FOUR members of the Greenock Glenpark Harriers have impressed on the international stage as one of the cross country calendar's highlight events returned after a 12-year hiatus.
Belfast played host to the British and Irish Masters Cross Country International meet, with Inverclyde well represented in the Scotland squad.
However the team received a boost when club mate Paul Monaghan received a call from selectors to confirm his place on the team, joining Neil Lafferty, John Logan and Andy McCall in representing the Greenock club at national level.
This showed just how Inverclyde has real strength in numbers as two other runners, Gregor Yates and Robert Patterson, from Inverclyde Athletic Club added to the local representation.
On a beautiful, crisp, Irish November morning, the team made their way to Billy Neill MBE Country Park, venue for various Masters races across the day.
The eight kilometre course was a challenging mix of short, sharp hills in the first kilometre and a lovely, long, downhill stretch where runners could stretch their legs and gather some speed.
The last kilometre zig-zagged through football pitches with a fast finish waiting for runners.
The senior runners would compete over four tough two kilometre laps. Monaghan had been really successful in his normal over 50 age group, but found himself drafted into the over 40 team, which he would take in his stride.
As a result all four Harriers toed the line together in the senior 35-49-year-old race, making for some tasty battles and extra motivation.
Lafferty's pacing was exemplary as he kept a consistently quick pace across the four laps, ending with a brilliant sprint finish, pulling clear of team mate Grant Baillie to overturn the corresponding result from the trial race, just six weeks previous.
Wearing his first Scotland vest in 17 years, Andy McCall was the next Harrier home after benefitting from a more cautious start.
McCall was able to pull his way through the field towards the final lap, taking several home international vests along the way.
He also ran his quickest five-kilometre distance in some years which is testament to his consistency and dedication.
Andy, however, is truly at home on the trails, grass and hills and will surely go from strength to strength in the coming years.
The experienced Monaghan was next to cross the line with another solid run; despite being drafted into the younger age category, Paul put in his signature gutsy race, leaving everything on the course.
He maintained a good lead on his club mate John, finishing well up in the race.
The final Harrier home, John Logan, deservedly received his first Scotland selection after going from strength to strength and justified his place on the team with a superb performance.
And he learned first hand all that national level offers with the pre-race nerves, adrenaline rush and being on the start line with the best veteran runners in the country.
Logan set out at aiming to keep within touching distance of Paul and this led him into a ding-dong battle with Scottish team mate David Scott who Logan eventually got the better of in a sprint finish.
Neil Lafferty’s brilliant run saw him finishing an incredible fifth overall in his category and 1st counter for the Scotland team leading the team to a Bronze medal, whilst Paul Monaghan was rewarded with a team silver medal.
Andy McCall and John Logan both received a bronze team medal in their category with McCall finishing third counter for the Scotland and Logan coming in three places behind.
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