Members were strutting their stuff across Europe last weekend as the cross country season starts to flow seamlessly into spring road running action.

With teammates sidelined through illness and other race commitments, Thomas Bailey was the club’s sole representative at Moorways last Saturday in the final Derbyshire Cross Country Mini League fixture of the winter.

The next day saw two more juniors compete in the Virgin London Mini Marathon Trials in Leicester.

Lily Winfield qualified with a 3rd-place finish – achieved just one week after being hospitalised following a nasty spike injury at the Midlands Cross Country Championships.

Ashleigh Armstrong continued her recent fine form with an 8th-place finish and a reserve spot for the event in the capital on 24 April.

Over in sunnier climes on the continent, Louise Insley (1:23:40) and Jill Burke (1:30:56) competed in the notoriously speedy Barcelona Half Marathon. Jill scooped top prize in the veteran 50 category.

Lisa Palmer was struck down with a sickness bug prior to the race, which unfortunately put paid to any half marathon efforts.

In freezing conditions in Wrexham, Joe Rainsford strode home to a top-3 finish and huge personal best at the Village Bakery Half Marathon.

Joe (1:10:15) finished third and sliced over four minutes off his previous best from 2012.

Paul Winfield (1:27:38) followed suit and took a huge 10 minutes off his previous best. Tony Weatherson (1:23:38) and Matthew Jackson (1:46:30) completed the yellow and blue’s efforts across the border in Wales.