ECCA National Cross Country Champs, Cofton Park, Birmingham

Battered Bels do us proud in National Cross

Magnificent Milesy gets the bronze

The rolling hills of Cofton Park were dusted with streaks of snow as the tent party arrived on course shortly after 7am and although the day was bright throughout, there was a continual raw wind that showed no mercy, particularly on the high sections of the course. The going was good and when the racing got under way the starts were fast and furious with the wind hustling the runners along the initial 300 metre downhill stretch.

Our women's champion from 2004, Birhan Dagne, was not defending her title but, on the positive side, this was the first time a very solid Belgrave women's team had tackled the "National". Yes there are other national events that we have targetted well in the past but the National Cross Country Championship is the ultimate team event for harrier clubs and it was great to have a strong quartette to support.

Sarah Murphy maintained her role as our leading team runner of late and her 39th place gave us a great start. Tilly Heaton and Louise Cooper backed up well and with Liz Horrobin closing in, we ended up in 12th place - a highly creditable result which when combined with the men's score in the following race, gave us the 5th best club performance for the two senior races (behind Tipton, Bristol & West, Sale and Leeds). And there was plenty of interest outside the Belgrave foursome as Gemma Phillips, Mark Miles' girlfriend, added to her reputation by placing 7th for Kendall AC and the Skipper's other half, Dorchie Lee was again scoring in Bristol & West's winning squad.

It had been a struggle to provide a competitive men's team to attempt a defence of our National Cross Country title and we knew that we would need every stroke of luck going our way to get up there. From Mark Miles, coming back from a low-key spell and not professing a liking for cross country, to Dave Anderson, with only two weeks of reasonable training behind him due to his ongoing Achilles tendon problems; from Hassan Raidi, short on background after a knee problem, to Kevin Nash, not really sure whether he was over the recurrence of his hip injury; all of them lined up running only for the sake of the team.

The downhill charge claimed an immediate victim as Mark Miles went tumbling but after a mile Spencer Barden was well positioned in a chasing group with Mark in the 30s and our scoring team all passing through by the 70s. Coventry's Glynn Tromans had already broken clear in his quest for a third victory and his nearest challenger was club-mate Steffan White, a winner himself back in '97. But Coventry were short on back-up and it was Belgrave, Tipton, Salford and the Beagles being announced as early leaders in the team stakes.

After a lap Salford and Tipton were driving forward and the Bels found themselves under pressure. Spen was beginning to look very uncomfortable although Mark Miles was working his way through and Kevin Nash was well placed in the 30s.

"Milesy's going to get a medal," shouted Richard Partridge to our Team Manager, "Do you want a bet on it?" Having lost money to Richard in the past and not wanting to bet against one of his own men, our TM declined the offer. Mark certainly was going well and around the second 4k loop was placed in a bunch of athletes in contention for the bronze with Coventry's Steffan White, currently in silver, beginning to look a bit "iffy".

David Anderson was having a remarkable run and Tim Watson, too, was rock solid. Hassan Raidi was closing in the team in around 80th with Will Cockerell close behind but Spen, in the high 'teens and going back, was in deep trouble. His quads were seizing up and tackling the climbs for the third time our "banker" came out of the race. But if this was a disappointment then it was more than made up for by the sheer delight witnessed on Mark's face as the race came to a conclusion. Tromans was unbeatable but White had indeed collapsed to be swept up by a group headed by Bristol's Rob Whalley with our man bursting clear of the "hopefuls" to sprint down the final straight in third place with fists clenched on either side of his head as he entered the funnel.

So, we lost both our pots - both the championship and the first Southern club - but it had been a bit of an impossible dream and there was great pride in our team. With "Geordie" Anderson's cry of "Bring on the 12-Stage" ringing in our ears, the group disbanded and we now look forward to the road relays.

Within an hour the park was all but deserted. That treacherous wind now brought in snow again as the tent was dismantled and those who had been on site soon after dawn had the world to themselves once more - and enjoyed the most hilarious moment of the day. Gordon Biscoe, taking one last chance to "inspect the plumbing" at the portaloos before journeying home, had to shout for help as, while occupying his place of convenience, it was connected to the sewage disposal unit before being fork-lifted onto the back of a lorry for transfer to who knows where!

Women. 1 H Yelling (Windsor SE&H) 28:21; 2 C Dale (Invicta EK) 28:51; 3 H Dean (Radley) 29:11; ... 7 G Phillips (Kendal) 30:02; ... 20 D Lee (Bristol &W) 31:05; ... 39 S Murphy 32:01; 67 M Heaton 32:51; 134 L Cooper 34:43; 208 L Horrobin 37:02; 451 finished.

1 Bristol &W (5, 6, 20, 24) 55; 2 Charnwood AC (4, 15, 17, 21) 57; 3 Tipton H 22, 36, 62, 69) 189; 4 Chester-le-Street (9, 19, 63, 101) 192; 5 Sale HM ( 33, 40, 65, 72) 210; 6 Windsor SE&H (1, 41, 93, 102) 237; 7 Liverpool H&AC 16, 18, 76, 152) 262; 8 City of Norwich (26, 34, 106, 109) 275; 9 Highgate H (48, 57, 68, 118) 291; 10 Bedford &CAC (11, 42, 148, 170) 371; 12 Belgrave H ( 39, 67, 134, 208) 448; 50 teams closed in.

Men. 1 G Tromans (Coventry G) 37:53; 2 R Whalley (Bristol &W) 38:25; 3 M Miles (Belgrave H) 38:28; 32 K Nash 40:15; 53 David Anderson 40:50; 66 T Watson 41:15; 97 H Raidi 42:01; 111 W Cockerell 42:17; 175 J Clarke 43:20; 182 J Charles 43:26; 229 T Hadfield 44:14; 450 P Carstairs M40 47:06; 990 Don Anderson 54:42; S Barden dnf; 1316 finished.

1 Salford H&AC (13, 15, 19, 21, 51, 69) 188; 2 Leeds City AC (16, 28, 41, 45, 50, 52) 232; 3 Tipton H (20, 25, 35, 36, 56, 60) 232; 4 Newham &EB (17, 46, 48, 55, 59, 95) 319; 5 Bristol &WAC (2, 12, 38, 83, 101, 106) 342; 6 Belgrave H (3, 32, 53, 66, 97, 111) 362; 7 Coventry G ( 1, 5, 30, 75, 125, 297) 533; 8 Sale HM (7, 29, 39, 105, 155, 268) 603; 9 Bedford &CAC ( 33, 49, 112, 114, 181, 184) 673; 10 Kent AC (23, 76, 86, 129, 194, 227) 735; 102 teams closed in.

Restored from the club's earlier website, belgraveharriers.com, and published here as originally written.