All roads lead to Blackburn

We may be in the very first week of the New Year, but one of my favourite events of the whole athletics year takes place on Saturday. A party of approximately 30 from Manx Harriers will be up at an ungodly hour on Saturday morning to travel to Witton Park, Blackburn, to compete in the Lancashire Cross Country Championships. This is an event that Manx Harriers support in large numbers every year across all age groups, and is one in which we have enjoyed great success over recent years. For each of the past 2 years we have come away with a total of 8 medals (individual and team), and looking at the squad travelling this weekend I think we can be optimistic of at least challenging this total again.

In the past, the event used to take place at different venues throughout the county each year, but for the past several seasons the event has made its home at Witton Park in Blackburn. There were one or two comments last year to the effect that it has now become a little tedious to compete on the same course each year, but personally I disagree. It's a good course, the host club do a great job and have the organisation down to fine art, and every year the Manx party receives a warm welcome. Without fail, reference is always made at the medal ceremonies to the commitment we have shown to travel to the event and how much our support is appreciated.

Last year’s total of 8 medals was made up as follows:

Gold
Gemma Astin (Under 15 Girls)
Sarah Astin (Under 13 Girls)

Silver
Conor Delanbanque (Under 15 Boys)
Andy Fox (Vet 45 Men)
Gail Griffiths (Vet 40 Ladies)
Senior Men (Team medal)
Under 15 Girls (Team medal)

Bronze
Senior Ladies (Team medal)

All the above individual medallists with the exception of Conor Delanbanque are due to compete again in this year’s event, and with a fully fit Keith Gerrard also expected to compete things look promising. Last year Keith was ‘only’ 5th, but was in the very early stages of training following a long injury lay-off. With no such problems this year Keith will no doubt be quietly determined to repeat his emphatic 2006 victory in a rare opportunity for him to represent Manx Harriers who are now his ‘second claim’ club.

I think the senior men’s team have a great chance of success in the team event. The home club Blackburn Harriers are always strong, but with the best 6 to count and several members of the Manx Harriers team in excellent form at the moment perhaps we can upset the hosts this time and go one better than our silver medal last year.

The Astin sisters, Sarah and Gemma, have both moved up an age group since their superb victories last year, and can expect tough opposition from some talented athletes in their new age groups. I think both are well capable of winning medals – what colour they are will depend on who hits peak form on the day.

It is interesting to note that one of Gemma’s likely opponents in the Under 17 race, Annika Jarman of Lancaster & Morecambe AC, finished well down in the bottom half of last year’s Under 15 race two and a half minutes behind Gemma. A year on and she is now one of the best in the UK in the Under 17 age group! Surely an inspiration to all as to how much can be achieved with a year’s hard work and commitment.

There are 5 Lancashire debutants in the squad this year, who will no doubt be looking forward to tackling the climb up Witton Park’s infamous ‘saucer’ with a mixture of excitement and trepidation!

I’m really looking forward to supporting the team on the day, even though the weather forecast suggests it may well be very cold. Woolly hats, gloves and thermals are likely to be the order of the day! Hopefully there will be plenty of success to report next week.