MICHELLE Parsons produced yet another superhuman display to finish second in the X Zone National Cross Training Championships at RAF Cosford on Sunday.

The championships, which were held at the Shropshire venue for the second year in succession, attracted a record number of entries and, after obtaining new suppliers for the gym equipment, it proved to be an even sterner test than in previous years.

In Saturday's heats, Michelle qualified in first place with a time of 41 minutes and 46 seconds some 20 seconds clear of Sarah Coope.

Unfortunately, her efforts further aggravated an Achilles injury she sustained the previous weekend leaving her with no option other than to race on Sunday heavily strapped.

PP:21pars.jpg:Strenuous task: Michelle Parsons in training at One on One

The final lived up to all expectations and proved to be the closest race of the weekend with Michelle finishing the course just 19 seconds behind reigning champion Coope.

The final course is over a longer distance than the heats and included a 3K run on a treadmill, a 2000m row, a 1000kg shoulder press broken down into repetitions of the competitors choice, a double rope climb and a 5K bike ride to name just four of the ten gruelling events completed in succession against a running clock.

The event is being screened on Channel 5 on June 15 at 7pm. To get a real idea of the course you will need to see it to believe it.

Other competitors who completed in the heats on Saturday were Michelle's husband, Phil, and fellow One on One fitness club member Martin Carter.

Neither managed to qualify in the top ten for the final and the latter was also unfortunate enough to suffer a power failure on his bike in the last event so his final time was not as accurately recorded, as he would have hoped.