WHILE MOST Quakers spent the weekend racing in the mud again, one runner at least found somewhere much drier and sunnier.

This year’s Northern Cross Country Championships took place over at Knowsley Park, near Liverpool, in the vicinity of the famous safari park there. Six runners headed over to Merseyside to run in the event, fortunately avoiding any lions and tigers in the process. In the women’s race, ran over 8K, Louise Trainor finished in 39:22 with Rebecca Howard in 41:26. The men’s race, which covered 12K, saw Michael Thompson finish in 1:01:42, ahead of Darren Wright (1:02:12), Graham Park (1:13:09) and David Ledgerwood (1:24:20).

Louise Trainor then doubled up for the weekend, heading over to the other side of the country for the Ferriby 10 mile race . Held on the outskirts of Hull, she finished the distance in 1:10:10 and second in her age category.

The fifth race in the Stockton Winter 5K trail series took place over at Preston Park. Kyle Cook completed the muddy two lap route in 18:44 (and in sixth place overall) along with Rob Dent (20:37), Mike Brown (21:38), Ty Hankinson (24:20), Stephen Moore (24:44), Danny Gordon (27:52) and Lucy Bendle (36:09).

Flying the Quaker flag overseas last week was Bridget Stewart over on the Portuguese island of Madeira. Taking part in the half marathon race, which was held in the island’s main town Funchal, she finished the 13.1 mile distance in 1:54:33.

In the Saturday morning parkruns, Alex Kiel finished at South Park in 16:37 followed by Michael Joyeux (16:43), David Todd (21:09), Steven Major (21:53), Gary Read (22:38), Michael Oliver (23:06), Peter Rowley (23:38), Nigel Eddy (24:23), Stuart Masterman (24:34), Rob Gillham (24:43), Lewis Boshier (24:58), Paul Roberts (25:14), Jamie Pratt (25:20), Michelle Boshier (25:27), Lyn Hatch (25:41), Rebecca Bowes (25:57), Dave Jones (26:00), Andrew Dixon (26:00), Julie Whinn (26:11), Elizabeth Kennedy (26:53), Abigail Willson (27:15), Matt Jackson (28:36), Mark Trowles (29:11), Kim Hall (29:53), Grainne Duffy (30:44), Michael King (31:19), Helen Brown (32:17), Sarah Bayles (33:34) and Jan Waite (39:55).

Diane Adkins did the run at Albert Park in 27:33 while Anthony Corbett ran at Stewart Park in 26:33. At Hartlepool, Mike Brown and Caroline Moses finished in 20:18 and 26:32 respectively, Nicola Howe ran at Hackworth in 29:48 and Richard Payne completed the run at Sedgefield in 30:56. Over in Cumbria, Lisa Jenkins did the run at Keswick in 31:08.

Quakers Running Club meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30pm at Abbey Road Playing Fields. For more information visit our website: www.quakersrunningclub.org.uk

Submitted by Rob Dent (photo by Karen Newton)