Tag: IMRA

We have a lot of results to catch up on so starting from this weekend and working back:

GREAT IRELAND RUN 10K

Donna Quinn joined the Sli Cualann team for the National 10k Championship in the Phoenix Park and a firm aim to try and break the 40 minute barrier. In the end she fell narrowly short (40:24) but still recorded a PB (by one second!) and got some glitter home: 3rd in the F40 category and what looks like a Silver medal with the Sli Cualann ladies team (lead home by Parnell’s Sile O’Byrne in 4th overall and Catherine O’Connor.

Her time was also the fastest time run by a woman in Glendalough AC colours.

RESULT

1. Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrocks) 0:30:49

——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————-

158. Donna Quinn 0:40:24 (3rd F40, PB, Club Record, F40 PB)

results

MOURNE SEVEN SEVENS

John Conway was the only ‘survivor’ of 5 Glendalough AC runners who had originally intended to run the British Championship race in the Mournes (all absent due to injury or other commitments) and was sitting in the top-100 when he had to make a decision to pull out because as he said ‘fitness is fine but quads weren’t quite up for the downhill’. Focus remains on his big project: the Cape Wrath 400k stage race in 5 weeks!

The race was won by mountain running legend Finlay Wild from Lochaber AC.

results

TINAHELY

Three of our runners were in action at the inauguration of the fabulous Tinahely route – initially advertised as 7 km, it’s length was corrected to 13.5 km the week prior and then adjusted again to 14.6 km a few days before. Despite this, some runners couldn’t get enough and after the tough first climb was crested, the first chasing pack took a further detour – with 4 or 5 runners adding their day’s tally up to 19 and even 20.3k!

Thankfully, our trio were not thus tempted. Anthony began the long midway descent first only for Rene to overtake him early on the descent. Without anyone to follow, maximum attention had to be paid as this route – in true IMRA fashion – featured one piece of tape per junction. Rene started the second climb in 2^nd position (unbeknownst to him at the time) but had to concede ground as first Eoghan Hughes then Anthony and then Liam Vines ground their way past on the way to the top. Coming into the final stile, Anthony took a wrong turn down towards the short course allowing Rene to repass him and secure 4^th place – narrowly off a surprise podium but enough to get 1^st M40 and the highest IMRA finish for a GMAC runner since Torben finished 4^th at Oughaval Woods in 2019. Anthony – having realised his mistake – managed to recover to finish 11^th.

Barry O’Neill was out testing the system after a long period with sore knees and sat back a bit to still finishing in a solid 28^th spot out of the 57 runners there. This route will likely return – as it featured not only two tough climbs but lots of lovely single track dirt path and grassy trails.

results

QUEST GLENDALOUGH

The previous day (Saturday 2^nd April), Diarmuid Kavanagh had recovered enough from his knee injury to compete in the Quest alongside Eoin Kennedy (only 7 days out from his ultra debut in Maurice Mullins!) whereas John Conway had to DNS with some knee trouble.

Eoin finished 136^th out of 575 in the Sport category doing well in the first two runs (finishing 99^th, 126^th and 174^th in the three runs).  In the Expert category Diarmuid Kavanagh had to overcome two punctures on the bike sections to finish 63^rd out of 253 – not quite the day he had hoped for

Richard Kieran at Annagh Hill (photo: Mick Hanney)

ANNAGH HILL

Richard Kieran was our only runner at the sixth and final Winter League race at Annagh Hill – a course infamous for it’s tough and slippy descents and it did not disappoint this year. Richard finished 36^th out of the 105 runners – his best finish in the league and enough for 25^th overall. Richard was the only Glendalough AC runner to complete the minimum 4 to score. Torben completed 3 (enough for 53^rd spot). Rene Borg, Angus Tyner, Brian Lydon and colm Kenna each finished two (for 104^th, 107^th , 116^th and 137^th respectively) with the remaining club runners all completing only one of the six counters. In total 433 runners competed in the league.

WICKLOW WAY HALF

One week on and it was again time for the Wicklow Way Half – an out and back course from Lough Tay to Crone Wood. Richard was in action again and our first runner over the line followed by Sarah Foster who made a big step up in distance: prior to this race her longest race had been 13.5 km! She played it smart and finished well up in 122^nd out of the 196 competitors.

CASTLEBLANEY PARKRUN

Meanwhile on a visit home Donna got a controlled session in at the Castleblaney ParkRun which was enough for 3^rd overall and 1^st woman in a time of 21:05 (nearly two minutes off her PB from the end of 2021).