Mar 27, 2011 [Noel Guiden] Clonliffe`s Ian Guiden made his international debut for Ireland in the Junior Men`s race at yesterday`s Home Countries International Cross Country held in conjunction with the Aviva Schools International in Antrim. It was an excellent learning expierence for him to run in a race like this at 16 years of age and although he was disappointed with his run on the day the expierence will stand to him in what is a very promising athletics career.
The race itself was held in the superb surroundings of the Greenmount Campus some 20k North of Belfast. The course was almost bone dry except for some loose stuff in one field. Underfoot the ground was short grass around a golf course and some playing fields with one very steep sharp incline. A bright sunny Spring day, most uncross country like. The junior men were running 7,200m- 4 laps. As expected the early pace was exceptionally fast leaving Ian and his Irish team mates: Luke Forde (Dunboyne) and Vinny Connolly (Mullingar) gasping for breath. As the race settled the strong Engliish and Scottish teams took over leaving the men in green well down the field. Unfortunately Ian`s mid week injury concerns came back to haunt him and he really struggled over the final lap finishing near the rear end of the field.
Post race Ian was very down, however, throught this season he has performed at an unexpectedly high level and was well deserving of wearing the green vest. With his potential hopefully that`s the first of many.