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Search forDouble medal haul for Saltash runner Luke in cross country meet
Saturday, November 22, 2008, 06:00
Saltash's veteran endurance runner completed the 6km Singleton Park tester in third place overall and also England's second fastest finisher in the over-50s age group category.
In a four-strong women's line-up, Luke was just pipped to silver by Dawn Gibbs, with Heather Knight's fifth-place overall earning England the top prize in the team category.
Remarkably, Luke, who was making her second, successive appearance in the gruelling annual home international series, matched exactly last year's medal return in Northern Ireland.
In the cold and frosty grounds of Stormont Castle in 2007, Luke had made a memorable debut returning with bronze and team gold after running on firm ground.
However, said Luke, the conditions at the south Wales event could not have been more different and more testing.
Heavy rain in the Gower Peninsula had meant the course, while picturesque, was far more demanding where just keeping your footing was an achievement in itself.
The heavy, boggy terrain also prevented the 51-year-old from putting to the test her speed work, as she explained.
"Obviously, I'm delighted to have come away with a bronze medal again," said Luke.
"The course at Singleton Park is undulating and beautiful but last weekend it was extremely heavy underfoot.
"The dips in the course meant that towards the bottom water collected and it was very slippery for all the athletes.
"Therefore, all the speed work I've been doing on the road this year and at Brickfields was rendered pretty much redundant.
"So part of me is thinking, 'yes, it's great to win a bronze medal again' but wondering if I'd had a chance to get the silver medal.
"Having said that, it's always an honour to represent your country and to be involved in the series.
"I'm really, really pleased and just as importantly I reckon I can definitely call myself a cross country runner now."
Luke had come to the fore on the firmer terrain of road running and made a stunning entry on her Great Britain bow earlier this year.
In March, the self-effacing Tamar Trotters grandmother claimed a world title in the World Masters Athletics Championships in France.
At Clermont-Ferrand, Luke also set a personal-best time of hour 23 minutes 14 seconds to win the gold medal in the half-marathon event.
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