Arter and Nesbitt go head to head again

The Senior women’s race was perhaps the highlight at the 2018 edition and promises to be fiercely competitive once again.

Charlotte Arter took the British 10,000m title in 2018 and more aptly won the European trial race in Liverpool. She will be joined by training partner and current UK Inter-Counties Champion, Jenny Nesbitt.

The pair warmed up for Cross Challenge opener by leading their Cardiff AC team to the outright race win at the ERRA National Autumn Road Relays last weekend. Clara Evans and Lucy Marland are the remaining members of the team and will also be in action on Saturday.

Phoebe Law is another UK Inter-Counties Champion (2018) that will be racing. Iona Lake of City of Norwich AC is a notable athlete who is likely to feature along with Amy Griffiths of Aldershot, Farnham & District who was seventh in Tilburg last December.

2018 Cardiff Cross Challenge Photo: Paul Stillman

In form Hulson to face Stabler, Mahamed Mahamed and Marc Scott

Charlie Hulson was the winner of the men’s race 12 months ago and will return to the Capital hoping to overcome the challenge from 2017 winner, Sam Stabler.

Hulson warmed up for the event with a 64:28 clocking at the Cardiff University / Cardiff Half Marathon last week but is better known for winning the English National Cross Country Championships in 2015.

Stabler has also recorded several podium finishes at the English National and Inter-Counties Championships and is a previous winner at the Armagh International Road Races.

Mahamed Mahamed was second here in both 2017 and 2018. The Southampton AC athlete will return a third time looking for a race win and competes as the defending British Cross Challenge Series Champion.

Marc Scott is likely to feature following a season that saw him as the runner-up in the British Championships over 5,000m earning himself a place at the IAAF World Championships in Doha.

Scott proved his Cross Country pedigree last season with a ninth place finish at the Spar European Cross Country Championships in Tilburg.

Deep fields kick off their cross country campaigns

Tom Evans of Lewes AC was a top 10 finisher from the inter-Counties who will also be in action.

Ieuan Thomas, Mike Ward and Ciaran Lewis of Cardiff AC and Jon Hopkins of Swansea Harriers add further local flavour and are all likely to feature.

Shannon Flockart was the series winner at u17 level last year and will race at u20 level in Cardiff. Amelia Samuels was the Midland Counties Champion last season and a runner up at Loughborough. The Cross Internacional winner from Elgoibar is likely to be hard to stop on Saturday.

Matt Willis will lead Welsh hopes in the Junior Men’s race as he faces Rory Leonard of Morpeth Harriers who was the runner up last time behind local star, Jake Heyward. Willis is the current Inter-Counties Champion and led the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team home at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus earlier this year. Leonard is the English National Champion and was the second British scorer in Denmark back in March.

Zakariya Mahamed is the current series Champion and will again be in action in the junior men’s age-group

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The post Former champions set for Cross Challenge opener appeared first on Fast Running.

Charlie Hulson and Danish athlete Anna Moller took victories in the senior races at the Cardiff Cross Challenge in Llandaff Fields on Saturday (October 13).

Cardiff was the host once again for the first of five fixtures in the British Athletics Cross Challenge Series, as well as the opening event of the John Collins Gwent Cross Country League. For the first time, this year’s event also had an international element with athletes from France, Denmark, Belgium and Malta among those competing.

Danish international steeplechaser Moller, who studies at St. Mary’s University, won the women’s senior race in a time of 21:48 after a close battle in the final stages.

The early part of the race saw a host of British athletes tightly bunched with their European rivals which included France’s 2013 European Cross Country champion Sophie Duarte and Denmark’s Moller.

Photo: Paul Stillman

As the race progressed the leading pack was down to around eight athletes with Blackburn’s Jess Judd, Tonbridge’s Nicole Taylor and Moller among those at the forefront.

That group soon withered down to four with Moller, defending champion Judd, multiple-time European medalist Kate Avery and Emily Hosker-Thornhill battling it out for the podium spots, while Morpeth Harriers Mhairi Maclennan found herself running solo in fifth.

Coming down to the finish line it was the reigning European U23 steeplechase champion Moller who pulled away for the win, with Shildon Running & AC’s Avery claiming the runner-up spot in 21:52.

Photo: Paul Stillman

“It means very much to me to win today because I didn’t expect it,” said Moller. “I’m training in a new group with Mick Woods and just getting used to that training, so this was a test for me. I liked the course and the atmosphere today.

“The European Cross Country Championships will be my main goal now until December.”

Aldershot’s Hosker-Thornhill, who ran the fastest leg at the National Road Relays last weekend, was right on Avery’s heels and completed the podium in 21:54, while Judd finished fourth.

After working her way back to race fitness this year, Avery has gotten her cross country season off to a great start and said afterwards: “It was tough. I’m really happy with how I performed because I’ve just been getting back into training sessions and I’m really pleased with how I did. It wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be.

“It was a really strong field despite it being the first meet out. I thought some might not do it because it’s the first race of the campaign but I’m pleased with how I handled it.”

Scottish cross country champion Maclennan was fifth, ahead of Tonbridge’s Taylor and Irish Olympian Sara Treacy completed the top seven.

British Olympian Kate Reed, who has endured years of injuries and operations, made a welcome return to competition and finished 11th.

In the men’s senior race it was 2015 English National champion Charlie Hulson who kicked off his cross country season with a superb win.

Photo: Paul Stillman

The Liverpool Harrier, along with defending series champion Mahamed Mahamed, Ipswich Harriers’ John Millar and Southend AC’s Adam Hickey, were among a close group of seven leading men at the halfway mark.

As the 9.6km race approached the final lap Hulson and Edinburgh AC’S Craig led the pack, but there was nothing between the field and very much anyone’s race.

Welshman Hulson pulled away in the closing stages and despite the best efforts of Southampton’s Mahamed, had done enough to take the win in 29:53.

It was back-to-back runner-up spots in Cardiff for Mahamed who crossed the line in 29:54. English National champion Hickey completed the podium in 29:57, with Cambridge & Coleridge’s Jack Gray fourth and Millar fifth, in 29:58 and 30:01 respectively.

 Brock and Heyward win U20 races

Cornwall AC’s Grace Brock won the women’s U20 crown finishing 10 seconds ahead of Herts Phoenix’s Khahisa Mhlanga.

Brock, who recently spoke to Fast Running about her impressive 10k road debut, took control of the 4.45km race and with one kilometre to go had opened up a sizable gap.

The 17 year-old maintained her lead and crossed the finish line in a time of 15:32.

Defending champion Mhlanga worked hard in the closing stages to overtake Cari Hughes but couldn’t close the gap on Brock crossing the line for second in 15:42.

After finishing third last year, Swansea Harriers’ Hughes repeated her position on the podium clocking a time of 15:50, 11 seconds ahead of fourth.

The men’s U20 race was won in dominant fashion by Jake Heyward who successfully defended his crown in Cardiff.

Photo: Paul Stillman

The Cardiff AAC athlete, who won the overall U20 series last season, took the tape in 19:56 finishing over 30 seconds ahead of U17 series champion Rory Leonard.

Morpeth Harriers’ Leonard claimed the runner-up spot ahead of Menai Track and Field’s Oliver Barbaresi in 20:34.

The U17 races were won by Team Easy Lothian’s Cera Gemmell and Ealing Southall & Middlesex AC’s Mohamed Ali.

Milton Keynes will host the next fixture in the Cross Challenge series on Saturday, November 10.

*Please note all finishing times were unofficial at the time of publishing and provided by Full On Sport.

RELATED: Cross country – a look ahead to the racing season

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The post Charlie Hulson and Anna Moller win Cardiff Cross Challenge appeared first on Fast Running.

Cari Hughes returns to the Cardiff Cross Challenge on Saturday (October 13) hoping for another podium finish in the Junior Women’s race.

Hughes finished third at last year’s Cardiff Cross Challenge event and enters this weekend’s race in Llandaff Fields off the back of her most successful track season to date.

“I’m really looking forward to starting my 2018/2019 cross country season at Cardiff on Saturday,” says the Swansea Harrier. “It’s a great race and I’m excited to get back racing.”

The Loughborough University student broke the Welsh Junior 1500m record in the summer as she clocked a new lifetime best of 4:17.51 at the BMC Stretford Grand Prix, and was also crowned BUCS 1500m champion. Her summer achievements resulted in winning Junior Female Endurance Athlete of the Year at the recent Welsh Athletics Awards Dinner.

“Winning Female Endurance Athlete of the Year was a special moment for myself, I didn’t really expect to win so it was a nice surprise,” she says. “It was an honour to receive such a great award in front of a room filled with so many inspiring and talented people.

“It was an inspiring night, and I feel lucky to have been a part of it.”

The 19 year-old’s focus now switches back to the cross country terrain, a surface she has thrived on in recent seasons. Her cross country races in 2017 included winning the Welsh Schools title, Welsh Junior title and representing Great Britain at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships and European Cross-Country Championships.

Photo: Paul Stillman

“I love cross country, I think it’s great to get out in the cold and get stuck into some hard running,” she explains. “It makes you strong, physically and mentally. I like hills but I’m not a huge fan of mud, cross country courses like The Great Edinburgh Cross suit me well.

“However, the course on Saturday should also suit me. I personally prefer cross country over track at the moment, as I’ve struggled to perform to the standard I’d have hoped to on the track. I do think in a few years I will focus on track more and use cross country as preparation for that.”

Whilst she admits it’s difficult to place many expectations on her performance at the weekend, Hughes still hopes to be competitive at the sharp end of the Junior Women’s race.

“Having the first Cross Challenge series race of the season at Cardiff is always good,” she says. “There will be a lot of Welsh support out on the course, which always helps and I’m really looking forward to it.”

“As it’s the first race of the season, it’s always hard to gauge where you’re at but training’s been going well these last few months, so it should be good.

“I suffered with a slight cold last week, but I’ve had a full week to get back training and hopefully I’ll be able to get right up there and challenge for a podium place finish once more Saturday. It looks like a high calibre field, so I’m excited to race hard and see what happens on the day.”

A Cardiff Cross Challenge preview and timetable of events can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patreon. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Cari Hughes looking forward to cross country season opener appeared first on Fast Running.

Jess Judd, Kate Avery and Mahamed Mahamed are among the leading entries for the Cardiff Cross Challenge in Llandaff Fields on Saturday (October 13).

The meet is the first of five fixtures in the British Athletics Cross Challenge Series, as well as the opening event of the John Collins Gwent Cross Country League.

Blackburn’s Judd was the commanding winner 12 months ago in Cardiff and also enjoyed victory at the Milton Keynes event.

Judd heads into Saturday’s race on the back of an astonishing 34 track races in recent months. There has been no end of season rest for the 23 year-old, who most recently competed for her new club Blackburn Harriers at the National Road Relays, where she ran the second fastest leg of the day.

Photo: Stephen Lee

Running the fastest leg last week in Sutton Park was Emily Hosker-Thornhill, who, along with club mate Louise Small are among the leading entries for Saturday’s 6.4km race. The duo were among the quartet who clinched an 11th National Road Relay crown in 12 years for the dominant Aldershot Farnham & District.

RELATED: Aldershot and Stockport win National Road Relays

Another star set for the start line is multiple European Cross Country medalist Kate Avery. The 27 year-old, who ended the track season with a 1500m of 4:15.42, has worked her way back to race fitness in 2018 and will possibly start as the favourite in Cardiff.

Although Gemma Steel pipped her to the overall Cross Challenge series title, Phoebe Law was the star of the domestic cross country scene last season, claiming gold at the Inter-Counties Championships, the English National and the South of England Championships.

The Kingston & Poly athlete hasn’t raced since April but shouldn’t be overlooked over the country on Saturday.

Photo: Andy Peat

British Olympian Kate Reed, who has endured years of injuries and operations, is set to make a welcome return to competition on Saturday. The Bristol & West athlete last raced in February 2017 running 73:43 on her half marathon debut.

For the first time, the Cardiff Cross Challenge also has an international element this year, with notable entries including France’s 2013 European Cross Country champion Sophie Duarte and Belgium’s Imana Truyers.

Other notable domestic entries include North of England and Scottish champion Mhairi MacLennan, Leeds City’s Stevie Stockton, and Irish Olympian Sara Treacy.

In the men’s race, overall 2017/18 Cross Challenge champion Mahamed returns to Cardiff aiming to go one better after finishing second last year.

The Southampton athlete was the domestic cross country star last season and claimed victories in Milton Keynes and the Inter-Counties in Loughborough.

Photo: Andy Peat

“Last year in Cardiff I was second and there’s only one way to improve and that’s to win it this year,” said the 21 year-old. “There’s a bit of pressure on me going in as the defending series champion, but I’m not letting that bother me.

“For me, the Cross Challenge series is very important. The whole series has become a huge part of my training diary and each time I take part, the aim always remains the same, to win.”

RELATED: Mahamed Mahamed is just getting started

On Saturday, he faces a top line-up that includes reigning English National cross country champion Adam Hickey, and 2015 and 2016 champions Charlie Hulson and Jonny Hay.

Prior to his win at the Nationals in February, Southend’s Hickey finished runner-up at the South of England Championships’ gruelling 15km course. He ended his cross country season with a third-place finish at the Inter-Counties.

Hulson’s last cross country race was at the European Trials in Liverpool last November, and the Liverpool Harrier has spent most of 2018 racing on the roads. Most recently, the Welsh international won the Chester Metric Marathon, clocking 86:58 over the 26.2km course.

Aldershot’s Hay finished third last year in Cardiff, almost 30 seconds adrift of second-placed Mahamed, and will aim for an improved performance this weekend.

Among the other notable entries are Cambridge & Coleridge’s Jack Gray and Aldershot’s Ellis Cross.

Leading entries in the junior races include Cardiff’s Jake Heyward, Herts Phoenix’s Khahisa Mhlanga and Swansea’s Cari Hughes. Heyward is the U20 men’s Cross Challenge series champion, while Mhlanga finished as runner-up in the U20 women’s standings.

The action gets underway at 11:30 am with the Under 11 Girls race and concludes with the men’s 9.6km race at 2:55 pm.

Cardiff Cross Challenge provisional timetable

11:30 Under 11 Girls 1,250 m
11:40 Under 11 Boys 1,250 m
11:50 Under 13 Girls 2,780 m
12:05 Under 13 Boys 2,780 m
12:20 Under 17 Men 5,560 m
12:45 Under 17/20 Women 4,450 m
13:10 Under 15 Girls 3,200 m
13:25 Under 15 Boys 3,200 m
13:40 Senior & Master Women 6,400 m
14:25 Under 20 Men 6,400 m
14:55 Senior & Master Men 9,600 m

RELATED: Jess Judd And Sam Stabler reign at cross challenge opener in Cardiff

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The post Runners set to open cross country season in Cardiff appeared first on Fast Running.

The 2018 Cardiff Cross Challenge will kick-start the British Athletics Cross Challenge series on Saturday, October 13, and will also host the first fixture in the renamed John Collins Gwent Cross Country League.

Jess Judd and Sam Stabler won the senior races in the Welsh capital last year, while the event also saw a first national win on the country for European junior 1500m champion Jake Heyward.

Photo: Paul Stillman

The event has previously welcomed many, if not most of the top British endurance runners including a large number of UK Inter-Counties champions such as; Frank Tickner, Peter Riley, Andy Vernon, Louise Damen, Jess Judd and Dewi Griffiths.

In addition, it has hosted several European Cross Country champions including; Hayley Yelling, Charlotte Purdue and Gemma Steel.

For the first time in many years, the event will include an international element, with organisers aiming to attract some of the top athletes from across Europe in addition to the top British athletes that already contest the races annually.

The Cardiff Cross Challenge will offer a first outing of the cross country season for many and a first test against some of the best athletes from across the continent before the European Trials at Liverpool in late November.

The addition of the local league means that the event continues to provide a great racing opportunity for athletes of all abilities and an opportunity for runners to compete against the very best endurance athletes from the UK and beyond.

Full British Athletics Cross Challenge fixtures

Saturday 13th October – Cardiff Cross challenge
Saturday 10th November – Milton Keynes Cross Challenge
Saturday 24th November – Liverpool Cross Challenge
Saturday 19th January 2019 – Belfast Cross Challenge
Saturday 9th March 2019 – British Athletics Cross Challenge Final inc UK Inter-Counties Championships (Loughborough)

RELATED: Cardiff Cross Challenge organiser wants more investment in cross country

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The post International feel added to Cross Challenge opener appeared first on Fast Running.

Elsewhere this weekend the first Birmingham International Marathon got off to a flying start with Chris Ashford winning the men’s title and Sophie Kelly taking a massive chunk of her PB for the women’s crown. Not forgetting there were brother and sister winners in the half marathon.

Cardiff Cross Challenge – Cardiff, Saturday, October 14
The cross country season got underway on Saturday in Cardiff with the first event of this years’ British Athletics Cross Challenge series. A revised date and new location made little difference to Jess Judd as she once again triumphed in the Welsh capital, successfully defending her title. She took the win ahead of Verity Ockenden and Cardiff local Charlotte Arter. Judd made her move at the start of the second lap, opening up a small gap with only Ockenden and Arter able to respond. Ockenden had the strength in the closing stages to pull away from Arter, finishing one second behind Judd, with Arter taking third five seconds behind.

Top 3 Senior Women: Jess Judd, Chelmsford Athletic Club (19:39), Verity Ockenden, Swansea Harriers (19:40) and Charlotte Arter, Cardiff AAC (19:44).

After the race, Judd, said “I’ve already started the season better than I did last year so that is positive. But I don’t want to put any pressure on myself. I just want to do race after race see what happens.”

Jess Judd interview on all things cross country related can be found here.

Sam Stabler of Wreak and Sour Valley and Mahamed Mahamed of Southampton AC had a great battle, with Stabler proving the stronger of the two taking the victory. Stabler, like Judd, pulled away from the field on the second lap of the popular Llandaff Fields venue. Only Mahamed was able to cover the move and remained in close contention until the closing stages of the race.

Stabler utilised his superior track speed (29.03 10km, 13.37 5km this season), to produce a ribbon-breaking kick and seal the win. Jonny Hay (Aldershot and Farnham), completed the podium. Hay became isolated from the front two but called upon his cross country experience to hold third position. A further fifteen seconds adrift came Graham Rush of Cheltenham, in fourth.

Top 3 Senior Men: Sam Stabler, Wreak and Sour Valley (26:28), Mahamed Mahamed, Southampton Athletics Club (26:32) and Jonny Hay, Aldershot Farnham & District (27:01).

Manchester Half Marathon – Manchester, Sunday, October 15
Luke Traynor of Glasgow City AC won the Manchester Half Marathon in a fantastic debut performance over the distance. Traynor posted a quick 64:10, almost one minute ahead of Peter Huck (Barrow and Furness) with 65.03 for second.

Traynor, Robbie Simpson and Huck all reached 5km together in around 15:07 but by 10km Traynor had opened up a sizable gap with a 30:13 split. Huck was 19 seconds adrift and Simpson a further couple of seconds behind. By the tape, Traynor had increased the winning margin with Peter Huck holding on to second.

A strong finishing Matt Clowes of Cardiff AC overtook Simpson for 3rd, with a personal best 65:11. Two weeks ago Clowes decided last minute to run Cardiff Half Marathon on the back of a 100-mile week posting 66.07, and he shows no signs of the strain.

Simpson will be disappointed with his fourth-place finish, but after a summer blighted by a calf injury and unable to run on flat surface, it’s good to see him take to the roads again and rebuild with a solid half marathon performance. Before the race Simpson told Fast Running he was “aiming for 65 minutes”, so he should be content with his 65:24.

In the women’s race, Rebecca Hilland lead from the start and passed the 10km split in 36:03. The Team Bath runner maintained a solid pace to the finish to win by over three minutes in 1:15.40, two seconds outside her lifetime best. The versatile athlete, who represents GB on the mountains is aiming for Frankfurt Marathon.

Despite living and working in Norway, Rebecca still often competes on UK shores. She was disappointed with her run a few weeks ago at the Great North Run so will be happy to see her form improve before Frankfurt. Julie Briscoe of Wakefield was the second female over the line in 1:18:51, with Sarah Mackness of Telford AC third in 1:20:56.

Birmingham International Marathon – Birmingham, Sunday, October 15
In the Midlands, Chris Ashford of BRAT AC took the victory in the inaugural Birmingham International Marathon. The finishing positions changed within the final mile as long-time leader Martin Williams of Tipton began to fade. Ashford impressed with a winning time of 2:33:46, only a week after running 2:29:01 at the MBNA Chester Marathon. Another impressive fact is it’s Ashford’s fourth marathon under 2:35 in 2017.

Sophie Kelly of Cambridge and Coleridge knocked over twenty minutes off her personal best of 3:14:52 winning today’s race in 2:52:28.

It was a family win in the half marathon with brother and sister Will and Chloe Richardson taking the titles. 19-year-old, W Richardson won the men’s in 66:38, and C Richardson took the women’s crown in 1:21:40.

Cabbage Patch 10, Twickenham, London, Sunday, October 15
In London, Kenyan Elias Kiptoo Kemboi took the Cabbage Patch 10 mile title in a time of 49:42. The race which was founded in 1982 attracts a top field every year, and past winners include Mo Farah and Scott Overall. Winning the women’s race on Sunday was Kenyan Dorcas Jepchumba Kimeli in 54:46, but not far behind was Emma Pallant with a fantastic personal best 54:53. It’s the first time the two-time world duathlon champion has broken the 55 minute barrier and sees Pallant improve a seven year old previous best by 16 seconds.

Winning the women’s race on Sunday was Kenyan Dorcas Jepchumba Kimeli in 54:46, but not far behind was runner turned triathlete Emma Pallant with a fantastic personal best 54:53. It’s the first time the two-time duathlon champion has broken the 55:00 barrier, and see’s her improve a seven year old previous best by 16 seconds.

Awesome run by @EmmaPallant to finish 2nd at cabbage patch10 beatenby 5sec breaking 55min. Super proud @Teamdillon @HOKAONEONE @BMCEtixxTri pic.twitter.com/cJ7q80DyS9

— Stuart Hayes (@StuHayes13) October 15, 2017

Bright10 (Brighton & Hove 10mile), Sunday, October 15
On the South coast, Tom Evans of Lewes smashed the course record at the Bright10 running 51:48. Like Rebecca Hilland, Evans is targeting Frankfurt Marathon at the end of this month.

Evans who has competed on a wide range of distances this year from 1500m up to the CCC ultra race in Chamonix, where he finished a brilliant 4th over the 101k mountainous route. In second was James Westlake of Crawley in 52:37 and third place went to David Wilson 52:52.

The women’s race was very close with just three seconds splitting the top two. Rachel Gifford of Worthing took first place with 60:40 followed by Izzy Coomber of Lewes clear in second with 60:43.

Amsterdam Marathon – Amsterdam, Netherlands, Sunday, October 15

It was an impressive marathon debut by Welsh runner Caryl Jones, clocking 2.34.16. Importantly the Welsh runner achieved the Commonwealth Games standard (2:37:00) for next spring’s Gold Coast Games. Jones’ half marathon build-up included 74.22 at the Great North Run and most recently 75:24 at the Cardiff Half Marathon.

Scottish runner Derek Rae finished seventh in the half marathon, posting 71:59 clocking.

The post Debut Win for Luke Traynor in Manchester and Jess Judd Retains Cardiff Title – Weekend Review appeared first on Fast Running.

Judd, who told Fast Running earlier this week that “getting back to basics” with a full cross country season in 2016-17 helped get her career back on track, showed no signs off weariness following her off-season break taking victory in the senior women’s race with a commanding performance.

The 22-year-old who enjoyed a number of notable performances in 2017, appeared quite comfortable after the first large lap, sitting in a pack including Lily Partridge, Charlotte Arter, Verity Ockenden and Phoebe Law. After about 200m of the second lap, Judd opened up a slight gap on the others, taking Cardiff’s Arter and Swansea Harriers’ Ockenden with her to make the race-defining move.

Judd was too much for the duo as she secured back-to-back Cardiff Cross Challenge wins. Ockenden, who finished second last year, came from behind Arter in the closing stages of the race and clinched the runner-up spot once more with a fantastic sprint finish.

Following her victory, Judd said: “I perhaps went a little early on the second lap; I haven’t done anything like this for a while but I was feeling pretty good so I felt it was time to go. I need to work on hills though; there were only two hills out there and I got dropped on both. I’m only on my third week of training back so I know there is more to come.

“I’ve already started this season better than I did last year so that is a positive. But I don’t want to put any pressure on myself. I just want to do race after race and see what happens.

“There is no time pressure in cross country. I do lots of km reps so that probably helps because it is mindless and I just have to get it done. Cross country is always challenging so you never get used to it; you just have to adapt each time. I’m going to continue doing the cross country races up until the New Year and then assess from then.”

Sam Stabler enjoyed a fantastic victory in the senior men’s Cross Challenge race showing his track sprint prowess to finish ahead of the ever-improving Mahamed Mahamed, with Jonny Hay taking third.

Stabler made an effort to move away from the rest of the field on the second of three large laps, and although this did split the field up, he could not shake off 2016 European cross country junior bronze medallist Mahamed. The battle continued into the final stages of the 9600m challenge, but Stabler’s put in an impressive finish to take one of the biggest wins of his career.

Stabler, who is now back in the UK after studying in the US said afterwards: “I tried to make a move on the second lap but Mo (Mahamed) went with it. He just kept pushing and pushing, and at one point he had 5-10m on me. So that’s why it really came down to the last 200m to go. I mean it was quite hard; I’m six years older than him; he is a really great talent.”

Khahisa Mhlangha won the combined U17 / U20 women’s race. She became European Junior 800m champion over the summer after storming to victory in Grosseto, and she appears to be continuing her stylish form on the track onto the cross country terrain.

The first U17 finisher within the combined race was Grace Brock, placing fifth overall.

European Junior 1500m champion Jake Heyward won the U20 men’s race and Lachlan Wellington secured the U17’s.

The next event in the Cross Challenge series is at Teardrop Lakes in Milton Keynes on Saturday 11 November before moving on to Liverpool which also incorporates the European cross country championships trials on Saturday 25 November.

The post Jess Judd And Sam Stabler reign at cross challenge opener in Cardiff appeared first on Fast Running.

It was over cross country that the 22-year-old enjoyed some of her earliest successes as a teen phenomenon before running sub-two for 800m as a junior. However, after a disappointing couple of seasons and failing to make the Rio Olympic team, she returned to the coaching of her father, Mick.

A new outlook, which included making the most of the winter, resulted in her best ever season as she made the World Championships 1500m semi-final and won World Universities bronze.

“I had a couple of disappointing years on the track and me and my dad said we’d go back to basics,” Judd tells Fast Running. “We looked at what worked and it was a lot of cross country racing.”

After a winter in which she won the National and Inter-Counties titles, she was back to her best on the track, setting PBs at 1500m (4:03.73), 3000m (8:43.24), 5000m (15:34.82) and the road mile (4:18.3).

“We definitely didn’t expect to do as well as it went. My aim was to get the trials just in good shape and finish in the top 10, so to come second (over 1500m) was just incredible. I knew training was going well. We just stayed in the UK and worked hard in the cold and rain and it made it all worthwhile,” she explains. “I think it was pretty much back to basics and starting from scratch, finding out what works, what doesn’t, and I’m quite glad I found out what works now rather than a couple of years down the line. It was just the best year, to get a PB over pretty much everything.”

Elaborating on her love of cross country, the three-time English Schools champion on the surface says: “I think it’s more the training for it as well because you can’t do a race unless you train in that way. It’s nice as well in that on the track you only get 15 people max on the start line, whereas in the cross country you can have hundreds.

“I think it’s something I really enjoy. My family does it as well – if not the same race, around the same time. It’s just a nice atmosphere and I really enjoy it. And if I enjoy it I tend to run well. I think me and my dad we like working hard and with cross country, every run’s different – you can have muddy runs, some hilly, and it’s quite nice to keep things challenging and I think that’s why I really enjoy it. And I think it makes the track seem so much easier.”

Looking ahead to competing at the Cardiff Cross for the third year in succession, last year’s winner says: “I’ve always really enjoyed it. I like Cardiff and we normally make a big weekend of it. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s the first real cross country test…so it will be interesting to see what happens.”

After finishing 12th in the under-23 race at the 2016 European Cross, a good build-up to this year’s event in Samorin, Slovakia, could see her installed as a medal contender in her final year in the age group. However, she says she will wait and see how the season develops before making bold predictions.

“I think training has been going really well but I don’t want to get too carried away,” she says. “Especially after the summer – it took it out of me, so I think just week by week we’re trying to lay foundations, doing long sessions and kilometre reps – it seems so long since I did stuff like that so I’m finding it quite difficult at the moment.”

Muddy tales
A rough count on Power of Ten reveals Jess Judd has done 106 cross country race over the last 10 winters, so who better to ask some crucial questions regarding the sport of “mud, guts and glory”?

Do you clean your cross country spikes straight after each race?
“I normally wait until the end of the season, which is awful. The same with my track spikes.”

Do you remember your first cross country race?
“My first cross country race was when I was 10, at the Essex League. I missed the under-13 race as I got stuck in traffic so they put me in the under-15 girls as a 10-year-old and I thought ‘this is going to be really hard’. I came round I think in fifth but I got pulled out before the end (because she was not allowed to count in the results). I remember it being really good and I loved it and I thought I’d love to see how far I can get up the field in my own actual age group.”

The first race she was able to finish was the Essex Championships under-13 race, which she won on her 11th birthday.

Worst race?
“When I was an under-13 or under-15 I did the Southern cross-country champs and fell over at the start and everyone sort of ran over me and then I got up and sprinted to the front and obviously paid the price halfway through, so that was probably the worst. I’ve had a couple of shockers really. My dad would always tell me how to run at the start but I would always go off too hard and normally not have a pleasant journey home. As an under-15 I think I had a lot of those moments.”

Favourite course?
“I really enjoy Nottingham (Wollaton Park). The Inter-Counties used to be at Nottingham so it was quite nice that the Nationals were there last [winter]. I love Nottingham because it feels like I’ve been there every year so it has really good memories.”

A preview of Saturday’s Cardiff Cross Challenge and other racing across the UK can be found here.

The post Jess Judd Going Back to Her Cross Country Roots appeared first on Fast Running.

Elsewhere this weekend we have the inaugural Birmingham International Marathon, the Bright10 (Brighton & Hove 10 Mile) returns for its third year and the Scottish cross country season gets underway.

Manchester Half Marathon, Manchester, Sunday, October 15
Manchester Half Marathon is one of the flattest 13.1-mile races around with only 41 meters of elevation gain on a two-mile finishing straight. This course is designed for personal bests.

Robbie Simpson, who clocked 2:15:04 at the London Marathon this year and achieving the qualification standard for the World Championships and Commonwealth Games, leads the entry in the men’s elite field. Subsequently, Simpson had to withdraw from the World Championships due to injury, but on Sunday will be hoping to impress Commonwealth Games selectors with a win. Luke Traynor of Glasgow City is also entered and will hope for a great half marathon debut, after posting a 10,000m personal best of 29:08 this summer.

Other strong entries include Jack Morris of Stockport Harriers, Ben fish of Blackburn Harriers and Richard Weir of Derby AC.

Favourites in the women’s race include Kate Reed of Bristol & West who won her debut race over the distance in February in a very impressive 73:44 at the Tallahassee Half Marathon. Rebecca Hilland of Team Bath is currently targeting the Frankfurt Marathon at the end of this month and will be looking at improving her best of 1:15:38.

Cardiff Cross Challenge, Cardiff, Sunday, October 14
After nearly two decades at Bute Park, the Cardiff Cross Challenge will now take place at Llandaff Fields. The race has moved date this year from its usual January and opens the British Athletics Cross Challenge and the Gwent Cross Country League.

As ever the race attracts a high-level entry and leading the senior men are Jonny Hay, Charlie Hulson, Andrew Heyes, Ieuan Thomas and Graham Rush.

Jess Judd will start the race as the favourite in the senior women’s race after taking top honours last year before going on to have a very impressive season. Judd set a number of personal bests over the last ten months and notable achievements included the English national cross country title, reaching the 1500m semi-final’s World Championships, 5000m bronze at the World University Games. and concluded her season with a personal best over the mile (4:18.27) at New York’s famous 5th Avenue Mile.

Ahead of Saturday Cardiff Cross, the 22-year-old told Fast Running: “I’ve always really enjoyed it. I like Cardiff and we normally make a big weekend of it. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s the first real cross country test…so it will be interesting to see what happens.” The full interview with Judd, where she discusses how “getting back to basics” with a full cross country season in 2016-17 helped get her career back on track can be read here.

On Saturday she will face tough competition in Charlotte Arter, Verity Ockenden, Phoebe Law, Louise Small and Emily Hosker-Thornhill. Lily Partridge will hope to bounce back after her Berlin Marathon disappointment and Jenny Nesbitt who won recently won Welsh Half Marathon title in Cardiff will also be on the start line.

Race Timetable
11:30 – Under-11 girls (1250m)
11:40 – Under-11 boys (1250m)
11:50 – Under-13 girls (2780m)
12:05 – Under-13 boys (2780m)
12:20 – Under-17 men (5560m)
12:45 – Under-17/20 women (4450m)
13:10 – Under-15 girls (3200m)
13:25 – Under-15 boys (3200m)
13:40 – Senior & masters women (6400m)
14:25 – Under-20 men (6400m)
14:55 – Senior & masters men (9600m)

Birmingham International Marathon – Birmingham, Sunday, October 15
The inaugural Birmingham International Marathon will take place on Sunday starting at Alexander Stadium, the home of British Athletics. The course will finish in the Centre of Birmingham but not before taking in some of Birmingham’s iconic landmarks.

Martin Williams of Tipton leads the entry with a Marathon best of 2:17:36 set in 2010 which qualified him to run in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi and the European Championships in Barcelona for Scotland. Others with a chance of winning include Steven Robinson of Peterborough with a current best of 2:31:58 and Karl Welborn of Tipton with a 2:33:39 best.

In both the men’s and women’s races, the overall winner will receive £2000 cash £1000 for second and £750 for first. A £15,000 bonus will be paid to anybody running an English or Scottish National record.

Bright10 (Brighton & Hove 10mile), Sunday, October 15
The Bright10 returns for the third year on Sunday, Paul Navesy of Crawley AC won the 2016 event in 53:11. Sue Fry won the ladies race in 1:03:59.

This year’s top entries include Kevin Rojas (Brighton & Hove), James Westlake (Crawley), Ben Saville (Crawley) and Tom Evan (Lewis) who last weekend won the Peterborough Half Marathon.

Izzy Coomber of Lewes is on the start list in the women’s race, Izzy ran a personal best for the 10k distance in February with 35:13.

Scottish District Cross County Relays, various venues, Saturday & Sunday, October 14
The Scottish cross country season gets underway on weekend with the District XC Relays taking place at three venues across the country.

The venue for the East District XC Relays is Glamis Castle, Forfar, with the Northern event at Edderton, Tain, both take place on Saturday. On Sunday, the West District XC Relays round up the Scottish weekend of cross country at Hamilton Racecourse. Over 2500 athletes have signed up to compete, an encouraging sign ahead of the Lindsays Cross Country season, which opens with the Scottish nationals at the end of the month. Further details can be found here.

The post Top Names Set for Manchester Half Marathon and Cardiff Cross Challenge appeared first on Fast Running.

The Cardiff Cross Challenge, with a new early-season date of October 14 (2017), will kick off the premier domestic winter series for British elite and club-level athletes.

Now to be held in conjunction with the first round Gwent League and having moved away from its usual congested slot in January, Finlayson believes the move will be a positive one for the event.

However, the Welshman, who once put in £2000 of his own money into the event when British Athletics dropped it from the series, says the focus on track and field means not enough investment is being put into the mud scene.

“This is where the grassroots are. This is where all the young kids run. These are the ones we’ve got to encourage in the sport,” said Finlayson, whose event will include races for primary schools up to veterans.

The only current Cross Challenge event to be part of the inaugural edition of the series two decades ago, Cardiff has witnessed dwindling prize money for the series since it was sponsored by Reebok and many have bemoaned its current health and, in particular, its inability to attract the very best athletes in the country. However, few can deny British cross-country running would be much the worse without the series.

And as the countdown hots up, Finlayson is enthused by the benefits of the new date in the calendar. With the televised Great North XCountry in Edinburgh and Antrim Cross Challenge already established at the start of the year, it means athletes would face three weekends of travel between Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales if they wanted to do all three.

The course will switch from Blackweir Fields in central Cardiff, where it has been held since its inauguration in 1997, to nearby Llandaff Fields in order to cater for the extra volume and slower runners from the Gwent League.

Finlayson, who will retire as the event’s race director after next winter, said: “The course has lots of twists and turns in it so it makes it more exciting. It’s going to be pretty good for spectators, so I think it could be a boost for us.”

Top names already entered include Jess Judd, Charlotte Arter, Victoria Knight, Andrew Heyes and Khahisa Mhlanga.

The series will move on to Milton Keynes, Liverpool and Antrim before the final in Loughborough, with points converted to prize money for the top athletes at the end of the season. The Liverpool stage will incorporate the trial for the European Cross Country Championships in Samorin, Slovakia, on December 10.

2017/18 Cross Challenge dates
October 14, Llandaff Fields, Cardiff
November 11, Teardrop Lakes, Milton Keynes
November 25, Sefton Park, Liverpool
January 6, Greenmount Campus, Antrim
March 10, Prestwold Hall, Loughborough

The post Cardiff Cross Challenge organiser wants more investment in cross country appeared first on Fast Running.