ATHLETICS: CHESTER'S annual Round the Walls Road Race was called off due to icy conditions with the race being transferred to the city's Roodee racecourse for an impromptu 6K event.
With runners being unprepared for tussocky grass, few had packed appropriate footwear and the race became a lottery.
But despite the treacherous conditions, it is doubtful whether any one would have stopped Bashir Hussein, on his vacation from the States, where he is currently based, who showed a clean pair of heels to Warrington's Andy Green.
Wirral's Helen Lawrence made the most of the conditions and warmed up for the New Year cross country championships with a classy win in the women's race. Helen moved through to overall 12th place in the field, not far behind Wirral's leading man, Steve Spence, who finished a good ninth.
Harriers' leading runners were also in action in the area. Simon McKevitt finished 10th in the Sale Sizzling 5 mile road race, while Lee Siemaszko won the Eaves Wood 8k trail race in Silverdale and John McCole got the better of training partner Richard Burney in the classy Ribble Valley 10K.
USA-based Adam Sutton ran under 30 minutes for the distance with John in fifth and Richard in eighth with solid runs from Paul Owens and veteran Keith Hatton.
Runners have a barren time until early on in the New Year when races fall thick and fast.
The Liverpool & District cross country championships take place at Clarke Gardens, Allerton, on Sunday, January 9, closely followed by the Mersey-side cross country champion-ships less than a week later at Arrowe Park.
Local clubs will then be involved in the fourth Mid Lancs cross country league which moves on to Kendal's County Showground the week after.
This leaves runners with a dilemna as the North of England cross country championships take place at the end of January in Consett, County Durham, which could leave runners faced with four races in consecutive weekends.
Younger runners also have the County Schools XC champion-ships on February 5 at Stadt Moers Park, which means athletes having to be very selective over races as there are also School Leagues to add to a very congested programme.
