This week’s report takes us from Florida to Malta to the Netherlands along with several local fixtures but we must first mention the unfortunate news that Donna Quinn has had to hand back her national team silver medal from the Dublin Marathon as the leading Sli Cualann runner (Catherine O’Connor) was disqualified for using a pacer in the race.
Now onto the 16 results from six different races. The weekend of the 11th/12th was particularly busy with our runners racing 4 races in 4 different countries!
Apart from running results John Conway also secured a fine 11th spot in the Sea to Summit adventure race on the long ‘Supreme’ course which included a 7 km run up Croagh Patrick and a 4 km greenway run to the finish line.
NAV CHALLENGE 3 – TICKNOCK
Our post-Dublin marathon reports began on the 4th November when Graham Bush participated in the 3rd IMRA Nav Challenge short course shortly before being confirmed also as the Leinster Championshp M55 winner.
| RESULT |
| 1. Brian Farren (Fingal Orienteers) 1:10:00 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 16. Graham Bushe 2:17:37 (2nd M50) |
TOLLYMORE TRAILS – 10K, MARATHON, ULTRA
there was misfortune for Richard Costello in his big season goal. After several misfortunes on his way there last year, he was this time struck by a stomach bug in the week leading in and had to throw in the towel after 4 km.
Graeme Warren had a better day out finishing a fine 9th place in the 65 km ultra for a memorable top-10 finish. Tadeusz Cantwell took on the Tollymore 10k and cruised through in ‘zone 2’ to ease his body back in after a recent health scare.
| RESULT – ULTRA |
| 1. David Boyle () 5:14:43 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 9. Graeme Warren 6:04:28 |
| RESULT – MARATHON |
| 1. Joshua McAtee () 3:01:18 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 103. Richard Costelloe DNF |
| RESULT |
| 1. Rob Hilis () 0:40:24 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 96. Tadeusz Cantwell 1:27:19 |
POWERSCOURT RIDGE
A very strong field came out as usual for Powerscourt Ridge – the race that always precedes that IMRA AGM and Killian Mooney blew the course away while Graham Bush, Torben Dahl and James Heggie represented our club well and Graham secured 2nd M55.
| RESULT |
| 1. Killian Mooney (DSD AC) 1:13:25 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 39. Graham Bushe 1:35:24 (2nd M55) |
| 49. Torben Dahl 1:40:23 |
| 111. James Heggie 2:09:28 |
SALUTE TO THE VETERANS 5K
Flora McKnight got herself onto the F45 podium in sunny Florida with a 28:30 run-out – a last bit of chance to race in the sunshine before herself and her husband relocate to Minnesota this week! Her time was a club best for Flora.
| RESULT |
| 1. Britanny Eberson () 0:18:49 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 141. Flora McKNight 0:28:30 (3rd F45 F45 PB) |
ZURRIEQ 10K
The weekend continued when Rene and Aoife – fresh off a Friday plane to Malta – had to drive across the island for the ungodly start hour of 6:45 Irish time (7:45 local time) partly to avoid excessive heat (it was ‘only’ 23 degrees by then) and the frisky traffic of Maltese roads. The event was one of the largest of the year on the island with over 460 finishers and club singlets everywhere. The route was ‘fast enough’ but consisted of some ups and downs and a particularly cruel long uphill finish!
René finished 10th in his category despite recording a personal career worst of 42:12 for the distance whereas Aoife got a better share of the spoils finishing 1st in the F45 category and getting a massive trophy to go with the hefty medal!
| RESULT |
| 1. Dillon Cassar (Mellieha AC) 0:31:16 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 46. René Borg 0:42:12 |
| 106. Aoife Joyce 0:47:23 (1st F45) |
RUN THE LINE 11.5K/25 KM
This year we had five runners in the traditional event supporting mountain rescue on the Dublin border. Diarmuid Kavanagh got the worst of it by first twisting his ankle and then losing his car keys as he put on his jacket and DNFed.
| RESULT |
| 1. Killian Mooney (DSD AC) 1:52:50 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 186. Alan Kennedy 2:55:45 |
| 507. James Heggie 4:09:11 |
| 511. Brian Howard 4:19:16 |
| 523. Diarmuid Kavanagh DNF |
This left Alan Kennedy as our first man home in 186th spot out of 523. James Heggie also completed the long course with Mark Willoughby our only representative in the short course.
| RESULT |
| 1. Alex Gray () 0:49:14 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 308. Mark Willoughby 1:27:33 |
Graef Castricum trail 35km
We finish with Catherine Devitt who was 11th overall and the winning woman in the 35 km Graef Castricum trail/due race in the Netherlands.
| RESULT |
| 1. Joshua de Vriend (Schoorl) 2:28:34 |
| ——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————- |
| 11. Catherine Devitt 2:52:28 (1st woman) |
Glendalough AC 