Ode to a Mighty Gael
Along came Landers
On race eve I asked Anthony Kenneally
If I could come to the Youghal course for a ‘ganders
Who did I not expect to meet?
But the bold Brian Landers
~~o0o~~
In his jeans, hobnail boots and
A mountain bike with fenders
Says ‘I’ll show you the route’
Me and Brian Landers.
~~o0o~~
The course it had everything
Turns, drops and tricky cambers
He was strong but his bike could kill
Time to take him aside and speak to Brian Landers
~~o0o~~
Get off that old yoke says I
‘It’s no good, it meanders’
My antique will be faster
I’ll teach you Brian Landers.
~~o0o~~
Will you ride tomorrow?
“I don’t know” he ponders
“I’ve never raced cyclocross”
Always a first Brian Landers.
~~o0o~~
“B-racers to the grid”
The MC commanders
I take a look around
No sign of Brian Landers
~~o0o~~
We were down a few
You wouldn’t call them philanders’
Holidays, mishaps and flu’
But up pops Brian Landers
~~o0o~~
The B-race is an amateur crew
But to our gear we still pander
“Who’s yer man in running shoes?”
Who else, but Brian Landers.
~~o0o~~
The first chicanes were fast
Of the lungs the legs demanders
I’ve a few ahead of me,
Behind me Brian Landers
~~o0o~~
He passed me on the boards
They were made for highlanders
“Sorry, I didn’t know it was you”
That’s a quote, from Brian Landers
~~o0o~~
The shouts for him grew loud
These were no ordinary bystanders
Hosts Youghal CC backed their man
And roared for Brian Landers.
~~o0o~~
I had told him the hillock needs higher gears
It marked the border for mainlanders
The tide would soon draw near
The sand beckoned for Brian Landers
~~o0o~~
He took it in his stride
Over it he sauntered
Passed the competition out
The last they saw of Brian Landers
~~o0o~~
Five laps from the back
He overtook like an old-hander
He hauled them in bar two
And in 3rd came Brian Landers
~~o0o~~
So when you tell your kids
You know that neo-pro in Flanders
You can tell them how it started out
When along came Brian Landers!
~~o0o~~
Photo credits to Dave O’Brien, Jonathan Flynn and Sean Rowe.
