''I really, really like running ... I love it,' 8-year old Jack Small, of Poolburn School, said yesterday after coming second in a 1800m race.
''I don't, I hate it. It takes too much energy out of me'' friend and schoolmate Eamon Flannery (9) said.
The boys, along with about 100 other pupils from Millers Flat, Omakau and Poolburn schools competed in the Central Otago Small Schools Cross Country at Poolburn yesterday.
They faced obstacles such as a barbed wire fence, hay bales and a hill, as they followed the course of 800m to 2500m, depending on the age group.
Poolburn School principal Craig Hickford said the cross-country was not part of the curriculum ''but it's part of the culture of the schools ... it's tradition''.
It was Poolburn School's job to organise the cross-country. Omakau organised the swimming sports and Millers Flat organised the athletics competition between the schools, he said.
He said it was an ''awesome'' day and the pupils ''just loved it''.
''None of them walked; they just kept going and battled through. They all know only one person is going to win it but they keep going.
''How could you not have a love of cross country in this environment?''
Top runners from each school will go on to compete at the Central Otago championships, which will be held in Arrowtown on August 27
