Inter District & Dunbar X/C
January 12th, 2009While most Harriers were battling with the gale force winds around Gala on Saturday, some of the club’s talented juniors and one selected senior woman lined up with the world’s best in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh for the Inter District Cross Country championships.
The BBC cameras were there and showed a stormy chilly day in the park but in the morning, young Kerry Sandilands, Rowan Marr and Alice Haining who had all been picked to run for the East of Scotland showed that they were not put off by the adverse conditions.
Kerry kicked off first in the Under 13 girls’ race of 2.4 km around the soft, undulating course and equipped herself very well for her very first outing at this level of competition, finishing in a spirited 11 minutes and 4 seconds and helping the East team to an easy victory over their West and North rivals. After her, Rowan Marr, who had succumbed to the flu during the holidays came an impressive 9th out of 29 in 9.34 again helping the East to a victory in his U13 boys’category too.
Also having been poorly but coming back well was Alice Haining in the U15 girls, taking a solid 5th place overall out of 33 in a time of 9. 36, being the 4th counter for her team but just out of the medals, even though her East team won convincingly.
The TV cameras followed the leading African runners in the Senior ladies race but sharp eyes would have spotted Dianne Lauder with her black East of Scotland vest representing the district for the second year running. Dianne shaved almost exactly a minute off her 2008 race time by finishing in a very creditable 23.03 and again helping her east team to another win and leaving some other very fine athletes in her wake.
Earlier in the day, Holyrood Park was also the venue for the Great Winter Run, a 5 kilometre mass event which attracts thousands of runners, including the club’s Anne Purves and Dawn Grant who battled strongly against the windy conditions to finish in 24.45 and 30.48 respectively.
Photo’s in gallery
The gales didn’t seem to abate overnight and club athletes faced even tougher headwinds as they competed in the 4th Borders Winter Cross Country event, this time at John Muir Country Park in Dunbar. 10 juniors and 18 seniors ran the wind-buffeted coastal course, including young Rowan Marr who had clearly used the day before as a sharpener as had seniors Dawn Grant and Anne Purves!
The juniors continue to outshine their senior counterparts in this series with superb 1st in category placings for Cameron Fair, third overall in 13.30, Rowan Marr, fifth overall in 13.37 and Hannah Jones in 15.05, with her twin Emily taking the second in category place just 6 seconds behind. Cameron Gowans running as gutsily as ever took 25th place out of 69 in 16.04 with Alison Brown in 16.06 only beaten into second place in her girls aged 11 category by an Edinburgh Athletic Club runner. Not far behind her was Skye Shiell in 16.38 running extremely well, as were the remaining two of the Gowans trio, Fraser in 17.57 and Rhona in 19.48 and Jo Marr in a spirited 21.27.
153 seniors braved the squally conditions, which reflects the exceptional popularity of this growing event and it was the visiting clubs outwith the Borders that continue to take the honours. But first home for the Harriers and out of the wind was Alan Goodson in 31.47 and also running well were: Rob McCrirrick (32.20) Gregor McAneny (33.11) Derrick Brydon (33.32) Rachel Fagan (33.31) Martin Clarke (33.32) Laura Goodson (33.40 and running for the Harriers during the winter season taking first place in her category) Alastair Laurie (35.07) Gillian Duncan (35.11) Malky Gowans (35.55) Leanne Haining (36.43) Billy McCulloch (37.27) Jane Chalmers (38.03) Gerry Moss (39.18) Fiona Shepherd (40.41) Dawn Grant (42.26) Shelagh King (47.40) and Anne Purves (52.58.)
For the Sporting Week Ahead etc: Next outing for the Harriers is to Queen Anne School in Dunfermline for the final leg of the East District Cross Country League on Sunday 18th January 09.
