REDDITCH running ace Joe Smith produced a superb personal best performance when he represented the Midlands in Saturday’s Telford 10K.
As part of the event, Telford Athletic Club also hosted an inter-area match for the Midlands and the final event in the new Brooks Midland Road Running League, in which Smith was sitting in second place ahead of the action.
Against a top class field and on a fast and flat course, everything was on the line for the former Bromsgrove & Redditch AC man and he clocked a PB of 30:59 to finish in 38th position and better his previous best at this distance by 1min, 2secs.
Smith, who now runs for Tipton Harriers, finished first in the Brooks series and sixth for the Midlands team.
The sole Bromsgrove & Redditch representation on the day came from Katy Barden who clocked 39:15 to finish 29th female and 22nd in her age category.
The race was won by Joshua Grace of Aldershot & Farnham in 29:29.
THE PREVIOUS weekend’s Birmingham Cross Country League Women’s Division Two fixture was held at the new venue of Welcombe Hills in Stratford and it proved a popular course among the runners.
A very tough and undulating course provided a stern test and conditions underfoot were firm.
The B&R ladies improved their overall position to climb to fourth in the table out of 25 teams as Sally Hogan led the way with a sixth placed finish.
Katy Barden was 13th, Tamara Ball 20th, Helen Russell 85th, Jane Anderson 120th, Debbie Simpson 124th, Mary Morris 127th and Dagmar Prinzing 138th.
