Youngsters from the North East were given an insight into what it means to participate in the sport of running.
Two weeks before the 2026 England National Cross Country Championships in the region, students from Sedgefield Community College visited the venue and competed in a series of mini races that will see thousands of runners from across the country later this month thanks to Sedgefield Harriers and the North East Combined Authority.
The 2026 England National Cross Country Championships will be held at Hardwick East Park in Sedgefield, returning to County Durham for the first time in 25 years.
Organized by the English Cross Country Association in association with Northern Athletics and Sedgefield Harriers, the championships are sponsored by SportsShoes.com and feature 10 separate races for junior and senior runners, starting at 11am on Saturday 21 February.
With financial support from North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, host club Sedgefield Harriers is putting 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 new people in communities, particularly in East Durham, showing pathways to better health outcomes through physical activity and sport. The project is in line with the Mayor’s mission to make the North East 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 21st, a large group of students accompanied the College’s Head of PE to learn more about the event and experience what ran during the National Sports Championships. They met representatives from Sedgefield Harriers and the state of North East California, and the four-year-olds took part in a series of ‘Queen and King of the Hill’ races, with prizes awarded to the fastest runners.
Sue Dobson, chairman of Sedgefield Harriers, said: “There is a real buzz around the club and Sedgefield in general as we prepare to host the national championship for our sport. Many Harriers have signed up to take part, including some of our junior runners. athletics.”
Leslie Strickland, head of events and sport at the North East Combined Authority, adds: “Hosting the Nationals is a fantastic opportunity to showcase County Durham and inspire people of all ages to take up running. Grassroots sports are where healthy habits begin, and events like this can provide that first step.
“We want the championships to encourage more people to join a club or just go for a run. It supports our ambition to make the North East the UK’s sporting region, opening up opportunities for everyone and putting our region on the map with great events.
“Sport builds confidence, unites communities and helps overcome inequality. Our region’s passion for sport is strong and we are leveraging it to attract high participation and major events that are firmly putting the North East on the map.”
Sedgefield Community College student Lewis Amer comments: “I like being active and healthy. I especially enjoy the social aspects of the sport. They are really important to me. I have made many friends through an active lifestyle and have also developed many personal qualities such as teamwork and communication.”
Stephen Hepples, Head of Sport and Active Lifestyle Promotion at Sedgefield Community College, said: “Events like this are fantastic for everyone in the local community. This includes the young and the old. Providing opportunities to watch or even be a part of such an event will hopefully inspire more people to live a healthy active lifestyle.
“Whether trying something for the first time or reaching personal performance goals, we all need to find our own motivation to live a healthy lifestyle. Events like this in our community will support this. From all of us at Sedgefield Community College we would like to wish all the competitors and organizers the best of luck. Good luck.”
For more information on the English National Cross Country Championships visit www.englishcrosscountry.co.uk.
