Another Summer summary
How’s things? Awful weather – don’t blame me. However, I’ve just heard a tweet from #Evelyn in Met Eireann – she says there will be a ‘clearance to showers’ in September!
Saturday 18th, it rained, and then it poured. You’ve seen the swallow tale quotes. In the middle of all that John Byrne finished second in Roscommon Harriers 10 mile on Saturday. His 53:53 finish is a great time over this classic distance given his career span – 45 seconds outside his 2010 Craughwell 10 pb 53:08, A tough windy stretch mid race cost finishers a good few seconds. Mark Kirwan (Raheny Shamrock AC) was the winner in 52:32. Well done too to Brendan Hession who had a great run to finish 16th overall with a 62:15 pb. 176 finishers.
Paula Prendergast was third woman home in the Killarney Half Marathon in 88:29. That’s a fine return to form and a great confidence boost ahead of the National Half in two weeks where she’ll be part of our women’s senior team. Paula will be joined on the East Wall start line by Sarah Syron who came through another test following return from injury and happy with her win in 41:15 on home terrain in the Crossmolina Festival 10k, which she won last year in 40:57. It was Sarah’s first 10k race since Balla last year where she was 3rd in 40:52. The Crossmolina men’s race was won by Robert Malseed (Westport AC), 2nd David Sands (Liquid Motion) and 3rd Ray McNamara (Ballina AC) in a new pb 36:59 .
On Sunday, Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers) was the winner of the 10 mile race at Dalystown over a figure of eight course. It was organised by his club and took place in excellent conditions compared to Saturday. He was first of 306 finishers in 50:16.
Despite the wet conditions on Saturday many runners were out giving it a splash, surfing the puddles on long runs or 5k speed workouts. It’s going to be a busy competitive time for many of them over next couple of weeks with Balla 10k on Saturday next 25th July, The National Masters Track & Field championships in Tullamore the following day, and the National Half Marathon in Dublin a week later on 2nd August.
Race results from Roscommon and Mullingar are at www.precisiontiming.net . Killarney results at runkillarney.com
The Energia 24 Hour National Championship took place over the week-end at the Mary Peters Track in Belfast. Mayo AC member Aine Gallagher competed again this year in the women’s 12-hour race which is incorporated in the event. Last year she won the race with a new track and Irish record distance of 105k. This year she finished third behind blind athlete Sinead Kane from Cork. Sinead had a remarkable run finishing second completing 110k (68 miles) with ultra man and past Irish Champion John O’Regan as her guide. The winner was Canadian born Amy Masner from Arklow with a new record distance of 117k (73 miles)