1. Cross Country Leagues (Area)

In the autumn and winter of 2024/25, Vegan Runners UK fielded senior teams in the North Midlands XC League. This follows our previous participation in the Gwent XC League during the 2021/22 season.

For the upcoming 2025/26 season, we will have both men’s and women’s teams in the North Midlands XC League and the East Midlands XC League. Additionally, through our affiliation with the Sussex County Athletic Association, we can also participate in the Sussex XC League. Members in other areas will be informed if we enter any other leagues.

Ideally, the club encourages participants to commit to all fixtures, or as many as they are available for. To be eligible for the North Midlands XC League, you must be a resident in Notts, Derbys, South Yorks, Staffs, Lincs, Leics, Northants, Rutland, or Cambs. Furthermore, the club submits a list of participating members before the first event and amends it as necessary. Participants do not need to register on the day; however, you are required to wear the black & green club top. Upon finishing, you will receive a positioning disc to return to the VRUK Team Manager, who then records your name and position.

North Midlands XC League Fixtures 2025/26

• 11 Oct – Markeaton Park, Derby
• 8 Nov – Wicksteed Park, Kettering
• 6 Dec – Allestree Park, Derby
• 10 Jan – Bulwell Hall Park, Nottingham

The Senior/Masters Women’s event (approx. 6K) starts at 1:50 pm, while the Senior/Masters Men’s event (approx. 10K) begins at 2:20 pm. Vegan Runners UK plans to have a shelter at all North Midlands fixtures. For more details, please visit the North Midlands XC League website.

East Midlands XC League Fixtures

• Sunday 25 January – Bramcote Park
• 1 February – Holme Pierrepont
• 8 February – Colwick Woods
• 22 February – West Park, Long Eaton

All these races begin at 11:00 am.

Contact Peter Simpson to Participate

2. South of England Regional Cross Country Relays – 18 October 2025

The SEAA organizes these championships. When available, you can find details on the official SEAA website.

This event normally takes place at Wormwood Scrubs, West London, on the 3rd Saturday in October, with facilities at the Linford Christie Stadium (hosted by Thames Valley Harriers). As a championship event, the standard of competition is high. Therefore, the club aims to field competitive teams and needs to know your level of achievement in the months prior, particularly over 5K, 10K, and/or off-road distances.

Seniors and Masters/Vets compete in the same team. The senior women’s event consists of 3 legs of approximately 3K, while the senior men’s event has 4 legs of approximately 4K. We also need reserves to cover for any members who may need to withdraw.

Unfortunately, the club can only affiliate with one regional association. For more information, please visit the South of England Athletic Association’s cross country page.

3. English National Cross Country Relays – 1 November 2025

At the 2022 National XC Relays at Berry Hill Park, our women’s team of three (Clare Coombes, Katie Bonner & Claire Evans) finished 102nd out of 125 complete teams in a creditable performance where each leg was 3K. Similarly, at the 2023 event, the men’s team (Allan Shaw, Brit Peacock, Jonathan Holt & Mark Gregory) finished 129th out of 152 teams, with each leg consisting of two 2.5k laps. For full results, visit Sporthive, and for more information on the association, see the English Cross Country Association website.

Race and Team Details

The English National XC Relays is a championship event, and consequently, the club seeks competitive members for 2025. Ideally, men should be running a 5K under 21 minutes and women under 27 minutes. The senior women’s event is a single 3K lap, while the men run two 2.5K laps. All runners must be registered with England Athletics via Vegan Runners UK. Any members with ‘Club Membership Only’ must pay the additional £20. If you are EA registered with another club, you can only run for that club unless you switch clubs well in advance and pay the EA admin fee.

There is no distinction between master and senior categories. The women’s event typically starts at 1:50 pm and the men’s at 2:40 pm. Given the time of year, it does get dark quickly towards the end of the men’s event, another reason for limiting the times of our men to 21 minutes. Junior events are held earlier in the day.

There are 4 legs for a senior men’s team and 3 legs for a senior women’s team. In 2019 we managed to raise 3 men’s teams and 1 women’s team. There are other age-group relays for runners under 20 years starting from 11 am. Runners need to compete in their age group if there is enough interest for a team.

The club pays for team entries, and we confirm the running order a day or two before the event. We also need some runners in reserve as cover for withdrawals so not everyone interested will necessarily get a leg to run. The closing date for entries is usually the second week of October, so the club needs to hear from interested members by a date e-mailed to members. Vegan Runners UK normally has a shelter at this event.

Contact the Club Cross Country Secretary

4. London Cross Country Championships – 8 November 2025

The SEAA organizes these championships, and you can find details on the SEAA website.

Members who have lived in a London borough for at least one year, or have worked in London for at least a year, are eligible for these championships at Parliament Hill, Hampstead Heath. This is not a relay, so there is no limit on the number of runners i.e. 1 runner or as many as are interested can run, slow or fast. However, all participants must be EA registered via Vegan Runners UK.

The senior women’s 6K starts at 1:15 pm, and the senior men’s 10K starts at 2:00 pm. You should pay the entry fee to Vegan Runners UK either by bank transfer or PayPal, the club will e-mail the account details to interested members. The closing date for entries is the end of October so, Vegan Runners UK needs your payment by the 3rd week in October. Members entered collect their number and chip on the day of registration.

E-mail Peter Simpson if Interested

5. South of England Masters Cross Country Championship – 29 November 2025

The SEAA organizes these championships, and details can be found on the SEAA website.

The venue for the 2024 SEAA Masters XC Championships was Oxford AC at Horspath, Oxford. The timetable included the SEAA Inter-Counties XC Champs.

The Master’s events are for runners over 40 years of age, men, and women. The age categories are V40-49, V50-59, and V60-69. Any V70+ men run with the masters women, a distance of 6K approx starting at 11:45 am otherwise the master’s men run 10K approx (more like 9K by experience) starting at 2:10 pm. As normal all competitors must be EA registered for Vegan Runners UK. The entry fee was £9 (tbc for the 2024 event). Members entered collect their number and chip on the day of registration. In the December 2022 event, Colin Braybrook had to run for his 1st claim club in the V50 category otherwise Vegan Runners UK had no members running.

E-mail Peter Simpson if Interested

6. English County Cross Country Championships – December 2025 / January 2026

Most English County Athletic Associations hold a cross-country championship for EA-registered runners who have been resident in the county for a minimum of 9 months or their county of birth. Anyone interested should look on their County Association website for details and arrange for their entry. Some counties have separate dates for junior age groups, seniors, and masters. The main date for this championship is normally the first Saturday in January. The entry form will likely ask for the team manager’s details but you can enter your own, follow the payment details and collect your number and chip on the day. It maybe useful to take your own tent.

7. South of England Regional (Main) Championships – 24 January 2026

This SEAA-organized championship will take place at Beckenham Place Park, southeast London/Kent. You can find details on the SEAA website.

Any EA-registered members of Vegan Runners UK may enter, but please consider the potentially tough conditions, especially for the men’s 15K race. Any member likely to finish over 1 hour 30 minutes is discouraged from entering or will need to complete 2 of the 3 laps within 50 minutes. The senior women’s 8K event starts around 1:30 pm, and the senior men’s 15K begins around 2:30 pm. Master runners are also welcomed. You must pay the entry fee (tbc) to Vegan Runners UK either by bank transfer or PayPal, the club can e-mail the account details to interested members. The closing date for entries is mid December so, Vegan Runners UK needs your payment (amount tbc) by the 2nd week of December 2025. Members will then collect their number and chip on the day. Vegan Runners UK plans to have a shelter at this event.

E-mail Peter Simpson to Participate

8. English National Cross Country Championships – 21 February 2026

The 2026 ECCA National Championship will be held at East Hardwick Park, Sedgefield, County Durham. The 2025 championships were held at Parliament Hill, Hampstead Heath, London.

The ECCA Championships are open to all EA-registered members of Vegan Runners UK. Runners of a wide range of abilities enter although it is not suitable for complete beginners. The event schedule normally has the senior women’s 8K starting at 1:35 pm and the senior men’s 12K at 3:00 pm with junior events preceding. With longer daylight and shorter distance, there isn’t a time limit for the men’s race except that conditions are likely to be tough at this time of year. The entry fee likely to be around £14. For more details about the event and the English Cross Country association go to the national cross country championships entry procedure. There is normally a link at the bottom of the entry procedure that allows members to personally enter. Vegan Runners UK plans to have a shelter or tent at this event.

E-mail Peter Simpson if Interested