Midland Counties Cross Country Championships

Four Redhill Road Runners were in action at the Derby Runner Midland Counties Cross Country Championships at Mallory Park in Leicestershire on 24 January, proudly representing the club in both the Senior Men’s and Senior Women’s races.

The course offered everything a true cross-country enthusiast could want — twisty, undulating terrain that proved testing underfoot and demanded resilience from every runner. Sections of sticky clay mud and narrow grass tracks wound their way around the race circuit, with water hazards and boggy patches adding extra challenge to an already tough test of endurance. By the final laps the going was sloppy underfoot, forcing runners to dig deep and battle every step of the way.

In the Senior Women’s race, Rebecca Barson delivered a confident and committed performance to finish 99th in 43:35, powering through the tricky terrain with determination. Right behind her, Joanne Stocks tackled the demanding course with grit, crossing the line 125th in 53:55, undeterred by the slippery conditions and long sections through grass and mud.

Over in the Senior Men’s race, Tony Lowe ran strongly throughout, finishing 145th in 58:08 and showing great pacing and strength over the full distance. Timothy Raynor also produced a determined effort, completing the race 170th in 1:02:19, enjoying the unique challenge presented by the Mallory Park landscape.

All four runners showed excellent commitment and club spirit, tackling a classic winter cross-country course that tested strength, speed and resilience. Well done to Tony, Tim, Rebecca and Joanne, your performances at Mallory Park were a credit to Redhill Road Runners!

Midland Counties Cross Country Championships Results

Saturday 24th January 2026

Senior Women

1 Winning Time 28:47

99 Rebecca Barson 43:35

125 Joanne Stocks 53:55

Senior Men

1 Winning Time 38:40

145 Tony Lowe 58:08

170 Timothy Raynor 62:19