In a selection race which was incorporated into the North Midlands Cross Country League fixture held at Markeaton Park, Derby, Hodgson had a fine run to finish in 2nd place overall with a time of 23 minutes 45 seconds for the 6 kilometre course behind winner Juliet Potter of Charnwood AC. Fellow North Easterner and Elswick Harrier Judith Nutt also ran well to come home in 16th place and should also gain selection.
The placings should ensure representative honours for the England Masters team who are taking on Ireland in Dublin in early November.
Travelling to Scotland at the weekend was fellow Harrier Rachelle Falloon who was looking to build on her recent victory in the Kielder 10k when taking in the Edinburgh Women’s 10k race.
There were well over 1000 finishers completing the scenic city centre route that takes runners past such sights as the Scottish National Gallery, Princes Street Gardens and the Scottish Parliament building and on to a grandstand finish in the Murrayfield Stadium, with Falloon at the sharp end from the off.
In a leading group of three that included also local runners Amanda Robertson and Natalie Wrangler, Falloon was finally able to get ahead of the chasing pair towards the end, winning the race in an overall time of 37 minutes 24 seconds, a new personal best for the distance by over 10 seconds. Robertson was only 3 seconds behind in 2nd place and Wrangler 3rd in 37:32.
Meanwhile in West Yorkshire there were three Harriers taking part in Sunday’s Abbey Dash 10k in Leeds city centre.
With a reputation as one of the fastest courses in the country, the race remains hugely popular with nearly 4000 entrants covering the out and back course from the Town Hall on the Headrow to Kirkstall Abbey.
On a miserably wet morning, Sam Hancox had a tremendous run to come home in 17th place overall with a pb time of 30:17, having been up with the leading group for most of the way out to the Abbey.
The race itself was won in a time of 29:22 by North Belfast athlete Andrew Milligan with international Jess Warner-Judd 1st female finisher in 32:29.
Morpeth’s other two finishers were Finn Brodie, 27th in 30:37, and Richie Hughes, 216th in 35 minutes.
Closer to home, Dave Stabler was 5th overall and 2nd Over 45 in the Run Northumberland Castles Half Marathon, finishing in a time of 1 hour 20 minutes 37 seconds with the race won by Michael Stott in a time of 1:15:34.