SENIOR WOMEN 3 X 3 MILE.

THIS cross-country relay completes the winter season, and Heaton Park was in ideal condition for the race.

First leg for the women was Natasha McDonald, along with representatives from 15 other women's teams.

Natasha quickly got into her stride as the race goes down the hill and round the woods.

The one lap course is testing, especially with its climb to the finish, and contains the almost mandatory stream crossing.

Natasha, however, was controlled in her race and had no trouble at the stream crossing before climbing the hill to see the waiting Jane Antrobus in her newly acquired club vest, eager to start her leg.

Natasha's time was 25.08 and she finished 10th. Jane started in determined fashion, before disappearing down the hill. She found the bank on the stream crossing slippy, due to the water deposited after runners crossed the stream, but was attacking the climb to the finish with gusto and managed to sprint the last 100 metres.

Jane was timed at 27.28 and 12th place

With the late withdrawal of Bev Scholes due to illness, Jay Clarke was drafted in as her replacement for her first race, never mind first cross-country event.

In borrowed cross-country shoes, she produced the very acceptable time of 28.01 and was not overtaken, thus bringing the team home in 12th position.

SENIOR MEN 4 X 3 MILES.

LUKE Harreld was the club's appointed first leg runner, and he certainly performed well on that difficult leg.

Luke ran his own race and was not flustered into starting too fast. He ran an excellent leg and produced the club's fastest time of 17.42 as he crossed the line in 12th position.

The experienced Dave Cole was on second leg and Dave was not passed as he maintained 12th position with a time of 18.25.

Third leg runner was Darren Hoolahan who, on his return to competition, was able to move the club up two places with a fast time of 17.54.

In fact Darren ran faster than Andy Gibson, the fourth leg runner, as Andy was still taking layers of clothing off when Darren crossed the line!

Despite his dash to the line, Andy was able to retain the club's position of tenth, whilst recording the time of 19.31.

The other club member running was John Conroy. John's return to competition has been long overdue, and this first tentative race was a total success, which should encourage him to compete this summer on his favoured surface, the tartan track.

Running for a composite team, John was on the last leg and his time of 21.28 brought that team in 17th position out of the 32 starting teams.

Great North West Half Marathon

NEIL Coe ventured into this seaside half marathon at Blackpool and finished in sixth position with the time of 72 minutes 28 seconds.