Masters Cross Country Championships

What? Cross Country Running
Where? Santry Demense
Time? 12.00 (I was late, doh!)
How much? Free as a spectator, a fiver for an entry

I was lucky enough to be a spectator at this event yesterday, held in Santry on a gorgeous, dry, bright wintery day. It was the British and Irish Masters Cross Country International Championships, Masters running is for those aged 35-65+. Anyone feeling that it may be too late to get off the couch and get active should get their butts to one of these races!
I was late so I only got to see the last 2 races on the card but that was all I could handle to be honest. The conditions were lovely if you were strolling around cosied up in your coat, carefully avoiding any soft muddy patches so you wouldn't get your socks damp. But out on the course was a different story. It looked so bloody tough!

Genuinely, these athletes were running so hard and you could see how much they were putting into it. It was a tough course, undulating and the going was soft and sloppy in parts. The womens race was combined with the male over 65 category, run over 6 km, following that was the men between 35 and 65 race, run over a gruelling 8 km. Unbelievably, one of the men on the Irish team was running BAREFOOT! Yikes, I had read lots about it but had never actually seen it ( http://www.runnersworld.com/article/1,7124,s6-238-267--13401-0,00.html ) and he was gone passed before I got a photo!
It was hard to cheer because my voice kept cracking and I sounded like a banshee, I always get emotional when watching races, even horse racing, (the egg and spoon does me in completely! ) Two little kids were next to me, cheering on their Mam, I know they call her Mam because they were screaming 'Go on Maaaaaam, come on Maaaam!' It was brilliant!
I didn't want to put competitors off or draw attention to my over emotional state from the St. Johns Ambulance crews so I stuck to clapping. I also didn't want to sound patronising because the 2 women next to me were unreal! They were cheering, loudly and slowly, 'Awww, well done, good for you' as one ancient man from Scotland trudged past! Screw that like, if I was that runner I would not like to be patronised in the middle of a race, no thanks girls, keep the pity cheers away, these athletes deserve our RESPECT!
It was brilliant to see top class athletes from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all competing against themselves and each other. I got a spot by the finish line and witnessed some lung busting sprint finsihes. The weather changed just as the last race finished but the freezing rain didn't bother any of the competitors who stood around, draped in their countries flags, congratulating each other and posing for photos. I, on the other hand, shuffled off to the warm and dry car!

Til next time
Keep it (Cross) Country!
Raedi