BROMSGROVE & Redditch AC's racewalker Sharon Tonks arrived at Tamworth for the final race in the Winter League Series knowing she only had to finish to take the title.
But, despite being unfit after a lack of training following illness, she failed to take the easy option.
On the first lap of the hilly 5km race, she chose to stay with the leading senior men but the second climb of the severe mid-lap hill focused on her lack of training.
At this point she had a 10 second lead and, despite lacking her normal speed, her superior strength increased this to around half a minute by the end of the 5,000m race.
Although Tonks' time of 26.13 was a one-and-a-half minutes slower than her Worcester race, it gave her three wins and the series overall.
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