Libby makes Sutton history

With a record field of 431 finishers in the U13 girls, Sutton hopes rested on their Midland Champion Libby, supported by three other members.

After a good start, she moved up the field into third with 600m to go, eventually finishing in sixth in a time of 11min 57secs place, equalling the best ever place in a National Cross Country Championship by a Sutton Harriers athlete.

With Felicia Miloro 344th in 15mins 05secs, Megan Woodhouse 348th in 15mins 12secs, and Freja Strom 348th in 15mins 19secs, the quartet came 46th in the team positions.

U15 Girls runners Drew Alletson (269th in 19mins 56secs), Erin Bowmar (303rd in 20mins 56secs), Rimini Miloro (342rd in 23mins 18secs), and Bethany Herbert (349th in 23mins 49secs) finished 36th team.

Ben Burnham in the U15 boys finished in 232nd in 17mins 04secs while Caprice Miloro in the U17 girls finished in 176th in 24mins 07secs.

In the senior races, the ladies were represented by Michelle Willcocks, who finished 115th out of 700 runners in a time of 33mins 07secs.

The men had two runners, Nick Luke (1114th in 52mins 26secs), and Paul Beasley, in his first National (1530th in 61mins 18secs).

A family of three from Sutton Harriers ran the Ilkey Fell Race near Skipton Yorkshire, which was first held in 1990.

Father Bruce Clarke complete the five mile senior race in 72nd position in a time of 51mins 34secs .

The course started and finished at Darwin Gardens and ran up to the Cairn before crossing the moor and descending to the finish.

With all the recent rain, the runners had to cope with very heavy underfoot conditions.

Son Stanley Clarke (10), ran in the U12’s 2k race in a time of 8mins 23secs in eighth position while six-year-old daughter Iris Clarke ran in the U8’s 1k race and finished 38th in a time of 6mins 23secs

Ultra 60-year-old Sutton Harriers runner Steve Saunders competed in the Millennium Way Ultra 38 mile race at Burton on Trent, which started and finished at the Shobnall Leisure Center running around Staffordshire. Steve had to self navigate the route and it was the first time he had use his GPS for this race.

Another member, Gail Pickering, ran the race for the first time, both completing the course in a time of 9hrs 30mins.

Sutton Harrier Tony Goodyear travelled all the way to Devon to take part in the Dalwood Three Hills Challenge near Axminster.

This 10.5 mile off-road fell race incorporates three hill climbs, three river crossings numerous stiles and lots of fields.

From the start it became difficult due to the recent heavy weather and the course was very muddy with some trails totally washed away, leaving nothing but mud and water.

With the rain and high winds reaching gusts of 90kph, Tony completed the race in ninth position out of 172 runners in a time of 1hr. 21mins 28secs.