NI & ULSTER EVEN AGE GROUP CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
The NI & Ulster Age Group XC took place at Greenmount on Saturday and was well attended by the EDAC Juniors. Coach Peter Morgan was so keen to see them all take part he organised a bus to get them there and it worked a treat with a good number turning out to represent the club.
The racing got off to a great start when Kari Foster (Under 10 Girls) burst through the trees in contention for a podium spot. She fought hard all the way down the finish straight and finished a close second to the winning girl Cliodhna McBride from Cranford AC. A silver medal round her neck she then set off to support the next athlete. It is a mark of the EDAC juniors that they are keen to cheer on their club mates and often seem to enjoy that as much as racing! The day proceeded swiftly – one race after another with EDAC represented in most of them. In the U10 boys Alex Robinson used his speedy finish to secure 6th place.
In the hotly contested U12 girls Jodi Foster managed to take the 10th spot. In all categories the top 12 finishers are selected to take part in the All Irelands in Dublin at a future date so this was a good result. Anna Kearney and Erin Moore were in the mix in the U12 as well – 34th and 67th respectively out of 94. Kieran Trainor was the sole EDAC U12 boy coming a respectable 47 out of 70. In the U14 Boys Oliver Robinson (45 out of 60) paced the distance well and finished strongly.
U14 GIRLS COME OUT ON TOP
The U14 Girls provided the highlight of the day. EDAC had a full 6 for the team and with 4 of them finishing top 10 the Gold Team medals were secured with ease. Lauren Madine ran in the lead pack then eased out to finish in first place getting an individual Gold as just reward. Anna Gardiner was only 1 second behind on the clock but was actually given 3rd place as Hazel Hughes of Shercock AC managed to squeeze between the 2 team mates on the line. Having the two girls on the podium was a proud moment. Kirsti Foster placed 6th and sister Lucy was 10th. Kara Trainor and Emily Burns 43rd and 60th completed the line up. The girls will then proceed to the All Irelands as a team based on this fantastic performance.
As the age of the athlete rises, the course distance increases and this can cause a drop off in enthusiasm. We were delighted to have 3 girls Seana Murray, Ellen Tumelty and Lucy Morgan enter in the U16 age group and while they were never in contention for medals they did the club proud by digging in when it was tough and managing to complete the challenging course. XC is often a mental challenge as well as physical and the girls proved that they had plenty of club spirit.
The last race of the day for EDAC saw Mackenzie Murray line up in the U16. He didn’t feel that he got into a good rhythm but still managed to finish in the middle of the pack. All in all this was a good day out for the Junior Club
The Junior races were followed by the Bobby Rea Memorial Races but unfortunately for the Seniors in the Club these were nothing to write home about – literally. Between injury, illness and the large party travelling to Dublin for the marathon it was not possible to field a team. The only EDAC vest to be seen was Tom Dowey who ran in the Masters 060 class coming 6th out of 10.
DUBLIN MARATHON
Given that it was used as the main reason for not fielding teams at Saturday’s Cross Country meeting in Antrim, then the Dublin Marathon was going to have to deliver the goods in terms of performances. And deliver it did, in bucketloads.
Not only was it significant in terms of individual performances but in that it marked the debuts at the distance of Deirdre Weatherall, Hallie Jennings and Jean Erskine (who actually admits to doing one about 14 years ago but I think after that length of time she is entitled to a “fresh start” so debut for her too). Another interesting snippet about Jean’s entry is that her daughter Ellen bought it for her as a Mother’s Day gift! Thoughtful girl Ellen. So she is, I’m prepared to guess, the first to have ran as a result of such a gift!! Not only that but she ran the race accompanied by her vastly experienced husband Jim and both finished in a time of 5 hours dead.(This is a technical term for nothing over 5 hours only, it has no more sinister meaning) So Ellen contributed not only to her mother’s well being but also enabled Mum and Dad to have a lovely day out together.
Gavin McConvey was the final debutant and although we missed him at 12 miles he turned up in control and smiling at 25 miles, even crossing the road to shake our hands as he proceeded to his richly deserved medal in 5.06.39.
CHEERS AND TEARS
Deirdre ran extremely well and was accompanied almost the way by her training partner and fellow club stalwart Gavin Hynds. The aim was to run for a 3.30 time and it was going according to plan until the duo passed through 20 miles, when for no apparent reason Gavin started to flag. And many, many runners will understand how difficult was the decision which had to be made at this particular point. Gavin on the one hand, urging Deirdre who was still going strong, to continue without him, and she, who had every reason to be beholden to him, for his support and companionship through every mile of training, not wanting to leave him when he as struggling. And thereby stands the lesson, which all distance runners learn sooner or later that no-one can help you and you can help no-one when you hit the wall or whatever it is that sticks your feet to the ground and that you have to become very selfish and run your own race to the finish.
Eventually Gavin persuaded Deirdre to go it alone and off she went proving by crossing the finish line in a fantastic 3.28 that not only was Gavin right about their training regime but also that their decisions were spot on too. In any case Gavin still managed to cross the line in 3.34. Not a time to be disappointed about at any level and still a PB by a minute. What went wrong and why may never be known, it happens to everyone at some time or another and it’s best not to analyse things too deeply. Don’t look back, look forward to exacting revenge on the 26.2 beast. Perhaps in Belfast on May Day Sunday 2019?
HALLIE DOES IT ON HER OWN
Hallie Jennings a recent convert to long distance running and a very welcome returning member to the East Down AC ranks had to deal with the unfortunate late withdrawal through injury of her training partner and mentor Tom McClean just a week before the big day. Add to that the fact that she passed us by at our 12 mile stand point without any of us catching the slightest glimpse of her to give her the benefit of a few shouts of encouragement.
However clearly she battled on regardless and great was the delight on Tom’s face when she appeared suddenly out of a crowd of runners (there was 16200 finishers by the way) going strong at 25 miles. (Yes we had driven the few miles from our original vantage point to be positioned at exactly 1 mile from the finish line in case you’re wondering how we managed to be there as well!) She obviously took all Tom’s advice on board beforehand and clocked a super 4.03, which if any of you are interested is exactly the same time as my first ever marathon. Great run Hallie, long may you continue!!
GORDY STARS FOR THE MEN
Another recent arrival at the club, Gordy Graham, had targeted Dublin for a fast race for some time as he clocked upwards of 100 miles a week in training. No pain no gain is the oft repeated mantra of coaches and running advisors and it goes without saying that there is pain associated with running a marathon at any level. So no one should think it is any less painful for the guys at the front end of the field as those at the rear, it just doesn’t last as long. So using that as an excuse Gordy went past us at 12 miles with a group of leading men and was clearly tuned into his pace and concentrating hard.
He maintained his pace of 6.02 per mile until 30K when he slowed, quite naturally in my view, to 6.55 per mile to record an eyecatching 2.44 for the distance, to make him the second fastest marathon runner in EDAC Club Records, since the foundation of the Club in 1987, surpassed only by Barrie Atkinson‘s 2.36 in 2015.
PHILLIP AND DEE NAIL THEIR TARGET TIMES
Of course several of the Club’s leading male runners were out chasing GFA times to qualify for the 2019 London marathon.
(No it has nothing to do with the Good Friday Agreement it stands for Good For Age!!)
Phillip Vint and Dee Murray in the Age 50- 54 category were seeking times in the sub 3.15 category and Liam Keenan, in the Age 55-59 category needed to run sub 3.20 to qualify.
Dee Murray it was who led the way in this challenge, and in spite of injuries which have hampered his training he hammered out a fairly comfortable 3.03.12, and one of the few to run a negative split on the day, while Phillip sailed much closer to the wind with a 3.09.20. But nevertheless they made it.
LIAM KEENAN – ATHLETE SUPREME
So what of Liam? Well he escaped our notice at 12 miles but was spotted at 25 miles plus by the terrible three as he made his way unerringly to a 3.18.50 time, and like Dee and Phillip he recorded a negative split. There’s no substitute for experience! Well done to all three for achieving their target times. Liam has been at the running game for a long time and indeed had the distinction of being the fastest runner on East Down’s books, dating back to the days before the Club was founded, when he recorded 2.37.33 in Belfast in 1983, as a mere 20 year old, and the previous year in the first ever Belfast marathon, when he posted 2.42. These times were only surpassed in 2015 when Barrie Atkinson ran the distance in 2.36. Liam also posted 2.59.24, my dreamed of time for running a marathon, in 2013 at the age of 50. Can anyone ever match those achievements. Come on, you young guys out there, here are a couple of real targets to aim for.
THE REMAINDER OF THE MEN
Davy Foster had a superb run also, as after a busy day at Greenmount, where his girls all ran with distinction, he kept the male side of the family’s honour up with a time of 3.06.
Gareth Kelly too, although just short of his PB, ran well and was pleased with his time of 3.17.03.
Dermot Cahill, closely chaperoned by Phillip Vint, did achieve a PB, knocking 3 minutes off his previous best with a 3.12.04 clockIng, while Declan Teague who “wasn’t running” after his injury riddled run in Budapest 3 weeks ago surprised us all as he strolled past serenely at 12 miles and although not quite as spring heeled at 25 he nevertheless finished in a highly commendable 3.17.17. Stephen Heasley managed an almost casual 3.28 adopting his usual “suck it and see” approach which serves him well. Although not a PB he was more than satisfied.
James Magennis was over the moon at having set a new PB of 3.42 and will not have the smile removed from his face by anyone for ages to come.
Stephen McCartan ran well for his 3.41.40 time and though not a PB he should be happy to have made it round unscathed.
And Sean Sealey seemed to have a bad time after the 20 mile point but he battled well to complete in 4.28, while Kevin Kelly was happy enough with 4.01 and Chris Smith fairly eased his way to a competitive 3.28 finish in his final marathon in a heavy season.
THE LADIES
As well as the huge achievement by Deirdre, there was a large contingent from the female section of the club, all of whom seemed to enjoy the occasion, even if they didn’t set new PBs. Clare Carson another one with a busy marathon cycle (4 in 12 months) settled happily for breaking the 4 hour barrier in 3.58. Cathy Burke too was happy enough with 4.19 while Cheryl Denvir, another late entrant has to be mightily pleased with 3.51, as she had no time recently to devote to a disciplined training plan. But when she does………..!!
Joanne Carson 4.25, Helen Vint 4.44 and Mags Flynn 4.53 were unmoved by their times, just happy to get round and being able to hold up their medals at the end.
Linda Cunningham, almost took us by surprise as we were about to answer the call of the inner man for food. She came along, travelling quite serenely as usual in a small group and had a cheery smile and a wave as she completed yet another marathon in 5.36.
DUBLIN RESULTS
I hope I have not missed anyone out as the Results were impossible to rely on or to understand and listed many runners as members of East Down who have never been. The race organisers have informed me that they were forewarned prior to the event taking place that there had been a large number of club discrepancies as a result of the system used to take entries and had thought most of the discrepancies had been sorted out before the race began. The net result of which is that I have to send details of every East Down runner who took part in order to update their records!
Joe Quinn & Alison Carroll
29 October 2018