Beach, Road and Mountain Running – Something for Everyone - and Some Great Racing

20/5/2018

Jason Kehoe, Dave Carter, Warren Swords, Ilona McElroy, John McAuley, Frank Halligan, Kieran Little, Michael Wycherley, Catherine Thornton

A lot to report on this week! Among the races were two held on the beach in Sandymount, one on Tuesday by the BHAA and the other the following day in aid of the Yes campaign in the forthcoming referendum. We had participants in both.

In the BHAA ESB 5k, an event with a long history, we had a race winner in Niamh Corby who placed 31st overall in a field of 160, in a time of 20:45. The other runners from the club who took part were TJ Bourke, who took 22nd spot in 19:55, Phelim Murray (71st in 22:46), Joe Dunne, following up on his super run in Terenure the previous Sunday (74th in 23:03) coming in ahead of Olwyn Dunne (for the second time in two events, but not begrudged in the least!) (91st overall, 8th female finisher and 2nd in her age category) and Fiona Lane (148th overall and 5th in her age category).

On Wednesday, we saw a super return to competitive running from Karl Gohery, a runner who suffered a major leg injury in a road accident about 4.5 years ago. Karl has surprised everyone with the speed of his improvement since taking his initial first steps again recently and on Wednesday evening alongside more than 660 runners, he placed 68th in a time of 24:10. There was also a good run from Ali Onur Uyar who took 13th spot in 20:55.

Also on Wednesday, there was the weekly IMRA mountain race, this time around Scalp. It was a relatively short event by IMRA standards of 5.8km with a climb of 212m on moderate terrain with two different loops of forested land around Carrickgalligan. Once again, our F40 runner, Becky Quinn, took top honours, placing 27th overall in a field of nearly 200 runners. Warren Swords also ran well, taking 5th place in 24:10, followed by Brian McGuckin (33rd in 27:30), who found the race too short for his liking and in any event he was saving himself for the Wicklow Way Relay at the weekend. Next came Anthony O’Reilly (40th in 28:19), followed by Gary Park (54th in 29:06), who has developed a new taste for mountain running.

Over the weekend there were various events on offer. In Santry Demesne on Sunday, Tom Dunne ran in the 10K there, placing 28th in a field of 106 in a time of 44:15, whilst in the 56-strong 5k also on offer, Geraldine Clements, a runner coming back from a longish injury, took 2nd place in the women’s race (5th overall) in a time of 22:03.

Another runner on the comeback trail is Phillip Matthews and he ran in the perhaps misnamed Malahide 10K Fun Run given that it was won by Peter Somba. Phillip ran 47:41 to place 14th in a field of 56.

Kiera Roche distinguished herself with a 4th place finish (36th overall) in the 473-strong River Moy Half marathon over the weekend. Kiera's time was 1:31:18. Further afield, our London exile Maeve Curry reported that she ran a PB time of 1:44 in the hackney Half marathon.

The Streets of Dublin 5k took place on Sunday morning and we had at least 6 Crusaders (Joe O'Donoghue, Damien Fitzgibbon, Zlatko Kulic, Tim O'Donnell, Maria Kennedy and Miriam Logan) competing in this event. However, at this time, no results have been published (some glitch apparently), but when they are released, the report will be updated.

Just before they head home from their holiday, early on Sunday morning in Sydney, Australia, Joe Walsh and Alma Hanevy took on the Sydney half marathon. An early 06:45 start made for ideal conditions for running. However, the course was less kind with barely a flat section to be had and 450m of climbing and descending overall. Alma finished just outside the top 50 in 1:32:07, whilst Joe, surprisingly, ran a super PB time of 1:21:46.

On the track over the weekend Bob Lyne walked for Ireland in the European masters’ 30k race-walking championship in Alicante. He reports that had a wonderfully satisfying day. The 3-man Irish team, which also included Brian Ó Domhnaill and Sean McMullin, won the bronze medal. It was extremely challenging in the heat with many competitors retiring in the conditions. In addition 9 of 52 were disqualified. Latvia won, with Spain second and Ireland third. He certainly did not expect a European medal to arrive so early in his recent development as a racewalker. Many congratulations to him.

Another decent turnout of Crusaders was witnessed on Saturday morning in the parkruns, with just one podium placing. In St. Anne’s Darina Scully placed 3rd (79th overall) in a time of 22:47. Tim O’Donnell placed 41st in the same event in a time of 20:49, followed by Denis Murphy (275th in 28:52), Aoife Quinn (308th overall, 103rd woman, in 30:01) and Lorraine Fitzsimons (320th overall, 109th woman, in 30:25). Elsewhere, Tomas Dunne took 12th spot in 21:11 in Cabinteely, followed by Harp Bhambra (140th overall, 47th woman, in 40:02). Matt Cranley pushed his buggy into 4th place in Father Collins in a time of 20:13 and Fiona Bane ran 23:48 to place 4th woman, 29th overall, in Tramore. Brian Scanlan was again a lone representative in River valley, placing 7th in 21:10. In Fairview, Phelim Murray took 22nd spot in 23:29, followed by Sarah Lyons who came home in 39th place overall, 8th woman finisher, in 25:28, whilst the duo of Maria Pertl and Diarmuid Byrne ran Tolka Valley, Maria placing 27th overall (6th woman) in almost the same time as last week (27:08) on a different course, followed by Diarmuid who ran 27:09 to place 28th. As usual, Poolbeg saw a decent representation from the club. We had 7 runners, led home by Padraig Walsh (5th in 19:35), followed by Andrej Kujikis (7th in 19:44), Russell Murphy (19th in 22:20), Zalan Kovacs (28th in 23:10), Colm Foley (34th in 23:23), Ali May Hannigan (68th overall, 20th woman, in 25:30) and Donna Barry (81st overall, 26th woman, in 26:33). Finally, Aidan Hudner returned to Glasgow for his parkrun this week, placing 88th in a field of nearly 400 in a time of 22:28.

At last, we come to one of the highlights of the weekend, if not the year. The club fielded one official club team alongside two unofficial ones among the 35 teams to contend this year’s marvellous Wicklow Way Relay. For those unaware of the event, and surely there can’t be many by now, the race involves teams of up to 8 individuals which must include two women and two runners over 40, traversing the Wicklow Way from Kilmashogue Park just south of the official start of the route in Marlay Park to Shillelagh in Co. Wicklow, a distance in excess of 125km. Runners must stick to the prescribed route and every year there is drama. This year was no exception. Despite recces being carried out, it is still possible for any runner to go wrong on any of the legs. Indeed, even Olympian athletes can go wrong, as demonstrated by Caitriona Jennings who was lost for 5 minutes on her leg (the 3rd), but, which fortunately, did not prevent her team, which also included Olympian Linda Byrne on the last leg, from winning the competition. There were stories of runners even losing their way to the start of a leg for a handover and being over 20 minutes late and also we witnessed a runner from another club on leg 6 running a route which had been in use as a detour 2 years ago when logging was blocking the usual path and which he had run at that time, thinking nothing had changed. It had, and his team received a time penalty for having shortened the leg significantly. However, we were not immune either!

On a beautiful sunny day, at the end of leg one in temperatures around 13 degrees our B team (the hateful 8), led off by Brian Leonard, was lying in 15th place ahead of our first team in 20th. This was understandable as the official Crusaders team for the first leg was led off by Joe McDermott who has spent little or no time in the mountains and who was only drafted in at the last minute (with a recce two days before the race) as a result of injury to team captain John McAuley. Still, Joe was only 3 minutes back from Brian, so little had been lost. The first major changes to the teams’ fortunes came in the second leg. Hateful 8’s captain, Brian McGuckin, took 6 places to finish in 9th place, whilst Michael Wycherley for the official team amazingly overhauled 10 runners to finish in 10th overall. Ilona McElroy for the official team and Irene Gorman for the B team, held their places, whilst also placing, respectively, 2nd and 3rd fastest for the leg and this was repeated by Catherine Thornton for the A team and Caroline Crowley for the B team on the leg from Oldbridge to Glendalough. They came home, respectively in 7th and 8th fastest overall times (2nd and 3rd female finishers behind fellow Crusader Becky Quinn who was 3rd overall on the leg for another team). This was Caroline’s first mountain running outing and she gave it her all. Unfortunately, however, she was to provide one of the dramas of the day. After a fall enroute, she was suffering a bit from the effort as she handed over to Eddie Nugent for the 5th leg and needed a bit of attention for the cuts and bruises and for the effects of the effort which probably reflected the challenges of the climbs and the heat of the day. Temperatures began to soar throughout the day and runners needed to be well hydrated. Indeed by the end the temperature was pretty close to 20 degrees. Most of us are not used to this, particularly with all the steep ascending that marks the Wicklow Way. Anyway, everyone will be pleased to hear that Caroline had recovered fully by the end of the day.

Frank Halligan for the A team and Eddie Nugent for the B team were next to go, from Glendalough to Glenmalure and Frank was able to reel in 3 runners, with the 7th fastest time for the leg, bringing the team up to 7th place, whilst Eddie was able to keep the B team in 9th place. Warren Swords, who had belatedly because of John’s injury, stepped into run leg 6, with the 3rd fastest time for the leg, brought the A team even nearer to the podium by picking off another 3 runners, and by the end of the leg, they were only 3 minutes off 3rd place. Meanwhile, despite Pat Quill’s sterling effort, the B team had slipped back one place to 10th (still in line with our goal of a top 10 finish). It was on the seventh leg that the second drama of the day befell the Hateful 8. Whilst Kieran Little was able to push on and pick up yet another place on the longest leg of the day, a half marathon, and take the team into 3rd going into the last leg from just outside Tinahely to Shillelagh, Dominick Branigan, failed to realise that what he thought was a familiar landmark on the course wasn’t at all and added a 5k loop to the leg, effectively running the distance of a metric marathon. At least, Dominick had the fitness to run that distance! Thankfully, he managed to get back on route and was only missing for about 25 minutes. However, during that time the team lost 5 places and by the time Dominick handed over to James Cottle for the 8th leg, the team had slipped to 15th overall.

The 8th leg was uneventful for Dave Carter who brought the team home in a well-deserved 3rd place. Meanwhile, for the B team, James Cottle worked on recovering a couple of places. Despite being overtaken early on by a runner from Bros. Pearse, he stuck to his game plan and managed to overtake her as well as a runner from Tinahely, so that the team ended in 13th place overall. It was James’ birthday on the day and the oldest runner in the race received a super rendering from all competitors of “Happy Birthday” as he came across the finishing line.

Mention should be made of our third team in the event which was the only all-women’s team. Claudine Hughes, Kate Murray, Mairead Cashman, Anna Shine, Fiona Shine, Lisa Shine and Olwyn Dunne battled gamely, and after moving back and forth a couple of positions throughout the day finally came home in 35th place. Of note is the fact that Olwyn was a relatively late addition to the team and ran both leg 7 (the half marathon distance) and leg 8 (10k). It was a major contribution on her part, matched only by Torben Dahl, an ex-Crusader who now runs for Glendalough, who ran two legs, for two different teams. We should also mention that our other Crusaders ran well. Becky was noted above, but also Brendan Murphy was on the winning team and ran the 2nd fastest 6th leg, whilst Andrea Talpo was on the team that had the runner turn up 20 minutes late for his leg, so that Andrea’s sterling effort for a 9th place finish on leg one was in vain. Laura Flannelly placed 4th overall in time (3rd woman finisher) behind Ilona and Irene, whilst James Ryan, came home in 29th place in leg 7. Lastly, we cannot end the report without giving a great vote of thanks to the organisers, Crusaders Jason Kehoe (and Anne) and ex-Crusader and recent father again, Rene Borg. Another day in the annals of the Wicklow Way Relay that will live long in our memories. We’re all looking forward to next year’s event already!

BHAA ESB Beach 5K (160)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Conor Burke 1 00:17:10
31 Niamh Corby 1 00:20:45
Crusaders AC runners
22 TJ Bourke 00:19:55
31 Niamh Corby 00:20:45 (1)
71 Phelim Murray 00:22:46
74 Joe Dunne 00:23:03
91 Olwyn Dunne 00:23:52
148 Fiona Lane 00:31:15
Full results here: https://bhaa.ie/race/esb-5km-2018/
Malahide Fun Run 10K (56)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Peter Somba 1 00:34:41
11 Sigita Zonberga 1 00:43:14
Crusaders AC runner
14 Phillip Matthews 00:47:41
Full results here: http://www.myrunresults.com/events/malahide_fun_run__walk_in_aid_of_homeless/2692/results
IMRA Scalp race (197)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Brian Furey 1 00:23:03
27 Becky Quinn 1 00:26:38
Crusaders AC runners
5 Warren Swords 00:24:10
27 Becky Quinn 00:26:38 (1)
33 Brian McGuckin 00:27:30
40 Anthony O’Reilly 00:28:19
54 Gary Park 00:29:06
Full results here: https://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/1597
Together for Yes 5K (663)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Feidhlim McGowan 1 00:17:00
5 Zoe Quinn 1 00:19:36
Crusaders AC runners
13 Ali Onur Uyar 00:20:55
68 Karl Gohery 00:24:10
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/walk-jog-run-5km-together-for-yes-2018/#0_FB68D7
Run Dublin Run – Santry Demesne 10K (106)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Mike Darnell 1 00:30:36
5 Zoe Quinn 1 00:36:31
Crusaders AC runner
28 Tomas Dunne 00:44:15
Full results here: http://www.myrunresults.com/events/run_dublin_run__-_santry_demesne/2690/results
Run Dublin Run – Santry Demesne 10K (56)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Fergal Cassin 1 00:18:00
4 Deirdre O’Toole 1 00:21:51
Crusaders AC runner
5 Geraldine Clements 00:22:03 (2)
Full results here: http://www.myrunresults.com/events/run_dublin_run__-_santry_demesne/2690/results
River Moy Half marathon (473)
Overall place Name Cat. Place
1 Alan O'Shea 1 01:08:39
16 Heather Foley 1 01:25:49
Crusaders AC runner
36 Kiera Roche 01:31:18 (4)
Full results here: http://www.myrunresults.com/events/river_moy_half_marathon/2441/results
Streets of Dublin 5k ([761])
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Dan Tanui 1 00:14:50
25 Maria Jones 1 00:18:43
Crusaders AC runners
Full results here:
St. Anne’s Parkrun #233 (411)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 unknown 1 00:16:04
54 Ciara Sullivan 1 00:21:49
Crusaders AC runners
41 Tim O’Donnell 00:20:49
79 Darina Scully 00:22:47 (3)
275 Denis Murphy 00:28:52
308 Aoife Quinn 00:30:01 (103)
320 Lorraine Fitzsimons 00:30:25 (109)
Full results here: http://www.parkrun.ie/stannes/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=233
Cabinteely Parkrun #163 (148)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Colm Hegarty 1 00:18:35
24 Iryna Slynko 1 00:23:04
Crusaders AC runners
12 Tomas Dunne 00:21:11
140 Harp Bhambra 00:40:02 (47)
Full results here: http://www.parkrun.ie/cabinteely/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=163
Poolbeg Parkrun #38 (135)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Declan Robinson 1 00:18:22
4 Jessica Earp 1 00:19:09
Crusaders AC runners
5 Padraig Walsh 00:19:35
7 Andrej Kujikis 00:19:44
19 Russell Murphy 00:22:20
28 Zalan Kovacs 00:23:10
34 Colm Foley 00:23:23
68 Ali May Hannigan 00:25:30 (20)
81 Donna Barry 00:26:33 (26)
Full results here: http://www.parkrun.ie/poolbeg/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=38
Tolka Valley Parkrun #13 (63)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Mark O’Coonor 1 00:18:44
5 Emma Donlon 1 00:19:26
Crusaders AC runners
27 Maria Pertl 00:27:08 (6)
28 Diarmuid Byrne 00:27:09
Full results here: http://www.parkrun.ie/tolkavalley/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=13
Tramore Parkrun #122 (99)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Dermot Gorman 1 00:16:45
16 Muireann Duffin 1 00:21:51
Crusaders AC runner
29 Fiona Bane 00:23:48 (4)
Full results here: http://www.parkrun.ie/tramore/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=122
Fairview Parkrun #44 (103)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Eamonn Dunne 1 00:18:26
20 Aoife Mulroy 1 00:23:11
Crusaders AC runners
22 Phelim Murray 00:23:29
39 Sarah Lyons 00:25:28 (8)
Full results here: http://www.parkrun.ie/fairview/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=44
Father Collins Parkrun #139 (118)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Alan Foley 1 00:18:04
20 Aisling Conroy 1 00:23:40
Crusaders AC runner
4 Matt Cranley 00:20:13
Full results here: http://www.parkrun.ie/fathercollins/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=139
River Valley Parkrun #94 (92)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Thomas Frayne 1 00:18:55
11 Sigita Zonberga 1 00:21:55
Crusaders AC runner
7 Brian Scanlan 00:21:10
Full results here: http://www.parkrun.ie/rivervalley/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=94