Saturday 17 December 2011

Bronzes for Sarah and U17 Team at East District XC Champs

A healthy Moorfoot quota battled through the early morning snow last Saturday on the way north to Aberdeen for the East District Cross Country Championships. And the journey was certainly worthwhile for Sarah McCormack (ok she went up on the train the day before) who took bronze in the senior women’s race over 6.5km.
The runners were met by cold but calm and clear weather in the Granite City and the frost in the ground meant hard but relatively fast ground conditions, a considerable contrast to the gales and muddy conditions encountered in recent weeks in the Borders.
A hamstring niggle has curtailed the intensity of Sarah’s training over the last month or so but a strong final kilometre in only her second race of the winter saw her gradually pull away from the small pack chasing the bronze medal. She finished a clear third in 24.24 mins, 18 seconds off the winner. Scout Adkin had a very solid run to finish 20th overall (26.41) in the combined senior/U20 race and 4th U20 finisher, just outside the medals.
The junior contingent all did very well including the recent recruits from the Selkirk running “school” of PN sports reporter Davie Knox and fellow coach Steve Nisbet. In the U17 Men’s race over the same 6.5km as the women, John McLean ran well for 9th (24.18) and Jacob Adkin (25.10) and Lucas Cheskin (25.55) both showed their well-being after recent enforced breaks due to injury and illness. Their 12th and 14th place finishing positions combined with John to secure team bronze for Moorfoots, just one point off silver. Sophie Collins showed signs of a return to form with a strong finish for 10th (18.03) in the U17 Women’s race over 4.3km. In the U15 Boys race over the same course there were good runs from Jack Stanners (16.06) in 8th, Kobe Stevens (16.48) in 17th and Ruairidh Britton (17.58) in 24th which saw the team finish 4th overall in one of the biggest fields of the day. Earlier in the day, Zaynah Aziz was competing in her first Championship cross-country race and had an excellent run in the U13 Girls race, keeping on well to finish just outside the medals in 4th place.
A good day all round for the Moorfoots then with everyone running to their potential. It’s not often that you don’t have any blips, mishaps or off-days so to have everyone run really well after the early start and long journey to Aberdeen was very pleasing. When you take into account the fact that all the age-group runners bar one (Jack) are eligible again for the same age group next season, there is much to look forward to.
Gregor
PS Ah…….…the lingering perfume in my car from the boys’ Macdonalds, but at least it was from the way back down the road, not on the way up.
PPS Hope Ruth McKean doesn’t read this!

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