CATIE O’Donoghue continued her excellent start to the autumn season with a medal at the Midland Counties Road Relay Championships.

Competing for Bristol & West AC, the 27-year-old from Lakeside guided the team into the medal positions for the first time with a strong performance on the third and penultimate stage around Sutton Park in Birmingham.

Teammates Natalie Griffiths and Hannah Pollack put the club fourth at the halfway point leaving O’Donghue with it all to do.

“No pressure on me then,” joked O’Donoghue.

“When I took over the next girl seemed way ahead and she went off really fast. I honestly didn’t think I would have a chance of catching her.”

But O’Donghue paced her effort sensibly and with her rival faltering brought Bristol & West AC into the bronze medal position.

“I caught her with around a mile to go and never looked back,” added O’Donoghue.

Her strong showing set up final stage runner Mel Newberry for a grand finale as she swept past Royal Sutton Coldfield to bag the silver medals behind runaway winners Birchfield.

It was the club’s best result since they finished second in 2015 but the team has completely changed since then with no survivors from that squad or the team that had won the title the previous year.

“We went there to enjoy the event and do our best but didn’t expect to do as well as we did,” said Donoghue.

“It was a cracking result and a great day – with the added bonus of winning a medal! It was a really lush day.”

O’Donoghue’s second regional medal of the year – she also won team silver in the Midland Counties spring relay event – follows a hectic start to her autumn season after a low-key summer.

Firstly, she ran the Swindon Half Marathon finishing fourth in a personal best time of 86mins 49secs and then seven days later claimed third spot in the Worcester half in 88mins 00secs.

“Saturday felt so short (the course measured 4.33k) compared to racing the half but it was nice for a change,” said O’Donoghue.

“Now I am looking forward to the National Championships when I will be hoping to improve upon my time of 16mins 20secs.”

Midland Counties Road Relay Championships – Women’s 4-stage relay: 1 Birchfield Harriers 1:02:57; 2 Bristol & West AC 1:04:22 (Natalie Griffith (6) 15:44, Hannah Pollack (4) 16:37, Catie O'Donoghue (3) 16:20, Mel Newbery (2) 15:41); 3 Royal Sutton Coldfield AC 1:04:37.

Fastest: 1st Tamara Armoush (Birch) 14:33; 4th Zoe Wassell (Stroud) 15:18; 7th Mel Newberry (B&W) 15:41; 9th Natalie Griffiths (B&W) 15:44; 20th Catie O’Donoghue (B&W) 16:20.