ANOTHER crowded weekend for Alton Runners started with the Hampshire League cross-country fixture at Overton on Saturday.
Unavailability due to work, sickness and injuries had shorn the Alton ranks and they had to call on a runner who was only half-fit to tackle the partly frozen course.
However, it can be surprising what can happen on the day.
With one club without a full team and two others also struggling with weakened squads, Alton Runners grabbed seventh place and moved out of the two relegation places in the second division up to eighth.
Keith Vallis spearheaded the Alton men's effort with 39th place in 33mins 06secs.
Other Alton positions: 74th, Dave Carter (35-27); 134th, Nigel Phillips (39-03); 147th, Doug McLean (39-50); 198th, Rick Boyes (47-42).
The men's team were third on the day, but remain second overall.
With one race to go, Alton Runners will require all their top men to be available at Bournemouth.
In the women's race, Di Byrne came a creditable 18th in 22mins 03secs, followed by Sharon Jones in 79th (28-42).
The women were second on the day in division one and have advanced to third place, closing the gap on Lordshill Runners and Winchester AC.
In the junior boys' U/13 race, Nathan Vials came 28th in 16mins 13secs and Nick Davey was 24th (17-05) in the U/15 race.
The Stubbington Green 10km followed on Sunday and the course was free of ice. The race was won by Team Solent's international, Angus McLean, and there was a personal best performance by Alton Runners' Robin Houghton who, in a storming final kilometre, moved from 11th to ninth, recording 33mins 55secs.
Dave Carter had one of those days when nothing went right, suffering from stitch and having to stop and tie his shoe laces at 8kms. before finishing 26th in 35-50. Steve Murphy came 99th in 39-06 (V40-25th),.
Other results: 231st, Geoff Scarfe (pb43-36, V40-40th); 270th, Richard Cieslik (44-53, V45-51th); 328th, Chris Vials (46-54, V40-70th); 329th, Terry Newman (46-55); 566th, Bob Bowler (58-20, V50-51st).
The women were again led home by Di Byrne who struggled over the last two kilometres for 16th place in 40mins 07secs (V35-7th). Debbie Rhodes was 24th (pb 41-42, V40-6th) and Jackie Scarfe 25th (pb 42-00, V40-7th).
Other results: 159th, Caroline Freeman (54-44, V35-48th); 227th, Paula Lowry (59-03, V35-61st); 234th, Jill Brian (59-39, V55-13th).
A junior fun run was held over 1.25 miles and Joseph Vials came ninth in his 7-10yrs age group. Older brother Nathan was eighth in his 11-14yrs age group.
Alton Runners have 12 members taking part in this year's London Marathon.