Ross and Lynda top charts for Tring's Keysoe runners

Tring Running Club members at the Keysoe cross-country meet.

There was a fantastic turnout by Tring Running Club and some excellent performances all round at the Chiltern League cross-country round four meet of the season, held in Keysoe, near Bedford.

Conditions were everything that makes cross-country fun with a gallop through a water splash on each lap, very soggy underfoot with an abundance of oozing mud and a chilly breeze.

First back for Tring’s men was Ross Langley in 37:08 (40th overall), closely followed by Tom Sawyer in 37:20 (43rd).

For the ladies, Lynda Hembury’s fantastic form continued as she finished first for Tring in 26:03 (27th overall and 1st F60).

The club’s junior runners Ben and James O’Keeffe and Magalie Wilcock also ran well and scored points.

Other times: Men: 40:38:00 Matthew Wade; 42:38:00 Keith Preedy; 43:10:00 Michael Burgess; 43:37:00 Steve Long; 45:29:00 Paul Allen; 46:13:00 Anthony Stewart; 48:13:00 John O’Keeffe; 48:55:00 John Manning; 50:22:00 Jon Salmon; 51:06:00 Paul Cowan; 51:43:00 Sam Whiffen; 55:03:00 Andy Collings; 55:31:00 Chris Nicholls. Ladies: 28:21:00 Liz O’Keeffe; 28:56:00 Rachel Wray; 29:15:00 Hannah Whiffen; 30:22:00 Helen Tullie; 30:49:00 Hilary Needleman; 33:20:00 Julie Gettings; 33:24:00 Jane Porteous; 35:06:00 Katie Haines; 37:09:00 Kirsty Barnett.

Four runners from Tring Running Club competed in the 44-mile Country to Capital Ultra event on Saturday which started in Wendover and took them along footpaths and the canal towpath to London, writes Peter Hamson.

It started with a mad dash down Wendover High Street, then everybody is asked to stop as it’s single-file through a barrier. The first leg crossed the Chilterns to Chesham, then the runners headed along the Chess Valley and up to Chenies then by tracks and footpaths checkpoint two near Maple Cross.

From there the route was mainly along the Grand Union Canal to Little Venice, near Paddington.

Simon Stevenson beat his time from last year by some margin and Peter Hamson finished first in the veterans’ 70 age group.

Kingsley and Sandra completing well within the time limit – there was a substantial did not finish (DNF) rate along the 44 miles.

Tring Running Club results:

122nd place, Simon Stevenson, 7:56:38; 266th Kingsley Basson, 9:45:53; 270th (and 1st V70), Peter Hamson, 9:49:11; 283rd, Sandra Mogan, 10:06:01.