What does one do when one runs across muddy ground?
Anna Crooks leads the way showing the GoTri and Ennis Track Runners how its done. Taking 2 wins from 2 cross races. Novice and intermediate Clare champion.
Cross country runners, those that are good at cross country learn to run with a higher cadence, learn to hold form and chase a higher conditioning of the aerobic systems to battle the ever changing terrain.
Pat Hogan and Gerry Hayes scream Quiet insanities at us mere mortals of men. Il capitan Murf leading from the front and STL pushing from the back. A sandwich of running elite and triathlete hard men stuck in between. Fighting for each inch as per a certain Speech via Any Given Sunday. Everyman fighting for his points to secure a team victory.
Cross country runners learn pacing from from lessons of torture and failure
Cross country officials and race organisers are men and women of vision. Where a person of non running appreciation would see a cow patch, an xc official would see an amphitheatre of gladiatorial running exploits .
Triathletes fill the pairc along with Wellies. The cows have given the goats leave to trample there lush grass. The goats, those are the light of foot runners who don’t need the power transfer of solid Tarmac to go fast. Those goats, those goats pull away on the s-bends up the side of a once thought gentle hill. I am sheep, a general sheep a follower, looking forward to loosing the winter coat, 8k across country, the crow wouldn’t fly this way.
The coaches of St.Johns and the new power house of Clare running BMOH led by James and Tom. Fighting for points in a GAA battle atmosphere – we don’t speak until the whistle has blown 😉 we fight until the last scoring man crosses the line.
Denis Irwin said it best. “I have great friends but when I cross that white line, every all is a 50/50 chance of victory”
Murf, Paddy, Mairtin, Chesser,STL and Landy a few points short on the day but another step closer to making strides in a new season.
Ennis track ladies and youth athletes continue to show the way towards the light. More hills needed 😉
Congrats to all the athletes who took on the xc and to the organisers chapeau. Until next time.