Mansfield relays: Tonbridge retain their title and Herne Hill win the women's

If you want to see what club athletics looks like at its best, go to the English Cross Country Relays. Relay days are all club tents, team vests and people shouting for the teammate they're about to hand over to. On Saturday at Berry Hill Park in Mansfield, the weather played along too: calm and sunny.

The numbers say it all. There were 165 teams in the senior men's race and 114 in the senior women's, plus hundreds more across the age groups, from under 14s upwards. There was something new this year too, a mixed relay for senior and under 20 athletes, with two men and two women in each team.

Tonbridge do it again

Tonbridge retained the senior men's title in 59:07 over four 5km legs, with Western Tempo second in 59:51 and Cambridge & Coleridge third in 59:59. Ted Higgins ran the fastest lap of the day, 14:32, and anchor James Kingston brought it home. He was very modest about it afterwards, giving the credit to his teammates.

A first for Herne Hill's women

The senior women's race was won by Herne Hill in 28:43, a huge 51 seconds clear of the defending champions, Belgrave. Lucy Jones, Sophie Tooley and Olympian Katie Snowden ran the three legs, and it was the first time Herne Hill's senior women have won the title. Aldershot, Farnham & District were third.

Tooley summed up the spirit of the day perfectly: "It was a panic leg for me as I've been ill this week but it was all perfect and this is my type of cross-country." Herne Hill had a day to remember, with their under 18 men winning too.

The juniors

For me the junior races are always the highlight. Congratulations to all the age group winners:

• Under 14 girls: Brentwood Beagles
• Under 14 boys: Salford Harriers
• Under 16 girls: Warriors Pentathlon & AC, by just four seconds
• Under 16 boys: Brighton & Hove AC
• Under 18 women: Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow
• Under 18 men: Herne Hill Harriers
• Under 20 women: Loughborough Students
• Under 20 men: St Mary's University
• Mixed relay: Cambridge & Coleridge

Behind every one of those teams is a club volunteer who sorted the entries, booked the minibus and made sure everyone had the right vest. Relays only happen because of people like that, so if you were one of them on Saturday, thank you.

Cross country relays are one of the best ways for a newer club runner to feel part of a team. If you'd like to give it a go next season, find a track near you and the clubs that train there.

Source: Athletics Weekly