Race Date: Saturday 7th March 2026
Not everyone can run in the Inter-Counties. First of all, unless you can put a good case to your team manager, you have to run in and do well in your county championships. You then have to wait for that selection letter (or a less romantic email) to drop on the mat. For Abbie Haworth and Caroline Brock this was a fairly straight forward affair finishing second and third in the Yorkshire and Derbyshire Championships respectively. For Sarah Thorne however things were a little more complex as, with only eight places available and finishing ninth at Burnley in December, she had a bit of a wait to see if she had made the cut. Getting a Lancashire county vest is no pushover with the team finishing as bronze medallists last year and fifth this year.
A scenic but tough start with a climb up the slope towards Wollaton Hall. (Athletics Weekly)
So, for the second year running, we find Steel City supplying three contestants in the 2026 Inter-Counties. Previously used both for the Inter Counties and the English National, Caroline said that the 8000m Wollaton Park course proved to be as testing as ever with the climb up the hill to the hall never getting any easier. With good racing weather compared to the heat experienced last year there was some mud but enough to satisfy Sarah, a self confessed mudlark, who finished in 111th position. With a poor start, Caroline enjoyed the chase, working her way through the field and picking off opponents to finish in 89th position and second scorer for Derbyshire. Starring for Steel City was Abbie Haworth who finished in 61st place of 280 finishers and fourth of six scorers for Yorkshire who came away with bronze medals.
Abbie Haworth receiving her bronze medal. (Brock)
That wraps up cross country for 2026. Next big team events on the agenda are the six and twelve stage relays in Carlisle at the end of the month.
Individual results
| Pos | Name | County | Time |
| 1 | Jessica Gibbon | Oxfordshire | 27:26 |
| 61 (4) | Abbie Haworth | Yorkshire | 31:03 |
| 89 (2) | Caroline Brock | Derbyshire | 31:54 |
| 111 (8) | Sarah Thorne | Lancashire | 32:24 |
(Team placing in brackets)
Team Results
| Teams | County | Points |
| 1 | Surrey | 100 |
| 3 | Yorkshire | 307 |
| 5 | Lancashire | 328 |
| 17 | Derbyshire | 819 |
Link to full results Inter Counties 2026
Congratulations to the Yorkshire medallists. (Brock)