0:00:17 > 0:00:24It's the purist form of racing, it's about the mud, the snow, in the
0:00:24 > 0:00:35hills, the surges, the speed of the start. 30 years of passion. 30 years
0:00:35 > 0:00:41of glory. 30 years of competition.
0:00:46 > 0:00:52All great champions. Now with the great winter run, the masses get if
0:00:52 > 0:00:56you'll be experienced and share in the emotions of the event. 30 years
0:00:56 > 0:01:02of cross-country.
0:01:02 > 0:01:08Welcome to Edinburgh for the 30th International cross-country event
0:01:08 > 0:01:11and it is here in Edinburgh that the race has been run in the last few
0:01:11 > 0:01:17years and what a place to celebrate, the 30th, the landmark birthday, the
0:01:17 > 0:01:21crowds come out and enjoy the elite athletes and the mass participation
0:01:21 > 0:01:26events. Nestled just underneath Arthur's seat in this glorious
0:01:26 > 0:01:30capital city that today has welcomed the sun. Not as cold as it's been in
0:01:30 > 0:01:33recent years, certainly a couple of years ago when it was shrouded in
0:01:33 > 0:01:36snow and rain but very good conditions, drizzle overnight means
0:01:36 > 0:01:39it will perhaps be a bit muddy underfoot but most of the runners
0:01:39 > 0:01:45quite enjoyed out. As Paul alluded to, this is an inclusive event. For
0:01:45 > 0:01:49anyone and everyone and the races start early this morning with people
0:01:49 > 0:01:52running in all kinds of abilities, so who better to go out there and
0:01:52 > 0:01:58check the runners and riders than Jake Chalmers.The great Edinburgh
0:01:58 > 0:02:04winter run. 3500 people will make up the masses that take root the iconic
0:02:04 > 0:02:08Arthur's seat. Five kilometres and it is for anyone and everyone. Some
0:02:08 > 0:02:11people will do to stay fit and have fun, some doing it for reasons much
0:02:11 > 0:02:18closer to their hearts.It's a massive challenge me, I'm not the
0:02:18 > 0:02:22kind of person who wakes up in the morning and things I want to go for
0:02:22 > 0:02:26a run. Gets home from work and things let's put on the trainers.
0:02:26 > 0:02:33I'm not a runner, I'm not in any way athletics.The run in Edinburgh, it
0:02:33 > 0:02:39will be quite emotional. Been through chemotherapy, surgery,
0:02:39 > 0:02:46beating cancer, so you know what, get up that hill and get on with it!
0:02:46 > 0:02:50We will hear more from those inspirational women later on but
0:02:50 > 0:02:54first of all, we were down at the start of the masses race and joined
0:02:54 > 0:03:00up with the group of runners from South Edinburgh.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04South Edinburgh.Who are these guys. We're an athletics club in the
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Scottish Borders, teach from five-year-old is right up to
0:03:07 > 0:03:1365-year-olds. Running, javelin, high jump, long jump, you name it, we
0:03:13 > 0:03:16cultured.Today you are taking on the five care but training for
0:03:16 > 0:03:19something much bigger. John O'Groats to lands end, how's it going?In
0:03:19 > 0:03:24July this year, we're doing a challenge for you on nonstop from
0:03:24 > 0:03:31John O'Groats to lands end, over 900 miles in 12 days. 80 miles per day,
0:03:31 > 0:03:35so this is part of the training for that event, a bit of a challenge but
0:03:35 > 0:03:39looking forward to it.Are you doing that as a bit of a relay?Yes, one
0:03:39 > 0:03:45runner at a time and do eight miles each day and work your way down the
0:03:45 > 0:03:49country and hopefully completed in 12 days.12 days. He was training
0:03:49 > 0:03:54for that and for today been going? It's going well, we train twice a
0:03:54 > 0:04:00week. With the club and do a Sunday run which we are upping the miles to
0:04:00 > 0:04:05try to get ready for running 80 miles in a week.Best of luck for
0:04:05 > 0:04:08you today and we can't wait to see how you get on today but I can't
0:04:08 > 0:04:11wait to find out how you get on in the massive challenge later in the
0:04:11 > 0:04:18year.Let's just remind you how the whole event works in terms of points
0:04:18 > 0:04:21for the elite athletes because there are quite a few different races that
0:04:21 > 0:04:24contribute to the overall total. The International challenge. This is
0:04:24 > 0:04:26made up of the following.
0:04:26 > 0:04:36International challenge. This is made up of the following.
0:04:36 > 0:04:44Clement USA, Europe and Great Britain in that one.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48That total has been very tight in recent years. The team at a lower
0:04:48 > 0:04:51score winning and
0:04:51 > 0:04:51recent years. The team at a lower score winning and the points really
0:04:51 > 0:04:53do matter because it's come down to the finest
0:04:53 > 0:04:54do matter because it's come down to the finest margins. Very dramatic
0:04:54 > 0:04:58finishes we had of late and if you think this is a group of individual
0:04:58 > 0:05:01runners getting together to see how they are working over the
0:05:01 > 0:05:04cross-country with other races in mind, it's about a lot more than
0:05:04 > 0:05:08that, victory which really does matter to these guys and Chris
0:05:08 > 0:05:14Berry, the USA captain has sent the first shot across the bows.-- Chris
0:05:14 > 0:05:19Berry. Really excited to come back to Scotland and race. One of the
0:05:19 > 0:05:22best places to race. Whenever I'm there I hear that Americans don't
0:05:22 > 0:05:27know anything about true cross-country. Did you know that a
0:05:27 > 0:05:31US man has won the last five editions and bringing three of those
0:05:31 > 0:05:35guys back for the 20 18th edition and they expect we will show once
0:05:35 > 0:05:39again that we know a little something of running over hills!The
0:05:39 > 0:05:42USA runners do love coming to the Scottish capital and they
0:05:42 > 0:05:42USA runners do love coming to the Scottish capital and they have been
0:05:42 > 0:05:47very strong over the last five years or so, winning the individual and
0:05:47 > 0:05:55the team events and it women's six kilometres which goes on, a strong
0:05:55 > 0:06:01field, last year's champion.
0:06:04 > 0:06:09Watch out for these races. Of course, other events today. One of
0:06:09 > 0:06:10them doesn't contribute towards the points.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14them doesn't contribute towards the points. It's the mixed relay, hugely
0:06:14 > 0:06:19popular event. Meadow Park four runners, two women and two man.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22Laura brought home the battle for Great Britain with the fastest time
0:06:22 > 0:06:27for the women of the day and to continue the success of 2016 in
0:06:27 > 0:06:32terms of breaking British record, the 1500 metre record holder, double
0:06:32 > 0:06:35European indoor champion last year, had a great showing at the World
0:06:35 > 0:06:39Championships but she's also a veterinary student and this is the
0:06:39 > 0:06:42final year of her study so she won't be competing with Scotland in the
0:06:42 > 0:06:45Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast in April but she wasn't there to
0:06:45 > 0:06:49miss out on coming here and giving the Scottish crowd something to
0:06:49 > 0:06:55cheer about.Last year, this race was a cracking start to the year for
0:06:55 > 0:07:00you, back again issue, you must have enjoyed it.I always love racing
0:07:00 > 0:07:05here in Edinburgh, he was a great atmosphere and I enjoy racing here
0:07:05 > 0:07:09for the last couple of years and it's great to be back.The next
0:07:09 > 0:07:14relay idea is catching on.It seems to be really popular and the
0:07:14 > 0:07:17athletes enjoy it and we are encouraged to get behind it and it's
0:07:17 > 0:07:20the sort of a great opportunity for lots of athletes to get together and
0:07:20 > 0:07:24get a really good team atmosphere. What do you get out of it in terms
0:07:24 > 0:07:30of your preparations for the year? It's good to get racing again, this
0:07:30 > 0:07:33time of year before endorsed as competing, it's Mainz to have a
0:07:33 > 0:07:36lower pressure race and get out there in the cross-country and get
0:07:36 > 0:07:40out racing and back into the mindset ahead of the indoors.Some people
0:07:40 > 0:07:45who maybe don't know an awful lot about it would say hang on, she won
0:07:45 > 0:07:50in last weekend and I watched you in Glasgow the first race of the year
0:07:50 > 0:07:55and then the switch to the country this week. First front of the year
0:07:55 > 0:07:59running 3000. Both the indoor track and the cross-country I am familiar
0:07:59 > 0:08:03with. Quite easy for me to switch between the two and that's only one
0:08:03 > 0:08:09kilometre, so not too far.It really is looking stunning out here today.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Perfect backdrop for some great international athletes looking to
0:08:13 > 0:08:18see how they are exactly out on the cross-country and Laura Muir will be
0:08:18 > 0:08:23no exception, she is in the Great Britain team, mixed-race points
0:08:23 > 0:08:26don't count towards the overall total but it's a fantastic event and
0:08:26 > 0:08:29we headed to our commentary team which is a mixed team, only fair
0:08:29 > 0:08:34that Paula Radcliffe and Steve Cram the cited tussle over the baton.
0:08:36 > 0:08:43It should be ladies first, but no! Is good to be the men who go first,
0:08:43 > 0:08:47like in the race. It is becoming a more regular occurrence, we had a
0:08:47 > 0:08:50first-ever event that the world cross-country championships and then
0:08:50 > 0:08:54it followed in the European Cross country championship in which Great
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Britain won the gold medal in December and you might have watch
0:08:56 > 0:09:01that in our coverage, so this is an event that happened last year, you
0:09:01 > 0:09:04have Laura talking about is part of a new trend and Tom Marshall was
0:09:04 > 0:09:08part of that gold medal team. The only member of that gold medal team
0:09:08 > 0:09:11was here today but he will lead off Great Britain, strong teams
0:09:11 > 0:09:19everywhere you look. Belgium, on the far side. A very good young English
0:09:19 > 0:09:23team, juniors, all four of them, we will go through them as we get
0:09:23 > 0:09:27going. The Scottish team, that's going to be very interesting.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31Standing there is Jenny Williamson, I used to run against his dad many
0:09:31 > 0:09:37years ago. Still the Scottish record-holder for the 1000 metres.
0:09:37 > 0:09:42Jimmy hoping to carry on a good strong family tradition. Quick start
0:09:42 > 0:09:51and Tom Marshall at the back. Unlike the relay, we can interject with a
0:09:51 > 0:09:57female voice. It is a fun event but it means a lot to the athletes, this
0:09:57 > 0:10:02is their domain. Attracting people in here.Gets a good, fun event and
0:10:02 > 0:10:05an opportunity for those track specialists to share in the
0:10:05 > 0:10:09cross-country atmosphere racing on the surface without having to test
0:10:09 > 0:10:14themselves over the longer distance and it brings the whole team
0:10:14 > 0:10:17together, a lot of fun and camaraderie out there and they will
0:10:17 > 0:10:22stay around and cheer on the other races later on but important for
0:10:22 > 0:10:26them to raise well to kick off even though the really doesn't count
0:10:26 > 0:10:31towards the team standings to kick it off straightaway, he has really
0:10:31 > 0:10:36set out with a vengeance. Conditions are good for the track runners,
0:10:36 > 0:10:39particularly this section can be madly along there, not too bad at
0:10:39 > 0:10:45all. Little bit sticky in some parts. He will be able to move
0:10:45 > 0:10:55through this. 1500 metre man but an under 23 cross-country champion at
0:10:55 > 0:11:01European level, the perfect mix.One kilometre. England now, in the shape
0:11:01 > 0:11:06of James, moving to second place, Tom Marshall back in fourth place
0:11:06 > 0:11:10but just starting to close up little bit. He started very quickly, the
0:11:10 > 0:11:13stickiest section here and I don't think there will be much to choose
0:11:13 > 0:11:17between them all at the end of the first leg and then they will hand
0:11:17 > 0:11:25over to the first two women. Man, women, man, women. Laura Muir Going
0:11:25 > 0:11:32on the last leg.Tom Marshall has to move up a bit more. Tom Marshall
0:11:32 > 0:11:37could do with moving up to close that gap towards him. Now paying the
0:11:37 > 0:11:43price a little bit for having set off so fast. It's a strong team, the
0:11:43 > 0:11:49Belgian team. Wants to give them a good start, handing over to Sophie.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52And then Jerome. A strong team following him but now we see more of
0:11:52 > 0:12:00the runners. Coming through to contest an handing over the battle.
0:12:00 > 0:12:05Gomez looking good. Tom Marshall for Great Britain is struggling and look
0:12:05 > 0:12:16there. Not too much to choose very front. Belgium leading from Europe
0:12:16 > 0:12:20from Ireland. Great Britain towards the back. Alex Bell has the baton
0:12:20 > 0:12:28for great Britain but at the front it is Belgium, with Sophie leading.
0:12:28 > 0:12:33Laura Kraut for Ireland just settling in. Now Europe pushing on.
0:12:33 > 0:12:39Pereira deciding she will not hang around. The race really. The gaps
0:12:39 > 0:12:43appearing. Trying to close on these top three. She doesn't need to do
0:12:43 > 0:12:51that, as to... Stephanie Penicuik has had a good winter and trying to
0:12:51 > 0:12:56follow Alex Bell.Alex Bell made up the ground quickly and goes down the
0:12:56 > 0:13:00Belgian runner. Moving out our heads, it is Pereira and the whole
0:13:00 > 0:13:06of the European team is the Spanish team which finished in bronze medal
0:13:06 > 0:13:08position in the European cross-country Jazz Richards, so they
0:13:08 > 0:13:14are in good shape and used to working together an jazzing it well
0:13:14 > 0:13:18so far. Alex Bell has moved quickly through and running strongly at this
0:13:18 > 0:13:23point. She is an 800-metre runner, so a bit of a step up in distance,
0:13:23 > 0:13:27certainly attest over the terrain but I guess she has done some
0:13:27 > 0:13:31preparation and cross-country races to prepare for this.Alex has been
0:13:31 > 0:13:35concentrating a lot more on her endurance. Working with Andy
0:13:35 > 0:13:40Henderson in Leeds and she ran very well in the Liverpool cross-country
0:13:40 > 0:13:46for the senior team, the full event. Wasn't selected for that gold-medal.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50She was in contention. We had Sarah McDonald.
0:13:50 > 0:13:55She was in contention. We had Sarah McDonald. Two legs. Female legs in
0:13:55 > 0:14:01that event. Alex could have gone there. Look what she has done there.
0:14:01 > 0:14:06Pereira went off way too hard. Ireland, Great Britain and Europe.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10Laura Kraut looking comfortable but Alex Bell close the gap quickly.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Settled in here now and I wonder whether she can just push on at the
0:14:13 > 0:14:19end and get a couple of seconds gap. She is looking very strong,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22particularly on the uphill, the best of those three are she loses a
0:14:22 > 0:14:26little bit. Didn't get that section right to negotiate the downhill.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30It's tricky because the grass on the hills is a lot longer than on the
0:14:30 > 0:14:34rest of the course.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38Bit of work on the cornering but manoeuvring nicely through there.
0:14:38 > 0:14:44Looks very relaxed, very strong and four on 800-metre runner. Real good
0:14:44 > 0:14:48confidence boost for her this winter. Going very well for her so
0:14:48 > 0:14:52far. Set her up nicely and running well. Laura Kraut having to work,
0:14:52 > 0:15:00Pereira trying to get back. Surely Alex Bell having a bit different.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03She hands over to Adam Clark. Laura Muir on
0:15:03 > 0:15:06She hands over to Adam Clark. Laura Muir on The Last Leg.Periera has
0:15:06 > 0:15:10rallied well here, after a fast start, the European team,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13effectively the Spanish team may just have a slim advantage here.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17It's Europe and Ireland and Great Britain locked together. Only a
0:15:17 > 0:15:22second between the top three teams. Then there's a gap. So Ruiz takes
0:15:22 > 0:15:29the baton for Europe. Ireland, Kelly chasing him down. Adam Clark for
0:15:29 > 0:15:38Great Britain. Belgium trying to get back in here.
0:15:38 > 0:15:43back in here.He's a 3. 36 1500m runner. He is capable of making up
0:15:43 > 0:15:48that ground and running well. Adam Clark also I would say is capable of
0:15:48 > 0:15:52running faster than his 1500m personal best. Maybe reflects he
0:15:52 > 0:15:57spends a lot of time doing the pace making, leading out sessions for the
0:15:57 > 0:16:02likes of Mo Farah on training camps. Recently back from a training stint.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06He is in good shape. Judging it well as he moves onto the shoulder of
0:16:06 > 0:16:13Kelly and starts to try and make up ground on Ruiz.He's looking strong
0:16:13 > 0:16:17the Spaniard. But Clark may have judged his effort well. He's moved
0:16:17 > 0:16:24nicely into second place.
0:16:24 > 0:16:30nicely into second place. Laura Muir on The Last Leg. Remember how well
0:16:30 > 0:16:35she ran last year. That 3,000m race last week setting her up nicely but
0:16:35 > 0:16:40she'll want to come away with a victory for Britain here. That's a
0:16:40 > 0:16:43couple of seconds for Adam Clark to Troy and close that -- try and close
0:16:43 > 0:16:49that gap. Ruiz still running strong. I think the gap is growing. Ruiz is
0:16:49 > 0:16:54working hard. He was pulling away a bit. Adam Clark starting to close it
0:16:54 > 0:16:59again. He warrants to close it as much as possible to give -- wants to
0:16:59 > 0:17:04close it as much as possible. So long as he gives Laura enough of a
0:17:04 > 0:17:07chance to make up that gap and use the strength that she has. Now Ruiz
0:17:07 > 0:17:11looks over his shoulder and realises how much ground Adam Clark has made
0:17:11 > 0:17:19up.Clarke getting cheered on by the British contingent. They know that
0:17:19 > 0:17:23he can be a really redoubtable competitor when he wants to be. Now
0:17:23 > 0:17:29he's attacking early here. Ruiz just responding. These two well clear of
0:17:29 > 0:17:36Belgium in third place, ahead of Ireland. Clark wants to give Laura
0:17:36 > 0:17:40Muir the advantage. It won't be a big one. Belgium closing all the
0:17:40 > 0:17:47time. They're finishing quickly. Has Clark judged this well?He needs to
0:17:47 > 0:17:49find something else because Belgium has launched his shoot for the
0:17:49 > 0:17:54finish. He is making up that ground fast. May even close down on Ruiz.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58Adam Clark needs to stay in contact as best he can now and get the baton
0:17:58 > 0:18:02to Laura.Europe lead, Belgium second, Great Britain third, Laura
0:18:02 > 0:18:06Muir has the baton. She's going to be chasing the Belgian 800m
0:18:06 > 0:18:09champion. I think there's only one winner this if you ask me. There's
0:18:09 > 0:18:15only going to be one winner against Guerro as well, the Spanish athlete
0:18:15 > 0:18:22in front. How long does Laura Muir want to wait? My guess is not very
0:18:22 > 0:18:27long. Europe had a slim advantage. Maybe a couple of seconds there, you
0:18:27 > 0:18:31see from the slit times at end of lap three. Laura's got quickly to
0:18:31 > 0:18:35the front, settled and already just starting to forge ahead.Already
0:18:35 > 0:18:38showing her experience on this ground as well. She moves a little
0:18:38 > 0:18:41bit wider. She's looking for the better surface. She's looking for
0:18:41 > 0:18:46the ground that's a bit less cut up and gives her a cleaner run at it.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50Quickly she's moved that the those two and is forging ahead. She's not
0:18:50 > 0:18:53interested in waiting to sit behind them and work harder in the second
0:18:53 > 0:18:56half. She's attacking from the start. She's probably attacking for
0:18:56 > 0:19:02that course record that she already holds.Yeah, she ran under three
0:19:02 > 0:19:06minutes round hire last year, which you know, cross country courses are
0:19:06 > 0:19:08measured, they're not always as accurate as the track. Assuming it's
0:19:08 > 0:19:13close to a kilometre, which it is, then that 2. 53 last year was very
0:19:13 > 0:19:18quick. She was chasing for longer last year. So she's got to the front
0:19:18 > 0:19:24very quickly here. So it may be that she'll just settle and keep working
0:19:24 > 0:19:27hard, assure herself and her team of the victory. Look at that, well, to
0:19:27 > 0:19:34be fair, the other two are not in her class as a track runner, apart
0:19:34 > 0:19:38from anything else. Laura doesn't do too many cross-countries. She tends
0:19:38 > 0:19:42to run the Scottish relay, which she ran earlier in the year, one or two
0:19:42 > 0:19:46of the longer races as well. She was saying in her interview, uses
0:19:46 > 0:19:50indoors and this event to prepare for what's ahead, world indoor
0:19:50 > 0:19:53championships, not going to the Commonwealth Games, of course. She's
0:19:53 > 0:19:58still, this is her final year of her studies, to be a vet. They clash in
0:19:58 > 0:20:02May as she's got plenty of exams and sadly can't go and compete at the
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Commonwealth Gamesment but the European championships in the summer
0:20:05 > 0:20:11will be her main target. At the moment, the Scottish crowd here
0:20:11 > 0:20:15really enjoying seeing their champion, their superstar, Laura
0:20:15 > 0:20:19Muir stretching her lead, working hard to bring the baton home for
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Great Britain.Yeah and she'll be enjoying this. She loves getting the
0:20:22 > 0:20:25chance to come out and race in front of the crowds here in Scotland. Just
0:20:25 > 0:20:30to race hard as well at the moment. She's been working hard on her
0:20:30 > 0:20:33studies, putting in 60-hour weeks in her work as a veterinary student
0:20:33 > 0:20:38there. To be able to come out and just run hard and just get back to
0:20:38 > 0:20:42racing is something that she's been looking forward to for a while.
0:20:42 > 0:20:48She's enjoying this now, stretching out, really is shifting, going
0:20:48 > 0:20:51through the gears, working hard. A bit of a tough race last week. She
0:20:51 > 0:20:55went out and was running against men. She went out hard the first
0:20:55 > 0:20:58kilometre, worked really hard to hang onto it. Today she's been able
0:20:58 > 0:21:03to enjoy, the adulation of this crowd, it's a victory for Great
0:21:03 > 0:21:07Britain and for Laura Muir. The winning time 11. 34 there abouts.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11We'll tide that up. Close for second. Belgium just beating the
0:21:11 > 0:21:15Spanish team, running for Europe. Laura quickly gets the blanket
0:21:15 > 0:21:19around her. Ireland come in in fourth. Scotland I think it is
0:21:19 > 0:21:26coming in fifth place. Once Laura got the baton there was never really
0:21:26 > 0:21:30any doubt, as long as she was close enough because she's so much better
0:21:30 > 0:21:35than the athletes she was against no. Disrespect to them. But Laura is
0:21:35 > 0:21:42in a different class.
0:21:42 > 0:21:43in a different class. Jake Whiteman running on the third leg. With
0:21:43 > 0:21:50enever got the chance to see Jake. It was Great Britain, having won the
0:21:50 > 0:21:52our peen championships in December with a different -- European
0:21:52 > 0:21:55championships in December with a different team and then coming away
0:21:55 > 0:22:01with the victory. Laura's time 3. 01. Slower than last year but
0:22:01 > 0:22:04probably because she wasn't chasing alling the way.
0:22:04 > 0:22:09-- chasing all the way.It's a bit of an inexact science getting those
0:22:09 > 0:22:12lap times. They don't know if the course is set out exactly the same
0:22:12 > 0:22:16as the year before. It's more some personal target for Laura to try and
0:22:16 > 0:22:20aim for the time that she ran last year. The biggest thing was she got
0:22:20 > 0:22:26a good run out and she looked very impressive. She maybe laid to rest a
0:22:26 > 0:22:30few demons from last week which were nagging at her. She felt that she
0:22:30 > 0:22:34tied up in the middle. She hadn't really. She just went out very hard.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38A great run from Laura Muir. She's with Gabby now.
0:22:38 > 0:22:44She is. But she's just taking a well deserved swig of her water there.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48You made it look very, very easy out there. But tell us how it felt to
0:22:48 > 0:22:54you.It was quite tough. No, I know when Adam came round and he was
0:22:54 > 0:22:58close to the fropt, I thought I've got to work really hard and reach
0:22:58 > 0:23:02her. I got to the front and left a bit in the front until the very end.
0:23:02 > 0:23:09Put the foot down the last 200 and came away with the win.Paula said
0:23:09 > 0:23:13in commentary, 60 hours some weeks on your studies and making the
0:23:13 > 0:23:15sacrifice of not going to the Commonwealth Games because it's your
0:23:15 > 0:23:21final year. You've got the world indoors, you want to be in shape for
0:23:21 > 0:23:25the championships later in the summer, how difficult has it been to
0:23:25 > 0:23:31work out the plan?It's been lucky that the vet school has been so
0:23:31 > 0:23:37supportive. My coach has been by my side every step of the way. We put
0:23:37 > 0:23:40everything planned for years. It's a matter of getting it all done this
0:23:40 > 0:23:43year and hopefully winning a medal the the world indoors. That would be
0:23:43 > 0:23:46great and graduating as a vet and then hopefully the Europeans as
0:23:46 > 0:23:50well.What a year that would be. All that sacrifice in terms of saying no
0:23:50 > 0:23:53Commonwealth Games, but to come out of this year being a fully qualified
0:23:53 > 0:23:57vet and one of the great middle distance athletes in the world. It's
0:23:57 > 0:24:01not easy. It sounds it, but it's not.No, it's very, very tough. You
0:24:01 > 0:24:05know you've got to have good time management and just when your
0:24:05 > 0:24:08priorities are running and veterinary, that's all you do.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12Working with small animals?Yeah, working at a hospital just now.All
0:24:12 > 0:24:18good?Yeah all going fine.What's more challenging?I don't know, it's
0:24:18 > 0:24:22a bit nervewracking in surgery but this was tough here today.Take each
0:24:22 > 0:24:28day as it comes. Thank you so much Laura, many successes as the season
0:24:28 > 0:24:32goes on. We will see new Glasgow in a few weeks. Steve can wrap up the
0:24:32 > 0:24:37race for us. It was a good one for Great Britain.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40No video referees required. It was fairly straightforward. Great
0:24:40 > 0:24:46Britain winning 11. 33.
0:24:49 > 0:25:05Tom marshal ran 2. 46 and Adam Clark it. 2. 42.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07So impressive listening to Laura describing the challenges of her
0:25:07 > 0:25:13week, you know, one of the most difficult demanding of the medical
0:25:13 > 0:25:15degrees, veterinary studies and a top international athlete balancing
0:25:15 > 0:25:19everything. A great inspiration and if you want more inspiration, well
0:25:19 > 0:25:23there were plenty of stories in the masses races this morning. Here's JJ
0:25:23 > 0:25:27with a few more of them. The runners will be going off in
0:25:27 > 0:25:31four waves. It's a gruelling uphill to begin with. What goes up must
0:25:31 > 0:25:38come down and they'll finish with the wind in their sails.
0:25:42 > 0:25:50Where have you travelled from?As you can see, we are part of Aycliffe
0:25:50 > 0:25:55running club in County Durham.You were here last year. What do you
0:25:55 > 0:25:58make of the route?Brilliant. Tough hill. But great scenery across the
0:25:58 > 0:26:05top.Do you know what the route is like?No idea. Not been before. Most
0:26:05 > 0:26:10of our running is fell running, which is like on the hills any way.
0:26:10 > 0:26:16There's a few hills in it, it won't problem me.It's just a little hill.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20Where have you come from?The Isle of Lewis.Have you taken part in
0:26:20 > 0:26:24this before?No, I haven't. My son was selected to run for the north of
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Scotland in the under 13s, so we decided to come along and give the
0:26:27 > 0:26:31race a go ourselves.Do you know anything about the track?No, it's
0:26:31 > 0:26:37going to be fun. I'll find out on the way round.The great winter run
0:26:37 > 0:26:42is the perfect way to begin your year. For one runner, Vicky, it's
0:26:42 > 0:26:46the beginning of an epic year, seeing her do a combined 175
0:26:46 > 0:26:52kilometres. Today is the first five.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59In August 2014, my dad was feeling a bit unwell. It was really unusual
0:26:59 > 0:27:04for my dad to be ill. So he went to the doctor. They ran some tests and
0:27:04 > 0:27:11then at the beginning of October, he was diagnosed with myeloma. That's a
0:27:11 > 0:27:14bone marrow cancer. It wasn't something that we had ever heard of
0:27:14 > 0:27:19before. But within a couple weeks of the diagnosis, my dad ended up in
0:27:19 > 0:27:24hospital. His vertebrae had begun to collapse. He had to go to hospital.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28Then he spent weeks flat on his back. He had to have a back brace
0:27:28 > 0:27:33built for him to be able to sit up even. The cancer, a type of cancer
0:27:33 > 0:27:39which is classed as remitting repeating, so at times he'll be in
0:27:39 > 0:27:43remission and you know, we absolutely find that way, but then
0:27:43 > 0:27:46the cancer can return and he is still on chemotherapy just now. I
0:27:46 > 0:27:51wanted to do something that was a challenge to me to raise some
0:27:51 > 0:27:57awareness and also some funds for pie Liama UK. They've -- myeloma UK.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00They've been amazing support. I decided to start running because I
0:28:00 > 0:28:05was watching the great Scottish run with my parents last October. I
0:28:05 > 0:28:09don't think my family could quite believe that I was doing this. It's
0:28:09 > 0:28:12a massive challenge for me. I'm not the kind of person who wakes up in
0:28:12 > 0:28:16the morning and thinks - I want to go for a run today. Or gets home
0:28:16 > 0:28:20from work and thinks - yeah, let's put the trainers on. I'm not a
0:28:20 > 0:28:27runner. I'm not in any way athletic. My dad is amazing. The only thing
0:28:27 > 0:28:30that he's ever actually complained about through this whole
0:28:30 > 0:28:36three-and-a-half years so far is the fact he used to be 6'2" and now he's
0:28:36 > 0:28:425'8". I think he's 5'7", because I am, but I'm giving him the extra
0:28:42 > 0:28:45inch to make him feel a bit better. When I cross that finish line in
0:28:45 > 0:28:50Edinburgh, I think I'm going to be pretty elated. The sense of
0:28:50 > 0:28:52achievement, actually getting to the end of it and completing that,
0:28:52 > 0:28:58particularly as it's the first of my year of challenges, it's going to be
0:28:58 > 0:29:05pretty thrilling.
0:29:07 > 0:29:12How was that?It was great. It's some hill. But a real sense of
0:29:12 > 0:29:16achievement actually getting up that in the first place. Then when you
0:29:16 > 0:29:18come round the corner and see the view of Edinburgh, it's beautiful.
0:29:18 > 0:29:23You know it's downhill from there, it's great.That's a big hill. A
0:29:23 > 0:29:26challenging 5k and quite a challenging 5k to start this
0:29:26 > 0:29:29incredible journey.Yes, this is my first event. I've never run before
0:29:29 > 0:29:34at all. Yeah, so everything will be downhill from here, between now and
0:29:34 > 0:29:38the end of September, when I do the great Scottish run, the last of the
0:29:38 > 0:29:44events I'm doing.Who is this with you?Buddy. So I'm running for
0:29:44 > 0:29:51myeloma UK. Myeloma have these buddies. I have one of them. He's
0:29:51 > 0:29:55coming with me every kilometre he'll be there.How is this as a way to
0:29:55 > 0:30:00start the year?I think it's good to start the year with a bit of asense
0:30:00 > 0:30:03of achievement and something like that. It's a great motivation to
0:30:03 > 0:30:09keep going. I know I can do it now. I had that anythingling doubt before
0:30:09 > 0:30:12-- niggling doubt, can I do it? But I can. It's good.What an
0:30:12 > 0:30:18inspiration. Thank you
0:30:19 > 0:30:25Is well under Vicky, an incredible year of challenges. If you fancy a
0:30:25 > 0:30:28challenge go to the BBC sports website and you can find all sorts
0:30:28 > 0:30:33of clubs and activities if you want to get moving and why not, you can
0:30:33 > 0:30:36be inspired by the elite athletes and we're turning our attention to
0:30:36 > 0:30:40the races when it comes to points. The mixed relay points do not count
0:30:40 > 0:30:43but they do from now on and turning our attention to the junior races
0:30:43 > 0:30:51first. COMMENTATOR: Two Junior races, the men went off first and a
0:30:51 > 0:30:54real opportunity to get off to a good start in this team event, USA
0:30:54 > 0:30:59did very well last year and this event and expected to do equally
0:30:59 > 0:31:02well this year. Settled down with the European trying to take control.
0:31:02 > 0:31:07We just had the European cross-country championships before
0:31:07 > 0:31:11Christmas and quite a few athletes coming out of the junior ranks on
0:31:11 > 0:31:19January one, so some of them not eligible to compete. The Great
0:31:19 > 0:31:22Britain team, Jayden Hayward, European junior track champion was
0:31:22 > 0:31:27up there early on but it was his team-mate Matt Willis who started to
0:31:27 > 0:31:30get involved with the other Europeans. The two guys running for
0:31:30 > 0:31:35the European team. The Norwegian kept pushing, he was in the favoured
0:31:35 > 0:31:40beforehand but he kept setting the pace. The USA, the only one of their
0:31:40 > 0:31:43contingent to stay in contact and Willis was doing a good job and
0:31:43 > 0:31:48eventually four of them broke away, four lapse, six kilometres of
0:31:48 > 0:31:52running and once these four got away, the winner was going to come
0:31:52 > 0:31:56from this group. For a little while it looked like it could be Matthew
0:31:56 > 0:32:00Willis but all of a sudden with 300 metres to go, up the hill and across
0:32:00 > 0:32:04the last jump across the stream, the Norwegian who looked very much at
0:32:04 > 0:32:08home in these conditions who had a real turn of pace at the end. These
0:32:08 > 0:32:11three run against each other and the European cross-country championships
0:32:11 > 0:32:18and Willis finished ahead of the other two but this time he had to
0:32:18 > 0:32:21settle for third. It was a good race for the European team and it meant
0:32:21 > 0:32:29with those of two finishers that Europe, it was very tight, Garcia in
0:32:29 > 0:32:36fifth. Britain had three in the top eight. It came down to just one
0:32:36 > 0:32:41point. It was Europe who came out on top. Europe finishing ahead of Great
0:32:41 > 0:32:51Britain and the USA. Coda those points continue into the women's
0:32:51 > 0:32:58race.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01Congratulations Matthew Willis, the first British runner over the line,
0:33:01 > 0:33:06how are conditions out there?A bit cold but a really good cause, I
0:33:06 > 0:33:10really enjoyed it, especially the little stream, as a bit of fun and
0:33:10 > 0:33:15an extra dimension.Great atmosphere on the course?Yes, especially when
0:33:15 > 0:33:19the bell went on the last lap, they were really loud.What about
0:33:19 > 0:33:23underfoot? A bit drizzly overnight, will it get churned up as the day
0:33:23 > 0:33:32goes on?Yes, getting progressively worse.Do you love that?Yes,
0:33:32 > 0:33:36cross-country runners always love a bit of mud.Written in second place
0:33:36 > 0:33:40after that race.Really happy with that. -- Great Britain. Did we have
0:33:40 > 0:33:46come together and managed to get a second.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48come together and managed to get a second.Junior women's race, there
0:33:48 > 0:33:52was a prerace favourite, right in the middle you can see Jasmine
0:33:52 > 0:33:55running for Europe, the Dutch athlete finished second year last
0:33:55 > 0:34:00year, really good performance at the recent European cross-country
0:34:00 > 0:34:03championship and the European junior champion on the track at 5000
0:34:03 > 0:34:07metres. She knows this course at Edinburgh and was expected to do
0:34:07 > 0:34:12well but it was the Americans who were right at the forefront, Claudia
0:34:12 > 0:34:25lane and her team-mate. Just 16, the pain of them, they set the pace. She
0:34:25 > 0:34:28had company from her team-mate and the best of the British contingent
0:34:28 > 0:34:36Ceri Hughes and Brown were never too far away but this young lady, the
0:34:36 > 0:34:4016-year-old cameo who was very strong and once she got a gap and 30
0:34:40 > 0:34:45metres, it looked all over but the contingent behind, the four of them
0:34:45 > 0:34:49didn't seem too keen and chasing and all of a sudden, Jasmine put in a
0:34:49 > 0:34:53huge effort on the last lap and with half a mile to go and it looked like
0:34:53 > 0:35:02she might catch the American but cameo found a bit extra --
0:35:05 > 0:35:08cameo found a bit extra -- Jasmine was outsprinted at the end by her
0:35:08 > 0:35:11team-mate who got ahead of her for second place. Europe's second and
0:35:11 > 0:35:18third but the USA got the win.
0:35:18 > 0:35:26All very close in the team race. The individual results there.
0:35:26 > 0:35:34Very close indeed and eventually went to Great Britain. 26 points.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37USA 27 points, Europe 30 and those points will be carried forward to
0:35:37 > 0:35:42the senior races. We had a word with the victor, the 16-year-old
0:35:42 > 0:35:44American.
0:35:44 > 0:35:49Winner of the women's junior race, Kelsey. How did you find the course
0:35:49 > 0:35:55out there today?It was tough.Is this your first time to Edinburgh.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58How did you find a trip the other day, a few of you went to the JK
0:35:58 > 0:36:04Rowling famous cafe where she wrote the Harry Potter book.It was really
0:36:04 > 0:36:07cool to see where she started writing this series.Cross-country
0:36:07 > 0:36:16at Hughes event in America. -- a huge event. Visit your favourite
0:36:16 > 0:36:19terrain?It is, cross-country is definitely my favourite, I like
0:36:19 > 0:36:24running on the grass.Well done today.All the great historical
0:36:24 > 0:36:27buildings you can see in Edinburgh and you to the cafe
0:36:27 > 0:36:28buildings you can see in Edinburgh and you to the cafe where JK ruling
0:36:28 > 0:36:29went to Harry Potter.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31and you to the cafe where JK ruling went to Harry Potter. I'm getting
0:36:31 > 0:36:34old, let's tidy up the standings as we head into the senior races,
0:36:34 > 0:36:40Europe with the lead. 48 points but all to play for, Great Britain 36,
0:36:40 > 0:36:43USA 59, USA and a better position last year, so they will be
0:36:43 > 0:36:47disappointed with that and Europe leading.
0:36:47 > 0:36:47disappointed with that and Europe leading.
0:36:47 > 0:36:55Just like that kid just nestling in the rock with his can of pop. Good
0:36:55 > 0:36:59vantage point for the course. The panic were you want to see the best
0:36:59 > 0:37:02action. Paula Radcliffe has joined me from the commentary box. This is
0:37:02 > 0:37:05an event that's close to your heart, you have one mango trees and raced
0:37:05 > 0:37:08it many times and conditions vary over the years, that's what makes it
0:37:08 > 0:37:14exciting. From what you've seen so far, is producing some good races?
0:37:14 > 0:37:19Yes it is, is always produced good races and it's always been a way to
0:37:19 > 0:37:22really kick off the year and a good way to come out after the Christmas
0:37:22 > 0:37:28break and the New Year break and put a lot of training and, eating a lot
0:37:28 > 0:37:30during Christmas, come out with energy and start of the year well
0:37:30 > 0:37:34and that is what it's always been for me. I can remember 30 years ago
0:37:34 > 0:37:37coming up as a kid and driving up from Bedford in the morning to, and
0:37:37 > 0:37:43raced this north cross-country and it's always been an important
0:37:43 > 0:37:47fixture.At the top of the show might you told us the great names
0:37:47 > 0:37:50who have run and won this race. Let's have a look at the elite
0:37:50 > 0:37:54women's race that was off in five minutes, points very much county and
0:37:54 > 0:37:58you've picked out a few of your favourites. Yasmin, the winner last
0:37:58 > 0:38:03year, looking strong again.She is looking strong, she has been
0:38:03 > 0:38:08training in Kenya and as she did before the race last year, she ran
0:38:08 > 0:38:12it so strongly to winning the European Championships.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14it so strongly to winning the European Championships. Just one
0:38:14 > 0:38:17month ago in Slovakia. Run very strong there and it will be
0:38:17 > 0:38:19important to her to run well and raced here
0:38:19 > 0:38:20important to her to run well and raced here today and important to
0:38:20 > 0:38:26the other girls to be able to out and compete with.Who are the main
0:38:26 > 0:38:36British contenders?There will be a strong team, we have Jess Judd.
0:38:36 > 0:38:41Harry Jones making the step up, she is now a senior, she is still
0:38:41 > 0:38:45running and had some very good results behind her as a junior but
0:38:45 > 0:38:48now it will be important for her to come out and race and ran well last
0:38:48 > 0:38:52year but to race well again and to race amongst the seniors start off
0:38:52 > 0:39:00her year in the senior ranks.So successful as part of the team who
0:39:00 > 0:39:04won the overall championship, do you feel from the women's side of things
0:39:04 > 0:39:08that British cross-country running is in rude health?I do, Laura
0:39:08 > 0:39:12started out really well, we had a good win Ndebele and it's good for
0:39:12 > 0:39:15the rest of the team, they will have been out there as they are warming
0:39:15 > 0:39:20up for their races. To see them race well and to see a lot of people turn
0:39:20 > 0:39:24out today to cheer on all of the runners, that is important and you
0:39:24 > 0:39:29see this success breeding success, one of our more successful
0:39:29 > 0:39:32cross-country championships and we will want to build on that and keep
0:39:32 > 0:39:35working through the rest of this year for the European Championship
0:39:35 > 0:39:39and Commonwealth Games.Another big year. Thank very much, good to hear
0:39:39 > 0:39:43your thoughts, six kilometre race, four large lapse, let's see what the
0:39:43 > 0:39:49team captains think of their teens. The women senior team has a lot of
0:39:49 > 0:39:54experience. You look at them and there's a lot of names and people,
0:39:54 > 0:39:59they had been in the top ranks of the US for a long time. A few up and
0:39:59 > 0:40:08comers coming out of Michigan.We have a strong team. The British
0:40:08 > 0:40:14girls, was on home turf, they will always be strong.She will head the
0:40:14 > 0:40:23front very early. Jones, she won the European junior cross-country
0:40:23 > 0:40:29Championships, so she will the one to look out for. Experience with
0:40:29 > 0:40:35Louise Damon and she will not want to make it a slow race.Yasmin Khan
0:40:35 > 0:40:38is the biggest name, winner of the European Cross country Championships
0:40:38 > 0:40:50and she won back here last year, so they will be chasing.Desi Linden,
0:40:50 > 0:40:55she is been around the track, cross-country, her range is huge,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58than a few cross-country races. She has a name everybody is going to
0:40:58 > 0:41:03knock on the most experienced won. Team Europe is a bit different than
0:41:03 > 0:41:06the British team are the American team because they probably know each
0:41:06 > 0:41:10other a bit better. We generally for the Europeans, we race against each
0:41:10 > 0:41:14other a lot but not with each other, so this is very different. Dean
0:41:14 > 0:41:18Evans are always exciting, so it's nice to run with people and against
0:41:18 > 0:41:24people that you usually just run against.I tell you what, you've got
0:41:24 > 0:41:27to be a bit of a daredevil to patch up on the edge of Arthur 's seat. A
0:41:27 > 0:41:32long way up there but a good place to ponder and think about life at
0:41:32 > 0:41:36the beginning of the New Year. Almost ready to go off in the
0:41:36 > 0:41:41women's elite race. Six kilometres, four large lapse and in the
0:41:41 > 0:41:44commentary book, Paula Radcliffe and Steve Cram. COMMENTATOR:
0:41:44 > 0:41:47commentary book, Paula Radcliffe and Steve Cram. COMMENTATOR: Pretty nice
0:41:47 > 0:41:50day in Edinburgh for cross-country, a little chilly but it is January,
0:41:50 > 0:41:55that's what you'd expect. New Year's Eve always a great night out in
0:41:55 > 0:41:59Edinburgh. A lot of the American contingent, this is an event which
0:41:59 > 0:42:04they have loved over the years and love coming to Edinburgh. Great
0:42:04 > 0:42:08venue, great backdrop, Arthur 's seat. Worst conditions over the
0:42:08 > 0:42:14years, not too bad at all today. There's Desi Linden. The veteran of
0:42:14 > 0:42:24the team. In good form as well, recently raced against a few of the
0:42:24 > 0:42:28runners here. Not the favourite. She said herself, the favourite is in
0:42:28 > 0:42:39her team. She has won the trials, was part of an exceptionally strong
0:42:39 > 0:42:42British team to the European cross-country Championships. We
0:42:42 > 0:42:47mention the fact that Harry Jones has moved into the senior ranks
0:42:47 > 0:42:51after her great victory in the junior race, there she is on the
0:42:51 > 0:42:57right of your picture.
0:42:57 > 0:43:04So, usual quick start and they will settle down fairly quickly. Six
0:43:04 > 0:43:08kilometres, not that far really for women at this level, they will often
0:43:08 > 0:43:14raise much further salt should be a good test nonetheless on this
0:43:14 > 0:43:19terrain, four lapse, each lap is 1500 metres. Your maths are as good
0:43:19 > 0:43:33as mine. The early leader. Barker, her team-mate, one might very
0:43:33 > 0:43:35her team-mate, one might very well right on the outside, looking for
0:43:35 > 0:43:43but the prerace favourite,
0:43:43 > 0:43:54but the prerace favourite, ... Chairman.
0:43:54 > 0:43:58Won the Kenyans who run for Turkey now, the two guys running the senior
0:43:58 > 0:44:04race. Involved in Kenya training, preparing for this, the training
0:44:04 > 0:44:10camp that many of the British athletes attend at altitude. Come
0:44:10 > 0:44:17down specially for the race today. Jess Stewart on the right-hand side.
0:44:17 > 0:44:25I think, six kilometres for Jess, a bit more into her domain and not too
0:44:25 > 0:44:29muddy today. The British women will be hoping to form well. Settling
0:44:29 > 0:44:34down.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40down. Sometimes she likes to go right from the off and get moving
0:44:40 > 0:44:44and given its only six kilometres I thought that's what she might do
0:44:44 > 0:44:49today. Make it a good hard test from the start. She is leading, but not
0:44:49 > 0:44:53started to quickly here.
0:44:53 > 0:44:57I don't know whether her spikes caught, she lost her balance that.
0:44:57 > 0:45:01Momentum has taken her to the front. She's not doing a huge amount with
0:45:01 > 0:45:06it. You can see the others packing behind her. She's starting to string
0:45:06 > 0:45:12out a bit on the inside there. Mollie Sidle of the Usmanov team.
0:45:12 > 0:45:15She ran very well in the midnight run in New York on New Year's Eve.
0:45:15 > 0:45:19Cold conditions but ran very well to win that. It's going to be
0:45:19 > 0:45:29positively balmy for her today.With an L not an R.
0:45:32 > 0:45:34an L not an R. Barker great performance from her in the European
0:45:34 > 0:45:40championships. One thing that talk about with this early stages is why
0:45:40 > 0:45:43course cans produce different results for runners. A cross-country
0:45:43 > 0:45:48course can come in all sorts of different guises. Depend ago that,
0:45:48 > 0:45:53often -- depending on that, there's no way Heath would normally beat Mo
0:45:53 > 0:45:57Farah on a road, but you put in a bit of mud and you get those sorts
0:45:57 > 0:46:02of results. Courses do suit certain athletes. You can get them run the
0:46:02 > 0:46:04trials with a certain type of course, it was quite muddy in
0:46:04 > 0:46:08Liverpool this year. The team gets picked. You go to the champs and
0:46:08 > 0:46:12people who were fourth in the trials come higher up. You know they beat
0:46:12 > 0:46:14their team-mates in the actual championships because the course
0:46:14 > 0:46:17there is different.Yeah, absolutely. I mean the different
0:46:17 > 0:46:23types of courses suit different runners, so somebody with a much
0:46:23 > 0:46:28longer stride, someone like Mo Farah will prefer a drier course and won't
0:46:28 > 0:46:31like the muddier courses that are more cut up, much more heavy on the
0:46:31 > 0:46:34legs and make it harder to use the speed that he has in the closing
0:46:34 > 0:46:39stages. That's why Gary Heath was quoted as saying that the muddier
0:46:39 > 0:46:42the better for him. It slows everyone down and people can't get
0:46:42 > 0:46:49away from you and it becomes more of a strength race.
0:46:49 > 0:46:52a strength race.Well, the hills have an effect on that as well. It's
0:46:52 > 0:46:55not just the under foot conditions. It breaks up your rhythm and this
0:46:55 > 0:47:01section of the course is more technical.
0:47:03 > 0:47:10technical. Can stretching out. Barker is well up as well. Maybe
0:47:10 > 0:47:18surprised to see her ahead of some Simon. Finula is further back. She's
0:47:18 > 0:47:28tucked in there not far behind Kurechka. Europe packing well. We
0:47:28 > 0:47:35mentioned Harriet Knowles Jones andErity Ockendom who finished ahead
0:47:35 > 0:47:42of Finula. She's in the team there. I think Andy Vernon mentioned Louise
0:47:42 > 0:47:46Damon. Philipa Bowden and Phoebe Law. They're all in there. Only four
0:47:46 > 0:47:50to count within the team race. Sorry, excuse me, six to count in
0:47:50 > 0:47:56this. Four in the juniors. Six in the seniors. Certainly not hanging
0:47:56 > 0:48:03around now. She's stretched out, settled around the first lap. I'm
0:48:03 > 0:48:06surprised that Barca is trying so hard to go with her. She might be
0:48:06 > 0:48:09thinking OK we know what's going to happen here. Just got to pace
0:48:09 > 0:48:18yourself. Again cross-country, one lap.
0:48:20 > 0:48:26lap.They are in rough by the positions they finished in the
0:48:26 > 0:48:27European cross-country championships, barring the Americans
0:48:27 > 0:48:37in that. First, fourth and fifth now. I think Barca is trying to
0:48:37 > 0:48:41maintain contact with Can and not allow the gap to grow too much in
0:48:41 > 0:48:44the first couple of laps. Now it is starting to grow. You can see Barca
0:48:44 > 0:48:48has made that decision or it has been forced upon her. But she's
0:48:48 > 0:48:55starting to drop back towards the group behind her. Yasmin Can is
0:48:55 > 0:48:59starting the long run over this course that she knows so well. She
0:48:59 > 0:49:01has the experience of knowing how to gauge her effort at different points
0:49:01 > 0:49:05on this course, how to manage that cambered section. That isn't as
0:49:05 > 0:49:09cambered as in previous years along that section there. Then when they
0:49:09 > 0:49:16go up the hill, where the longer tuftier grass and across the stream,
0:49:16 > 0:49:19all those are different strategies and techniques. That's why we call
0:49:19 > 0:49:26it the more technical section of the course.I think the standings will
0:49:26 > 0:49:29definitely change as things move through. But at the moment, Europe
0:49:29 > 0:49:35have got a good lead. They've started well. Barker is up there.
0:49:35 > 0:49:41Burkhard is up there. Simon not too far behind. McCormack as well. The
0:49:41 > 0:49:49British contingent starting to move through the field. I suspect that
0:49:49 > 0:49:53gap in the points scoring will shorten. Of course, massive for
0:49:53 > 0:49:57Europe the fact that one of your counters just counts one point. We
0:49:57 > 0:50:01can almost hand that to her barring any trip ups or accidents on the
0:50:01 > 0:50:07route. I think she's just going to keep opening that gap. Barca is
0:50:07 > 0:50:11sticking to her task well that. Was a really good performance from her.
0:50:11 > 0:50:15The European cross-country championships, we had the under 23
0:50:15 > 0:50:26race and the junior race. Jess Judd in the under 23.
0:50:29 > 0:50:31in the under 23. Burkhardt is aiming for that. She's up there already.
0:50:31 > 0:50:35That was probably a surprise to finish as high as she did in the
0:50:35 > 0:50:37European cross-country championships, but underlining the
0:50:37 > 0:50:41fact here that is a true reflection of the shape she's in. She's in very
0:50:41 > 0:50:45good form. She's found a good batch of training behind her and been able
0:50:45 > 0:50:49to come out and race well over the cross-country. She's obviously at
0:50:49 > 0:50:53home on the different surfaces. That's Mollie Sidle who has moved
0:50:53 > 0:50:58into third. Slipped a bit down the hill. Running well over this
0:50:58 > 0:51:09surface. A big gap back to Jess Judd now.Harriet Knowles-Jones going
0:51:09 > 0:51:12through. She was pleased to get that Gold Medal, her last race in the
0:51:12 > 0:51:16junior ranks. Her mum and dad watching there. It was emotional at
0:51:16 > 0:51:20end. But it was a great race from her on the day. There was a bit of
0:51:20 > 0:51:25pressure on her. She was the pre-race favourite. She delivered
0:51:25 > 0:51:30and now moving into the senior ranks. No under 23s here of course.
0:51:30 > 0:51:35No stepping stone literally. Jump in at the deep end.She doesn't need a
0:51:35 > 0:51:39stepping stone though. She's got a good tradition. We talk about the
0:51:39 > 0:51:43tradition and the strength of cross-country running and the
0:51:43 > 0:51:48history of it. Her father is Martin Jones, on the last British team to
0:51:48 > 0:51:51win a team medal at the world cross-country championships along
0:51:51 > 0:51:58with her coach. This eknow about cross-country running. She probably
0:51:58 > 0:52:01is relishing running on this course and would like it to be more tough
0:52:01 > 0:52:07in some of the points.
0:52:07 > 0:52:09in some of the points.Gerechka is forging through. She caught that
0:52:09 > 0:52:14group who've had to settle down. She's gone straight through them
0:52:14 > 0:52:19there. They're responding to that. Judging her effort well. Didn't want
0:52:19 > 0:52:24to go off too hard. She's trying to forge on. She's watching the
0:52:24 > 0:52:35European champion continue to move away. But she's in this quartet
0:52:35 > 0:52:40away. But she's in this quartet now, contesting second place. Coming
0:52:40 > 0:52:43towards the end of the second lap. Remember only four laps. Approaching
0:52:43 > 0:52:51halfway here.
0:52:51 > 0:52:54halfway here. Gerechka does well on the tough courses. She ran great in
0:52:54 > 0:52:57Liverpool in the trials. Maybe the course in the champs didn't quite
0:52:57 > 0:53:01suit her as much. It was a bit quicker, twisty, turny. But she's so
0:53:01 > 0:53:06strong.She is. She's very strong and she's taken her time to build
0:53:06 > 0:53:10back. She missed a lot of time away from training and racing with a
0:53:10 > 0:53:15double stress fracture in her foot in 2015. Then started training with
0:53:15 > 0:53:18Chris Thompson and Gemma Simpson. They've been coaching her and
0:53:18 > 0:53:22brought her slowly back. You can see she's gaining in confidence as well
0:53:22 > 0:53:24as the strength with all the training that she's getting under
0:53:24 > 0:53:29her belt and also with the racing. She took that first lap to kind of
0:53:29 > 0:53:37feel out this course a bit.
0:53:49 > 0:53:53Tommo doing a great job. Chris actually raced on Friday, the
0:53:53 > 0:53:58half-marathon in Doha. His third or fourth he was telling me. And Gemma
0:53:58 > 0:54:03as well. Didn't Chris finally pop the question? #He did. He said it
0:54:03 > 0:54:08was harder getting up off his knees than asking the question.
0:54:08 > 0:54:12Congratulations to those two. Two of our great athletes, Chris still
0:54:12 > 0:54:16running. It is testimony to Amelia. You just reminded me, this time last
0:54:16 > 0:54:21year I was in the British training camp. I went for a job with Amelia
0:54:21 > 0:54:27and Chris. I'd had a knee operation. I was running with Amelia. She was
0:54:27 > 0:54:32just starting, running that slow, running with me that slow. And Chris
0:54:32 > 0:54:35was very conscious about how she was going to have to be patient and
0:54:35 > 0:54:39build and build. After that really serious problem she had. A cracking
0:54:39 > 0:54:44job. Look at this, she's moving clear into second place. Can is
0:54:44 > 0:54:47looking around there. It's a good gap. Buff she's going to have to
0:54:47 > 0:54:53keep -- but she's going to have to keep working. Gorecka is pulling
0:54:53 > 0:54:58Seidel away from her. The others running strongly.Barca paying the
0:54:58 > 0:55:01price for having worked so hard on the first lap. She's drifting back
0:55:01 > 0:55:04to the chasing group. The British team packing well. But they could
0:55:04 > 0:55:08pick up a couple of those stragglers as they start to come back towards
0:55:08 > 0:55:13them. You can see when you look at the front-on shot of Gorecka how
0:55:13 > 0:55:18much she's worked on her core strength and how her hips are really
0:55:18 > 0:55:21not moving around despite the fact that this course is tough. She does
0:55:21 > 0:55:25need to pick her ground carefully with. It she's really holding that
0:55:25 > 0:55:28core stability really well. That's reflected in the fact that she's
0:55:28 > 0:55:33making up the ground and moving quickly and well over the ground.
0:55:33 > 0:55:38Yeah, when the race is only six kilometres, you haven't got time to
0:55:38 > 0:55:43set it, once you're into the rhythm and you're working hard, they've
0:55:43 > 0:55:50only got about 2K to go. She's only about five seconds behind Can, if
0:55:50 > 0:55:54this gap stayed the same, I'm not sure how hard Can is running here,
0:55:54 > 0:56:00but she's looking behind. She is a little bit concerned because Gorecka
0:56:00 > 0:56:08is closing, imper Septemberibly, a little bit. Impercptibly. She knows
0:56:08 > 0:56:12he's got a lap and a bit to go. It's a good gap, a decent gap. But it's
0:56:12 > 0:56:17one which Gorecka is just eating into slightly.I think she's eating
0:56:17 > 0:56:21into it a little bit, but significantly, she's opening up more
0:56:21 > 0:56:25ground on Mollie Seidel behind her. That is significant. Amelia can
0:56:25 > 0:56:30finish fast. We say that she hasn't maybe got the pace to live with Can,
0:56:30 > 0:56:33particularly if Can has saved something for the last couple of
0:56:33 > 0:56:37hundred metres. But Amelia will be able to find something. But more of
0:56:37 > 0:56:44a buffer she has over Seidel, the more ground she can make up on Can
0:56:44 > 0:56:48over this will be significant. Straight through the water. Amelia
0:56:48 > 0:56:53Gorecka just making sure that she keeps her eyes forward on the back
0:56:53 > 0:56:57of Can, because behind her the gap is growing. She doesn't have to
0:56:57 > 0:57:02worry about charges, because there are big gaps behind Seidel now, as
0:57:02 > 0:57:07Barca is struggling. Positions are changing further back. Jess Judd
0:57:07 > 0:57:11moving well. Phoebe Law is going really well. Good run from her at
0:57:11 > 0:57:17this point. She's up there, ahead of Harriet Knowles-Jones. The British
0:57:17 > 0:57:20team slowly eating into the lead that Europe had. And come to the end
0:57:20 > 0:57:23of the last lap, one more lap to go, of course. I don't think there's
0:57:23 > 0:57:27going to be too much to choose between Europe and Great Britain.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30Every position they can make will be significant. That's one of the
0:57:30 > 0:57:33beauties of the team race in cross-country. Every last scorer
0:57:33 > 0:57:37counts. Sometimes the last scorer counts for more because they can
0:57:37 > 0:57:41pick off more places ahead of them. Interestingly, our statistician has
0:57:41 > 0:57:45told me that Gorecka ran exactly the same time for the second lap as did
0:57:45 > 0:57:50Dinesh Chandimal. That gap hasn't -- as did Can. The gap hasn't grown at
0:57:50 > 0:57:53all. She's moving through but she's not able to close down that four,
0:57:53 > 0:57:58five second buffer in front.Mollie Seidel is hanging on to Gorecka now.
0:57:58 > 0:58:03She was moving away. Looked like she was eating into the lead. Maybe that
0:58:03 > 0:58:06effort has been one that she needs to concentrate on holding onto
0:58:06 > 0:58:14second. Seidel is just getting back onto her shoulders. They drop down
0:58:14 > 0:58:22towards the finish line to hear the bell. One more lap to go. The
0:58:22 > 0:58:25European champion, Can, representing Europe here today is leading.
0:58:25 > 0:58:30Probably four, five second lead over Gorecka of Great Britain. Seidel is
0:58:30 > 0:58:40moving alongside these two in second and third.
0:58:40 > 0:58:44and third. Then the gaps get bigger was ego further back now. -- we go
0:58:44 > 0:58:51further back now. Burkhardt ahead of Barca who looks as though she's
0:58:51 > 0:59:05struggling a bit, the Romain yard. Trying to -- the Romanian.
0:59:05 > 0:59:08Harriet Knowles Jones not far away either. Those three need to work as
0:59:08 > 0:59:12hard as they can and give Gorecka a bit of support in terms of the team.
0:59:12 > 0:59:15They've got their own private little battle going on there. But it would
0:59:15 > 0:59:19be good if they could just get ahead of those two Europeans ahead of
0:59:19 > 0:59:23them.That would be really good for the British team. You could see on
0:59:23 > 0:59:27that downhill section how much more comfortable on the downhill part of
0:59:27 > 0:59:32the course Mollie Seidel looked. Amelia Gorecka's face, she's really
0:59:32 > 0:59:35working hard. She's rallying. She's managing to stay slightly ahead of
0:59:35 > 0:59:39Seidel. Who is probably sitting on her shoulder and may wait until the
0:59:39 > 0:59:44last couple of hundred metres down the downhill section now she knows
0:59:44 > 0:59:47from the previous laps and experience that she has the edge
0:59:47 > 0:59:53over Gorecka on that section.
0:59:56 > 1:00:02That you can see the team standings, just ten points between the British
1:00:02 > 1:00:04and the European team, closing all the time.
1:00:04 > 1:00:08That is the overall match standings, which takes the two junior races
1:00:08 > 1:00:14into account. Europe lead from the USA and Great
1:00:14 > 1:00:19Britain, second and third. Burkard looking pretty strong. Phoebe Law is
1:00:19 > 1:00:26closing down pretty quickly on Burkard and Barca,
1:00:26 > 1:00:26closing down pretty quickly on Burkard and Barca, she has already
1:00:26 > 1:00:32passed Barca. She could certainly get into the top five, which would
1:00:32 > 1:00:39be a great performance from her, because she is ahead of her
1:00:39 > 1:00:42team-mate, Jess Judd, Knowles-Jones and Ockenden is not too far-away,
1:00:42 > 1:00:47either.
1:00:47 > 1:00:53I am just wondering whether... We will not get into it, we have
1:00:53 > 1:00:59done this so many times. But Can does not spend much time in Turkey,
1:00:59 > 1:01:03but the pressure for them to compete in the championships, for instance
1:01:03 > 1:01:06the world indoors, we might see her at the world Indoor Championships in
1:01:06 > 1:01:12Birmingham in March. They don't raise that much, but they are under
1:01:12 > 1:01:17a little bit of pressure to compete for Turkey in the championships.
1:01:17 > 1:01:22Without being too cynical, the probable reason for them competing
1:01:22 > 1:01:29for Turkey in the first place was to get the team success that Turkey was
1:01:29 > 1:01:34really looking after on the international stage. I think there
1:01:34 > 1:01:38is probably an expectation on her that she competes in the likes of
1:01:38 > 1:01:41the European Cross country, the world cross-country, the world
1:01:41 > 1:01:45indoors and the other major championships, which she has done so
1:01:45 > 1:01:50successfully for Turkey. But that gap is playing pretty much the same
1:01:50 > 1:01:54four microseconds that she built up on the first lap. As hard as they
1:01:54 > 1:01:57work, and they're helping each other a little bit, Gorecka and Seidel
1:01:57 > 1:02:02cannot close it down. It is today exactly the same as in the first
1:02:02 > 1:02:05lap. You get the impression she is just
1:02:05 > 1:02:08doing enough. These two are scrapping for second place, they
1:02:08 > 1:02:13know each other well. Mark Butler pointed out that in 2012 they were
1:02:13 > 1:02:16both in the junior race. Emelia Gorecka Chuka won that, Molly Seidel
1:02:16 > 1:02:23was third. That was six years ago, January 20 12.
1:02:23 > 1:02:31Goodness me. Because they are racing each
1:02:31 > 1:02:36each other, it is just not enough. You get the feeling by Can has just
1:02:36 > 1:02:42picked up again, every time the gap has lost a big close for comfort.
1:02:42 > 1:02:47Emelia is working hard, she's only a few seconds by Can. But we know that
1:02:47 > 1:02:54Can can pick it up at the end. Emelia finding something else up the
1:02:54 > 1:02:57hill, she has stretch the gap back to Molly Seidel, who will make up
1:02:57 > 1:03:01some of that on the downhill coming up. Emelia has given the biggest
1:03:01 > 1:03:04effort up that hill to try to close the gap and draw herself away from
1:03:04 > 1:03:10Molly. She has had to work hard for this
1:03:10 > 1:03:18victory, Yasmin Chan. -- Yasemin Can. It has been chilly here than I
1:03:18 > 1:03:23am sure her training camp was in Kenya, but she has come back to
1:03:23 > 1:03:28Edinburgh and run superbly well. But a mediocre rep -- but Emelia Gorecka
1:03:28 > 1:03:33is racing down the hill, chasing Can and making sure she keeps the gap
1:03:33 > 1:03:37between herself and Seidel, the American, who comes in for their
1:03:37 > 1:03:41place. The European cross-country champion,
1:03:41 > 1:03:45coming to Edinburgh and winning in good style. I would not say it was
1:03:45 > 1:03:49totally impressive in the sense that she did not totally dominate, and
1:03:49 > 1:03:53she has done enough. Emelia Gorecka Chuka, a superb performance to take
1:03:53 > 1:03:58second place, just a couple of seconds behind. And then Seidel for
1:03:58 > 1:04:03the USA, crossing the line in third. We will watch for the places behind,
1:04:03 > 1:04:07that will have a lot to say in terms of where the team goes here. Burkard
1:04:07 > 1:04:13hanging on for fourth place.
1:04:14 > 1:04:15hanging on for fourth place. Phoebe Law, a really good performance in
1:04:15 > 1:04:28this. Lugeros in fourth. Europe may just hang on as Barca, who went very
1:04:28 > 1:04:31hard at the beginning, comes across the line. A good, strong performance
1:04:31 > 1:04:35from Ockenden in the last lap. She got of Jess Judd. Harriet
1:04:35 > 1:04:42Knowles-Jones. Simou -- Fionnuala McCormack. We will let them come
1:04:42 > 1:04:47across the line, we will sort all of the team positions out. It looks to
1:04:47 > 1:04:51me as though Europe have won this, which might just mean that the gap
1:04:51 > 1:04:55between Europe and Great Britain might be too much in the men's race.
1:04:55 > 1:05:00Certainly from a British perspective.
1:05:00 > 1:05:07A good race in the end, Paula? Can was expected to run away with it,
1:05:07 > 1:05:12but had to work hard all the way? She did, she did not look entirely
1:05:12 > 1:05:16comfortable. It looked like in the first lap she was trying to build up
1:05:16 > 1:05:20something and maybe relax, to KCOM hard over the final lap. She was not
1:05:20 > 1:05:26able to do that, and if you look at the split for the last lap, Emelia
1:05:26 > 1:05:35Gorecka ran the fastest, 5-13, as opposed to Can's 5-15. Yasemin Can
1:05:35 > 1:05:39ran almost like a metronome that she did not look as dominant or
1:05:39 > 1:05:42impressive as she has in previous races.
1:05:42 > 1:05:47We will tidy up the results pretty soon. Those lads are all right,
1:05:47 > 1:05:52there? Stay there, lads. I'm sure they are fine! Gabby has
1:05:52 > 1:05:54the winner and the second placed athlete.
1:05:54 > 1:06:00Are fine! Thank you, Steve. Yasemin Can and Emelia Gorecka Chuka gave us
1:06:00 > 1:06:03a great race and a thrill at the end. We thought maybe Emelia was
1:06:03 > 1:06:09going to pull you back. Did it feel as easy as last year? Did the course
1:06:09 > 1:06:13feel different, do you feel different?The course is very hard
1:06:13 > 1:06:20for me. It is very moody. I was struggling too much.You think you
1:06:20 > 1:06:27struggle too much?Yes.It was a bit harder?It is not like last year.Is
1:06:27 > 1:06:32that because you have been putting in lots of training and were not as
1:06:32 > 1:06:39fresh?Pardon?Did you not feel as fresh, maybe?Yes.
1:06:39 > 1:06:44Emelia had a part to play. At the end, coming down the hill. You were
1:06:44 > 1:06:51trying to draw Yasemin towards you. How do you feel?I can't not be
1:06:51 > 1:06:55happy. I had no idea what the opportunity would be, I thought it
1:06:55 > 1:06:59could be top five for top three, then I was second and it was so
1:06:59 > 1:07:03close to first, I had to keep believing it was possible to get the
1:07:03 > 1:07:07best out of myself. I came here to get the best out of myself, it is a
1:07:07 > 1:07:11world-class field. I am over the moon to be second by such a small
1:07:11 > 1:07:19margin as well. It has been a tough couple of years
1:07:19 > 1:07:21for you to get back into this type of shape. Give an insight into what
1:07:21 > 1:07:25you have gone through?Got a new training setup, we decided to strip
1:07:25 > 1:07:28back everything, go back to basics and built the foundations to
1:07:28 > 1:07:33hopefully allow me to be a strong senior athlete. I am only 23 so we
1:07:33 > 1:07:38are still building the foundations and working on loads of smaller,
1:07:38 > 1:07:42fine details to get back to where I want to be, but I have enjoyed every
1:07:42 > 1:07:46step of the journey, I am still on it and will hopefully progress and
1:07:46 > 1:07:50develop, I'm quite young still.So we will see plenty more of you
1:07:50 > 1:07:56indoors this season?No, I have lots of hard work to do, I will go away
1:07:56 > 1:08:01and train for the next few weeks and months, rebuilding the foundations.
1:08:01 > 1:08:06I really want to get some winter training in, I am working hard and
1:08:06 > 1:08:09will hopefully translate some of my performances to the track this
1:08:09 > 1:08:13summer.EU and the summer. A great performance from you both.
1:08:13 > 1:08:17Let's clear everything up and see how the positions have affected the
1:08:17 > 1:08:22overall standings. -- see you in the summer. STUDIO:
1:08:22 > 1:08:25The top two leading their team is very well, I am pretty sure Europe
1:08:25 > 1:08:31will be coming out on top. A really good run from Phoebe Law. Verity
1:08:31 > 1:08:38Ockenden backing up Emelia Gorecka. The winning margin was just two
1:08:38 > 1:08:44microseconds. You heard Yasemin say it was hard work today, but Gorecka
1:08:44 > 1:08:49running very well. And a good performance from Molly Seidel.
1:08:49 > 1:08:53Let's see how that affected the team. Europe in the end maintains
1:08:53 > 1:08:56their ten point advantage they had at the start of the last lap,
1:08:56 > 1:09:02despite one or two changes. They are really consolidating their position
1:09:02 > 1:09:06of the Great Britain and the USA in the overall match. Just the senior
1:09:06 > 1:09:11men to go, and the lead Europe have is 18 points. Europe with 90, Great
1:09:11 > 1:09:19Britain with 180 in the USA with hundred and 40. -- and the USA with
1:09:19 > 1:09:22140. It is not just the elite competition
1:09:22 > 1:09:24today, anybody can join in. Whether
1:09:24 > 1:09:24It is not just the elite competition today, anybody can join in. Whether
1:09:24 > 1:09:28it is a New year's resolution they come every year, everyone has their
1:09:28 > 1:09:33reason for being here. -- whether it is a New year's resolution or they
1:09:33 > 1:09:39come every year. Mass participation events, many
1:09:39 > 1:09:42viewers of those will recognise Colin. Is this your first time here?
1:09:42 > 1:09:47It is my first time across the border.What made you want to take
1:09:47 > 1:09:51part in this?I'll be honest, I did not know this was on until
1:09:51 > 1:09:54Wednesday. The guy who does the commentary appears that, are you
1:09:54 > 1:10:00coming up? I said, might as well. Jumped on the train like this this
1:10:00 > 1:10:05morning. Thanks to the train, they bumped me up to first class. Really
1:10:05 > 1:10:10excited to get on, it is great. There is a big hill at the beginning
1:10:10 > 1:10:14of the course.I did not know that until I got here, then somebody
1:10:14 > 1:10:17pointed it out and said it is up there. I said, you are having a
1:10:17 > 1:10:26laugh X Umesh Mahtre but. Best of luck, take care.
1:10:26 > 1:10:30Jackie has been through a big challenge in her life, but this year
1:10:30 > 1:10:37she has set itself a new challenge, beginning today.
1:10:41 > 1:10:47Three years ago I was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. My tumour
1:10:47 > 1:10:50was seven centimetres in size, the only option was to have chemotherapy
1:10:50 > 1:10:55to shrink it enough to remove it by surgery. Chemotherapy, for that is
1:10:55 > 1:11:00great things for tumours, it annihilates your body. It is a
1:11:00 > 1:11:04brutal thing to go through. However, it saves your life. I finished my
1:11:04 > 1:11:08treatment on Christmas eve of the same year, which was a good thing to
1:11:08 > 1:11:14do. When you go through a journey like
1:11:14 > 1:11:17cancer, you are on a treadmill you can't get off.
1:11:17 > 1:11:21You have no option. All the decisions about everything you do
1:11:21 > 1:11:25are taken out of you for six months because you had to get injections
1:11:25 > 1:11:30when you get them, go into hospital when you go into hospital. It is
1:11:30 > 1:11:34very difficult. It took another year to feel better,
1:11:34 > 1:11:37because you are left with lots of chemotherapy and radiotherapy
1:11:37 > 1:11:45side-effects, you put on lots of weight, your joints are very
1:11:46 > 1:11:48weight, your joints are very damaged by the drug somethings and you have
1:11:48 > 1:11:50other side effects like numb toes, numb fingers, you lose your hair and
1:11:50 > 1:11:53things like that. I had never even been a hospital
1:11:53 > 1:11:56patient before, despite the fact I have been missing since I was 17 I
1:11:56 > 1:12:00had never been admitted to hospital and never had surgery in my life, I
1:12:00 > 1:12:04had no idea how I would cope. But I found a strength I did not know I
1:12:04 > 1:12:09had. I think I surprise myself and my family members in terms of even
1:12:09 > 1:12:12coping with the pain as well as everything that was thrown at you.
1:12:12 > 1:12:18And even since then, I have got a strength I did not know I had and a
1:12:18 > 1:12:23determination I did not know I had. I was turning 50 that year and
1:12:23 > 1:12:27decided to start doing things for myself, took the decision to get
1:12:27 > 1:12:32fit. I wanted to run a ten K with my son, I am happy to say I did that in
1:12:32 > 1:12:36Bristol last year. Running for me has loads of
1:12:36 > 1:12:41benefits, mentally. It is my headspace, it is where I live to go.
1:12:41 > 1:12:44You can either rationalise things that have gone on during the day and
1:12:44 > 1:12:49put them into an order and put them to the side, or you can just clear
1:12:49 > 1:12:52your head of everything and get rid of the stuff out of your brain and
1:12:52 > 1:12:58give it a dump. The run in Edinburgh, I think I will
1:12:58 > 1:13:02be quite emotional. You're going to chemotherapy, you have been through
1:13:02 > 1:13:08surgery, you have beaten cancer. Do you know what, get your cars up that
1:13:08 > 1:13:17hill and get on with it. I am with Jacqui's husband. She has
1:13:17 > 1:13:22been through a lot?A couple of years ago, when she had breast
1:13:22 > 1:13:25cancer it was a difficult time for as Bo Van Pelt family, we kind of
1:13:25 > 1:13:29took it day by day. There was a lot of uncertainty about what would
1:13:29 > 1:13:34happen. She is very healthy now, very fit compared to a few years
1:13:34 > 1:13:39ago. She has developed a strength of mind, she is a very focused woman
1:13:39 > 1:13:46now and when she takes on a challenge she will do it.
1:13:47 > 1:13:51Jacqui, how was it?Amazing, I don't know if I can speak properly. That
1:13:51 > 1:13:55Hill was not as bad as I thought it was. I did not stop running the
1:13:55 > 1:14:00whole way. I am just delighted that I did it. I have no idea of my time,
1:14:00 > 1:14:03that I am chuffed to bits that I did it.
1:14:03 > 1:14:08I will be honest, you are a cancer survivor, this must be a piece of
1:14:08 > 1:14:13cake?Compared to some parts, yes, but it is hard. But then everything
1:14:13 > 1:14:18is hard, but you have to put your mind to it. If it does not challenge
1:14:18 > 1:14:22you, it won't change you, that is my new motto which I live by, day by
1:14:22 > 1:14:27day. Get inspired BBC sport's campaign to
1:14:27 > 1:14:33get you active. Get Inspired is on the BBC sport website. You can find
1:14:33 > 1:14:36information from people like you, hints, tips and over 70 practical
1:14:36 > 1:14:39guides to help you give something a go.
1:14:39 > 1:14:43There is also an activity finder to help you find something to try near
1:14:43 > 1:14:50you. Just get up, get inspired and get active.
1:14:54 > 1:14:57Cross-country to me looks so much more interesting than road running.
1:14:57 > 1:15:00You have the challenges of the terrain, the weather and the mud. I
1:15:00 > 1:15:04know it fuelled your career.It is. And it was probably the event that I
1:15:04 > 1:15:09was most at home on and certainly had my first successes on, because
1:15:09 > 1:15:13you can very much run according to feel, according to instipght,
1:15:13 > 1:15:16according to when you want to put the surges in. It's not marked out
1:15:16 > 1:15:20like on the track. It's not even precise distances. That's not the
1:15:20 > 1:15:24point of cross-country. It's about making people work.There's nothing
1:15:24 > 1:15:27like the smell here. I love that earthy, muddy smell. Paula, we're
1:15:27 > 1:15:33upon the final race of the day, the elite men. It's 8k, four long laps,
1:15:33 > 1:15:37two short ones. Who are the faces we should look out for?Probably the
1:15:37 > 1:15:42big favourite coming in is Keegan-Osbalen, who won the
1:15:42 > 1:15:45championships in December. And has raced here before
1:15:45 > 1:15:47championships in December. And has raced here before and raced well.
1:15:47 > 1:15:50We're seeing him winning here in the European cross-country
1:15:50 > 1:15:56championships. Very convincingly won there by a big margin. He's the
1:15:56 > 1:15:59favourite. He will get it taken to him. We've got experience in the
1:15:59 > 1:16:03British team in the shape of Andy Vernon. We've got youth and people
1:16:03 > 1:16:09coming through in the likes of Ben Conor. But the US team as well is
1:16:09 > 1:16:13strong and will want to challenge hard. They've got Heath who has won
1:16:13 > 1:16:19here in the past and loves this course. The muddier the better he's
1:16:19 > 1:16:24quoted as saying. We saw him beat Mo Farah over this course, you can see
1:16:24 > 1:16:28the mud all over him. Muddier than today. A bit drier, firmer today.
1:16:28 > 1:16:32He's a strong runner. I know he excels in winter sports as well.
1:16:32 > 1:16:34He's got real strength in the cross-country which can be the
1:16:34 > 1:16:40difference sometimes.It can. He's got a very fast 1500m time as well.
1:16:40 > 1:16:46He's a good miler. He started out as a cross-country skier and has that
1:16:46 > 1:16:49feel and that instinct for cross-country racing and loves. It
1:16:49 > 1:16:55that's apparent in the way he races. Chris Derek is another and Leonard
1:16:55 > 1:16:58Grower who won here last year and raced very strongly. He's going from
1:16:58 > 1:17:02strength to strength racing for the Usmanov, running lots of PBs. Last
1:17:02 > 1:17:07year it was good to see Hawkins take it to him and run the sting out of
1:17:07 > 1:17:10him, digging deep as he could in the closing stages.Calum not here this
1:17:10 > 1:17:14year. Getting ready for the Commonwealth Games this year.Yes,
1:17:14 > 1:17:22the big target for Hawkins now is to come away with a medal from the
1:17:22 > 1:17:25Commonwealth Games.Let's hope we have a race as tight as that. It's a
1:17:25 > 1:17:29few minutes away. Let's hear from the team captains telling us who the
1:17:29 > 1:17:31strengths are and where the strengths are in the
1:17:31 > 1:17:34strengths are and where the strengths are in the opposition.The
1:17:34 > 1:17:40senior men's team is a mixture of youth and experience, I suppose. We
1:17:40 > 1:17:45are missing a couple of big players that could be here. But I don't
1:17:45 > 1:17:50think that's going to deter our confidence going in. Obviously
1:17:50 > 1:17:56everyone is going to do as best they can in front of a home crowd. Yeah,
1:17:56 > 1:18:03hopefully we can come back with some more silverware.Gareth Heath has
1:18:03 > 1:18:08always come from America but loves Edinburgh as much as I do. He's had
1:18:08 > 1:18:14big performances here. He'll be one to watch out for.Team USA we're
1:18:14 > 1:18:19feeling pretty good. You don't want to get overconfident. I've been
1:18:19 > 1:18:21following the European cross, there's a lot of guys in here. I've
1:18:21 > 1:18:26raced one or two of the UK guys and guys like Andy Vernon are good.
1:18:26 > 1:18:30Especially with younger guys, you never know who's going to step up.
1:18:30 > 1:18:37We've got three past champions here from the American team. Heath has
1:18:37 > 1:18:47won here a couple of times. Chris Derek. On the European side, we've
1:18:47 > 1:18:53got Buccicki. He ran a good race at the European championships. There's
1:18:53 > 1:18:57a lot of good runners.The fact that you're out in the cold, you're out
1:18:57 > 1:19:01in the wind, sometimes snow, hail, sleet, and the fans here in
1:19:01 > 1:19:04Edinburgh will come out no matter what. If they're out there standing
1:19:04 > 1:19:07in the cold cheering you on, you'd better be ready to go for it.
1:19:07 > 1:19:10They certainly are. Some of them finding other amusements at the
1:19:10 > 1:19:15moment. But we are all ready for the final elite race of the day. Steve
1:19:15 > 1:19:19Cram and Paula Radcliffe in the commentary box for the men's race.
1:19:19 > 1:19:22Steve, I'm not sure that's a sport that's going to catch on that the
1:19:22 > 1:19:26lad was trying out there? It looks like one of those, what's
1:19:26 > 1:19:29that thing where you go down the hill rolling after the cheese or
1:19:29 > 1:19:33something, isn't it? Or Easter eggs. I don't know. I was never good at
1:19:33 > 1:19:37getting down a hill quick. Oh, careful.
1:19:37 > 1:19:38getting down a hill quick. Oh, careful.
1:19:38 > 1:19:43They're here of all ages and enjoying the atmosphere, on a day
1:19:43 > 1:19:47where speck Tating isn't as tough as some years here. We've got the three
1:19:47 > 1:19:52teams ready to go. We've had a bit of a chat there with Paula and the
1:19:52 > 1:19:59team captains about who to watch out for. Garrett Heath. He won the short
1:19:59 > 1:20:09race aas long as the long race when he famously beat Mo Farah.
1:20:13 > 1:20:17he famously beat Mo Farah. Osborne running for Turkey now. Watch out
1:20:17 > 1:20:21for his mate who fell in the European championships early in the
1:20:21 > 1:20:26race and couldn't get close to his team-mate in the latter stages.
1:20:26 > 1:20:38Vernon leading the British team. One or two not here.
1:20:40 > 1:20:46Griffiths a late withdrawal from the British team.
1:20:46 > 1:20:52So the senior men under way. Two short laps and four long for the
1:20:52 > 1:20:58men, 8k the total distance. Fast start as ever. I think this is an
1:20:58 > 1:21:03interesting race. With the former winners in here, because Chris Derek
1:21:03 > 1:21:11has won here before, Heath has won before, then Mike Osborne, who has
1:21:11 > 1:21:16come to the front.
1:21:18 > 1:21:20come to the front. Zbelin, who has come to the front. Ben Connor won't
1:21:20 > 1:21:30be far away.
1:21:46 > 1:21:53Connor setting out with intent here alongside Ozbelin.Rt British team
1:21:53 > 1:21:57packing very well so far. Following the lead of Ben Connor. Andy Vernon
1:21:57 > 1:22:02sitting behind him. And Mohammed too on the inside. Putting themselves up
1:22:02 > 1:22:06there with a chance on the first lap. Towards the back of that, you
1:22:06 > 1:22:10see Chris Derek there, number 33, moving up the hill for the US team.
1:22:10 > 1:22:18He's taking a little bit longer to settle into the race.I mentioned
1:22:18 > 1:22:25the fact that Can has been away, indeed Ozbelin was with her at the
1:22:25 > 1:22:35training camp.
1:22:38 > 1:22:43Certainly the marathon and longer distance, many of them in Kenya.
1:22:43 > 1:22:52That's where they've come from. Come straight down. It was interesting
1:22:52 > 1:22:55list ening to Can. It sounded like one of those days for her. She came
1:22:55 > 1:22:59in on Thursday and maybe dropping down this quickly and competing it
1:22:59 > 1:23:02didn't quite work for her this time. Usually when they've got the
1:23:02 > 1:23:05experience of the likes of Ozbelin and Can dropping down, they know how
1:23:05 > 1:23:09to judge it. When you come down so close to the race you can't
1:23:09 > 1:23:12anticipate how your body might react. If you pick up something on
1:23:12 > 1:23:16the flight as well, you cannot feel great there. Usually that first
1:23:16 > 1:23:19week, first day you might feel great, after that there's a bit of
1:23:19 > 1:23:23an up and down period as your body adjusts to being back down at sea
1:23:23 > 1:23:26level. Maybe that's what she was experienced. Maybe she just put in a
1:23:26 > 1:23:31lot of volume and hard work up at altitude and was taking time to
1:23:31 > 1:23:41recover from that. I'm looking for Mishal, who
1:23:41 > 1:23:46performed so well, the Spanish athlete. What a season starting with
1:23:46 > 1:23:50the indoor season back, well, almost a year ago. Continued that right
1:23:50 > 1:23:53through the year, almost winning a medal the the world championships
1:23:53 > 1:23:58outdoors and then performing very well at the European cross-country
1:23:58 > 1:24:01championships. She's tucked in a little bit further back in the pack.
1:24:01 > 1:24:05He's in the middle and in the long orange shorts. When you see him move
1:24:05 > 1:24:11through there, he's, I think - I don't know if it's the fact he's got
1:24:11 > 1:24:15his T-shirt underneath, it looks as though he's eaten a bit too much
1:24:15 > 1:24:19Christmas turkey, if I'm allowed to say that!Yeah, he does look like
1:24:19 > 1:24:24he's maybe enjoyed the fest Tiffities a bit. He had a great
1:24:24 > 1:24:332017. -- festivities. I'm sure with the European championships in the
1:24:33 > 1:24:38summer, a world indoor championships in Birmingham in March, somebody
1:24:38 > 1:24:44like him any way would be targeting, building on that superb year he had.
1:24:44 > 1:24:47I think that run at the cross-country championships was
1:24:47 > 1:24:53probably, if anything, was the most standout. No, to be fair, the world
1:24:53 > 1:24:57championships outdoors I think. Yes, interesting to see how he goes here.
1:24:57 > 1:25:01As Paula said, he's got himself well covered up. A little further back in
1:25:01 > 1:25:06the back. Ben Connor moves to the front. You just saw the team
1:25:06 > 1:25:10standings slip through there. It's still early in the race. Things just
1:25:10 > 1:25:14settling down. These two short laps first. I think maybe then they'll
1:25:14 > 1:25:23get going. I have a feeling, it's more than a feeling, I'll be more
1:25:23 > 1:25:29than surprised if Europe lets the lead slip in the team competition.
1:25:29 > 1:25:33When you have Ozbelin, Mishal, others to back them up, they're
1:25:33 > 1:25:36probably the favourites to win the team race here and will win the
1:25:36 > 1:25:39overall competition. Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast as well.
1:25:39 > 1:25:47Yay, a bit of sunshine. April 4-15. For curling fans, the Olympic Games,
1:25:47 > 1:25:51Winter Olympics on the BBC, through February. I'll be switching sports.
1:25:51 > 1:25:54London Marathon later on when we get back from the Commonwealth Games on
1:25:54 > 1:26:01the 22 April.
1:26:01 > 1:26:05the 22 April. In the summer, he said, 20th May, Great Manchester
1:26:05 > 1:26:09Run, goodness me. It seems a long way away. I'm sure it will come
1:26:09 > 1:26:14round very quickly. Mo Farah, I think we're going to see a lot of Mo
1:26:14 > 1:26:16in the next few weeks, hopefully, including the London Marathon and in
1:26:16 > 1:26:24Manchester. It still keeps coming. British championships in Birmingham.
1:26:24 > 1:26:31The European championships, if you're in Scotland, of course, an
1:26:31 > 1:26:35interesting year. The European Games are split between Glasgow and
1:26:35 > 1:26:38Berlin, where the athletics will be held. That's our normalure pine
1:26:38 > 1:26:43championships. But they are technically part of the new
1:26:43 > 1:26:49multisport European Games. The other sports will be in Glasgow.
1:26:49 > 1:26:52The Diamond League season continues all the way through, of course,
1:26:52 > 1:26:55after the championships with Birmingham hosting their event on 18
1:26:55 > 1:27:03August. I'll be exhausted by 9th of
1:27:03 > 1:27:06September, when we'll be at the Great North Run. But lots of
1:27:06 > 1:27:14athletics to come on the BBC. So plenty for you to look forward to.
1:27:14 > 1:27:20Are you any good at curling?I don't know. Never actually tried it. I've
1:27:20 > 1:27:24sat and commentated on it once. That's the answer of a champion. You
1:27:24 > 1:27:28don't get no, no I've never done it. You get, "I don't know, I could be
1:27:28 > 1:27:33good, just haven't tried it." I'm sure you'd be brilliant.I'm not so
1:27:33 > 1:27:40sure, but it might be fun to try. There's the standings after this
1:27:40 > 1:27:44second short lap. We're heading out onto the first of four long laps and
1:27:44 > 1:27:50the gaps are starting to appear a bit. Nick tries to get himself
1:27:50 > 1:27:57involved. It would be good if he could maintain contact. It's only
1:27:57 > 1:28:00Ben Connor and Gulap for Great Britain in this lead group, that's
1:28:00 > 1:28:08just starting to break away a bit. Garrett heath hanging off the back.
1:28:08 > 1:28:12Ozbelin and his team-mate on the left-hand side, very much to the
1:28:12 > 1:28:16fore. Vernon starting to move through a
1:28:16 > 1:28:20little as well. Andy will run a steady race. He's getting better as
1:28:20 > 1:28:26the winter goes on. He was just missed out by one place on gaining
1:28:26 > 1:28:29selection for the European championships. But he's got better
1:28:29 > 1:28:34since November. I think he's run a strong race here.
1:28:34 > 1:28:40I mean he's recognising that as the years go by, he's not really losing
1:28:40 > 1:28:44fast, but he's not gaining any pace. He has stated this will be his last
1:28:44 > 1:28:48summer competing on the track and that he will move then more onto the
1:28:48 > 1:28:51roads and make a very serious attempt at the marathon. I think he
1:28:51 > 1:28:55could be a very good marathon runner. He's very strong and he
1:28:55 > 1:28:59tends to gauge his effort well. He's taken the time to build up slowly,
1:28:59 > 1:29:03to learn road racing a little bit with the various half marathons and
1:29:03 > 1:29:11definitely has some Po ten shall to move on. -- potential to move on.
1:29:11 > 1:29:14Chris Derrick made his debut over the marathon in Chicago this year.
1:29:14 > 1:29:17Disappointed with his finish in the end but he raced very well for most
1:29:17 > 1:29:21of that race and just faded a bit in the closing stages. He started very
1:29:21 > 1:29:25gradually today and has now worked his had way up and is leading that
1:29:25 > 1:29:30group with Trevor Dunbar and Andy Vernon. A group of three that's
1:29:30 > 1:29:32almost in no-man's land in between those two, the lead group and the
1:29:32 > 1:29:39big pack.
1:29:39 > 1:29:43Ben Connor decided to disburse with his gloves that he was wearing on
1:29:43 > 1:29:51the first two short laps.It is the first time the men have been on this
1:29:51 > 1:29:56section of the course, they will complete the first of their big
1:29:56 > 1:30:00laps, they go over the water twice, this Little brook, they meet at the
1:30:00 > 1:30:04bottom of the hill and climb across it again at the top of the hill.
1:30:04 > 1:30:12Ozbilen just forcing the pace a little bit. Ben Connor doing a good
1:30:12 > 1:30:19job at this point of staying with some very good athletes. Ozbilen was
1:30:19 > 1:30:28last year's winner. Ben Connor is in the top three. There is a gap
1:30:28 > 1:30:32appearing between them and neck. Sometimes if you just hang in the
1:30:32 > 1:30:35group and they move you away, even you start to struggle a little
1:30:35 > 1:30:40bit... Garrett Heath is trying to stay in there as well. A different
1:30:40 > 1:30:44tactic to what Andy Vernon is doing, if it goes wrong you will be passed
1:30:44 > 1:30:48by quite a lot of people. But it can drag you away from everybody else?
1:30:48 > 1:30:55A bit of a reaction and a reflection that Nick has a very fast indoor
1:30:55 > 1:31:003,000-metre time. So on the more even, technically easier course in
1:31:00 > 1:31:04the first lap, he got himself into bigger position. He is struggling a
1:31:04 > 1:31:08bit on the more difficult sections, going through the water, over the
1:31:08 > 1:31:12longer grass and up the hills. Maintaining contact. The Gap behind
1:31:12 > 1:31:17him is not being closed down by Chris Derrick, who is an experienced
1:31:17 > 1:31:20cross-country runner and will use those sections to try to make
1:31:20 > 1:31:28inroads on the group front. Daylight is opening up to make now.
1:31:28 > 1:31:38-- opening up to Nick.Three big laps to go. Ozbilen was the prerace
1:31:38 > 1:31:44favourite, the European champion. His team-mates, Kaya in second
1:31:44 > 1:31:52place. There is not much to choose between that second group. Nick
1:31:52 > 1:32:02Goolab is just losing touch a little bit.
1:32:03 > 1:32:06bit. Mechaal has obviously got no mince pies over Christmas and is
1:32:06 > 1:32:10nowhere near his performance of the European Cross country
1:32:10 > 1:32:14Championships, and those of last year, nowhere near what they would
1:32:14 > 1:32:19have suggested he should be out today. But despite that, Europe is
1:32:19 > 1:32:24still doing well in the team race, both in this race, although the USA
1:32:24 > 1:32:29leads, that Europe are holding their own with 57 points, just behind the
1:32:29 > 1:32:34USA. Great Britain and 17. In terms of the overall match, that will mean
1:32:34 > 1:32:41that Europe is just consolidating the position.
1:32:41 > 1:32:45Leonard looks very comfortable. He is well covered up, he is wearing a
1:32:45 > 1:32:49cap as well as long sleeves. I am not sure too many of the others have
1:32:49 > 1:32:55come out as well-dressed as him, Bertie looks very, very comfortable.
1:32:55 > 1:32:58Just tracking Ozbilen, not doing more than he needs to the early
1:32:58 > 1:33:02laps. Taking his time to study the course
1:33:02 > 1:33:07but keeping his powder dry at this stage.
1:33:07 > 1:33:12Mohamed Mohamed, Alex and Chris Olley are in that group. Ahead of
1:33:12 > 1:33:19the aforementioned Mechaal. This is where the final counters, if you
1:33:19 > 1:33:24like, this is the position that will matter. Overall, I do not think
1:33:24 > 1:33:28there is any question that Europe will win this. It is whether the USA
1:33:28 > 1:33:31can make a victory in this final senior men's race ahead of the
1:33:31 > 1:33:50Europeans. Ozbilen and Caer Dier Kaya -- Ozbilen and Kaya.
1:33:50 > 1:33:59I don't know where he would have finished yet, but when Kaya fell, he
1:33:59 > 1:34:03fell fairly early on and it looked like he would get back, and Ozbilen
1:34:03 > 1:34:14really pushed on. It was so twisty and turning. I just wonder how close
1:34:14 > 1:34:20he would have been. Ozbilen looked good and ran well on the day, but I
1:34:20 > 1:34:27wonder whether Kaya, who had won it the year before, and another person
1:34:27 > 1:34:32at the same name won the year before, just to confuse you! They
1:34:32 > 1:34:36would have been away training in Kenya since then, Ozbilen and Kaya
1:34:36 > 1:34:41know each other very well. If anything, Ozbilen is forcing the
1:34:41 > 1:34:49pace.Maybe Kaya has a little bit of a score to settle that. That is
1:34:49 > 1:34:54cross-country is all about, being able to stay on your feet over the
1:34:54 > 1:34:57tough sections, making sure you have the right length of spikes for the
1:34:57 > 1:35:01course to keep your grip, and that when you fall you can make it up
1:35:01 > 1:35:06probably better than on the track, but you need to work those sections
1:35:06 > 1:35:10hard and if the gap is too big, even though on the twisty sections you
1:35:10 > 1:35:14can see the people ahead of you, you may not be able to make the
1:35:14 > 1:35:18background, as we saw in the previous race with Emelia Gorecka
1:35:18 > 1:35:25Chuka and Yasemin Can. Leonard had a good year in different
1:35:25 > 1:35:31ways as well. I say finished the year, but one of his stand-up
1:35:31 > 1:35:35performances, you got some 60 minutes for the Delhi half marathon
1:35:35 > 1:35:41in November. -- he got below 60 minutes for the Delhi half Marathon.
1:35:41 > 1:35:46He ran a pretty quick 10,000 metres on the track. He brings that sort of
1:35:46 > 1:35:51range to this. A pretty decent world class 10,000 metre run on the track,
1:35:51 > 1:35:55and a world-class half Marathon. It stands you in good stead for this
1:35:55 > 1:35:59sort of performance. People buying on a bit about the
1:35:59 > 1:36:02strengths and the benefits of the highlights of cross-country running,
1:36:02 > 1:36:06it is the fact that brings together the range of events. You have
1:36:06 > 1:36:11somebody like Garrett Heath, yes he is a cross-country skier, but he is
1:36:11 > 1:36:16a very good Meyler. You brings us together with the people who run
1:36:16 > 1:36:21marathons and the ten K runners and it becomes about how they feel and
1:36:21 > 1:36:26whether they are at home on this surface, if it is something they are
1:36:26 > 1:36:29not comfortable then they go at the back door very early in the way that
1:36:29 > 1:36:36Mechaal has in this race.Two laps to go, Europe in control at the
1:36:36 > 1:36:41moment in the
1:36:41 > 1:36:46moment in the shape of Ozbilen, the European champion. Kaya is the
1:36:46 > 1:36:52former European champion. Our statistician has reminded me that
1:36:52 > 1:36:55Kaya and one of his opponents collided in the European Cross
1:36:55 > 1:37:02country. If I was him, I would not run as close to him, but he is! This
1:37:02 > 1:37:08is the top four. The other American, manual, is trying to hang on. Ben
1:37:08 > 1:37:14Connor, the sole British
1:37:14 > 1:37:20Connor, the sole British athlete. USA is well represented, three of
1:37:20 > 1:37:24them in that group, three Europeans and one British athlete. Europe is
1:37:24 > 1:37:28still in control in terms of the overall match.
1:37:28 > 1:37:33It is boiling down to a tag team race between Europe and the USA, we
1:37:33 > 1:37:37need to go by that city where the other three scorers for each to get
1:37:37 > 1:37:43a gauge of whether the teams standing exchange. For Britain, Ben
1:37:43 > 1:37:47Connor is having a great run, he needs to stay in contact and keep
1:37:47 > 1:37:51his eyes focused on the back of Garrett Heath in front of him, stay
1:37:51 > 1:37:59on the back of that pad. -- that pack.Ozbilen, for the first
1:37:59 > 1:38:02time, you can see he is trying to break this group up and wanting to
1:38:02 > 1:38:08whittle it down. Pressure being applied by the person who finished
1:38:08 > 1:38:12fifth behind Ozbilen and those championships back in December. Just
1:38:12 > 1:38:21trying to stay close enough, Garrett Heath moves past his team-mate.
1:38:24 > 1:38:28Garrett Heath, if you were stood next to him in a coffee shop, you
1:38:28 > 1:38:33would not think he is a natural cross-country runner. He is quite
1:38:33 > 1:38:37stocky, quite strong, really strong thighs. But when you are running
1:38:37 > 1:38:41through mud, particularly mode and stuff, that strength. If you're
1:38:41 > 1:38:44watching the film of him sprinting against Mo Farah, who is better at
1:38:44 > 1:38:50sprinting? Mo Farah. Not on that surface. His feet were slipping, he
1:38:50 > 1:38:57was not getting the purchase. Garrett was just strong, driving
1:38:57 > 1:39:00through it. That is the difference.It is a bit
1:39:00 > 1:39:04like they talk about the shuffle you need for the marathon, Tokyo by Mo
1:39:04 > 1:39:07Farah moving towards Marathon, that might be one of the things he needs
1:39:07 > 1:39:12to work slightly on. -- talking about Mo Farah moving towards
1:39:12 > 1:39:20Marathon. The greats of the to had to adapt to running on the roads.
1:39:20 > 1:39:26Highly jabbers Lassie could not get there, not at home on that surface.
1:39:26 > 1:39:30If you look at Garrett Heath it is a low centre of gravity, a quick
1:39:30 > 1:39:34cadence, a quick turnover and he is very stable. His pelvis does not
1:39:34 > 1:39:38rock around much and he does not lose a lot of ground.
1:39:38 > 1:39:45The only good marathon runner... There was a guy whose name was
1:39:45 > 1:39:50Douglas, he was a great run a comic union. He had really big size as
1:39:50 > 1:40:00well. -- he was a great runner, he was a Kenyan.
1:40:00 > 1:40:08Think about that Norwegian runner, you have to have the stores to keep
1:40:08 > 1:40:11running strongly in the later stages of the marathon and you need the
1:40:11 > 1:40:14like strength on a cross-country course like this.
1:40:14 > 1:40:19The four
1:40:19 > 1:40:24The four of them have a good gap, running strongly together as they
1:40:24 > 1:40:29headed down to the penultimate time. Ozbilen, the prerace favourite, the
1:40:29 > 1:40:33European champion, looks around. Sousse two of his team-mates, the
1:40:33 > 1:40:39man who was fifth and Kaya, who was seventh, but he did fall on those
1:40:39 > 1:40:47championships. And what about last year's winner, representing the USA?
1:40:47 > 1:40:53We effectively have three canyons and a Belgian, two running for
1:40:53 > 1:41:00Europe, former canyons running for Europe, and the USA.
1:41:00 > 1:41:07Europe, and the USA. -- two running for Europe, former Kenyans.
1:41:07 > 1:41:13Ozbilen has been forcing it but he has not really managed to shake them
1:41:13 > 1:41:17up too much. With only 1500 metres to go. Here's a good finisher, but
1:41:17 > 1:41:23sellers Kaya.
1:41:23 > 1:41:28sellers Kaya. Ozbilen is fearing the finish, he is the one thinking I
1:41:28 > 1:41:34have is to break this up, I do not want to lead it to a sprint finish.
1:41:34 > 1:41:38Free from Europe, one from the USA, you anticipate that the three
1:41:38 > 1:41:41Europeans might run as a team that they are thrown together for this
1:41:41 > 1:41:43event. We have talked about the fact there
1:41:43 > 1:41:53is no love lost between Kaya and the Belgian. Ozbilen might work together
1:41:53 > 1:42:01with Kaya to draw the sting out of the the two.
1:42:02 > 1:42:08His face is quite relaxed compared to Kaya. He is just staying close
1:42:08 > 1:42:16enough. Ozbilen is really working hard to break the sub. The gaps are
1:42:16 > 1:42:27just being stretched.
1:42:28 > 1:42:35For the first time, Kaya struggles. It is Ozbilen with last year's
1:42:35 > 1:42:40winner just three metres buying. Can Ozbilen drag out the lead? Can he
1:42:40 > 1:42:46make it a winning lead, or will the other competitors stay close enough?
1:42:46 > 1:42:57This is the name moved by -- may move by
1:42:58 > 1:43:05Who has looked the more comfortable on the hills? Probably Ozbilen. He
1:43:05 > 1:43:08is taking advantage, Ozbilen's opponent, every time he has flat
1:43:08 > 1:43:16ground, to try to make up the gap. They are coming into the more
1:43:16 > 1:43:18twisted, more technical and hilly section and we will see what Ozbilen
1:43:18 > 1:43:24has left. His opponent seems to move well off
1:43:24 > 1:43:28the hills. It will be interesting up the hill of Ozbilen can get enough,
1:43:28 > 1:43:32you get the feeling when they cross the water and drop-down that
1:43:32 > 1:43:38Ozbilen's opponent majors contend with that section a bit better.
1:43:38 > 1:43:45Ozbilen with real pressure from behind last year's winner. Running
1:43:45 > 1:43:50through the water, then in front of the lake and taking a right-hand
1:43:50 > 1:43:58turn up the lane. Ozbilen won by a reasonably comfortable margin of the
1:43:58 > 1:44:01European Championships. Look how hard he is working. He knows the
1:44:01 > 1:44:07threat is opponent possesses. He is maybe just fearing what will happen.
1:44:07 > 1:44:11This will go to the wire. If you were just going and facial
1:44:11 > 1:44:17expressions you would say that Ozbilen was working so much harder
1:44:17 > 1:44:23and his opponent had a lot left in store. But faces can be deceptive,
1:44:23 > 1:44:26some people just show a lot more effort on the faces. He is
1:44:26 > 1:44:32stretching that again, the gap. It depends how much he has left and how
1:44:32 > 1:44:37much he can make up on the downhill section to the finish.
1:44:37 > 1:44:43Again, you see that. He just closed on the downhill section. A pellet
1:44:43 > 1:44:48was five or six metres, downhill he closed it very quickly. Here we go,
1:44:48 > 1:44:58over the brig for the last time. ... Over the brook. He is just checking
1:44:58 > 1:45:03to see. No response from Ozbilen, who looks buying. He will only see
1:45:03 > 1:45:07his two team-mates as he watches his opponents move away. Another
1:45:07 > 1:45:13superbly judged effort by the American. He makes it two in a row
1:45:13 > 1:45:20in Edinburgh. It is a win for the USA.
1:45:20 > 1:45:24Korir first, Ozbilen second. Close for third. Tight on the line. Kaya
1:45:24 > 1:45:30holding off Bouchikhi. We wait for the places further down. Connor and
1:45:30 > 1:45:36Heath were the next. Leonard Korir, two years in a row, has not put a
1:45:36 > 1:45:40foot in front until he absolutely needed to. Ben Connor comes in for
1:45:40 > 1:45:44an excellent fifth place. The first of the British athletes to cross the
1:45:44 > 1:45:50line. Garrett Heath just holding off Bor his team-mate. Then that looks
1:45:50 > 1:45:53like Chris Derrick coming next. The Americans are packing well here.
1:45:53 > 1:45:58It's going to be tight between them. Andy Vernon is going to finish in
1:45:58 > 1:46:05the top ten behind the former winner.
1:46:05 > 1:46:13winner. Looks like Dunbar, I think. It is. It was a race which in many
1:46:13 > 1:46:19ways marched a bit what happened last year when Hawkings tried to
1:46:19 > 1:46:22break away. Ozbilen led this time. You always knew he was doing that
1:46:22 > 1:46:25because he feared what was going to happen. He wasn't wrong, was he?
1:46:25 > 1:46:30Great finish from Korir.He knew the attack was coming from Korir. He
1:46:30 > 1:46:33actually looked the wrong way at the top of that hill as they crested the
1:46:33 > 1:46:39time hill. He looked to his inside at the same time as Korir moved by
1:46:39 > 1:46:43on his outside and made his attack. There was just no response because
1:46:43 > 1:46:46Ozbilen had used every ounce of effort that he had to try and get
1:46:46 > 1:46:53away from him up the hill.Well, we'll tidy all the results up for
1:46:53 > 1:46:57you as soon as we can. In the meantime Gabby speaks to our Victor.
1:46:57 > 1:46:57I
1:46:57 > 1:47:01meantime Gabby speaks to our Victor. I can indeed. It was almost like
1:47:01 > 1:47:06deja vu, watching you come down there, employing the same tactics
1:47:06 > 1:47:13that you took Calum Hawkins with last yearYeah, I like this year, I
1:47:13 > 1:47:19felt so good. I says I must come back. When I say I must come back, I
1:47:19 > 1:47:25say I must win again.You've done all of that. You've come back to
1:47:25 > 1:47:28Edinburgh and been victorious two years running, out there today, you
1:47:28 > 1:47:31really employed great tactics as well. They took it out of the
1:47:31 > 1:47:38European front runners to secure that victory.Yeah, yeah. The
1:47:38 > 1:47:43course, if you just go hard in the beginning you're going to fade. I
1:47:43 > 1:47:47wanted to be efficient. Make sure I save some energy for the final kick.
1:47:47 > 1:47:50I'm glad I was happy to do so.It worked, congratulations. Well done.
1:47:50 > 1:47:53Thank you.Steve, lets mop up the final
1:47:53 > 1:47:57Thank you.Steve, lets mop up the final results:
1:47:57 > 1:48:00Smart running from Leonard Korir, as he said, you've got to be patient
1:48:00 > 1:48:11sometimes in cross-country. He did exactly that.
1:48:20 > 1:48:25What does that mean in the team competition? It was close in the end
1:48:25 > 1:48:28but Europe held off the Usmanov in that men's race. Usmanov would have
1:48:28 > 1:48:34loved to have won that title. But they didn't. Europe with 47 points.
1:48:34 > 1:48:41Of course, what that means is they consolidated their position in the
1:48:41 > 1:48:46overall match standings. Europe finishing comfortably ahead of Great
1:48:46 > 1:48:52Britain, well almost 50 points there. It's Europe who win our match
1:48:52 > 1:48:57this year. Great Britain securing second place
1:48:57 > 1:49:01by eight points ahead of the Usmanov. So the -- of the USA. The
1:49:01 > 1:49:05crowds head home now. They've seen great elite races. It all started
1:49:05 > 1:49:09very early today, when the masses came out. Anyone of any ability
1:49:09 > 1:49:15could join in those races and that included the wee ones. JJ caught up
1:49:15 > 1:49:18with the runners in the junior race. I keep saying today is for
1:49:18 > 1:49:22everybody. It noes the just for the adults. Over 400 kids will be taking
1:49:22 > 1:49:30on 2. 5k of this gruelling course. It's very exciting because it's the
1:49:30 > 1:49:36first time they're going to do it without an adult racing. I hope they
1:49:36 > 1:49:41manage. They need a bit more motivation to keep going. The talk
1:49:41 > 1:49:46of a medal will motivate him enough to complete 2. 5k.As a family and
1:49:46 > 1:49:49particularly for Dylan and for the kids, how important is running and
1:49:49 > 1:49:55getting to be part of this?It is very important. It's just feels like
1:49:55 > 1:49:57we're doing something together and they have the medal for the whole
1:49:57 > 1:50:02year. So it's a point of interest for everyone in the family. That's
1:50:02 > 1:50:07the medal, that's running
1:50:18 > 1:50:22We're here to raise money, it's a sponsored run. Thought it would be a
1:50:22 > 1:50:25good day, team-building event for the kids to come down here this
1:50:25 > 1:50:28morning, take part in a fantastic vent in Edinburgh, try to raise
1:50:28 > 1:50:32money for the club. The kids ran it last year they really enjoyed it. It
1:50:32 > 1:50:36would be a good bit of fitness before the season kicks off.How
1:50:36 > 1:50:40exciting is this?Really exciting. Yeah. Have you been training for it
1:50:40 > 1:50:44or are you just a natural? Just natural. How much are you looking
1:50:44 > 1:50:50forward to this?Quite a lot. I'm really excited.And now you've done
1:50:50 > 1:50:53this before, haven't you?Yeah.What do the rest of the guys expect
1:50:53 > 1:50:59today?Hard course.It's a hard course, is it? Have you got tips for
1:50:59 > 1:51:03them?No, I'm not giving away my tips.You're not giving it away!
1:51:03 > 1:51:07Just run really fast?Yeah.Question to all three of you, who's going to
1:51:07 > 1:51:16win?Me.Me.Me! They're all winners. If it gives
1:51:16 > 1:51:19them a thirst and a taste for this wonderful sport of cross-country
1:51:19 > 1:51:24running.A man who knows all about that and had a life of running in
1:51:24 > 1:51:28athletics and still has Brendan Foster, 70 yesterday. Catch up with
1:51:28 > 1:51:33a look back on the marvellous career of Brendan Foster, at 3. 30pm on BBC
1:51:33 > 1:51:41Two. The NFL show always an entertaining watch. And Masters
1:51:41 > 1:51:48snooker tomorrow. So plenty of sport on the BBC this weekend and always
1:51:48 > 1:51:49throughout the year, lots
1:51:49 > 1:51:49on the BBC this weekend and always throughout the year, lots of
1:51:49 > 1:51:54athletics still to come. We'll catch up with Paula on the big events this
1:51:54 > 1:51:59year. A quick word on Mo Farah, we missed him today. The hype that you
1:51:59 > 1:52:04get around Mo, we have to get used to his not appearing regularly in
1:52:04 > 1:52:08athletics events. Your husband Gary is taking care of life on the road.
1:52:08 > 1:52:11How's things going?They're going well. It's been a tricky start to
1:52:11 > 1:52:17the year. Had ewas racing in Doha, he felt a niggle in his Achilles. He
1:52:17 > 1:52:21didn't start there, didn't take the risk. It's not important to be
1:52:21 > 1:52:24racing this early in the year. It's all about getting the training in
1:52:24 > 1:52:28for the marathon. He knows he's got something to learn over the marathon
1:52:28 > 1:52:35distance. He's ReThat. He's had a dnchts relishing that. He's shown
1:52:35 > 1:52:37how successful he can be on the track. Now he wants to do something
1:52:37 > 1:52:41different.He alluded to that on that night when me won Sports
1:52:41 > 1:52:43Personality of the Year. If you were watching the show and millions of
1:52:43 > 1:52:47you were, you may remember there was a certain technical glitch. We
1:52:47 > 1:52:51didn't quite get the interview with Mo live. We had a chance to chat to
1:52:51 > 1:52:53him in the arena in Liverpool afterwards. He talked just about
1:52:53 > 1:53:01that, the challenges that lie ahead. 2017, BBC Sports Personality of the
1:53:01 > 1:53:13Year is... Mo Farah! CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
1:53:16 > 1:53:21It's pretty amazing. It's hard, it's hard to think about, you know, over
1:53:21 > 1:53:28the years what I've done. You know you win this, I didn't honestly come
1:53:28 > 1:53:35out tonight and thinking, maybe top three, see how it goes. We've got
1:53:35 > 1:53:39amazing superstars in sports. Anthony Joshua, Lewis, Jonny
1:53:39 > 1:53:45Peacock, all the boys and it's been amazing. When you look at it and
1:53:45 > 1:53:47compare yourself with other athletes, yeah could finish in the
1:53:47 > 1:53:51top three, I didn't imagine I was ever going to win this. Come so
1:53:51 > 1:53:57close in to 12, then you know, but -- in 2012, then you know, anything
1:53:57 > 1:54:01can happen. Dig deep, keep working. I want to thank everyone who's
1:54:01 > 1:54:03supported me. It's been an incredible journey. It's very
1:54:03 > 1:54:08exciting. I'm looking forward to the marathon and I'm very excited. Gary
1:54:08 > 1:54:13my coach is out there tonight, as you all know, preparing for the
1:54:13 > 1:54:18London Marathon and is help me out. It's tough. It's not as easy as I
1:54:18 > 1:54:20thought it's going to be the marathon training. It's getting
1:54:20 > 1:54:26there. It's about understanding each other and working. It is hard work,
1:54:26 > 1:54:31but anything can happen. You know, as an athlete, what I have achieved
1:54:31 > 1:54:34has been incredible over the years. For all the youngsters out there,
1:54:34 > 1:54:37the people out there, you know, you can work hard and you can achieve
1:54:37 > 1:54:42your dreams. Anything is possible in life, if you believe in it, work at
1:54:42 > 1:54:47it and keep grafting, grafting, anything is possible. What an
1:54:47 > 1:54:50amazing night it is. I wish I was there, unfortunately sorry I can't
1:54:50 > 1:54:57be there guys. I'm with my family. The kids haven't been as well. It's
1:54:57 > 1:55:04all exciting for us. Just can't believe I won.
1:55:04 > 1:55:10Well, he did and that interview seen by 10,000 or so in the Liverpool
1:55:10 > 1:55:12Echo Arena, you've had your chance now. We heard from Paula what he's
1:55:12 > 1:55:16been up to and how the year lies ahead for him. We should just give a
1:55:16 > 1:55:21mention as well to this event and this is the final time it's going to
1:55:21 > 1:55:24be staged in Edinburgh. 30-year anniversary of the event, at the
1:55:24 > 1:55:28beginning of the show today you looked back on some of the great
1:55:28 > 1:55:31runners in this event, when it was in the north-east. It's moved
1:55:31 > 1:55:35around. We don't know where the new home will be. Whoever gets to host
1:55:35 > 1:55:39this will have a great event on their hands.They will. It will be a
1:55:39 > 1:55:42privilege to host it. It will be a privilege to go and race there. Big
1:55:42 > 1:55:46thank you to Edinburgh for having done such a great job hosting this
1:55:46 > 1:55:52event. We've seen great racing here. Even before the - this event came
1:55:52 > 1:55:54here, the European cross-country championships on this course. I'm
1:55:54 > 1:55:59sure we will see great cross-country racing on this course. It will move
1:55:59 > 1:56:02now a different venue for this event and look forward to seeing good
1:56:02 > 1:56:05racing there too.It's helped to drive cross-country, this event and
1:56:05 > 1:56:08certainly the positioning that it is in the year and you know, the fact
1:56:08 > 1:56:11that it has predominantly been in the north-east and in Scotland, it's
1:56:11 > 1:56:16meant weather conditions have been so juicy, haven't they, we've had
1:56:16 > 1:56:21muddy, snowy, sleet driven events. It has. I think it was Chris Derrick
1:56:21 > 1:56:24said in an interview, it's been true cross-country racing. We've seen a
1:56:24 > 1:56:28bit of everything. We've had really warm days out here racing. We've had
1:56:28 > 1:56:34some really snowy days. I personally have run in races here up and down
1:56:34 > 1:56:38the slopes, not here, but where you needed 15, 18mm spikes to stay on
1:56:38 > 1:56:45your feet on the snow and ice. Bikele, Paula Radcliffe, a long time
1:56:45 > 1:56:51ago. Steve Tunstall, the first runner. He joined the French Foreign
1:56:51 > 1:56:54Legion and somebody saw he won a major Championship and realised he
1:56:54 > 1:56:58was from Preston and won the first event. So many great athletes have
1:56:58 > 1:57:03gone on to do fantastic things in their careers. They will continue to
1:57:03 > 1:57:07do that as well. The indoor season is to come, the world indoors in
1:57:07 > 1:57:10Birmingham.Uh-huh. The world indoors in Birmingham. A lot of the
1:57:10 > 1:57:13athletes are, would go towards that. Closely followed by the Commonwealth
1:57:13 > 1:57:17Games down in Brisbane. A quick turn around for athletes hoping to double
1:57:17 > 1:57:21up at both of those. Then we've got the London Marathon, quickly into
1:57:21 > 1:57:25that as well. Then back to the European championships in Berlin.
1:57:25 > 1:57:28We've got a stretched out year. Some good racing, some interesting
1:57:28 > 1:57:32racing. Some people choosing to skip some of those. Some people choosing
1:57:32 > 1:57:36to focus more on one than the other. That's what makes it interesting, to
1:57:36 > 1:57:41see people make those choices and where are they going to go. Where it
1:57:41 > 1:57:46Laura Muir going to race.You have to do that. Because the Commonwealth
1:57:46 > 1:57:49is early in the season it poses interesting challenges. I've worked
1:57:49 > 1:57:53out one thing here, it's only just dawned on me, watching the archive,
1:57:53 > 1:57:59I know why I tease Paula, she never seems to need any clothes, you spent
1:57:59 > 1:58:02your life wearing knickers and a vest running round in this! You're
1:58:02 > 1:58:05so hard. Thank you for your company today. Great to see you. I hope you
1:58:05 > 1:58:10enjoyed today. It's a truly wonderful event. It's for the
1:58:10 > 1:58:14masses, everything single -- every single runner and for the elite. We
1:58:14 > 1:58:17hope it will continue for years to come. From all of us here in
1:58:17 > 1:58:29Edinburgh, goodbye. # Wouldn't it be good to be on your
1:58:29 > 1:58:34side # The grass is always greener over
1:58:34 > 1:58:39there # Wouldn't it be good if we could
1:58:39 > 1:58:48live without a care. # Wouldn't it be good to be on your
1:58:48 > 1:58:53side, the grass is always greener over there.
1:58:53 > 1:58:56# Wouldn't it be good if we could