Fitmums and Friends: The Ultimate Cross Country Relay Experience

The National Cross Country Relays made a comeback for the 2023 season, and it was held in Mansfield. The men’s race was super close, with the winning margin being less than two seconds! You can check out the full event report here.

We had a chat with Alex Abel, a member of Fitmums and Friends, who have been taking part in the National Cross Country Relays for the past seven years. Alex told us why they keep coming back to this event:
“We used to have a coach named Mike Barlow, who was married to Sam Barlow, the founder of Fitmums and Friends. Unfortunately, he passed away, and we continue to compete in the cross country relays in his memory as a charity and club.”
The club’s goal is to welcome everyone and help them improve their fitness while providing an opportunity to socialize with like-minded people. It has expanded and now includes groups across East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, so events like this are a great way for the wider community to come together:
“What I love most about cross country events is the entire day, not just the race itself. It’s a chance for the club to meet up. At Fitmums, we have different smaller bases all over East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, so being able to gather at these events is awesome. Today, we have runners from all the different smaller clubs in Hull, Beverley, and Market Weighton.”
Even though they are primarily a recreational club, it’s important to provide opportunities for everyone to compete in order to encourage runners to experience the camaraderie in a competitive team environment. The club participates in local cross country and road races to give everyone a chance to join in:
“My partner and I put a lot of effort into planning and getting everyone to sign up and come along. We try to get runners who haven’t done it before to sign up because we don’t expect to win; we just enjoy participating.”
This camaraderie is crucial for people to have a positive experience in competitive running, without feeling pressured about the results. Sam, the founder of Fitmums and Friends, talks about the impact of running on mental health:
“There’s nothing better than being physically active with a group of people. The camaraderie of being with others, whether you’re walking or running, is fantastic and can really support mental health.”