JOG MOIRA CROSS COUNTRY

On what was described as a lovely Sunday afternoon and with perfect running conditions it was good to see the return to the fixture list of the Moira Cross Country though the course was described as twisty & lumpy with an uphill finish. Competitors found it to be a well organised event as we have come to expect from any event under the Atlas Running banner.
And what a day out it proved to be for the Foster family.

All the junior races were combined Boys and Girls contests over a 1K lap, and after a tough battle the winner was Jodi Foster with sisters Kari 4th and Lily not far behind.  Little brother Jay ran with his Dad alongside him and he wasn’t last!!!!
In the U13 race, Lucy won the Girls title with just two boys ahead over the 2K distance. In the Under 15 race over a 3K distance Kirsti won overall.
In senior race Mum Joanne ran well finishing 4th and Dad Davy had a super race and managed to finish 8th.

 Co. DOWN 5K CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sunday morning once again provided ideal running conditions the 2^nd running of the Co. Down 5K Championships on a flat, fast circuit of the roads around the car park and the inner lane of Lr Market St, in the count town,which had been officially measured by ANI officials since last year, resulting in the Start being moved to opposite the library entrance with the Finish now located alongside the Grove, in all 7 and a half laps later. Prior to the first 5K race for those who had earmarked over 30 minutes for their likely finish time there were 2 races for school children and unfortunately I have been unable to find any published results for these so am unable to make any comments on these races.

30+ CONTESTANTS

The event comprises 3 separate races, race 1 is for those who estimate their finishing time to be over 30 minutes, Race 2 is for those who reckon they can run it between 20 and 30 minutes and Race 3, is for the elite athletes who think they can run it in under 20 minutes.

EDAC did not have any runners in Race 1, which was won by Sara Murray from Emma Gordon and Mark McNally in 26.49, 26.50 and 26.56 respectively and 12 runners had crossed the line before the first over 30 minute runner emerged in the shape of Dympna Morrison, Tels Fitness, so the leading dozen should really have been running in Race 2, as they undoubtedly will have to next year!

RACE 2 ESTIMATED TIME BETWEEN 20 – 30 MINUTES

East Down had 8 runners in this category and clearly the estimated times of all the entrants were much more accurate than the Race 1 competitors had been, with only 5 of the 76 runners finishing inside 20 minutes, and everyone else coming home inside 30 minutes, the last being 29.58, an excellent piece of predicted timing by Phillip Keown. The race winner was Barry Kelly 18.55 Flying Horse flyers, repeating last year’s victory in only a slightly slower time, proving that there is plenty of life there yet, from Nigel Grier 19.11 Dromore AC and Alan Jordan 19.38, Saintfield Striders. The most accurate estimate at the sharp end of the field was Newcastle’s Gerard McAuley 6^th place whose time of 20.00 minutes was a new PB for him and left him safe for next year! Adam Morgan continues to impress and he certainly did not look out of his depth as he clocked 22.05.

Cormac O’Hare battled manfully too and probably took considerable pride in posting 24 minutes against the 26.18 recorded by his Dad Shane. Well done to them  – Isn’t it great to be part of a sport where parents and their children can compete against each other on equal terms?

LAUREN ENDS AWARDS WEEK IN STYLE

The first female to finish in overall 7^th place was East Down’s Lauren Madine 20.28, from Edwina Ternan 20.56, Saintfield Striders, in second and Lauren’s clubmate Anna Gardiner in third on 21.04. Lauren had cause for double celebration as on Friday night she was presented with the Ulster Athletic Council Juvenile Star Award 2018 for County Down in the Under 12 – 15 Age Category at a function in the Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan.

The places and times of all the East Down runners are as listed in the table below.

Position	Number	1st Name	Surname	M/F		Time
7	868	Lauren	Madine	F	1st female	00:20:28
10	900	Callum	Kent	M	1st Jun	00:20:46
14	954	Anna	Gardiner	F	3rd Female	00:21:04
25	979	Morgan	Adam	M		00:22:05
38	950	Cormac	O’Hare	M		00:24:00
39	879	Catherine	Gilchrist	F		00:24:02
54	338	Seamus	Savage	M		00:25:27
62	949	Shane	O’Hare	M		00:26:48

MACKENZIE ON TOP OF HIS GAME

Only Mackenzie Murray took on the challenge of the Elite 5K and how well he performed.  This was a very competitive race, run at a very fast pace, the sort of situation where  an inexperienced runner could easily get carried away early on, get sucked into a suicidal pace and end up struggling for survival in the last few laps.

But not Mackenzie.  He ran a very well judged race, displaying a maturity beyond his years and certainly belying his inexperience, to come home in a superb 19.00 minutes, 45 seconds inside his previous best for the distance. I’ll bet there won’t be a prouder wearer anywhere of the unique medal (in the shape of the number 5) presented to every finisher on the day.

 ELITE MEN

The race as won in fine style by John Black, North Belfast Harriers, in 15.21 from Eoin Hughes Acorns AC in 15.24 with Steven McAlary City of Derry Spartans in 15.34 in third place. The winner was always in the leading group but only asserted himself on the penultimate lap to win fairly comfortably in the end.  In fact the top 6 runners all finished under 16 minutes though last year the top 2 broke 15 minutes, but only 4 were under 16 minutes, over what has come to be recognised as a “short” course.

Position	Number	1st Name	Surname	M/F	Time
1	874	John	Black	M	00:15:21
2	973	Hughes	Eoin	M	00:15:24
3	860	Steven	McAlary	M	00:15:34

ELITE WOMEN

The winning Female was Kelly Neely 17.28, City of Lisburn from North Down’s Rachel Gibson, 17.34, with Sarah Grant North Down 17.42 just edging out QUB’s  Sinead Sweeney who was given the same time.

27	947	Kelly	Neely	F	City of Lisburn AC	00:17:28
28	971	Gibson	Rachel	F	North Down AC	00:17:34
29	866	David	Leavy	M	City of Lisburn AC	00:17:40
30	882	Tommy	Hughes	M	Termoneeny R C	00:17:42
31	336	Sarah	Grant	F	North Down AC	00:17:42
32	991	Sweeney	Sinead	F	QUB AC	00:17:42

 “EXPRESS” STILL IN WORKING ORDER

Sandwiched between these two pairs of female finishers was the Marrakesh Express, former Belfast and Dublin Marathon winner (and of course the Marrakesh Marathon too) and Olympian, Tommy Hughes, now running with Termoneeny Running Club and looking as sprightly as ever at age 54. He too was credited with a time of 17.42.

This was a very well organised event which, with the official certification of the distance, looks destined to become a “must do” fixture for the top runners to aspire to in the future.

NEXT WEEK END

The action switches back to the turf next week end when the Malcolm Cup meeting is the top fixture. The action takes place in Sixmilewater Park in Ballyclare, where if present weather holds, the going will be firm and fast underfoot. East Down expect to field strong teams in both the Men’s and Women’s races.  Action begins at 1.00pm with the Under 11 Boys and Girls half mile race and with races for Under 13s, Under 15s and Under 17 age groups there is something for everyone.

See you all there.

 

Joe Quinn, Alison Carroll

 

19 November 2018