Welcome back to The Blue Line for the first issue of 2023. You know the worst part about January? Having the same conversations about your Xmas-NY break 38 different times, having to say “Happy New Year to you too”, and the lack of chocolate Santas.
Anyway, we have a special issue for you today, wrapping up the Australian Selection Trials for World XC that took place in Canberra over the weekend. We’ve got Rose Davies and Andy Buchanan talking about their race in their own words, and this is the only place you’ll find it. Love that for you.
Fraser breaks down everything you need to know (but probably don’t) about the relay event at World XC, and Elise….Elise hasn’t shown up for work. No, she’s currently living it up in Kenya - more on that next issue.
For now, let’s get into it. Happy New Year!
by Rose Davies
Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been a bit unsure on how I would perform in Canberra. My last few races I was struggling to race to my full potential. Burnie, Noosa and Zatopek had all been disappointing and I was determined that this was going to be a result I was more satisfied with. Prior to this race, I had a solid block of training at Falls Creek and so I knew I was in good shape. Every race I do there’s always an element of nerves especially when it’s a national selection.
The first few kms of the race were quite slow. I don’t usually wear my watch while racing, but judging the pack, we were tightly bunched - no one was too keen on pushing the pace.
I knew I wanted it quick, the women’s field had a lot of depth to it and I wanted to give myself every opportunity to get that auto Q spot. Just before the 3rd lap I decided to take the lead. It split the pack and created a breakaway group of 4 - Leanne, Caitlin, Holly and myself. The more the race went on, the more my confidence grew. In the bell lap there was just Leanne and myself left.
Once I had a small gap I just gunned it for the finish line. Obviously the big race isn’t for another couple of weeks, but I think for me, it was important that I got the win for my self belief.
Now I have that spot on the team for Bathurst I am super excited. It is my first world cross country team and for it to be in my home state is special.
Now I just need to put my head down for the next month - hills, hills and more hills on the program!
In all seriousness though, I think the plan is to keep doing what I’m doing. Scotty (Rose’s coach, Scott Westcott), Andy (Buchanan) and I have thrown around the idea of going back to Falls Creek for another altitude block but nothing is set in stone yet.
I got to go to Bathurst on Sunday after the race and check it out - after inspecting the course I know World XC is going to be tough. It’s got big hills and a lot of rhythm breakers. Not to mention it’s in the middle of an Australian summer, so it's going to be HOT! I think we can use this to our advantage though, as we don’t have to travel 20hrs+ to get to the race.
If everything goes to plan my aim is to run to my ability and place as high as I can. These are the best distance runners in the world, but I’m hoping everyone in the Aussie team goes well. We have the home ground advantage, but as I said, it’s a really tough course. I’m just super excited to be representing my country again. It’s something you can’t take for granted, especially given the current depth and quality of the Australian women at the moment.
by Andy Buchanan
Ahead of the trials I was unsure how I'd perform. I have struggled to get back to good racing post Comm Games. I had been training well before Zatopek but didn't perform very well at all (Andy finished 9th in 29:18.98) so I wasn't too sure how I'd perform at Stromlo. I much prefer XC over track/road and I think most of my competition are the opposite so this was definitely an advantage for me.
I was well aware that I didn't need to finish 1st or 2nd and that if I finished in the top 5-6 this would give me a good shot at making the team. This changed the way I approached the race.
When Rambo made a big move within the first few hundred metres of the race I wasn't fazed by this as I knew I had to try to win the race amongst the pack. With the race being 4 laps, you learnt more and more about the course throughout the laps - where you can try to make a move and get a gap, or where you should sit in and try to relax for the next hard section. Many people say Stromlo is an easy XC course, and while the grass and footing is very runnable it still doesn't make it an easy course as this allows you to run faster and therefore makes it hard. As the race went on I felt better and better, Rory (Hunter) and I caught a few people and I could sense we were dropping guys off the back of our pack. While racing each other I felt we worked together to get that gap on anyone behind us (Andy finished 5th, only 17 seconds behind winner Jack Rayner).
After the race I was pretty tired, after being at Falls Creek for the 3 weeks prior I wasn't used to the warmer temperature and extra humidity. I was randomly selected to be drug tested at the finish. After at least an hour, 1 Powerade and 3 bottles of water I could finally head home.
Finishing 5th doesn't guarantee me a position in the team so at the moment I have to wait to see if the AA selectors think anyone else who didn't race is deserving of a position. This left me with a strange feeling as I wasn't sure if I should be happy with my race or disappointed.
I think this was a perfect time for AA to say that anyone who wants to run World XC has to run the trial given that it's only a month away.
I'm really unsure what the next month looks like for me. I'm a teacher so I'm back at work at the end of January but if I get selected hopefully I can get some time off work to focus on WXC. If selected, it will be amazing running in a World Championship in Australia, especially a World Cross Country. It is such a special race with such a rich history of Australian athletes. I'm hearing that the Bathurst course is really tough with a lot of short hills which I think will suit my style of running.
by Fraser Darcy
Since when was there a relay at the world cross country champs? They’re only running 2km each?! What is this, a race for ants! Well fellow Zoolander fans, to break it to you quickly, in 2017 and 2019 World Athletics introduced a mixed 4 x 2km relay race at the World Championships. Maybe to get more athletes along, maybe to distract the 1500m/3000m specialists away from the big dawg races or maybe to fill the race program so they have more content to sell to broadcasters and sponsors. I dunno.
Anywho, what does happen is that 2 guys and 2 girls each run a lap of the 2km course and exchange a timing wristband in a 20m designated changeover zone just like a baton during a track relay. In both 2017 and 2019, most teams male reps ran legs 1 & 3 and the females 2 & 4 of course, but there’s no rules as to what you do with your order (almost like Fight Club but in XC form). Some countries pick strong teams to win the prize money and some national pride, while others pick the young’uns to give them a taste of World XC Champs life, like maybe how Brett got picked in ‘09 in the junior team despite almost dying at the trials…
Our team, going off the results at Sundays trials is going to be a cracker. Stewy McSweyn and 2022 big-time performer Abbey Caldwell are already named while word on the podcast street is that Oli Hoare has applied for the discretionary second male spot. The second female will most likely go to Jess Hull (National 1500m/3000m record holder and second place at the trials) but who knows what’ll happen with that spot after last year's Worlds/Comm Games 1500m selection issues. Whoever it is, four Aussies hyping each other up on home soil in Bathurst is going to make for some exciting racing! Get around the relay folks!!! Get around it!!!
by Dave McNeill
Alright guys, Win of the Week (WOTW). So apparently, I have a reputation for being Mr Nice Guy. To preserve said reputation, I’m going to be painfully diplomatic, praise a few winners, not degrade anyone, and maybe by the end, call an actual winner.
Anyway, the Aussie World XC Trials took place on Sunday, and there were six winners to choose from. While being a pre-race favourite and actually winning seems a little boring, never underestimate how hard it is to live up to the hype - repeatedly! Favourites Stewy McSweyn, Jack Rayner, and Amy Bunnage and all took care of business. Impressive, but sadly, not WOTW material.
In the women’s short course, Abbey Caldwell once again beat two of the best 1500m runners in the world. That might be the last time there’s ever a shred of surprise when she wins. This is one team she is guaranteed not to be left off. A sweet win, but again, not WOTW.
Rose Davies and Logan Janetszki both turned the tables on their recent Zatopek performances, and scored wins. We love to see tables turned, but still no dice on WOTW.
Across the pond, one of the world’s most famous (rivaling only Marugame) short-course half marathons took place in Houston. There were some impressive times, and even an American record, but on a short course, you’ll need a world record to impress me.
Which is exactly what WOTW was. On Monday, Erchana Murray-Bartlett crossed the finish line of her 150th consecutive marathon - A Guinness World Record. My own fragile bones are on the verge of fracturing just thinking about it. A mind-boggling feat, and a feat matched only by the size of her heart - she’s raised over $100,000 for The Wilderness Society. Congrats, Erchana. You beat Jack, Stewy, Abbey, and Rose.
Brett and Joel are enjoying a (well earned?) end of season break on For The Kudos and not back until just before World Cross - in that first episode back we’ll get to hear how Robbo’s prep has been.
In the next issue of The Blue Line we’ll get a special report from Elise - if you heard Elise on FTK last year you would know she’s used to some pretty wild travel - including getting on the podium at a half marathon in North Korea. She’s spent the last couple of weeks training in Kenya so we’ll get the low down on that.
Finally, you may have seen “on the socials” that Joel hosted a live show for HOKA earlier this week at Up There Athletics. Joel was joined by athletics photographer Riley Wolff as co-host, and special guest Kane Cornes. The episode will be released on the FTK feed over the next few weeks.