Another unseasonally sunny day saw Chiltern Harriers retain their men's team title at Bearbrook Joggers Hardwick X-Stream cross country race.
The course is a tough off road challenge of around six miles, containing three crossings of a stream to add to the muddy farmland terrain. A record field of 270 braved the event.
The race became a head to head between two of Chiltern's best cross country exponents. Eddie O'Gorman took the early lead but Tom Beedell emerged the winner to retain the title he won last year in a very quick 32.28, one of the fastest ever times on this course. Eddie was second in 32.58 and the team was completed by Richard Quantrill, tenth in 36.56 and Roger Ellerby, eighteenth in 38.18.
Laura Butt was second lady home and 42nd overall in 41.36, not far behind leading female, Vale of Aylesbury's Rosanna Iannone. Leading ladies team was host club, Bearbrook Joggers.
Also showing there's plenty of life left in the cross country season was Chiltern's Surrey based runner Peter Wootton, finishing an excellent 13th from 320 finishers in the hilly, multi-terrain Bookham 10K. Peter's time of 45.01 placed him as second Vet 40.
Steve Perkin