Young people from the North East of England have been given an insight into what it’s like to take part in the sport of cross-country running.
A fortnight before the 2026 English National Cross Country Championships is staged in the region, students from Sedgefield Community College visited the event venue and competed in a series of mini races on part of the course that will be tackled by thousands of runners from around the country later this month – thanks to Sedgefield Harriers and the North East Combined Authority.
The 2026 English National Cross Country Championships will be held in Hardwick East Park in Sedgefield, returning to County Durham for the first time in 25 years.
Organised by the English Cross Country Association in partnership with Northern Athletics and Sedgefield Harriers, the championships are sponsored by SportsShoes.com and include 10 separate races for junior and senior runners, starting at 11:00am on Saturday 21 February.
With financial support through North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, host club Sedgefield Harriers is investing extra resources into promoting the championships and encouraging people to take up the sport.
Working alongside Mayor Kim, the club is using the event as a catalyst to engage with new people in communities, particularly throughout East Durham, demonstrating pathways into better health outcomes through physical activity and sport. The project is aligned to the mayor’s mission for the North East to be the UK’s first ‘Region of Sport’.
Sedgefield Harriers has a growing junior section and many of its young members are students at the local secondary school, Sedgefield Community College, where they also run in the college’s own cross country team.
Ahead of February 21, a large group of students accompanied the college’s head of PE to find out more about the event, and experience what it’s like to run on the course of the sport’s national championships. They met representatives from Sedgefield Harriers and the North East CA, and children from four year groups tackled a series of ‘Queen and King of the Hill’ races, with prizes awarded to the fastest runners.
Sue Dobson, chair of Sedgefield Harriers, said: “There’s a real buzz around the club and Sedgefield in general as we prepare to host the national championships of our sport. Loads of Harriers have signed up to take part, including some of our junior runners. A lot of them are students at Sedgefield Community College and we hope that their energy and enthusiasm will inspire more young people in the area to take up athletics.”
Lesley Strickland, events and sports lead at the North East Combined Authority, adds: “Hosting the Nationals is a fantastic chance to showcase County Durham and inspire people of all ages to get into running. Grassroots sport is where healthy habits start, and events like this can spark that first step.
“We want the championships to motivate more people to join a club or simply head out for a jog. It supports our drive to make the North East the UK’s Region of Sport, opening up opportunities for everyone and bringing major events that put our region on the map.
“Sport builds confidence, brings communities together and helps tackle inequality. Our region’s passion for sport is strong, and we’re using it to grow participation and attract major events that put the North East firmly on the map.”
Sedgefield Community College student Lewis Amer comments: “I enjoy being active and healthy. I particularly enjoy the social aspects of sport. These are really important to me. I have made lots of friends through having an active lifestyle and also develop many personal qualities like teamwork and communication.”
Steven Hepples, leader of sport and promotion of active lifestyles at Sedgefield Community College, said: “Events like this are fantastic for everybody in the local community. This includes the young and the old. Providing opportunities to spectate at, or even be a part of, such an event will hopefully inspire more people to lead healthy active lifestyles.
“Whether trying something for the first time or achieving personal performance goals, we all need to find our own motivation to lead a health active lifestyle. Events like this in our community will support this. From all of us at Sedgefield Community College, we would like to wish all competitors and organisers every success. Good luck.”
For more information about the English National Cross Country Championships, visit englishcrosscountry.co.uk.