British & Irish Masters Cross Country International Championships, Dublin

A mud bath on lap 1

Dublin provided the venue for the 23rd running of the British and Irish Masters International Cross Country Championship on Saturday. Alan Derrick was the lone Harrier selected for the Scotland M45 team in this prestigious event contested annually by the top men and women veteran athletes of Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Wales. The race programme comprised 4 events starting with an open masters cross country race and then the international championship races for each age group. Although the wind and rain relented for the first three races, by the  time the final race for M35, M40 and M45 teams came around the rain was back on and the course was looking decidedly muddy in places courtesy of several hundred athletes from the preceding multi-lap races. At least the wind had died away! Each country fielded a team of 6 athletes in each of the 3 age groups giving a total of 90 runners in this final race.

Having been out of training for 2 of the 3 preceding weeks with a cold, Alan was unsure of his strength and decided to avoid the initial cavalry charge from the start, sacrificing position but conserving energy for later in the 5.1 mile race. On the first of five laps the field remained tightly grouped but gradually spread out by the time lap two started. Alan continued to move steadily through the field and was certainly one of the leading Scots by the end of that lap. A race long tussle then ensued with a pair of M45 athletes from Ireland and England, the latter being a former individual medallist at this event well known to Alan from training camps in Portugal and who was clearly struggling with some problem. This battle continued to pull Alan through the field although Alan ultimately lost out to both of them. The course hosted the 2009 European Cross Country Championships and for every muddy section there was also an open and fast section to follow such that the pace swung from slog to flying around every lap. When the bell rang for the final lap the pace surged again and still there were a few places gained as Alan continued to make progress. With 200m to go the runners were directed off the loop along a tree-lined avenue of pine trees, the only mud-free section of the course and Alan even managed to muster a 100m sprint to maintain his position, crossing the line in 29:41, 13th in the M45 competition, 1st M45 in the Scottish team and 4th Scot overall.

Leading Scot in the race was Steven Whylie (M35), finishing 8th overall, followed by Dave Gardiner (M40) and Alan Murchison (M35). In an enthralling race for the overall win, former Irish National Cross Country champion Peter Matthews (M40) emerged from the group of six sprinting for the line. Alas none of the Scottish men's teams in this race finished in the medals. However there were bronzes for the M60, M50, F55 and  F60 teams in the earlier races and Scotland finished third in the overall combined team competition (England first, Republic of Ireland 2nd). Highlight of the day was the gold medal won by Scotland's Melissa Whyte in the F45 race in which she also finished third overall behind Claire Martin (F35) and Emma Stallard (F40) both of England.

Scotland hosts the competition next year at Bellahouston Park on 26th November 2011. There are several Harriers men and women who are capable of being selected for the Scottish team and who should be thinking now about establishing a programme of improvement and targetting some high profile races through next year to stake a claim for a Scotland vest.

Thanks to Chris Upson (M45) for providing the photo and to the entire team for being such great company throughout the weekend.

Alan