Between the perfect weather conditions, a record entry and a commanding victory for Joe Sweeney, the organisers of last Sunday’s Rathfarnham 5km had plenty to smile about.
Over 800 had entered the race and 721 finished – a record for this race, first held in 1998 when 523 finished. Many were repeat customers using the race either as a test of their fitness after the long summer months or as a fast leg-spinner on the roads before the slog of the cross-country season.
Upfront, Sweeney, who had placed second in 2010 behind Mark Fagan, was the clear favourite, and he pushed the pace from the start.
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| Paul Fleming, John Travers |
Behind him Sean Hehir of host club Rathfarnham WSAF, the rejuvenated Tommy Evans of Gowran and Donore’s John Travers were doing their best to keep in touch.
There was no catching the flying Dundrum South Dublin man however and he came home comfortably in 14 minutes 18 seconds – slightly slower than a year earlier.
Sean Hehir, who is preparing for the cross-country season and a spring marathon, was happy enough to finish second , with Evans in third place.
John Travers, third last year, had to be content with fifth this time after he was edged out by the veteran Shane Healy.
Healy, who made the 1500m semi-finals at the 1996 Olympics, has a new goal. At the age of 42, he wants to become the first man over 40 to run a sub-four minute mile outdoors. Eamonn Coghlan remains the only man over 40 to have achieved this feat indoors.
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| Aoife Culhane (Byrne) |
Making it a DSD double when she won the women’s race was the newly married Aoife Culhane, formerly Byrne. She finished in 16 minutes 54 seconds and was followed soon after by the Raheny quartet of Annette Kealy, who was also first over 40, Aoife Talty, Lorraine Manning and Orla O’Mahoney. For Manning it was only a second race after a summer spent battling injury.
Raheny also took the junior prizes, with Kevin Dooney tenth overall and Chloe Doran the first junior woman.
Finishing first over 50 was Liffey Valley’s Tom O’Connor. In the inaugural race 14 years ago, O’Connor finished fourth.
A great day and a great race. Here’s to the 15th edition!
Tullamore’s Liam Brady, Ryan McDermott of Dromore and Sean Tobin from Clonmel will lead the men’s race entry at the AB Travel Ballyfin Junior-Cross in Emo Court, Co.Laois on October 8.
Brady, 3rd in the first running of the event in 2009 and was second last year, has since won an U-19 All-Ireland cross-country title and the Celtic junior international. Tobin won the men’s race at the St Senan’s Open Cross Country last Sunday, while McDermott is national junior 5000m champion. Former winner and last year’s runner-up Mary Mulhare of North Laois leads the women’s entry. Cash prizes go to the top six in each race.
Entries are already coming in for next year’s 31st Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon on Monday May 7.
Last year, 20,000 people took part in the marathon, the marathon relay and associated events.
Entry fee is just £33 or £80 for relay teams at www.belfastcitymarathon.com
Long-distance junkies are spoiled for choice this weekend, between the long-established Cork to Cobh 15-mile, the second Athlone Three-Quarter Marathon and the scenic Causeway Coast Marathon and Half Marathon in Co Antrim.
In Athlone, pacemakers are on offer in four time categories, as well as split times for the quarter-marathon and half-marathon. Late entries at €49 are still available.
Joe McAllister of St Malachy’s led home 728 finishers at the Bangor 10km, finishing in 31 mins 23 seconds. Kerry Harty of Newcastle was eight overall and first woman, just one place ahead of Gladys Ganiel O’Neill form North Belfast Harriers.
Leevale’s Lizzie Lee beat Claire Gibbons McCarthy of St Finbarr’s to win the Cork Women’s Mini Marathon. In third place was Orla Drumm of UCC.
Former Olympian Noel Berkeley has been turning out regularly for BHAA races in the Cork area and last weekend, made a worthwhile trip to Connaught, where he won the Ballyhaunis. Anoterh ex-Olympian in action was Clonliffe’s Jerry Kiernan who finished third over 50 behind Domo Moran from Dunshaughlin and Mayo’s Billy Gallagher. Mary Gleeson of Mayo was first woman.
While others stuck to the roads, a total of 363 turned out for the gruelling Wicklow Adventure Race based in Powerscourt. Winner of the long 65km course after a run up the Sugarloaf, a bit of kayaking and lots of cycling was Padraig Marrey in 3 hours 9 minutes. Emma Donlon was first woman in 3 hours 40 minutes. Eanna Cunnane and Linda Haug won the shorter 35km race.
Verdict of all? Great fun, great atmosphere – and not as pressured as either road races or triathlons.
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