Elsewhere, Bud’s Run returns for the fourth year in Birmingham and after finishing second at the York Marathon last week, Tom Charles hopes to go one better in Abingdon.

Great South Run – Portsmouth, Sunday, October 22
Chris Thompson aims for a consecutive Great South Run title on Sunday and comes into the race on the back of a superb win at the Great Scottish Run earlier in the month.

Thompson won the race last year in 47:23 beating Andy Vernon in the closing stages of the 10-mile course.

Thompson will not have it all his own way and lines up with tough challengers Ben Connor, Matt Sharp, Andrew Davies and Mick Clohisey.

2017 National Cross Country Champion Connor has had a fantastic season that included a 10,000m personal best of 28:23 at the Golden Spike Meeting in the Netherlands in June.

Matt Sharp was third in last year’s race and will be looking for another good performance on the South coast. The Enfield and Haringey athlete ran a quick 2:16:01 at Berlin Marathon only a couple of weeks ago but if recovery has gone well he will line up as one of the favourites on Sunday.

Other marathon specialists include Wales’ Andrew Davies and Ireland’s Mick Clohisey, who both competed in the World Championships this summer. The ten-mile event always provides top-drawer competition and often sees marathon specialists moving down in distance and middle distance athletes stepping up. An athlete who falls into the latter category is Adam Clarke of Aldershot Farnham & District. He may well be one to watch having massively improved over the shorter distances in the last twelve months.

There is a great line up in the women’s race. Gemma Steel comes into the race in great recent form after finishing 6th at the Great North Run in 71:32, her fastest time over the distance since 2015. Also coming into the race in great form is Charlotte Purdue. The Aldershot Farnham & District runner finished an impressive 13th in the marathon at this summer’s World Championships in 2:29:23, before she recovering well and taking second in the Great Scottish Run with 72:18.

Other leading female entries include Katrina Wootton of Coventry with a 10k best of 31:46 and Tracy Barlow, of Thames Valley, who was also a marathon representative in London.

Northern Athletics Cross Country Relays – Graves Park, Sheffield, Saturday, October 21
Sheffield Running Club hosts the annual Northern Athletics Cross Country Relays on Saturday at Graves Park. Last year’s winners, Lincoln Wellington AC will aim to defend their title and have already won the Northern road relays this autumn, before finishing third at the National road relays.

Clubs hoping to challenge and provide some great grassroots competition over the 4×2 miles course include Sale Harriers Manchester, Vale Royal AC, Trafford AC and Derby AC.

Lincoln Wellington made it a double last year, also taking top honours in the women’s 3×2 miles race. They face a difficult task repeating that feat with Leeds City ones to watch.

Leeds have a strong group to choose from including; last year’s English national cross country silver medalist Claire Duck, GB Mountain runner Emma Clayton, Commonwealth Games steeplechaser Rachael Bamford, who is returning to competition after a long break, as well as Georgia Malir, junior European Mountain Running Champion 2014. With that kind of roll call, Leeds must start as favourites, however recent years have seen some good battles with fellow Yorkshire club Rotherham, who will also be gunning for the top spot on Saturday.

Related: Clubs Disqualified From Northern Road Relay Championships

Bud’s Run – Birmingham, Saturday, October 21
Returning for a fourth year this weekend is the University of Birmingham staged Bud’s Run. The family 5k fun run was started by Bud Baldaro a well-renowned running coach in the UK, who has supported hundreds of middle and long distance runners of all standards.

He has dedicated much of his life to athletics, including training at the university and travelling to events nationwide. Sadly Bud was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2009 but he is determined to use his love of running to help fund research into the long-term condition.

Bud’s run has already raised over £50,000 and the team are hoping that the total will be over £70,000 by race day on Saturday.

Although very much a family fun run, the race does attract some great British distance runners and this year’s favourites include Rob Bough of Edinburgh AC. He is the current men’s captain at Birmingham University and has a 3000m best of 8:23. Tom Dodd of Birchfield Harriers, a fresher at Birmingham, has a 1500m best of 3:47. Former Birmingham student Matt Jackson of Liverpool Harriers will also take to the start line and with a 5k seasons best of 14:19 he could well be the favourite for the win. Frank Tickner of Wells City/Kent who has previously finished tenth at the European Cross Country Championships also makes a return to racing.

The women’s race also has a stellar line up including Julia Cooke of Birchfield Harriers who has a 4:12 1500m best and could be hard to beat, especially if left to a sprint finish. Louise Webb also of Birchfield had a fine 2016 breaking the 10-minute barrier for the steeplechase and placing third overall on the UK rankings. It could be a battle exclusively amongst the Birchfield contingent as Mari Smith also competes. Smith represented Great Britain last year at the European Cross Country Championships finishing 25th in the U23 race and has followed a great winter with a 2:04.19 800m’s this summer. This combination of endurance and speed could prove hard to beat.

Abingdon Marathon – Abingdon, Sunday, October 22
In Oxfordshire, the mainly flat course of Abingdon marathon takes place on Sunday. The race starts and finishes at Tilsley Park athletics track and passes through the town, alongside the River Thames and follows a mostly scenic two-lap route through several nearby villages.

Last year’s event was won by local athlete Paul Fernandez of Abingdon in 2:30:38 and Katherine Matthews of Chepstow Harriers won the women’s race in 2:58:59. Leading entries this year include; Tom Charles who finished second at York Marathon last week in 2:25:52, David Broadley of Poole AC who has a best of 2:31:52 from 2016 and Joel Jameson who has clocked 2:30:40.

Ahead of Sunday, Tom Charles told Fast Running “I have a few lingering injuries and with a windy day expected, my aim is to keep my head down and try to keep the weather from stealing too much time from me.”

The post Runners Set For Cross Country Relays And Great South Run appeared first on Fast Running.

Elsewhere Sammi Kinghorn makes a marathon debut in Chicago and Lauren Howarth and Andrew Heyes race in Groningen.

National Autumn Road Relays – Sutton Park, Birmingham, Saturday 7th October

The National Road Relays are a stalwart of the British club scene, and over the last few weeks the regionals have produced some great racing with the winners now keen replicate this on the national stage.

Among those hoping for top honours in the men’s race are Northern winners Lincoln Wellington, Southern champions Highgate Harriers and the Midlands top club Bristol & West AC. While in the women’s race Leigh Harriers, Aldershot Farnham & District and Birchfield Harriers lead the way as winners from their respective regions.

Trying to spoil the party on English soil will be 2016 winners Cardiff AC and silver medalists Swansea Harriers. Last year’s race saw a really close battle between the two Welsh powerhouses with little over three seconds between the two at the finish line. Swansea recently won the Welsh regional Road Relays beating Cardiff AC to the honours, with the Dewi Griffiths and Josh Griffiths running the fastest legs on the day.

Last year’s women’s 4 stage relay was won by Aldershot Farnham & District closely followed by Birchfield Harriers and in bronze Cardiff AC.

Aldershot Farnham & District women have won all but one title in the last 10 year and it’s hard to see past them winning another title this weekend.

Until 1995 the Nationals moved around different regional locations until a decision was made to host the prestigious event at Sutton Park every year.

Since 2001 the distance has also stayed the same at a distance of 5,847m with Chris Davies of Telford holding the course record of 16:25, Newham & Essex beagles are the fastest men’s team to cover the six stages with 1:43:14.

On the present course the fastest three ever men are Chris Davies 16:25 (2003) Andrew Butchart 16:29 (2016) and Mo Farah 16:33 (2009).

The women’s race is over a distance of 4,315m with Aldershot Farnham & District having the fastest time of 56:42 for the four stages. Aldershot’s Steph Twell has the fastest leg with 13:41 from 2007. While in 1993 Paula Radcliffe ran on a longer course of 4.35k and ran 13:26.

The fastest women ever over the current course are Steph Twell 13:41 (2007) Gemma Steel 13:45 (2011) and Charlotte Purdue 13:48 in 2013.

Race Schedule
11:00 – U13 boys
11:05 – U13 girls
11:50 – U15 boys
11:55 – U15 girls
12:30 – U17 men
12:35 – U17 women
14:00 – Senior men
14:10 – Senior women

Yorkshire Marathon – York, Sunday 8th October
The Yorkshire Marathon returns for the fifth time. The course has proven PB potential and this attracts a very competitive elite field and has not failed this year.

The leading entry this year is Shadrack Kemboi of Kenya. The top Britons include Ross Houston of Central AC, who comes into the race in fine form after winning the Scottish Half Marathon in 67:42 two weeks ago. Ross has a best of 2:18:28 for the marathon from 2013 which saw him earn a Scottish vest at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014.

Tom Charles will also be looking to improve his marathon best of 2:23:55 from the Manchester Marathon last year. Tom has timed his build up well running a personal best 67:44 at the Great North Run, following it up a week later with a half marathon win in Abersoch, posting 68:27. The Britons in the race will be looking to take a share of the very healthy £10,000 total prize fund offered by the race organisers.

The 2016 women’s race was won by Sarah Lowery of Sheffield RC in a super quick 2:45:53 who finished over 3 minutes ahead of second.

Chester Marathon, Chester, Sunday 8th October
The fast and predominantly flat route is on closed roads even crosses into Wales for seven miles of the race. Daniel Kestrel who finished second last year to Ben Fish is entered and will be looking to go one better this year.

“The aim is to lower my 2:24 personal best from last year. I’ve had to adapt my training after becoming a father in January, but even with that I feel that I’ve trained much better in the build-up to this race than for London,” said Kestrel to Fast Running.

Katie Jones of Fife Athletics Club took the win last year in 2:53:36. Although Julie Briscoe of Wakefield holds the ladies course record with a very impressive 2:40:26. Marius Ionescu of Altrincham AC holds the men’s record with 2:21:25.

Chicago Marathon – Chicago, October 8th
Sammi Kinghorn will make her marathon debut in Chicago on Sunday. One of Britain’s star Para athletes this year Kinghorn is aiming to better 2:00:00 and achieve the 2:05:00 qualifying standard for next year’s Commonwealth Games.

“I’d love to go under the two-hour mark for my first marathon – that would be amazing. Hopefully, if I push hard enough I can get there,” said Kinghorn in a recent interview.

Kinghorn is best known for her sprinting ability but does have experience racing over 10k on the road and recently competed at the Great North Run half marathon last month finishing second to Manuela Schar. While in the men’s wheelchair race GB Olympian Simon Lawson, winner at the Great North Run will be up amongst the best in the field.

De 4 Mijl Van Groningen – Groningen, Netherlands, 8th October
On Sunday the 31st edition of the race takes place. Over the years British athletes have performed well over the rarely-raced distance of four miles. Jonny Mellor finished fourth last year in 18:03 followed by Olympians Andy Vernon 18:06 and Ross Millington 18:09.

Andrew Heyes is on the start list in the men’s race this year, while Lauren Howarth will return for her third year hoping to replicate the magnificent run from 2013 when she ran a blistering 19:58 topping the yearly rankings.

The post National Road Relays, Plus Marathons in York, Chester & Chicago – Weekend Preview appeared first on Fast Running.