Hill and Dale race 5 Rocky
Thursday saw Race 5 of the Hill & Dale series. This is an open mountain race which tests the runners route selection and may require some navigation skills if conditions are bad. The race starts at Leitrim Lodge with a climb of 405 metres to the top of Rocky followed by more ascending and descending over Tornamock to Pierces Castle with a long downhill to Leitrim Lodge. 250 runners line up for this challenge. EDAC had two familiar faces in the mix, this is Kieran Keowns first season on the mountains and is taking to it like a duck to water, finishing the race in 109th spot in a time of 48 min 37 sec. John Taylor is an old hand at the Hill & Dale and has done Rocky many times and will be pleased with his evenings work with a time of 50 min 15 sec.
NIMRA Annalong Horseshoe
Saturday saw the running of the NIMRA Annalong Horseshoe. This 12.5 mile race has 5 500 feet of climbing, starting at Carrick Little, then taking in Chimney Rock, Slieve Donard, Slieve Commedagh, Cove, Lamagan and finishing over Binnian North tore. The conditions were mixed with clag/mist at the tops of some of the peaks creating zero visibility and the compass being called for, the sun did come out at some stages. EDAC mountain man Niall Gibney took on the challenge against 44 other athletes, and with some great navigation came in 9th position with a time 2 hr 56 min, with the race being won by Mourne Runners Adam Cunningham in 2 hrs 25 mins.
Cooley 5 and 10k
Also on Saturday morning the EDAC road show again made the short drive to the Cooley Peninsula for the Kickhams GFC Cooley 5 and 10 k road race. This well organized and popular event has a great atmosphere about it and is now a favorite on the East Down race calendar, so with 15 EDAC members making the coach trip for the 13th running of this 10k, and with sunny warm conditions they were off. The course is fast and flat with great coastal views, but as you head for home the last mile is all uphill to the finish at the club rooms. The club members love this event and not just for the post race refreshments, well done to all the prize winners and category
Winners. Big thank you to Paddy Smith for organizing this great event again.
10k Results
4th Adam Withers 36 min 10 sec
10th Dee Murray 40 min 22 sec ( 1st over 50 )
21st Eamon Kelly 43 min 16 sec ( 3rd over 50 )
26th Deirdre Weatherall 43 min 42 sec ( 1st Lady 10k)
41st Jonny Holmes 45 min 51 sec
44th Sharon Madine 46 min 16 sec ( 1st lady over 50 )
53 rd John Hanna 46 min 44 sec
75th James Magennis 49 min 11 sec
102nd Paddy MacDonald 52 min 43 sec
116th Paddy Smith 54 min 08 sec
121 Wayne Giles 54 min 45 sec
127th Roisin Gaffney 55 min 10 sec
133rd Clare Forster 55 min 40 sec
138th Ashley McGrady 56 min 17 sec
5k Results
34th Janine Murray 26 min 14 sec.
East Down AC Couch to 5k
East Down AC will be running a Couch to 5k, commencing on Wednesday 29th May for 6 weeks. This will be completely free of charge and will assemble at 7pm at the East Down AC club rooms. For more details for these free training sessions call James on 07752320350.