Category: Cross-country running

REPORT: Contrasting championships at Abbotstown and Shanganagh

by glendaloughac, posted in Cross-country running, Race reports, Track running

It’s hard to imagine two surfaces more different than the pristine boards of the Abbotstown National Arena’s indoor track and the soft grass and mud of Shanganagh Park but managing this contrast was a task that fell to a lot of Wicklow athletes (including two of our own) this weekend past as Wicklow Athletics hosted it’s 22/23 Wicklow Masters XC Championship on Sunday 8th. Less than 24 hour earlier, a busy program of indoor track events were held as part of the Wicklow Indoor Championship 23.

Marcus Murphy on route to his first cross-country club medal

WICKLOW INDOOR TRACK

This event was primarily focused on juvenile and junior athletes but some seniors and masters turned up to run in distances from 60m to 1500m as well as the throwing, putting and jumping events. Diarmuid Kavanagh made history for our club by becoming our first indoor track competitor in the 800m race. His time of 2:21.6 thus stands as the new club record and a Bronze medal in the Men’s senior race – his first for the club.

RESULT

1. Drew O’Donohue (Bray Runners) 0:02:08

——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————-

8. Diarmuid Kavanagh 0:02:22 (3rd MS)

A few hours later, a bit more micro-history awaited as first Donna Quinn and then Diarmuid Kavanagh and club coach Rene Borg took to the start in the 1500m races. Donna was our first female indoor competitor and all three were the first runners to race over the 1500m distance in a Glendalough AC singlet.

Donna Quinn in youthful company

Donna raced well to work her way through a field of largely younger competitors and claim the Gold medal in the F40 category. Diarmuid and Rene swiftly followed suit running 5:08 and 5:11 respectively to win the MS and M40 categories both passing out a few runners as they ran steady laps around the track. For Rene this was his first indoor track race since 2010 (and the first he completed – having dropped out of his first attempt).

All three runner’s times stand as either overall club records or age category records.

RESULT
1. Finn Buck (Parnell AC) 0:04:35
——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————-
11. Diarmuid Kavanagh 0:05:09 (1st MS, club record – overall and MS)
13. René Borg 0:05:11 (1st M40, club record – M40, M40 PB)
18. Donna Quinn 0:05:29 (1st F40, club record – women)

WICKLOW MASTER’S CROSS-COUNTRY

Traditionally, this is the most popular cross-country championship among our runners and many were glad to be back at the flat and fast course in Shanganagh for the first time since 2019. Rachel, Donna, and Aoife were first up in the 4 km ladies race. This was Rachel’s first cross-country race since 2019 and she promptly improved both her time on the same course (16 seconds) and her overall position (3rd moving up from 4th). Last time she had taken the F35 Gold which she exchanged with F40 Silver this time around. Donna Quinn – perhaps feeling the 1500m – finished 5th (like in 2019). Aoife took Bronze in the F45 and help the lady’s team to Silver behind Parnell in the teams.

John Conway and Angus Tyner in close battle

the men’s race ended up doing an extra early lap resulting in the course growing from 6 km to 6.6km – it was a tight battle for most of the race with John Conway, Angus Tyner and Rene Borg close for large portions. Angus Tyner eventually managed to mow his way past John in the last corner to follow. Graham Bushe was first man across the line and got silver in the M50 category with Marcus Murphy securing his first cross-country medal (Bronze in the O40) with a very fine run. Gavin Kennedy had to pull out with a groin strain on the final lap meaning the men’s team unfortunately didn’t rank – but 3rd place (and medals) were out of reach at that point as the team sat comfortable in a distant fourth.

RESULT
1. Darren Mooney (Parnell AC) 0:23:52
——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————-
9. Graham Bushe 0:25:11 (2nd M50)
16. Marcus Murphy 0:26:07 (3rd M40)
20. Angus Tyner 0:26:28
21. John Conway 0:26:28
26. René Borg 0:26:48
37. Anthony Breen 0:27:46
The team of 2022/23
RESULT
1. Catherine O’Connor (Parnell AC) 0:15:40
——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————-
3. Rachel Wisdom 0:16:25 (3rd overall, 2nd F40)
5. Donna Quinn 0:16:33 (3rd F40)
15. Aoife Joyce 0:19:03 (3rd F45)

REPORTS: Half-marathon and Wicklow Senior XC

by glendaloughac, posted in Cross-country running, Race reports, Road running

Clonakilty Half-marathon

The weekend’s action began in Clonakilty where Eoin Phelan – along with all others entered in the full marathon – was downgraded to the half-marathon due to road flooding. Expecting a different type of race, he cruised through a good 9 minutes below his PB on a slow day overall.

The race was won by the winner of our club fund-raiser – Tudor Mircea.

RESULT
1. Tudor Mircea (Clonliffe Harriers) 1:13:21
——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————-
504. Eoin Phelan 2:01:09

Clontarf Half-marathon and 5 mile

Meanwhile further North three of our Wicklow Wolf Run Club members took on the traditionally windy half-marathon with it’s beach finish. Mark Lindsay and Conor Diamond competed in the half with Claire Harrington running in the 5 mile.

RESULT
1. Jesus Calle Arroyo (Raheny Shamrocks) 1:14:20
——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————-
574. Mark Lindsay 1:47:41
1826. Conor Diamond 2:12:53
RESULT
1. Ian FitzGerald (Donore Harriers) 0:27:57
——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————-
699. Claire Harrington 0:51:49

WICKLOW SENIOR CROSS-COUNTRY 2022

It’s no secret that cross-country doesn’t get the love it deserves: the discipline has interesting venues, great competition, fantastic physical development, the chance to run for a team (and yourself) and distils running to it’s essence: you against yourself first and you against the next guy/gal second.

Donna vs Parnell AC

So it was not entirely surprising that numbers at the frighteningly named ‘Wicklow Senior’ were somewhat low. Donna Quinn was outnumbered 7 to 1 by host’s Parnell as our lonely representative in the 5 km women’s race in Avondale yet still managed a Silver medal to continue to add shine to another great season.

Our men’s team lost two men to illness and another to injury on Saturday with another drop-out Sunday leaving ever-reliable Colm Kenna to step in and ensure the men had a full team. Paul Duffy led the cross-country team home for the third time in three outings followed by club coach Rene Borg and then Anthony and Colm. In a strong field, we finished fifth out of five teams.

WOMEN’S

RESULT
1. Catherine O’Connor (Parnell AC)
——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————-
2. Donna Quinn 0:22:47 (2nd F40, Individual Silver)

MEN’S

RESULT
1. Derek Crammond (Parnell AC) 0:37:40
——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————-
15. Paul Duffy 0:44:31
17. René Borg 0:45:50
22. Anthony Breen 0:48:57
25. Colm Kenna 0:54:50

Clingandaelcross XC

Our team could have done with the strength of Richard Costelloe – currently residing in The Hague who finished 2nd in the M45 category at the Clingandaelcross race in the Netherlands.

RESULT
1. Jorrit Klinkeberg (Phanos) 0:27:02
——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————-
19. Richard Costelloe 0:30:11 (2nd M45)
Richard in action in Holland

CARLINGFORD AND CROSS-COUNTRY

by glendaloughac, posted in Cross-country running, Mountain running, Race reports

Mud and grass where the order of the day for our athletes this Sunday. Conditions where slightly windy but otherwise good as our tremendous trio of Claire Thompson, Donna Quinn and Aoife Joyce took to the start of the Wicklow Novice Cross-Country.

Team Gold! (Photo: Rene Borg)

WICKLOW NOVICE CROSS-COUNTRY 2021 – ROUNDWOOD

Very little could detract from a great day except the slightly small size of the ladies’ field: and among those not returning for the 2022 will be our own Claire Thompson who finally broke her ‘Gold Duck’.

Claire had finished 4th in her Novice debut in 2015 and narrowly missed out on the gold on several occasions with Silver in the Novice in 2016 and 2017 on top of Silver and Bronze in the Intermediate in 2015 and 2016. But in her 6th Wicklow cross-country race (and 9th overall) she secured the Gold and knocked herself out of county Novice competition for good. Her winning time of 15:28 was her second fastest time over 4 km cross-country since her 14:31 in the Leinster Novice 2016. She also knocked 1:45 off her personal best over this particular course in Roundwood.

May be an image of 1 person and outdoors
Aoife Joyce showing the joy of cross-country (photo: Andrew Hanney)

Her closest rival on the day was club mate Donna Quinn who took a somewhat unorthodox pacing approach starting at the back of the field and working her way through on the first few laps.

May be an image of 1 person, standing, playing a sport and outdoors
Claire showing determination with Donna in close pursuit (photo: Andrew Hanney)

She was closing aggressively towards the end and finished 2nd only 6 seconds behind Claire. this was by some distance Donna’s fastest cross-country race – 38 seconds faster her previous best (in the Wicklow Intermediate 2016).

The start goes! (Donna at the back!) (photo: Rene Borg)

Third counter on the day and instrumental in securing Team Gold was Aoife Joyce – 11 years on from securing the Bronze medal in the Dublin Novice with Crusaders AC – she secured her second Team Gold with Glendalough AC (adding to the Wicklow Masters 2019).

FULL RESULTS

  1. Claire Thompson 15:28
  2. Donna Quinn 15:34

7. Aoife Joyce 16:47

CARLINGFORD

Barry O’Neill taking on ‘hands and knees stuff’ (photo Turlough Conway)

Much further North, Barry O’Neill and Johnny Conway (‘fresh’ from his outing the previous weekend in the Wicklow EcoTrail 80k) took on Slieve Foy outside Carlingford where local man Michael Dowling took the victory.

In a field of 44 Johnny claimed the always covetted ‘top-10’ with 6th place overall and Barry O’Neill took 15th.

FULL RESULTS

  1. Michael Dowling 46:43

———GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS———-

6. John Conway 52:22

15. Barry O’Neill 54:26

full results

REPORT: National Masters XC

by glendaloughac, posted in Cross-country running, Race reports

The National Masters Cross-Country came to Avondale and four of our runners joined up underneath the banners of the broader Sli Cualann teams to compete. Two and one kilometer loops had been laid out with a start from Avondale House featuring several hills including ‘The Green Wave’ midway through the bigger two kilometer lap making it one of the hilliest cross-country courses in the country.

There was much success for Sli Cualann overall with several individual medals and team bronze for the Men’s Intermediate team. Glendalough AC could not contribute to this effort as we have no male members under 35!

Ladies race

Ladies Masters and Over-65 men

Donna Quinn, running her first national cross-country event, set off first with the Masters Ladies race over 4 km (two laps) and went on to have a strong run finishing 67th out of 206 and fifth of the 11 Sli Cualann ladies in action.

Men’s race

Sli Cualann Masters (O35-O65) men’s team

Our three male representatives raced in the men’s over-35 to 65 race over 7 km (three 2 km laps after a shorter 1 km warm-up lap). 258 set off in a regular stampede.

First Glendalough AC man was club coach René Borg representing Sli Cualann for the first time (having not run outside county level since his transfer from Crusaders AC in 2013) in 30:11. Angus and Anthony arrived within a minute with Angus in 30:28 and Anthony in 31:10. This was the case for much of the Sli Cualann team – Parnell’s Tony Collins arrived at the 30 minute mark with Jonathan O’Neill in 30:35 and MJ O’Neill in 30:41 making it six out of the total twenty Sli Cualann runners in the field within that 70 second time-span.

Angus’ run made him fourth scorer in the 2nd placed over-50ies team with Rene and Anthony 2nd and 3rd scorer for the Sli Cualann B team that finished 22nd out of 22 in the over-35s!!!

As the race contained three or more Glen AC runners, it will count in the Club Championship 2020.

RESULTS

Masters Women

  1. Teresa Doherty, Finn Valley 15:21

————–GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS (REPRESENTING SLI CUALANN)—————

67. Donna Quinn 18:16 (5th Sli Cualann runner)

full results

Masters Men

  1. Brian Maher, Kilkenny City Harriers 23:43

————–GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS (REPRESENTING SLI CUALANN)—————

157. René Borg 30:11 (13th Sli Cualann runner)

166. Angus Tyner 30:28 (14th Sli Cualann runner)

193. Anthony Breen 31:10 (17th Sli Cualann runner)

full results

REPORT: European Cross-country challenge and ‘To Hell with the Fairies’

by glendaloughac, posted in Cross-country running, Mountain running, Race reports

Despite the Dublin Marathon coming up and winter training in full swing for many, a few club runners still got a race in over the last two weekends – in this case our two Danes!

First up was Torben Dahl who finished 13th in ‘To Hell with the Fairies’ out of 101 runners over the testing half-marathon course with 650 m ascent.

This Sunday, Rene Borg ran the European Cross-Country Experience – a ‘relaxed’ cross-country races offering a glimpse at the European Championship course. He finished 28th out of the 496 participants.

To Hell with the Fairies (Dublin Mountain Half)

  1. Killian Mooney, DSD 1:38

———–GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————

13. Torben Dahl 1:56:15

full results

European Cross-Country Experience

  1. Stephen Butler, Raheny Shamrocks 14:02

—————GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS—————–

28. René Borg 16:42

full results

https://www.imra.ie/events/details/id/1743/

WICKLOW INTERMEDIATE XC 2019

by glendaloughac, posted in Cross-country running, Race reports

With the late withdrawals of Anthony Breen and René Borg our men’s team for the Wicklow Intermediate in Avondale was gone but it did not stop Richard Costelloe and Barry O’Neill from hitting the grass for a second time in a week.

The men’s race took place over a course consisting of 2 x 1 km and 2 x 3 km laps including the most infamous hill in Avondale which had to be surmounted twice. Conditions were perfect with a cool, clear and sunny day.

Richard made good progress late in the race and Barry O’Neill ran steady throughout to finish 12th and 15th respectively.

RESULTS

  1. Ian McGrath, Bray Runners 30:34

————GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS———–

12. Richard Costelloe 34:26

15. Barry O’Neill 35:47

REPORT: Wicklow Novice XC 2019

by glendaloughac, posted in Cross-country running, Race reports

After a one-year absence from Novice cross-country, we had a men’s team representing us last weekend for the county season opener in Roundwood. The men’s challenge was to run 6 x 1 km laps of a hilly field and combine the best four scorers in an attempt to win team medals.

Debutante Richard Costelloe had a storming run: going off boldly in the top half of the field and holding on for a fine 9th place. Behind him Barry O’Neill and René Borg packed for most of the race. Rene passed Barry on the 4th lap only to be repassed on the final half of the last lap. They finished 14th and 15th with 4 seconds between them. 

The last man is usually critical in cross-country and this proved the case again: Colm Kenna suffered a bit as the result of a too fast lap 1, but by toughing it out to the finish line he secured our silver medals. Had one of the two Bray Runners behind him not DNFed, we would likely have been consigned to the Bronze!

Kilcoole where run-away winners with 12 points (15 points clear of our crew) and the individual honours went to Inbhear Dee’s Robin Mooney.

This weekend another four-man team consisting of Anthony Breen, Barry O’Neill, Colm Kenna and René Borg will take on the Wicklow Intermediate in Avondale.

RESULTS

  1. Robin Mooney, Inbhear Dee 21:49

————–GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS———————-

9. Richard Costelloe 23:32

14. Barry O’Neill 24:37

15. René Borg 24:41

19. Colm Kenna 28:47

REPORT: Wicklow Masters Cross-country

by glendaloughac, posted in Cross-country running, Race reports

Having missed the previous three instalments of this years Wicklow cross-country championship, it was heartening to see a big squad of our runners out for today’s Wicklow Masters Cross-Country Championship held in pristine conditions in Shanganagh Park today and hosted by Bray Runners. Thanks in advance to our hosts for a marvellous event!

messy team photo
Most chaotic team photo ever!

A great Nollaig na mBan

Our women where up first and we sported our biggest team yet with 5 runners: two of our ‘regulars’ (Yvonne Brennan and Donna Quinn) with Catherine Devitt and Aoife Joyce making their come-backs after extended breaks and Rachel Wisdom returning to cross-country for the first time in many years.

Rachel went off in an early lead but Parnell’s Catherine O’Connor quickly asserted herself and dominated the majority of the race to finish first – 24 seconds ahead of Aisling Smith. Rachel battled midway for the last podium spot with another Parnell runner – Ann-Marie Kenny – but lost out by 21 seconds in the end. As a consolation she took the Gold Medal in the F35 category. Behind our Catherine Devitt set out in second but had been caught midway by Yvonne Brennan and Donna Quinn.

rachel in lead
Rachel Wisdom on the first lap 

The girls worked together and packed well and in the end Donna Quinn paced herself best to take 5th overall – Yvonne and Catherine followed in quick succession in 6th and 8th spot and then Aoife in 15th. Such tight packing was duly rewarded: our women took Gold in the team competition with 15 points – 7 ahead of second-placed Parnell and four individual medals – the Gold, Silver and Bronze in the F35 category (Rachel, Donna and Catherine respectively) and the Bronze medal in the F40 category for Yvonne. This was the 5th team medal in cross-country in our history so far but only the 2nd gold.

 

‘A’ means medals: awards for Angus and Anthony

Not to be completely outdone, our men also took home two individual medals: Angus Tyner had another excellent race – as is his habit – finishing 13th overall and taking the Bronze medal in the M50 category. Not far behind was a determined Anthony Breen in 20th who was rewarded for his efforts with the Bronze medal in the M45 category. Barry O’Neill and Rene Borg worked together for the mid-part of the race and finished 28th and 31st respectively with Johnny Conway (making his senior debut in the discipline) in 37th. Next in was another first-time cross-country runner – ultra-man Duncan Barrett in 47th followed by Colm Kenna and Keith Mulvey in 49th and 50th place. Winner of the men’s race were the hosts Ian McGrath.

anthonyjohnny.jpg
Anthony and Johnny at the start (photo: Andrew Hanney)

Overall, our men finished 5th out of 6 teams with 51 points – avoiding finishing last by a mere two points ahead of the Kilcoole B team – every place counts!

All in all, 1 team GOLD, 1 individual gold, 1 individual silver, and 4 individual bronze medals represented a fantastic haul for the teams which will hopefully encourage everyone ahead of the 2019-2020 cross-country season!

A special thanks for our hosts Bray Runners for putting on a smoothly run event on a superb course.

WOMEN’S RACE (4K)

  1. Catherine O’Connor, Parnell AC 15:35

————–GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS—————

4. Rachel Wisdom  16:39 , 1st F35, TEAM GOLD

5. Donna Quinn 17:03, 2nd F35, TEAM GOLD

6. Yvonne Brennan 17:07, 3rd F40, TEAM GOLD

8. Catherine Devitt 17:25 , 3rd F35, TEAM GOLD

15. Aoife Joyce 19:06, TEAM GOLD

 

MEN’S RACE (6K)

  1. Ian McGrath, Bray Runners 20:24

————–GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS—————

13. Angus Tyner 22:01, 3rd M50

20. Anthony Breen 22:51, 3rd M45

28. Barry O’Neill 23:30

31. René Borg 23:36

37. Johnny Conway 24:12 (XC debut)

47. Duncan Barrett 26:33 (XC debut)

49. Colm Kenna 26:55

50. Keith Mulvey 27:08

 

WOMEN’S TEAMS

  1. Glendalough AC 15 pts

 

MEN’S TEAM

  1. Kilcoole 10 pts

5. Glendalough AC 51 points