Fagan relishing chance at cross-country challenge in Toro

MARTIN FAGAN can’t wait to line up for Ireland at the European cross-country championships in Toro, Spain, on Sunday.

The Mullingar man had not planned a cross-country schedule this season as he is preparing for next month’s Houston Marathon where he will be chasing a qualifying standard for the Beijing Olympics.

“It’s hard to believe that I will be running a marathon in just over a month,” he said. “It’s only just begun to sink in. Luckily, running European cross this week will help me take my mind of it for a bit.

“Originally I hadn’t planned on running cross country this year, but there’s no better feeling than pulling on a green vest.”

But there was more motivation because he fell ill in Milan before last year’s European championships:

“I travelled all the way to Italy from the US, but fell ill the night before,” he recalled. “It was a huge disappointment but now I’m excited and hungry to run with the best in Europe again.

“And I’m even more excited about my chances after finishing second to Andrew Letherby in the Manchester road race.

“That race was a big step down in distance for me — 4.75 miles — and after going into it sick, I was fortunate to come out of the race healthy and with a good result.”

The 24-year-old Mullingar man was one of a number of Irish athletes to change base and coaches in the past year or so.

A graduate of Providence College where he trained under Irishman Ray Treacy, he is now based at Flagstaff and coached by Greg McMillan.

He went there after the Irish national track and field championships at Morton Stadium where he reclaimed the 5,000m title the day after running a similar event in Germany.

Last year he finished second in the 10,000m at the NCAA track and field championships and fifth in the NCAA cross-country championships.

A former Big East cross-country champion, he holds the course record at the famous Van Cortland Park in The Bronx.

Ireland has not been represented in a major championship marathon for some years so his move to the classic distance was always going to cause quite a stir and his preparations for the Houston debut have gone exceptionally well.

“We have been spoiled in Flagstaff this fall,” he said.

“The weather has been beautiful, which makes it ideal for training. Last week the weather finally broke and we had our first fall of snow.

“It never really snows in Ireland so I love seeing it but it doesn’t make training any easier.”