IT WAS time for the magic of the cup on Saturday as athletes from Dudley Kingswinford Running Club travelled to the National Cross Country Championships in Wollaton Park, Nottingham.

The blue hoops rubbed shoulders with GB internationals and Olympic medallists in the biggest event of the winter season.

First back for the hoops in a field of nearly 1,700 was Ben Foster in 486th place, Andy Sprague came 750th and Rob Sannwald was 784th. DK finished a creditable 85th of the 127 teams competing.

Twenty four hours later a group of hoops travelled the short distance to Russells Hall Hospital for the annual Action Heart 5. In possibly his last race in DK colours Rob Meredith took 16th place in 30.56, with Graham Wildgoose finishing in 35th in 33.31.