In 1986, Benning won the AAAs 3000 m title, going on to place fourth at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. At the 1987 IAAF World Cross Country Championships she finished 20th, her seventh top twenty finish in the event. In the summer, she won the UK Championships 1500 m title. Then at the World Championships in Rome in September, she reached the 3000 m final for the second time, finishing 12th in 8:57.92.