Severn Athletic Club seem probable silver medallists going into the last race in their comeback season in the Birmingham Cross Country League Division 3. They placed second in the third race at Droitwich,  repeating their placing of the previous two races.

The club’s leading distance runners James Rose and Chris Brown recorded their best league positions yet. Brown went off with the leaders over the sticky, winding six mile course. Rose stayed 50 metres behind. At 1 mile the pair were together in fourth and fifth position. They moved up a place at two miles where Rose established a twenty metre gap, maintaining this to the finish. It was his first Birmingham League podium placing after ten years  of trying, when third in 38:22. Brown was fourth in 38:30, both are now in contention for overall individual league medals.

Runaway race victor was Felix McGrath of Newcastle(Staffs) in 35:15.

Severn’s third scorer was 51 year old Alex Hope

A cautious start made him 45th at 1.5 miles. From there the experienced campaigner threaded his way through to 23rd in 41:35. Similar progress just behind gave Ian Overthrow(V50) 34th in 42:23.

 Fifth scorer Richard Brown was 23rd at 2 miles, a dramatic loss of places over the next mile to 50th when a thigh injury recurred was halted and he rallied to 47th in 43:27.

 Team captain Steve Hale(V40) with his best race of the season scored for the first time, anchoring in 53rd in 43:53.

Other Severn finishes: 62nd Sam Turner 44:53, 74th Alex Jenkins 45:43(pb), 85th Andy Brown(V55) 46:18 & 139th Anthony Overthrow(V45) 51:20. 189 ran.

Team scores(overall league points in brackets) 1st  Newcastle 57(209), 2nd Severn 164(466), 3rd Amazing Feet 193(811), 4th Solihull & Small Heath 224(929), 5th Nuneaton 225(576), 6th Sphinx(Coventry) 279 (950). 19 teams in division.

Competing in a winter indoor track meeting at Birmingham Severn’s Akinola Kehn-Alafan(V35) ran a seasons best in the 60 metres when placing 5th in 8.13.

Kingsway Parkrun: 67th Kevin Probyn(V50) 25:42, 68th Phil Reece(V50) 25:43 & 129th John James(V65) 28:45. 295 ran.

Worcester Parkrun: 17th Andy Munro(V45) 20:48. 574 ran.

Severn Athletic Club are keen to welcome any distance runners to its interval distance sessions. Mondays 6pm Barnett Way(footpath to Sainsburys. Wednesdays 6pm Kenilworth Avenue. No fees, just turn up.