Mark Croasdale (born January 1965Association of Road Racing Statisticians: Mark Croasdale; Power of 10: Mark Croasdale.) is an English athlete who was a British fell running champion and competed in cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympics.
The early part of Croasdale’s sporting career was centred on skiing. He became a member of the Royal Marines’ ski team and displayed sufficient talent to be invited to train with the national ski team. He was a British champion and represented his country on many occasions in international cross-country skiing competitions.Bill Smith, “Profile: Mark Croasdale”, The Fellrunner, Oct 1991, 9. He competed in the 10k classical and 15k freestyle events at the 1992 Winter Olympics.1992 Winter Olympics Results.
Having taken up running as training for his skiing, Croasdale began to obtain good results as a runner. He won the Snowdon Race in 1991 and 1992Association of Road Racing Statisticians: Snowdon Race. and in the latter year finished ninth in the short race at the World Mountain Running Trophy.WMRA: World Mountain Running Trophy 1992.
In 1993, Croasdale won both the British and English Fell Running Championships.Steve Chilton, It's a Hill, Get Over It (Dingwall, 2013), 329-31. His race victories in later years included the Three Peaks in 1999. He was also a frequent competitor in the Man versus Horse Marathon and was the first runner there several times. He was never able to beat the first horse, but came within two minutes of doing so in 2000.Sarah Rowell, Off-Road Running (Ramsbury, 2002), 79-80.
Croasdale also raced on the roads, representing Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the 1994 World Half Marathon ChampionshipsIAAF World Half Marathon Championships. and winning the Marine Corps Marathon in 1999.The Washington Post, 25 Oct 1999.
More recently, Croasdale has been a manager for national mountain running teams.England Athletics: Mountain Running Senior Home International.
He still holds the course records for the fell races at Ingleborough,Ingleborough Race. Hutton Roof Crags,Hutton Roof Crags Race. and Criffel.Criffel Hill Race.
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