About Us

UMACCC : The University of Manchester Athletics and Cross Country Club

The Club

UMACCC is a sports club associated with The University of Manchester's Athletics Union. The club combines Athletics and Cross Country disciplines, allowing members to compete in a wide range of fixtures. UMACCC emphasises enjoyment through participation in sport.

The People

There are a wide range of abilities within the club, from people who train intensely to those who enjoy keeping fit with the occasional run (these demographics are there for all to see within the committee!!). Membership is open to all students enrolled in The University of Manchester. The club also maintains strong links with past members. Current membership is around 50 present members and well over a hundred supportive past members (and Razz).

On Camp with Kelly star Kerrie Harris (captain 2010/2011) has this to say:

"Joining the Cross-Country Club at The University of Manchester was one of the best decisions I made when I joined the university in 2009. With regular training, catered to all abilities, you can train with a fantastic group of people and they’ll always be other athletes of your ability. The training is varied, from circuit training to long-runs so it suits a range of disciplines. I love the fact that the club is pretty chilled so it’s up to you how seriously you want to take your running and there’s absolutely no pressure. The frequent inter-university relays keep you motivated and they’re so social (e.g Edinburgh weekend, Hyde Park - London, The Isle of Man Festival). Running keeps you extra fit and de-stresses you and it's cool being a member of a team with a great group of people who all share a common interest."

Above: Our Kezz with Kelly, Ainsley and the gang

Alumni

The club has a fine history of elite athletes in a wide number of disciplines. Notable Alumni include:

• Cyril Holmes (British Olympian 1936, sprinter, English Rugby Union international)
• Ron Unsworth (British Olympian 1948, 400m hurdles)
• John Whetton (British Olympian 1964, 1500 3:39.45)
• Ron Hill (British Olympian 1964 1968 1972, 10k: 28:39.0, Marathon: 2:09:28, still running!)
• Zara Hyde-Peters OBE (British Triathlon Chief Executive, GB athlete 1992-1999 3k to 10k)
• Dr Patrick Milroy (medical advisor to Runners World magazine)

Above: Cyril Holmes training and competing at the Firs Pavilion, Fallowfield

The Running

The club competes in the BUCS Cross County, Outdoor Athletics and Indoor Athletics championships. We hold the annual Manchester University Relays, held since 1966, which continues to prove popular with other universities and local clubs. We also compete in the annual Christie Cup against the Leeds Universities and Liverpool Universties in both Athletics and Cross Country. There are many university and non-university races up and down the country such as Hyde Park Relays and Braids Hill race, see the calendar for a full list The club has links with a number of local clubs including Trafford AC, Sale Harriers, and Stockport Harriers.

Training is obviously a integral part of any athletes success and we hold regular, varied training sessions throughout the week.

The Rest

The club also has a strong emphasis on enjoyment. Combining races and meets with weekends away is what the club does best. Ask any member about the weekends away in London, Edinburgh, Leeds, not to mention the legendary Easter trip to the Isle of Man.

The History

Click here to read about the history of the club.