Mac Cochrane holds a clear lead over Hadden Bush as he nears the finish of the 11-year-old boys’ race at the Southland Primary Schools Cross Country event at Waimumu yesterday. PHOTOS: STEPHEN JAQUIERY : Little legs ‘go a long way’ at schools’ cross-country event

Starter Richie Crean (left) sets the 12-year-old boys into action. : Little legs ‘go a long way’ at schools’ cross-country event

Year 13 girls wait for their race to start. Overnight rain had cleared to calm and sunny conditions. : Little legs ‘go a long way’ at schools’ cross-country event

Chloe McDonald, 10, of Otautau, removes tape from her shoes after her race. Most of the competitors taped their shoes to stop the laces untying and the muddy ground sucking them from their feet. : Little legs ‘go a long way’ at schools’ cross-country event

Parents cheer on their children near the finishing line. : Little legs ‘go a long way’ at schools’ cross-country event

Kev Gerritsen, of Maruawai College, is at the front of a pack of midfield runners in the mud during the 13-year-old boys’ race. : Little legs ‘go a long way’ at schools’ cross-country event