A Firm Resolution

Catherine Thornton

What a super start to the year with a few good races on which to report and looking ahead to the Raheny 5 miler at the end of the month in which we expect to have around 115 Crusaders take part, despite the worries that we might find participant numbers being constrained in the short term because of the sudden surge in Covid numbers. Let’s just hope that everyone gets the opportunity to run in the iconic race as well as those BHAA races that might also take place this month.

We start, however, with those events that took place at the end of 2021. Down in Cork, we saw two of those recent competitors in the European XC Championships dominate also on the roads. In the Grange Fermoy AC New Year’s Eve 10k, with a field of nearly 300 competitors, we saw Ryan Creech win overall in 29:54, along with the ubiquitous and currently indefatigable Michelle Finn winning the women’s race in 34:35, placing 11th overall. On a totally flat out-and-back course (with a 5k loop in the middle), Damien O’Brien, home for the holidays from Chicago where he works, ran 39:55 for 43rd place. Members may also be interested to learn that ex-Crusader, Shane Collins, ran 32:25 for 6th place.

Kathryn Gibbons also ran in a race in Donegal (her second of the Christmas period). This was the Milford AC 3k handicap in which, although she was officially awarded 88th place with a time of 14 minutes, there was some confusion with the administration as Kathryn actually recorded a time of 12:01 which would have placed her 27th. Further afield, our Argentinian exile, Laura Castro, is going great guns. She reported that she has recently won a series of 6 trail races held in Corrientes, Argentina, the last being a half marathon during the Christmas period and Laura was accordingly crowned provincial champion.

So, we now come on to 2022, which has got off to a great start. The highlight of New Year’s Day was the performance of 3 of our athletes in the Resolution Run, a flat 5k single loop race held in Galway City and Salthill. The runners experienced blustery conditions in which they had to face a strong southerly headwind from the end of the first kilometre through to the middle of the third and, as everyone knows, even though a headwind can become a tailwind, which was the case for the first and last kilometres, the benefit of the wind behind you is significantly less than the challenge of the same wind in your face. It is, therefore, surprising, but extremely encouraging, to see that Catherine Thornton was able to follow up last week’s 10k exploits in the Fields of Athenry 10K with a PB time of 17:51, knocking nearly 30 seconds off her official PB for the distance and taking a well-deserved second place in the women’s race (18th overall in a field of 262) despite being in no-man’s land for much of the race and finishing behind the eventual winner Kathryn Casserly by only 7 seconds (with Kathryn's brother, Stephen, separating the two leading women) and nearly a minute ahead of third place. Henry Griffin also ran well, to place 26th in 18:31, as did Aine Kenny who placed 45th overall and 8th female finisher in a terrifically strong age category. Aine ran 20:01 and is consistently knocking on the door of a sub-20 mins finish.

Back to Dublin on New Year’s Day, a few of us headed out to the Phoenix Park in the morning to watch the Tom Brennan 5k, organised by Liffey Valley AC. There were 487 competitors taking part on a two-lap course which started and finished on the Furze Road. The route took runners in a clockwise direction along the Furze Road and round onto the Ordnance Survey Road and then down Chesterfield Avenue from the Castleknock roundabout. We only had three clubmates in the race which saw a dominant display from the winner, Daniel Stone of Raheny ahead of his clubmate Kieran Kelly. Daniel ran an excellent 14:48 (with Kieran running 14:52), which in the windy conditions of the day, was an admirable result. The women’s race was exciting to watch. Although Laura Mooney of Tullamore was a strong and worthy winner in 16:45, ahead of Celine Gavin of DCH in 16:51, there was a super tussle for the last place on the podium, with the spot being contested by 8 athletes who finished within a period of 25 seconds. First across the line for the club was Eoghan Kerins who ran 18:59 for 93rd place. He was followed by Enda Currid who arrived extremely late for the start, but managed to run 22:00 for the race (his official time being 36:09!). Lorraine Fitzsimons enjoyed being paced by her sister Mary in running 30:37 for 322nd overall and 135th female finisher. Lorraine also took 4th place in her F60 category.

Those parkruns that took place on New Year’s Day appeared to be relatively well-attended. We had some standout runs, which included that of Kieran Little who took first place in Cabinteely with a time of 16:27. He was followed home in the 90-strong field by Fiona Shine who took 2nd place in the women’s event in 22:55 (14th overall). Further back came Stephen Mulligan (43rd in 27:44) and Mairin Shine (63rd and 22nd in 31:55). Also running well on the day were Conor Greenan and Lean Ni Chiobhain. Conor led home the field of 67 in River Valley Park in a time of 18:27, followed by Lean who placed 5th and 2nd in 20:26. Meanwhile, in Tymon Park, Garret Dunne took 2nd place in 18:46 in a field of 64 participants. Further afield, in Seaford Beach on England’s south coast, Sarah Lyons and Phelim Murray joined 220 other runners, where Sarah placed 11th and 2nd in 20:23, whilst Phelim crossed the line in 14th place in a time of 21:26. Second place finishes also were recorded by Brian McGuckin in Brickfields (20:45 in a field of 31) and by Frank Hague in Porterstown (18:15 in a field of 77). Kevin Flynn also ran there where he placed 58th in 34:05. Similarly, Peter O’Toole placed runner up in St. Anne’s Park in Raheny. Peter ran 17:45, ahead of Paul F. Kelly (47th in 21:53), Eugene O’Neill (54th in 22:15) and Aoife Kelly (127th and 30th in 26:34). The field measured 254 participants. In Marlay Park Ronan Moynihan came home in 4th place in a time of 18:45 and a field of 251, whilst Phil Sykes placed 51st in 23:14. Also a 4th placer was Tomas Mahony down in Waterford in Pobalscoil Na Trionoide where, in a field of 54, he ran 21:17. Poolbeg enjoyed a smaller field this week of only 56, but the club still made up a decent percentage of the participants with at least 9 runners. They were led home in 3rd place by Kenan Furlong who ran 19:10 and he was followed by Michael Wycherley (4th in 20:24), Paul Campbell (9th in 21:23), Kieran Finucane (14th in 21:53), John Lohan (19th in 22:52), young Bobbie Bradshaw (34th in 26:56), Maureen McGinley (38th and 7th in 27:24) and Tara Murphy (46th and 12th in 28:24). It was also great to see Paula Bradshaw back in competitive action, where she ran 27:27 for 40th and 8th places.

​Luke Haran came home in 6th place in Mungret Park in his native Limerick. Luke’s time was 22:07 and the field measured 77. Then, in Strokestown, Liam Lyster ran wit 46 others, where he placed 13th in 28:40. Lisa Shine took on the parkrun on Wexford Racecourse where among 56 participants, she placed 23rd and 4th in 26:36, whilst, in Shanganagh, Orlaith de Burca placed 90th and 22nd in a field of 122 and a time of 30:08. Barry O’Neill ran in Glengariff down in Co. Cork, where, in a field of 85, he ran 24:11 for 16th place, whilst in Bushy Park, Mairead Cashman placed 46th and 11th in 29:32 in a field of 71. Away in Worthing on England’s south coast, not so far away from where Sarah and Phelim took part in a parkrun, Toby Benham ran in a field of 487 where he placed 11th in a time of 18:34. Finally, Darina Scully took on the role of tailwalker in Malahide on Saturday morning.

As usual, please let us know of any errors or omissions. Although there may be a few more races remaining to be run over the bank holiday, the next event that we are aware of coming up is the Co. Dublin Masters XC championships in St. Anne’s Raheny, which will be run on Sunday afternoon. Please do come out to support if you are not otherwise competing!
​
Grange Fermoy AC New Year’s Eve 10k (296)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Ryan Creech 1 00:29:54
11 Michelle Finn 1 00:34:35
Crusaders AC runner
43 Damien O’Brien 00:39:55
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/grange-fermoy-ac-new-years-eve-10km-road-race/
Tom Brennan New Year’ Day 5k (487)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Daniel Stone 1 00:14:48
27 Laura Mooney 1 00:16:45
Crusaders AC runners
93 Eoghan Kerins 00:18:59
322 Lorraine Fitzsimons 00:30:37 (138)
402 Enda Currid 00:22:00
Full results here: https://www.myrunresults.com/events/tom_brennan_new_year's_day_5k/4255/results
The Resolution Run 5k (262)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Sean Cotter 1 00:15:45
16 Kathryn Casserly 1 00:17:44
Crusaders AC runners
18 Catherine Thornton 00:17:51 (PB) (2)
26 Henry Griffin 00:18:31
45 Aine Kenny 00:20:01 (8)
Full results here: http://redtagtiming.com/results/ResolutionRun2022_5km.html
Malahide Parkrun (184)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Ciaran McCarthy 1 00:16:42
5 Annette Kealy 1 00:18:44
Crusaders AC runner
183 Darina Scully 00:48:59
Bushy Parkrun (71)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 David Craven 1 00:19:05
13 Sinead Staunton 1 00:22:29
Crusaders AC runner
46 Mairead Cashman 00:29:32 (11)
Porterstown Parkrun (77)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Thomas Sherlock 1 00:17:51
4 Ellen McLoughlin 1 00:19:36
Crusaders AC runners
2 Frank Hague 00:18:15
58 Kevin Flynn 00:34:05
Pobalscoil na Trionoide Parkrun (54)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Seamus McSweeney 1 00:18:38
10 Eadaoin Coleman 1 00:22:38
Crusaders AC runner
4 Tomas Mahony 00:21:17
Marlay Parkrun (251
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Ruben Bartelink 1 00:17:37
16 Laura Ryan 1 00:20:28
Crusaders AC runners
4 Ronan Moynihan 00:18:45
51 Phil Sykes 00:23:14
St. Anne’s Parkrun (254)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Cormac Brennan 1 00:17:22
19 Orla Manley 1 00:19:49
Crusaders AC runners
2 Peter O’Toole 00:17:45
47 Paul F. Kelly 00:21:53
54 Eugene O’Neill 00:22:15
127 Aoife Kelly 00:26:34 (30)
Tymon Parkrun (64)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Marcus Sheridan 1 00:18:34
16 Louise English 1 00:23:32
Crusaders AC runner
2 Garret Dunne 00:18:46
Cabinteely Parkrun (90)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Kieran Little 1 00:16:27
4 Malika Hammani 1 00:21:19
Crusaders AC runners
1 Kieran Little 00:126:27
14 Fiona Shine 00:22:55 (2)
43 Stephen Mulligan 00:27:44
63 Mairin Shine 00:31:55 (22)
Poolbeg Parkrun (56)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Damian Bourke 1 00:18:13
5 Ava Rose Clarke 1 00:20:40
Crusaders AC runners
3 Kenan Furlong 00:19:10
4 Michael Wycherley 00:20:24
9 Paul Campbell 00:21:23
14 Kieran Finucane 00:21:53
19 John Lohan 00:22:52
34 Bobbie Bradshaw 00:26:56
38 Maureen McGinley 00:27:24 (7)
40 Paula Bradshaw 00:27:27 (8)
46 Tara Murphy 00:28:24 (12)
Strokestown Parkrun (47)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Brian Sexton 1 00:18:20
3 Cliodhna Daly 1 00:22:10
Crusaders AC runner
13 Liam Lyster 00:28:40
Mungret Parkrun (77)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Tom Clancy 1 00:20:33
10 Sheila Clavin 1 00:22:38
Crusaders AC runner
6 Luke Haran 00:22:07
River Valley Parkrun (67)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Conor Greenan 1 00:18:27
4 Yvonne Sweeney 1 00:20:24
Crusaders AC runners
1 Conor Greenan 00:18:27
5 Lean Ni Chiobhain 00:20:26 (2)
Wexford Racecourse Parkrun (56)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Justin Dutton 1 00:19:18
11 Kate Kenny 1 00:23:15
Crusaders AC runner
23 Lisa Shine 00:26:36 (4)
Shanganagh Parkrun (122)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Michael Collins 1 00:17:01
16 Sarah Kinsella 1 00:20:08
Crusaders AC runner
90 Orlaith de Burca 00:30:08 (22)
Glengariff Parkrun (85)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Hannah Steeds 1 00:19:14
2 Ciaran O’Sullivan 1 00:19:53
Crusaders AC runner
16 Barry O’Neill 00:24:11
Brickfields Parkrun (31)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Peter Fenyvesi 1 00:19:52
11 Susan Gannon 1 00:26:34
Crusaders AC runner
2 Brian McGuckin 00:20:45

Aine Kenny

Catherine Thornton

Aine Kenny

Damien O'Brien

Laura Castro