The weather was always going to be the top topic for this year’s delayed National, but for once not because of the rain and any accompanying mud, or even arctic conditions one or two Championships have had to endure over the years. There are plenty of athletes, for instance who can still recall the infamous National of 1972 and the brutally cold ice and snow competitors still talk about today but now, thanks to the rescheduling of this year’s race the talk will be all about the heat. Back in February, the decision was taken to move the race to a September slot because of the flooding and impossibly difficult conditions spectators let alone the runners would have had to endure. It proved a tricky and even controversial choice to move the race. A National. In September? But what a great decision that has proved to be given the incredible quality each and every race produced. As one winner, Michael Clark (City of Norwich) in the U17 boys’ race said: “phenomenal.” Here’s how the day unfolded:

Senior Men
Barely two minutes into the race, which featured 773 entries, it became a two-runner, one club affair. It was all about who would be not just the best cross-country runner in England but also who would take club honours as Hugo Milner and Ben Connor, both of Derby AC eased away from the pack. And what a pack: two former and one current champion gave chase as James Kingston (Ton), the winner in 2023 and Callum Johnson (Gateshead), the 2020 gold medallist were also well to the fore. For Milner, this was a rare foray into the world of 12km events as he’d only ever raced that distance once, in the Northern Champs. If he was worried about that, it didn’t show as by the second lap of three he’d started to stretch away from clubmate, Connor, copying the tactic he’d used to win the London International Cross-country back in January: hit it hard from a long way out. So, with 5km to run it was all about maintaining his form, which he did to run out a comfortable winner. “It was hard work, but I think even though I haven’t run that far much, that sort of distance suits me,” Milner said after crossing the line 25 seconds clear. “I love the National and I really wanted to run it back in February, but actually I was in Australia then on a training camp [for triathlon] so I was secretly pleased it was moved,” he laughed. Milner, like a former age group medallist Alex Yee, now the Olympic triathlon champ, also competes in that discipline and has the European Triathlon Championships next week. “But I’ve always wanted this title,” he said. “It’s really important to me and I’ve dreamed of it since winning a silver medal in the U13s years ago.”

Senior Women
The fast, flat conditions clearly suited Niam Brown (AFD) as, working with Holly Dixon (Cambridge Harriers) she quickly opened up a huge gap on the chasing pack. For close to 5km the pair ran together before Brown began to stretch away, opening up around 100 metres in the space of a couple of minutes.
And from there, she continued apply the pressure to add yet another Aldershot name to the record books.

“I love cross-country and I always feel like I’m ready,” she said, confirming that she’s in great shape for what might have been a tricky race to prepare for given the unusual date. “Actually, it was a bit like the European courses we run on and I felt I’m in good shape right now.” She did, however, admit she likes a bit of mud. “I wish the race had been in February,” she laughed. “I’d rather have won it then, but I am really proud to have this gold medal. I love strength-based courses, and this was just that.”

Age Groups

U20 Women
Most competitors described Weston Park as hilly after they had completed the course, but for Emilia Platt (Salford), the winner in this age group it was anything but. “I might even say it was flat,” she laughed. That’s because she’s just back from competing in a race called the ETC which takes place in the Alps. There, it’s incredibly hilly with more than 1200m of climbing that can literally slow you to a walk. Platt bided her time, following Eleanor Strevens (Eastbourne Rovers) and Holly Weedall (Vale Royal) through the opening couple of kilometres. Ironically, given her mountain running skills, Platt made her move on a downhill section just past the two-kilometre mark, moving further away on the remaining climbs. “That went to plan,” she said, “as normally my strategy it to try and get stronger as the race goes on. I have been training for an early season cross-country race, but to be honest, I didn’t expect to win.”

U17 Girls
The day had got under way with this race and it set the tone for how most of the races unfolded. If there was a small pack duelling out, then the winner would take hold of things with a few kilometres to run, which is exactly what Freya Bradbury (Westbury Harriers) did. Early on, Zoe Gilbody (Telford) and Tilly Nickell (Team Bath) battled it out up front but when Bradbury made her move on the hills, neither could match her. Just before 5km, she made her decisive move and the gold medal was her. “I felt quite good on the hills,” she said. “I was just hoping for a top 10,” said the Pat Gallagher coached athlete. “The track season went really well, so I knew I could be high up.”

U15 Girls
Paige Quinn (Torbay) used her road strength – she’s run 16:31 for 5km this year – to good effect in this race. She applied the pressure all race to finally break Ellarose Whitworth (Linc W) and Olivia Forrest (Brentwood Beagles) in the closing stages. Forrest did suffer an unusual mishap, however, when she spiked a conker and couldn’t get it off her shoe (not your usual cross-country disaster) but even so Quinn was clearly the athlete to watch in this one. “Today was all about going out quick and overtaking when I could,” she said. “It was amazing to win, and I couldn’t believe it when I broke the tape at the end. I’ve never done that before.”

U13 Girls
To give athletes an opportunity to experience the race as it should have been in February, runners could go back to the age group they initially entered in seven months ago. That meant the winner Kara Gorman (WSEH), like plenty of others, made that rare trip you only read about in sci-fi books – they went back in time. “That was really strange running in the U13s again,” she said after her 11-second victory. “I didn’t really expect to win and was just excited to be in the top 10, so it was great to win today.” As with the boys U13 age group, this was one of the biggest races of the day and featured a big pack early on with a dozen or so intent on making it tough. Gorman took hold of things just before 2km and made sure she held Isabella Buchanan (HY Runners) at bay over the final few hundred metres. “That was long though,” she said. “You could see the finish miles out and it didn’t seem to be getting any nearer.”

U20 Men
The only question in this race was when would Aron Gebremariam (Birchfield) make his move such is his dominance in this age group. The Eritrean has run 7:52.54 for 3000m this year and looks every inch a superb distance runner. “I just hope I can run for England one day,” he said after his 28-second victory over George Ogden (South London). Currently, he’s applying to become British, but can’t say when that will be finalised. In the meantime, thanks to his coach Dave Lawrence, he’s putting together a hugely impressive CV that’s seen him take the English Schools and England AA titles on the track over 3000m to go with his Inter Counties and English Schools Cross-country gold medals. As for the National, he says simply: “a big race with lovely people and lovely weather.” Everyone will agree with the first two but might disagree with his love of the unseasonably warm September day! Not exactly classic cross-country conditions.

U17 Boys
A tight race meant just 14 seconds separated first from fifth as Michael Clark (City of Norwich) used a summer of strength training in the mountains of Hong Kong to pull away in the latter stages. He used the short hill at about 4km to stamp his authority on the field, but even though he did open up about five metres on his closest pursuers, it was by no means a done deal. It was only in the final 200 metres or so that he could really feel like the title was his. “I can’t describe the feeling,” he said, before settling on his “phenomenal” description for taking home the gold medal. “I’ve been training for this one all summer and upped my mileage specially. Plus, I went to Hong Kong for two months with my dad where it’s really hot and very hilly, so that training really helped me.”

U15 boys
Rotherham’s Mikey Bacon used a superb second half to make sure the gold medal was his. Early on, for the first couple of kilometres four had been duelling it out with Arthur Elliott (City of Stoke) and Yaried Alem (Leeds City) both looking strong and capable of taking the title. But Bacon hit the front a minute or so later and looked like a champion in the making. The race marked a big improvement for Clarke and even the YouTube commentary team, working on the Livestream sounded surprised when he opened up his lead. “I’ve been doing more mileage in general,” he said, speculating as to why he’s discovered new-found strength. “I didn’t expect to win, but I did think I could be in the top 10. Now, I just want to progress and I’m looking forward to the road relays next week.”

U13 Boys
It’s always difficult to identify a favourite in the younger age groups but Theo Creed (Hercules Wimbledon) certainly stood out as a name to watch. The huge field, perhaps the largest of the day in the age groups tore off in the opening kilometre and at the front of them all was Creed, determined to use his 4:14.48 1500 metre track speed to good use. “It was quite fast,” he said afterwards, confirming what the big crowd had just seen – a fast, unrelenting race that was all about keeping the pace high. “But I have had a good summer on the track, so I knew I could be high up,” he added, confirming like every winner on the day, that wasn’t exactly sure of his cross-country form but did think he’d be in the top 10.

All the results can be found here.