next home, running 1.11.46 followed by Mark Emmett (V50) in 1.14.48.

Paula Abernethy, second woman vet-40, clocked a fine 1.15.44 and husband David, also a vet-40, was only two seconds behind.

George Critchley (V50) ran 1.19.55; Eileen Royle, first vet-60 ran 1.23.11 and Yasmin Parapia 1.23.20.

The men’s team was 10th and the women’s fifth.

On the fells, four members joined 200 runnners in the local Pilgrim’s Cross, starting in Helmshore and taking in six miles and 1,100 feet of climbing on Holcombe moorland.

Vet-50 Critchley led the local contingent home in 55.39 with Anne Marie Rampley (V40) clocking 56.13 and Parapia 59.18. Alan Sumner was the first vet-65 in 1.06.53.

When the club held its own five-mile trail race it was Wilmslow runner Damien Nicholls who stamped his authority on the event.

On a dry, pleasant evening, Damien was able to take out nearly a minute from the next finisher, Danny Brocklehurst of Trafford AC. Third in was Mark Russell of the Bolton Triathlon Club, who got a satisfying victory over Horwich’s Rob Jackson to win the veteran’s prize.

The runners enjoyed the course, which took in Sion Street, the Nature Trail and the newly-laid paths in the Hurst Wood area before finishing at the Nellie Halstead Track in Cams Lane. Derek Walton of Altrincham AC ran well to finish 22nd and win the over-65 section, while another Northern Vets runner, Peter Brennan, took the over-70 prize.

Despite a disappointing turnout, the race was pretty competitive, and the ladies showed some real class.

Jackie Stott is not a club member at the moment, but the over-45 was able to show a clean pair of heels to Horwich’s Susan Lever — who was 19 seconds in arrears by the finish — Elizabeth McLellan, Linda Leyland of the Northern Vets AC and Burnden’s Anne Ferguson.