Racing for the East of Scotland team, Ethan Elder had an excellent third place podium finish in the U13 Boys Scottish Inter-District Cross-Country Championships earlier today at Holyrood Park in Edinburgh. The early morning freezing fog had lifted by the time racing got underway leaving chilly but thankfully calm conditions and the forecast rain stayed away until the completion of the age-group races.
At one stage Ethan was warming up within a few metres of a certain M Farah (GB), although I think he was oblivious to that. But so was Ethan!
After a sensible steady first 400m, Ethan gradually picked his way through the field over the three-lap 3km course which churned up badly in places. The end of lap two saw him overtake the top placed West team runners with only two fellow East runners away and clear, and one from the North within striking distance 30m ahead. With third place bagged with 600m to go, Ethan then bravely set his sights on the two East boys up ahead, keeping up a relentless tempo which saw the 40m gap to the leaders reducing stride by stride. But the line came just too soon with the East Champion David Addison from Corstorphine managing to just hold on by a couple of seconds and the East runner-up Lewis Dow of Pitreavie this time taking the spoils a further three seconds ahead. Ethan's time was 10.59 and he emphatically turned the tables on the two lads who denied him a podium position at the East Champs in December when he was physically a bit under par in 5th.
The East team (six to count) were clear winners over the North and West.
In the U15 Girls race over 4km, Mairi Wallace had a strong run for 10th in 16.10, just outsprinted on the run to the line by a big lass from the West, and she was a valuable third counter for the East team. Charlotte Clare was the 6th East counter and ran a similarly progressive race to Ethan, finishing very strongly for 18th in 16.39, and the third Moorfoot in the team Beth Hobbs finished just outside the counting places in 23rd in 16.53. It was team silver for the East in this one.
Two of the training group now racing for Lasswade were also in action for the East. Euan Hood was a late call-up for the U15 Boys team but more than justified his selection with a solid run for 18th in 14.53, finishing 9th counter of the 15-strong East team.
And Ailsa Innes was up against it in the U17 4km race which was combined with the U20 and U17 International races. In the distinct Inter-District results she finished 23rd of 33 (11th East) in 17.35.
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