WERE YOU THERE?
What is the difference between an East Down Senior Cross Country team and Mount Everest? More questions I hear you say, just to read a race report! Well actually this is not a race report, more of a non-race report. But the answer? To paraphrase George Mallory’s famous response about why men wanted to climb Everest “Because it’s (always) THERE”. Indeed the same answer would apply to the difference between an East Down Senior Cross Country team and an East Down Junior cross country team. And don’t even start me on the difference between the aforementioned senior EDAC team and a Newcastle AC Senior squad. The latter are examples of always being THERE like Everest, while the former are only THERE occasionally. THERE of course in this instance was at Saturday’s NI and Ulster Intermediate and Masters Cross Country Championships at the University campus in Coleraine and incredibly, or perhaps not even surprisingly, the East Down Club had no representation in the Intermediate, Masters or Women’s races. This is particularly disheartening when last year I wrote “It might seem that aiming for a top three placing would be an impossible dream. But while it would not be easy it is far from out of the question”. And yet one year on we are no nearer nor any more enthusiastic about competing in the Cross Country League fixtures or taking part in events like Saturday’s where I believe we would have had an excellent chance of team medals. One final question, When will East Down runners be able to answer “Are we THERE yet? with an affirmative?
NEWCASTLE’S STAR LADY
Congratulations to Newcastle’s Shalene McMurray who virtually annihilated the opposition as she won the Intermediate Women’s title by a massive 42 seconds leaving her nearest rivals floundering in her wake. I’m glad I wasn’t one of them but I was just starting out on my final lap of three when she crossed the line in a fantastic time of 16.33, though I reckon finishing less than 9 minutes behind her shows I know my place.
DISTRICT SCHOOLS
On Thursday past, in atrocious underfoot conditions the District Schools held their qualifying races in Delamont for the Ulster finals in Mallusk, later this month and East Down’s Junior athletes as ever were prominent. The Junior girls race featured a ding dong battle between great friends Hannah Gilliland and Edie Carroll, with Edie leading from the start before being reeled in by Hannah during a brilliant second half onslaught. Significantly though, first to congratulate Hannah was Edie and it is indeed a feature of life in the Junior ranks of East Down that every athlete, while keen to do as well as possible, supports their team mates during their races and acknowledges their achievements, showing not only admirable sportsmanship but the maturity to accept defeat in the same manner as success. It is interesting aso to note how friendships have been forged by these young people from all backgrounds and as the photographs show, gravitate to each others company in spite of their undoubted rivalry in pursuit of glory for their schools.
In the Inter girls category, Aoife Cochrane ran a terrific race to take 5th place, followed by Laura Green 12th, Ella Carroll 13th and Elisha Surginor 16th. Laura Gardiner meantime qualified easily with a 2nd place in the Senior Girls event. James Smyth was the first of the East Down boys to finish, taking 13th in the Intermediate race with Matthew McGrattan and Daniel Atkinson next. Unfortunately I have not been able to find any official results of the races so am unable to comment further.
NEXT WEEK – ROLLERCOASTER RACES
The Rollercoaster races at Downpatrick Racecourse take place next Saturday 6 February beginning at 12.00 noon. All members are asked to come along to help out on the day and then take part in the 5K Senior race – treat it as Downpatrick’s version of Parkrun!
Entries for all races taken on the day.
MARY WOODSIDE RIP
It is with heartfelt sadness that the I heard the news that another of Stephen McCartan’s sisters, Mary, had passed away last week. Often we come across families who it seems have more than their fair share of grief to deal with and certainly the McCartan’s come into that category. Mary was the eldest of the family and a lovely woman, kind, caring, motherly and friendly towards everyone. She will be sorely missed by her husband Liam, sons and daughter, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces and entire family circle and indeed by the whole community which can ill afford to lose people of her stature, long before their time.
East Down AC extend their deepest sympathy to esteemed members Stephen, Betty and Neil, to nieces Oonagh Brétéché and Janine Murray and to all who knew Mary and were affected by her passing.
Joe Quinn
1 February 2016