Fresh back from a week winter snow trecking in the high Spanish mountains, Bromsgrove and Redditch AC racewalker Sharon Tonks lined up for the Worcestershire County 5km Race Walk Championships.
Concerned about her lack of race fitness she was disappointed to find that the race was to be held on the hard, exposed and hilly 2.5km circuit in Perry Park, Birmingham.
From the gun Tonks and Katherine Haswell, of Dudley and Stourbridge Harriers, matched strides and quickly pulled away from the field.
At 2km on the hill Sharon piled on the pressure but Katherine fought back.
100m later Tonks started to pull away gaining six seconds by the end of the lap.
On the second lap she was unable to improve on the six second lead.
With 300m to go Haswell made an explosive attack but Sharon managed to cross the line to take the title County Champion by three seconds.
Tonks has now won all three of her races this year but this event convinced her to get back into serious training.
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