Week ending Saturday 5th May
All roads lead to Clonkill for the Hyundai “Pat Finnerty Memorial” 5k
Based out of Clonkill Hurling Club, the Hyundai “Pat Finnerty Memorial” 5k on Wednesday evening at 8pm will take place on a new fast slightly downhill straight point-to-point course starting just off the Delvin Road (N52) opposite the Cloghan Inn and finishing at Donnelly’s Cross on the Castlepollard Road. You don’t have to be a brilliant athlete or have ever run or walked a 5k before to take part. In fact, that’s not really what the 5k is about. Its aim is to promote participation in sport and physical activity and to honour the memory of Pat Finnerty, a former Chairman who gave enormous service to Mullingar Harriers over many years. Of course there will be some that will race hard from the beginning, looking to run the new course in record time, but for the majority of those taking part they’ll simply want to cover the distance. For many, to finish in less than half an hour is the goal, but there will be plenty of joggers and walkers finishing nearer to the hour mark. It really isn’t important how long you take to finish, we’ll wait for you and cheer you over the line.
As it’s a point-to-point there will be a shuttle bus to the start line and it will be at the finish too to bring everyone back to Clonkill Hurling Clubwhere there will be plenty of food and refreshments and the prizes will be presented, including the Pat Finnerty Memorial Perpetual Trophy to the winner of the men’s race and the winner of the women’s race.
You can enter online for €12 at www.myrunresults.com or on the night for €15 at Clonkill GAA from 6.30pm. Participants for the 5k race must be at least 16 years of age this year, but to cater for younger runners, we’ll hold a shorter race for boys and girls aged 15 and younger at 7.45pm, before the main 5k race and they can enter on the night for €2 in Clonkill Hurling Club. Every finisher in the underage race will receive a medal.
This is a major fundraiser for the Club, so we’re looking for everyone involved with the Club that won’t be running to get behind the event and support it by volunteering to help out on the night. We need volunteers for registration, parking, water station, stewarding/traffic control on the course, refreshments (tea/coffee, food – sandwiches, cakes, buns etc) and all the other jobs needed for a road race. Please contact any member of the Committee or Club Official to indicate your willingness to help on the night.
5k PB for Jack O’Leary in USA
On the opening day of the prestigious World famous Penn Relays in Philadelphia last Thursday evening, Jack O’Leary ran his first outdoor 5,000m for Iona College, where he is on an athletics scholarship. It’s not all relays and dotted among the events are some individual distance races, including the 5,000m. Running in the top seeded first race of three, Jack took full advantage of running with some top class opposition and sticking to his race plan he was delighted to finish in 14 minutes 24.50 seconds, a new personal best time for him and a great early season marker of better to come and he looks set to have a very strong track season.
Mullingar dominates at Coralstown 5k
There was a glimpse of summer last Friday evening when nearly 220 runner, joggers and walkers took part in the Coralstown 5k in glorious cool but sunny conditions. Starting and finishing at Coralstown National School, the course was a mixture of well marshaled quiet country roads and long stretches of the Royal Canal tow path, so was very safe for everyone. Being so local to Mullingar, there were plenty from the Club taking part and they dominated by taking 1-2-3 in both the men’s and women’s races. Racing to the front from the start and winning comfortably by a good margin was Kevin Baker (16:08), with Andy Nevin (16:43) in second and John Whitelaw (17:13) in third. Finishing fourteenth overall and first woman to finish was Sinead Whitelaw (18:16), with Laura Whitelaw (19:48) second woman and Susan Glennon (20:51) third woman. Also competing was Euan Lagan (17:30) fifth, Alan Crowley (17:53) ninth, Kieran Nolan (18:11) finishing strongly despite developing a painful knee in the closing stages, Enda Seery with a personal best time (18:29), Liam Woods (18:40), Justin Murtagh (19:00), Mervyn Kennedy (19:57), Aidan Rafferty (21:37), John Bannon (22:04), Sarah Glennon (22:27), Robin Jackson (25:14), Jude Lagan, Christy Creagh and Cora Macken. Among the younger finishers were Matthew Glennon, Andrew Glennon, Jessica Cunningham, Eve Jackson, Katie Dalton, John Glennon, Rose Macken, Síofra Ní Mhuirí, Lila Dalton and Molly Glennon. The rain held off until the very end for most and there was the customary fine spread of food and refreshments afterwards in the school hall where the prizes were presented.
Prize for Eddie Newman in Cavan
To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of Catherina McKiernan’s victory in the London Marathon in April 1998, the fifth edition of the annual “Run with Catherina” 10k in Cavan Town moved from its usual October date to last Saturday. A regular participant in previous years, Eddie Newman toed the line with two hundred others and after a very good race was very pleased to finish an excellent thirteenth overall in 35:20 to easily win his master age category.
Leinster schools track & field preliminaries
This week many of the Club’s underage athletes will be competing for their Schools and Colleges at the North Leinster Schools T&F in Santry on Wednesday and Friday or at day two of the South Leinster Schools T&F in Waterford looking to qualify for the Leinster Schools finals in May, and ultimately the All-Ireland Schools Finals in early June. We wish them all the very best of luck.
Leinster T&F entries
The underage Leinster T&F Championships in June take place on several days, depending on age group, but all will be held in Tullamore.
Newcomers in particular please note that the younger u/9, 10 and 11 years of age compete in pairs, so they need to think about who they would like to be partnered with; if they are unsure, please ask the coaches of these age groups for guidance. Their event is the Leinster Pairs T&F (u/9, 10 and 11) on 9th June. The Leinster u/12 and 13 T&F will be spread over three days 9th, 16th and 17th June. The older u/14 to u/19 Leinster T&F will be on 16th and 17th June.
An application form is available in the Clubhouse, so please keep an eye out for it at home and make sure to return it by the due date on the form to avoid disappointment. As always, if you don’t return an entry form, you won’t be entered.
Fundraising Table Quiz
We’re holding a fundraising table quiz in Wallace’s Pub at Dalystown next Friday evening (11th May) at 9pm and we’re asking everyone to show their support. A table of four adults is €40, and for juniors is €20. Donation of prizes would also be greatly appreciated.
For the latest results, news and details of all upcoming fixtures check the Club’s website www.mullingarharriers.com. You can also follow what is happening at the Club on our Facebook page.
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