Garden City Runners are still ploughing through mud as cross-country season continues - although no way near as much as last year.

That was especially true of the English National Championships, held at Bolesworth Castle near Chester.

Dom Thomas said: "It was a dry, overcast day and the course was solid underfoot which, by the time I ran, had very few sections that were churned up from previous races.

"After last year’s mudfest at Parliament Hill, an old friend who was doing his 14th nationals said this was the fastest course he had been on, and the driest."

Thomas finished the 12k run in 53 minutes 48 seconds.

GCRs' women are looking to break into the top three of the Sunday Cross-country League with one round still to come.

Last week's efforts at Watford left both the senior and vets team fourth but in sight of the podium.

On the men’s side, the Vets are top of the table, with Harpenden close behind, while overall they are second.

There was less mud too for Becca Hayden as she took on the St Peter’s Way Ultra.

That is a 43-mile event which follows a pilgrimage route from Chipping Ongar to the ancient chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall at Bradwell-on-Sea.

Hayden ran most of the route with Shukila Jordan from Halstead Road Runners, the pair crossing the line together as joint winners of the ladies' race.

Her time of 6:50:24 was also 15 minutes quicker than her run from 12 months earlier.