Fine runs by Goodman and Viner in the Middlesex cross-country Championships

Richard Goodman, 23, and Hannah Viner, 20, faced tough opposition in the Middlesex senior cross-country Championships at Hillingdon. But they came away from hard-fought races with gold and silver medals respectively.

"I was nervous going into the race because I had spent a week in bed with flu during the holiday period," said Goodman. "Chris Smith of Thames Valley Harriers made it tough from the start; he is a world-class mountain runner. It was a struggle to break away on the second lap and made for a good workout," Goodman reflected. He had stretched his lead to 22s by the end of the 12 km course.

Viner's opposition in the 8 km women's race included the UK's fourth-ranked marathon runner, Tracy Barlow, also from Thames Valley. “I decided to take the race on from the start so I hit the front straight away,” Highgate Harrier Viner reported. “I felt good going up the first hill so I tried to build up a lead. By the time we came down the hill again I was 30m ahead of Barlow. But I have been nursing a slight hamstring niggle and it started to trouble me so I relaxed a bit. Barlow caught me on the steep incline on the second lap and then gradually built a lead. I just tried to keep her in sight to the finish.”

Other community placings in the Middlesex Championships included Maayan Radus, fourth in the U13’s; Rachel Ayrton, fifth in the U20’s; Matti Harris, 16^th in the U15's; and Tal Pelmont, 18th in the U17's. Jessica Hurley placed sixth in the U17 event of the Hertfordshire County Championships.

Ellie Edwards, 20, began her season with a 60m heat victory in the Sale Harriers Open Meeting at Sportcity, recording 8.02 seconds.