The event, which took place in Helsinki, Finland, encompasses a gruelling 14 indoor track-and-field events. Running events range from 60m to 5km as well as a plethora of field events with every jump included – high, long, triple and pole vault – alongside a couple of throwing events.
Now the clocks have gone forward and nights are drawing out, midweek races are re-commencing.
Douglas Fleming was the Harriers’ sole representative at the Stanhill 5k trail race, near Oswaldtwistle, meaning he had no clubmates to celebrate his first-place finish in the V65 category with a time of 23mins 12secs.
Last Sunday, Graham Schofield was another solitary Horwich runner enjoying some good form in East Lancashire. His 51:23 placed him first V70 at the Brun Valley 10k.
At the Mike Briggs Wirksworth Incline Fell Race, in Derbyshire, Ian Conroy was challenging the locals at the pointy end.
The 6.9km course is a classic out-and-back route to the Trig point at Bateman’s Plantations, via the High Peak Trail.
Conroy is an uphill dynamo and relished the ascent a tad too much, setting off too fast. He dug in well to finish in 27:31, fourth overall and first V45.
Sandra Kelly travelled to Sedbergh to take on the Howgills Trail Half Marathon. She romped around the grassy fells in 2:30:27, which placed her 12th overall and first FV50. She was most happy to make the finish unscathed, however, after suffering an injury at the same event last year which put her out of action for a while.
Closer to home, Julie Williamson took on the Rivington 10-mile challenge, stopping the clock at 2:14:58.
James Scott-Farrington was first finisher out of 594 participants at Woodhouse Moor Parkrun, in Leeds, with a time of 16:59.
Comfortably taking the prize for furthest afield parkrun, was Katherine and Kevin Newall. They tackled the Bay East Garden Parkrun, in Singapore. The event commences at 7.30am to escape the worst of the heat and humidity.
Jeanette Lewis (28:07) took to the Taff Trail at Cardiff Parkrun, while Linda Webb matched Michael Salmon (25:25) at Worden, with Oliver Hughes in close attendance (25:37).
Janet Middleton (32:43) went solo at Lytham Hall and Andrew Crickmore took on the hilly Clitheroe Castle. Mark Swindell clocked 29:57 at Bolton.
Thomas Massey sneaked into the top 10 at Stretford with a 17:42, while Rob Jackson posted 19:27.
There was a typically strong turnout at Haigh with Richard O’Reilly once more leading the charge. His 21:07 left him just short of the top 10 finishers. Paul Wilcockson (22:38), Tony Hesketh (29:19), and Gillian Smith (38:42) were the other regulars in attendance, alongside Emma Lucey (31:33).
Training partners Colin Rigby (18:45) and Lindsey Brindle (20:21) took to Alexandra Parkrun, as they enter the final stages of training for Blackpool Marathon and the Three Peaks Fell Race, respectively.