The McCain Cross Challenge Race, Liverpool - 28/11/2009

In the athletic discipline of cross country running, the athletes who wish to make it to the top, need to train hard, race hard and be willing to spend most of the winter on the road to various fixtures.

Emma and Oonagh Dunnett are pursing that dream and for these two 14 year old Caithness girls they certainly put in the training hours and mileage travelling to warrant praise for the results they are achieving.

In the past two weekends alone, Emma and Oonagh have travelled 1600 miles to compete in Liverpool and Livingston looking for selections for national and international fixtures. The McCain Cross Challenge race in Liverpool with a high class predominantly English field of athletes, forms part of the selection for the Celtic Cup International Cross Country which takes place in Belfast in January.

In a field of 110 runners on a very muddy 3 kilometre course, Emma worked her way through the lead pack to finish 4th overall (11.02min), with only 6 seconds splitting her and the eventual winner. This took her home as first Scot on the day, 19 seconds ahead of her Edinburgh AC team mate, Rachel Dunn who is also waiting for selection news.

In 31st place, Oonagh was 4th Scot home (11.49min) and gained a great deal of race experience in her first race outside of Scotland. This type of experience is a real confidence booster for athletes who are willing to step out of their comfort zone and challenge themselves to improve by competing against athletes who are performing at a higher standard.

East District Championships, Livingston - 05/12/2009

The girls then travelled to Livingston for the East District Championships which acted as a second selection race for the Celtic Cup but also doubled up as a selection for the East District team for the Interdistrict Championships which is held in Edinburgh at the beginning of January.

The Livingston 4.3 kilometre course was undulating in nature, over park, moorland and forest tracks. As with other district races, the Under 15 Girls age group compete at the same time as the Under 17 Women. Undeterred by this, Emma took the race out hard and led the field of 53 runners until the final 400m, where she was overtaken by the eventual Under 17 winner, Halina Rees from Fife AC.

Emma came home 2 seconds behind her in 16.46min to take the East District Under 15 Girls Championship title and finish 28 seconds clear of the second Under 15 runner, team mate Rachel Dunn. Oonagh worked her way through the pack after a slightly more conservative start and finished strongly in 7th place in 18.21min, with Edinburgh AC taking team gold.

As a result of these outstanding performances, Emma and Oonagh have both gained selections for the East District team for the Interdistrict Championships and will therefore swop the North red vests which they have worn for the past 3 years for black East vest.

Joining them in Edinburgh following consistent performances this season are four other Caithness athletes who have been selected for the North team. They are Rob Murdoch Under 15 Boys, Sarah MacInnon Under 17 Women, and Andrew Douglas and Matthew Sutherland in the Senior Men. These selections are a credit to the hard work of these athletes. The Interdistrict Championships senior races are televised on the 9th January on BBC and with the worlds best endurance athletes descending on Edinburgh it is an event not to be missed by enthusiasts.

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