County Championships

The County Championships had the best day of the week weatherwise - bright, cold and clear. The course was as had to be expected waterlogged in places but was mostly runnable. I say mostly because there was a corner at about halfway through the lap where the runners came over a garssy hill, through a narrow gap which made running in a pack difficult and then round a triangmle before coming back through the gap and up a very steep hill which sloped in two directions at once. After the week of rain that preceded the race the hill was very sliddery and as the day went on with race after race and each race doing more laps than the one before the slope was a nightmare. Some runners slipped one step back for every two forward, some slipped one back and two to the side for every two forward and some just started to slide downhill to their left the minute the got five or six yards into the hill. Some runners got up by walking and holding on to the bushes to the right, one runner from Westerlands used his orienteering skills to crash through the bushes on the right and a very small minority made their way it with no apparent difficulty. Given the amount of country in the area, it has to be asked why this obstacle was put into it in the first place although it was an improvement on the Kirkie course used in the past two years. All the younger athletes did well on the trail and it would be invidious to single any one out. However it was good to see Rachel back running well again and Roisin had another very good day. Kirsty unfortunately was not feeling very well and the course didn't help her at all.
After the trip to Brampton last week, the seniors were seriously depleted this time with Prasad ill and not running on doctor's instructions, and several other notable absentees. The Ladies were agin represented by only Marina and she performed well in difficult conditions. Paul Carroll, Michael Diver, Gary Dick, John Foley and Bobby Young represented the men in the club. If I've omitted anyone, sorry.
Next week should be better - the surface is better for a start! The grass in Irvine has been sown on sand so it drains easily and dries very swiftly. The hills are few and short and sharp and easily negotiated. So roll on Irvine!