After a two-year fight with injury, Vinnie Mulvey made a welcome return to racing when the won the RTE 5-Mile road race.
The Raheny man, happy to have five weeks of solid training behind him, isn’t looking too far into the future.
“I’m taking it one day of time. My next race will be the BHAA race at Dunboyne in a few weeks time.”
Second was the veteran Paul Fleming with Bernard Roe third. For fourth place, Mark Ryan caught Paul O’Connell on the line. In sixth place and first for the host club RTE was Wayne Reid.
Of the masters, first home and first over 45 was Paul Cowhie in seventh place. Padraig Mac Criostal three places behind was first over 40, John Healy first over 50, Stan Woods first over 55 and John Todd first over 60.
Donna Mahon ran a smart race to finish first woman in 29 minutes 29 seconds. UCD’s Laura Shaughnessy was second, with Catherine King third. In fourth place, Emilia Dan was first over 40, with Mary Watters first over 45, Sheelagh Jones running a personal best time for first over 50 and Joan Coyle first over 60.
In the middle of the came the great old soldiers including Tadhg Twomey, Sean Lambe and Brendan Earley. Keeping them company were a substantial number of women running a BHAA race for the first time and 25 members of Phoenix Park Runners aka Civil Service Harriers.
A popular winner of the “BHAA Person of the Year” was Maurice Timmons, the current BHAA president who epitomises the friendly ethos of the organisation.
Presenting the prizes was Sean Og O Ceallaghain, the doyen of Irish radio sport, who won himself a new legion of fans. In case anyone missed it, the profile of Sean Og, directed by RTE Athletic Club’s Niall Mathews, can still be seen on RTE’s excellent iPlayer.
Amy Foster of UU and UCC’s Clare Fitzgerald both sets records at the Irish Universities Track and Field Championships in Belfast. Foster won the 200m with a brilliant early season time of 23.95, while Fitzgerald was a clear winner of the shot with a best of 14.08. Fitzgerald also threw 45.03 to win the discus, while Foster took the 100m in 11.76.
DCU’s Chris Russell won the men’s 100m in 10.74, although the fastest time of the day at 10.62 was clocked by guest Steven Colvert in the heats. Russell also won the 200m in 21.38.
Darren McBrearty of DCU won the 800m in 1:52.23, with UL’s Niall Touhy a close second. UL’s Liam Reale was a surprise entry in the steeplechase winning in 9:08.71. Barry Pender of DCU won the high jump, beating teammate Kourosh Foroughi. For a fifth year, DCU and UL finished first and second overall.
Ailish Dunne, the stylish blind thrower from Mountmellick, fulfilled her great potential with a Paralympics A standard throw of 7.07 at the IWA Games. That puts Dunne in the frame for Ireland’s London 2012 Paralympics team.
With road running booming, a number of women’s only races have joined the established “mini marathons” in Limerick, Cork and, of course, Dublin. Next Sunday (11am), Mayo M3 Monavea Women’s 7km Mini Marathon starting at the St Abban’s AC clubhouse, in Monavea, Co Laois. A week later, Stormont in Belfast hosts the RunHer10k, with a special weekend deal in Belfast thrown in for anyone who wants to travel. Will anyone manage to run ALL the women’s mini marathons in the country? Now there’s a challenge!
* Also taking place next Sunday is round 2 of the Meet & Train Women’s League over three miles in Tallaght (11am).
Just ten days remain until the 27th Dublin 5-Mile Classic on Sunday May 15 (10.0) organised by Sportsworld AC in Dublin’s Terenure. Online entry at €15 (plus handling charge) is open at www.sportsworld-terenure.ie, along with a course map, elevation, past times and videos.
To judge from his busy weekend, Raheny’s Dave Brady, who will run his 200th marathon in Dublin next October, is well on target. On Friday, Brady ran a marathon distance leg in his club’s Malin to Mizen charity relay. He then returned to Dublin for the RTE 5-Mile on Saturday before heading to the Limerick Marathon on Sunday and joining, 21,000 others for the Belfast Marathon on Monday – his 181st marathon.
* Dick Hooper, running his first marathon in ten years as part of the Malin to Mizen charity run clocked a time of 2 hrs 46 mins on probably the most difficult leg from outside Kenmare to Bantry.
Belfast celebrated its 30th marathon in style when Kenya’s Jacob Chesire broke the 26-year old course record by almost a minute to win in 2:14.56. Three times winner John Mutai was second for a second year. It was a twelfth victory in 14 years for African athletes. Vera Ovcharuk, of Ukraine, a late entry, was first woman in 2:46.04.
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