INSTEAD of opening Valentine cards last weekend, Gemma Phillips from Coniston had a special date with a cross-country course in Belgium.
The 23-year-old athlete was rewarded with an England vest for the International Event in Dour, Northern Belgium, one of the Lotto Cross Cup Series.
It proved to be a top quality international field with teams from Belgium, Switzerland, France and Holland and in the end Gemma finished a pleasing 16th.
After a nightmare six month period in 2003 when the Coniston runner was unable to compete due to a knee injury, Gemma has fought her way back to something like her early 2003 form and has been selected once again to represent England in the Belgian town of Dour.
Gemma, who runs for Kendal AC had written this season off in an attempt to build up fitness and lost endurance but has battled her way back sooner than expected. She recently finished a magnificent 5th in the Northern Championships Now she is targeting the National Championships at Leeds next weekend and the World Trial at Nottingham in March.
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