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Mud, ice and slush combined to give Radcliffe AC runners a real test at the Marl Pits Cross Country fixture.

Six members raced over the notoriously hilly and slippery course in Rossendale on Saturday, the fourth and final match of the Red Rose Cross Country League.

With points up for grabs in the club’s cross country championships, there was a battle in the men’s 10k race.

After a thrilling neck-and-neck race, Craig Norman crossed the line fractionally ahead of teammate Gary Adkins. They were given identical times of 38:41 and were a fantastic 39^th and 40^th out of a 100-strong field.

It was great finale to Gary’s first cross country season while Peter Warr demonstrated great hill descents on his way to clocking 56.51.

Karen Doherty was the club’s first finisher in the women’s 5k race, running 33:28, and Elaine Bailey was third LV65 in 41:04.

Two juniors were also in action and Oliver Swan ran 16:15 in the under-13 boys’ race. The good performances continued in the under-15 boys’ event with Duncan Whalley clocking 19:56.

Katherine Biddle continued to clock up the racing miles when she completed Sunday’s Brass Monkey Half Marathon in York in 2:08:47. The day before she clocked 27:02 at Gunnersby parkrun in West London.

With lots of parkruns falling casualty to the weather on Saturday morning, there was no such problem for Ken Smith who notched up his second Australian parkrun in a fortnight. As the temperature reached 25C, he was second VM65 in 25:54 at Burswood Peninsula in Perth.

Also flying the flag for RAC abroad was Mia Derbyshire, who was sixth woman in 23:10 at Donuapark, Vienna.

There was a huge field at Heaton parkrun, one of the few local events to go ahead. Rob Shiels was 30^th in 21:41, and also running were Mark Taylor (24:14), Neil Greenhalgh (26:15), Dominic Parry (26:37), Charlene Leyden (27:14), Sara Parry (41:35) and Vince Ashton (1:08:10).

Sheila Jones was first VW65 in 24:13 at York while other members were also on their travels. Results from elsewhere: East Park, Wolverhampton - Helen Kay (30:32) and Bev Quinton (39:07); Preston – Stephen Crowe (33:10).

Credit Tim Goes Miles