Wallasey junior men's team travelled down to Norfolk last weekend to compete in the English Cross-Country Championships.
The course laid out in the Royal Agricultural Showground, Norwich, was not a course for the rugged runners usually produced by the tough Northern cross-country courses and many of the athletes found that they could not match the pace of the Southern runners.
The senior race provided the greatest cross-country spectacle that can be seen in Britain as just under a thousand runners dressed in all colours imaginable lined up in the pens for the start.
It was an awe inspiring sight to see some of the greatest athletes of the country, plus the best ten from New Zealand, fighting to reach the tricky right-hand bend first and get in front of the inevitable melee that broke out behind.
The Wallasey team joined the 383 starters for the last race of the day, the junior championship. As always, the start was very fast but Wallasey's four counting men were all in the first 150 after half a mile.
Mike McNamee, enjoying running in close-packed company on the 'tricky' lane, moved through the field and joined Alan Keating and Barrie Smith, Alan, suffering from stomach trouble, soon began to drop back whilst Barrie gradually forged ahead place by place.
At the 3-mile stage Barrie Smith led the Wallasey team in about 16 minutes, with Mike McNamee 40 seconds behind and Ken Rosso running strongly behind him.
Over the final 3 miles Barrie Smith moved slowly up the field, Mike McNamee gradually lost places as he tired, and Ken Rosso stayed in a consistent position in
the field.
It was Alan Keating who really turned the power on at this point. After recovering from his stomach trouble he really dug his nails in and worked hard to bring himself through the field and rejoin the bunch that Rosso and McNamee were in.
Barrie Smith finished 108th, a really first-class effort, especially as he has not been able to train consistently owing to work commitments, Mike McNamee finished 189th, Alan Keating 195th and Ken Rosso 198th.
Mike Whiteside, who travelled alone from his University to compete for Wallasey, did not have a very good day and finished well down.
Of the 96 teams that entered over fifty actually started and finished, and Wallasey was 29th. Of the Northern clubs Wallasey were sixth.
The team's and club's thanks go to Doug Hanna for the stout way in which he drove the team to the race and acted as team manager, and to Alan Keating who shared the driving with him.
Three of the junior team (Keating, Rosso and McNamee) travel to Derby to day to run for Cheshire in the other classic race of the season, the Inter Counties.
Barrie Smith, who also was chosen for the team, cannot travel because of work commitments, This is a great pity, as after his splendid run last week, and his 70th position in this race last year, he could have done exceptionally well.
Dave Lockley is joining the junior men on their trip to Derby to compete for Cheshire in the youths' race. This is the best quality race he can compete in, and he should show up well against the top youths of the other English counties,
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 11/03/1967 by "Tiger"
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