Every runner knows that the best way to see a city is to run it. Better yet ... run that city with someone who knows the place inside and out and can point out all the little sights and historical tidbits that you'd otherwise miss. Which is why the recently launched Secret Runs London is such an exciting concept. 

Hayden Shearman caught up with cofounders Amy Coats and Vanessa Cain about how they've combined their self-confessed "running and history nerdy-ness" to form Secret Runs London.  
 
The London walking tour is something of an institution, but what sparked your interest in starting a running/jogging tour?
We love running, exploring, and telling stories. And there’s so much about iconic London that people just don’t know.
 
We’ve both travelled a lot—for work and play—and always take our running shoes. There is nothing like getting a sweat on and truly waking up before an important meeting, or working up an appetite for a local food feast. But all too often, they end up unused or pounding the hotel gym treadmill—very boring! 
 
If you don’t know much about the city, it’s hard to know where to go to make the most of your time. You could be dodging hordes of tourists or feeling unsafe in a dodgy part of town, or getting lost and ending up late for the meeting. If you’ve just got a few days to spend, and want to learn about the city you’re visiting, whilst getting in a bit of exercise, running tours are ideal.
 
So we found sight jogging—a combination of running and urban exploration—perfect! And it’s getting pretty big. Most capitals worldwide have a serious and thriving sight jogging scene. But there’s not much up and running in London. Which is strange because people in London—both visitors and dwellers—love exploring and doing fun stuff; murder mystery challenges, experiential theatre and cinema, and general pop-up fun.
 
We both studied history and philosophy at university and we love learning about the lives and tales of times gone by. So Vanessa and I decided to put our running and history nerdy-ness to good use! We show people a different side to London.

And what about the "Secret" in the title? Without giving away the punchline, what mysteries can runners expect to uncover on the tours? 
London is an amazing and iconic city. But behind every famous sight lies a dazzlingly rich history, and some incredible stories. Tales that are tucked behind walls and beneath pavements, through gateways and down stairs, under rickety cobbles and surrounded by grand facades. 
 
It’s a shame that you can be standing in a spot where some amazing tales have been lived and never know it! We know a lot about these secret sights and hidden histories, and we want to share them. 
 
For example, one of our tours explores the area south of the City, which has historically been the preferred place for all the activities that the city didn’t want within its wealthier boundaries. For example, with the leather industry came an influx of people, poverty and unrivalled stench from the craft. We visit a number of signs to show what life was like in this era, including the remains of the Marshalsea—the debtors gaol inhabited by Charles Dickens’ family when he was 12 years old.
 
Speaking of mysteries, can you help with the mystery of why my marathon PB refuses to budge?!?
Urm… *cough * age? *cough* sorry, can’t help you there - some mysteries will never be solved!
 
Let's go back a little, what got you into running?
Both of us have very different running backgrounds! I used to hate and dread P.E. at school, especially team sports. My two buddies and I would hide in the girls' toilets to avoid it! But near the end of school, and when I got to uni, I started running to get out moving and rid of some stress between studying. I think then I realised that running is about freedom—no one’s telling you when, where and for how long. It’s pure freedom, and free endorphins, and I started to love it! 
 
Vanessa is basically the opposite, she’s been hugely into team sports since she was little, so running has always been great training for hockey, netball, basketball etc. I gawk in disbelief when she tells me stories of how their knees used to bleed with the cold at matches on winter mornings.
 
Since we met on our first day at university, Vanessa and I have done lots of running together—obstacle course race like Spartan challenge, beer belly running events, marathons, and just generally pootling round the big smoke.
 
What do you love about being a runner in London? 
London is one of the most diverse, buzzing, and cultural cities in the world. On top of that, it also ranks in the top five for greatest proportion of green public space, so as well as being an urban jungle with tons of nooks to explore, you’re never too far from a bit of grass to run on. 
 
Although running can be great for having some away from it all, it’s also nice because there are generally lots of runners about, whatever time of day.
 
Aside from one (or three) of your running tours, what is the must-run spot (a park, canal, cemetery?!) in London for visiting runners? 
I’d say Battersea Park. It’s just lovely, all year round. Beautiful old tress, fountains, lakes, tropical gardens, and lots of quiet spots to stop for a stretch, as well as water fountains and clean loos! Run the peace mile along the river and past a giant golden Buddha statue, and you can often smell incense burning. If you go near dusk, you can see the old candy yellow and baby blue Albert Bridge, stunningly lit up. [Read more on running in Battersea Park.]

Do runners need to be at a certain fitness level to enjoy the Secret London Runs? 
Nope, not at all. It’s all about exploring at your own pace and having fun. We have a quick talk at the start about the pace people prefer. The group tours generally have around 3 to 5 people, so it’s easy to adjust the pace to make sure everyone’s happy, and gets a decent run without being too breathless to enjoy the stories along the way.
 
Some people prefer to run and listen as they go but most people prefer to stop and listen to the guide, so there are plenty of breaks!
 
Is it just for visitors or can locals come along too?
Both! Sightjogging helps you make the most of your time here—whether you’re a tourist or a Londoner. We’ve been featured in TripAdvisor, Timeout, Londonist, and lots of other websites aimed at helping find out what’s on, whether they live here or are just visiting.

Secret London Runs is a company that gives guided running tours, exploring London’s secret sights and hidden history. www.secretlondonruns.com ​

By Hayden Shearman // One of running’s eternal impediments is that people just don’t like to run. Plain and simple. It's painful, it chaffs, it bounces, it sweats, it smells, it injures.

At face value running doesn't have much going for it for the beginner runner. Hence why only 5.5 per cent of Londoners run regularly. 

So if you're new to running and you've heard all these tales of blissful runner's highs and magical marathon experiences, how do you work your way through the mire to find the elusive pot of running gold at the tip of this seemingly endless rainbow of running pain?
 
As a running coach, I've guided hundreds of new runners to their goals and I'd argue that three things help people develop a lifetime love of running:
1. Running in beautiful paces
2. Running with great company
3. Running with a goal
 
Thankfully, London is a place that can easily meet all three of these goals.

Beautiful Places
Thanks to its flat-to-rolling terrain and its abundance of great parks, it has truly world-class running routes. Bushy Park, Richmond Park, the Thames Path, the Green Chain, Hampstead Heath and I could go on—all of them are fantastic and just waiting for you and your trainers to enjoy their trails.

Great Company
London also has a wonderful running community with over 40 parkruns, 100s of running clubs and running groups to suit all abilities and speeds, and races every other day. There are almost half a million runners in this city, so there are bound to be at least one or two runners out there who happen to share both your running speed and your unique sense of humour! 

Goals
The great thing about running is that you can track your progress very easily. Unlike looking in the mirror or weighing yourself on scales, the stop watch is a trustworthy and objective measure of your fitness. However, before you get to the stage of beating personal best times, it's a good ideas to challenge yourself to complete distances.

After a few weeks of running you might start with completing your first non-stop 5k (or 3mi). Then step up to something longer like 6mi. A great inner city route to do 6mi is to start from London Bridge and run a loop out to Westminster Bridge and back (4.4mi), then complete the figure-of-eight by running over Tower Bridge and back to London Bridge (1.6mi).

Putting Them Together
The fun really kicks in when you combine scenery, company and a distance goal. And with so many beautiful parks around London, why not set about rounding up a few friends to complete a perimeter of the park and gradually tick them off your bucket list?

Greenwich Park (2mi), Regent's Park (with Primrose Hill, 4.0mi), Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens (4.3mi), Bushy Park (6.6mi), Richmond Park (7.25mi)—plus many more (here's a list of park perimeter distances).  

Falling in Love
Now you've got these three weapons in your running arsenal (of scenery, company and goals), aim to achieve one goal on every run you do. So if you're running three times a week, the first might be a social run with a friend chatting the whole way, the next run might be a venture along a canal on a sunny morning or an autumnal explore through a nearby woodland, and the final run of the week will be a parkrun where you either go for distance (first 5k non-stop) or for time. 

Try utilising one of these tools during your three runs each week and keep it up for three weeks. After that I guarantee you'll be starting to get a wee sniff of that elusive runner's high!

Let me know how you get on!


-- Hayden Shearman

oBy Hayden Shearman // London doesn't handle hot very well. The Tube bakes, the Thames smells, the Lidos overflow, and us runners stumble through the incredibly sparse connect-the-dots network of London's drinking fountains. 

But all is not lost … there are plenty of great places to run that escape the worst of the heat. Here are my favourites: 

Hampstead Heath
Sure there are hills that will make the heart rate crank on top of what the atmosphere is already demanding from your run, but the shade you will get from the ample supply of trees (and the pergola) definitely makes this a top running destination for a hot day. 

The added bonus of course is the cool waters of multiple bathing ponds and the Lido just near Parliament Hill Track.

Green Park & Victoria Park
The centre of London is often a few degrees warmer than the suburbs (a combo of the concrete holding the heat and being in a valley), so if you can't escape to the 'burbs, Green Park and Victoria Park are probably your best bet for hunting out the shade. 

Russia Dock Woodland
For another central city option, just south of Tower Bridge, run 1mi east (following the shade of the Bermondsey's Thames Path) through to Southwark Park and on to Greenland Dock and the shaded Russia Dock Woodland. Tip: There is a water fountain just up from the Mixed Bathing Pond on the way to the Viaduct. 

Wimbledon Common
Mid-summer is about the only time of year when Wimbledon Common's boggy trails might actually dry out! When it's hot many runners prefer Wimbledon Common over neighbouring Richmond Park. And if you feel particularly desperate, you could always cool off with a quick dip (read: mud bath) in Beverley Brook (western fence line of Wimbledon Common). (Note: I have no idea if swimming in the brook is even allowed, so better check first!) The main downer is that the only place for refreshments is at the Windmill.

Epping Forest
If you need to run long and stay under constant cover of tall, shady trees, look no further than Epping Forest. 

Pack some fluids and take the Tube up to Epping. Then run the 15mi back south to Manor Park Station. Get refreshments on the way at High Beach Visitor's Centre and Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge.

Thames Path: East
Water is a great temperature regulator. So the bigger the body of water you are next to, the more temperate the weather. 

The biggest body of water in London is easily the expanse of the tidal Thames east of Greenwich. Follow the south bank of the Thames Path for 13.3mi all the way around to Erith (follow the barge symbol as opposed to the usual Thames Path acorn). Tip: this is a long run without refreshments or water fountains, so carry your own fluids.

Have you got your copy of the Runner's Guide to London book? 300 pages of London's best running routes. 

Julia Bleasdale calls it "a must-have guide to help you explore London's unique running playground". 

Order it here with free delivery. 

By Hayden Shearman (This post was originally published on the Get Active London blog.)

London has more green space than any other city on the planet. I learnt this the hard way when setting out to write a book about its top running spots—the book soon grew and grew because there were just so many incredible places to run. 

The following top-10 list could have included all the well-publicished central running havens (like Hyde, St James's, Regent's and Victoria Parks) and the mega parks out west (Bushy and Richmond) but chances are you already know about them and one of the things I love about running is the ability to explore new environments. So what lesser known parks should all Londoners explore?

Well, here is my top 10. I could have easily have made this list a top-40 rather than top-10, but these 10 will get you started and I'm sure make you hungry to explore more of London's hidden treasures.

Note: We've included the list below, but to read a full description of each park read the Get Active London blog. 

1. RUISLIP WOODS
Location: Ruislip (16.7mi NW of central London) 
Perimeter Distance: 9.0mi (when combined with Park, Copse, Mad Bess and Bayhurst Woods)

2. HOME PARK
Location: Kingston Upon Thames (11.8mi SW of central London)
Perimeter Distance: 5mi

3. HORNCHURCH COUNTRY PARK
Location: Hornchurch (15.8mi E of central London)
Perimeter Distance: 2.5mi

4. WIMBLEDON COMMON
Location: Wimbledon (8.1mi southwest of central London)
Perimeter Distance: 7.8mi

5. HAMPSTEAD HEATH
Location: Highgate (4.6mi N of central London)
Perimeter Distance: 8.0mi

6. GREENWICH PARK
Location: Greenwich (6.7mi SE of central London)
Perimeter Distance: 2mi (around Greenwich Park only)

7. CRYSTAL PALACE PARK
Location: Crystal Palace (7mi S of central London)
Perimeter Distance: 2.05mi

8. FRYENT COUNTRY PARK
Location: Kingsbury (9.1mi NW of central London)
Perimeter Distance: 2.3mi

9. DANSON PARK
Location: Bexleyheath (11.7mi southeast of central London)
Perimeter Distance: 2.4mi

10. QUEEN ELIZABETH OLYMPIC PARK 
Location: Stratford (5.8mi NE of central London)
Perimeter Distance: 3.6mi (following the art trail starting and finishing at Westfield) 

Hayden Shearman is the author of the new book Runner's Guide to London, which is the ultimate companion for exploring the runner's playground that is London (features over 120 London running routes and parks). www.runnersguidetolondon.co.uk

By Paul Browning // Cemeteries may seem odd places to run—and the relatively bleak regimented lines of modern cemeteries are probably places to avoid—but many of London’s Victorian cemeteries make ideal locations: peaceful, off-road running, with an incredible range of flora and fauna.

Southeast London has two fantastic examples: Nunhead and Brockley & Ladywell. 

Nunhead is one of London’s Magnificent Seven, nothing to do with the classic 1960s Western with Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen, but the series of large Victorian Cemeteries created in the 1840s around the, then, periphery of London, as the city’s churchyards became full.  

Nunhead was sadly neglected and closed for decades by its private owners before being restored by Southwark Council with Heritage Lottery funding and re-opened in 2001.  It is a lovely mixture of heavily over-grown, quite formal and some fantastic vistas, such as this one of St Paul’s Cathedral.

The excellent Go Feet Blog has already suggested a running route around Nunhead so I will cover its younger sibling.

Brockely and Ladywell was originally two cemeteries that opened in 1858 within a month or two of each other. Serving two neighbouring local authorities, they were originally separated by a wall and became a single unit after WWII. There are around 17,000 graves there.

When I run at Brockley and Ladywell I rarely have a route in my mind, I just ‘drift’ and see where my feet take me, pausing to either try to find a particular grave or to look at an inscription.

If you want a structured run around the cemetery, I would start with a 1.2 mile loop that largely follows the perimeter. There are clear paths for most of this except needing to cross a grassed area close to Ivy Road where the original boundary wall between the two cemeteries lay. Towards the end of the loop, at the top of a path coming in from your right, is the Hillier family tomb—one of those buried there was George Lacy Hillier who was for a time the fastest British amateur cyclist. 

Follow the main ‘road’ back into the cemetery, keeping slightly to the right of the ‘cross of sacrifice’ WWI memorial to another low walled WWI memorial around some carefully manicured grass—somewhere I always pause.  It includes the names of Alfred Figes (who served as William Word) and may well have been the oldest WWI soldier, and Charles Cox, an Army Cyclist, whom I wrote about in Running Past.

You could then pass the grave of decadent poet Ernest Dowson, who once observed that "absinthe makes the tart grow fonder." Close by, and often masked by long grass in summer is the grave of the Cuban anarchist and writer, Fernando Tarrida del Mármol.  After running through a wooded area you will see a clearing which has a tall column and an almost cherubic figure on top, you’ll need to be careful going across the graves to get there.  It is a memorial to Jane Clouson who was brutally murdered in Eltham in 1871.  It was a story I wrote about a few months ago in Running Past.

After a visit to the Brockely WWI memorial, which is just beyond the Clouson Memorial, slightly retrace your steps and head back towards the start.  You will have covered around a couple of miles in total. If you want to extend your run there are plenty of more paths in the cemetery or a couple of excellent local parks (Hilly Fields and Ladywell Fields).  If you want a longer run, Nunhead Cemetery is just over a mile away to the west.

The same route is never the same run; a path that can seem bleak in the winter, may have naturalised flowers climbing and tumbling over graves in the summer, a golden carpet of fallen leaves in the autumn that requires a little more care when running or have a mass of croci in the spring. 

A few words of warning though, don’t let your running intrude on the grief or remembrance of others, always give funerals a wide berth and try to do the same with those visiting graves of loved ones. 

GETTING THERE
Nearest Stations: Crofton Park about 5 minutes walk away from the Brockley Road entrance, Brockley is about 10 minutes from the same entrance, and Ladywell Stations is about 10 minutes walk from the Ladywell Road entrance. 

Buses: The buses convenient for the Brockley Road entrance are: 122, 171, 172; P4 and 122 with a short from Prendergast School down St Cyprians Passage and then left along Ivy Road) are those best for the Ladywell Road gate.
Car: There is limited parking at the Ladywell Road entrance – the postcode for satnavs is SE13 7HY.

OPENING HOURS
March to October: 10am–4.30 pm daily
November to February: 10am–3.30pm daily

FINDING OUT MORE
If you want to find out more about London cemeteries a great place to start is one of my favourite blogs, Flickering Lamps. As for Ladywell and Brockley, their ‘Friends’ have an excellent website, as do Nunhead’s Friends.

By Bethan Taylor // I remember the first time I ran down the Southbank. It had taken all my courage to step out of the suburbs and take to the streets with the ‘real’ runners. 

Terrified I’d be found out as a fraud, those first steps were slow and tentative. But I kept going and the city rewarded me. As my feet landed, a rush of fresh, crisp air hit my face, and a view of St Paul’s came in to sight, lit up in the night, decoupaged on the skyline in a way that makes me gasp even today. 

My bravery had been rewarded, London had scooped me up and held me close as it whispered in my ear the city is yours.

Being granted the key to the city is the most magical thing. Suddenly running becomes full of promise, expectation and anticipation. You realise you can run for miles without crossing the same street twice, neighbourhoods open up and the city simultaneously shrinks and expands before your very eyes. 

A canal can guide you from rough industrial heartland to genteel stucco, past giraffes and monkeys, hip cafes and bookshops on boats, all in a matter of miles. A river takes you on a loping tour through naval history, past soaring skyscrapers and seats of power before dipping in to muddy trails before your legs are worn. Where else can you go from dodging wildlife to running past Prada in a matter of miles. 

Whatever your mood, the city knows which run will be the perfect antidote. No landscape remains the same and no matter how often you run the same route there’s always a moment to take and savour. It warms me to the core.

There have been so many occasions when London has been unbelievably kind to me, picking me up when I’ve fallen, holding my hand as I wobbled towards bigger and scarier challenges. The city has led me to new friends and rejuvenated connections that were nearly lost. When my breath has caught in my chest it’s given me a moment to recover, and when I’ve been too tired and stiff to run it’s carried me. It’s both my bodyguard and number one fan as I run, persuading me I can take on anything and supporting me on my journey. Without that generosity, that openness and love I wouldn’t be the runner I am today. 

Thank you London.

By Hayden Shearman // Last Saturday 5283 hardy souls trudged their way over the unforgiving, boggy, stampede-ridden hills of Hampstead Heath at the annual English Cross Country Championship. And it was epic!

The English XC Champs are quite possibly the longest running athletic event on the planet. It started in 1876 and has run every year since, minus the years during WWI and WWII. Yet, like Jolyon Attwooll so brilliantly described in the Telegraph, few hear of or even know of this incredible event and the 5283 individual stories that compose it. 

The world of cross country running is comparable to a Picasso-like genius who might paint day after day in their backyard but keep all their masterpieces stowed away in a broom cupboard. You hardly ever hear about the winners of the National XC in the media (and the same can be said of the World XC Champs), the runners' GPS files make for horrible reading due to the tough terrain and slipping-and-sliding, and you don't see the selfie onslaught on social media that you get after the obstacle and mud runs that so frequently clog our Instagram feeds. 

Instead, cross country battle tales are shared in pubs, trophies are stowed away in dusty clubroom cabinets, and the runners return home for a cold hosing down—a humbling undressing of the north London mud that acts like a finishers' medal covering them from head to toe. 

Finishing a cross country race doesn't get you any accolades at the office water cooler on Monday morning, but it boasts an intrinsic reward that is stupidly hard to find in our wifi-connected, centrally-heated worlds. 

I think it's something that every runner, know matter your speed or experience or ability, should try at some stage in your running lifetime. I'd argue that you'll never feel as cold, as exhausted, as muddy, and as part of a close-knit-team as you will running cross country. And at the very least it makes you feel super fast once you return to the smooth roads in the spring!

Keen to give cross country a go? 

Well, the season is basically over, but you've got the next six months to find a local club and purchase a pair of spikes ready for the next season which will kick off in October. 

In the meantime, enjoy these pics and video from Saturday's epic Cross Country Nationals and peruse the list of former winners below. 

Photo credits: Tim Hawkes. Video: Phil McElhinney.

ENGLISH CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONS: SENIOR WOMEN
Year Venue – Team – Individual

1927 Luton – Middlesex Ladies AC – A M A Williams (Littlehampton Ladies AC)
1928 Chigwell – Middlesex Ladies AC – L D Styles (Littlehampton Ladies AC)
1929 Perivale – Middlesex Ladies AC – L D Styles (Littlehampton Ladies AC)
1930 Wolverton – Westbury H – L D Styles (Littlehampton Ladies AC)
1931 Epsom – London Olympiades AC – G A Lunn (Birchfield H)
1932 Coventry – Birchfield H – G A Lunn (Birchfield H)
1933 Warwick – Airedale H – L D Styles (Haywards Heath Ladies AC)
1934 Kettering – London Olympiades AC – L D Styles (London Olympiades AC)
1935 Longbridge – London Olympiades AC – N Halstead (Radcliffe H & AC)
1936 Chidwell Row – Small Heath H – N Halstead (Radcliffe H & AC)
1937 Perry Barr – Birchfield H – L D Styles (London Olympiades AC)
1938 Luton – Birchfield H – E Forster (Civil Service AC)
1939 Rugby – Birchfield H – E Forster (Civil Service AC)
1940 No Championships
1941 No Championships
1942 No Championships
1943 No Championships
1944 No Championships
1945 No Championships
1946 Cheltenham – Birchfield H – P Sandall (Birchfield H)
1947 Oxford – Birchfield H – R M Wright (St Gregorys Ladies AC)
1948 Sutton Coldfield – Birchfield H – J Kibler (Birchfield H)
1949 Worsley – Birchfield H – E Johnson (Airedale H)
1950 Parliament Hill – Birchfield H – A Gibson (North Shields Poly Ladies AC)
1951 Tadcaster – Ilford AC – P E M Green (Ilford AC)
1952 Perry Barr – Ilford AC – P E M Green (Ilford AC)
1953 Birmingham – Birchfield H – D S Leather (Birchfield H)
1954 Aylesbury – Birchfield H – D S Leather (Birchfield H)
1955 Leeds – Ilford AC – D S Leather (Birchfield H)
1956 Sutton Coldfield – Ilford AC – D S Leather (Birchfield H)
1957 Enfield – Ilford AC – J Bridgland (Southampton AC)
1958 Winton, Lancs – Highgate H – R Ashby (Coventry Godiva H)
1959 Birmingham – London Olympiades AC – J Byatt (Hampstead Heath H)
1960 Morden Park – Ilford AC – J Byatt (Hampstead Heath H)
1961 Sheffield – London Olympiades AC – R Ashby (Coventry Godiva H)
1962 Wolverhampton – London Olympiades AC – R Ashby (Coventry Godiva H)
1963 Richmond Park – Mitcham AC – M C Ibbotson (Longwood Ladies AC)
1964 Bury – Bury & Radcliffe AC – M C Ibbotson (Longwood Ladies AC)
1965 Birmingham – Maryhill Ladies AC – P Davies (Selsonia AC)
1966 Watford – Maryhill Ladies AC – P Davies (Selsonia AC)
1967 Blackburn – Barnet & District AC – P Davies (Selsonia AC)
1968 Coventry – Cambridge H – P Davies (Selsonia AC)
1969 Aldershot – Barnet & District AC – R Lincoln (Essex Ladies AC)
1970 Blackburn – Cambridge H – R Lincoln (Essex Ladies AC)
1971 Wolverhampton – Coventry Godiva H – R Lincoln (Essex Ladies AC)
1972 High Wycombe – Cambridge H – R Lincoln (Essex Ladies AC)
1973 Rawtenstall – Cambridge H – J Smith [Byatt] (Barnet Ladies AC)
1974 Leicester – Barnet & District AC – R Ridley [Lincoln] (Essex Ladies AC)
1975 Paliament Hill – Cambridge H – C Tranter (Stretford AC). Guest D Nagle (Guiness AC) 1st
1976 Blackburn – London Olympiades AC – A Ford (Hounslow AC)
1977 Stoke – Sale H – G Penny (Cambridge H)
1978 High Wycombe – Sale H – M Stewart (Birchfield H)
1979 Runcorn – Aldershot Farnham & District AC- K Binns (Sale H)
1980 Rugeley – Birchfield H – R Smeeth (Aldershot Farnham & District AC)
1981 Colchester – Sale H – W Smith (Hounslow AC)
1982 Carlisle – Sale H – P Fudge (Hounslow AC)
1983 Warwick – Sale H – C Benning [Tranter] (Southampton AC)
1984 Knebworth – Aldershot Farnham & District AC – J Furniss [Shields] (Sheffield AC)
1985 Birkenhead – Crawley AC – A Tooby (Cardiff AC)
1986 Leicester – Sale H – C Bradford (Clevedon AC)
1987 Bexley – Sale H – J Shields (Sheffield AC)
1988 Leeds – Birchfield H – H Titterington (Leicester Coritanian AC)
1989 Birmingham – Parkside (Harrow) AC – A Pain [Hulley] (Leeds City AC)
1990 Rickmansworth – Parkside (Harrow) AC – A Whitcombe (Parkside [Harrow] AC)
1991 Birkenhead – Parkside (Harrow) AC – A Whitcombe (Parkside [Harrow] AC)
1992 Cheltenham – Parkside (Harrow) AC – L York (Leicester Coritanian AC)
1993 Luton – Parkside (Harrow) AC – G Stacey (Bromley Ladies AC)
1994 Blackburn – Parkside (Harrow) AC – P Radcliffe (Bedford & County AC)
1995 Luton – Parkside (Harrow) AC – K McCandless (Parkside [Harrow] AC)
1996 Newark – Parkside (Harrow) AC – A Wyeth (Parkside [Harrow] AC). N Lynch (Oxford University AC) 1st – disqualified non-registered foreign athlete
1997 Havant – Leeds City AC – A Whitcombe (Parkside [Harrow] AC)
1998 Leeds – Shaftesbury Barnet H – M Myers (Parkside [Harrow] AC)
1999 Newark – Shaftesbury Barnet AC – A Newport (Basingstoke & Mid Hants AC)
2000 Stowe – Shaftesbury Barnet AC – T Kryzwicki (Charnwood AC)
2001 Durham – Sale H Manchester – L Yelling (Bedford & County AC)
2002 Bristol – Shaftesbury Barnet H – L Yelling (Bedford & County AC)
2003 Parliament Hill – Chester-le-Street & District AC – H Yelling (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC)
2004 Leeds – Bristol AC – B Dagne (Belgrave H)
2005 Birmingham – Bristol & West AC – H Yelling (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC)
2006 Parliament Hill – Charnwood AC – E Hall (Herts Phoenix AC)
2007 Sunderland – Winchester & District AC – L Yelling (Bedford & County AC)
2008 Alton Towers – Winchester & District AC – L Yelling (Bedford & County AC)
2009 Parliament Hill – Charnwood AC – Hatti Dean (Hallamshire Harriers, Sheffield)
2010 Charnwood AC – Stephanie Twell (Aldershot Farnham & District AC)
2011 Charnwood AC – Louise Damen (Winchester & District AC)
2012 Hallamshire Harriers – Gemma Steel (Charnwood AC)
2013 Aldershot Farnham & District AC – Louise Damen (Winchester & District AC)
2014  Parliament Hill - Lillian Partridge (Aldershot Farnham & District)

ENGLISH CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONS: SENIOR MEN
Year Venue – Team – Individual

1876 Buckhurst Hill Declared void (32 ran)
1877 Roehampton – Thames Hare & Hounds – P H Stenning (Thames Hare & Hounds)
1878 Roehampton – Spartan H – P H Stenning (Thames Hare & Hounds)
1879 Roehampton – Thames Hare & Hounds – P H Stenning (Thames Hare & Hounds)
1880 Roehampton – Birchfield H – P H Stenning (Thames Hare & Hounds)
1881 Roehampton – Moseley H – G A Dunning (Clapton Beagles)
1882 Roehampton – Moseley H – W G George (Moseley H)
1883 Roehampton – Moseley H – G A Dunning (Clapton Beagles)
1884 Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield – Moseley H – W G George (Moseley H)
1885 Manchester – Liverpool H – W Snook (Birchfield H)
1886 Croydon – Birchfield H – J E Hickman (Godiva H)
1887 Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield – Birchfield H – J E Hickman (Godiva H)
1888 Manchester- Birchfield H – E W Parry (Salford H)
1889 Kempton – Salford H – E W Parry (Salford H)
1890 Sutton Coldfield – Salford H – E W Parry (Salford H)
1891 Prenton, Birkenhead  – Birchfield H – J Kibblewhite (Spartan H)
1892 Ockham – Tie between Birchfield H and Essex Beagles – H A Heath (South London H). In the subsequent run-off Birchfield H won by 35 pts to 43 pts
1893 Redditch – Essex Beagles – H A Heath (South London H)
1894 Blackpool – Salford H – G Crossland (Salford H)
1895 Wembley – Birchfield H – S Cottrill (Thames Valley H)
1896 Water Orton – Salford H – G Crossland (Manchester H)
1897 Trafford Park – Tie between Salford H and Manchester H – S J Robinson (Northampton & County AC)
1898 Horton, Northants – Salford H – S J Robinson (Northampton & County AC)
1899 Wembley – Highgate H – C Bennett (Finchley H)
1900 Rotherham – Finchley H – C Bennett (Finchley H)
1901 Leicester – Essex Beagles – A Shrubb (South London H)
1902 Lingfield – Highgate H – A Shrubb (South London H)
1903 Haydock – Birchfield H – A Shrubb (South London H)
1904 Wolverhampton – Highgate H – A Shrubb (South London H)
1905 Lingfield – Highgate H – A Aldridge (Highgate H)
1906 Haydock – Sutton H & AC – C J Straw (Sutton H & AC)
1907 Colwall – Birchfield H – G Pearce (Highgate H)
1908 Newbury – Hallamshire H – A J Robertson (Birchfield H)
1909 Haydock – Birchfield H – J Murphy (Hallamshire H)
1910 Derby – Hallamshire H – F C Neaves (Surrey AC)
1911 Taplow – Hallamshire H – F N Hibbins (Thrapston H & AC)
1912 Haydock – Hallamshire H – F N Hibbins (Thrapston H & AC)
1913 Wolverhampton – Birchfield H – E Glover (Hallamshire H)
1914 Chesham – Surrey AC – C H Ruffell (Highgate H)
1915 No Championships
1916 No Championships
1917 No Championships
1918 No Championships
1919 No Championships
1920 Windsor Great Park – Birchfield H – J Guillemot (France)
1921 Doncaster – Birchfield H – W Freeman (Birchfield H)
1922 Hereford – Birchfield H – J Guillemot (France)
1923 Beaconsfield – Birchfield H – C E Blewitt (Birchfield H)
1924 Doncaster – Birchfield H – Cpl W M Cotterell (Royal Corps of Signals)
1925 Hereford – Birchfield H – Cpl W M Cotterell (Royal Corps of Signals)
1926 Wolverton – Birchfield H – J E Webster (Birchfield H)
1927 Crewe – Hallamshire H – E Harper (Hallamshire H)
1928 Leamington – Birchfield H – J E Webster (Birchfield H)
1929 Beaconsfield – Birchfield H – E Harper (Hallamshire H)
1930 Sheffield – Birchfield H – W B Howard (Kettering Town H)
1931 Kettering – Birchfield H – J H Potts (Saltwell H)
1932 Wolverton – Birchfield H – J A Burns (Elswick H)
1933 Alderley Edge – Birchfield H – T Evenson (Salford H)
1934 Himley Park, Dudley – Birchfield H – S Dodd (Wirral AC)
1935 Beaconsfield – Belgrave H – F Close (Reading AC)
1936 Alderley Edge – Birchfield H – J H Potts (Saltwell H)
1937 Stratford-upon-Avon – Birchfield H – H D Clark (York H)
1938 Reading – Mitcham AC – J T Holden (Tipton H)
1939 Worsley – Belgrave H – J T Holden (Tipton H)
1940 No Championships
1941 No Championships
1942 No Championships
1943 No Championships
1944 No Championships
1945 No Championships
1946 Leamington Spa – Belgrave H – J T Holden (Tipton H)
1947 Apsley – Sutton H & AC – A A Robertson (Reading AC)
1948 Sheffield – Belgrave H – S C Wooderson (Blackheath H)
1949 Bromford Bridge, Birmingham – Sutton H – F E Aaron (Leeds St Marks AC)
1950 Aylesbury – Sutton H – F E Aaron (Leeds St Marks AC)
1951 Richmond, Yorkshire – Sutton H – F E Aaron (Leeds St Marks AC)
1952 Great Barr, Birmingham – Victoria Park AAC – W Hesketh (Manchester A & CC)
1953 Reading – Birchfield H – D A G Pirie (South London H)
1954 Birkenhead – Bolton United H & AC – D A G Pirie (South London H)
1955 Bedford – South London H – D A G Pirie (South London H)
1956 Warwick – Sheffield United H & AC – K L Norris (Thames Valley H)
1957 Parliament Hill – South London H – F D Sando (Aylesford PMSC)
1958 Birkenhead – South London H – A F Perkins (Ilford AC)
1959 Peterborough – Sheffield United H & AC – F Norris (Bolton United H & AC)
1960 West Bromwich – Derby & County AC – B B Heatley (Coventry Godiva H)
1961 Parliament Hill – Derby & County AC – B B Heatley (Coventry Godiva H)
1962 Stanley Park, Blackpool – Derby & County AC – G North (Blackpool & Fylde AC)
1963 Cambridge – Coventry Godiva H – B B Heatley (Coventry Godiva H)
1964 Leicester – Portsmouth AC – M R Batty (Thurrock H)
1965 Parliament Hill – Portsmouth AC – M R Batty (Thurrock H)
1966 Sheffield – North Staffs & Stone HAC – R Hill (Bolton United H & AC)
1967 Norwich – Portsmouth AC – R Taylor (Coventry Godiva H)
1968 Sutton Coldfield – Coventry Godiva H – R Hill (Bolton United H & AC)
1969 Parliament Hill – Tipton H – M Tagg (Norfolk Gazelles)
1970 Blackpool – City of Stoke AC – T Wright (Hallamshire H)
1971 Norwich – Shettleston H – D Bedford (Shaftesbury H)
1972 Sutton Coldfield – Tipton H – M Thomas (Thames Valley H)
1973 Parliament Hill – Gateshead H & AC – D Bedford (Shaftesbury H)
1974 Sheffield – Derby & County AC – D Black (Small Heath H)
1975 Stopsley, Luton – Gateshead H & AC – A Simmons (Luton United AC)
1976 Leicester – Gateshead H & AC – B Ford (Aldershot Farnham & District AC)
1977 Parliament Hill – Gateshead H & AC – B Foster (Gateshead H & AC)
1978 Leeds – Tipton H – B Ford (Aldershot Farnham & District AC)
1979 Stopsley, Luton – Gateshead H & AC – M McLeod (Elswick H)
1980 Leicester – Tipton H – N Rose (Bristol AC)
1981 Parliament Hill – Tipton H – J Goater (Shaftesbury H)
1982 Leeds – Tipton H – D Clarke (Hercules Wimbledon AC)
1983 Stopsley, Luton – Aldershot Farnham & District AC – T Hutchings (Crawley AC)
1984 Newark – Aldershot Farnham & District AC – E Martin (Basildon AC)
1985 Milton Keynes – Aldershot Farnham & District AC – D Lewis (Rossendale H & AC)
1986 Newcastle – Tipton H – T Hutchings (Crawley AC)
1987 Stopsley, Luton – Gateshead H & AC – D Clarke (Hercules Wimbledon AC)
1988 Newark – Birchfield H – D Clarke (Hercules Wimbledon AC)
1989 Epsom – Tipton H – D Lewis (Rossendale H & AC)
1990 Leeds – Valli H – R Nerurkar (Bingley H & AC)
1991 Stopsley, Luton – Bingley H & AC – R Nerurkar (Bingley H & AC)
1992 Newark – Tipton H – E Martin (Basildon AC)
1993 Parliament Hill – Bingley H & AC – R Nerurkar (Bingley H & AC)
1994 South Shields – Blackheath H – D Lewis (Rossendale H & AC)
1995 Wigmore, Luton – Blackheath H – S Duval (Cannock & Stafford AC)
1996 Newark – Bingley H & AC – J Nuttall (Preston H & AC)
1997 Havant – Tipton H – S White (Coventry Godiva H)
1998 Leeds – Bingley H & AC – D Bannister (Shaftesbury Barnet H)
1999 Newark – Tipton H – J Pugsley (Birchfield H)
2000 Stowe – Tipton H – G Tromans (Coventry Godiva H)
2001 Durham – Bingley H & AC – M Openshaw (Birchfield H)
2002 Bristol – Bingley H & AC – S Haughian (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC)
2003 Parliament Hill – Leeds City AC – M Smith (Tipton H)
2004 Leeds – Belgrave H – G Tromans (Coventry Godiva H)
2005 Birmingham – Salford H & AC – G Tromans (Coventry Godiva H)
2006 Parliament Hill – Leeds City AC – P Riley (Leigh H & C)
2007 Sunderland – Leeds City AC – F Tickner (Wells City H)
2008 Alton Towers – Leeds City AC – T Humphries (Cannock & Stafford AC)
2009 Parliament Hill – Newham & Essex Beagles – Francis Tickner (Wells City H)
2010  Aldershot Farnham and District AC – A. Vernon (AF&D AC)
2011  Leeds City AC – S. Vernon (Stockport Harriers & AC)
2012  Leeds City AC – K. Gerrard (Newham and Essex Beagles AC)
2013  Morpeth Harriers and AC – K. Gerrard ( Newham and Essex Beagles AC)
2014  Parliament Hill - Charlie Hulson (Sale Harriers)

FOR MORE INFO ON CROSS COUNTRY RUNNING, PLEASE VISIT THE ENGLISH CROSS COUNTRY ASSOCIATION.

By Hayden Shearman // We all know that the most romantic thing you can possibly do on Valentine's Day is meet up with that special someone at some place nice and then get very sweaty together … [cough] … by going running. Here are my top spots for running in London this Valentine's Day: 

Hampstead Heath, perimeter 8.0mi (13k)
Lose yourselves in acre-upon-rolling-acre of woodlands and lakes. The views from Parliament Hill and the Pergola (West Heath) provide ideal picnic material, if only it wasn't February and so flipping freezing! 
Pros: Great views and great for romantic explorations. 
Cons: Some trails will be muddy. He or she may not like that, so be careful how you frame the comment "let's get dirty today". 

Home Park (Hampton Court Park), perimeter 5.0mi (8k)
The quieter of the Royal Parks, this is the ideal spot for some deep-and-meaningfuls while jogging through the gently waving grasses, past the glistening Long Water as herds of grazing wild deer watch you run by. 
Pros: Solitude (relatively speaking) and opportunity for a sweaty snog in front of a palace.
Cons: Your date may not be into sweaty snogs (pre-run snogs are usually your best bet). 

High Elms Country Park, perimeter 2.3mi (3.6k)
A nature reserve amongst sublime Bromley countryside. Start with a lap of the High Elms Trail and then run south to Charles Darwin's House where you can elaborate on the evolution of your love for each other (better not mention anything about survival of the fittest though). 
Pros: Feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city. 
Cons: Is a world a way from the city by the time you've caught the train to Chelsfield and then jogged 2.0mi to the park (might want to take the car to this one!). 

Valentines Park, perimeter 2.0mi (3.2k)
This east London park (in Ilford) has 50ha of formal parkland, a boating lake, plenty of ducks to feed, a palace, and two lovely cafes to grab brunch. Plus Wanstead Park is just 0.6mi to the west, meaning you can take your date on a big adventure through the southern reaches of Epping Forest and finish at this cute spot. 
Pros: Everything you'd expect from a park bearing this name. 
Cons: Everyone else in Redbridge will probably bring their Valentine here as well. 

Greenwich Park, perimeter 2.0mi (3.2k)
Nothing says "I love you" like running to the end of the world for the love of your life. Here you can technically do just that by running to our planet's longitudinal zero. Also add-on a trip under the Thames via the foot tunnel near the Cutty Sark. And if you're all starry-eyed, why not top off your run with a visit to the observatory?
Pros: Greenwich has that royal air about it that shows how much you care for your prince or princess. 
Cons: Don't try to beat your Valentine to the top of the hills—this is not the time to impress them with your incredibly advanced VO2max … save that for later… [cough]. 

By Hayden Shearman // When I was researching for the Runner's Guide to London I had the unfortunate coincidence of dealing with a rather nasty case of ulcerative colitis (inflammatory bowel disease). WARNING: graphic descriptions and mild toilet humour to follow. 

For about two years of my running life, going for a run meant getting the runs. My runs were either fartlek dashes between restrooms or cross country bush bashing between shrubbery with suitably-sized leaves. 

During this phase of having an over-active gut, the Royal Parks were a haven. A toilet block every mile is standard for most Royal Parks and they are well-maintaned, clean and tidy, and, most of all, open when they say they'll be open (I wish I could say the same for other London parks). 

However, the Royal Parks are feeling the pinch on their pennies. The £1.5million yearly bill to keep these, often life-saving, toilets clean and functioning has become too much. Faced with the option of shutting them or charging for their use, thankfully they've chosen the later, slapping us users with a relatively minimal 20p fee (beginning Feb 2015). 

At the height of my colitis mis-adventures nature could call 5-10 times in one run. So doing the math, I'd be looking at £1-2 for toilet breaks every single run. Ten runs a week and I'd need a bum bag just to carry all the 20p coins I'd need for emptying that same bum. 

Of course, my case was pretty extreme, and thankfully my bowels have settled down now. But the main issue for us runners is just the practical logistics of needing to carry 20p every time we head out the door with the trainers on. 

Where do you put that 20p? Under your inner sole? 

Rattling around in a jacket or shorts pocket? 

Or do you drill a hole through the 20p coin and tie it to your laces? Would this even work in the paying machine? Is it legal to drill holes in coins? 

And what about if it's just number-ones? Do you save your coinage for number-twos and just find a large enough bush? 

Children's toilets will still be free in Royal Parks, so you could always run with a small child in a buggy. Then get them to mind the buggy while you "inspect the loos". 

Anyway, jokes aside, I must commend the Royal Parks for not making the disastrous move to board up the bathrooms for good and also the fact they've kept the fee low. And the majority of public toilets in London do already carry a small charge (10p to 50p seems to be the norm), so it's not that different to what we already manage elsewhere. 

But this carrying coins situation certainly presents a few extra logistical challenges for the runner.

Do you carry pennies for your peeing or do you just use the bushes? Share your tips below ...

Read the Royal Parks' official announcement. 

Hayden Shearman is the author of the Runner's Guide to London. 

By Hayden Shearman || 


If you've ever run the London Marathon, you'll be familiar with mental toughness as that thing you need most when you start heading west again from Canary Wharf. 

It's what gets you out the door on a cold rainy winter's morning and is that thing that keeps you running all the way to the top of Parliament Hill without a sneaky walk. 

It's a key component of any endurance sport, but how does it relate to injury and over-training problems? Is it always a good thing or can it actually be destructive?

Dr Josephine Perry has recently released the results of her study into the psychology, training habits and training mishaps of 591 amateur endurance athletes (runners, triathletes and cyclists) and her findings and recommendations are worth tucking away: 

1. Watch that Niggle. She found that over half of all injuries lasting over a week began just as a niggle. So to ignore a niggle can be risky business. Josephine says, "Get the niggle looked at and rest the area to prevent it building into something more serious." 

2. Mind Strength Is All Good. The study found no significant relationship between high mental toughness and overtraining or injury rates. Josephine explains that this "is positive and implies that mental toughness skills need not be feared. Therefore, if you get an opportunity to take some mental toughness training, seize it." E.g. take another trip up Parliament Hill while you're there!

3. Test Yourself. Finally, Josephine provides a short self-test to determine your own mental toughness. Give this a try now by answering the following statements (answer: A - very true; B - Mostly true; C - a little true; D - Not at all true).* 

• I worry about performing poorly 
  
• I am overcome by self-doubt 
  
• I get anxious by events I did not expect or cannot control 
• I get angry and frustrated when things do not go my way 

Scoring: D=4, C=3, B=2, A=1.

Here's Josephine's advice if you scored below a total of 11: 
"Learn to be honest with yourself and listen to what your body is telling you about when you are tired and when to rest. If you have a coach do not switch off listening to your body and just do everything they say, feed back to them openly and honestly about how you are feeling and any issues or niggles. 

In particular, if your main communication with your coach is over the phone or email describe how you are feeling and your concerns so they can adapt your training effectively. If you do get an injury recognise you have a greater propensity to go back to training quicker than advised and resolve to accurately follow the advice from the sports medical professional about how long to rest and recover for." 

If you have any questions or would like to know more about the research please contact: josephineperry@googlemail.com

* Sheard, M. (2013). Mental toughness: The mindset behind sporting achievement. Hove: Routledge. Summary of research undertaken for the dissertation element of an MSc in Psychology