The toughest Cross Country in Britain is probably the senior men’s Southern Cross Country Championship held over 15,000m of Parliament Hills.  The iconic course with the famous hill is a real test and the best of the south’s runners are always here. Colchester Harriers had targeted the   Essex Cup for the first Essex county team to get twelve runners home. With injuries to three of the team during the build up to the race, it was a tough call but the Harriers shone through with true grit from a couple of team members finishing although ill or injured to bring the trophy home for the green vests.   

Ramadam Osman led the charge warming up for this weeks Great Bentley half marathon with a fine 75th spot, Ed Mitchell also made the top 100 in 98th place. Nathan Filer in 114th led the rest of the team home who were Chris Sellens 159th, Gavin Scanlon 315th, James Wright 360th, Paul Rodgers 473th, Mikey Smith 527th, Alex Sales 542nd, Jon Nears 612th, Tim Ballard 708th and James Waterson 816th.  

Two ladies also finished the senior women’s race with Becky Cooke 254th, coming home with Aiko Hennington 255th. Danny Millward ran very well in the under 17 men’s race for 62nd position.

Joe Boden run a personal best  17m 41s to win his first ever Park run at the  Colchester Castle course shaking off team mates Jason Gunn 17m 50s and Fergus Crouch 18m 18s, to spring a surprise victory. Ian Haw was 4th in 18m 19s, Phil Munro 7th, Andy Raynor 9th, Cameron Humphries 11th and Dan Foster 12th. Although running easy, Laura Shewbridge won the ladies again.  471 runners competed the 5k as the local Park run goes from strength to strength.

Colchester Harriers did a takeover and pace run at the Cudmore Grove, Mersea Island event with a good turn out of 128 Park runners.