English National Cross Country Championships

Harewood House Leeds – Saturday 23rd February 2019

The 2019 English National cross country Championships, were staged at Harewood, in the landscaped South Park below Harewood House. As always there was a big turnout of runners from all parts of the country. A total of 5388 athletes were in action at the meeting, which saw some great battles across all of the age ranges.

Under 17 Men

Harry Hudson made his Kingston debut, in March of 2016. He was selected to run for the County, at the English Schools cross country Championships, at Nottingham. He ran in the under 15 boys, 4.2 kilometres race, finishing well down the field. He was a raw novice, competing against the best under 15’s in England. It was a tough baptism, but he finished the course, and gathered a lot of experience, to put into practice in the future. His next cross country outing, came in January of 2017, where he was the under15 boys silver medallist at the County schools Championships, at North Ferriby. March of that year took him on a long journey down to Norwich. To compete with the County team, at the 2017 English schools cross country Championships. He was in action in the under 15 boys four kilometres race. Where he finished 164 places higher, than his run the previous year. In March 2018, he made his debut appearance, at the Barton & District cross country event. Again running in the under 15 boy’s race, he was the gold medallist, covering the course in a time of 15.06 sec. Thirteen days later he was in Leeds, picking up his third County vest, at the 2018 English schools Championship meeting. He was in action in the under 17 men’s race, running the 5.2 Kilometres course in a time of 20.04 sec, to finish in the middle positions. This January he made a successful defence of his Barton title, running the course, in a time of 22.30 sec. Six days later, he was in Pontefract, for the Northern Counties cross country Championship meeting. He was in competition, in the under 17 men’s 6.37 kilometres race, He covered the course, in a time of 21.05 sec, taking 34th place in the race, securing a finish inside the top 25%.

This February the 23rd, Harry made his debut appearance, at the English National cross country Championships, at Harewood in Leeds. He competed in the under 17 men’s five kilometres race, which was contested by a field of 272, of the best cross country runners in England. He put in an excellent performance, running the course in a time of 20:10 sec, which saw him cross the finish line, in 40th position, which left him just the merest fraction outside a finish in the top 40%.

Senior Men

The first two months of 2019, have seen Masters athlete, Gregan Clarkson, running in nine individual competitions. New years, day found him on the Lincolnshire coast, taking on the Cleethorpes 10 K road race, where he finished 8th in a field of 413 contestants. Four days later he took another 8th place finish, at the County cross country championships, in Scunthorpe. On January the 13th, he was in York at the ‘Brass Monkey’ half marathon, where he placed 140th, in a field of 1499 athletes. Next on the agenda was the Sheffield open cross country event, where he the 6th place finisher. The following day he took 4th place, at the Barton & District cross country open. Next port of call was Pontefract, for the Northern Counties XC championships. Running in a field of 704 runners, he came home 134th. The day after the Northern Counties, he took on the Ferriby 10k road race, he placed 16th out of 743 runners. Early February took him into the West Riding, the challenge this time, was the Dewsbury 10 k road race, where he placed 23rd, in a field of 1500.

He made his debut appearance at the English national event in 2008. This year saw him make his 9th appearance at the Championships. His highest placing at the English Nationals, was the 131’st place finish, he achieved at the 2009 event, at Parliament Hill in London. There were a total of 1998 runners, contesting the 2019 senior men’s 12 kilometres race. He ran the course in a time of 46:27 sec, crossing the finish line in 659th position. Securing a place in the top 3rd of the race.        

The outstanding performance on the day, by an athlete from Hull, came from City of Hull AC’s Becky Briggs. With a great 5th place finish, in the under 20 women’s race.

Under 20 Women

City of Hull AC’s Becky Briggs, has been involved in athletics since 2011. Her first club was Kingston, where she started in the under 11’s. 2013 saw her move to Beverley AC, to whom she gave great service, for over 4 years, running both, cross country and on the road. 2018 brought another move, this time to her present club, City of Hull. In July of that year she achieved one of her main ambitions, winning selection to the County team, for the English Schools Championships, at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium, where she represented the team in the 3000 metres race. Next on her agenda was an international call up, to represent England on October the 14th, at ‘Le Match’ at Rennes in France, where she won her first England vest, running in the 10 kilometres race. Boxing day 2018 saw her in action at the traditional East Hull Harriers 10 kilometres race, where she came 3rd overall, in a field of 270 runners. Her time of 34:09 sec, gave her the No.1 UK 10 kilometres ranking, for under 20 women. This January she took on a new challenge, running her first half marathon, at the ‘Brass Monkey’ road race, in York. She was the first woman home finishing 23rd overall, in a field of 1499 runners. Her time of 74:57 sec, was the best UK time ever, by an under 20. On February the 10th, she won her second international vest, again representing England. This time she travelled to Rotslaar in Belgium, for the Lotto cross country cup. She was the winner of the under 20’s 4.5 kilometres race, running a time of 16:28 sec.

Thirteen days later, Becky was at Harewood’s, English National cross country Championship meeting. This was her first appearance at the Nationals, where she ran in a field of 129 athletes, in the under 20 women’s 6 kilometres race. She covered the course in a time of 21:09 sec, crossing the finish line in 5th place.