Blustery conditions on Sunday greeted runners at the first race of the season for the Mid-Essex Cross Country League.

The event, held at Great Notley Country Park, was hosted by Braintree and District Athletic Club.

More than 100 runners took part, representing five local clubs, including 16 men and 10 women from Grange Farm and Dunmow Runners (GFDR).

Rebecca Davidson of GFDR was the winning female.

Claudine Davie, Kerry Sanderson and Jo Bisset-Smith also scored team points, resulting in a victory for GFDR, with Springfield Striders’ women taking second place.

James Bosher, finishing fourth, was the fastest GFDR’s man, with Dan Reynolds, Alistair Brown, Steve Read, Matt Webster, Ashwin Shah and Martin Jackson also scoring points.

The men’s team finished second, behind Springfield Striders. For both the men’s and women’s teams, Little Baddow Ridge Runners were third, followed by Braintree and Mid-Essex Casuals.

The second race in the series will be hosted by GFDR at Stebbing on December 20.