Step up in distance not big problem for Martin

Step up in distance not big problem for Martin

26 June 2019

AFTER completing the 10k race which coincides with the Lisburn Half Marathon last year, almost by way of a warm-up, Martin Willcox stepped up to the 13.1 miles distance this year and not only did he post a highly commendable time of 1.21.09, but he improved on his 20th placing in the shorter distance by claiming 18th position overall and third in his age category. 

Feeling fairly comfortable until the last mile when he entered battle with his old sparring partner, Alan Johnston from Murlough, with the latter taking the sprint finish. Kelly Smith also ran the half and clocked a time of 2.04.

Dee Murray opted for the 10k and was 28th in 38.08 which was quick enough to win the M50 category.

Roisin Gaffney (54.58) remained at the 10k distance and improved her position by one over 2018 by taking third in her age category, placing her 566th out of a mass field of 1,500. There were over 1,000 in the half and 1,500 in the 10k.

The only other female EDAC runner to take part in the 10k was Niamh Kellett whose 41.05 time was good enough to place her fourth overall female and second in the open category, provided that is, she can persuade the timekeepers to change her category to a female and perform a similar service on a male who was wrongly classified as a female. Life can get complicated at times can’t it? See next paragraph if you don’t believe that.

Airport runway 5k

It was 11.08 pm on Thursday night and there I was sitting. Yes, sitting, in the middle of the George Best City Airport Runway waiting for the Grant Thornton 5k Challenge to begin.

I did have to pinch myself a time or two to realise that I wasn’t dreaming, or worse still, having a nightmare, as  the strangely windless conditions started to take control of my mind. 

How did I come to be there? Well I kind of volunteered to help ANI to marshal this annual corporate event which now has over 500 runners representing in teams of four, all sectors of businesses in Northern Ireland. 

Having been asked to wait until the last Thursday night flight had safely landed, around 9.15pm, we were let onto the runway at various locations around the measured 5k route. 

Mind you, I was concerned as time went on without any visible sign of runners appearing out of the darkness that we hadn’t been told what time the first flights were scheduled to arrive on Friday morning.

However, all was eventually well and I was able to depart the airport shortly after midnight. If any of you don’t believe that we were actually there then just take a look out of the starboard (right) side of the plane the next time you’re arriving at the City Airport and you’ll be able to spot my initials scratched on the tarmac on the main runway — honest.

The net result of all this surreal activity was to prevent me attending my regular spinning class in DLC on Friday at 6.45am as I was still counting planes in, in my sleep of course. And that really is the truth.

Hill & Dale finale

As is the custom with the Hill & Dale Series, the last event takes place on a Friday night after the preceding nine or 10 races have all been on Thursdays. 

This is just another clever way of checking for signs of senility among the devotees. However, all passed with a clean bill of health as over 200 runners turned out for the partying as well as the race itself, in Drinnahilly. 

Once again, Gavin Hynds led the EDAC squad home followed by Niall Gibney, Brian Hamilton finishing as he began in round one with victory in the over 70 category, John Manley, Lisa Milligan and Janine Murray. Congratulations to all on completing a long hard season.

Comber 10k

It was that man Dee Muray again on Friday night who won his category at the Lisburn race on Wednesday night, turning out again on Friday and performing a similar winning act, not far behind his club mate Davy Foster who chalked up an impressive 37.21.

In all, there was a total of 15 EDAC runners at Comber and it’s good  to see that relative newcomers John and Nuala Taylor, Sharon Madine, Gillian Grant and Nicole Laverty are encouraging some of the longer term members George and Noreen Kerr, Gareth Reilly, Kieran McMahon and Karen McFall to get out and compete again. And I was there to see them all.

Irish milers 

The Irish Milers meet at Mary Peters Track, masterminded by Eamon Christie, aims to gather the cream of the crop of talent both local and further afield and stage races where PBs are likely to happen as well as provide great spectacle for those watching. 

On Saturday this was the case from the 1k youth races right through to the elite seniors. The results of the junior girls’ 1k closely resembled the pattern of the junior U-14 and U-15 NI & Ulster Championships of the previous week, only in this case all junior age groups were in the same race.

Lauren Madine picked up another win in 3.02.98 with Kirsti Foster a mere 0.66 of a second behind her in second. 

Katie McCleary, of COLAC, spoiled the EDAC stranglehold on the event by taking third place. Anna Gardiner was fourth (3.10.73) and Lucy Foster fifth.(3.14.72). Jodi Foster, although still a primary school athlete, was in the same race and placed 14th.

Eamon reported that there were PBs qualifying standards, a world record by Cavan’s Ann Gilsinan, who knocked four seconds off her F50 world record for the 1,500m by recording 4.41.46 and Shane Healy, who just missed another world record by 0.8 seconds. 

Shane’s time of 3.59.17 was the second fastest male over 50 1,500m time in the world ever and is an Irish record. EDAC only had one senior in the event. Neill Curran dipped a cautious toe in the arena and ran a commendable 17.21 5k. 

Energia

The 10th and last Energia 24 International took place in Belfast’s Victoria Park on Saturday starting at noon.

It is a 24-hour race (incorporating the AAI National Championships), and 24-hour men’s, women’s and mixed relay races (teams of four with each member doing three stints of two hours in rotation).

It attracted a huge crowd of runners keen to test not only their running, but the ability to pace through a 24 hour period with the challenges of nutrition and lack of sleep. 

EDAC’s Keith Reilly was aiming to go beyond his previous ultra-distance of 42 miles and to stay in motion for more than 10 hours. He broke both barriers and then some. 

He ended up covering 70 miles in the 24 hour period, attributing this great feat to the support of friends and family and he also enjoyed the company of fellow local athletes Oonagh Brétéché, who racked up a superb total of 78 miles. Well done to all concerned. I was at this one for a short while on Saturday too.

Donal’s busy  

Donal Smith aka ‘have vest, will travel’ was back on the road again in Tyrone and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“After Killyclogher in County Tyrone a couple of Saturdays ago and the ThoroughbredRunKildare at the Curragh last Sunday, we — big brother Pat and I — headed to Dunshaughlin, County Meath, for the 40th anniversary running of the Michael Manning Memorial 10k,” he said.

“It’s one of the most prestigious 10k events in the Irish athletics calendar and attracted a maximum entry of 1,000.

The entries included Irish Olympians Mick Clohissey, Maria McCambridge, Fionnuala McCormick and Tommy Hughes, and with so much talent in attendance I’m afraid my wait for a podium finish is on hold for another while.

“Very fair, very fast route, with a nasty enough climb between miles 4 and 5, and while I wasn’t able to nab a new PB, I did clock 51:19 which was my fastest 10k time of the year by some distance,” he added.

“Huge well done to big brother Patrick who dipped well under the 50 minute mark, 49:25, which was made all the more remarkable given that he’d taken part in the final Hill & Dale event the previous night and followed that with a ‘couple’ of celebratory pints.

“Thoroughly enjoyable, superbly organised event with huge support from the Dunshaughlin faithful on all parts of the course followed by the all- important post-race refreshments which, I’m delighted to report, were amongst the best we’ve ever had anywhere. Most definitely a race that we look forward to making a return to in 2020.”

Test of endurance 

Mark McDowell has been putting in the hard yards of training for the last 12 months in order to become an ‘ironman’ at the inaugural Cork Ironman. 

Fellow Club member Colin Shields was also taking part, although this was not his first ironman and some would say he should have known better. This long distance triathlon event includes a 2.4 mile (3.86k) sea swim, a 112 mile (180.25k) bicycle ride and a 26.22-mile (42.20k) run, a full marathon. Unfortunately, the weather conditions forced the organisers to cancel the swim element, but the cycle and run in the windy wet conditions were more than testing and athletes had to battle hard to stay warm and get enough nutrition on board to get to the end in one piece. 

Running a marathon is never easy, but starting with tired legs and depleted from a taxing cycle makes it a huge challenge. Colin was 672nd out of 1439 finishers (plenty started but did not finish) while Mark was 564th. 

Their times were 11 hours 57 and 11 hours 53 for the total of bike and run combined. Andrew Telford also participated and did well to finish in 11.25. The winner overall was the Olympic Triathlete Alistair Brownlee in an amazing 7.49 with the first female in 8.50. The contract with the ironman brand in Cork is three years ,so this intrepid trio can think about that should they want to contemplate another crack at it. Well done Mark, Colin and Andrew.

Portaferry event

The Portaferry 10 miles and 2 x 5 mile relay is the next significant race on the local  scene and takes place this year on Tuesday, July 16, with significant  numbers making the short ferry crossing to have a go at the only 10 mile race left on the road running calendar this year.

Online entries are open at www.athleticsni.org and anyone who wants to ensure they get a unique gala mug should enter now. 

Entries for the race will also be taken on the night, but at increased cost. The 2 x 5 mile relay, which is run in conjunction with the 10 mile race, is ideal for anyone who is new to running, especially those who are recent Couch to 5k converts and those who only run the Parkruns (5k) on Saturday mornings.