Blog 5
Cross is tough!
7:45pm, Tuesday 29 October 2024
The starting gun fired just after 1pm on Bank Holiday Monday to get the East Cork Novice Men’s Cross Country race under way. Those standing on the start-line had forgone the glamour of the Jazz Festival for a cow pad filled farmers field in White’s Cross, and for at least the next 25 minutes that decision was regretted!
A great morning of races had preceded this with big numbers travelling from Midleton, St. Catherine’s, Watergrasshill and Youghal. My own son Jack made his Cross Country debut in the U9 race. He seamlessly glided over the long grass even if his small legs were not able to get him close to the leading runners.
It was an exceptionally humid day, with some sunshine breaking through. Judging by the tales of previous years at Buckley’s farm and how runners had to deal with gale-force winds and torrential rain, we had been dealt a good hand.
A favourable course too. It starts with a 100m straight that might have the smallest of inclines, a left hand turn and then a gradual descent before the course turns back on itself. One of a number of tight turns which interrupt flow but provide good opportunities to see how you’re positioned. Another left turn followed by two long straights, the second of which takes runners along the bottom of the course and then a left turn to the only real hill. Nothing serious but challenging on tired legs. Another tight turn and then the final straight back to the start line. 4 laps of 1500m for the men’s race.
Stephen O’Brien (East Cork AC) led the field out at a quick pace. I tucked in behind my teammate Joe Daly in the hope of keeping both in range. Fairly quickly I had to let them go knowing full well it would be a bad day if I attempted to keep up. As Stephen and Joe pulled clear I began to hear the panting of a runner right on my shoulder. I tried to keep an honest pace hoping that whoever was behind me would fade away. They didn’t and as we crossed through the start line to begin the second lap, Chris Kelly (East Cork AC) sped past.
A lot has happened since my last blog. Plans to run the County Novice and Munster Novice Cross Country races were parked as I dealt with illness and injury. It’s been a particularly busy period in work as well, so tiredness on top made for an unfavourable mix. Although none of these factors individually were bad enough to completely knock me out, they certainly affected momentum.
And so on Monday, I didn’t have the confidence in my fitness to really push on. Instead I aimed to keep a consistent pace and hope that there may be something in the legs on the last lap. It’s never a nice feeling starting the 2nd of a 4 lap race with a large of number of your dashboard lights flashing but that’s what I had to deal with. The rest of the race was a very tough slog. The humidity adding to the pain. Cross is tough!
The quick start had hit Joe and I eventually caught and went past him. I could see Chris Kelly ahead slowing but his suffering was only equal to mine, the distance between us remained the same throughout the last lap.
We just had time to share our war stories, collect a few medals and get to the car before the heavens opened. The rain did look fairly refreshing! Once I’d caught my breath, I could reflect on a good day out with an individual bronze medal to go with our team gold.