Mark Johnson stars for Mansfield Harriers in Notts AAA Summer League

Contested over five miles at Holme Pierrepont, 32 Harriers faced heavy rain and large amounts of surface water around the route.

The first Mansfield athlete home was Mark Johnson in fourth place in a superb time of 26.29, which was also good enough to place him on top of the UK rankings at this distance so far this year in the Masters 45 age-group.

Johnson was followed by a very strong group from the team with Jordan Boam 16th, Neil Cope 19th, Chris Allcock 23rd, Andy Wetherill 34th, Martin Fickling 39th, Jack Cooke 43rd, Clive Buck 45th, Phil Shaw 48th, Jim Wales 53rd, Gary Morley 64th and Ste Rye 86th all making the top 100.

Showing the start of a return to form after his marathon exploits, Stuart Whysall was 126th with Rob Smith 182nd, Graeme Baguley 201st, Dave Carver 204th, Pete Weldon 223rd, Shaun Middleton 224th, Shaun Arrowsmith 230th and Pete Copcutt 277th.

Kirsty Huntington continued her fine summer and was again Mansfield’s first lady home, in 10th place.

The fast-improving Catherine Hough had a great race for 47th and Sharon Armitage also made the top 100, placing 93rd. Vicki Faulkner, another who has made a massive improvement recently, was 120th,followed by Katherine Creasey 124th, Karen Kowalski 131st, Julie Winter 138th, Gwen Hall 142nd, Catherine Brogdale 155th, Tina Copcutt 160th, Jess Breider 174th and Caroline Rye 176th.