Congrats to everyone who made our World Cross team! It’s great to see Australian selectors fielding teams in all events to be contested in Poland later this month. I watched a video of the WXC trials on Runners Tribe and it’s great to see plenty of people running well there, to be making their World Cross debut in 2013, accompanied by some experienced and seasoned top class athletes in Collis Birmingham and Liam Adams.
I remember back to my first World Cross trip in 2001. I was nervous as hell at the start. So nervous in fact, that I had my leg touching that rope they used to pull across the field as the gun went off. Well, as a result, I got rope burn as they yanked it out before the gun went. The extra adrenalin from that rope burn probably made me start off mighty quick anyway! Someone on our team back then, gave me some advice in the days before my race – “make sure you’re not in the first 50 people after the first half”…I remember thinking to myself, “no way I’m going to start that slow”….And actually I was about 3rd or 4th I think after the first turn 500m from the start line. I ended up coming 6th. The main advice I would tell anyone on our team going to their first World Cross, is to back yourself and remember that coming off an Australian track season, usually we are in better shape fitness/ speed/ leanness wise then a lot of these European and American runners who are coming off extremely cold winters. Have the confidence to know that traditionally as a nation, we do well at world cross and it’s a great stepping stone to bigger events coming up, so make sure you make the most of this awesome opportunity. Also if you’re not sure about anything out there, ask Collis or Liam for advice or your team coaches etc. Although it is an individual event, the team result is important too, so go out there and get fired up for the best result possible for yourself and Australia. I look forward to following the results! Good luck!
