Athletics Cook Islands is on the lookout for one male and one female cross country runner to compete in Belgrade Serbia at the end of March.

The athletes will be competing in the senior division at the distance of 10 kilometres each.

Last year Athletics Cook Islands sent two athletes to compete at Bathurst Australia for the first competition to be held in the southern hemisphere.

The cross country season is in full swing in the Northern Hemisphere so it is always harder to train in the tropics and then compete in the cooler mountain climates overseas.

The expected day time temperature is 12-13 degrees Celsius dropping to 4C in the evenings.

Time trials will be held to find the best candidate for the competition.

There are specifications of who can represent the Cook Islands and although the competition is for the open age group of 19 – 35 years, anyone in the masters age group is welcome to try out as well.

If there are athletes overseas wanting to try out for the allocated spot, they will need to give proof of officially timed races to be included in the selection process.

This Saturday, January 13 will be when the first-time trial will be held from the stadium car park. 

Although it is not truly cross-country terrain it does have elements of rolling hills and steady inclines and steeper downward runs within the loop around the stadium. 

The requirement is to complete seven laps of the stadium to reach the 10km. 

Most overseas races are done on a 2km lap course over a variety of terrain like grass, mud, gravel and sand.

Athletics is also encouraging anyone of any age and ability to come and walk, jog or run the course, and have their efforts timed. 

They can do one to seven laps, as they choose and know how long it took them to achieve.

They can then use this as their bench mark to improve on next time.

A second time trial will be held on Saturday January 20 at the Turangi water intake and a third back at the stadium on Saturday January 27. 

Selections will be made from these time trials and other relevant race and training information and eligibility.

After the time trials in January there will be a cross-country series run every Saturday of February to continue the training and interest. 

It will be open to all age groups to compete to win the title of fastest cross country runner in each division.  Details will be online soon.

All enquiries can be made to Ruth Mave  eventmanageraci@gmail.com

On the heels of the New Year resolution run, keep moving, and come along and give it a go in a group, with the family, or competitively as an individual.