On Sunday morning Athletics Teams from all over N Ireland headed for the Malone Road to the Queen’s University playing fields for the next big race in the Cross Country season. The Malcolm Cup is one of the main events on the calendar and sees Juniors and seniors competing around this flat fast course.

The first race of the day was the Masters race, with three one mile laps of the playing fields and cold damp conditions EDAC had a team of six runners in this race. From the gun the pace was flat out as athletes joshaled for positions before the first muddy climb. Neil Curran who has been in good form of late pushed towards the front and slowly made his way through the pact. Neil crossed the line in 6th position in a time of 17 min 28 sec. Paul Burns also started at a fast pace hoping to maintain it for the full race, with the sticky ground condition Paul pushed to the finish line in 19th spot in 18 min 41 sec, not to far behind in 21st position was Martin Willcox who normally prefers a longer, mad as that may sound broke the tap in 19 min 13 sec. Joe Napier was hot on Martins heels and ran a strong race to finish in 26th position in 19 min 30. Dee Murray was next in and as ever put in a strong performance in 33rd spot in 20 min 15 sec. Wayne Giles brought the team home in 84th position in 27 min 15 sec.

After a number of Juniors races the ladies were up next, it was now raining and the ground was now getting cut up. The five EDAC ladies stuck to their task with Aoife Cochrane coming home first in 23 min 40 sec with a strong run. Ella Carroll was the next Red and Yellow vest across in 25 min 30 sec, Janine Murray was next in 27 min 58 sec 179th position. Alison Carroll always gives it 100% when it comes to Cross Country and put in a determined performance to come in 198th spot in 29 min 34 sec. Last lady in for EDAC was Aine Grant who seems to be getting a taste for this Cross Country thing and brought the team home in 228th position.

The last race of the day was the Malcolm Cup senior men’s race, this was a four mile race, and with the course getting more cut up this was going to be fast and furious with some steady foot work needed. East Down had two athletes in the main race, and up against some top runners Adam Withers tried to hang on to the blistering pace set by the lead pack. Adam W crossed the line in 47th position in 26 min 13 sec. Adam Morgan dug deep and had a strong run finishing in 115th spot in 30 min 10 sec.

A great days running by all club members in some tricky conditions.