The autumn road relay season reached its peak with the national championships, while the cross country season got under way as a mild October ushered in the winter campaign.

While many of the area's leading athletes are still in a transitional phase after the summer season, others took the opportunity to make their mark, and there were some interesting performances for the Easy Runner/Bristol Evening Post athlete of the month award judges to consider.

As always the winner will receive a pair of training shoes from Easy Runner, and the winner will be announced in next weekend's Evening Post.

ELLIE LEATHER

The Westbury Harriers rookie opened her winter season in fine style by finishing in second place in the novice girls' race at the opening Gwent Cross Country League race at Bridgend.

Then, representing Horfield Primary in the Bristol Primary Schools Cross Country Championships at Ashton Park School, she put in an excellent performance to finish first – despite taking a wrong turn and running the boys' course, which was 200m longer than the girls'.

KANE LEE

Clawed back 24 places for the Westbury Harriers Under-15 boys' teams with their fastest time of the day at the English Cross Country Relays.

LAUREN ELLIS

The improving 14-year-old Westbury Harrier finished an encouraging second in the Under-15 girls' race in the opening Gloucestershire Cross Country League event at the Cotswold Farm Park.

LUKE JACOBS

Ran a superb anchor leg for Bristol & West AC Under-15s at the National Young Athletes' Road Relays in Birmingham, lifting the club to second place from third, with the fourth fastest time of the day.

He then finished third in his opening cross country race at the Birmingham Cross Challenge.

BILLIE WILLIAMS

Promoted at the last minute into the Bristol & West A squad for the National Young Athletes Road relays after an injury to Olivia Sadler, Williams showed great temperament and nerve alongside her more experienced team-mates to help the squad finish fifth in the Under-17 women's race.

ZAC TOBIAS

Gave Bristol & West AC Under-15s squad a great start en route to winning the silver medals at the National Young Athletes' Road Relay Championships, avoiding a big pile-up at the start that left him at the back of the field to finish in sixth and just behind the leaders. He then continued his good form by finishing finished sixth in the Birmingham Cross Challenge.