2018 Great Edinburgh International Cross Country

It's the purist form of racing, it's

about the mud, the snow, in the

hills, the surges, the speed of the

start. 30 years of passion. 30 years

of glory. 30 years of competition.

All great champions. Now with the

great winter run, the masses get if

you'll be experienced and share in

the emotions of the event. 30 years

of cross-country.

Welcome to Edinburgh for the 30th

International cross-country event

and it is here in Edinburgh that the

race has been run in the last few

years and what a place to celebrate,

the 30th, the landmark birthday, the

crowds come out and enjoy the elite

athletes and the mass participation

events. Nestled just underneath

Arthur's seat in this glorious

capital city that today has welcomed

the sun. Not as cold as it's been in

recent years, certainly a couple of

years ago when it was shrouded in

snow and rain but very good

conditions, drizzle overnight means

it will perhaps be a bit muddy

underfoot but most of the runners

quite enjoyed out. As Paul alluded

to, this is an inclusive event. For

anyone and everyone and the races

start early this morning with people

running in all kinds of abilities,

so who better to go out there and

check the runners and riders than

Jake Chalmers.

The great Edinburgh

winter run. 3500 people will make up

the masses that take root the iconic

Arthur's seat. Five kilometres and

it is for anyone and everyone. Some

people will do to stay fit and have

fun, some doing it for reasons much

closer to their hearts.

It's a

massive challenge me, I'm not the

kind of person who wakes up in the

morning and things I want to go for

a run. Gets home from work and

things let's put on the trainers.

I'm not a runner, I'm not in any way

athletics.

The run in Edinburgh, it

will be quite emotional. Been

through chemotherapy, surgery,

beating cancer, so you know what,

get up that hill and get on with it!

We will hear more from those

inspirational women later on but

first of all, we were down at the

start of the masses race and joined

up with the group of runners from

South Edinburgh.

South Edinburgh.

Who are these guys.

We're an athletics club in the

Scottish Borders, teach from

five-year-old is right up to

65-year-olds. Running, javelin, high

jump, long jump, you name it, we

cultured.

Today you are taking on

the five care but training for

something much bigger. John O'Groats

to lands end, how's it going?

In

July this year, we're doing a

challenge for you on nonstop from

John O'Groats to lands end, over 900

miles in 12 days. 80 miles per day,

so this is part of the training for

that event, a bit of a challenge but

looking forward to it.

Are you doing

that as a bit of a relay?

Yes, one

runner at a time and do eight miles

each day and work your way down the

country and hopefully completed in

12 days.

12 days. He was training

for that and for today been going?

It's going well, we train twice a

week. With the club and do a Sunday

run which we are upping the miles to

try to get ready for running 80

miles in a week.

Best of luck for

you today and we can't wait to see

how you get on today but I can't

wait to find out how you get on in

the massive challenge later in the

year.

Let's just remind you how the

whole event works in terms of points

for the elite athletes because there

are quite a few different races that

contribute to the overall total. The

International challenge. This is

made up of the following.

International challenge. This is

made up of the following.

Clement USA, Europe and Great

Britain in that one.

That total has been very tight in

recent years. The team at a lower

score winning and

recent years. The team at a lower

score winning and the points really

do matter because it's come down to

the finest

do matter because it's come down to

the finest margins. Very dramatic

finishes we had of late and if you

think this is a group of individual

runners getting together to see how

they are working over the

cross-country with other races in

mind, it's about a lot more than

that, victory which really does

matter to these guys and Chris

Berry, the USA captain has sent the

first shot across the bows.

-- Chris

Berry. Really excited to come back

to Scotland and race. One of the

best places to race. Whenever I'm

there I hear that Americans don't

know anything about true

cross-country. Did you know that a

US man has won the last five

editions and bringing three of those

guys back for the 20 18th edition

and they expect we will show once

again that we know a little

something of running over hills!

The

USA runners do love coming to the

Scottish capital and they

USA runners do love coming to the

Scottish capital and they have been

very strong over the last five years

or so, winning the individual and

the team events and it women's six

kilometres which goes on, a strong

field, last year's champion.

Watch out for these races. Of

course, other events today. One of

them doesn't contribute towards the

points.

them doesn't contribute towards the

points. It's the mixed relay, hugely

popular event. Meadow Park four

runners, two women and two man.

Laura brought home the battle for

Great Britain with the fastest time

for the women of the day and to

continue the success of 2016 in

terms of breaking British record,

the 1500 metre record holder, double

European indoor champion last year,

had a great showing at the World

Championships but she's also a

veterinary student and this is the

final year of her study so she won't

be competing with Scotland in the

Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast

in April but she wasn't there to

miss out on coming here and giving

the Scottish crowd something to

cheer about.

Last year, this race

was a cracking start to the year for

you, back again issue, you must have

enjoyed it.

I always love racing

here in Edinburgh, he was a great

atmosphere and I enjoy racing here

for the last couple of years and

it's great to be back.

The next

relay idea is catching on.

It seems

to be really popular and the

athletes enjoy it and we are

encouraged to get behind it and it's

the sort of a great opportunity for

lots of athletes to get together and

get a really good team atmosphere.

What do you get out of it in terms

of your preparations for the year?

It's good to get racing again, this

time of year before endorsed as

competing, it's Mainz to have a

lower pressure race and get out

there in the cross-country and get

out racing and back into the mindset

ahead of the indoors.

Some people

who maybe don't know an awful lot

about it would say hang on, she won

in last weekend and I watched you in

Glasgow the first race of the year

and then the switch to the country

this week. First front of the year

running 3000. Both the indoor track

and the cross-country I am familiar

with. Quite easy for me to switch

between the two and that's only one

kilometre, so not too far.

It really

is looking stunning out here today.

Perfect backdrop for some great

international athletes looking to

see how they are exactly out on the

cross-country and Laura Muir will be

no exception, she is in the Great

Britain team, mixed-race points

don't count towards the overall

total but it's a fantastic event and

we headed to our commentary team

which is a mixed team, only fair

that Paula Radcliffe and Steve Cram

the cited tussle over the baton.

It should be ladies first, but no!

Is good to be the men who go first,

like in the race. It is becoming a

more regular occurrence, we had a

first-ever event that the world

cross-country championships and then

it followed in the European Cross

country championship in which Great

Britain won the gold medal in

December and you might have watch

that in our coverage, so this is an

event that happened last year, you

have Laura talking about is part of

a new trend and Tom Marshall was

part of that gold medal team. The

only member of that gold medal team

was here today but he will lead off

Great Britain, strong teams

everywhere you look. Belgium, on the

far side. A very good young English

team, juniors, all four of them, we

will go through them as we get

going. The Scottish team, that's

going to be very interesting.

Standing there is Jenny Williamson,

I used to run against his dad many

years ago. Still the Scottish

record-holder for the 1000 metres.

Jimmy hoping to carry on a good

strong family tradition. Quick start

and Tom Marshall at the back. Unlike

the relay, we can interject with a

female voice. It is a fun event but

it means a lot to the athletes, this

is their domain. Attracting people

in here.

Gets a good, fun event and

an opportunity for those track

specialists to share in the

cross-country atmosphere racing on

the surface without having to test

themselves over the longer distance

and it brings the whole team

together, a lot of fun and

camaraderie out there and they will

stay around and cheer on the other

races later on but important for

them to raise well to kick off even

though the really doesn't count

towards the team standings to kick

it off straightaway, he has really

set out with a vengeance. Conditions

are good for the track runners,

particularly this section can be

madly along there, not too bad at

all. Little bit sticky in some

parts. He will be able to move

through this. 1500 metre man but an

under 23 cross-country champion at

European level, the perfect mix.

One

kilometre. England now, in the shape

of James, moving to second place,

Tom Marshall back in fourth place

but just starting to close up little

bit. He started very quickly, the

stickiest section here and I don't

think there will be much to choose

between them all at the end of the

first leg and then they will hand

over to the first two women. Man,

women, man, women. Laura Muir Going

on the last leg.

Tom Marshall has to

move up a bit more. Tom Marshall

could do with moving up to close

that gap towards him. Now paying the

price a little bit for having set

off so fast. It's a strong team, the

Belgian team. Wants to give them a

good start, handing over to Sophie.

And then Jerome. A strong team

following him but now we see more of

the runners. Coming through to

contest an handing over the battle.

Gomez looking good. Tom Marshall for

Great Britain is struggling and look

there. Not too much to choose very

front. Belgium leading from Europe

from Ireland. Great Britain towards

the back. Alex Bell has the baton

for great Britain but at the front

it is Belgium, with Sophie leading.

Laura Kraut for Ireland just

settling in. Now Europe pushing on.

Pereira deciding she will not hang

around. The race really. The gaps

appearing. Trying to close on these

top three. She doesn't need to do

that, as to... Stephanie Penicuik

has had a good winter and trying to

follow Alex Bell.

Alex Bell made up

the ground quickly and goes down the

Belgian runner. Moving out our

heads, it is Pereira and the whole

of the European team is the Spanish

team which finished in bronze medal

position in the European

cross-country Jazz Richards, so they

are in good shape and used to

working together an jazzing it well

so far. Alex Bell has moved quickly

through and running strongly at this

point. She is an 800-metre runner,

so a bit of a step up in distance,

certainly attest over the terrain

but I guess she has done some

preparation and cross-country races

to prepare for this.

Alex has been

concentrating a lot more on her

endurance. Working with Andy

Henderson in Leeds and she ran very

well in the Liverpool cross-country

for the senior team, the full event.

Wasn't selected for that gold-medal.

She was in contention. We had Sarah

McDonald.

She was in contention. We had Sarah

McDonald. Two legs. Female legs in

that event. Alex could have gone

there. Look what she has done there.

Pereira went off way too hard.

Ireland, Great Britain and Europe.

Laura Kraut looking comfortable but

Alex Bell close the gap quickly.

Settled in here now and I wonder

whether she can just push on at the

end and get a couple of seconds gap.

She is looking very strong,

particularly on the uphill, the best

of those three are she loses a

little bit. Didn't get that section

right to negotiate the downhill.

It's tricky because the grass on the

hills is a lot longer than on the

rest of the course.

Bit of work on the cornering but

manoeuvring nicely through there.

Looks very relaxed, very strong and

four on 800-metre runner. Real good

confidence boost for her this

winter. Going very well for her so

far. Set her up nicely and running

well. Laura Kraut having to work,

Pereira trying to get back. Surely

Alex Bell having a bit different.

She hands over to Adam Clark. Laura

Muir on

She hands over to Adam Clark. Laura

Muir on The Last Leg.

Periera has

rallied well here, after a fast

start, the European team,

effectively the Spanish team may

just have a slim advantage here.

It's Europe and Ireland and Great

Britain locked together. Only a

second between the top three teams.

Then there's a gap. So Ruiz takes

the baton for Europe. Ireland, Kelly

chasing him down. Adam Clark for

Great Britain. Belgium trying to get

back in here.

back in here.

He's a 3. 36 1500m

runner. He is capable of making up

that ground and running well. Adam

Clark also I would say is capable of

running faster than his 1500m

personal best. Maybe reflects he

spends a lot of time doing the pace

making, leading out sessions for the

likes of Mo Farah on training camps.

Recently back from a training stint.

He is in good shape. Judging it well

as he moves onto the shoulder of

Kelly and starts to try and make up

ground on Ruiz.

He's looking strong

the Spaniard. But Clark may have

judged his effort well. He's moved

nicely into second place.

nicely into second place. Laura Muir

on The Last Leg. Remember how well

she ran last year. That 3,000m race

last week setting her up nicely but

she'll want to come away with a

victory for Britain here. That's a

couple of seconds for Adam Clark to

Troy and close that -- try and close

that gap. Ruiz still running strong.

I think the gap is growing. Ruiz is

working hard. He was pulling away a

bit. Adam Clark starting to close it

again. He warrants to close it as

much as possible to give -- wants to

close it as much as possible. So

long as he gives Laura enough of a

chance to make up that gap and use

the strength that she has. Now Ruiz

looks over his shoulder and realises

how much ground Adam Clark has made

up.

Clarke getting cheered on by the

British contingent. They know that

he can be a really redoubtable

competitor when he wants to be. Now

he's attacking early here. Ruiz just

responding. These two well clear of

Belgium in third place, ahead of

Ireland. Clark wants to give Laura

Muir the advantage. It won't be a

big one. Belgium closing all the

time. They're finishing quickly. Has

Clark judged this well?

He needs to

find something else because Belgium

has launched his shoot for the

finish. He is making up that ground

fast. May even close down on Ruiz.

Adam Clark needs to stay in contact

as best he can now and get the baton

to Laura.

Europe lead, Belgium

second, Great Britain third, Laura

Muir has the baton. She's going to

be chasing the Belgian 800m

champion. I think there's only one

winner this if you ask me. There's

only going to be one winner against

Guerro as well, the Spanish athlete

in front. How long does Laura Muir

want to wait? My guess is not very

long. Europe had a slim advantage.

Maybe a couple of seconds there, you

see from the slit times at end of

lap three. Laura's got quickly to

the front, settled and already just

starting to forge ahead.

Already

showing her experience on this

ground as well. She moves a little

bit wider. She's looking for the

better surface. She's looking for

the ground that's a bit less cut up

and gives her a cleaner run at it.

Quickly she's moved that the those

two and is forging ahead. She's not

interested in waiting to sit behind

them and work harder in the second

half. She's attacking from the

start. She's probably attacking for

that course record that she already

holds.

Yeah, she ran under three

minutes round hire last year, which

you know, cross country courses are

measured, they're not always as

accurate as the track. Assuming it's

close to a kilometre, which it is,

then that 2. 53 last year was very

quick. She was chasing for longer

last year. So she's got to the front

very quickly here. So it may be that

she'll just settle and keep working

hard, assure herself and her team of

the victory. Look at that, well, to

be fair, the other two are not in

her class as a track runner, apart

from anything else. Laura doesn't do

too many cross-countries. She tends

to run the Scottish relay, which she

ran earlier in the year, one or two

of the longer races as well. She was

saying in her interview, uses

indoors and this event to prepare

for what's ahead, world indoor

championships, not going to the

Commonwealth Games, of course. She's

still, this is her final year of her

studies, to be a vet. They clash in

May as she's got plenty of exams and

sadly can't go and compete at the

Commonwealth Gamesment but the

European championships in the summer

will be her main target. At the

moment, the Scottish crowd here

really enjoying seeing their

champion, their superstar, Laura

Muir stretching her lead, working

hard to bring the baton home for

Great Britain.

Yeah and she'll be

enjoying this. She loves getting the

chance to come out and race in front

of the crowds here in Scotland. Just

to race hard as well at the moment.

She's been working hard on her

studies, putting in 60-hour weeks in

her work as a veterinary student

there. To be able to come out and

just run hard and just get back to

racing is something that she's been

looking forward to for a while.

She's enjoying this now, stretching

out, really is shifting, going

through the gears, working hard. A

bit of a tough race last week. She

went out and was running against

men. She went out hard the first

kilometre, worked really hard to

hang onto it. Today she's been able

to enjoy, the adulation of this

crowd, it's a victory for Great

Britain and for Laura Muir. The

winning time 11. 34 there abouts.

We'll tide that up. Close for

second. Belgium just beating the

Spanish team, running for Europe.

Laura quickly gets the blanket

around her. Ireland come in in

fourth. Scotland I think it is

coming in fifth place. Once Laura

got the baton there was never really

any doubt, as long as she was close

enough because she's so much better

than the athletes she was against

no. Disrespect to them. But Laura is

in a different class.

in a different class. Jake Whiteman

running on the third leg. With

enever got the chance to see Jake.

It was Great Britain, having won the

our peen championships in December

with a different -- European

championships in December with a

different team and then coming away

with the victory. Laura's time 3.

01. Slower than last year but

probably because she wasn't chasing

alling the way.

-- chasing all the way.

It's a bit

of an inexact science getting those

lap times. They don't know if the

course is set out exactly the same

as the year before. It's more some

personal target for Laura to try and

aim for the time that she ran last

year. The biggest thing was she got

a good run out and she looked very

impressive. She maybe laid to rest a

few demons from last week which were

nagging at her. She felt that she

tied up in the middle. She hadn't

really. She just went out very hard.

A great run from Laura Muir. She's

with Gabby now.

She is. But she's just taking a well

deserved swig of her water there.

You made it look very, very easy out

there. But tell us how it felt to

you.

It was quite tough. No, I know

when Adam came round and he was

close to the fropt, I thought I've

got to work really hard and reach

her. I got to the front and left a

bit in the front until the very end.

Put the foot down the last 200 and

came away with the win.

Paula said

in commentary, 60 hours some weeks

on your studies and making the

sacrifice of not going to the

Commonwealth Games because it's your

final year. You've got the world

indoors, you want to be in shape for

the championships later in the

summer, how difficult has it been to

work out the plan?

It's been lucky

that the vet school has been so

supportive. My coach has been by my

side every step of the way. We put

everything planned for years. It's a

matter of getting it all done this

year and hopefully winning a medal

the the world indoors. That would be

great and graduating as a vet and

then hopefully the Europeans as

well.

What a year that would be. All

that sacrifice in terms of saying no

Commonwealth Games, but to come out

of this year being a fully qualified

vet and one of the great middle

distance athletes in the world. It's

not easy. It sounds it, but it's

not.

No, it's very, very tough. You

know you've got to have good time

management and just when your

priorities are running and

veterinary, that's all you do.

Working with small animals?

Yeah,

working at a hospital just now.

All

good?

Yeah all going fine.

What's

more challenging?

I don't know, it's

a bit nervewracking in surgery but

this was tough here today.

Take each

day as it comes. Thank you so much

Laura, many successes as the season

goes on. We will see new Glasgow in

a few weeks. Steve can wrap up the

race for us. It was a good one for

Great Britain.

No video referees required. It was

fairly straightforward. Great

Britain winning 11. 33.

Tom marshal ran 2. 46 and Adam Clark

it. 2. 42.

So impressive listening to Laura

describing the challenges of her

week, you know, one of the most

difficult demanding of the medical

degrees, veterinary studies and a

top international athlete balancing

everything. A great inspiration and

if you want more inspiration, well

there were plenty of stories in the

masses races this morning. Here's JJ

with a few more of them.

The runners will be going off in

four waves. It's a gruelling uphill

to begin with. What goes up must

come down and they'll finish with

the wind in their sails.

Where have you travelled from?

As

you can see, we are part of Aycliffe

running club in County Durham.

You

were here last year. What do you

make of the route?

Brilliant. Tough

hill. But great scenery across the

top.

Do you know what the route is

like?

No idea. Not been before. Most

of our running is fell running,

which is like on the hills any way.

There's a few hills in it, it won't

problem me.

It's just a little hill.

Where have you come from?

The Isle

of Lewis.

Have you taken part in

this before?

No, I haven't. My son

was selected to run for the north of

Scotland in the under 13s, so we

decided to come along and give the

race a go ourselves.

Do you know

anything about the track?

No, it's

going to be fun. I'll find out on

the way round.

The great winter run

is the perfect way to begin your

year. For one runner, Vicky, it's

the beginning of an epic year,

seeing her do a combined 175

kilometres. Today is the first five.

In August 2014, my dad was feeling a

bit unwell. It was really unusual

for my dad to be ill. So he went to

the doctor. They ran some tests and

then at the beginning of October, he

was diagnosed with myeloma. That's a

bone marrow cancer. It wasn't

something that we had ever heard of

before. But within a couple weeks of

the diagnosis, my dad ended up in

hospital. His vertebrae had begun to

collapse. He had to go to hospital.

Then he spent weeks flat on his

back. He had to have a back brace

built for him to be able to sit up

even. The cancer, a type of cancer

which is classed as remitting

repeating, so at times he'll be in

remission and you know, we

absolutely find that way, but then

the cancer can return and he is

still on chemotherapy just now. I

wanted to do something that was a

challenge to me to raise some

awareness and also some funds for

pie Liama UK. They've -- myeloma UK.

They've been amazing support. I

decided to start running because I

was watching the great Scottish run

with my parents last October. I

don't think my family could quite

believe that I was doing this. It's

a massive challenge for me. I'm not

the kind of person who wakes up in

the morning and thinks - I want to

go for a run today. Or gets home

from work and thinks - yeah, let's

put the trainers on. I'm not a

runner. I'm not in any way athletic.

My dad is amazing. The only thing

that he's ever actually complained

about through this whole

three-and-a-half years so far is the

fact he used to be 6'2" and now he's

5'8". I think he's 5'7", because I

am, but I'm giving him the extra

inch to make him feel a bit better.

When I cross that finish line in

Edinburgh, I think I'm going to be

pretty elated. The sense of

achievement, actually getting to the

end of it and completing that,

particularly as it's the first of my

year of challenges, it's going to be

pretty thrilling.

How was that?

It was great. It's

some hill. But a real sense of

achievement actually getting up that

in the first place. Then when you

come round the corner and see the

view of Edinburgh, it's beautiful.

You know it's downhill from there,

it's great.

That's a big hill. A

challenging 5k and quite a

challenging 5k to start this

incredible journey.

Yes, this is my

first event. I've never run before

at all. Yeah, so everything will be

downhill from here, between now and

the end of September, when I do the

great Scottish run, the last of the

events I'm doing.

Who is this with

you?

Buddy. So I'm running for

myeloma UK. Myeloma have these

buddies. I have one of them. He's

coming with me every kilometre he'll

be there.

How is this as a way to

start the year?

I think it's good to

start the year with a bit of asense

of achievement and something like

that. It's a great motivation to

keep going. I know I can do it now.

I had that anythingling doubt before

-- niggling doubt, can I do it? But

I can. It's good.

What an

inspiration. Thank you

Is well under Vicky, an incredible

year of challenges. If you fancy a

challenge go to the BBC sports

website and you can find all sorts

of clubs and activities if you want

to get moving and why not, you can

be inspired by the elite athletes

and we're turning our attention to

the races when it comes to points.

The mixed relay points do not count

but they do from now on and turning

our attention to the junior races

first. COMMENTATOR: Two Junior

races, the men went off first and a

real opportunity to get off to a

good start in this team event, USA

did very well last year and this

event and expected to do equally

well this year. Settled down with

the European trying to take control.

We just had the European

cross-country championships before

Christmas and quite a few athletes

coming out of the junior ranks on

January one, so some of them not

eligible to compete. The Great

Britain team, Jayden Hayward,

European junior track champion was

up there early on but it was his

team-mate Matt Willis who started to

get involved with the other

Europeans. The two guys running for

the European team. The Norwegian

kept pushing, he was in the favoured

beforehand but he kept setting the

pace. The USA, the only one of their

contingent to stay in contact and

Willis was doing a good job and

eventually four of them broke away,

four lapse, six kilometres of

running and once these four got

away, the winner was going to come

from this group. For a little while

it looked like it could be Matthew

Willis but all of a sudden with 300

metres to go, up the hill and across

the last jump across the stream, the

Norwegian who looked very much at

home in these conditions who had a

real turn of pace at the end. These

three run against each other and the

European cross-country championships

and Willis finished ahead of the

other two but this time he had to

settle for third. It was a good race

for the European team and it meant

with those of two finishers that

Europe, it was very tight, Garcia in

fifth. Britain had three in the top

eight. It came down to just one

point. It was Europe who came out on

top. Europe finishing ahead of Great

Britain and the USA. Coda those

points continue into the women's

race.

Congratulations Matthew Willis, the

first British runner over the line,

how are conditions out there?

A bit

cold but a really good cause, I

really enjoyed it, especially the

little stream, as a bit of fun and

an extra dimension.

Great atmosphere

on the course?

Yes, especially when

the bell went on the last lap, they

were really loud.

What about

underfoot? A bit drizzly overnight,

will it get churned up as the day

goes on?

Yes, getting progressively

worse.

Do you love that?

Yes,

cross-country runners always love a

bit of mud.

Written in second place

after that race.

Really happy with

that. -- Great Britain. Did we have

come together and managed to get a

second.

come together and managed to get a

second.

Junior women's race, there

was a prerace favourite, right in

the middle you can see Jasmine

running for Europe, the Dutch

athlete finished second year last

year, really good performance at the

recent European cross-country

championship and the European junior

champion on the track at 5000

metres. She knows this course at

Edinburgh and was expected to do

well but it was the Americans who

were right at the forefront, Claudia

lane and her team-mate. Just 16, the

pain of them, they set the pace. She

had company from her team-mate and

the best of the British contingent

Ceri Hughes and Brown were never too

far away but this young lady, the

16-year-old cameo who was very

strong and once she got a gap and 30

metres, it looked all over but the

contingent behind, the four of them

didn't seem too keen and chasing and

all of a sudden, Jasmine put in a

huge effort on the last lap and with

half a mile to go and it looked like

she might catch the American but

cameo found a bit extra --

cameo found a bit extra -- Jasmine

was outsprinted at the end by her

team-mate who got ahead of her for

second place. Europe's second and

third but the USA got the win.

All very close in the team race. The

individual results there.

Very close indeed and eventually

went to Great Britain. 26 points.

USA 27 points, Europe 30 and those

points will be carried forward to

the senior races. We had a word with

the victor, the 16-year-old

American.

Winner of the women's junior race,

Kelsey. How did you find the course

out there today?

It was tough.

Is

this your first time to Edinburgh.

How did you find a trip the other

day, a few of you went to the JK

Rowling famous cafe where she wrote

the Harry Potter book.

It was really

cool to see where she started

writing this series.

Cross-country

at Hughes event in America. -- a

huge event. Visit your favourite

terrain?

It is, cross-country is

definitely my favourite, I like

running on the grass.

Well done

today.

All the great historical

buildings you can see in Edinburgh

and you to the cafe

buildings you can see in Edinburgh

and you to the cafe where JK ruling

went to Harry Potter.

and you to the cafe where JK ruling

went to Harry Potter. I'm getting

old, let's tidy up the standings as

we head into the senior races,

Europe with the lead. 48 points but

all to play for, Great Britain 36,

USA 59, USA and a better position

last year, so they will be

disappointed with that and Europe

leading.

disappointed with that and Europe

leading.

Just like that kid just nestling in

the rock with his can of pop. Good

vantage point for the course. The

panic were you want to see the best

action. Paula Radcliffe has joined

me from the commentary box. This is

an event that's close to your heart,

you have one mango trees and raced

it many times and conditions vary

over the years, that's what makes it

exciting. From what you've seen so

far, is producing some good races?

Yes it is, is always produced good

races and it's always been a way to

really kick off the year and a good

way to come out after the Christmas

break and the New Year break and put

a lot of training and, eating a lot

during Christmas, come out with

energy and start of the year well

and that is what it's always been

for me. I can remember 30 years ago

coming up as a kid and driving up

from Bedford in the morning to, and

raced this north cross-country and

it's always been an important

fixture.

At the top of the show

might you told us the great names

who have run and won this race.

Let's have a look at the elite

women's race that was off in five

minutes, points very much county and

you've picked out a few of your

favourites. Yasmin, the winner last

year, looking strong again.

She is

looking strong, she has been

training in Kenya and as she did

before the race last year, she ran

it so strongly to winning the

European Championships.

it so strongly to winning the

European Championships. Just one

month ago in Slovakia. Run very

strong there and it will be

important to her to run well and

raced here

important to her to run well and

raced here today and important to

the other girls to be able to out

and compete with.

Who are the main

British contenders?

There will be a

strong team, we have Jess Judd.

Harry Jones making the step up, she

is now a senior, she is still

running and had some very good

results behind her as a junior but

now it will be important for her to

come out and race and ran well last

year but to race well again and to

race amongst the seniors start off

her year in the senior ranks.

So

successful as part of the team who

won the overall championship, do you

feel from the women's side of things

that British cross-country running

is in rude health?

I do, Laura

started out really well, we had a

good win Ndebele and it's good for

the rest of the team, they will have

been out there as they are warming

up for their races. To see them race

well and to see a lot of people turn

out today to cheer on all of the

runners, that is important and you

see this success breeding success,

one of our more successful

cross-country championships and we

will want to build on that and keep

working through the rest of this

year for the European Championship

and Commonwealth Games.

Another big

year. Thank very much, good to hear

your thoughts, six kilometre race,

four large lapse, let's see what the

team captains think of their teens.

The women senior team has a lot of

experience. You look at them and

there's a lot of names and people,

they had been in the top ranks of

the US for a long time. A few up and

comers coming out of Michigan.

We

have a strong team. The British

girls, was on home turf, they will

always be strong.

She will head the

front very early. Jones, she won the

European junior cross-country

Championships, so she will the one

to look out for. Experience with

Louise Damon and she will not want

to make it a slow race.

Yasmin Khan

is the biggest name, winner of the

European Cross country Championships

and she won back here last year, so

they will be chasing.

Desi Linden,

she is been around the track,

cross-country, her range is huge,

than a few cross-country races. She

has a name everybody is going to

knock on the most experienced won.

Team Europe is a bit different than

the British team are the American

team because they probably know each

other a bit better. We generally for

the Europeans, we race against each

other a lot but not with each other,

so this is very different. Dean

Evans are always exciting, so it's

nice to run with people and against

people that you usually just run

against.

I tell you what, you've got

to be a bit of a daredevil to patch

up on the edge of Arthur 's seat. A

long way up there but a good place

to ponder and think about life at

the beginning of the New Year.

Almost ready to go off in the

women's elite race. Six kilometres,

four large lapse and in the

commentary book, Paula Radcliffe and

Steve Cram. COMMENTATOR:

commentary book, Paula Radcliffe and

Steve Cram. COMMENTATOR: Pretty nice

day in Edinburgh for cross-country,

a little chilly but it is January,

that's what you'd expect. New Year's

Eve always a great night out in

Edinburgh. A lot of the American

contingent, this is an event which

they have loved over the years and

love coming to Edinburgh. Great

venue, great backdrop, Arthur 's

seat. Worst conditions over the

years, not too bad at all today.

There's Desi Linden. The veteran of

the team. In good form as well,

recently raced against a few of the

runners here. Not the favourite. She

said herself, the favourite is in

her team. She has won the trials,

was part of an exceptionally strong

British team to the European

cross-country Championships. We

mention the fact that Harry Jones

has moved into the senior ranks

after her great victory in the

junior race, there she is on the

right of your picture.

So, usual quick start and they will

settle down fairly quickly. Six

kilometres, not that far really for

women at this level, they will often

raise much further salt should be a

good test nonetheless on this

terrain, four lapse, each lap is

1500 metres. Your maths are as good

as mine. The early leader. Barker,

her team-mate, one might very

her team-mate, one might very well

right on the outside, looking for

but the prerace favourite,

but the prerace favourite, ...

Chairman.

Won the Kenyans who run for Turkey

now, the two guys running the senior

race. Involved in Kenya training,

preparing for this, the training

camp that many of the British

athletes attend at altitude. Come

down specially for the race today.

Jess Stewart on the right-hand side.

I think, six kilometres for Jess, a

bit more into her domain and not too

muddy today. The British women will

be hoping to form well. Settling

down.

down. Sometimes she likes to go

right from the off and get moving

and given its only six kilometres I

thought that's what she might do

today. Make it a good hard test from

the start. She is leading, but not

started to quickly here.

I don't know whether her spikes

caught, she lost her balance that.

Momentum has taken her to the front.

She's not doing a huge amount with

it. You can see the others packing

behind her. She's starting to string

out a bit on the inside there.

Mollie Sidle of the Usmanov team.

She ran very well in the midnight

run in New York on New Year's Eve.

Cold conditions but ran very well to

win that. It's going to be

positively balmy for her today.

With

an L not an R.

an L not an R. Barker great

performance from her in the European

championships. One thing that talk

about with this early stages is why

course cans produce different

results for runners. A cross-country

course can come in all sorts of

different guises. Depend ago that,

often -- depending on that, there's

no way Heath would normally beat Mo

Farah on a road, but you put in a

bit of mud and you get those sorts

of results. Courses do suit certain

athletes. You can get them run the

trials with a certain type of

course, it was quite muddy in

Liverpool this year. The team gets

picked. You go to the champs and

people who were fourth in the trials

come higher up. You know they beat

their team-mates in the actual

championships because the course

there is different.

Yeah,

absolutely. I mean the different

types of courses suit different

runners, so somebody with a much

longer stride, someone like Mo Farah

will prefer a drier course and won't

like the muddier courses that are

more cut up, much more heavy on the

legs and make it harder to use the

speed that he has in the closing

stages. That's why Gary Heath was

quoted as saying that the muddier

the better for him. It slows

everyone down and people can't get

away from you and it becomes more of

a strength race.

a strength race.

Well, the hills

have an effect on that as well. It's

not just the under foot conditions.

It breaks up your rhythm and this

section of the course is more

technical.

technical. Can stretching out.

Barker is well up as well. Maybe

surprised to see her ahead of some

Simon. Finula is further back. She's

tucked in there not far behind

Kurechka. Europe packing well. We

mentioned Harriet Knowles Jones

andErity Ockendom who finished ahead

of Finula. She's in the team there.

I think Andy Vernon mentioned Louise

Damon. Philipa Bowden and Phoebe

Law. They're all in there. Only four

to count within the team race.

Sorry, excuse me, six to count in

this. Four in the juniors. Six in

the seniors. Certainly not hanging

around now. She's stretched out,

settled around the first lap. I'm

surprised that Barca is trying so

hard to go with her. She might be

thinking OK we know what's going to

happen here. Just got to pace

yourself. Again cross-country, one

lap.

lap.

They are in rough by the

positions they finished in the

European cross-country

championships, barring the Americans

in that. First, fourth and fifth

now. I think Barca is trying to

maintain contact with Can and not

allow the gap to grow too much in

the first couple of laps. Now it is

starting to grow. You can see Barca

has made that decision or it has

been forced upon her. But she's

starting to drop back towards the

group behind her. Yasmin Can is

starting the long run over this

course that she knows so well. She

has the experience of knowing how to

gauge her effort at different points

on this course, how to manage that

cambered section. That isn't as

cambered as in previous years along

that section there. Then when they

go up the hill, where the longer

tuftier grass and across the stream,

all those are different strategies

and techniques. That's why we call

it the more technical section of the

course.

I think the standings will

definitely change as things move

through. But at the moment, Europe

have got a good lead. They've

started well. Barker is up there.

Burkhard is up there. Simon not too

far behind. McCormack as well. The

British contingent starting to move

through the field. I suspect that

gap in the points scoring will

shorten. Of course, massive for

Europe the fact that one of your

counters just counts one point. We

can almost hand that to her barring

any trip ups or accidents on the

route. I think she's just going to

keep opening that gap. Barca is

sticking to her task well that. Was

a really good performance from her.

The European cross-country

championships, we had the under 23

race and the junior race. Jess Judd

in the under 23.

in the under 23. Burkhardt is aiming

for that. She's up there already.

That was probably a surprise to

finish as high as she did in the

European cross-country

championships, but underlining the

fact here that is a true reflection

of the shape she's in. She's in very

good form. She's found a good batch

of training behind her and been able

to come out and race well over the

cross-country. She's obviously at

home on the different surfaces.

That's Mollie Sidle who has moved

into third. Slipped a bit down the

hill. Running well over this

surface. A big gap back to Jess Judd

now.

Harriet Knowles-Jones going

through. She was pleased to get that

Gold Medal, her last race in the

junior ranks. Her mum and dad

watching there. It was emotional at

end. But it was a great race from

her on the day. There was a bit of

pressure on her. She was the

pre-race favourite. She delivered

and now moving into the senior

ranks. No under 23s here of course.

No stepping stone literally. Jump in

at the deep end.

She doesn't need a

stepping stone though. She's got a

good tradition. We talk about the

tradition and the strength of

cross-country running and the

history of it. Her father is Martin

Jones, on the last British team to

win a team medal at the world

cross-country championships along

with her coach. This eknow about

cross-country running. She probably

is relishing running on this course

and would like it to be more tough

in some of the points.

in some of the points.

Gerechka is

forging through. She caught that

group who've had to settle down.

She's gone straight through them

there. They're responding to that.

Judging her effort well. Didn't want

to go off too hard. She's trying to

forge on. She's watching the

European champion continue to move

away. But she's in this quartet

away. But she's in this quartet now,

contesting second place. Coming

towards the end of the second lap.

Remember only four laps. Approaching

halfway here.

halfway here. Gerechka does well on

the tough courses. She ran great in

Liverpool in the trials. Maybe the

course in the champs didn't quite

suit her as much. It was a bit

quicker, twisty, turny. But she's so

strong.

She is. She's very strong

and she's taken her time to build

back. She missed a lot of time away

from training and racing with a

double stress fracture in her foot

in 2015. Then started training with

Chris Thompson and Gemma Simpson.

They've been coaching her and

brought her slowly back. You can see

she's gaining in confidence as well

as the strength with all the

training that she's getting under

her belt and also with the racing.

She took that first lap to kind of

feel out this course a bit.

Tommo doing a great job. Chris

actually raced on Friday, the

half-marathon in Doha. His third or

fourth he was telling me. And Gemma

as well. Didn't Chris finally pop

the question? #

He did. He said it

was harder getting up off his knees

than asking the question.

Congratulations to those two. Two of

our great athletes, Chris still

running. It is testimony to Amelia.

You just reminded me, this time last

year I was in the British training

camp. I went for a job with Amelia

and Chris. I'd had a knee operation.

I was running with Amelia. She was

just starting, running that slow,

running with me that slow. And Chris

was very conscious about how she was

going to have to be patient and

build and build. After that really

serious problem she had. A cracking

job. Look at this, she's moving

clear into second place. Can is

looking around there. It's a good

gap. Buff she's going to have to

keep -- but she's going to have to

keep working. Gorecka is pulling

Seidel away from her. The others

running strongly.

Barca paying the

price for having worked so hard on

the first lap. She's drifting back

to the chasing group. The British

team packing well. But they could

pick up a couple of those stragglers

as they start to come back towards

them. You can see when you look at

the front-on shot of Gorecka how

much she's worked on her core

strength and how her hips are really

not moving around despite the fact

that this course is tough. She does

need to pick her ground carefully

with. It she's really holding that

core stability really well. That's

reflected in the fact that she's

making up the ground and moving

quickly and well over the ground.

Yeah, when the race is only six

kilometres, you haven't got time to

set it, once you're into the rhythm

and you're working hard, they've

only got about 2K to go. She's only

about five seconds behind Can, if

this gap stayed the same, I'm not

sure how hard Can is running here,

but she's looking behind. She is a

little bit concerned because Gorecka

is closing, imper Septemberibly, a

little bit. Impercptibly. She knows

he's got a lap and a bit to go. It's

a good gap, a decent gap. But it's

one which Gorecka is just eating

into slightly.

I think she's eating

into it a little bit, but

significantly, she's opening up more

ground on Mollie Seidel behind her.

That is significant. Amelia can

finish fast. We say that she hasn't

maybe got the pace to live with Can,

particularly if Can has saved

something for the last couple of

hundred metres. But Amelia will be

able to find something. But more of

a buffer she has over Seidel, the

more ground she can make up on Can

over this will be significant.

Straight through the water. Amelia

Gorecka just making sure that she

keeps her eyes forward on the back

of Can, because behind her the gap

is growing. She doesn't have to

worry about charges, because there

are big gaps behind Seidel now, as

Barca is struggling. Positions are

changing further back. Jess Judd

moving well. Phoebe Law is going

really well. Good run from her at

this point. She's up there, ahead of

Harriet Knowles-Jones. The British

team slowly eating into the lead

that Europe had. And come to the end

of the last lap, one more lap to go,

of course. I don't think there's

going to be too much to choose

between Europe and Great Britain.

Every position they can make will be

significant. That's one of the

beauties of the team race in

cross-country. Every last scorer

counts. Sometimes the last scorer

counts for more because they can

pick off more places ahead of them.

Interestingly, our statistician has

told me that Gorecka ran exactly the

same time for the second lap as did

Dinesh Chandimal. That gap hasn't --

as did Can. The gap hasn't grown at

all. She's moving through but she's

not able to close down that four,

five second buffer in front.

Mollie

Seidel is hanging on to Gorecka now.

She was moving away. Looked like she

was eating into the lead. Maybe that

effort has been one that she needs

to concentrate on holding onto

second. Seidel is just getting back

onto her shoulders. They drop down

towards the finish line to hear the

bell. One more lap to go. The

European champion, Can, representing

Europe here today is leading.

Probably four, five second lead over

Gorecka of Great Britain. Seidel is

moving alongside these two in second

and third.

and third. Then the gaps get bigger

was ego further back now. -- we go

further back now. Burkhardt ahead of

Barca who looks as though she's

struggling a bit, the Romain yard.

Trying to -- the Romanian.

Harriet Knowles Jones not far away

either. Those three need to work as

hard as they can and give Gorecka a

bit of support in terms of the team.

They've got their own private little

battle going on there. But it would

be good if they could just get ahead

of those two Europeans ahead of

them.

That would be really good for

the British team. You could see on

that downhill section how much more

comfortable on the downhill part of

the course Mollie Seidel looked.

Amelia Gorecka's face, she's really

working hard. She's rallying. She's

managing to stay slightly ahead of

Seidel. Who is probably sitting on

her shoulder and may wait until the

last couple of hundred metres down

the downhill section now she knows

from the previous laps and

experience that she has the edge

over Gorecka on that section.

That you can see the team standings,

just ten points between the British

and the European team, closing all

the time.

That is the overall match standings,

which takes the two junior races

into account.

Europe lead from the USA and Great

Britain, second and third. Burkard

looking pretty strong. Phoebe Law is

closing down pretty quickly on

Burkard and Barca,

closing down pretty quickly on

Burkard and Barca, she has already

passed Barca. She could certainly

get into the top five, which would

be a great performance from her,

because she is ahead of her

team-mate, Jess Judd, Knowles-Jones

and Ockenden is not too far-away,

either.

I am just wondering whether...

We will not get into it, we have

done this so many times. But Can

does not spend much time in Turkey,

but the pressure for them to compete

in the championships, for instance

the world indoors, we might see her

at the world Indoor Championships in

Birmingham in March. They don't

raise that much, but they are under

a little bit of pressure to compete

for Turkey in the championships.

Without being too cynical, the

probable reason for them competing

for Turkey in the first place was to

get the team success that Turkey was

really looking after on the

international stage. I think there

is probably an expectation on her

that she competes in the likes of

the European Cross country, the

world cross-country, the world

indoors and the other major

championships, which she has done so

successfully for Turkey. But that

gap is playing pretty much the same

four microseconds that she built up

on the first lap. As hard as they

work, and they're helping each other

a little bit, Gorecka and Seidel

cannot close it down. It is today

exactly the same as in the first

lap.

You get the impression she is just

doing enough. These two are

scrapping for second place, they

know each other well. Mark Butler

pointed out that in 2012 they were

both in the junior race. Emelia

Gorecka Chuka won that, Molly Seidel

was third. That was six years ago,

January 20 12.

Goodness me. Because they are racing

each

each other, it is just not enough.

You get the feeling by Can has just

picked up again, every time the gap

has lost a big close for comfort.

Emelia is working hard, she's only a

few seconds by Can. But we know that

Can can pick it up at the end.

Emelia finding something else up the

hill, she has stretch the gap back

to Molly Seidel, who will make up

some of that on the downhill coming

up. Emelia has given the biggest

effort up that hill to try to close

the gap and draw herself away from

Molly.

She has had to work hard for this

victory, Yasmin Chan. -- Yasemin

Can. It has been chilly here than I

am sure her training camp was in

Kenya, but she has come back to

Edinburgh and run superbly well. But

a mediocre rep -- but Emelia Gorecka

is racing down the hill, chasing Can

and making sure she keeps the gap

between herself and Seidel, the

American, who comes in for their

place.

The European cross-country champion,

coming to Edinburgh and winning in

good style. I would not say it was

totally impressive in the sense that

she did not totally dominate, and

she has done enough. Emelia Gorecka

Chuka, a superb performance to take

second place, just a couple of

seconds behind. And then Seidel for

the USA, crossing the line in third.

We will watch for the places behind,

that will have a lot to say in terms

of where the team goes here. Burkard

hanging on for fourth place.

hanging on for fourth place. Phoebe

Law, a really good performance in

this. Lugeros in fourth. Europe may

just hang on as Barca, who went very

hard at the beginning, comes across

the line. A good, strong performance

from Ockenden in the last lap. She

got of Jess Judd. Harriet

Knowles-Jones. Simou -- Fionnuala

McCormack. We will let them come

across the line, we will sort all of

the team positions out. It looks to

me as though Europe have won this,

which might just mean that the gap

between Europe and Great Britain

might be too much in the men's race.

Certainly from a British

perspective.

A good race in the end, Paula? Can

was expected to run away with it,

but had to work hard all the way?

She did, she did not look entirely

comfortable. It looked like in the

first lap she was trying to build up

something and maybe relax, to KCOM

hard over the final lap. She was not

able to do that, and if you look at

the split for the last lap, Emelia

Gorecka ran the fastest, 5-13, as

opposed to Can's 5-15. Yasemin Can

ran almost like a metronome that she

did not look as dominant or

impressive as she has in previous

races.

We will tidy up the results pretty

soon. Those lads are all right,

there? Stay there, lads.

I'm sure they are fine! Gabby has

the winner and the second placed

athlete.

Are fine! Thank you, Steve. Yasemin

Can and Emelia Gorecka Chuka gave us

a great race and a thrill at the

end. We thought maybe Emelia was

going to pull you back. Did it feel

as easy as last year? Did the course

feel different, do you feel

different?

The course is very hard

for me. It is very moody. I was

struggling too much.

You think you

struggle too much?

Yes.

It was a bit

harder?

It is not like last year.

Is

that because you have been putting

in lots of training and were not as

fresh?

Pardon?

Did you not feel as

fresh, maybe?

Yes.

Emelia had a part to play. At the

end, coming down the hill. You were

trying to draw Yasemin towards you.

How do you feel?

I can't not be

happy. I had no idea what the

opportunity would be, I thought it

could be top five for top three,

then I was second and it was so

close to first, I had to keep

believing it was possible to get the

best out of myself. I came here to

get the best out of myself, it is a

world-class field. I am over the

moon to be second by such a small

margin as well.

It has been a tough couple of years

for you to get back into this type

of shape. Give an insight into what

you have gone through?

Got a new

training setup, we decided to strip

back everything, go back to basics

and built the foundations to

hopefully allow me to be a strong

senior athlete. I am only 23 so we

are still building the foundations

and working on loads of smaller,

fine details to get back to where I

want to be, but I have enjoyed every

step of the journey, I am still on

it and will hopefully progress and

develop, I'm quite young still.

So

we will see plenty more of you

indoors this season?

No, I have lots

of hard work to do, I will go away

and train for the next few weeks and

months, rebuilding the foundations.

I really want to get some winter

training in, I am working hard and

will hopefully translate some of my

performances to the track this

summer.

EU and the summer.

A great performance from you both.

Let's clear everything up and see

how the positions have affected the

overall standings.

-- see you in the summer. STUDIO:

The top two leading their team is

very well, I am pretty sure Europe

will be coming out on top. A really

good run from Phoebe Law. Verity

Ockenden backing up Emelia Gorecka.

The winning margin was just two

microseconds. You heard Yasemin say

it was hard work today, but Gorecka

running very well. And a good

performance from Molly Seidel.

Let's see how that affected the

team. Europe in the end maintains

their ten point advantage they had

at the start of the last lap,

despite one or two changes. They are

really consolidating their position

of the Great Britain and the USA in

the overall match. Just the senior

men to go, and the lead Europe have

is 18 points. Europe with 90, Great

Britain with 180 in the USA with

hundred and 40. -- and the USA with

140.

It is not just the elite competition

today, anybody can join in. Whether

It is not just the elite competition

today, anybody can join in. Whether

it is a New year's resolution they

come every year, everyone has their

reason for being here. -- whether it

is a New year's resolution or they

come every year.

Mass participation events, many

viewers of those will recognise

Colin. Is this your first time here?

It is my first time across the

border.

What made you want to take

part in this?

I'll be honest, I did

not know this was on until

Wednesday. The guy who does the

commentary appears that, are you

coming up? I said, might as well.

Jumped on the train like this this

morning. Thanks to the train, they

bumped me up to first class. Really

excited to get on, it is great.

There is a big hill at the beginning

of the course.

I did not know that

until I got here, then somebody

pointed it out and said it is up

there. I said, you are having a

laugh X Umesh Mahtre but.

Best of luck, take care.

Jackie has been through a big

challenge in her life, but this year

she has set itself a new challenge,

beginning today.

Three years ago I was diagnosed with

aggressive breast cancer. My tumour

was seven centimetres in size, the

only option was to have chemotherapy

to shrink it enough to remove it by

surgery. Chemotherapy, for that is

great things for tumours, it

annihilates your body. It is a

brutal thing to go through. However,

it saves your life. I finished my

treatment on Christmas eve of the

same year, which was a good thing to

do.

When you go through a journey like

cancer, you are on a treadmill you

can't get off.

You have no option. All the

decisions about everything you do

are taken out of you for six months

because you had to get injections

when you get them, go into hospital

when you go into hospital. It is

very difficult.

It took another year to feel better,

because you are left with lots of

chemotherapy and radiotherapy

side-effects, you put on lots of

weight, your joints are very

weight, your joints are very damaged

by the drug somethings and you have

other side effects like numb toes,

numb fingers, you lose your hair and

things like that.

I had never even been a hospital

patient before, despite the fact I

have been missing since I was 17 I

had never been admitted to hospital

and never had surgery in my life, I

had no idea how I would cope. But I

found a strength I did not know I

had. I think I surprise myself and

my family members in terms of even

coping with the pain as well as

everything that was thrown at you.

And even since then, I have got a

strength I did not know I had and a

determination I did not know I had.

I was turning 50 that year and

decided to start doing things for

myself, took the decision to get

fit. I wanted to run a ten K with my

son, I am happy to say I did that in

Bristol last year.

Running for me has loads of

benefits, mentally. It is my

headspace, it is where I live to go.

You can either rationalise things

that have gone on during the day and

put them into an order and put them

to the side, or you can just clear

your head of everything and get rid

of the stuff out of your brain and

give it a dump.

The run in Edinburgh, I think I will

be quite emotional. You're going to

chemotherapy, you have been through

surgery, you have beaten cancer. Do

you know what, get your cars up that

hill and get on with it.

I am with Jacqui's husband. She has

been through a lot?

A couple of

years ago, when she had breast

cancer it was a difficult time for

as Bo Van Pelt family, we kind of

took it day by day. There was a lot

of uncertainty about what would

happen. She is very healthy now,

very fit compared to a few years

ago. She has developed a strength of

mind, she is a very focused woman

now and when she takes on a

challenge she will do it.

Jacqui, how was it?

Amazing, I don't

know if I can speak properly. That

Hill was not as bad as I thought it

was. I did not stop running the

whole way. I am just delighted that

I did it. I have no idea of my time,

that I am chuffed to bits that I did

it.

I will be honest, you are a cancer

survivor, this must be a piece of

cake?

Compared to some parts, yes,

but it is hard. But then everything

is hard, but you have to put your

mind to it. If it does not challenge

you, it won't change you, that is my

new motto which I live by, day by

day.

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Cross-country to me looks so much

more interesting than road running.

You have the challenges of the

terrain, the weather and the mud. I

know it fuelled your career.

It is.

And it was probably the event that I

was most at home on and certainly

had my first successes on, because

you can very much run according to

feel, according to instipght,

according to when you want to put

the surges in. It's not marked out

like on the track. It's not even

precise distances. That's not the

point of cross-country. It's about

making people work.

There's nothing

like the smell here. I love that

earthy, muddy smell. Paula, we're

upon the final race of the day, the

elite men. It's 8k, four long laps,

two short ones. Who are the faces we

should look out for?

Probably the

big favourite coming in is

Keegan-Osbalen, who won the

championships in December. And has

raced here before

championships in December. And has

raced here before and raced well.

We're seeing him winning here in the

European cross-country

championships. Very convincingly won

there by a big margin. He's the

favourite. He will get it taken to

him. We've got experience in the

British team in the shape of Andy

Vernon. We've got youth and people

coming through in the likes of Ben

Conor. But the US team as well is

strong and will want to challenge

hard. They've got Heath who has won

here in the past and loves this

course. The muddier the better he's

quoted as saying. We saw him beat Mo

Farah over this course, you can see

the mud all over him. Muddier than

today. A bit drier, firmer today.

He's a strong runner. I know he

excels in winter sports as well.

He's got real strength in the

cross-country which can be the

difference sometimes.

It can. He's

got a very fast 1500m time as well.

He's a good miler. He started out as

a cross-country skier and has that

feel and that instinct for

cross-country racing and loves. It

that's apparent in the way he races.

Chris Derek is another and Leonard

Grower who won here last year and

raced very strongly. He's going from

strength to strength racing for the

Usmanov, running lots of PBs. Last

year it was good to see Hawkins take

it to him and run the sting out of

him, digging deep as he could in the

closing stages.

Calum not here this

year. Getting ready for the

Commonwealth Games this year.

Yes,

the big target for Hawkins now is to

come away with a medal from the

Commonwealth Games.

Let's hope we

have a race as tight as that. It's a

few minutes away. Let's hear from

the team captains telling us who the

strengths are and where the

strengths are in the

strengths are and where the

strengths are in the opposition.

The

senior men's team is a mixture of

youth and experience, I suppose. We

are missing a couple of big players

that could be here. But I don't

think that's going to deter our

confidence going in. Obviously