THE Yorkshire Veterans' Cross Country Championships, for those over the age of 35, took place at Norfolk Heritage Park, Sheffield on the day before Thirsk 10, and featured seven members of Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers among the 262 participants, ranging in age from 35 to 80-plus.

Covering a 5k distance, Trudy Morrice was fourth F50 in 23.19, just missing out on a medal, with Geoff Bullock taking 30.29, Margaret Wikeley 36.15, Christine Burn 37.19, Maureen Worley 38.37 and Alan Wikeley 39.52. Margaret, Christine and Maureen were the proud recipients of the F65 team silver medal, with Margaret winning a gold medal in the F75 age category – the first time such a medal has been awarded.

Bronwyn Mayo and Rob Burn had to run 10k, and Bronwyn's time was 47.11, Rob's 49.01, each coming fifth in their categories.

On the same day, fell enthusiast, Marc Davies was the club's sole representative among the 53 runners in the At the Double fell race, a new course at Carlin How, hosted by St Helen's Church.

Over 11k with 400m of ascent, the race, started by the ringing of the church bells, began with a 1k descent into Skinningrove then up steps and on an undulating course along the cliff tops to a high point at 5k. There was a sting in the tail at the end – the leg-sapping dunes of Catterby Sands for a few hundred steps, then over loose industrial ballast, and when the climbing was done, turning into a full force headwind to the line. The beautiful array of cakes, typical of a church event, greeted and revived the runners at the finish, and Marc was satisfied with his result, 35th in 69.56.

After a successful running of the Thirsk 10 last weekend, ably assisted by Topcliffe Scouts at a water station, it was back to park runs for some members, with Lorraine Hiles first club finisher out of 359 at Fountains Abbey, 41st overall and fifth lady, in 22.09. Mike Cropper 23.28, Katie Wadsworth and James Harrison 28.47, Paul Adams 33.50, Diana Willimas 35.33, Gillian Crane 37.59, Angie Weatherhead, in her second park run, first at Fountains, 45.41, and Ian Codling, trying to get going again, 52.45.

Paul Bradford, among the 90 at Northallerton, took 25.01, and last but certainly not least, Bronwyn Mayo, in the field of 111 at Millfield, was eighth finisher, first lady, in PB 21.17.