Cross country season is sadly drawing to a close for another year, and the National Cross Country championships are always a wonderful finale - this year’s event was held in Cheshire. Also this weekend saw some great results at the Brighton and Wokingham Half Marathons, and the Last Friday of the Month in Hyde Park.

Saucouny National Cross Country Championships, Bolesworth Castle, Chester, 25.2.23

Saturday saw the climax of the English Cross Country season with the National Championships held over a new course near Bolesworth Castle, Cheshire, with views across the Dee Valley to the Welsh mountains. The courses were laid over gently sloping fields on what appeared to normally be a 3-day eventing venue. The recent dry weather ensured the course was well grassed although there were patches of sticky mud at the corners. The main challenge appeared to be the strong headwind which kept the temperature down despite the early spring sunshine.

Our Juniors, thanks to our friends at VP&TH, had travelled up the day before, staying in Ellesmere Port, a good strategy because congestion getting into the venue saw lots of Juniors bailing out of parent cars and running to make sure they made their race start.

The U17 Women was the first race of the day. This is a young team all in their first year in the category and it was great to see Hattie Munday again running strongly to finish 53rd.. The rest of the team ran well as a pack, all finishing within 40 seconds of each other - Millie Watkins first, then Ruby Walls, in her first race of the season and Lucy Corkin together and then, in her first race after a long break due to injury, Issy Watkins. The efforts secured 9th in the team competition. Next to race were the U15 Boys with Dylan Mills our first home covering the 4km course in 16 mins 29s. Koppany Szentes and Sam Turner supported each other and were the next two home followed by Phoenix Bonhote and Ben Ryan finishing as the 18th team. With the team all 1st yr U15's they will be stronger next year.

The U17 Men were one man short from making a team with George Saint 1st home in 104th place Alex Smith followed about 2 mins later with Artie Feeny Willings another minute behind. As with our other teams the U15 Girls were all but one 1st year in this age group. They were led home by Amy Kirk in 51st place with Kiara Corkin 30s later in 86th. Ishanna Cannell finished in 146th with Lettice Gundry 171st 23 s behind. Ivy Gray and Jessica Lappin completed our contingent with the team 15th. All will have gathered great experience.

We did not enter any U13 teams but we should congratulate Jorja March of neighbouring Club Barnet who produced a stunning finish to win the U13 Girls title and also Lauren Russell of Highgate who finished 5th in the U17 Women's race.

We also had a great turnout by the U20 Men who secured a superb 8th place in the team competition with Thomas Archer 29th place covering the 10km course in 34 mins 32s. Oliver O'Connor was 56th with Luke Pike Mullins and Bedo Draskoczy completing our scorers. Janak Subberwal and Michael Smith completed our runners.

After last year’s Women’s Bronze, this year saw only 5 seniors take part, despite the club providing transport, which was somewhat disappointing. Kimberli Butler was our sole representative in the Senior Women’s race finishing 478th of the 774 runners. In the men’s race Jose Sabroso was our first home in 762nd place, with Chris Magierek, Leo Pemberton and Andrew Owen also running in the field of 1,472 which was substantially down on the 2,087 who took part last year at Parliament Hill.

Well done to all the athletes who took part, to the team managers (Lenny, Zac and Kabir) as well as parents who made the trip. It is however worrying at the lack of seniors running in what is the blue ribbon event in the Cross Country calendar. Hopefully take up for the forthcoming Southern Road Relays and Southern Athletics League over the summer will be better.

Senior Men (12km 1,472 runners)

1st J Kingston (Tonbridge) 36.01

762nd Jose Sabroso 48.51

941st Chris Magierek 51.27

1118th Leo Pemberton 54.27

1126th Andrew Owen 54.35

Team 1st Leeds City 108 pts. London Heathside no Team

Senior Women (8 km 774 runners)

1st S Astin 29.28

478th Kimberli Butler 43.35

Team 1st Charwood 68 pts, London Heathside No Team

Junior Men (10km 167 runners)

1st W Barnicoat (AF&D) 31.40

29th Thomas Archer 34.32

56th Oliver O'Connor 35.33

131st Luke Pike Mullins 39.20

154th Bedo Draskoczy 42.02

158th Janak Subberwal 43.14

161st Michael Smith 43.41

Team: 1st Tonbridge 70 pts, London Heathside (Archer, O'Connor, Pike Mullins, Draskoczy) 370 pts

U17 Men (6 km 247 runners)

1st H Dover (SBH) 20.39

104th George Saint 23.48

203rd Alex Smith 26.05

225th Artie Feeny Willings 27.12

Team:- 1st AF&D 140 pts, LH no Team

U17 Women (5km 202 runners)

1st I Fitzgerald (Exeter Harriers) 17.11

53rd Hattie Munday 20.29

122nd Millie Watkins 22.13

128th Ruby Walls 22.23

129th Lucy Corkin 22.25

135th Issy Watkins 22.52

Team 1st Cambridge and Coleridge AC 131 pts , 9th London Heathside 432 pts

U15 Boys (4 km 289 runners)

1st O Ulfig (Wolverhampton & District) 14.40

98th Dylan Mills 16.29

114th Koppany Szentes 16.41

123rd Sam Turner 16.46

247th Pheonix Bonhote 18.18

285th Ben Ryan 19.58

Team 1st Trafford 156 pts, 18th London Heathside (Mills, Szentes, Turner, Bonhote) 582 pts

U15 Girls (4km 285 runners)

1st S King (Wreake & Soar) 16.15

51st Amy Kirk 18.02

86th Kiara Corkin 18.30

146th Ishanna Cannell 19.25

171st Lettice Gundry 19.48

217th Ivy Gray 20.35

256th Jessica Lappin 21.45

Team 1st Rotherham Harriers 85 pts, 15th London Heathside (Kirk, Corkin, Cannell, Gundry) 454 pts

Brighton Half Marathon, Brighton, 26th Feb 2023

Two Heathsiders took part in this seaside half marathon. Patrick McHugh wrote this report: “This was my first Brighton Half since February 2020, which had 40 pmh winds and a creeping sense of pre-pandemic dread.

My hope was for 1.45, which would be a 2 minute pb. I stayed at 8 minute miles until mile 9, when my legs pretty suddenly gave up. I had a 4 mile slog to the finish and managed to pick the pace back up at the end, finishing in 1.54.54 - a bit of a disappointment but for the most part an enjoyable morning. I’d strongly recommend Brighton Half, its got an infectious atmosphere, gorgeous views and a great crowd.”

1276th Tanya Addison 01:41:39

2838th Patrick McHugh 01:54:54

Wokingham Half Marathon, Wokingham, 26th February 2023

George Gurney had a fantastic run in the Wokingham Half, coming home in 5th place.

5th George Gurney 1.08.07

Last Friday of the Month, Hyde Park, London, 24th Feb 2023

Five Heathsiders took part in this popular 5k round the Serpentine. Rob Hynds led the group home in a time of 17.31

32nd Rob Hynds 17:31 SM

63rd Liam Hazelton 18:52 V40

70th Nick Haward 19:23 V45

100th Christopher Greenwood 20:40 V35

157th Alun Nash 26:01 V60

Parkruns

Eighty-three Heathsiders ran in 24 Parkruns this week, none of them achieved a first place! The full results can be found here

Compiled by Caroline with thanks to Simon and Patrick for their reports and Lenny Martin for all the beautiful xc photos

National XC Championships, Brighton and Wokingham Half marathons and LFoTM

Itching to ask us a question about the club? Want to pick our brains about training, competing or joining? (We usually react quickly, but it might take us a handful of days to reply).

Cover image rights - Lenny Martin

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