Since today’s column has been postponed until Saturday and some of you might like to know what’s on before then, here it is.
WHAT’S ON
Saturday – ROADS: Tesco Waterside Half Marathon and Relay, Gransha Grounds, Clooney Road, Derry, 10.30 (walkers 9.30). In aid of Foyle Hospice and Aware. Eu6,200 prize fund. Prizes 10 men, 6 women; masters O35-60; 3 teams, first relay team; 1st wheelchair. Entry Eu20 (Eu25 on day); relays teams Eu50 (Eu65 on day). Also 3k fun run, 10.45; entry Eu5. Goodie bags, medals all finishers. C: Maureen Allen 048-71347695; halfmarathon@derrycity.gov.uk; www.derrycity.gov.uk/halfmarathon. Kilmore AC 75th Anniversary 10k, Kilmore, Co Wexford, 5.30. Prize fund Eu1,500. Reg Kilmore GAA Club. C: info@kilmoreathletics.com. TRIATHLON: Half Ireman(1.9km/90km/21km) Groomsport, Co Down. C: www.ireman.org.
Sunday – ROADS: Rennicks Cup 4-mile, Bohermeen, Co Meath 2.0. Also children’s track races. C: Stephenball@iolfree.ie or 046-9027041. Mizuno Cork Half Marathon, Blarney, Co Cork, 11.0. Prizes sen, masters O35-70; wheelchair. Medallion all finishers. Draw for Mizuno shoes. Entry Eu25 on day; reg Blarney GAA club. C: John Buckley Sports 021-4508830; www.stfinbarrsac.com. Ballina 10k (Race 6 C&C Cellular Mayo Road Race League), 3.0. C: 086-3644073. Munster Express Caulfield’s Super Valu 10k, RSC, Kilbarry, 12.0. Entry Eu10; pre-entry only. Prizes 3 sen, masters, jun M&F; wheelcair. C: www.munster-express.ie. Clifden Lifeboat 10k, Clifden, Co Galway, 11.0. Walkers welcome. Prizes usual categories; also children’s races. Prizegiving Mannion’s bar. Entry Eu10. C: Laurence Ingelbach, 085-1764380 & 087-6271288 or clifden10k@gmail.com. ORIENTEERING: Fingal Scatter Series Rd 3, Ardgillen, near Skerries, 12.0. Entry Eu7; all welcome. C: www.orienteering.ie. TRIATHLON: Loughrea Sprint (750m/20km/5km). Also junior and women’s mini tryathlon events. www.predatortriclub.com
DUBLIN DOUBLE AT NATIONAL HALF
Caption: Pictured at the RSC track Waterford are the winning Senior Mens Woodies
National Half Marathon champions from West Waterford Athlete Club l-r
Liam Hennessey, president AAI, Raivis Zakis, 3rd individual, Mereks
Floroseks 5th and Sandis Bralitis 2nd individual
Despite a strong
representation from all over Ireland, Raheny’s Cillian O’Leary was a decisive winner of the Woodie’s DIY National Marathon hosted by Waterford AC.
O’Leary, along with Sandis Bralitis and Mareks Floroseks from West Waterford, made the early pace going through three miles in just over 15 minutes. With Floroseks dropping back, O’Leary and Bralitis pushed on, running together for the next five miles on this out and back course. At this stage the Dubliner made a decisive break and went on to win in 67 mins 22 secs, with Bralitis 41 seconds behind for second.
Running a well-judged race and rewarded with a personal best time of 68.51 was third placed Raivis Zakis, who helped ensure that West Waterford went home with the team medals after new man Floroseks held on to finish fifth behind Owen Gahon of St Senan’s in fourth.
A close sixth in 69.48 was Bernard Roe of Raheny. With veterans Eoin Brady and Mick Traynor 10th and eleventh, ably backed up by Brian Leahy 16th and Simon Reede 25th, Raheny finished second team. Letterkenny, led by the ageless Pauric McKinney, eighth overall and first of the masters, was third.
Despite racing for a second day, Maria McCambridge of DSD was a comfortable winner of the women’s title, clocking a time of 77 mins 12 secs to make it a Dublin double.
Over six minutes adrift was Sportsworld veteran Lucy Darcy, while third was Jackie Carty of Kilmore. In a fierce battle for fourth place, Donore’s Anne Curley came home ahead of Eagle’s Ann Marie Holland and Mary Gleeson of Mayo, and led her club to team gold.
First over 40 was Ann Carter of Athenry, with Mary Sweeney of St Finbarr’s first over 45. Among the super-veterans, Slaney’s Catherine O’Regan was first woman over 70, while husband Joe was first of the over 70 men.
In the younger men’s categories, Mick Byrne of Sli Cualann underlined his current good form with a winning time of 71 mins 35 secs. Stephen Griffin from Tralee was first over 50, while Pat O’Shea (Iveragh) and Martin McEvilly (GCH) added to their considerable collections of medals with victories in the over 55 and 60 classes.
In all, 430 finished a well organised race with the RSC proving the ideal headquarters.
MINNOCK, RYAN WIN RUN LIKE AN ANIMAL 10K
Barry Minnock of IBM ran a clever race to win the inaugural Pearl Izumi Run Like and Animal 10k, held around Firhouse, Dublin.
Minnock, who competes in Sunday’s World Mountain Running 
Trophy in Switzerland, let Army man Pat Byrne make the early pace before striking out on his own.
On a chilly morning, he competed the tough, two-lap course in 32 mins 7 secs time and was pleased enough with his time.
“It was outside my best but I didn’t want to push it with the World Trophy next weekend,” he said.
Byrne was second in 32.23, with Gearoid O’Connor (Fannin Health Care) third.
Winning the women’s race after a great battle with Annette Kealy was Rosemary Ryan, who had travelled from her Limerick base to run.
“I’d always prefer to run a race, where you’ll be pushed, than a time trial,” she said after clocking a time of 36 mins 4 secs. Just three seconds adrift was Kealy, who has been the queen of the roads all year and is now debating whether or not to run a marathon and take the risk of a last-minute injury.
Definitely running the Lifestyle adidas Dublin Marathon is Maria McCambridge, who jogged around the course and still finished third. After her victory in the national half marathon a day later, she now runs in Saturday’s new-look Tesco Waterside Marathon as part of her build-up.
In the master’s categories, the over 45 category proved the most competitive with Gerry Doyle (Construction) coming home first in 34.51, just 13 seconds clear of Dave Corcoran (NSRT). Owen McLoughlin (Teachers) was first over 40, with Martin Francis (G&T Crampton) first over 50 in another close run race. Second was Paddy Parrott (DG Motors).
Matt Cooley (DG Motors)beat Sean Lynch (Ordnance Survey) to win the over 55 prize, while first over 60 was Peter McDermott (DIT). Best of the grade A teams was the Engineering Group, with Dublin Motors best in grade B and RTE winning grade C.
In the women’s master classes, Rachel Moran was first over 35, just ahead of Orla Gormley (Aer Lingus) who was first over 40. Mary Watters (Watters Bus Hrie) won the over 45 prize, with Nuala Reilly (Fair Gate) first over 50. Dublin Hospitals proved best of the teams.
SIGN UP FOR RATHFARNHAM
Blow off the cobwebs at the annual Rathfarnham WSAF 5k, which takes place on Sunday October 5k in the south Dublin suburb. Because it is slightly downhill all the way, the race has traditionally produced fast times since it was first held in 1998. Current course records are held by two DSD members – Maria McCambridge ran 14 mins 44 secs in 2004, while Rob Connolly clocked a men’s best time of 13 mins 56 secs a year later. So if you want an early season PB, sign up now – further details at www.rathfarnhamwsaf.com. Entry is Eu15, with a free sports bag going to the first 500 to sign up.
RECORD NUMBERS EXPECTED ON WATERSIDE
Over a thousand men and women are expected to run out for Saturday’s 27th annual Waterside Half Marathon in Derry (10.30) which, thanks to new sponsor Tesco, has a prize fund of £5,000.
Categories range from under 20 to over 70 for men and women, while all finishers get ribboned medals, commemorative printed T-shirts and sports drinks. A generous £500 will go to the first man and woman, while the first wheelchair gets £200. A unique feature of the race is the “Spirit of the Race” special trophy. Relays teams of three are also invited to run, while for children there’s a 3km fun run.
Long-term beneficiary, Foyle Hospice, is joined this year by a new official charity – Aware Defeat Depression.
HERO’S WELCOME FOR HESSION
Paul Hession received a hero’s welcome when he returned to his native Athenry last weekend after his great campaign at the Olympics. Since narrowly failing to make the 200m final in Beijing, Hession has run two races, beating a number of finalists from the 200m in the process. Hession thanked his loyal supporters for their support, especially his early coaches Tom Page, Mary Kelly and Dermot McNamara and main commercial sponsors, Coffey Construction and Tom Hogan Motors.
ALPINE CHALLENGE FOR MOONEY AND TEAM
Scotland-based Edel Mooney looks the best chance of a top ten placing at Sundays World Mountain Running Trophy in the Swiss Alpine resort of Crans-Montana. Mooney may be better on up and down courses, but her years spent training in Scotland will stand to her. Leading the Irish men on a course which will suit road runners are the Rathfarnham WSAF pairing of Mark Ryan and Sean Hehir. With Barry Minnock, Hehir spent a fortnight training in the Alps in preparation for this race. Eoin Rowan (Nth Sligo) and Michelle Finn (Duhallow), both seasoned campaigners, lead the junior teams.
A major boost for the squad was the news that Mags Greenan (Clonliffe) had won the over 50 class at the World Masters Championships in the Czech Republic.
MASTER IRONMAN RYAN!
Irish Ironman triathlon record holder Alan Ryan from Skerries finished first over 40 at the Ironman UK in Sherbourne with a time of 9 hrs 45 mins 47 secs. Only last July, Ryan, a latecomer to the sport, broke the Irish record with a time of 9 hrs 17 mins 12 secs at the Roth Ironman in Germany.
Making her Ironman debut at Sherbourne was Clonliffe’s Aisling Coppinger, who finished eighth over 35 in 13 hrs 12 mins 25 secs. Coppinger, who only learned to swim earlier this year, climbed up the rankings with a time of 3:30.09 for the 42km run.
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