My FIRST EVER Cross Country Race!! XC running is harder than I thought...

Today we're in Parliament Hill for the Cross Country London Championships.. dipping my toe into the XC water and seeing what all the fuss is about!

ALL NEW RUNNING HATS, SWEATERS, TEES IN STOCK WITH FAST WORLDWIDE SHIPPING!
Code YOUTUBE for 10% off your order. Thank you for your support!

TRAINING PLANS TO GET YOU THAT PB YOU DESERVE!

Follow along on Social Media!

Ways to help

[derek_spear]

I love it, racing in it's purest form 👍

[swm]

XC is great fun but also very humbling if your fitness in not great. National XC is an amazing experience. You and Sarah should definitely run it if you get the chance.

[richybeattie]

Winter is my favourite season for running because of XC. The summer has the road races for myself, lots of pressure to make training work and it’s all business. Come the winter though, I rejoin the club senior team and spend most weekends having the best fun getting covered in mud, tackling brutal courses, having friendly competition amongst the team and is a sure fire way to maintain and build running fitness. I hated it at school but at 42, XC is my absolute favourite thing to do

[jennysmith]

Loved this, i remember about 40 years ago in the national championships at PF Julian Goater skating across the mud and leaving the field in his wake, absolutely loved racing x country, my best ever was 37th in the nationals as a junior and 12th in my county Surrey, a long time ago, but UK X country the best, well done for getting it done,

[gwilymeades]

XC is probably my favourite aspect of running and one of the best reasons for being in a club. It is the best kind of training too, I find my best improvements come from it both in terms of strength and in terms of speed/breathing. The best way, which you did as well, is to set yourself up to be picking people off the whole way. Great video! Thank you!

[Curly_Captures]

Love that you're doing some XC. Some of my best experiences of running are competing in XC races. Admittedly, the races themselves are horrendous but they're worth doing for the social side. Even if you don't feel like giving an all out effort on the day, you're helping your club just by being there.

[tworunningbrooms]

Like you say, Ben, XC is the most traditional form of racing and is wonderful in its purity. The team aspect and camaraderie adds an extra dimension too,

[Redterror]

In my limited XC experience, your road "easy / aerobic" pace, can easily send you full lactic when you take into account the bad footing, mud and hills. It's a totally different beast to road running.

[jackkasperski]

Ben! Congratulations! Cross Country is another discipline...a great way to build leg strength and speed!

[AndyParkes]

I've just started my second season of cross country. Always hard work but love the team day out. So much so I'm running in two leagues for two clubs this year! I did nationals at Parliament Hill this year and they unreal. Definitely worth experiencing next time it's there

[jaydenprince]

Well done Ben. I love cross country and fell/trail running. Kinda on your joints too.

[richardrankin]

Loved this. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[AshRolls]

XC is amazing, the real spirit of racing and such a high standard of runner.

[paulstarr]

Very well done Ben.
I use to run cross country and did the National many years ago. My good friend won the senior men's event in 96, Justin Pugsley.
Great effort 👌

[ersinmehmet]

Well done Ben!!! What a great video! and even better effort to try something new! Ersin

[stevecolders]

Definitely some pleasure v’s pain in XC, but I keep coming back to it. It’s very pure racing, no gimmicks, just you against the hill and the fella ahead if you. There’s also a proper community element to it as well.

[jimtilbrook]

@benparkes well done congratulations good effort . Excellent Vlog. I finished in position 420 at a time of 1:02:55

[Leeflow]

Look cool 😎 never did one before might give a go..👋

[IsaacMedrano]

Amazing!!! All that history booggles the mind! Congrats. XC is my favorite discipline in running. Nothing like doning the Team kit and engaging in a little sufferfest!

[michaelsanders]

My first year running XC this year too and I'm absolutely loving it. It hurts from the first k to the last but it's a great day out.