Sunderland Harrier Liam Taylor added to his list of honours this year by winning the Trail Outlaws Penshaw Trail 10k last weekend.

This year for the sixth running of the race the organisers reversed the route and started along the old railway line. Then it was up to Offerton. and back to Penshaw and along the river, before facing the daunting climb to Penshaw Monument for the last mile and the finish.

 It was certainly what you would call a gruelling course, but Taylor, who won his own club’s Penshaw Hill race in June, felt at home on the hills and the slippery downhill sections.

He clocked 44.54 to defeat Trail Outlaw runner David Gill by nearly 30 seconds (45.23). with Joe Horne third in 45.56.

This was the Springwell athletes sixth win of the year and his first trail success.   

The other triumphs were in the Penshaw Hill race, Lambton 10km, Sunshine 5km, Tynedale 10km and Dalton Park 10k.

Sunderland also had Darren Fletcher (50.36) in 11th and first Over-50, new member Paul Roddy was 15th (52.18), Alan McManus closed in 28th (55.49) and Over-50 Dale Wilkinson took 34th (56.48).

 Washington Running Club saw Tim Jones finish fourth and first Over-40 (47.16), Peter Setterfield was fifth (47.57), Jason Oshin eighth and third Over-40 (50.14), Simon Fairbrother finshed ninth and fourth Over-40.

The women’s winner was Helen Clark (WRC) who was 42nd overall. (57.30). Run Peterlee’s Sophie McPhillips was fourth female (59.02) and Janice Kelly finished ninth (59.58). Stroller Hasina  Khanom was 11th (60.32) and first Sunderland Harrier was Vicky Cotton in 13th (63.00).