Great Edinburgh Cross Country

MORGAN AND KARA REPRESENT KILLIE AT BIG TELEVISED CROSS COUNTRY EVENT

On Saturday, the Great Edinburgh Cross Country event took place in the shadow of Arthurs Seat, and despite the late withdrawal of multiple World and Olympic Champion Mo Farah there were the usual high standard of top International athlete on show.

On the day there are numerous races and included in this is the Inter Districts events, where athletes from around the Country are pre selected to represent their region and is always an indicator of an excellent season for the athlete and is deserved recognition for all the athletes involved.

Kilmarnock Harriers this year had 2 such athletes with Morgan McBurnie’s selection being more than deserved after weeks of hard training and some impressive racing both on the track and over some tough cross country courses. Morgan joined Kara Tait who, despite suffering recent injury, had finished an excellent 9^th in last year’s Senior Ladies Race. A tough, true, Cross Country course awaits all competitors in the Nation’s Capital, but in 2015 conditions too conspired to make it a true test of endurance for all Elite Internationalists, and Top Club Runners alike. Sleet, hail, rain and strong winds meant that there was no respite for anyone and it was to everyone’s great credit the level of performances that were shown on the day.

Making her debut, Morgan had only recently joined Kilmarnock Harriers having been training at Galston on her own until she came along to the Ayrshire Athletics Arena and since starting with the Club in June she has grown from strength to strength. Selection was gained by virtue of an excellent run at December’s West District Championships at Linwood and on Saturday this was more than justified.

Morgan came home just outside the Top 10 in 14^th place in the Under 15 Girls Race to finish well inside the top half of a quality field and despite saying it was her toughest ever race she loved every second and has already made selection a target again next year.

Running in the Senior Ladies race, Kara had only recently confirmed that she would run due to her unfortunate injury which sidelined her for a few weeks. Nevertheless, a good run at Beith the previous week made up her mind and like Morgan she toed the line alongside a number of the Nation’s top athletes.

Although Kara wasn’t in her greatest ever shape she finished around the middle of the field, and with a number of decent athletes behind her it gives herself a benchmark to kick on with for the rest of the Winter.