The wet and sticky conditions underfoot at Leamington Spa this weekend proved tough but not impossible as eighteen Heanor Running Club members represented the club across various age categories at the Midland XC Championships.

Weather conditions worsened as the day progressed and the club tent was laid to rest as the driving wind that was a fixture throughout turned destructive.

In the opening race of the day, Dylan George was the sole Heanor RC representative in the U13 boys 3k race.

Dylan has enjoyed a successful first cross country season with the club, finishing sixth overall in the North Mids XC League and picking up silver at the Nottinghamshire XC Championships. The twelve year old continued his good form on his debut at the Midland Championships to finish 39th.

Lily Winfield showed no fear in the U13 girls race. The eleven year old set off hard and was in the top-10 at the first bend before battling on to finish 23rd in her first year at the age category.

Heanor RC had two representatives in the U15 girls race as Danielle Smith and Emily Deeming took on the best in the Midlands over 4k. Both girls are in their first year in the age group and both ran well in the increasingly sticky conditions. Danielle matched Dylan’s earlier position in finishing 39th whilst Emily crossed the line 64th.

The penultimate race of the day saw five HRC ladies line up for the senior women’s 8k race. In a race won by Charnwood AC’s Jane Potter, who romped home to victory at the recent Nottinghamshire XC Championships at Shipley Park, the leading lady in yellow and blue was Lisa Palmer.

Lisa has been in some of her best ever form this winter, clocking a 10k personal best at the Leeds Abbey Dash last November before picking up silver at the Derbyshire XC Championships earlier this month. Lisa improved on her previous best Midlands performance of 20th to finish 14th.

Jill Burke and Rose Leivers enjoyed a close tussle on the mud and couldn’t be separated at the finish. Both ladies were awarded the same time as Jill was given the edge; the pair finishing 100th and 101st respectively.

In a race that was also part of the 2014 Heanor RC Club Championship, Jo Potter and Midland XC debutante Rita Fisher picked up valuable points as they finished 153rd and 170th respectively. The team’s efforts were rewarded with a 14th place finish overall.

The thunder and lightning forecast beforehand duly arrived at 3:00pm for the start of the senior men’s race as nine in yellow and blue lined up ready to make light work of the apocalyptic conditions.

James Mee was the leading performer again in yellow and blue. James set off at a quick tempo and maintained his form to secure an eighth place finish. James led three other Heanor RC runners inside the top-25 as Chris Rainsford (12th), the Lisa Palmer-vested Stuart King (21st) and Joe Rainsford (24th) each recorded impressive finishes.

Tim Holling (115th) and Paul Mercer (230th) completed the scoring six for the team and their collective efforts were rewarded with sixth spot (and just one hundred positions from a regional medal).

Rounding off the club’s efforts were Paul Winfield (233rd), Carl Hughes (253rd) and Paul Bratby (353rd) as sights now turn to the National XC at Wollaton Park in four weeks’ time.

Thanks to team management duo Rob Rainsford & Tony Weatherson and the support from all that attended.

Full results

Gallery of pictures to appear HERE