Watkins Memorial Invitational: Race Canceled, But Not The Fun
Along with 34 other teams, the Barnesville Varsity and Junior High cross country teams traveled to Watkins Memorial HS in Pataskala, Ohio, to compete in the Watkins Memorial Invitational, also known as the McGowan Invitational. As the teams walked the course before the races began, the runners found lots and lots of mud, especially on the wooded part of the course.
Coach Mark Brown said the weather was not looking good and warned his runners that cross country meets do not get canceled or postponed due to rain, only with lightning and thunder.
“In my many years of coaching cross country, the messiest meet ever was at Watkins in 2018,” Brown said. “But these are the meets the kids and families will remember in the future.”
Following the ‘Thirty-Minute Rule’, the 2026 Invitational was delayed 2-3 hours before it was finally called. The rule states that competition must be suspended when lightning is seen or thunder is heard. It is required to wait at least 30 minutes after the last flash of lightning or rumble of thunder.
Because of the distance travelled by many of the teams, “everyone kept hoping it would move out, but it didn’t,” the Coach said.
When there was a break in the thunder and it became safe, the Shamrocks huddled up and did a cheer. They ran the course in the woods for fun.
Brown shared, “They were a mess, but all of them were smiling.” The CC runners certainly had fun and created memories at the Watkins Memorial.
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