GOLDEN PERFORMANCES AT ROAD RELAYS RESULTS IN BRONZE MEDALS FOR EDAC LADIES

Saturday was a beautiful day, weather wise for everyone and certainly performance wise for the Senior Ladies Team from East Down AC (EDAC) as they turned in a 4 star display of top quality running in the NI and Ulster Road Relay Championships, superbly organised and hosted by Orangegrove AC in Victoria Park, Belfast. Having finished outside the medals in 4^th place last year, this year’s trio of Catherine O’Connor, Deirdre Weatherall and Caroline McNabb were determined to reach the podium this time. And reach it they did in impressive style foiled only by an unbeatable trio from Queen’s University AC, comprising Rebecca Henderson, Sinead Sweeney and Emma Mitchell, whose individual times of 11.27, 11.23 and the amazing 10.30 by Emma, were the top 3 best times recorded on the day and enabled them to smash the existing record of 34.30 by 1 minute and 11 seconds and North Down A whose first and 3^rd leg runners ran the 3^rd and 4th fastest legs of the day, 11.33 and 11.35 respectively. So the competition was top drawer and was matched commendably by Catherine’s first leg 11.36 which saw her hand over to Deirdre Weatherall in third place.

DEIRDRE KEEPS HER BONE

Anyone who knows Deirdre knows that she is a fighter of considerable ability and one who won’t easily let her bone go with the dog if she can help it. So it was with great pride that the assembled supporters from EDAC saw her cross the finish mat at the end of her 2 miles in an unbelievable 12.49, which not only held onto 3^rd place but gave the anchor leg runner Caroline McNabb an unassailable advantage over the 4^th  place team. So Caroline, knowing she could not overtake either of the two teams ahead of her, simply ran quickly enough to retain that advantage.  The overall team total was 36.48, which represents an average of 6.08 minutes per mile over the 6 miles. So Well Done all you ladies, this was a truly inspiring run by every one of you  –  so the only way to top that performance is to go one (or perhaps even 2) better next year!.

EDAC MASTERS TAKE PART IN THE SENIOR

EDAC ladies had 2 other teams in the Senior race, the EDAC B Team, Janine Murray, Joanne Foster, Edie Carroll 41.27 placing 12^th and the C Team, Alison Carroll, Ella Carroll, Cheryl Denvir 46.36 in 26^th out of the 30 teams which finished.  Both teams had to take part in the “Open” Senior race as at least one member in each team was too young to qualify as a Master, i.e. Under 35. But I’ll leave you to work out who they were! So all in all a very special day – really a Ladies Day to remember!

Earlier in the day the Master Ladies race had an EDAC Ladies team comprising Clare Carson, Roisin Gaffney and Marguerite Robinson placed a commendable 40^th out of 59 teams completing with splits of 14.28, 16.35 and 16.23 respectively giving a team total of 47.24. This was a very good performance by all three women as they are primarily long distance runners, and in Clare’s case she is in the middle of training for the Dublin marathon, a mere 3 weeks away. Take a Bow Ladies.

EDAC MEN

There were significant contributions to the Mens’ Races too where Men’s Captain Dee Murray shuffled his pack expertly to make all the teams competitive, at the same time rueing the absence for one reason or another of top runners Brendan Teer, Aaron McGrady and James O’Hare.  But injuries cannot be ruled out at any time so well done those who stepped in to fill the gaps, including the evergreen Dee, who appropriately ran the D leg himself, in the Senior team. Neil McCartan set the bar very high with a blistering first leg run, literally running himself into the ground as he fell across the line in 9.42, in joint 5^th place with this year’s Jimmy’s Ten winner Mark McKinstry, and the leading trio only seconds ahead. Neil recovered from what he described afterwards as a mistake in not eating sufficiently beforehand and is raring to go in the coming weeks. He is already looking forward to next year and a chance to make amends.

GORDY, MATTHEW and DEE

Second leg runner for EDAC was Gordy Graham, who had already clocked 75 miles in training this week as he also sets his sights on Dublin, and he too ran his socks off and maintained EDAC’s position in the top 6 as he handed over to the baby of the team Matthew McGrattan who is a track specialist and one of the young guns who will form the backbone of the club in years to come. He too hammered out 2 splendid laps, clocking 12.10, before handing over to Club captain Dee Murray, who didn’t disappoint either as he sailed round the 2 miles in 11.52 to post a total of 44.32 and claim 12^th place. Eight miles in 44.32 is 5.34 per mile or “some running” as we say here.  So well done Lads, I’m proud of you.

MENS MASTERS

The men also mounted a strong challenge in the Master’s race where Martin Willcox 11.18 made an early statement of intent to all comers and handed over to Paul Burns who made up several places  to  set the fastest time of this quartet and gave James Savage, great to see him back again, a chance to consolidate his position.  Again lack of race fitness could be used as an excuse for not putting in the effort required, but James ran with much of his old speed to hand over to Davy Foster, having clocked 11.48 for the 2 laps.  Davy didn’t disappoint either as he chased all the way to bring the A team home in 45.38, recording 11.20 for his leg, and taking a super 7^th place overall.

The B team, Paul Lloyd,  Mark McDowell, Gareth Reilly and Gavin Hynds also applied itself well to the task and after laps of 12.07, 12.11, 12.58 and 12.46 respectively their total of 50.30 resulted in 30^th place and as deserving of the accolades as any of the aforementioned winners. EDAC were not finished yet as they managed to produce a Team C made up of Stephen Heasley, Tom McClean, Donal Smith and 65 year old Tom Dowey. The 4 men ran well taking 12.28, 14.12, 15.02 and 15.35 respectively for a total of 57.16 and  53^rd place out of the 61 teams that finished.

JUNIORS IN WINNING ACTION TOO

Earlier the Juniors had been involved in Primary and Age Group races with the following results :-Primary Girls Jodi Foster 2^nd with good performances from Kelsey Murray, Erin Moore, Caragh Moore and Kari Foster. It was a hectic pace and a packed course so they did well to stay upright and arrive home safely.

Alex Robinson ran a strong race so was a little annoyed to be pipped on the line for 3^rd place taken by surprise in the last few metres in the Primary school Boys race  although big brother Ollie had possibly even more cause for annoyance having finished in the Under 13 Boys race minus one shoe!

 

Lucy Foster won the Under 13 Girls race which was a huge achievement as she had a clear lead from the start and looked smooth as she came in ahead of the other 25 girls in her age group. A fantastic entry and a great win!.  Older sister Kirsti won the Under 15 race also with a good gap from 2nd. EDAC clubmate Lauren Madine took third place.  Mackenzie Murray ran in the U15 boys and was plumb in the middle of the pack at the finish. Lauren then took on a second weekend challenge on Sunday when she was first Female finisher in the Charity 5K at Cultra.

DECLAN IN HUNGARY

Declan Teague continued his travels around Europe, pre Brexit, with a visit to the Hungarian capital Budapest to take part in their annual Marathon, his 54^th in total and although he had sustained an injury to his hamstring during the Belfast Half Marathon 2 weeks ago he managed to get round the course in 4 hours and 4 minutes. He was not overly impressed with the time but from an eve of race prediction that he would have to walk most or all of  it, he is surely more than happy to have finished albeit as he put it “on one leg and 10 ibuprofen later”. He was mightily impressed with what he described as “ a superb event, which would make a great club trip, providing as it does a 5K  (which his wife Tracey did) and 10K option on the Saturday, as well as the Full Marathon, a 2 or 4 person Marathon Relay and a 30K distance on the Sunday along a flat route mostly along the Danube”. So that’s probably where a lot of us will be heading next year, but only if it doesn’t interfere with the Road Relays!!

VINTS IN LUSK

Helen and Phillip Vint enjoyed the unseasonably good weather on Saturday too as they warmed up for watching the Rugby match on Sunday afternoon by taking part in the Lusk  Festival of running which includes a full marathon, a Half marathon and a 30K which is about 20 miles. Coincidentally both Helen and Phillip finished in exactly the same time, 3hrs and 29 minutes, Phillip having ran 26.2 miles and Helen the shorter 20 miles and were doubly delighted.

AND FINALLY

Gareth Amos and his 3 daughters plus Eimear Degan attended the Bangor Warrior event on Sunday, the purpose of which seems to be to get down and dirty, if appearances are anything to go by! By all accounts they enjoyed the experience.

WELL DONE EVERYONE!

Joe Quinn & Alison Carroll

8 October 2018