Merrien pleased with opening race

Merrien now looks ahead to trying to qualify for the European championships

Guernsey runner Lee Merrien says he is happy with his eighth-placed finish in the first round of the UK Cross Country Challenge at Gateshead.

Merrien was the sixth British runner over the line in the first of the five-race cross country series.

"It's a good sign that I'm fit and running reasonably well," Merrien told BBC Guernsey.

The next race in two weeks time is in Liverpool and double-up as qualifiers for the European championships.