Club Captain's Welcome
Welcome to the OUCCC Website
Welcome to Oxford University Cross Country Club! With almost 200 members from across the university and the wider community, we pride ourselves on offering high-quality training for runners of all abilities. We have a variety of training opportunities every week including club runs, structured sessions, circuits and Sunday long runs all led by our amazing coach Matt Seddon. Matt has transformed running at Oxford - making us truly a force to be reckoned with at the national level. He is also super friendly and always willing to give advice to all members of the club. We also lead Oxford Uni Run Club which provides social runs for those newer to running or looking to run at a more relaxed pace.
Last year, the club had one of it’s most successful ever years with the men’s team coming away as BUCS Cross Country Champions backed up by a superb bronze for our Women’s team. However, the true strength of the club comes from its depth, with the club supporting runners of all abilities from international athletes to complete beginners.
The club year begins in Michaelmas where our main focus is Cross Country. The end of Michaelmas brings the Cross Country Varsity Match against Cambridge. This is one of the oldest inter-club competitions in the world - making it a really exciting event to be involved in. This year will be it’s 135th edition. Our Varsity also includes a mob match open to all members of the university providing a unique opportunity for any member of the university to compete in a Varsity Match and score points for the Dark Blues. Throughout the cross season, our members take part in most major cross-country events including Liverpool, the National and Inter-Counties as well as Cuppers - our inter-college cross country race open to all!
During the summer, the focus shifts with different athletes turning their attention to the track, road or mountains. Many of our members compete for our sister-club, OUAC, in Athletics Varsity or, for those who prefer the road, the Marathon Varsity - held as part of London Marathon - provides another opportunity to compete against our Light Blue counterparts. There is a huge variety of training going on throughout the summer, so no matter what your goals are, there will be a training group for you.
The club is, however, so much more than just a training group. Outside of running, we hold a variety of weekly socials and club lunches, providing a strong community of like-minded individuals. OUCCC is a great place to make lifelong friends during your time in Oxford.
Pre-season training camp is held very year in September and is open to everyone including non-members and freshers. It is a great way to get to know the club and meet people before the start of term. Recent camps have included the Peak District and the New forest. It always makes for a fun, memorable week so I’d encourage you to come along.
Please take some time to explore the website – you will find lots of information about our training, running routes, the history of the club and recent results. I’d also encourage you to sign up to our mailing list where you can receive weekly, term-time updates on training, socials and events so you don’t miss out on any of the exciting opportunities. We’d also love to hear from you if you have any questions about the club - whether you’re a current student, offer holder, prospective applicant or local athlete interested in joining us. Feel free to contact me or any committee member or send a message to our club email and we can get you connected to the right person.
This year promises to be another amazing year for the club and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve together.
Yours in Dark Blue,
Jemima Ridley
(Lady Margaret Hall, OUCCC Club Captain 2026-2027)
