Sun shines on Belvedere as Westmeath schools gather for cross country competition

You could be forgiven for thinking a festival was being held in the grounds of Belvedere House and Gardens last Wednesday, September 24. The queue of cars snaking their way down the drive, the orange bibbed marshals and a palpable air of excitement all lent themselves to a joyous atmosphere.

The reason for the buzz was the annual gathering of Westmeath schools for the cross country meet coordinated by Mullingar Harriers. Glorious sunshine and dry ground made conditions ideal for running.

The lands at Belvedere provide a wonderful cross country course for runners. The undulating pasturelands provide the perfect challenge for the young runners, with ups and downs testing the stamina of the contestant.

The school's cross country event has a remarkable range of participants. From the diminutive primary school pupils to the near adult Leaving Cert students the field was full of athletes of varying degrees of ability.

Decked out in school or club colours for this magnificent sporting occasion coaches were going through some final preparations, offering guidance and tips on how best to manage the course.

As the morning wore on the warming sun sparkled off the medals some of the winners sported around their necks. Enthusiasm was the order of the day, from that of the young athletes, to the cheering crowd of teachers, parents and coaches.

The day was made possible by the many volunteers, members and friends of Mullingar Harriers, who ran the event with military precision.

“Quite a lot of organisation goes into it,” Margaret Daly of Harriers AC told the Examiner, “Everyone that's here is a volunteer and takes the day off to come and help.

“We have well over 50 people acting as stewards or marshals. We need people at the start, the finish and all the car parks and around the course just to let children know where to go.”

The co-ordination of the competitions was impeccable. No sooner was the final runner in one race over the line than the flags were being raised for the next one. As Margaret explained, like the competition itself, it was very much a team effort.

“One of the students from the secondary school led out the national school kids just to give them an idea where to go. The schools are very good at getting everyone involved. Every Westmeath school has somebody running, because it's a team event, you need as many pupils as possible from each class.”

With races for each class rewarding the participants was part of the day: “The first 20 people get medals in the national school.

“The first 10 are recorded in secondary schools, but the first three only get medals in secondary schools. Then there's a team event,” Margaret outlined.

Running is the primary competitive sport, a core component of many other disciplines. This particular cross country event has a very “all-inclusive” feel to it.

“Children get a tremendous benefit from running, the fresh air, the movement, the coordination. It really is very good for them,” Margaret said.

Helping out on the day were the Westmeath Civil Defence who attended to look after any first aid needs with their customary calm and professionalism.

Margaret concluded by saying: “The management and staff at Belvedere House and Gardens are a great help in organising the day, it's a perfect venue for such an event.

We also have to thank the teachers and schools for competing and ensuring that the event continues to be one of the most eagerly awaited sporting events on the calendar for those of school going age in Westmeath.”