Q3, 2022 News & Reports – July to September

SEPTEMBER

Westmeath Schools Cross Country

Even though the Westmeath Schools Cross Country was held last year, due to the many Covid restrictions in place at the time, the numbers taking part were understandably well down on normal. In stark contrast this year though, on Wednesday 28th September things returned to normal with a bang and on a lovely cool but dry morning, school children from the four corners of Westmeath descended on Belvedere in huge numbers, including a big number from schools taking part for the first time.

The grass was freshly cut and the grounds in Belvedere looked beautiful and underfoot conditions were great for running. The hard work put in by volunteers from the Club in setting up the course meant that everything was ready on the day. We are indebted to the many volunteers, members and friends of Mullingar Harriers, who turned up on the morning to help officiate and make the day a success. It was great to see the enthusiasm in the competitors from the youngest first class pupil to the older secondary school students, cheered on by a large number of teachers and parents. The event remains very popular and the feedback from teachers and parents was very positive, so we look forward to continued support in future years.

Sincere thanks to the Westmeath Civil Defence who attended to look after any first aid needs with their customary professionalism. The Management and Staff at Belvedere House & Gardens were also of great help in organising the day at a venue that is absolutely ideal for hosting such an event and the grounds came in for particular praise from everyone that attended. Finally, our thanks to the teachers and schools for competing and ensuring that the event continues to be one of the most eagerly awaited sporting events on the calendar for those of school going age in Westmeath.

The Primary school top 20 individual finishers and team scores and the Secondary schools top 10 individual finishers are available HERE. Congratulations to all who took part and as usual, the standard of competition was extremely high and medals were hard won for all the competitors. Team medals will be distributed to the schools this week or next.

Star of the Sea AC Open Cross Country

Cancelled for two years due to Covid, it was great to return to Co. Meath on Sunday 25th September for the Star of the Sea AC Open Cross Country, an event that marked the opening fixture of the season for Mullingar for many years. It took a while to get Mullingar on the team scoreboard, but when we did, the team medals came thick and fast and by the end of the day we had amassed a total of 6 sets of juvenile team medals and our adult women and men teams were victorious in their races. Conor Sherwin won the u/17 boys race and was presented with the Sean Higgins Memorial Perpetual Trophy, Chloe Bell and Cillian Galvin won their races and we had plenty of other top six places for individual medals too, so it was an encouraging start to the season for Mullingar.

The first race of the day was the u/9 girls 500m where Helen McGrath stormed to seventh place in a very close finish just missing an individual medal and with support from Roisin Keane and Rose Harte running very well, the girls finished 4th Club, just missing team medals by only two points. Mel Bohan gave it all in the u/9 boys 500m and was rewarded with a medal for fourth place and despite great efforts by Senan Clinton, Bradley Duffy and Callum Downes, the team finished out of the medal places but 5th Club was a very respectable result for these young boys.

Penny Bohan, Katie Bohan, Amelie Downes, Melody Kelly and Grace Farry ran really well in the u/10 girls 500m and were unlucky to finish 4th Club, just out of the medal places but top marks for effort. We saw our second individual medal in the u/10 boys 500m where Conor Gavin raced to fourth and a place on the podium but even though Cillian Gavin, Fintan Harte and Peter Fitzpatrick finished strong and fast, it was another 4th place finish for Mullingar and these boys deserved something for their efforts.

Chloe Bell went out hard from the start of the u/11 girls 1,000m and built a lead that was never going to be closed and she ran to a resounding victory by a big margin, followed in by Clodagh Keane (6th), Liadan Gavin, Aoife Gouldsbury and Maria Gouldsbury packing well in support to see the team finish 2nd Club, winning Mullingar’s first team medals of the day. Charging up the finish straight and full of running to take sixth place, Harry Flanagan was delighted to win an individual medal in the u/11 boys 1,000m race, and with Donnacha Doyle also having a great race and finishing fast in tenth, with two boys in the top 10 places, if we only had a third runner to make up a team, Mullingar would definitely have been in the mix for team medals.

On to the u/12 girls 1,500m where Lily Walsh put in an excellent performance to finish third and led the team of Emily Tully, Aaliyah Downes and Lucy Mulvany all running really well to 3rd Club, adding to Mullingar’s team medal haul. Our second individual victory came from Cillian Galvin in the u/12 boys 1,500m and with Antonio Bertolo in second and Aonghus O’Reilly providing the vital third score, the boys finished 1st Club by a very comfortable margin and richly deserved their gold medals, Mullingar’s first and what would transpire to be its only set of juvenile team gold medals of the day.

Beibhinn O’Reilly led the Mullingar team home with an excellent fifth place in the u/13 girls 1,500m and with Lisa O’Brien having a great race and finishing fast and Chloe Duggan close on her heels having passed two others in the finish straight to provide the vital third score, the girls richly deserved their medals for 2nd Club. By now, Mullingar was on a roll and Greg McDonnell kept it going in the u/13 boys 1,800m with an excellent finish in fifth place, and with Zack O’Leary and Cormac McGrath finishing strongly in support, the boys were delighted with their silver medals for 2nd Club.

Tianna O’Leary left nothing behind on the track in the u/14 girls 2,000m crossing in second place and will be one to watch in Leinster. With great support and team effort from Sadhbh Carey and Blathnaid Peters, the team finished 3rd Club in a close contest. We had no team in the u/14 boys 2,200m where Conor Walsh ran a very determined race and after a great battle finished in second place and will be another to watch in Leinster.

Siofra O’Reilly was our sole representative in the u/15 girls 2,200m where she competed well but finished out of the medal places. No team either in the u/15 boys 2,500m where Matthew Molloy worked hard all the way and was rewarded with a medal for third place and shows signs of returning to form. Conor Mulvany also ran well in his cross country debut for Mullingar and the experience will stand to him.

The final underage race with a Mullingar interest was the u/17 boys 4,500m where Conor Sherwin looked very smooth and kept in touch with the leading group for the first two laps and on the third and final lap, suddenly upped the pace to pull quickly clear and win by a margin to win the race and the Sean Higgins Memorial Perpetual Trophy. Following him home was Donagh Carey in fourth place who had a fantastic race despite giving away a year, as he’s still only under 16 and this race will give him great confidence ahead of the Leinsters.

The women 3k race was for junior, senior and master women where Aine O’Reilly showed her class with and excellent fifth place finish overall, first in her master category and with Michelle Bohan and Aeilish McGovern running brilliantly in support it was great to see them rewarded for their efforts with the prize for 1st Club. The final race of the day was the men 6k race, four laps of the tough hilly course. Keeping with the leading group into the third lap, Vinny Connolly looked full of running and it was only going into the final lap that a gap opened on the first two and Vinny fell back into third but continuing to work hard he finished very strong and fast in third place, and with John Whitelaw making up a lot of ground on the final lap to move into fifth place, and Ian McCormack making up the trio and providing the vital third score, the Mullingar men were delighted to win the prize for 1st Club and end an excellent day of cross country in Co. Meath.

Rathfarnham 5k

The Rathfarnham 5k took place on Sunday morning 25th September where nearly 900 runners toed the line.  The first and final 1.2k are downhill and fast, the middle section along by Terenure College is flat and fast, and there is only one short 400m uphill section from Rathfarnham to Terenure, so this is one of the fastest 5k courses in the country and with a strong field of club runners, most can look forward to being dragged along to fast times. This was certainly the case for Euan Lagan who ran to an excellent ninth place in a swift 14 minutes 49 seconds, which he was delighted with, and Andrew Nevin also had an excellent race to finish just outside the top twenty in a fast 15:33, proving that that the Rathfarnham course is very quick.

Berlin Marathon

The headline performance from the Berlin Marathon on Sunday morning 25th September was the World record set by race winner Eliud Kipchoge, lowering his own record set on the same course in 2018 by 30 seconds to 2 hours 1 minute and 9 seconds. However, there was nearly 35,000 others in the race, including our own Eddie Newman who in excellent running conditions and reveling in the big field raced to an excellent 2 hours 48 minutes 44 seconds finish, his seventeenth consecutive sub-3 hour marathon and his seventh time to run sub-2:50, which is quite an achievement.

Charleville Half Marathon

Organised by North Cork AC, the popular Charleville Half Marathon attracted a big entry of nearly 750 on Sunday morning 25th September and in excellent running conditions on a reasonably flat and therefore fast course, Stephen Shanahan was delighted to record a new personal best time of 1 hour 22 minutes 27 seconds, which is very encouraging ahead of any marathons he is planning to compete in.

Loughrea AC “Grey Lake” 10km

Taking on the hilly course around the perimeter of Lough Rea for the Loughrea AC “Grey Lake” 10km on Sunday morning 25th September was Linda Cunningham and she was delighted to finish fourth woman and take first prize in the master woman category.

Dublin Half Marathon

The Phoenix Park was the venue for the Dublin Half Marathon on Saturday morning 17th September, an ideal opportunity for many top gauge how their training for the Dublin City Marathon in October is progressing. Conditions were perfect for running but the course was quite challenging and included lots of hills and turns to negotiate, which provided a real test for the more than 5,500 competitors. Mary Stuart continues to improve with every outing, winning her master category with a personal best time of 1 hour 28 minutes 41 seconds, a great result as she continues her marathon preparations. Orla Ginnell was happy to complete the distance in 1:48:50. In the men’s race, Kieran Nolan was very happy to finish well up overall in 1:22:40 and Murty Hanly was also happy with his 1:33:00 finish time.

Medic Half Marathon & 10k

It was a wet and miserable morning for the runners in the Medic Half Marathon & 10k in Monasterevin, Co. Kildare on Sunday 11th September, an event to make World First Aid Day. Running in the 10k race, Kieran Nolan proved rain is no obstacle to a good run, as he raced to a fine second place in 38 minutes 37 seconds.

Ratoath Half Marathon (incorp. National Half Marathon Championships)

Starting and finishing at Fairyhouse Racecourse in Co. Meath, the Ratoath Half Marathon, which incorporated the AAI National Half Marathon, took place on Saturday 10th September on a lovely morning, perfect for running. The course was nearly flat, which was to the liking of the over 800 that took part, including a good number from Mullingar looking to build on Leinster half marathon success two weeks before.

Finishing strong and leading the Mullingar group home was Eddie Newman in 1 hour 18 minutes 5 seconds to place an excellent second in his master category. Next to finish was Evan McCormack (1:19:12) happy to achieve a top twenty place in his master category, followed by James Cribbin (1:25:50) fifteenth in his master category, Stephen Naughton (1:25:56) eighth in his master category, then came Maura Dervin (1:33:04) delighted to win her master category and earn a National title. Richie Kelly (1:45:22) was next in, followed by Gemma Kelly (1:45:49), Emer O’Hanlon (1:46:42) also very happy with a top twenty place in her master category, then Shaun Mills (1:50:12) and finally Sean McMullin (1:54:50) winning the National silver medal in his master category.

Having won the Leinster team title in their master men category in Tullamore only two weeks before, the Mullingar men team of Eddie Newman, James Cribbin and Stephen Naughton were odds-on favourites to take National honours too and with such excellent individual placings in their categories, they didn’t disappoint with a fine team bronze, behind teams from Munster and Ulster, so they’re still the best in Leinster! Three individual master medals and a team bronze marks this out as an excellent day’s work for the men and women of Mullingar Harriers.

World Masters Mountain Running Championships

The World Masters Mountain Running Championships took place in Clonmel, County Tipperary on Saturday morning 3rd September where Mullingar Harriers AC was well represented on the Irish squad. Heavy overnight rain made conditions wet and mucky, adding to the challenge for the group from Mullingar Harriers, most of whom were taking part in competitive mountain running for the first time.

The race started on the edge of Clonmel town and ventured in to the Comeragh Mountains on a challenging and exciting course along a mixture of trails, forest paths and open mountain tracks, finishing at the Cross overlooking Clonmel town and the River Suir valley. The format of the competitions followed two distances, an 8.4k short course for athletes aged 55 up to 79 years of age and a long course 10.6k route for athletes aged 35 up to 54 years of age.

Athletes racing the short course started the day and first to race from Mullingar were Club President Sean McMullin and Stephen Naughton, taking on the many climbs that accumulated over 500m of ascent. Stephen battled hard to finish well up in his master category, unfortunately out of the medal places but happy with his effort. Sean was first Irishman in his category finishing an incredible sixth place and leading the Irish team to 3rd place and the team bronze medals.

The long course race followed the same initial very steep 2km climb followed by a technical descent but had more than an extra 100m in altitude to conquer before reaching the finish line. Gerard Gavin, Colm Walsh, Declan Costello, Michelle Bohan, Jennifer Algar, Lee Anne Maye and Linda Cunningham all put their climbing strengths and skills to the test and did themselves, Mullingar Harriers, and the Irish team proud. Gerard Gavin was third scorer on the Irish team that finished 2nd team in his category to win a World master silver medal and both Michele Bohan and Jennifer Algar had top 20 finishes in their categories.

Sean McMullin is an ever-present at International competitions and continued his amazing run of success with another World Championships medal. With Gerard Gavin also picking up an International medal, and other Club members continuing or getting their first taste of International competitions, it is great to see more and more Harriers looking beyond local races and competing against the World’s best.

British & Irish Junior Mountain Running Championships

Andrew Glennon and Matthew Glennon, successfully tried out the Glendalough Mountain Running Race on 23rd July and shocked the traditional enthusiasts with Andrew finishing an excellent 7th overall, but having to yield to his older brother Matthew, who finished 2nd in this gruelling test of strength and stamina. On finishing, Matthew was surprised to learn that the race was actually a trial and his podium placing automatically earned him selection for the Irish Mountain Runing Association (IMRA) team for the 2022 British & Irish Junior Mountain Running Championships in Cumbria, England. So, on Saturday morning 3rd September he took on the best of the Fell Runners of these islands and moved up a gear in every sense of the word. The 5.7km Cumbria course was a stiff test, taking the runners up the mountain side, climbing 300m in the process, and then descending at breakneck speed back to the start/finish line, all in challenging underfoot conditions with plenty of rough ground, rocks and brambles. Boosted by his excellent Leaving Certificate results the day before, Matthew fought hard and was rewarded for his efforts by finishing 1st Irish athlete home in the Junior International. Well done Matthew. Training on the hills of Belvedere has definitely paid off dividends for young Matthew.

AUGUST

Tullamore Half Marathon (incorp. Leinster Half Marathon Championships)

While a lot of recent road races were down in  numbers, the Tullamore Half Marathon on Saturday morning 27th August was a huge success and hit record numbers. Just over 1,200 signed up for the race and on the day nearly 840 took to the start and finished, among them a good number from Mullingar Harriers. The race incorporated the Leinster Half Marathon Championships, so with individual and team honours up for grabs, it gave an added incentive for a good performance. It was already 19degC when the race started, rising to the low twenties by the finish, tough conditions for a long distance race, but the Mullingar athletes dug deep to turn in some excellent performances, including several personal bests, and winning individual prizes, medals and taking team honours.

The men’s race was won by pre-race favourite Peter Somba (Dunboyne AC) in a new course record of 1 hour 7 minutes 24 seconds and the women’s race was won by Catherine O’Connor (Sli Culann AC) in 1 hour 23 minutes 27 seconds. Finishing very strongly in an excellent eighteenth place against top quality opposition was Andrew Nevin in 1:15:36. Also finishing fast was James Keegan (1:17:38) and Eddie Newman (1:17:52) first in his master category in the open race to win a prize and first in his master category in the Leinster race. Next to finish was Gerard Gavin in 1:18:33, a new personal best to place fourth in his master category in the Leinster race, just missing a Leinster medal, closely followed by Alan Crowley in 1:18:44, also a new personal best. Then came Kedagh Geoghegan (1:19:21), Eoin Clarke (1:21:07), Kris Foster (1:24:07), Tony Doran (1:24:39), James Cribbin (1:25:43) third in his master category in the Leinster race, and Stephen Naughton (1:26:19) second in his master category in the Leinster race. Mary Stuart (1:29:33) ran a personal best and finished very strong to place seventh woman overall and first in her master category in the open race to win a prize and first in her master category in the Leinster race, followed by Tommy Byrne (1:30:35), Aisling Corcoran (1:32:54) fourth in her master category in the Leinster race, but because the first two women were first and second place overall in the race and awarded the Leinster senior medals, Aisling was promoted to second place in her master category to win the Leinster silver medal, a memorable result considering she nearly didn’t run because she had a cold! Emer O’Hanlon (1:40:07) was third in her master category in the Leinster race to win a Leinster medal, followed by Criona Reid (1:48:21), Joan Hickson (1:51:16), Linda Cunningham (1:53:07) delighted with her debut half marathon and Garrett O’Brien (1:53:23), all pleased with their races in tough conditions.

In the Quinlan Cup, with four to score, the Mullingar men team of Andrew Nevin, James Keegan, Eddie Newman and Gerard Gavin was 2nd Club and in the Delaney Cup, also with four to score, the Mullingar women team of Mary Stuart, Aisling Corcoran, Emer O’Hanlon and Criona Reid was 3rd Club. There were no prizes for these second or third place teams but there were team medals in the Leinster race, where it was three to score on teams. Mary Stuart, Aisling Corcoran and Emer O’Hanlon finished 2nd senior women Club team, just one point behind winners Athlone AC. Gerard Gavin, Alan Crowley and Eoin Clarke were 3rd Club in their master category, Eddie Newman, James Cribbin and Stephen Naughton were 1st Club in their category, and James Keegan, Kedagh Geoghegan and Kris Foster finished a very creditable 4th senior men Club team.

Tara 5k

Tara AC hosted another fantastic evening of racing in Skryne, near Navan, Co. Meath on Friday evening 26th August when nearly 250 competed in the Tara 5k. Staying in contact with the leading group throughout, Enda O’Carolan was delighted to finish well up in thirteenth place in 18 minutes 6 seconds, taking the prize for second place in his master category.

Celbridge 5k

Andrew Nevin used the Celbridge 5k on Thursday evening 25th August as a final blow-out before the Tullamore Half Marathon two days later. Starting at the gates to the Club grounds and finishing with one lap of the grass track, the race was run on a fast course on the roads of Celbridge and Andrew was happy to finish strong in ninth place of the 389 finishers in 15 minutes 44 seconds.

Longford Trail Run Series (3rd, 10th, 24th Aug)

Oisín Lane and Aisling Lane gave trail running a trial, and took part in the excellent Longford Trail Run Series, a new series of 5km trail runs, which were a great success throughout the month of August for our neighbouring club, Longford AC. These are reminiscent of the Trail League once run by Mullingar Harriers every May in Belvedere. Oisín had a 100% success rate, easily winning all three trail races entered. This was regardless of the terrain, as the venue changed every week, with the first race being held along the Canal paths, the next through a bog circuit and finishing off with a forest run through Newcastle Woods (home of Center Parcs Ireland). Not to be outdone, his younger sister Aisling too held her own with the many adults participating across all age groups. Many of these also included fellow members of Mullingar Harriers, with Maura Dervin also having a 100% record by winning on both nights that she participated despite some close competition. Likewise, Brigid McCabe was absolutely dominant in her age category every night and was ably supported by her evergreen husband Nicky McCabe, who was very much at home running through the wonderful wilds of the Irish countryside.

Cork City 10 Mile

The Cork City 10 mile race on Saturday evening 20th August was the final race of the KIA race series and it certainly finished the series with a flourish. Over 1,000 athletes lined up on the banks of the Lee for a flat, fast and very competitive race.

Several Mullingar athletes made the journey and enjoyed a great evening of racing. Timmy Murphy led the club home strongly with a fifth place finish in 54 minutes 20 seconds, taking second prize in his master age category. Jack O’Leary (58:32), Jamie Battle (60:29) and Colin Smith (61:17) were next to finish, using the race as part of their training session for the day. Sinead Whitelaw and Áine O’Reilly represented the ladies and finished in 64:11 and 65:00 respectively, both winning their master age category prizes. Patrick Muldoon also ran and finished in 69:23. Kieran Nolan made the trip down for the run but unfortunately missed the start, as his train was delayed.

Mullingar Harriers have secured third place overall in the KIA race series, which is a remarkable achievement for our club. Nine men and seven ladies have scored on our teams in the races, which shows the quality of our athletes competing on the road racing scene in Ireland. Long may it continue!

Rathkenny 5k

On a lovely bright sunny Friday evening 19th August, Stephen Naughton competed in the Rathkenny 5k, always a very popular race in the Meath calendar that offers a great evening out for participants and the 233 finishers were very happy to see it back after a 3 year absence. Settling quickly in to the race, Stephen dug deep and was rewarded with a sixth place finish in 18 minutes 40 seconds, to take first prize in his master age category. Well done to Rathkenny AC for another very enjoyable event, the latest race in the Meath race series, which is in back in full swing.

Castlepollard 5k

Though the Castlepollard 5k returned in 2021 after an enforced break due to Covid, the numbers had to be limited, but there was no such limitation on Wednesday evening 17th August this year and all the hard work put in by the organising committee at North Westmeath AC paid off handsomely and this ever-popular 5k proved yet again to be a great success with over 220 finishers completing the course that started and finished near the square in the village and took in the fabulous grounds of Tullynally Castle.

As usual, there was great racing and hotly contested battles in all age categories all through the field of runners. Competitors came from far and wide, and of course Mullingar Harriers was well represented and turned out in good number to support our near neighbours in North Westmeath AC, winning a good number of category prizes into the bargain.

Leading the Mullingar contingent with a fine third place finish was Vinny Connolly in 15 minutes 15 seconds, followed quickly by Diarmuid Fagan in fourth place (15:26) first junior man, then James Keegan fifth (15:27) and Andrew Nevin seventh (15:33). Ian McCormack (16:15) was next in, followed by Kedagh Geoghegan (16:36), Andrew Glennon (17:02) second junior man, Kris Foster (17:06), Conor Liston (17:15) third junior man, Eddie Newman (17:18) second in his master category, Johnny Morrissey (17:23), Adam Brady (17:26), Enda O’Carolan (17:28), Luke Greene (17:42), Niall Brady (17:45), Kieran Nolan (18:30), Michelle Bohan (18:31) third senior woman, Jenny Algar (18:50) fourth senior woman, Enda Seery (19:28), Patrick Muldoon (19:32), Mary Stuart (19:37) first in her master category, Maura Dervin (19:47) second in her master category, Richard Kelly (20:31), Linda Cunningham (22:09), Caroline Mullen (22:42), Terri Greene (23:00), Brigid McCabe (23:02) first in her master category, Aidan O’Donoghue (25:04), Nicky McCabe (25:59), Sean McMullin (26:00) and Callum Greene (34:57).

Well done to the local organising committee in North Westmeath AC on hosting such a good race, as always.

European T&F – Mass 10k Event

Taking a break from the Irish trails, Oisín Lane and Aisling Lane followed the trails of the elite European marathon runners on Monday 15th August as they enjoyed participating in the mass 10km event, in which 2,500 competed, hosted by the organisers of the European Championships in Munich on the same course used for the Championship marathons. With the same course facilities and thousands of spectators, they had a very pleasant run through Munich, despite the ever increasing afternoon temperatures, with Aisling finishing fourth in her category. A great and unique way to see Munich and enjoy the Championship atmosphere.

AAI National Masters T&F

The AAI National Masters T&F Championships took place in Tullamore on Saturday 13th August in blistering heat under clear blue sunny skies and by the end of the day, all the Mullingar Harriers athletes had won a National medal, one of them actually won three, to bring plenty of shiny hardware home to Mullingar.

By mid-morning, when Colm Walsh lined up for the 5,000m Race Walk, the temperature was already 25degC and climbing quickly, though feeling a lot hotter in near calm conditions, making it very difficult for a distance event. Going out fast from the gun, Colm quickly settled into his rhythm and as the laps wound down he slowly built a considerable lead on his rivals in his age category to come home strongly despite the heat and win the National title by a distance.

Aidan O’Donoghue had a very busy day, starting with the Shot Putt where he secured the bronze medal on his final attempt and was very pleased to take a medal against stiff opposition. Moving to the Javelin, Aidan was happy with his efforts and they were enough to win his second bronze medal of the day. Aidan ended the day with his favourite event, the High Jump, and was delighted to win the silver medal in a close contest, taking his medal tally to three for the day.

The sun was high in the sky and the temperature was close to 30degC by the time Maura Dervin took to the start of the 3,000m. Sticking to her own race plan and not tempted to chase the younger athletes in the mixed age groups race, Maura put in a determined effort to finish in the middle of the pack and was delighted when it was confirmed that she had won her category and earned a National title and gold medal. Tom Walsh had to wait until the late afternoon to compete but that meant it was a little cooler for the Weight for Distance event where he put in an excellent series of attempts throwing the heavy 28 pound weight, his best coming in the last round, to win the National title and add to his collection of All-Ireland medals.

Congratulations to the small but very talented group of Mullingar masters on their medal successes against the best in Ireland.

Isle of Man Half Marathon

A lovely summer holiday weekend in the Isle of Man culminated in a thirtieth place finish in 1 hour 32 minutes 55 seconds for Patrick Muldoon in the Isle of Man Half Marathon on Sunday morning 14th August. Patrick was delighted to be back running his first half marathon in 3 years in a big field of nearly 350 runners and he really enjoyed the warm sunny conditions and beautiful scenery.

Kells Heritage 5k

Kells AC hosted a very successful inaugural Kells Heritage 5k race on a very warm and sunny Friday evening 12th August, a race on a flat out and back course that attracted 370 participants, among them Enda O’Carolan finishing an excellent fourteenth place in 18 minutes 24 seconds, placing second in his master category and young Alex Sheridan running in 21 minutes 55 seconds, finishing well up in the junior category against older boys.

Kilbeggan 10 Mile

It was great to see the Kilbeggan 10 Mile make a welcome return to the road race fixtures on Sunday morning 7th August and in warm sunny conditions, the race attracted nearly 200 finishers, among them a good number Mullingar Harriers, including many that were away or helping out at our own Mullingar 10 mile. The race started on the Moate Road in Kilbeggan at the junction of the Clara Road and proceeded straight into Horseleap village, where the runners took a left turn bringing the race down country roads towards Clara. Before Clara, the course turned left to bring the runners on the final nearly three mile straight back to the finish at Kilbeggan GAA grounds. This was a challenging course and while there were no big hills, there were numerous smaller challenging inclines including a steep climb over the M6 bridge at the 9 mile mark. James Keegan had an excellent run to finish eleventh in 56 minutes 49 seconds, followed in by Alan Crowley (58:48), Eoin Clarke (61:00), Kieran Nolan (63:07), James Cribbin (64:34) first in his master category, Tony Doran (64:36), Stephen Naughton (65:37) second in his master category, Aisling Corcoran (69:38) third in her master category, Michelle O’Halloran (1:16:35), Emer O’Hanlon (1:16:42) first in her master category and Avril Keane (1:22:15).

Monaghan 10 Mile

Race headquarters for the Monaghan 10 Mile on Sunday morning 7th August was just outside the Courthouse in “The Diamond”, right in the middle of Monaghan Town. Deciding to take their marathon training on a road trip to somewhere different, Mary Stuart and Joan Hickson joined nearly 400 others, but with rolling hills on a difficult course in very warm conditions, both decided it was not a day to race full on, so they ran at a marathon pace tempo effort, which was still good enough to see Mary finish in 1:09:44 to take second prize in her master category, and Joan finishing well up in 1:21:59.

Killarney Half Marathon & 10k

Vinny Connolly was in Killarney on holidays for a few days and decided to join over 900 others and run in the Killarney 10k on Saturday morning 6th August. In a great holiday atmosphere and in lovely warm sunshine, the route took the big field through fabulous landscaped terrain including Muckross Park and Gardens and up some challenging hills near the Torc waterfall. Vinny looked strong throughout, battling hard with local man Darragh O’Leary of Killarney Valley AC, but continuing his great form during 2022, Vinny took control in the closing stages to win with a comfortable gap in 33 minutes 33 seconds. Also running in the 10k, Caroline Mullen finished well up overall in 47 minutes 44 seconds, to place second in her master category. There was also a Half Marathon where among the huge field of nearly 900 runners, Raymond Smith finished in 2:09:34, followed closely by Martin Mullen in 2:10:24, with both expressing satisfaction with their runs.

Streets of Athboy 5k

Fr. Murphy AC was delighted to bring the Streets of Athboy 5k back for the first time since 2019, when the race was held on Friday evening 5th August. The course is regarded as one of the fastest on the road race calendar, which clearly suited Glenda Shaw who finished in 19 minutes 32 seconds, placing fourth in her master category and missing a prize by just one second, with Ann Hall also finishing well up in the 340 strong field with 20 minutes 16 seconds.

JULY

Carton House 6k Trail Run

Dunboyne AC hosted its Carton House 6k Trail Run in Maynooth on Thursday evening 28th July in the stunning grounds of Carton House. This is an idyllic location for a race and it attracted a good entry of 250, as it offer something different for runners. The course is mostly grass and gravel trails that run through the golf course. Before and after the event runners mingled and had their chat and catch up at race HQ located beside the boat house that is a feature in the grounds of Carton House.

Finishing well up in nineteenth place in the men’s race was Stephen Naughton in 23 minutes 33 seconds, comfortably winning his master category. There was terrific competition in the women’s race where Michelle Bohan finished third woman in 23 minutes 57 seconds, just one place ahead of Jenny Algar (24:00) and with Criona Corroon (Reid) finishing well up in 30:17, placing fourth in her master category, the Mullingar women finished 2nd team.

Mullingar 10 Mile

The Mullingar 10 mile road race made a welcome return on Sunday morning 24th July after a three year gap due to Covid. Despite a light breeze, it was still warm and humid, so the conditions were quite tough for a long distance race, but at least we escaped the heavy showers that were forecast, in fact we didn’t get any until all the runners were gone home.

Like most road races up and down the Country this year, the number taking part was down on pre-Covid times, as runners adjust to the return to some sort of normality after missing so many road races over an extended period, but we were still pleased with the entry of over 250 and we know the race will grow stronger next year. This didn’t take from the excellent quality of the race though, as Graham Gilsinan (Portmarnock AC) broke clear of the leading group after 5 miles and went on to win in a very good time of 53 minutes 7 seconds, ahead of the first Mullingar Harriers athlete Timmy Murphy in 53:48, with Paul Mitchell (Tullamore Harriers AC) finishing strongly in third in 54:24. First woman to finish was Rachel Birt (Killygarry RC) in 62 minutes flat, with the Mullingar Harriers duo of Sinead Whitelaw (64:52) and Aine O’Reilly (65:09) battling each other all the way to fill second and third places respectively.

Apart from Timmy, Sinead and Aine, other Club members that won prizes included Eddie Newman (59:12), Mary Stuart (1:09:32) and Sean McMullin (1:34:59) all winning their master categories. Also running well in the maroon and white was Vinny Connolly seventh (56:03), James Keegan eighth (56:06), Andrew Nevin eleventh (56:59), Gerard Gavin sixteenth (58:38), Alan Crowley nineteenth (59:19), Kedagh Geoghegan (59:26), John Whitelaw (59:40), Kieran Nolan (1:03:29), Tom McGrath (1:07:19), Val Bohan (1:09:30), Aisling Corcoran eighth woman (1:09:58), Bernard Groenewald (1:14:36), Paul Byrne (1:16:17), Laura Geoghegan (1:17:45), Julie McLaughlin (1:18:47), Richard Kelly (1:18:53), Gemma Kelly (1:19:53), Shaun Mills (1:19:57), Liam McGlynn (1:20:14), Orla McLaughlin (1:20:42), John McNamara (1:21:59), Marie Louise Johnston (1:22:36), Linda Cunningham (1:22:44), Mervyn Kennedy (1:24:02), Criona Reid (1:24:26), Garrett O’Brien (1:27:57), Susan Glennon (1:28:56), Jane Creevy (1:31:20), Marna Groenewald (1:31:43), Sharon Bates (1:31:50), Martin Mullen (1:41:24) and Raymond Smith (1:41:32). Full results are available at www.myrunresults.com.

A 10 mile road race in late July fits perfectly into the schedule of those training for the Dublin City Marathon in October, so, attracted by the chance to run a quality race on quiet country roads with runners able to motivate and pace each other to run well and give a good performance, the event drew entrants from Clubs, running groups and keep fit groups in Counties near and far, including Dublin, Meath, Cavan, Longford, Fermanagh, Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, Offaly, Laois, Carlow, Kildare, Tipperary, Cork, Waterford and Wexford, and a very big number from Westmeath of course.

The weather might have been tough for the runners, but it was great for spectators who cheered the runners on to the finish at Wallace’s Pub in Dalystown, where they could take water and snacks on board and when sufficiently recovered to tuck into the refreshments, which could be enjoyed outdoors thanks to the fine day. Thanks to the many friends of the Club that dropped food from early morning and there was more than enough food and treats to be eaten and enjoyed. An event that caters for such large numbers doesn’t just happen and a huge amount of work by Race Director Ian McCormack and the organizing committee went into preparation in the weeks and months before the race. Special thanks is due to the army of volunteers who helped on the day with parking, registration, stewarding, water stations, post-race refreshments, medal presentation and all the other elements needed to help make the event a success.

First aid cover was provided by Westmeath Civil Defence, to whom we are very grateful, as we are to An Garda Siochana who attended at key junctions to help keep everyone safe. We’re also very grateful to our sponsors, including O’Brien’s Centra and Hyundai Mullingar, but particularly Westmeath County Council for its substantial grant under the “Festivals and Events” programme. Of course, the greatest thanks are due to everyone who took part and we hope they’ll return again next year and help make the event an even bigger one.

Post-race feed-back has been very positive and many are already looking forward to making a return journey next year. Coming in for particular praise were the facilities at Wallace’s Pub and at Dalystown NS, which provided great bases for the event and Wallace’s in particular was perfect for the post-race refreshments. Many thanks from the Club to Paul Fox of Wallaces’s Pub and to Charlie Moore, Principal, and the Board of Management of Dalystown NS for allowing the use of their excellent facilities.

AAI National Combined Events Championships

The AAI National Combined Events Championships were held in Tullamore on Saturday 23rd July. While the day started wet and overcast, the rain soon cleared and the athletes were pleased with the dry but breezy conditions. Aidan O’Donoghue competed for Mullingar in the Master Men Pentathlon. This was a change from last year’s four event quadrathlon and this year the 100m was replaced with the 100m hurdles and the high jump was added to the competition to make it a pentathlon. Aidan was delighted to complete the hurdles, his first time competing in the event and believes there is room for improvement. He produced a good measure in both the long jump and the shot putt, putting him in second place after three events and was hoping to make ground in his favourite event, the high jump. However, the breeze picked up and it made jumping difficult and he was unable to close the gap on the leader. The final event was the 1,500m and after a long day, Aidan made no more gains on the leader but was still delighted to win silver in his master age category.

AAI National u/20 & u/23 T&F

The National u/20 & u/23 T&F Championships were held in splendid sunshine in Tullamore on Sunday 17th July. Oisin Lane was a convincing winner of the u/23 men 5,000m walk in a time of 20:26.50 in what is a seamless transition from junior to senior athletics. Aisling Lane was an impressive winner of the u/20 women 3,000m walk in a time of 15:04.44, which rounded off a very successful season for Aisling.

SIAB Schools International T&F

At the SIAB Schools International T&F held at the Mary Peters track in Belfast on Saturday 16th July, the boys and girls ran together in the 3,000m race walk, giving an added competitive edge for all taking part. Aisling Lane was representing Ireland and with an excellent performance finished in 15 minutes 11.72 seconds, placing fourth overall, behind the two Irish boys and Gracie Griffiths of Wales a very well regarded race walker, but ahead of all the other boys and girls in the race, to earn the silver medal for Aisling.

Kinnegad 5k

After Covid-enforced interruptions, the Coralstown Kinnegad GAA 5k returned on Wednesday evening 13th July and even though at 150 finishers, numbers were down a bit on what the event had grown to in the past, it was a great social evening for the village and everyone that took part enjoyed themselves and were delighted to be back competing in this popular local event.

Vinny Connolly had an excellent win in 15 minutes 20.46 seconds, closely followed by Timmy Murphy (15:35) and James Keegan (15:36) making it a clean 1-2-3 sweep for Mullingar. Finishing fast in fourth place was Conor Sherwin (15:42) taking the prize for first junior man. Conor was followed home in the men’s race by Kedagh Geoghegan (16:54), Brian Martin (17:16), Eddie Newman (17:48), first in his master category, Enda O’Carolan (18:05), Kieran Nolan (18:24), Luke Greene (18:28), third junior man, Enda Seery (18:33), Liam McGlynn (22:04), Paul Byrne (22:16) and Kevin O’Brien (24:12).

In the women’s race, Michelle Bohan finished second with 18 minutes 58 seconds, followed by Susan Glennon (19:34), Caroline Mullen (23:00), Terri Greene (23:14), first in her master category, Nuala Daly (24:26), third in her master category and Patricia Broderick (24:45).

AAI National Juvenile u/13 to u/19 T&F, Days 2 & 3

After some very mixed weather in June and into early July, the weather improved just in time for days 2 and 3 of the AAI National Juvenile T&F on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th July. It was cloudy but very warm on Saturday, where the focus for Mullingar was on the race walks and the 3,000m events and on Sunday it was clear blue skies for the 200m and the 1,500m events. In all, Mullingar athletes won two gold, one silver and four bronze medals, had two fourth place finishes and ran six personal best times.

Despite being home just a day from competing at the European u/18 T&F in Jerusalem, Aisling Lane lost no time stamping her authority on the u/18 girls 3,000m race walk on Saturday morning and with a dominant display from gun to tape, recorded a fine victory and another National title in a season’s best of 14:41.60. On to the u/14 boys 2,000m race walk where Daniel Glennon put in a determined effort and was rewarded with second place and a well-deserved silver medal. John Glennon found conditions very tough in the u/16 boys 3,000m race walk as the oppressive heat took its toll but he pushed on to the end, finishing in fourth place, just out of the medals. We ended the walks as we started, with another outstanding performance from another athlete just returned from International duty in Jerusalem. Andrew Glennon waited until the final 2k of the u/18 boys 5,000m race walk to increase his effort and pace to slowly close down the early leaders and with a faultless display, took the lead to win by a distance in 23:45.92 and secure another gold medal for Mullingar.

In the u/16 boys 3,000m Jamie Wallace ran a very controlled race to remain in the leading pack throughout the race. The pace rapidly increased over the final lap and Jamie secured an excellent bronze medal in a time of 9:13.45, which  was a personal best by twelve seconds and is excellent running for that age group. Next up were Conor Sherwin and David Burke in the u/17 boys 3,000m. Conor immediately moved into the medal positions at the start of the race and like Jamie in the previous race, stayed focused on his target and was also rewarded with third place and  a bronze medal in a personal best time of 9:03.78. David Burke was competing in his first All-Ireland track and finished an excellent ninth place. Ross Killalea ran an excellent race in the u/18 boys 3,000m, contesting a medal right up to the final lap. In the end he had to settle for sixth place but had the satisfaction of breaking 9 minutes for the first time, finishing in 8:57.33, a new personal best time. Grace Byrne had a superb race in the u/17 girls 3,000m to finish fourth in a personal best time of 10:21.78. The first five athletes in the race were under the previous Championship Best, highlighting the quality of athletes in this age group.

Sunday was an absolute scorcher of a day, and by lunchtime the mercury was hitting 27degC in Tullamore under clear blue skies. Kyle Faherty safely negotiated the heats of the u/16 boys 200m to take his place in the final but he’s had a difficult year with injury and had to settle for a place out of the medals but can take some satisfaction from still being good enough to reach an All-Ireland final despite not being at his best.

Conor Walsh contested the u/14 boys 1,500m where he ran well in a very competitive race and though he finished out of the medals, the experience of competing in a National final will stand to him. Jamie Wallace ran a brave race in the u/16 boys 1,500m but his medal winning efforts over 3,000m the day before took their toll and he finished just outside the medals in sixth place, concluding an excellent season. Grace Byrne was back determined to get among the medals in the u/17 girls 1,500m. She ran a tactically astute race and produced her usual strong finish to take third place and a well-deserved bronze medal. Her time of 4:41.64 was again a huge breakthrough personal best time on a weekend where she confirmed her position as one of the leading juvenile middle distance athletes in Ireland. Conor Sherwin adopted brave front-running tactics in the u/17 boys 1,500m and was rewarded with a bronze medal in another personal best time of 4:09.59. This was his second National medal of the weekend and is a fitting reward for a rapidly improving athlete. Ross Killalea ran a really strong race in the u/18 boys 1,500m running close to his best but finished outside the medals in eighth place.

All our juvenile athletes will now take a well-earned break after a fantastic season where they represented Mullingar Harriers with distinction at both provincial and National level.

Irish Runner 10 Mile (incorp. National 10 Mile Championships)

The Irish Runner 10 mile took place on a scorcher of a day in the Phoenix Park on Sunday morning 10th July. This was the final race in the series and it was also the National 10 Mile Championship, adding to the competitive edge for the nearly 650 finishers. In very hot conditions, Eddie Newman led the Mullingar group home in a fine time of 59:20 to win his master category. With terrific support from Stephen Naughton (65:00) and Liam McGlynn (74:28), the Mullingar men finished 3rd Master Men Club in their category. Next in was Patrick Muldoon (66:08), followed by Mary Stuart (69:09) first in her master category, who combined with Emer O’Hanlon (78:14) fourth in her master category, just missing an individual National medal, and Criona Reid (82:50), to see the Mullingar women place 1st Master Women Club in their category. Also competing and having an excellent race was Paul Byrne (76:11). Congratulations to Eddie and Mary on their National individual gold medals and to our master teams on their medal-winning success too.

Edenderry 10 Mile

Mullingar Harriers was well represented at the Edenderry 10 Mile race on Sunday morning 10th July, with 11 athletes competing. Euan Lagan made his debut at the 10 mile distance, and he made it in style, finishing fifth in a top class field with a time of 54 minutes 54 seconds. James Keegan and Andrew Nevin were also both in great form clocking 56:47 and 57:17 respectively. The mixed team of six athletes (3 men and 3 women) finished 3rd team overall. This team was made of up Euan, James and Andrew along with Michelle Bohan who led the women home with a new personal best of 68:16, Sinéad Whitelaw (70:35) and Aisling Corcoran who also ran a new personal best of 70:53. Alan Crowley was delighted to finish sub-60 with a time of 59:53 and he was followed home by Kedagh Geoghegan (61:51) and Kieran Nolan (64:06).  There was also a relay aspect to the race with each participant completing 5 miles and the Harriers sister-brother duo of Linda Cunningham and Gerard Gavin finished in 2nd place in a time of 66:02.

This 10 mile race was the sixth race in the KIA Race Series and the Mullingar Harriers mixed team is in third place in the series, behind strong teams from Leevale AC and Dundrum South Dublin, with just one race remaining, which is another 10 mile race to take place in August in Cork City.

European u/18 T&F

Getting to the start line in Jerusalem for the European Under 18 T&F Championships proved a real Crusade for the Irish team. Their flight from Dublin was delayed, resulting in the team being diverted from Switzerland to Turkey, and they eventually arrived into Tel Aviv more than a day late with precious preparation time lost, along with all of their luggage. The lost luggage included all the valuable materials needed to deal with and counteract the intense arid heat of the Middle East, a far from ideal start for the team.

First in action was Diarmuid Fagan in the 1,500m heats on Monday evening 4th July in very warm conditions. With only four from each of the two heats qualifying automatically to the final, along with the next four fastest non-automatic qualifiers, securing a place in the final was very tough, but running in the second heat Diarmuid knew what had to be done. Keeping in the top four places to the halfway mark, Diarmuid was full of running. As the pace surged, Diarmuid drifted back to sixth by the bell but was still running strongly. However, despite giving himself every chance, it wasn’t to be and he finished in eighth place, an excellent finish in his first Major Championship, only two places off qualification and he can be very proud of his performance at this level.

With an early start on Thursday morning 7th July, Andrew Glennon bravely faced the starters gun for the 10k race walk as the thermometer crept upwards. Andrew stayed on pace until after the halfway mark and then with determined focus kept fighting to finish an excellent fourteenth place overall. An example of the heat intensity is that his Irish team mate collapsed on the track with heat exhaustion before the 3km mark.

Not long after Andrew finished, Aisling Lane took on the challenge of dealing with the red track and a thermometer edging further and further into the red for the 5k race walk. Under the circumstances Aisling had the prudence to revise her race plans and put the focus on primarily getting to the finish line. With the necessity of moving out to lane 6 on every single lap to take on the limited supply of water provided, Aisling kept to her task and achieved her goal of finishing a major underage championship, even managing to beat other athletes more used to such hot conditions. Afterwards, a cold shower and cool ice-cream were soon relished with religious pleasure! Well done Andrew and Aisling.

Oldcastle 5k

On an excellent but tough testing course, St. Brigid’s AC hosted the Oldcastle 5k on Wednesday evening 6th July, an event that drew a good attendance of 160 participants. Peter Somba (Dunboyne AC) and Conan McCaughey (North Belfast Harriers AC) duked it out in a fierce battle up front, Peter winning in 14:48 and Conan second in 14:50. Wisely staying clear of that battle, Matthew Glennon and James Keegan fought their own battle and in a close finish, Matthew was third in 15:55, with James on his heels in fourth in 15:56. Coming in behind for Mullingar was Stephen Naughton (18:53) first in his master category, Enda Seery (19:09), Paul Byrne (21:50) and John Bannon (22:24), all pleased with their performances on a tough course.

AAI National Juvenile u/13 to u/19 T&F, Day 1

We returned to a quieter Tullamore on Sunday 3rd July for Day 1 of the AAI National Juvenile u/13 to u/19 T&F, where Mullingar had three in action. Beibhinn O’Reilly contested the u/13 girls 600m and put in a very determined effort but despite her best efforts, she finished out of the medals but has to be very satisfied to have competed in a National final and will benefit from the experience.

The first heat of two of the u/17 boys 800m was a very bumpy affair from the start but Philip McCartan got stuck in and kept himself in contention with a very solid run but he was very unlucky to be run out of the qualifying places in the closing stages and he didn’t advance to the final.

Availing of the open entry system for older juveniles, Ross Killalea made his debut over the tough steeplechase wooden barriers and water jump in the u/18 boys 3,000m steeplechase, though the way he competed you would never believe it was his first time to run the event. Seven and a half laps and thirty five barriers to negotiate is guaranteed to sap the energy of the best but Ross managed in in great style. Moving into third place midway he looked certain to win a medal but unfortunately, he was overtaken with two laps to go and though he worked very hard to get back on terms he finished in 4th place, but can be very proud of his effort.

AAI National Children’s Games and u/12 T&F

The AAI National Children’s Games and u/12 T&F was held in Tullamore on Saturday 2nd July and the big programme of events attracted a very large crowd of spectators, in fact it was the biggest crowd ever seen in Tullamore, even bigger than at an All-Ireland Schools T&F, so with spectators lined right around the track, the atmosphere was simply fantastic.

Soaking up the atmosphere was Mullingar’s sole representative, Cillian Galvin, who competed in the u/12 boys 600m. Being the Leinster Champion meant Cillian was a hot medal favourite, but he appeared quite unfazed by any pressure that might have brought. As expected at this age, the race started very fast and Cillian lost no time getting into an excellent position right in the leading group going through the bell. With no let up in pace, the field began to string out but Cillian kept right up with the leaders and with 200m to go looked full of running. Into the home straight and the race really began in earnest with five boys vying for the three medal places and in a very close finish where you could have thrown a blanket over second third and fourth place, Cillian just edged himself into third place right on the line and was delighted to win a National bronze medal.

Roscommon 10 Mile

Roscommon Harriers AC hosted the Roscommon 10 Mile race on Saturday morning 2nd July, which was run on a fair course with some nice rolling hills. The sun was shining throughout the race making for warm racing conditions but that only made the free ice creams at the finish line all the more enjoyable for the 413 finishers!

Thirteen athletes from Mullingar Harriers completed the race and they were led home with an impressive performance by Timmy Murphy finishing in seventh place with a time of 53:48. Andrew Nevin ran very strongly to finish in tenth position in 56:18. The mixed team of six athletes (3 men and 3 women) was third. This team was made of up Timmy, Andrew, Kieran Nolan (62:04), Sinéad Whitelaw (63:35), Joan Flynn (67:04) and Susan Glennon (68:36). Mary Stuart was first in her master category in 70:23. Other Mullingar finishers were Enda O’Carolan (64:37), Glenda Shaw (70:51), Maura Dervin (71:11), Ann Hall McDonnell (72:41), Michelle O’Halloran (79:51) and Alan Byrne (80:15). Unfortunately, Siobhan McCarthy was forced to stop at 7 miles with a hamstring injury and we wish her well in her recovery.

This 10 mile race was the fifth race in the KIA Race Series, a series which has been running since March of this year.  The Mullingar Harriers mixed team are currently in third position overall in the series, behind strong teams from Leevale AC and Dundrum South Dublin AC, with just two races left to run, the Edenderry 10 mile next week and the Cork 10 mile in August.

Achill Half Marathon

Five members of Mullingar Harriers made the long trip to Achill on Saturday 2nd July, to compete in the Achill Half Marathon, probably one of the most scenic events in Ireland. On a warm day, Jenny Alger was first Harrier home and finished second woman on the day in a time of 1 hour 33 minutes 41 seconds. Next home was Tommy Byrne with a personal best of 1:37:11, followed by Lee Anne Maye making a very welcome return from injury with 1:50:04. John McNamara also eased back into competitive action after injury with 1:53:37 and Sharon O’Dowd completed her first half marathon on a testing course in 2:06:12. Well done to all.

World Masters T&F

It was a very hot 30 degrees Celsius in Tampere, Finland on Friday lunchtime 1st July when Sean McMullin toed the line for the 5,000m track walk at the World Masters T&F. All the track walk races were held in Hervanta Field, a short tram ride from the main stadium where the bulk of the track events are being held. Though competing away from most of his team mates, having competed with distinction in several World events, a detail like that wasn’t going to faze Sean one bit. He settled quickly into his race and it wasn’t long before he was part of the leading group, racing hard all the way to an excellent third place and the bronze medal, within sight of second place but comfortably clear of any threat from fourth place behind him. This was a great start to the Championships for Sean, but unfortunately he picked up a head cold and didn’t feel well enough to compete in the 10k or 20k road walk, but was still very pleased to come home with the bronze medal for the 5k walk.