Ideal conditions again for the Seeley Cup 10K on Saturday, similar if not better than last year so it was not unreasonable for expectations of new pbs to be high among many from the East Down club who still regard the Seeley as the Blue Riband event of the year even though it does not currently carry championship status. The race was honoured with the attendance of our top 10K and marathon runner, Olympic and Commonwealth competitor Paul Pollock, who underlined his talent with an effortless run to claim first prize over a minute ahead of Scott Rankin (Foyle Valley) and Greg Roberts (City of Derry) with local heroine Kerry O’ Flaherty from Newcastle AC, another Commonwealth star, the easy winner of the Ladies prize.
FRANCIS STARS
First of the East Down contingent to finish was Barrie Atkinson, slicing 1 minute and 40 seconds off last ear’s time and improving his position by 37 places! Next man home and the undoubted star on the rise was Francis Tumelty in absolutely superb form at present in 36.34, with Michael Cultra next in 36.51. Then Paul Burns, a new pb of 37.34, followed just one second later by Liam Keenan 37.35, an incredible 66 seconds faster than 2013. Who says running doesn’t improve with age? Dee Murray 38.54 was the 7th East Down man under 40 minutes and here’s another fact – All of these guys finished in the top 100 in a field of almost 800 runners.
THE BEST OF TIMES, THE WORST OF TIMES?
Gerard McAuley 41.01 improved his time by 15 seconds in spite of a head cold and another year on the clock while Ciaran Denvir showed massive improvement to record 40.49 – sub 40 must be close now? Peter Morgan ran splendidly well, a few seconds outside last year’s time, but clearly on the way back to top form. Gareth Kelly 42.38 also set another pb as did Billy Logue 43.36, John Manley 47.18 and John Smith 48.38. Denis McKay 51.40 too is getting back to form again and Ian McCracken 51.58 was another to set a pb. Tom McClean 44.58 came in below the 45 minute mark but his real target is Jimmy’s Ten in March.
Cheryl Denvir 43.34 another struggling to shake of injury led the East Down Ladies home with Alison Carroll 49.40 and Lisa Milligan 50.00 apparently cruising round. Liz O’Hagan 52.53, Simon McGrattan 52.55 and Cathy Burke 52.56 all used the event to mark their well being after their exertions in the Dublin Marathon, just one month ago.
APPRECIATE THE GOOD TIMES
Caolan Atkinson stole the headlines last year in his first ever 10K race, recording 40.50, so you’d think he’d be happy with 37.26 this time? Three minutes and 24 seconds faster is some going but as he already recorded a quicker time 36.46 in this year’s Laganside he was typically not as as perky as he should have been.
So the hunt for better times goes on. I broke 40 for the Seeley too, 39.52 – in 1988!! 26 long years ago. Paul Rodgers from Newcastle AC was 15th that day, great running cousin by any standard, having led the field for a time, and both of us were outrun by the great Jerry Kiernan. Why do I raise this now? Well I see and listen to so many, bemoaning their latest time – should have done better, not as good as last year, trained hard but didn’t work out etc. I have heard and made, all those excuses but it was only when I watched a film of the ’88 Seeley, last week that I discovered I had broken 40 minutes for it – but I don’t remember celebrating! It was only 4 weeks after I had ran a “lousy” 3.22 in the Dublin marathon – disappointed that day too! – so it brought home to me how hard we are to please. I didn’t break 40 very often over 10K so 3 December 1988 should have been a monumental Red Letter day in my life. As I stood there last Saturday jut wishing I could run the distance at any pace and met some of the “disappointed” afterwards I thought why don’t we take pleasure in our achievements? How lucky everyone who ran on Saturday is to be able to do it – irrespective of the time taken. I am sure that everyone who ran did their absolute best on the day – it may not have been their best ever or the best they will ever do but it was the best they could do on Saturday 29 November 2014. Celebrate that, enjoy your success and forget about what might have been – that’s for the next time!!
TOUR DE BISHOPSCOURT
By way of recovery from his efforts on Saturday, Tom McClean headed to the motor racing circuit at Bishopscourt on Sunday for a sprint duathlon – running 1 lap of 2.1 miles, 5 laps on the bike followed by 1 more lap running. On a crisp clear sunny day it was a perfect loosener, though with a noticeable crosswind, and several of East Down and Murlough ACs resorted to this different form of therapy. Making an impressive showing after his chill out in New York’s marathon a few weeks ago was Gavin Oakes who fairly flew round the 12 laps to take overall third place in a superb 56.18 – his time for the 10.5 miles on the bike was 27.32!! Mine was 40.28 so you can assume I didn’t put him under any pressure – must get those stabilisers removed. His overall time was 56.18 in an event in which only 13 of the 54 finishers broke the 60 minute barrier.
Stephen Heasley 57.56 was another in this elite category while Tom McClean 62.00, and Paul Rogan 67.00 were in their element too. James Savage was going well too until a faulty abacus – nothing but the latest technology nowadays – during the bike ride scuppered his chances. But here we go again back to times, numbers, must do better etc.
I enjoyed it and set a pb for Sunday 30 November 2014!!
NEXT WEEK
It’s back to the grass again next weekend when Cross Country League action resumes at the Malcolm Cup fixture in Ballyclare.
Joe Quinn
1 December 2014