CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
With the non-participation of East Down runners in Saturday’s NI and Ulster Cross Country Championships in Gransha Park in Derry I thought I wouldn’t have anything to write about this week. But then a closer inspection of results elsewhere revealed some mouth-watering performances in very different events.
MOURNE WAY 10K NIGHT EDITION
Taking them chronologically, on Friday the Mourne Way 10K Night Edition took place from near Santa’s Cottage to Kilbroney Park in Rostrevor and quickly became for many participants, including East Down’s Joanne Foster their “favourite ever run”. And indeed it must have looked spectacular, even in the shadow of Santa’s reindeer, with upwards of 500 head torches and the route marked by flashing strobe lights. Joanne’s husband Davy finished a superb 19th overall while Joanne was equally entitled to feel pleased with 72nd position. Liz O’ Hagan and Patricia Galloway also enjoyed the “night” out comfortably completing in the middle of the pack.
NEIL HITS FORM AT RAHENY 5 MILES
This particular event has developed into a massive participation affair and had in excess of 3,000 runners on Sunday, headed by a top quality field led by Mark Christie and Mick Clohisey with Newcastle’s most recent international Seamus Lynch maintaining that level of performance in 11th place.
East Down’s Neil McCartan showed he is almost back to his scintillating best, after a long recovery from debilitating illness, and his time of 25:37 placed him in 13th place. This is a tremendous morale booster for Neil and must fill him with confidence ahead of the road running and track seasons ahead. Ciaran Denvir also competed and was comfortably inside 6 minute mile pace, his 28:53 time placed him only 105th , a further indication of the quality of the race. The third East Down runner Liam Keenan posted 32:56, in 396th a time which enabled the Club team to claim 21st place out of 62 teams.
All in all a very successful weekend – if I have missed out on your activities at the weekend then I apologise but often the race results do not show club names so it is extremely time consuming to trawl through long lists of names in the chance of recognising an East Down member.
Please let me know of any events you are taking part in or better still send me your details after the event with details of your performance and any relevant photos and I’ll try to get them published in the local press.
ROLLERCOASTER RACES on 11th FEBRUARY
The firmly established Rollercoaster races take place on Saturday 11th February and already entries for the children’s races are piling in. Schools and clubs are asked to send their entries to joemarathon50@btinernet.com as soon as possible to assist with registrations. Entries will of course still be taken on the day and the Senior 5K race at 2.15pm is better than any of the flat parkruns on offer anywhere.
Joe Quinn
30 January 2017