Mens Nationals XC Report 

The National Cross Country Championships must surely be the highlight of any cross country season.  This year at Alton Towers, it was no exception. The standard of the competition was outstanding for both the women’s and men’s races.  

The Girls team really set the standard for the day with a tremendous team effort. They all ran exceptionally well, probably because Helen had promised them that cakes were waiting at the finishing line. 

Only four men were present to represent Bournville Harriers this year with myself sporting a large cake belly and red shorts, Paul, whose work commitments had seen his training diminish of late, Dan, who is coming back from injury and James who went out on the beer the night before.  

The starting line is always something to behold at the Nationals with everyone jostling in their pens. When the starting gun fired James put in an incredibly fast first mile which saw him snapping at the heels of England’s finest. Within the first mile he had opened up a 200+m gap on his team mates.  

The course was a surprisingly fast undulating three lapped affair. The crunch was the hill. Probably no more than 50m in height, but steep, very steep. Any one who’s says ‘learn to love the hills and they will love you back’, in my humble opinion, needs to see a relationship counsellor.  

James led his team mates around for the first lap, but his eagerness at the starting line and the beer from the night before saw his courageous pace drop and one by one we caught him. Dan tucked in close behind me, with Paul clinging onto Dan’s vest. On each subsequent visit to the hill, I knew Paul would be biting chunks off my lead just as he had done at Cofton Park. I clung onto the nearest healthy runner and utilised their talents to pull me along. By the end of the second lap, I realised that it was Dan who was within a few meters of me. With Millie almost recognising her dad each time I passed, I managed to put in a solid final 600m meters to open the gap between myself Dan, Paul and James. 

As a team we finished within a minute and a half of each other.  

On a different subject the hotels at Alton Towers are surprisingly good with Paul, Helen, Ange , Millie and me enjoying a night of kids entertainment with the versatile Captain Jack.

Phil Dakin

Full results here, photos here