Cross Country
Appealing to every age and ability, supporting overall health and fitness, long distance running encourages trust, respect, team ethos and positive mindset, encouraging mental and physical wellbeing. With success at county, regional and national events since the introduction of Cross Country at Woodbridge, as a School we compete with the very best endurance runners in England.
Building stamina, persistence and success
It’s not only about ability, it’s about effort, which in turn supports the development of stamina and persistence – two key factors required to be successful as a Cross Country runner. The mental, emotional and physical benefits of long-distance running are well documented and acknowledged, but we also know students can benefit from the opportunity Cross Country running provides to improve learning ability by sharpening memory and focus, as well an encouraging and improving commitment and consistency.
Training and clubs
Training sessions for all ages take place every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday throughout the year, even in the holidays – these are age, level and distance appropriate, designed to suit Year groups and abilities.
Introduced to Woodbridge in 2012, the School’s running club is also open to runners from Year 3 through to Sixth Form, also attracting members of the local community, and as far away as Bury St Edmunds. A completely inclusive sport, the Cross Country is hosted in the School grounds, providing the perfect environment for runners.
Competing for Woodbridge
Through training and our running club, athletes are identified and matched with appropriate competitive events; with blocks of training and coaching, the School’s running coach Mark Goddard, encourages and supports students throughout selection and training. As a runner himself, Mark recognises the attributes and skills required as well as the benefits and opportunities that Cross Country can offer our students. Competing at all levels, Woodbridge has had success at a number of national, regional and county events.
School success
We have had a dedicated running group since 2012, which sits alongside every other sport on offer at School.
Athletes from Woodbridge compete regularly at county and national Cross Country events, and our success to date has been nothing short of remarkable. From consecutive wins to representing our School, county and country, Woodbridge has achieved significant success at some of the sport’s top events.
With less than 600 students at Woodbridge School at any given time, the level of success is tremendous, especially given that not every student takes part.
English Schools Cross Country
Our athletes first made the National Finals in 2016, and since then we have had an additional team make the Finals every year; only the top 27 schools in England make the Finals in each age group.
- 2016: Junior Boys crowned National Champions
- 2017: Junior Girls race individual winner
- 2018: Woodbridge School host the nationals, Inter Boys team win bronze with our top individual taking Silver
- 2019: Inter Girls race individual winner
- 2020: No race due to Covid
- 2021: Three teams qualify and finish 6th and 7th place, and 7th in the various age groups
- 2023: Senior Girls finish 9th
- 2023: Woodbridge School hosted the ESAA National Finals
- Woodbridge was the only School in Suffolk to qualify for the finals
- Junior Boys and Junior Girls both achieved 4th team place overall
- Year 8’s Digby finished in 4th place individually in the Junior Boys race
In 2023 the total number of students that had achieved their English Schools Vests was nine – and counting!
Suffolk Schools XC
February 2024 saw 22 of our students represent Suffolk at the annual Anglian Inter County Schools Cross Country Championships in Lincolnshire, where Suffolk was crowned Anglian Schools Champion once again.
Taking four of the eight team victories, alongside two seconds and two third places, Suffolk athletes won eight of the 24 individual medals. Three of those medals were won by Woodbridge School athletes, two Gold and one Bronze.
World Schools Cross Country in Slovakia
Our Senior Boys team of five athletes selected as one of two schools in England to represent English schools.
National Finals – English Schools Cross Country Cup
Qualification for national finals for five years in succession.
Three Woodbridge teams came in the top seven of English teams competing:
- Senior Girls achieved 2nd place individual runner
- 2019 Inter Girls achieved 1st place individual runner
2018 Woodbridge School hosted national finals:
- Inter Boys achieved 2nd place individual runner
- Inter Girls achieved 5th place individual runner
- Inter Boys were bronze medal winners overall
2017 Junior Girls race individual winner.
2016 Junior Boys team crowned national champions.
Anglian Schools Cross Country 2020
18 athletes represented Suffolk, winning four individual medals. This is the sixth consecutive year Woodbridge have won medals at this event.
Suffolk Schools Cross Country Trials 2020
1,800 athletes compete, with 48 going through to compete at English Schools Trials. Nine of those 48 were from Woodbridge – for the second year in succession.
Four Suffolk athletes won English School vests at this event, two of those were from Woodbridge.
King Henry Cross Country Relays, Coventry 2020
Boys team made the top 10 for the first time, securing a set of the coveted badges.
Girls team made the podium for the first time, winning silver medals and the Philip Mahiques trophy.
South of England Inter Country
Each year around 10 of the School’s athletes compete for Suffolk at this event, with individual winners in the past.
UK Inter County and English National Cross Country
Most years as many as 10 athletes compete at these national events for their club and county; past success includes an Inter County win.
Individual Achievements
Our top athletes have achieved the following:
- Individual winner in the U13 Girls UK Inter County Cross Country
- Individual winner in the U17 Boys National Cross Country and Bronze in the U17 UK Inter Counties
- Individual winners in the London Mini Marathon
- Endurance athletes at English Schools Track and Field every year since 2017, with individual Gold and three other finals over the years
- Individual Silver and 5th at English Schools Cross Country
- Year 13’s Henry has had a phenomenal year:
- 6th fastest U20 runner representing GB for the first time at European Cross Country Championships 2023, Brussels – team silver medal
- Winner U20 European Cross Country Trials 2023, Sefton Park, Liverpool – awarded first GB vest
- Top 10 at English Schools Cross Country, making the English Schools team but missing the International through illness
- Winner Inter Boys 1500 at English Schools
- Winner SIAB International Inter Boys 1500 in Belfast, setting a meeting record
- Winning the U17 English National 3000m, breaking a record that had stood for 42 years
- Runs an 8:15 for U17 3000m to take 5th on the UK all-time list – with the name in 6th on that list now Sir Mo Farah
- Winner London Mini Marathon
- Opened 2023 winning the U17 National Cross Country
- Took Bronze at UK Inter Counties Cross Country – and team Gold!
Connections
As well as building relationships with event organisers around the country, the School has links to Suffolk Schools Athletics and Suffolk County Athletics, as well as relationships with a number of clubs, including those locally in Suffolk. For those looking for a national level club, competing in all disciplines further afield, we also hold and enjoy links with Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers in London.
Event hosting
The School team successfully hosts two to three major events each year. These can include a round of the English Schools Cup, the final Suffolk Schools Trial, the Anglian Schools Final in 2022 and the English Schools Final in 2023. It’s an amazing achievement, that has taken years of commitment and hard work; we’re exceptionally proud to host events in our grounds.
Meet the staff
Mark Goddard (Cross Country Coach)
An experienced and accomplished endurance runner himself, the School’s Cross Country coach Mark Goddard has competed at various levels including nationally in South Africa and England.
His success comes from education, training and determination, as well as having had the opportunity to train with Olympians, and he keenly shares those learnings and that experience with students through coaching and the running club.
Dedicated to supporting the School’s athletes to develop and compete, he recognises and reinforces the benefits of long distance running for mental health and wellbeing, alongside ambition and success.
Elisa Bostock (Endurance Running Coach)
Responsible for developing the endurance running program at Woodbridge School, working with Mark Goddard the School’s Running Coach, Elisa plans and delivers weekly training sessions for students competing in cross-country, road races, and track.
Holding regular meetings with students and parents, she helps set goals, choose races, and balance sport with academics and other commitments. Assisting with the preparation of races, particularly hosting, Elisa oversees course building and event organisation alongside Mark and the School’s Head of Athletics Alison Scahill.
Her passion for running began at age nine under Mr Staziker at The Abbey (now Woodbridge School Prep), competing for Suffolk and nationally, Elisa won multiple titles with Ipswich Harriers and trained with Olympic athletes at St. Mary’s University. Studying sports science and massage deepened her interest in running form and injury prevention. Commenting on her return to Woodbridge School, she shared, “It feels like coming home.” She continued, “My daughter and I joined community sessions, inspired by the thriving running culture Mark Goddard has built, now attracting over fifty participants weekly. My goal is to sustain and grow his legacy, making Woodbridge School a regional and national hub for middle-distance running. I am passionate about keeping young people engaged in sport for their health, wellbeing, and life skills.”
Suffolk Schools Crowned Anglian Schools Cross Country Champions – Well Done Woodbridge Athletes!
Five Medals for Woodbridge at Suffolk Schools Cross Country Trial 2025
English National Cross Country Relays, Bury Hill Park, Mansfield
Medals for Woodbridge Athletes at Suffolk County Cross Country Championship
Want to see for yourself?
In addition to our open days, we welcome visits from parents and children looking for the right foundation for life ahead. We’ll be happy to show you around and answer any questions you have about our School, staff and the support we offer our students.