Great Ireland Run (incorp. AAI 10k) 2018 (15th April)

Strong Mullingar showing at Great Ireland Run

The Great Ireland Run, incorporating the AAI National 10k Championships, took place in a very windy and wet Phoenix Park on Sunday morning 15th April. This is a challenging hilly course, where the first 5km is always fast because it is mostly downhill before the runners get to the hillier section, including the Furry Glen, in the second half of the course.

The way the Great Ireland results are presented, it is impossible to search through the thousands and thousands of finishers looking for Club members, but we know the Club members that were entered in the AAI 10k and can search those results easily and record their performances, so apologies to any others that were missed.

First from Mullingar Harriers to finish was Tom McGrath (35:46) followed in by Eddie Newman (35:51) and Gerard Gavin (36:10), Pauric Brady (38:17), Paul Ginnell (41:30), Colm Walsh (44:23) and Michael O’Sullivan (44:31). Our first woman to finish was Maura Dervin (45:16), followed closely by Jane Creevy (45:21) and then Patricia Broderick (48:18), Eileen Kenny (48:22) 3rd in her master age category and Linda Cunningham (51:19). Completing the Mullingar contingent was Christy Creagh (60:39) 2nd in his master age category and delighted to be still participating and winning medals in National 10k Championships. When the team scores were calculated it was very close for Maura, Patricia and Eileen but they finished 4th Club in their master category, just out of the medals, but it was better news for Tom, Eddie, Paul and Michael who finished 2nd Club in their master category.

Before the 10k race, there were races for boys and girls where they had the chance to show their talents before the very large crowd that gathered for the 10k race. Mullingar athletes usually feature on the podium after the junior races and this year it was no different thanks to Colin Smith who won the Junior Boys 12 to 15 years race.