Springfield Striders returned to winning form on Sunday in the mid-Essex Cross Country League.

Man of the day was 51-year-old postman, Pete Tremain, who not only designed and laid out the course, but then proceeded to lead the race for several miles before having to settle for second place behind Mark Gowers of Dovedale Harriers.

The Striders then packed their scoring men into the top 15 and with good backing from the ladies won the event by a convincing margin.

Lindsay Broadbridge (3rd), Richard Taylor (5th) and Andrew Mason (6th) all ran to form in the horrendous conditions, with non stop rain badly affecting an already tough course which became waterlogged in places.

Rob Rodie (11th), Richard McHale (14th) and John Beaumont (15th) also found the conditions to their liking and took the Striders to their best winning points total of the season.

Julian Catmull (17th) and an injured Terry Jopson (18th) just failed to make the scoring squad.

The course, which followed tracks through the Writtle Park estate, with kind permission of Lord Petre, proved no problem to the ladies either as Julie McHale led Ann Claydon, Janet Hill and Suzanne Kuyser to second place behind the strong Grange Farm ladies squad.

The previous week, at the Bury 20, the club's marathon runners were out in force. Policeman Vic Spain eased round in 2.11 to be first Strider and was closely followed by Dave Milton, Ken Edwards and Julian Catmull.

Several other Striders, including John Hoskyn, Dave Turk, Ian Gowers, and Helen and Tony Husband seem to be on course for good runs in the London next month.

This weekend sees the club's top runners at the National Cross Country Championships in Newark, while the second string will contest the final cross country of the season, at Epping.

The club are holding a trail race on Easter Monday from Terling. Anyone interested in competing should telephone John Elliott on 01245 440780.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.