Long Form Dispatches: The English National Cross-Country Relays, Berry Hill, Mansfield.

There’s cross-country. And then there are the cross-country relays.  Follow the story of the English National Cross-Country Relays, meeting the individuals that hold the event together – inside and outside of the tape, in public office, on public transport, and in the heat of the racing.  An event like this one in Mansfield is not so much athlete against athlete but club against club and it presents clear wins for the argument of sport being a unifier. For being a force for good. For engaging communities. They say endurance running is all about commitment and that’s what we uncover through the episode. A huge thank you to Mansfield Harriers AC and the English Cross-Country Association for all their help in making this possible and to our contributors for being a part of it.  Words & Images: Phil Gale & Emmie Collinge Audio: Danny Easton  Featuring the voices of: Paul Beasley - Sutton & Ashfield Harriers Pat Carlan - Mansfield Harriers Beverly Armstrong - Mansfield Harriers Abigail Hancock - Berry AC Jordan Hale - Highgate Harriers Keeran Sriskandarajah - Herne Hill Harriers Fred Slemeck - Hercules Wimbledon Rob Saunders - Highgate Harriers Martin Tate Jim Davies - Newstead Brass Blake Tague - Newstead Brass Mayor Andy Abrahams Richard Massey - Mansfield Harriers Wanda Curley - Mansfield Harriers Harry Woodcock - Mansfield Harriers Steve Davies - Mansfield Harriers Alan Maddocks - Mansfield Harriers Martin Bell - Mansfield Harriers Graham Heely - ECCA Tom Brown - Gateshead Harriers Andy Carter - Vale Royal AC James McDonald - Herne Hill Harriers Duncan Mason Salford Harriers Lynne Marr - ECCA Referee Samantha Mason - Salford Harriers Evie Collier - Salford Harriers Olly Hampson - Brighton & Hove Will Cork - Brighton & Hove James Turner - Brighton & Hove Lily Coward - AFD Lauren Hall - AFD Niamh Brown - AFD Mark Hookway - Tonbridge AC Kieran Riley - Tonbridge AC Sean Renfer - Highgate Harriers Martin Duff - Athletics Weekly Ed Mallet - Hercules Wimbledon Ben Allcock - Bedford AC Seyed Taha Ghafari - Highgate Harriers Rob Wilson - Highgate Harriers Liam Dee- Shaftsbury Barnett Harriers Alex Leprêtre - Highgate Harriers Alasdair Kinloch - Tonbridge AC