KERRY Smithson warmed up for the forthcoming track season with a decisive win in the Trafford 10K, as East Lancashire runners were forced to travel further afield because of the countryside ban. Road race organisers as Trafford and St Annes benefited with a large influx of runners.

Fifteen hundred metre international Kerry, who started her career with Hyndburn Athletic Club, has improved by a minute and a half since Rochdale in January, and on a still sunny morning, the flat course produced some fast times.

Linda Clarkson beat her PB by nearly six minutes and 41.53 places her second in Darwen Dashers all time list. Andy Smith's 34.00 beat his previous best by over a minute as he becomes Dasher's second ranked man.

For Todmorden Harriers it was the second club Grand Prix event of the year. Paul Brannigan in 19th spot was the first of a large contingent, and now he leads the GP standings. Three of the ladies, Sue Becconsall, Alison Rees and Anne Fox-Kelly made up the Tod team which finished second to Wilmslow.

There were also individual honours for Sue and Anne, and for Pat Collier who were all second in their age bands. Senior members John Newby, Brian Hargreaves and Harry Clayton produced a clean sweep in the M65's, while Evan Cook was runner-up in the M50's for Blackburn Harriers.

Meanwhile at the Fire Brigade 10M at St Annes, race officials were inundated with 190 entries on the day, many from East Lancashire, after Saturday's Lancashire Evening Telegraph reported that the race was still on. Trafford 10K -- Men: 1 Tony O'Brien (Morpeth( 29.59, 19 Paul Brannigan (T) 33.20, 28 Andy Smith (D) 34.00, 30 (M40) Tony Greenwood (BH) 34.06, 32 Nev Rickard (DD) 34.08, 34 (2nd M50) Evan Cook 34.14, 36 (M45) Eric Wilson (BH) 34.21, 47 (M45) Mick Nester (BRR) 35.21, 77 Paul Sutherland (C) 37.38, 82 Simon Golloway (T) 37.51, 89 (M45) Keith Parkinson (T) 38.28, 108 (M45) Eric Emerson (T) 39.15, 130 (M55) Richard Blakeley (T) 40.33, 153 John Ashton (M50) 41.44, 182 (M55) John Devlin (T) 43.32, 186 (M55) Francis ichardson (T) 43.55, 192 (M55) Peter Ehrhardt (T) 44.52, 207 (M50) Peter Ankers (T) 46.01, 209 (M50) Peter Marshall (T) 46.07, 230 (3rd M60) George Barrow (T) 48.04, 245 (M55) Barry Chapman (T) 49.48, 264 (1st M65) John Newby (T) 51.27, 271 (2nd M65) Brtian Hargreaves (T) 52.47, 283 (3rd M65) Harry Clayton (T) 56.40.

Women: 1 Kerry Smithson (Sale) 34.10, 5 (2nd F40) Sue Becconsall (T) 38.24, 9 (F40) Alison Rees (T) 39.24, 15 Linda Clarkson (DD) 41.53, 30 (2nd F45) Anne Fox-Kelly (T) 47.02, 42 (2nd F55) Pat Collier (T) 49.27, 50 (F45) Hazel Chapman (T) 52.49. Team: 1 Wilmslow, 2 Todmorden (Becconsall, Rees, Fox-Kelly).