On your marks: one, two, PB3

Brendan and John ready for action in the Park

For two of our new members – Brendan Murphy and John Nyland – last Sunday’s National 10k was their first time representing the club in a championship event. Both were very happy with their debut as they also achieved PBs – remarkable on a notoriously tough course and in windy conditions. It’s amazing how the experience of being part of the championship team is a mighty motivating factor, as many experienced members and newcomers to the club have found in recent years.

For Brendan it was the third time he’d finished a 10k with a new PB in the last four months. He clocked 10 seconds better than his Kilmovee chip time to finish in 40:43.

John Nyland ran his first half marathon last October in Galway in 1hr:50 and improved on that by 3 minutes in Kinvara in March. His National 10k chip finish time was 48:22 just ahead of our other PB achiever and bronze medal winner Monica Joyce, who came home in 48:23, 10 seconds faster than her previous record in Kilmovee.

Brendan and Monica are currently in second place in the Mayo AC Club League tables for men and women respectively. Brendan is just two points behind Matthew Gill who leads with 73. Monica is four points behind leader Angela McVann who has 96 points.