World Cross Country Trials

Steve Vernon sat in with the leading group which eventually broke up on the penultimate lap leaving Steve to finish 6th

Steve Vernon made sure of his place in the GB Cross Team in this year's World Cross Country Championships in Mombassa, Kenya on the 24th of March,

The senior trial was held in Bath and incorporated with the British Universities' Championship.

Steve had to battle hard on the tough 12km course to make sure of his place.

Sitting in with the leading group which eventually broke up on the penultimate lap leaving Steve to finish 6th in the 9 man team.

He will spend three weeks at an acclimatisation camp in Durban, South Africa before the Championships.

Way-of-Life Personal Training

The Harriers' former top long-jumper Dave Ashton has set up a fitness business called Way-of-Life Personal Training offering fitness products and services.

Stockport Harriers receive a 10% commission on sales to club members and goods can be picked up at the Club House.

Northern Cross Country Championships

Report: Phil McCann

The Senior Ladies were again competing at the Northern cross country championships at Heaton Park Manchester. For the second time in our history we again had our highest turnout of runners and matched our previous performance by finishing 13th team but this time out of a bigger field. We would have had even more runners but for quite a few coming down with illness and injuries.

First lady home was the vastly improving Jenny Knass in 71st place followed by a close finish between Kerrie Wood 86th and Toni McIntosh 87th, our next counter for the team was Estelle McGuire in 95th place who just managed to get onto the back of the field as they set off.

Next counter was in 122nd who has returned from her work commitments and ran a solid race. Maryte Moore followed up in 181st place ran a strong race for her 2nd time at the Northerns then it was a battle between Jenny Hopes 199th and Debra McCann 205th. Marie Kay as always was there to compete and finished 225th with Jane Nyland returning from illness and a weeks holiday in Rome to finish 243rd. Helen Hudson was just behind Jenny Knass on the first lap but pulled out and I hope if it was an injury that she soon recovers.

Preston Chernobyl 10k

After her fine performance at the Northerns, Toni McIntosh was pleased that her hard work in training is beginning to pay off. She was visiting her sister in Preston and had entered this as a training session. Wondering how she would feel after the cross country she cruised to victory in 38-45 her fastest 10k time for the start of the year. Toni is hoping if she can maintain her training without any further setbacks will aim to run the Edinburgh Marathon at the end of May. Toni is hoping to break the 2-50 barrier for her second marathon.

Harriers invade Helsby

Report: Isaac

Many Harriers also got personal bests on the day including Neil “I've trained for this race for the last six months” Thompson

Not even at Stockport Harriers' 'home' races have we seen such a tremendous turnout for a race (Jerzy I hope your checking that they have all renewed their club memberships for 2007!).

A cold crisp morning that had threatened snow, rain and hail turned out to be blue skies and sunshine as the fifty plus Harriers who entered the race aimed to shake off the New Year cobwebs and start the new season with a bang - not so from the race starter whose gun failed to work and got the field of over 1572 starters off on the 13.1 miles with a shout of "Go!" instead.

Performances of note go to first Harrier (and second MV40 overall) Mike Shaw with an excellent time of just over 75 minutes and first female Harrier and fourth lady overall Jenny Knass in just over 82 minutes with second lady Kerrie Wood-Doyle in fine form finishing 3rd FV40. Third places also went to Belinda Wells and Rosalind Mann in their respective categories - great performances.

Many Harriers also got personal bests on the day including Neil “I've trained for this race for the last six months” Thompson once again proving that you don't have to be slim to win, Simon Knighton who shattered his 90 minute target, Tony Ward who goes from strength to strength and goes into an ultra race the following weekend (Tring to Town 45 miler!) on the back of this race and Sue Holland who is fast catching better half Brian.

Phil McCann the mastermind of many recent ladies' successes performed well falling just short of the two hour target which will surely happen later in the season.