WOODSTOCK Harriers’ Steve Naylor came through one of the toughest races of his career to finish a highly creditable 16th at Parliament Hill, London.

Naylor entered the event for the first time, and at 15km, it was the longest course he has faced so far.

The race did not start well for Naylor as he, along with 200 other athletes, got stuck outside the start area as officials wanted to check they had their electronic chips on.

By the time he got to the start line, the race had already begun, and Naylor had to make a dash for it to catch up with the pack.

Picking his way through several hundred runners, Naylor closed the gap on the leaders.

Amazingly, despite Naylor’s delayed start, he managed to climb as far up the field as 12th place by the end of lap two, but he dropped back in the final mile to finish 16th in 50mins 52secs.

Naylor said: “To say I felt a bit of panic and anxiety is an understatement.

“By the time I reached the foot of the first hill, it felt more like a marathon as I picked my way through the runners.

“By the time I reached the top, the leaders had gathered pace.

“The first lap was just a bit of a blur as I had to settle down into some sort of pace.”

The men’s race was won by Bedford & County’s Neilson Hall, who clocked 48.23, but Naylor was left wondering what might have been had he got off to a flying start.

Meanwhile, Abingdon Amblers’ Simon Fisher clocked 54.12 to finish 82nd.

Naylor misses this weekend’s Oxford Mail Cross Country League race in Cirencester as he takes part in the Alasger 5.

In the women’s race, Headington Roadrunners’ Charlotte Harris was the first local runner across the line.

Harris set off calmly, making good ground over the second lap, resulting in a time of 35.49 for a finishing position of 94th.

Adrienne Hopkins, also of Headington Roadrunners, was next home in 121st, clocking 36.31.

White Horse Harrier Lucia Singer was 216th in 39.43, with Abingdon Amblers’ Liz Bedford crossing the line in 314th place in 44.18.

OTHER RESULTS

Senior men Abingdon Amblers: 428 C Bedford 1.05.34.

White Horse Harriers: 177 P Jégou 57.56, 744 J Lawton 1.17.1, 767 A Evans 1.18.11, 839 D Stringfellow 1.24.36.

Senior women White Horse Harriers: 255 C Murphy 41.30, 263 R Burgess 41.51.