Fifteen Croydon Harriers were among 2000 athletes who tackled a muddy Parliament Hill in the South of England Cross Country Championships on Saturday.

All but one of the Harriers completed the course, with three of club’s U13s tackling a major championship for the first time.

Pride of place went to U13 Harvey Stainthorpe with his determined running earning him 28th in a field of 208.

Fellow Trinity student Mark Plackett earned a fine 80th of 189 finishers in the U17 race, beating several key rivals for the first time.

A team of eight senior men claimed 48th place and were led home by the evergreen Colin Oxlade in 403rd in the field of 800 plus.

The fast improving David Brown was just 19 seconds further back in 413th and if James Buchanan had not been forced to withdraw having lost a shoe when placed about 100th, the team would have finished over ten places higher.

It worth noting that over twenty clubs failed to close in teams.

Elsewhere, muddier and even wetter miles were notched up by senior Croydon Harrier Martin Rowe, who successfully completed the extreme Tough Guy Challenge at Wolverhampton.