Australian Cross Country Championships 2012

The full results for the Australian Cross Country Championships 2012 can be found at:

http://nswathletics.info/liveresults/2012/aaxc12/

Interestingly, just as for the summer 2012 National Athletics Championships in March (see March 18th post), we had 7 juniors from our club representing NSW. This time the lucky and talented 7 were: Edita Grinbergs, Daniel Cooper, Lachlan Cooper, Josh Phillips, Daniel Francken, Hannah Gibson and Bethany Halmy.

By all reports conditions were pretty bad with thick mud 4 inches deep by the time the older age groups ran. Our juniors were among the lucky ones who did not lose their shoes. Unfortunately Edita's sprained ankle flared up again half way through her race and she was a DNF. The other 6 all came about half way up the field and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, soaking up the atmosphere and talking to top runners from other states. Daniel Cooper was part of the winning NSW team in his race.

We await photos of Edita and Daniel Francken.



The scene at the start above. The 10 boys finish below.




 



Left - right: Josh Phillips, Dniel Cooper, Lachlan Cooper, Hannah Gibson and Bethany Halmy
with support crew families behind.







Josh Phillips and Lachlan Cooper in their limited edition
Striders National Cross Country running tops.









Post race muddiness! Daniel Cooper aged 10

A girl we don't know, Bethany Halmy and Hannah Gibson - post race.

 

Handicaps time! We reward those that improve in the mile, 5K and 6.7K

We had 32 juniors and 2 parents running our handicap mile on Mon. Aug. 20th. These handicaps are held 3 times a year - Easter, Winter and Christmas - with the aim of rewarding those who have improved through training. Our 5K handicaps are always held in the same week - so the Winter 5K handicap is this Thursday 6pm. at Shelly Beach. The Nepean River 6.7K handicaps are held at around the same time, with the winter one scheduled for Fathers Day, Sept. 2nd, the day after our awards party.

We had 15 scratch runners - runners that are running for the first time or who have missed 2 handicaps so must start as scratch again. So, 17 non-scratch juniors. Out of the 17, 11 improved, one stayed the same, 4 did not improve and one was a dnf. For 11 to have improved is pretty good going!!!

Samuel Greenland won very convincingly, having improved by 28 seconds since last time. He desrves this, as he is at training every Monday and Thursday giving it his all. He won a Sydney Striders Juniors trophy. Emily Gocher was a close second, having improved by 21 seconds - another one who has put a lot into her running.

Samuel Greenland with his trophy

Prize giving at Narabeen track.

Amelia and Luke Gorman were the fastest boy and girl on the day. Billie Taylor was fastest girl scratch runner and Lachlan Cooper fastest boy.

Technique Training with Keith Bateman at Manly Beach

Fellow Strider Keith Bateman, famous for his barefoot running technique, visited
Sydney Striders Juniors at their Thursday night training session in Manly on
16th August to help our older juniors and those going to Nationals with their running
technique. There was a lot to take in, but we're all going to give it a try. Thanks Keith.

Keith explains the theory.




Junior Striders practice some drills.

Remember - handicap week next week - the mile handicap at Narabeen track 6pm. on Monday 20th August and the 5K handicap at 6pm. on Thursday 23rd August at Shelly Beach. Meet 6pm. for warm up - races at 6:30pm.

Good luck to our seven athletes selected to represent NSW at the Australian Cross Country Championships in Adelaide on 26th August: Josh Phillips, Lachlan Cooper, Daniel Francken, Bethany Halmy, Hannah Gibson, Edita Grinbergs and Daniel Cooper.

Remember, Striders Juniors Annual Awards Party 1st Sept. in the Blue Mountains from 1pm. with the Nepean River 6.7K handicap the next day - Father's Day. We'll have trivia, guess the baby, a speaker, party pieces, a pinata, a slide show, yummy food - oh - and a few prizes and awards of course! Don't miss it!!!!!!!!!!!