Marathon PB for John Byrne in Berlin, plus weekend results
John Byrne and Sarah Syron ran in the 42nd Berlin Marathon on Sunday. The Berlin Marathon Festival organisers claim it’s the ‘fastest track in the world”. You can’t really argue with that when world marathon records have been broken there in recent years. That’s why so many try their luck on this course which winds it’s way from the start in the Tiergarten along many long flat strasse in this great world city, crossing bridges over the river Spree a few times before the dramatic finish through the famous Brandeburger Tor on Strasse des 17.Juni. John was making another attempt at a sub 2:30, having been close many times in recent years.He ran a steady pace throughout passing halfway at 75:17 and on course. He was still within target up to 40k but lost out in the final couple of ks to finish in 2:31.26. That’s a new PB and evidence that he gave his best as always in the Mayo AC vest. The quest goes on. Sarah had also trained hard with a target 3:10 finish – a couple of minutes inside her 3:14pb. She was halfway in 1:35.18 but as she says “the wheels came off after 15 miles and it was a long struggle home”. Sarah finished in 3:23.01. Well done to our two ambassadors – don’t be surprised if we see them make another effort on the familiar leafy streets of Dublin in four weeks.Well done to David Tiernan who won the Clew Bay (Louisburgh) Half marathon on Saturday in 81.35. It’s said to be a tough course – Paul Reynolds finished in 93:44 1st M40, four minutes outside his Flatline Half time. Julie Kearney ran strongly and finished second woman in 98:00 – a PB. Ann McDonnell ran the race at ‘marathon pace’ and finished 23rd of the 61 finishers in 1:46.01. We had two runners in the Clew Bay 10k Mairead Cafferkey finished second woman in 48:12 and Helen Hopkins was 3rd 48:22. There were 37 finishers. Results of both races: www.redtagtiming.com
The 3rd Annual Sligo Coast to Coast 10 miles in aid of Carers took place on Sunday. It’s a point to point course from Strandhill to Rosses Point passing halfway at the Hughes Bridge in Sligo. Conditions were very good with a cross breeze at times and the course though mainly flat has some steady uphill long drags and corresponding downhills, but nothing too daunting, Four Mayo AC were among the 300 runners at the start. For almost all of the race Padraic McVann, Clive Lavelle and Tom Hunt worked well together pulling each other along the uphills and pushing on maintaining a steady pace. Padraic 69:11 and Clive 69:12 came home with sub 70 PBs and Tom Hunt was just behind in 69:32 to finish 1st o60. Well done too to our fourth runner Angela McVann – in her first 10 mile race and rightly delighted with her 82:01 finish. Provisional Coast to Coast Results 2015