As we approach the end of another cross country season St Albans Athletic club can celebrate the ultimate end of season reward. James McMurray has been selected to fly out on Friday to take part in the Home Countries international Cross Country Championship in County Antrim in Ireland wearing the English red rose on his vest.

Selection was dependent on his performance at the English Schools Cross Country Championships in Nottingham on Saturday where top youngsters converge for the conclusion of the individual schools cross country calendar. More than 2000 young athletes from 45 counties compete in the beautiful setting of Wollaton Park all proudly wearing their county colours which they have all worked hard to earn.

Proceedings were commenced with the intermediate girls’ race run over 4.1km over reasonably flat grassland. St Albans AC were represented by Megan Steer who despite running the whole race with one shoe after another athlete had accidently stepped on the back at the start , courageously continued to  finish the race strongly. The following race was the junior boys with young Jack Gentle taking on boys a year older than him. He finished a very healthy 43rd out of 331 competitors and is now determined to aim for the top next year in this schools event. Abbie West and Rebecca Pritchard both from Sir John Lawes   represented Hertfordshire in the junior and senior  girls’ races respectively and finished well up in the top half.

It was the fourth race that we all eagerly waited for as James one of the founder members of our middle distance squad was the favourite for not only a win but also England selection. As we all lined the course and watched him control the race the excitement we all shared was indicative of the whole club ethos and thanks must go to all the support network especially coaches who give their time voluntarily and indeed all the athletes that form such an excellent group of young people.

This weekends race was in glorious sunshine and a far cry from the rain and mud a few weeks previously when we all travelled up to Alton Towers for the National Cross Country Championships. St Albans fielded several teams in various age groups and to compete in arguably one of the hardest courses in recent history was definitely something all the squad should feel proud of.

The televised inter-county championships in Birmingham  was also this month and it was a great experience to see so many of the young athletes from St Albans on the television and also fantastic to see  James McMurray take fifth place a year young in the under 17 and Jack Gentle 6th place in the under 13.

So with two more races left in the calendar next weekend, James McMurray in Ireland and our STAGS junior girls team at the English schools Cup final in Alnwick we wish you all good luck and look forward to the track and field season starting in April. Hopefully all that hard cross country running will lead to some good pb’s!!