Penny Lane Striders
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • History
    • Committee
    • PLS App
    • Club Shop
    • Awards
    • Charity Partner
    • Constitution
    • Policies
    • Photo Archive
    • PLS Forum
  • Members Log-in
  • TRAINING
    • Training Plans
    • Training Routes
    • Training Resources
    • The Happy Bus
  • COMPETING
    • Road Running
    • Off Road
    • Cross Country
    • Results
    • Records
    • Striders Parkrun Results
    • Striders on Power of 10
  • JOIN US
    • Why Penny Lane Striders?
    • Membership
    • Contact Us
  • PLS 10k Race
  • EVENTS
    • Club Events
    • Andrew Stansfield Memorial 5k

CROSS COUNTRY


Each winter Penny Lane Striders compete in the North West Sunday Cross Country League.  There are six races in the series, with our men and women competing against runners from other clubs across the region. 

​Each race is hosted by one of the region's running clubs.  The season often starts with our home race at Clarkes Gardens in Allerton, before moving on to areas such as  Beacon Park  near Skelmersdale,  Arrowe Park, Stadt Moers Park in Knowsley, Runcorn Town Park (including two climbs up the dreaded  ski slope) and Birchwood Country Park, where conquering the infamous  water hazard is the key to success...

Penny Lane also take part in  Liverpool and District Cross Country Union. races. These are free to all club members, and take place on Saturday afternoons with the exception of the Championship race which is on a Sunday morning.

For those new to running or who have not ventured much off road before, we hope you will give cross country a try. The season runs from October-March and races involve local parks through grasslands and woodlands and usually involving mud. Because of this, different shoes (XC ‘spikes’) are recommended to give additional grip. We recognize that you may not wish to buy a pair just to try it out! So, as part of our aim to widen participation in off road running we have purchased some pairs of XC running shoes (with spikes) which can be borrowed by members for training and racing. You can find the link below.
XC Shoes LOAN

Cross Country Race Schedule 22/23

Below is the most up to date list of fixtures (August 2022 Update). Please contact pennylanestriders+orc@gmail.com for any queries.
Date
Venue
League
How to enter
Race cancelled.
Sherdley Park

​​Liverpool and District Cross Country Union
NA
30th October 2022
Clarke's Gardens, 10am
North West Sunday League
Just attend on the day. No charge for PLS members
20th November 2022
Beacon Park, Skem, 10am
North West Sunday League​
Just attend on the day. Bring 50p for entry fee
26th November 2022
Sefton Park, Senior women 13:05 (8.1k); Senior men 14:05 (9.8k)
Liverpool and District Cross Country Union
Sign up now via WebCollect. The club will pay for entries.​
11th December 2022
Arrowe Park, 10am
North West Sunday League
Just attend on the day. Bring 50p for entry fee
7th January 2023​ 
Arrowe Park. Est. Women 1.15pm, Men 2pm.
Merseyside Cross Country Championships​
Sign up now via WebCollect. The club will pay for entries.
22nd January 2023
Town Park, Runcorn, 10am
​North West Sunday League
Just attend on the day. Bring 50p for entry fee
28th January 2023​
Witton Park, Blackburn, times TBC​
​North of England Cross Country Championships
Sign up now via WebCollect. The club will pay for entries.
​12th February 2023
​Croxteth Park, 10am
​North West Sunday League
​Just attend on the day. Bring 50p for entry fee
19th February 2023
Clarke's Gardens, 11am
Liverpool and District Cross Country Union
​​Sign up now via WebCollect. The club will pay for entries.
25th February 2023
Bolesworth Castle,  Chester. Senior Womens race 1.35pm, 8km. Senior Mens race 3pm, 12k.
England National XC Champs​
Sign up now via WebCollect. The club will pay for entries.
Picture

How does it work?

Unlike road running, the time that you finish a cross country race in isn't important: it is purely and simply about finishing as high up the field as possible. The first 6 men and first 3 women to finish from each team contribute to that team's overall score. Runners finishing outside of these places still help by pushing down  other team members' placings. So it really is a club effort!
Picture

What is it like?

  • It's an excellent supplement to your road training building, increased strength and acceleration.
  • Its 30 to 45 minutes of glory and mud;
  • Its an opportunity to try on weird spiked shoes;
  • It's about hills, bogs, swamps, hills, water, frozen fingers and hills;
  • Its about never cancelling because of weather;
  • Its about tea, coffee, sarnies and biccies afterwards in some sort of community hall, all for the princely sum of 50p;
  • It's about keeping that 10k near Manchester that you are doing secret;
  • Its about leaving your muddy wet spikes in the garage between seasons and then plucking up the courage to put them on race day.
© Penny Lane Striders 2021

Privacy Policy
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • History
    • Committee
    • PLS App
    • Club Shop
    • Awards
    • Charity Partner
    • Constitution
    • Policies
    • Photo Archive
    • PLS Forum
  • Members Log-in
  • TRAINING
    • Training Plans
    • Training Routes
    • Training Resources
    • The Happy Bus
  • COMPETING
    • Road Running
    • Off Road
    • Cross Country
    • Results
    • Records
    • Striders Parkrun Results
    • Striders on Power of 10
  • JOIN US
    • Why Penny Lane Striders?
    • Membership
    • Contact Us
  • PLS 10k Race
  • EVENTS
    • Club Events
    • Andrew Stansfield Memorial 5k