FOR most of our local clubs the cross country season starts on Saturday with the first Mid Lancs fixture at Barrow.

The start times for this and all subsequent rounds are: Under 11 Girls 12:30pm, U11Boys 12:45pm, U15 Girls/U13 Boys 1:20pm, U17 Ladies/U15 Boys 1:40pm, U20 Ladies/Senior Ladies/Vet Ladies/ U17 Men 2:00pm, U20 Men/Senior Men/Vet Men 2:30pm.

Pendle Forest Orienteers have organised a series of informal orienteering events in and around East Lancashire on Saturday mornings.

Open to anyone interested in taking part in an orienteering event, they are ideal for first timers, for school and youth groups and for those with some experience who want to develop their skills. You do not have to be a member of a club.

This Saturday's offering is at Spring Wood in Whalley which is signed off the A671, 1.5K east of the town centre. Registration is from 10am, and there will be instruction for first timers at 10am.For further details call Geoff Dickinson 01282-456990.

The Jim Rhodes 5M Road and Trail Race will be raising money for St Anne's Hospice. It is on Sunday at 11:15am from the Falcon Inn, Littleborough. The Green Drive 5M at Lytham St Annes is a fast and flat course. With an 11am start this Sunday, parking is at St Bede's School, Talbot Road.

The Withins Skyline Fell Race is a seven miler from Penistone Hill Country Park, near Haworth, Keighley. Start is 11:30am on Sunday. For those wanting a longer run, the record time for the Settle Scramble is 3:48:00. It is 25m long and starts at 9am on Sunday from Settle Primary School. For late entry check first with organiser Ian Parker 01729-822348.

TheBolton Blast Biathlon includes a 600m swim at Turton Leisure Centre, Bromley Cross, followed by a 10.5K run. Race is pre-entry only so check for late availability at

cormack@freenetname.co.uk. Race Calendar

October

Sat 21st Mid Lancs League - Barrow Cross Country

Sat 21st Spring Wood - Whalley Orienteering

Sun 22nd Jim Rhodes 5M - Littleborough Trail and Road

Sun 22nd Bolton Blast Biathlon 600m swim/ 10.5K run Biathlon

Sun 22nd Green Drive 5M (Lytham) Road

Sun 22nd Withins Skyline 7M/1000' - Haworth Fell

Sun 22nd Settle Scramble 25M/2200' Fell

Sun 22nd Great North Run - Newcastle Road

Sat 28th Red Rose League - Bolton Cross Country

28th/29th Karrimor International Mountain Marathon-2 days Fell

Sun 29th Gale Race 4.5M/800' Littleborough (S Penn 11) Fell

Sun 29th Accrington 10K Road

Sun 29th Lancaster 3 Bridges 10K Road

Sun 29th Snowdonia Marathon

Sun 29th White Coppice Orienteering

November

Sat 4th Mid Lancs League - Blackburn Cross Country

Sat 4th Shepherds Skyline 6M/1150' (S Penn GP12) Fell

Sat 4th Reebok Cross Challenge - Birmingham Cross Country

Sun 5th Black Lane Ends 5M/1000' - Colne Fell

Sun 5th Thro' the Villages Wheelton (Millennium GP 10) Road

Sun 5th New York Marathon Road

Sun 12th Llandudno 10M Road

Sun 12th Habergham 1/2 Mar - Burnley Road

Sun 12th Charlotte Slater Memorial 3.5M/800' - Kelbrook Fell

Sat 18th Tour of Pendle 17M/4250' - Barley Fell

Sun 19th Burnden 10K - Bolton Road

Sun 19th Preston 10M Road

Sun 19th Reebok Cross Challenge-Margate (Europe Trial) Cross Country