Cross country league

Chiltern Cross Country League
Chiltern Cross Country League – Tom Comerford

The Chiltern Cross Country League is for athletic clubs in the North West Home Counties, specifically Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire.

Races are held on parkland, farmers’ fields, or forest paths over 5 miles or 10k. Some courses are flat (Milton Keynes, Teardrop Lakes), others very hilly (Oxford at Horspath). All ages and both sexes are catered for from Under 11 years, to Veterans. MMKAC compete in the higher of the two divisions and have done for many years, uninterrupted by relegation. From 1997 to 2006, and again in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2020. MMKAC were the overall league champions. MMK were second overall in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2022.

There are separate races for each age group – Under 13 boys, Under 15 boys and Under 17 men (4 to score in each race) and Senior/Veteran Men (10 to score for Senior Men, 3 to score for Junior Men and 4 to score for Veteran Men), plus Under 13 girls, Under 15 girls (both 4 to score) and Under 17/Under 20 women, (3 to score) and Senior/Veteran Women (6 to score for senior women and 4 to score for veteran women). League Tables are kept separately for each age group for men and women. Points are scored in the Senior men’s race, for example, by the first 10 runners from each club. All other runners from 11th onward may not score points, but by finishing in front of other clubs ‘scoring’ runners, they push down the possible score of rival teams. Typically MMK will have between 30 and 45 runners in the Senior Men’s Team. The separate scores for each age group (excluding veteran men and women and junior men) are added together to arrive at the Final League table.

This XC league, consists of 5 races, run monthly between Oct and Feb. It is open to all members of the club, from U11 to veteran athletes. Everybody who runs scores for the team and it is a great way to get some off-road training during the Winter months

rpownall59@gmail.com – Richard Pownall, XC senior/vets’ team manager.

barry.hearn@mkac.org.uk – Barry Hearn, XC U15/U17/U20 team manager.

wiggyhearn@hotmail.com – Chris Hearn, XC U13, U11 team manager.

Official Chiltern Cross Country League website