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| Linda Byrne is paced by Feidhlim Kelly |
Linda Byrne of DSD put the final touches to her marathon preparation when she won the Athlone Three-Quarter Marathon in a new record time of 1 hour 59 minutes 14 seconds.
After long lay off, Byrne cautiously resumed training last May and since then has stuck to the half marathon distance and longer. “I was doing well on the roads last year, but I overdid it and then had to take a long break. Plus I was trying to hold down a job. Now I’m training full-time and everything is going well,” says the 26-year old Dubliner.
Next race for her is the National Lottery Dublin Marathon where her aim is to run under 2 hours 37 minute and qualify for Olympics next year.
In Athlone, Byrne ran 40 minutes 19 seconds for her first quarter and around the same for the second. She then speeded up to run the final quarter – including a long incline – over a minute faster. Maintaining that pace would give her a marathon time of 2 hours 40 minutes.
Winning the race and smashing the course record with a time of 1 hour 45 minutes 59 seconds was Gary O’Hanlon of Clonliffe. O’Hanlon’s average of just over 35 minutes per quarter would give him a marathon time of 2 hours 20 minutes.
The veteran Noelie Kelly from Tullamore in second place ran a fast middle quarter and finished in 1:52.51. His aim for Dublin is 2 hours 37 minutes.
Second woman was Lorraine Manning of Raheny in only her third race since illness interrupted her training. Not surprisingly, she slowed down as the race progressed, but her overall time of 2:04.30 shows that she’s on target for around 2 hours 45 minutes in Dublin, where she runs as part of the “Marathon Mission”.
Behind the leaders came over 600 other runners, many of them also using the race as a final test before the marathon. Thanks to the detailed statistics on offer, they’ll all have a much better idea of what to expect on the big day.
Like all great ideas, the Athlone Three Quarter Marathon, organised by marathon runner Barry Minnock and Paul Mahon, is fundamentally simple. On Sunday, it proved how well it works.
Leona O’Reilly of Liffey Valley won the women’s title at the Dublin Novice Cross Country title in the Phoenix Park. Of a breakaway group of four, only MSB’s Emma Donlon a mountain runner taking part in her first cross-country race, attempted to stay with her. Aoife Rickard of host club Donore was third, while Sportsworld, led home by Ruth Kelly in fourth place, took the team title ahead of Liffey Valley.
In the men’s 6.7km race, Jayme Rossiter not only won the race comfortably, but led Clonliffe Harriers to team victory. Finishing second was Donore’s David Heffernan with Conor McGuinness of Clonliffe third. Donore finished second team.
With a nip in the air, the Business Houses Athletics Association will welcome members old an new to Saturday’s Teachers cross-country race around the grounds of Castleknock College. Others dates for the diary include November 19 when the Bank of Ireland beach 6km on Dollymount Strand takes place race and the Data Solutions Santa Dash in Marlay Park on Sunday December 11. Gone from the calendar is the NSRT SMART cross-country in the Ward, originally scheduled for November 26.
Since they opened their new synthetic track at Greenhills Road, Tallaght Athletics Club has been kept busy, but they are still finding the time to organise their first 5-mile road race next Sunday (10.30am). The course takes in a 2.5 mile loop around the area. Late entries will be taken on the morning.
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| Mark Pollock |
Although he lost his sight at the age of 22, Mark Pollack has led an extraordinary life. He competed for the Northern Irish rowing team at the Commonwealth Games and then carved out a career as one of Ireland’s best-known adventurers.
In July 2010, Mark accidentally fell from a second story window, leaving him completely paralysed from the waist down.
Mark is fighting back. He’s determined to live a full life – and maybe even to walk again, with the help of rehab and mobility specialists here and abroad.
To help him on his way, runners and walkers can “Run in the Dark for Mark” on Wednesday November 16. The runs, organised by Mark’s friends, will take place in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Belfast. Full details www.run4mark.org.
Martin Doody from Limerick ran the race of his life to win the Sports Supplies BHAA Cork to Cobh 15-mile road race. Doody’s time of 80 minutes 42 seconds, although well off the record, put him over four minutes clear of the veteran Cathal O’Connell. Angela McCann was first woman in 95:01.
A healthy crowd of 281 turned out for the Liz McDonnell 5km at Castletown, Celbridge, with local runners taking most of the prizes. First home was Conor Burke in 16 minutes 52 seconds, followed by Patrick Roche and Kevin Kelly. Sisters Sinead and Niamh O’Connor were the first two women.
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