Martin Fagan, a junior at Providence College had a habit of going to the front of the pack in nearly every race during last year's cross country season only to relinquish the lead and fall back in the closing kilometres.

The start of this year's race at the Penn State Cross Country Invitational was no different except for one small detail.

Fagan, the reigning Irish National 5,000m champion moved to the front immediately equipped with his near knee-high, blinding white Paula Radcliffe compression hosiery. Like Radcliffe, but without the incessant head bobbing, Fagan not only maintained his advantage, he effortlessly pulled away from the 293 runners trailing in his wake.

Fagan covered the 5.2-mile course in 24.56, the second fastest time ever on the Penn State White course just behind Erick Mack's (Air Force Academy) course record of 24.54 set in 1995.

Fagan, from Mullingar, Co Westmeath, was 25 seconds clear of runner-up Ahmed Haji, also from Providence.

Liam Reale (Hospital, Co. Limerick), placed 148th in 27.12 and has yet to translate his track talents to cross country. First year Friar, Ritchie Yeates warmed up before the race but was held out as a precautionary measure because of a sore knee by Coach Ray Treacy and Assistant Coach Keith Kelly.

The PC Friars placed a disappointing 5th in the team competition with 201 points with Eastern Michigan winning the team title with 100 points.

The Providence women's team, ranked 20th placed second in the women's race with 103 points behind the #1 ranked Duke team who won the team title with an amazing 27 points finish their top runners in the top 10 overall. PC picked up a potentially valuable victory over the #18th ranked University of Tennessee from the South Region.

The Friars were led by Fiona Crombie, a senior from Christchurch, New Zealand in 4th place. Duke's Shannon Rowbury, an accomplished Irish dancer won the 6k race in 20:34.