Parry gains Oceania cross-country experience

Bryn Parry, the sole Cook Islands representative at the recent Oceania cross-country Champs in Hamilton, said the experience was ”challenging but enjoyable“.

Resplendent in the Cook Islands colours of green, yellow and white, Parry gave it his all in the boggy underfoot conditions despite problems with blisters from wearing borrowed spikes.

The race doubled as the New Zealand championships and also a world cross-country championships selection race.

Parry cut out the 12 kilometre race in a time of 47 minutes and 50 seconds – finishing at the back of the field in 35th place.

His time was a good one given the cut in the ground – a result of the senior event being the last race on a full day’s programme.

”The mud was so deep in places it felt as if it was going to suck my shoes off,“ Parry said of the conditions.

The race was won by the all-conquering Kenyan import, Edwin Keitany, who has taken the New Zealand running scene by storm since arriving last year.

Keitany runs in the familiar Wellington Scottish colours of red, gold and black and cut out the 12 kilometres in an impressive 38 minutes and 54 seconds – running away from the field to score by a minute and 49 seconds to the good of talented Australian James Nipperness.

Keitany’s margin was one of the biggest in the history of the championships. Wellington Scottish has been the champion club in New Zealand on several occasions.

Parry said he rubbed shoulders with the Kenyan at the start of the race but that was the last he saw of the fleet-footed African.

”I was initially concerned that he was feeling the cold standing around at the start line, but that feeling of sympathy soon turned into envy after the start as he glided quickly to the front of the pack and then steadily increased his lead throughout,“ Parry said.

He said he was ”thankful of the wonderful support of the locals in Hamilton“ who on seeing the Cook Islands colours cheered him on loudly – something that kept him focused on the task in hand despite the growing discomfort of the blisters on his feet. Parry wisely decided to ”run his own race“ and though the blisters, deep mud and the unfamiliar cold added to the day’s challenges, he was pleased to have the opportunity to race against such top athletes from the Oceania region.

He admits that the cold was a shock to the system after the warm climes of Rarotonga.

”The air felt like razors in my throat at the start,“ he said.

Far from being discouraged by finishing nearly nine minutes astray of the flying Kenyan, Parry has come home inspired to do better and is planning to combine his love of swimming and biking with his running talent in training for next year’s Tin Man and Rarotonga International Triathlon events respectively.