Cross Country

What is it?

We participate as a club as part of the Oxfordshire Cross Country league (OxonXC). For details and news and results through the cross country season visit https://oxonxc.org.uk.

There are separate races for men and ladies. Both are over the same distance of about 8 km / 5 miles. We may have to provide a marshal or two at a couple of venues. We try and coordinate lift-sharing for each race – it’s fun to chat through the thrills and spills on the way home!

You need to be registered as a club member to take part. Yes, it is competitive, but you are running as part of a team (7 per team for men and 4 per team for ladies). We want as many people as possible to run! Points are awarded based on your position and your challenge is just to beat the person in front of you or the person you beat last time. The fastest runners in each race count for Alchester A, the next group for Alchester B, and so on.  We had 48 entries last year, so there will be plenty of fellow Alchester members to run with.

When and where?

Races take place on the first Sunday of each month from November to March. Men’s races start at 11:20 and Ladies’ races start at 12:00.

The fun bit

If you have never done cross country before, it’s a great morning out. It is nothing like the days of school cross country and is very much an opportunity to help maintain fitness and focus over the winter. The Club tent will be set up to meet your teammates, stash your bag and and enjoy cakes and hot drinks (after you’ve finished!). This season we’re hoping to arrange pub lunch / socials after the race when we can, so keep an eye out for details in the newsletters.

Every race has at least one hill, and most of the courses have laps so you run the hills more than once. Don’t worry if you need to walk up the hills, you certainly won’t be the only runner doing so. There may also be (lots of) mud!

What kit will I need?

You will need a white Alchester club vest or T-shirt. You can wear a base layer underneath if it is cold, and a woolly hat and gloves are optional. We also recommend buying a pair of cross country spikes (12-15 mm). These don’t need to be expensive as they will soon get covered in mud. You should also bring warm clothes for before and after the event. See the Kit page for details of how to order club vests, T-shirts and hoodies.

We also recommend buying a pair of cross-country spikes (12-15 mm). These don’t need to be expensive. 

How to register

You need to be a current (first or second claim) member of Alchester to represent us in cross country races. To enter you need to:

• pay the entrance fee (£20 for the 5-race series, inclusive of parking) by the entry deadline of Tuesday 15 October 2024
• complete the Club’s entry spreadsheet with your details including name, age, and England Athletics membership number. 

If you are a current second-claim Alchester member but want to run for us in the Cross Country season, let us know.

If you have missed the first race(s) of the season you can enter later in the season by paying the fee of £4 per remaining races (so £16 if first race in December, £12 in January, etc.)

Questions and contacts

The Cross Country coordinators for the 2024-25 season are Alasdair Kerr and Simon Worfolk. Please contact them if you have any questions. Race details will also be posted on the Spond app and you can use the comments function to arrange lift-shares, co-ordinate cake baking, etc.