SOUTHAMPTON Running Club duo, Andy Morgan-Lee and Beth Harris, have endured their fair share of injury horrors this past year.

Thirty six-year-old Morgan-Lee suffered a potentially career-ending knee problem which required major surgery and the talented athlete came close to quitting.

Harris, 24, has been troubled with Achilles' injuries for the past five years. She has been nursing herself back to fitness after scans last autumn revealed a torn calf muscle.

However on Sunday, at windswept Totton, it all came right for the pair with morale-boosting victories at the prestigious Totton 10km - one thanks to a fantastic kick and sprint finish, the other picking up an unexpected personal best.

Ford worker Morgan-Lee put in an astonishing finish to burn off Alton Runners' Toby Lambert, pictured right, over the final 200m. The two had been locked together for most of the race.

"I tried to get in front a couple of times and put in an effort, but Toby seemed happier leading," explained Morgan-Lee.

"There was no way I could get away from him and for much of the race I was hanging on. But at 9km, I was still there with him, and I thought this was anyone's race."

Approaching the finish at Testwood School, Morgan-Lee had expected the sports shop owner from Alton to put in a final, blistering kick. It didn't happen, and instead, Morgan-Lee found an extra gear to surge past and win in 30min 36sec.

"That was extremely satisfying," he admitted afterwards. "Toby has won a lot of races locally, and to beat him is great."

This was the first time the Southampton runner has won at Totton, and it was his first victory of the season, after a succession of seconds and thirds in road races in the county.

"It's great to win at last," he said.

It was great to win too for his Southampton Running Club teammate, Beth Harris. The 24-year-old hasn't raced since the Great South Run in Portsmouth last September.

It was following that race that she discovered the calf tear, and it has been a long, slow process back. "I've had a terrible time recently," she said. "It's only in the last few weeks that I have been running and the calf seems to be doing okay.

"I had come to the Totton race not expecting to win. I just wanted to see how I was doing. So there was no pressure on me."

Harris, a structural engineer from Winchester, came away with a personal best of 36:32 to win the ladies' race. "It is good to be back," she added.

This weekend, both runners hope to be turning out for their club at the National Road Relays in Sutton Park, Birmingham, this Saturday. Morgan-Lee was part of the SRC squad who finished 16th at the Southern 12-stage Road Relays at Milton Keynes last weekend to book their place.

The rest of the squad included Dave Branfoot, Matt West, Pete Davis, Graham Bungay, Paul Fotherby, Russell Coleman, Daniel Hall, Ryan McGovern, John Grainger, Steve Axon and Joe Maskell.

This 25th running of the Totton 10k attracted almost 900 runners.

The race was moved from its traditional afternoon slot to a morning start.

Totton Running Club, organisers of the race, are considering staging the event off-road next year.

Full list of all runners in tonight's Daily Echo - If you miss your copy you can order one over the phone by calling 023 8042 4722