If you were out and about over the weekend and were courageous and ambitious enough and further if cross country was on your mind then you had to get the head focused on the expectation that you were going to encounter mud glorious mud. 
Lurgan was the venue for Ulster intermediate and Masters championships cold yes and miserable weather but the show goes on.
Highlight of the day were the Valley masters women who due to really positive team running and some exceptional individual competitive performances.
They won the team award on 85 pts from Lagan Valley 91 and City Of Derry 118.
The team was led by a seriously determined Kay Byrne 2nd individual behind Lac athlete Fionnuala Diver with teammates Donna Evans and Castlefinn Catherine Doher right on her shoulder and on what will be a memorable day for Catherine she was 3rd intermediate.
Battling to ensure team success further down the field was Marie Harper now a student at Lyit in addition to rearing a family full marks to her and to support athletes giving it all Eimear Galen and club secretary Noreen Martin.
In the Masters men the team finished 10th the event won by North Belfast led by Mark Connolly 52nd and for the record 6th over 50. 
Support came for scoring team from Tom Thompson 61, Derek Calaghan 65 might I say the vastly improved Derek Callaghan and rounded up by Raymond Doherty 72nd plus a host of lads Martin Anderson ,Michael Gallagher, Alan Catterson, Drew Doherty.
The final event the 10k War Memorial saw an intense battle 6 to score Valley leading the challenge throughout and in a winning spot until practically the final lap going down to Newcastle by 3 pts it was that close.
Newcastle had last won 27 years ago so good for them but bitter for the Donegal men who it has to be said gave it everything throughout and from that aspect one has to be really encouraged that nobody went into hiding full marks on that.
Early days Mark Hoye and Gerard Gallagher were in lead pack with Mark having a blinder eventually 2nd on 36.40 against a winning Annadale Strider Ryan Mc Dermott 36.28.
Colin Watson the revelation of the season and the original hard man got up to 4th 37-27,Gerard failed to 7th 37.55 but will bounce back, the Fintown man now teaching in Dublin Dermot Brennan 16th 39-19. Shane Mc Nulty a determined never say die 31st 40.41, and the same can be said for Andrew Friel 41.12 for 36th followed by Darren Mc Glinchey Brian Mc Crea and Gabriel O Leary.
From a club overall perspective sure it was disappointing to lose out on War Memorial but the spirit and effort and attitude is encouraging.
On to the next challenge now.