MARTIN Cox’s hectic week of half-marathon running has left a question mark over his participation in the Flora London Marathon.
Just seven days after finishing fifth in the Hastings half marathon in 67mins 11secs, the Bristol and West AC runner was  seventh in Sunday’s Helphire Bath half marathon.
Sunday’s race, in which he finished second Brit behind Dave Mitchinson as the Africans again dominated, was quicker at 66:17 but Cox was still not happy.
“I think I could have done a lot better and I’m not that happy with my form,” said Cox.
“I think I may have over-done the training so I’ll have to wait and see about London.”
At least Cox emerged from a tough week with a silver medal from the AAA Championships, held at Hastings and the Midland Counties title from the Bath event.
And probably more important as a full-time runner Cox also pocked a couple of handy cheques to pay his bills.
If Cox was left a little deflated from his performance there was no hiding the joy shared by the Bristol and West AC squad that won the women’s team prize.
Amy Stiles, Lucy Hasell and Maddy Clarke-Gay all ran personal bests on a day that was good for running but far from ideal with a stiff breeze along the stretch back into the city.
Stiles carved 43 seconds off her best to finish third in 73:59, Hasell smashed hers by 1mins 20secs to finish sixth in 1:15.59 and Clarke-Gay ran a PB of 1:17.06 for eighth overall and first veteran over 35.
“It is a really positive race for me and I’m delighted with that time,” said Hasell.
“Now I can look forward to London with confidence.”
Stiles was equally delighted with her run as she is also targeting next month’s London Marathon.
“I actually ran three PBs in yesterday’s race as I went through 10k in 34mins 34secs, 10 miles in 55:57 and then the final time,” said Stiles.
“I was with the leaders until nine miles when they just eased away. It was very tough coming back into the city as we were running into the wind.
“I’m sure there’s more time to come off that and all in all it proves I’m on the right course for London.”
Annabel Granger also showed a welcome return to form to finish 10th and claim third in the Midland Counties Championships, with Clark-Gay taking second behind Leamington’s Sue Harrison.
Bristol and West AC finished runners-up to Thames Hare and Hounds in the men’s team event with Alec Woods, who won the over 40s prize in 23rd overall, Dan Noad and Ben Danvers providing the support.
Clevedon AC’s Mark Cooper ran solidly to finish 34th and sixth veteran over 40  while Dave Wintle, of Great Western Runners, was fourth in the over 50s category.
 

* Avon’s U13 boys’ team finished third in the UK Finals of the Sports Hall Athletics Championships, in Birmingham.
There were silver medals for the quartet of Lewis Hield, Joe O’Sullivan, Iggy Hadi and Nathan Hunt in the 4x2 lap relay while Tom Baker and Pete Edwards were second in the 8-lap paarlauf.
Hield  was third in the 2-lap race and O’Sullivan got a bronze in the standing triple jump.
 
* Kate Reed was Great Britain’s top finished in the short course 4k race at the World cross country championships, in France. The 220year-old Bristol and West Ac runner was 40th in 14mins 26secs.
 

RESULTS
 
Helphire Bath half marathon - men: 1 S Tanui (Ken) 62:53; 2 F Mogaka (Ken) 63:19; 3 J Kimtai (Ken) 64:15; 4 M Elementary (Tan) 64:17; 5 D Mitchinson  (NEB) 62:22; 6 S Kasmili (Ken) 65:53; 7 M Cox (B&W) 66:17; 8 R Gardiner (Card) 66:28; 9 W Kogo (Ken) 66:38; 10 J McFarland (THH) 66:51; 11 C Birchall (Leeds) 67:00; 12 M Hilton (Leeds) 67:18; 13 E Malloch (THH) 67:33; 14 J Walsh (Leam) 67:44; 15 S Henshaw (Deeside) 67:54
M40: A Woods (B&W) 70:14; 2 C Harry (Corn) 70:56; 3 P Hockin (Bide) 71:06.
M50: T Salway (Nene) 79:05. M60: M Ford (Chelt) 79:59.
Teams: 1 Thames Hare and Hounds; 2 Bristol and West
Midland Counties Championships: 1 Cox; 2 Walsh; 3 Woods.
 
Local runners (Bristol and West AC unless stated): 31 Dan Noad 1:12.59; 34 Mark Cooper (Cleve) 1:13.10; 46 Nick Hides (Cleve, M40) 1:14.12; 52 Ben Danvers 1:15.04; 53 Jonathan Gilling (Taun)1:15.24; 63 Jason Williams (Cleve) 1:16.09; 74 Clive Richards (Cleve) 1:17.21; 88 David McNally (GWR) 1:18.40; 95 Jerry Hogan (M45) 1:19.11; 11 Nick Page (Cleve) 1:19.29; 114 Nigel Edwards (GWR, M40) 1:20.00; 117 Dave Wintle (GWR, M50) 1:20.11; 148 Ian Smith (Cleve) 1:22.08; 153 Chris Vauden (Cleve, M40) 1:22.26; 159 John Thorpe (GWR) 1:22.38; 161 Joe Webb (W’bury) 1:22.42; 163 Stephen Brunt (M40) 1:22.53; 203 Michael Black more (Bitt) 1:25.00; 207 Mark Emes (Bitt), M40) 1:25.05; 211 Adrian Skeates (Bitt, M40) 1:25.21; 219 Kevan Lopeman (W’bury) 1:25.36; 220 Neil Wallace (Cleve, M40) 1:25.38; 252 Jim Godden (T’bury, M40) 1:26.26; 253 Peter Brook (GWR, M40) 1:26.26
 

Women: 1 S Partridge (Glasgow) 73:10; 2 C Mutwa (Ken) 73:14; 3 A Stiles (B&W) 73:59; 4 L Shelley (Ranelagh) 75:29; 5 S Harrison (Leam) 75:55; 6 L Hasell (B&W) 75:59; 7 M Horton (N Dev RR) 77:00; 8 M Clark-Gay (B&W, W35) 77:06; 9 A Outram (THH) 78:03; 10 A Granger (B&W) 79:52.
W40: C Hewitt (Tiv) 81:51. W50: Z Marchant (Bath) 86:43. Teams: 1 Bristol and West AC.
Midland Counties Championships: 1 Harrison; 2 Clark-Gay; 3 Granger.
Local runners: 14 Holly May (CoB) 1:22.38;
 
UK Sports Hall Finals, National Indoor Arena, Birmingham - U13 boys: 1 Isle of Wight 1172; 2 Surrey 1134; 3 Avon 1131; 4 Birmingham 1111; 5 Donegal 1027; 6 Essex 909; 7 Hertfordshire 883; 8 West Wales 755; 9 Notts 746; 10 West Yorks 734; 11 Cheshire 710; 12 Shetland Isles 684.
 
 
 
U13 girls: 1 Birmingham 1230; 2 Essex 1083; 3 Derbys 1017; 4 Lancashire 1013; 5 Channel Islands 959; 6 Herts 918; 7 Donegal 888; 8 Isle of Wight 887; 9 West Wales 824; 10 Avon 783; 11 West Yorks 728; 12 Argyle and Bute 722.
 
World cross country championships, St Galmier, France  - senior women’s 4k: 1 T Dibaba (Ethiopia) 13:15; 2 W Kidane (Ethiopia) 13:16; 3 I Chichi (Kenya) 13:21.
GB: 40 Kate Reed 14:26; 47 H Dean 14:34; 57 H Clitheroe 14:42; 63 H Yelling 14:48; 70 L Dobriskey 14:53.