Memorial bonus up for grabs

9:36am Saturday 8th November 2008

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DOUBLE North-East cross country champion Mark Hood will be running for England in Belgium tomorrow as local road racing rivals bid for a £100 bonus to beat his course record in the Newcastle Town Moor Memorial 10K.

The 27-year-old Sunderland Harrier quickly accepted an invitation to run in the Lotto Crosscup in Mol Belgium – his third international vest – despite his exertions in the Bahrain international relay event, where he ran two 3K legs and helped his team into fourth place.

The international call-up means the primary school teacher has had to re-plan his build-up to his bid for a third consecutive North- East cross country title at Wrekenton, Gateshead, on December 13. He had planned to race in the Gateshead International Cross Country meeting at Gateshead next week, but now his next outing will be in the European Cross Country Championships trial in Liverpool on November 29.

■ Over 350 runners will take part in tomorrow’s Heaton Harriers’ Memorial 10K, starting at Exhibition Park, Newcastle, at 11.01am – after the Remembrance Sunday one minute’s silence. There will be £100 bonuses to be won for breaking Hood’s course record of 31 mins 59 secs, set two years ago, and the women’s mark of 36.30 recorded by last year’s winner, Wirral’s Helen Lawrence. Late entries will be accepted (£7 club runners, £9 unattached).