British Athletics has named a strong full team of 24 athletes for the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus, Denmark on Saturday, March 30.

Winner of the trials Jenny Nesbitt, who earns her first British vest on the cross country circuit since 2016, is joined by 2018 European Cross senior team silver medallists Jess Piasecki and Kate Avery in the senior women’s team.

Third at the trials, Mhairi MacLennan, along with English National champion Emily Hosker-Thornhill and under-20 team gold medallist from Tilburg, Amelia Quirk complete the team.

Ross Millington who took senior team silver in December’s Euro Cross, will be flanked by under-23 team silver medallists from Tilburg, Oliver Fox, Mahamed Mahamed and Patrick Dever, the latter achieving an individual fifth-place finish in Tilburg.

Adam Hickey earns a first British vest since the 2015 Euro Cross in Hyères, France, following his trial win at Prestwold Hall, with Luke Traynor completing the team.

Photo: JHM Sport

Under-20 team gold medallist from Tilburg, Inter Counties and 2018/19 Cross Challenge champion Grace Brock spearheads the junior women’s selections, along with under-17 English National Championships winner, Olivia Mason.

Charlotte Alexander earns another British vest following on from her run in the Great Stirling XCountry, while Becky Briggs, Eloise Walker and Amelia Samuels all earn their first British vests.

Inter-Counties champion Matt Willis leads the junior men’s selections, alongside new English under-20 cross champion Rory Leonard, and under-20 European Mountain Running Championship team gold medallist from 2018, Euan Brennan.

Under-20 Cross Challenge champion Zakariya Mahamed achieves his first British vest, as do Benjamin West and Josh Cowperthwaite.

“I’m really excited that we are able to have selected a full team for the World Cross Country Championships that we feel can challenge some of the world’s best Cross Country runners on a tough course in Aarhus,” said Team leader Rob Denmark.

“We have opted to select full teams in the senior races as we feel it will enhance our bid for a top six team finish and given the nature of the course, will give Great Britain & Northern Ireland the best possible chance of doing so.

“Additionally, we feel that the course in Aarhus will provide another perfect development opportunity for our Under-20 athletes moving into the summer track season and a fundamental development area as they progress through the age groups.”

Meanwhile, Ireland also named its team on Tuesday (March 12) and it can be found here.

British team for the World Cross Country Championships

Senior Men: Patrick Dever, Oliver Fox, Adam Hickey, Mahamed Mahamed, Ross Millington and Luke Traynor.

Senior Women: Kate Avery, Emily Hosker-Thornhill, Mhairi MacLennan, Jenny Nesbitt, Jessica Piasecki and Amelia Quirk.

Junior Men: Euan Brennan, Josh Cowperthwaite, Rory Leonard, Zakariya Mahamed, Benjamin West and Matt Willis.

Junior Women: Charlotte Alexander, Becky Briggs, Grace Brock, Olivia Mason, Amelia Samuels and Eloise Walker.

Further information and a video preview of the World Cross Country Championships course in Aarhus can be found here.

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Taking place for the first time on sparse grounds of Harewood House Estate outside Leeds, the 2019 edition of the Saucony English National Cross Country Championships proved to be a huge success.

Southampton’s Mahamed Mahamed and Aldershot’ Emily Hosker-Thornhill won the gold medals in senior races, while Leeds City enjoyed double success in the senior team events.

In the junior championships, Rory Leonard and Amelia Quirk produced superb performances to take the English National crowns, with Tonbridge and Herne Hill Harriers securing the team prizes.

JHM Sport captured some great moments on camera and you check the photographs out below.

RELATED: Emily Hosker-Thornhill and Mahamed Mahamed win English cross country gold

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Southampton AC’s Mahamed Mahamed won an exhilarating sprint finish against Leed City’s Emile Cairess while Aldershot’s Emily Hosker-Thornhill was a clear winner in the senior women’s event at the English National Cross Country Championships on Saturday (February 23).

There was excellent racing across the board, from junior to senior levels, with over 8000 runners entered at the Harewood House Estate hosted championships.

This year’s championships was the 131st edition of the senior men’s event, while the senior women raced for the 86th time.

In the senior women’s race, AFD’s Emily Hosker-Thornhill was eleven seconds clear of Phillipa Woolven of Wycombe Phoenix Harriers and a further 30 seconds in front of Blackburn Harrier Jess Judd.

The Mick Woods coached athlete took 28:17 to cover the eight kilometre distance and builds on a solid cross country season so far with strong performances at Great Stirling Cross and the British Cross Challenge in Northern Ireland.

Pippa Woolven was coming off an excellent victory at the highly competitive Southern cross country championships and was likely the favourite on the startline, while Blackburn’s Judd had a host of impressive performances on road and cross country in recent months.

Sale Harriers’ Georgia Taylor-Brown was next across the finish line ahead of Aldershot’s Louise Small to complete the top five.

Claire Duck in sixth and Lucy Crookes in 10th place led Leeds City to the top team prize ahead of Aldershot and City of Norwich.

Despite getting some excellent sprint finish training against Patrick Dever at the BUCS cross country champs earlier this year, Emile Cairess didn’t have the answers when Mahamed Mahamed surged ahead to the finish line in the senior men’s championship race.

Photo: Pete Brown

The young Southampton AC runner excels on the country and has raced a couple of times overseas before this weekend and focused on some speed at the BUCS indoor 3000m champs.

His winning time was 36:34 for the 12 kilometre distance.

Leeds City’s Cairess has been in prolific form and posted wins at the Northern champs, as well as BUCS and the Yorkshire county championships.

It wasn’t to be on the day and the speedster will have to settle for another fine second position at the English showcase winter event.

Morpeth’s Carl Avery was third on the day, one place behind Cairess as he was at the Northern counties earlier in the year.

Ipswich Harriers’ John Millar finished fourth, while 2018 champion Adam Hickey completed the top five.

Cairess’ performance and Graham Rush in 10th place led Leeds City to team gold ahead of 2018 champions Tonbridge, with Bristol & West securing bronze.

Senior men’s 12km results

1) Mahamed Mahamed, Southampton, 36:34
2) Emile Cairess, Leeds City, 36:35
3) Carl Avery, Morpeth Harriers, 37:04
4) John Millar, Ipswich Harriers, 37:12
5) Adam Hickey, Southend On Sea, 37:15
6) Jack Gray, Cambridge & Coleridge, 37:31
7) Alexander Brecker, City of Stoke, 37:34
8) Omer Ahmed, Birchfield Harriers, 37:36
9) Joe Steward, East Cheshire Harriers & Tameside, 37:38
10) Graham Rush, Leeds City, 37:43

Senior women’s 8km results

1) Emily Hosker-Thornhill, Aldershot Farnham & District, 28:17
2) Philippa Woolven, Wycombe Phoenix Harriers, 28:28
3) Jess Judd, Blackburn Harriers, 28:52
4) Georgia Taylor-Brown, Sale Harriers Manchester, 28:55
5) Louise Small, Aldershot Farnham & District, 28:58
6) Claire Duck, Leeds City, 29:10
7) Naomi Taschimowitz, Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, 29:17
8) Katie Holt, City of Stoke, 29:27
9) Eleonor Davis, Preston Harriers, 29:30
10) Lucy Crookes, Leeds City, 29:38

Junior women and men

Photo: Pete Brown

Amelia Quirk continued a great start to 2019 with a win from Jessica Mitchell and Grace Brock. All three runners featured in the top six at the southern championships, where Quirk also came out on top.

Havering’s Mitchell went from sixth at the southern’s to overtaking Cornwall’s youngster Brock for second.

Herne Hill Harriers won a close team competition over Aldershot, while Basingstoke & Mid Hants took bronze.

Morpeth’s Rory Leonard followed on from victory at the Northern counties championships with a national title. The promising youngster also had an excellent outing at the Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza at the start of January so his top notch win wasn’t unexpected.

Second place was Nathan Dunn of Preston Harriers and third went to Jeremy Dempsey of Shaftesbury and Barnet.

Photo: Pete Brown

Tonbridge AC won the team gold ahead of Cambridge & Coleridge, with Reading AC taking bronze.

Boys and Girls championships

Samuel Charlton was U17 champion at Harewood House, with the Wallsend Harriers & AC athlete taking the gold in 18:48, 11 seconds clear of AFD’s Will Barnicoat and Henry McLuckie of Shaftesbury & Barnet.

In the U17 women’s race, it was Olivia Grace Mason who finished just under 18 minutes for the 5km distance to take the gold medal. The Border Harrier beat India Pentland of Darlington Harriers & AC, as well as Charlotte Alexander of Herne Hill Harriers.

Vale Royal’s Holly Weedall took the honours ahead of early leader Kiya Dee of Highworth, who finished second, and third-placed Indienne King of Wreake & Soar Valley.

Wharf dale Harrier Alexander Thompson took the honours in the boy’s race, ahead of Louis Small of Ashford AC and Matthew Taylor of Tonbridge AC. The two southern athletes pipped to the post by the northern Wharfdale runner.

Scarlet Livingstone of Exeter Harriers was first across the line in the U13 girls event. Wolverhampton & Bilston’s Zoe Gilbody and Woodford Green AC with Essex Ladies’ Abigail Reid was third.

Ben Peck, William Rabjohns and Alex Adams were the trio at the front of the boys race. Peck, of Thetford AC, was also south of England champion in January this year.

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A host of England’s top cross country runners descend on Harewood House Estate near Leeds in West Yorkshire on Saturday (February 23) for the Saucony English National Championships.

The venue hosted the Northern Championships last year and the large sparse area will mean only two laps are needed for the senior men’s 12km race.

This year’s championships is the 131st edition of the senior men’s event, while the senior women race the for the 86th time, with 8027 runners entered across the 10 races.

The figure is down on last year’s record figure of 9565 at Parliament Hill, but it’s the second highest figure for a Northern venue since 2000, and just 63 down on the number that entered the Roundhay Park, Leeds event in 2010.

Defending champion Adam Hickey is among the entries in the senior men’s race, along with area champions Emile Cairess, Henry Pearce and Jack Gray.

Pearce got the better of Southend’s Hickey at this year’s South of England Championships, and will be in contention for a first national medal, while his club Tonbridge, will have hopes of Pearce leading them to back-to-back team golds.

Photo: Nigel Bramley

Cairess is in superb form and followed up his victory at the Northern Championships with gold at the BUCS cross country in a close photo finish.

Joining the Leeds City youngster from the North of England is second and third at Pontefract Park, Morpeth’s Carl Avery and Liverpool’s Dejene Gezimu.

The Midlands’ podium three are all expected to race, with Cambridge and Coleridge’s Gray joined by Birchfield Harriers’ Omar Ahmed and Coventry Godiva’s Mohamed Daud Mohamed.

Former champion Jonny Hay is also among the entries, along with Belgrave Harriers’ Nick Goolab, Southampton’s Alex Tueten, Stockport Harriers’ Jack Morris and Sale Harriers’ Nigel Martin, while Leeds City boasts a strong team with Cairess, Graham Rush, Philip Sesemann and Ollie Lockley among their ranks.

In the senior women’s race, defending champion Phoebe Law is named among the entries, but hasn’t raced since October’s Cardiff Cross Challenge, and is not expected to race.

South of England champion Pippa Woolven will have hopes of adding another cross country gold to her collection this weekend. Also expected to challenge for medals is Southern runner-up, City of Norwich’s Iona Lake, who won national bronze last year.

Photo: Nigel Bramley

City of Stoke’s Kate Holt is another area champion set to race, with Bournville Harriers’ Nicola Sykes and Bristol and West’s Charlotte Taylor-Green joining her from the Midlands’ podium on Saturday.

2017 national champion Jess Judd finished third at the Northern Championships and will aim to transfer the speed she demonstrated on the Armagh roads last week onto the country.

Photo: Pete Brown

Alex Bell, who is sharing her journey this year on Fast Running, finished fourth at Pontefract Park and joins the Blackburn runner on Saturday, while Aldershot’s Louise Small will hope third time’s a charm after taking silver for the last two years.

Small has just returned from Utah where she spent time learning to cross country ski, and the alternative aerobic training could turn out to be the secret to gold.

Aldershot club mates Emily Hosker Thornhill and Emelia Gorecka are also among the big name entries, along with Charnwood’s Gemma Steel. Hopefully, all three are on the start line at 1.35pm on Saturday.

Kendal’s Sarah Tunstall will take a break from the mountains to compete at Harewood House, while Leeds City and Tonbridge are well represented with top athletes Claire Duck, Emma Clayton, Lucy Crookes, Nicole Taylor, Elle Baker and Lucy Reid named in their teams.

With four athletes to score for the team honours, both clubs will fancy their chances, but defending gold medalists Sale Harriers along with South of England champions Thames Hare and Hounds, Aldershot and Cambridge and Coleridge can be expected to be in the mix.

Junior Championships

Ben Dijkstra, who finished runner-up two years ago in Nottingham, is a leading contender after his Midlands win over Thomas Mortimer.

Stroud and District’s Mortimer took under-20 men’s bronze in 2018 and will also have his eyes on the top prize, while Lachlan Wellington steps up from the under-17 ranks after silver last year.

Northern champion Rory Leonard is also among the top entries going for junior men’s honours. The Morpeth youngster has enjoyed a great cross country season and knows the Harewood House course well after winning Northern under-17 gold there last year.

Photo: JHMSport

In the under-20 women’s race, Aldershot’s Niamh Brown won silver last year and is among the leading entries in the junior women’s race.

Grace Brock finished runner-up in the under-17 championships last year and makes the step up to the under-20 ranks on Saturday.

The in-form Amelia Quirk won gold ahead of the Cornwall athlete at the South of England Championships and can be expected to challenge for the top prize, while Northern champion Eleanor Bolton and Midland’s Amelia Samuels are also among the entries.

The action starts at 11.00am with the under-17 women’s championships before the senior men’s 12km event concludes the day’s 10 races at 3.00pm.

RELATED: George Routledge and his love of the English National

Timetable

11.00am: Under-17 women – 5km
11.25am: Under-15 boys – 4km
11.45am: Under-13 girls – 3km
12.05pm: Under-17 men – 6km
12.30pm: Under-13 boys – 3km
12.45pm: Under-15 girls – 4km
1.05pm: Junior women – 6km
1.35pm: Senior women – 8km
2.20pm: Junior men – 10km
3.00pm: Senior men – 12km

Meanwhile, national cross country championships also take place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland this weekend. A preview of the Scottish action at Falkirk can be found here, while the Welsh preview can be found here.

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The post England’s runners to battle for national cross country honours appeared first on Fast Running.

Callum Hawkins clocked 28:55 to finish second European runner and 19th overall at the 10k Valencia Ibercaja on Sunday (January 12).

The 26 year-old now boasts an official 10k road personal best under 29 minutes, improving on his time of 29:03 set in the Dutch village of Schoorl last year.

Hawkins has previously run quicker for 10k on the roads and posted splits of 28.28 and 28.27 en route to winning the 2017 Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon in 60:00.

After ending 2018 with a hamstring niggle ahead of the Fukuoka Marathon in Japan, his performance should instil a lot of confidence before racing over 13.1 miles and 26.2 miles later this year.

Jenny Nesbitt ran a PB of 33:10 to finish 11th and third European in the women’s race. The Welsh Commonwealth Games athlete, who won the renowned Nos Galen road race on New Year’s Eve, took 14 seconds from her previous best mark set at the Bourton 10k last year.

Tsehay Gemechu took 15 seconds off Tirunesh Dibaba’s Ethiopian record to win the women’s race in 30:15, while compatriot Chala Ketema won the men’s race in 27:23 with 10 men running 28 minutes or quicker.

Staying in Spain, there was a strong English cross country representation at the IAAF permitted Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza in Elgoibar. City of Stoke’s Kate Holt clocked 26:51 over the 6.6km course to finish a strong fifth and first European in the senior women’s race.

World 5000m champion Hellen Obiri won the race in 24:39, while Lily Partridge finished sixth in 27:05 ahead of Ireland’s Sara Treacy and Marshall Milton Keynes’s Rachel Robinson.

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Cross Country hurts. 6th today. Running on soft ground is absolutely a skill that I have massively taken for granted in the past but I'll have another go next week. Thanks to @crosselgoibar for another cool event. Some cool videos on my Twitter… I will try get them uploaded onto here. . …@crossitalica is the next stop . . . #RunnersOfInstagram #FurtherFasterStronger #RunningMotivation #Marathon #MarathonTraining #SeenOnMyRun #TrailRunning #InstaRunners #CrossCountry #Instarunners #LoveRunning #RunnerLife #RunningCommunity #RunningShoes #RunItFast @sara_treacy @englandathletics

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Outside of the top 10, three seconds separated Tonbridge’s Nicole Taylor and Shaftesbury Barnet’s Naomi Taschimowitz, with the pair finishing 13th and 14th respectively.

In the senior men’s 10.7km race, Southampton’s Mahamed Mahamed clocked 33:58 to finished 12th, while Ipswich’s Jack Millar was also in the top 15 finishing in 14th place.

World under-20 10,000m champion Rhonex Kipruto of Kenya won the men’s race in 32:05, finishing 22 seconds ahead of defending champion and under-20 5000m record-holder Selemon Barega of Ethiopia.

Further down the field, Southend’s Adam Hickey and Tonbridge’s Corey De’Ath finished 24th and 31st respectively.

England dominated the under-20 races, with Zakariya Mahamed and Euan Brennan first and second, while Amelia Samuels and Holly Page also took the top two spots in the women’s race.

Rory Leonard finished fifth in the under-20 men’s race with Joshua Cowperthwaite 14th. In the women’s event, Shannon Flockhart finished fourth and Olivia Mason was 10th across the finish line.

RELATED: It’s a family affair for Morpeth’s Inter-Counties champion Rory Leonard

Various cross country league fixtures took place over the weekend, and among the individual winners were Blackburn Harriers’ Jess Judd and Border Harriers’ James Douglas at the Mid Lancs League Cross Country in Burnley on Saturday (January 12).

In the Metropolitan League at Wormwood Scrubs, Luton’s 800m specialist Revee Walcott-Nolan had a 29 second victory over Serpentine’s Isabel Clark in the senior women’s 6k race, while Highgate Harriers’ Roger Poolman was first across the line in senior men’s 8k event.

Also on Saturday, there were individual wins for Trafford AC’s Vicki Cronin and East Cheshire Harriers’ Joe Steward at the Manchester Area Cross Country League fixture.

Newark AC Chloe Hubbard and Peterborough’s Ben Heron won the senior races at the North Midlands Cross Country League at Wollaton Hall Nottingham, while Bedford and County’s Matt Bergin and MK Distance Project’s Dani Chattenton won at the Chiltern League in Keysoe.

At the Leeds Varsity Cross Country – an inter-university sports competition between the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University – Alex Yee won the men’s race ahead of Emile Cairess to secure the first point of the year for Leeds Beckett.

Congratulations to @leedsbeckett men’s team taking the first point of the year in @LeedsVarsity19! Alex Yee also took the individual win. pic.twitter.com/Cu4YeF4cRb

— LBU Athletics (@LBUAthletics) January 12, 2019

On the roads, Winchester & District’s George King and Southampton’s Jen Elkins claimed the victories at the Stubbington Green 10k. King won the men’s race by seven seconds clocking 31:40, while Elkins won the women’s race by over 30 seconds in a time of 35:29.

Birtley AC’s Adrian Bailes and City of Hull’s Becky Briggs won the titles at the Brass Monkey Half Marathon in York on Sunday.

Bailes clocked 69:44 for the win ahead of Bury AC’s Benjamin Coop, while junior athlete Briggs posted a time of 74:57 to win the women’s race on her half marathon debut.

Going indoors, Jemma Reekie ran an indoor 800m PB at the FPSG Athletics Scottish National Open in Glasgow on Saturday. Reekie clocked 2:03.06 at the event and is now fifth on the Scottish indoor all-time rankings.

At the same event, Sol Sweeney recorded 3:45.04 over 1500m, and Eilidh Doyle clocked 53.38 in her first 400m of the year.

There were 1500m wins for Wallsend Harriers’ Danielle Hodgkinson and Hallamshire Harriers’ James McCrae at the North of England Indoor Championships over the weekend.

Hodgkinson won the senior women’s title in 4:27.83 and also clinched the 3000m crown after a 9:32.41 run. McCrae claimed the men’s 1500m title in 3:59.79 ahead of  Sheffield & Dearne’s James Gormley.

Amber Valley & Erewash’s Tamsin McGraw won the senior women’s 800m title in 2:10.46, with the men’s honours going to Crook’s Markhim Lonsdale after a 1:54.74 performance.

The men’s 3000m race saw Tonbridge AC’s Dominic Brown first across the line in 8:19.49 ahead of  Sheffield & Dearne’s Lewis Jagger in 8:20.56 and Bolton United Harriers’ Jonothan Kay in 8:20.93. Full results can be found here.

Meanwhile, on Friday (January 11), Eilish McColgan clocked a PB of 31:51 to win the Ooredoo Doha 10k. For the last three years, the 28 year-old has clocked a new best at the Doha road race, posting times of 31:56 and 31:53 in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

The Dundee Hawkill athlete moves two second’s closer to her mum Liz’s national record of 30:39. More about the GB international’s performance can be found here.

At the Great Stirling XCountry on Saturday, Laura Muir anchored GB’s mixed relay team to victory over Europe and the USA after first-class early legs by Alex Bell, Phillip Sesemann and Jamie Williamson.

In the women’s race, Charlotte Arter delivered a gutsy performance to set the pace before losing out to Europe’s Elena Burkard in the closing stages. A full report from Stirling can be found here.

At parkrun events across the UK on Saturday, the quickest times were run by Elsey Wyman-Davis and Jonathan Hopkins.

Wyman-Davis recorded a time of 16:55 at the Preston parkrun, while Hopkins clocked 14:44 at the Cardiff event. The top 10 times from UK parkruns can be found here.

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The post Callum Hawkins and Jenny Nesbitt impress in Valencia – weekend round-up appeared first on Fast Running.

Rory Leonard’s decision to swap football boots for track and cross country spikes in 2015 has proved to be a wise one. Preferring the environment of athletics to that of football, he found his new training ground to be more supportive.

The Morpeth Harrier’s rise to the top has been stratospheric, particularly since joining forces with his dad, Tony, himself a former British international.

To say Leonard junior’s Inter-Counties win in March was an improvement on his previous outing at Loughborough’s Prestwold Park would be a significant understatement. He finished 45th in 2017.

“Winning the Inter Counties was huge for me, it gave me all the confidence I needed to race at a high level,” he says with a real sense of conviction.

Keeping it in the family – Rory is coached by dad, Tony Leonard

The 2017/18 U17 British Athletics Cross Challenge title holder is clear who he needs to acknowledge for his impressive step up to elite athletics.

“I credit my dad 100% for my breakthrough,” he asserts. “He started coaching me last September. I hadn’t really been taking training seriously before that and didn’t have a strict programme.

“My training has changed vastly since my dad took over. We did some serious speed work sessions in the summer and I was running times I wouldn’t have dreamed of running a year prior. 

“My dad was coached by some of the greatest in athletics, which helps massively with how he coaches me. The training programmes he sets me are influenced by his own training set for him by his previous coaches, who included the likes of John Anderson, John McDonnell, Gorden Surtees and Norman Poole.

“Having a parent as a coach is great. He’s always there to answer questions, and tailors my training to how I feel.”

Photo: JHMSport

The teenager is blessed with not one but two former athletes for parents who double up as running advisors.

Alongside coaching from dad Tony – who boasts PBs of 8:04.92, 13:36, 23:48 and 28:28 for 3000m, 5km, 5M and 10km – he receives advice from his mum too. 

Sharon Leonard was a top class cross country runner in the 1980s, earning an English Schools silver medal before heading Stateside on an athletics scholarship to the University of Arkansas.

American athletics scholarship opportunities

Next year the Northumberland Schools Cross Country champion will take up a track and cross country scholarship at that same university both his parents attended, and he couldn’t be happier with his choice.

“I went through the whole recruiting process and met some amazing people on my route to deciding where I wanted to end up,” he explains. “In the end that place was Arkansas! 

“They have such a rich history and their facilities are amazing. More importantly though, I really like set up and the coaching staff. I definitely feel I can be a huge part of the team.”

The final year Psychology, Business and English Language A Level student is keen to get the most out of his remaining time competing in the UK, though.

Rory’s British racing aims before he moves across the pond

“I’ll definitely be racing the Liverpool Cross Challenge this weekend, and hope to earn a place in the GB team to compete at the European Junior Cross Country Championships in Tilburg,” he says. “Then I’d love to compete at the Great Stirling XCountry in January. 

“I’ll probably be taking a light rest after that so I can recover and peak again for the Inter Counties, which also serves as the trial race for the World Junior Cross Country Championships in Aarhus.”

The youngster has certainly proved his potential on the country so far this season. 

Cross country and track success so far this year

In addition to his Inter Counties win, the county schools title and victory at the Northern Counties championships, Leonard ran the second quickest leg at the recent English National Relay Championships at Mansfield.

Photo: JHMSport

A week later he headed to Spain to run for England in the Cross de Atapuerca in Burgos, where he earned himself a silver medal.

It wasn’t the first time Leonard had competed on the international stage. 

Proving his talents are not limited to the grind of the country, the Morpeth Harrier bounced back from disappointment at the U20 English track championships – where he was tripped in the 3000m – to earn selection for the U18 European Championships in Gyor, Hungary.

His 8:18.80 PB from May’s Loughborough International meant he had already set out his stall over the distance. 

The fact he was dissatisfied with a ninth place on the European stage pays testament to the teen’s unbridled ambition.

“Although sadly the race didn’t go to plan, I’d much rather have a slip up in the U18s than the junior and senior championships,” he says philosophically. “It is still an experience I will value my whole athletics career.”

The fact his ‘career’ in athletics is only just starting is an exciting prospect for the future of British endurance.

It is also reassuring to know that the future is being guided by a great from the past in the form of Rory’s dad and coach, Tony. The pair have a close working relationship that is clearly paying off.

Rory’s training structure under dad Tony’s guidance

“Almost all of my training is done by myself with my dad timing me,” he reveals. “That includes hard sessions and easy runs.

“I live in a rural area in Rothbury, so I’m not short of off-road trails and road loops for sessions that will usually include a good amount of climbing. 

“There’s a great 1km loop on the grass by the river, which we tend to use for longer sessions for lower impact. I usually wear flats for these unless it’s too wet.

“Most of my workouts are done on hilly grass or road routes during the winter as my dad believes hill work is essential. It builds the perfect amount of strength to then build speed on. Essentially that’s the most important thing! 

“The workouts don’t tend to be huge volume, but are always at a high intensity, unless I’m leading up to a big race.”

While Leonard admits he enjoys the solitude of solo training – “it allows me to get used to hitting times without having others around me” – he does sometimes train with his Morpeth club mates when it fits.  

“Occasionally I’ll go down to the club to train with Mike Bateman’s group as he does some great sessions in Morpeth,” he says. “It’s important to train with a group sometimes as you feel less isolated.

“I also feel I got lucky with being a member of a club with such a rich history. The coaches and all those involved with the club put all their time and effort into it.”

Photo: JHMSport

Interestingly Leonard shares Aldershot, Farnham & District’s Richard Allen’s disinterest in wearing a watch during sessions, preferring to run to feel.

RELATED: Racing ‘naked’ of technology key for Richard Allen

“I don’t want to get into a watch mentality,” he explains. “Not wearing one allows me to get used to feeling the pace I’m running at and knowing how fast I’m moving. 

“If I’m set a session where I need to run 15×400 off 90 seconds in 62-63s, I can do that without having to rely on my watch to see what pace I’m working with. 

“This helps massively, as in a race I can feel whether a certain lap is faster or slower. If I decide to kick early I’ll know what kind of splits I’m hitting, and that I’m sticking to the plan.” 

An average week’s training for Rory Leonard

Due largely to the fact he doesn’t wear a watch in training, his average week’s running log features the description ‘about’ quite a bit!

Sunday is a traditional long run day for the 3:50.14 1500m athlete, when he covers about 12 hilly miles. He completes a road circuit session of about 1200m reps with hills on Mondays, with two welcome short easy runs on Tuesdays.

The Northern ace grinds out another hard session, this time on grass, on Wednesdays, with two more easy runs on Thursday. Friday sees the teen complete just one easy run followed by a Saturday sand dune hill session or steep road hill efforts, covering 70m of elevation.

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The post It’s a family affair for Morpeth’s Inter-Counties champion Rory Leonard appeared first on Fast Running.