Magnificent Seven Head North for Cross Challenge
Seven Highgate juniors ventured to the North West last Saturday for the latest stop in the British Athletics Cross Challenge series.
Lauren Russell, Woody Nicole, Thomas Chadwick, Harris Austin, Felix Kent and Alex Mulvihill took the train up the night before, enjoyed pasta at a local eatery before staying overnight in an Airbnb.
Joined by Dan Groves, who arrived by car on the morning from university in Manchester, the seven juniors toed the line alongside some of the best junior athletes in the country.
In races that doubled as the UK trials for the European Cross Country Championships, our young team held their own in conditions that at times resembled a Tough Mudder event.
Lauren Leads the Way
As she so often does, Lauren led the way in the combined U20 and U17 women’s 4.4k race. After just six weeks into her first term at Oxford University, Lauren showed how well she is handling the transition, finishing 11th in the junior race.
"I’m further ahead than I thought I would be at this time of year," said Lauren, who improved on her 22nd position in the same race last year.
"I went out with the intention to give everything I had and I think I managed to do that."
Twenty minutes later, it was the turn of the six boys for their first taste of Sefton Park and the Cross Challenge competition.
Junior Men Left Shell-Shocked
Charging off the start line, faces already mud-splattered from the warm-up, the boys covered the same course and distance as Lauren.
After more than 15 minutes of ducking and weaving over sapping mud, the boys left the course shell-shocked but satisfied.
"That was a lot of fun, I’m really pleased we made the trip," said team captain, Woody.
"It was my first race back in five months after injury, so I didn’t expect too much. We had a chance to support Lozza, test ourselves against some top runners in classic cross conditions, and then watch the elites show us how it’s done. A perfect day."
Senior Women Fly the Flag
Coach Hannah Viner and Auntie Yasmin Goater closed the day out in the senior women’s 8k race.
One year on since hobbling round the same park in a boot after a metatarsal fracture, Hannah followed up her Met League win two weeks ago with a 31st place finish.
Yasmin continued her recent good form, which includes a 78:54 PB at the Valencia Half Marathon, to come home 47th.
"One and done," said Goater with a wry smile, forgetting she would be racing this weekend at the Met League in Uxbridge.
