GREAT Britain Marathon international Alyson Dixon was only 11 seconds outside the course record winning the Elswick Harriers Norman Woodcock Memorial 5 mile road race at Gosforth Park, Newcastle.

The 36-year-old Sunderland Stroller finished 14th overall in the 150-strong field in a time of 27 mins 34 secs – four seconds outside her personal-best set in this summer’s Bridges of Tyne race – as Gateshead Harrier Chris Parr took the men’s title in 24 mins 24 secs.

Dixon beat the second woman, Richmond and Zetland veteran Shona Fletcher, by 40 seconds while three-times Blaydon Race winner Justina Heslop, the course record holder from 2011, back in the Elswick colours and making her competitive return after a two year absence, was third in 28 mins 36 secs.

Great Britain international Parr, 30 next Saturday, beat former Morpeth Harrier Richard Morrell by three seconds.

Results – Men: 1 C Parr (Gateshead) 24 mins 24 secs; 2 R Morrell (Unatt) 24 27; 2 T Straughan (Morpeth) 24.59; 4 J Marshall (Gates) 26.00; 5 J Dunce (Tyne Bridge) 26.08; 6 G Cook (North Shields Poly) 26.14; 7 T Noble (Sunderland Strollers) 26.27; 8 S Morley (Tyne Bridge) 26.56; 9 S Rankin (Sunderland Strollers) 26.57; 10 C van der Land (Tyne Bridge) 27.06.

Women: 1 A Dixon (Sunderland Strollers W35) 27.34; 2 S Fletcher (Richmond & Zetland W35) 28.14; 3 J Heslop (Elswick W35) 28.36; 4 A Dargie (Tyne Bridge W35) 29.44; 5 C Simpson (Jarrow & Hebburn W35) 30.23.