Bicester AC’s Leo Blyton competed recently in his second English Cross Challenge event held in Liverpool. The English Cross Challenge is a series of cross country races for elite runners that are held during the winter season.
The first round was held in Cardiff with the under 15 boy’s race attracting 34 runners. Run over a 3.2km course, Byron Roberts running for Eastbourne Rovers AC, won in 9mins 45secs. He just got the better of one of Blyton’s old rivals, Elliot Langley-Abar, competing for Bracknell AC. Blyton performed well to finish a creditable 4th, one of only 4 runners to crack the 10 minute barrier (9mins 58secs).
The under 15 boy’s Liverpool leg was run over a slightly shorter 3km course but attracted a significantly larger field of 188 runners. Byron Roberts was again in the field but it was Theo Creed, running for Hercules Wimbledon, who came out on top clocking 9mins 33secs. There was a good battle for 2nd place between Blyton and the winner from race 1 Byron Roberts. Roberts just got the verdict with 2 seconds to spare clocking 9mins 44secs with Blyton finishing 3rd in 9mins 46secs.