Great Runs

Andrea Rondina

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Publication of this week’s report has been slightly delayed in order to allow inclusion of the results of Monday’s running of the 128th Boston Marathon, in which we had 3 participants from the club (and they were joined by one of our exiles in Canada).

The sunny conditions were described as perfect for the race, although, in honesty, they might have been considered a little warm for those of us who have trained throughout the Irish winter, at 11 degrees Celsius, rising to 17-18 degrees over the course of the race. There was a light tailwind, however, for the point-to-point event, which would have helped to create fast times, as long as the runners did not overheat. The other challenge is the fast downhill first half which gives a false sense of security and which will have hammered the quads in places, followed by hills in the second half. It's not an easy marathon and certainly nowhere near a PB course even with a tailwind! 

Gerard White set off in the first wave along with Ian Kinsella, who now resides in Toronto and who amazingly underwent major heart surgery only six months ago. They were joined in the second wave by Paul Campbell and Conor Macguinness. With only a 2 minutes positive split, Gerard managed to cross the line in a super 2:59:15. He was followed by Conor who ran a creditable 3:09:02 and then by Paul who found the second half tough but still managed an excellent 3:37:50. Slightly further back came Ian with 3:38:38, amazing given the circumstances of his run.

On Saturday morning we had Crusaders participate in at least 3 events, with another running a marathon for charity on Irishtown track.

Over in Co. Mayo, Jeanie Watson competed in the Westport Half marathon, where, in a field of 1,170 finishers, she recorded a PB time of 1:36:32 for 129th overall and 13th female finisher places, whilst in the 10k, Annie Hughes also recorded a PB in completing the distance in 41:03. Annie placed 11th and 4th in a field of 1,228 finishers. Congrats to them.

Elsewhere, John Corish and Phil Sykes joined 166 other runners around the racecourse in Leopardstown for the Grocers Fun Run 10k. Phil ran 49:19, but his place appeared not to have registered, whilst John placed 56th in a time of 51:40.

Derek Boland had intended to run in the Ibiza marathon on Saturday, but illness in the family curtailed his plans, so, as he was running for charity, he decided to undertake the challenge on his own on the track in Irishtown, completing the distance in a highly creditable 3:19:36. That was a major achievement!

The Great Ireland [10k] Run took place in the Phoenix Park on Sunday morning. It used the same course as last year, but this year, was run properly, with the cones being moved to allow runners to cross the start line again after a couple of kilometres. So, this year, the race measured an accurate 10k, as opposed to the 8.5k (and the course run ibn reverse) last year. However, it was no longer the national 10k championships.

In windyish conditions (a southwesterly breeze), the course included a long downhill down the Upper Glen Road, but then a challenging climb on the bend from below the hospital up on to the Acres. Otherwise, the course was largely flat and, as a result, produced a few PBs, among them for Rachael Yorke and Rory Goldsmith.

There were at least 7 Crusaders in the large field in excess of 2,000 finishers. Our contingent was led home by Andrea Rondina (5th in 32:41) and followed by Paul Cowhie (15th overall and 1st M60 in 36:57) and Rory (20th in 37:17, a road PB). The three leading male Crusaders won the team competition involving 20 clubs. Congrats to them.

Further back came Rachael, in a PB time of 42:15 for 122nd and 10th places, followed by Will Holton (217th in a time of 44:10), with Phelim Murray further back, having started towards the back of the field (42:06 for 266th place). Tom Gleeson completed the contingent, running 47:23 for 413th spot.

On the same day, Luke Haran ran in the Michal Rejmer (Dooneen AC-organised) 10-miler down in his native Limerick, where, in a field of 214, he ran 74 minutes for 66th place. Further afield, Cristian Vilchez Ceballos and Esther Requena Ferri, two of our Spanish exiles and living in Malaga, ran in the Carrera Solidaria Mayoral 5k on the sea-front. On an out-and-back street course, Cristian ran the distance in 16:43 and Esther ran 19:01 for a place on the podium. Also, Daniel O’Mahony ran in the Reading Half marathon, pacing a friend, and finishing in a time of 1:57:46.

The parkruns on Saturday morning were well attended and we enjoyed a decent representation in them with a couple of first finishers as usual.

Preparing for next week’s London marathon, Kevin Fitzgibbon enjoyed a decent shakeout in Poolbeg where he led the field of 232 across the line in a time of 17:02. He was followed by Adrian Groarke (19th in 20:58), Kevin Lambe (25th in 21:38), Charles Cartledge, in training for next week’s Zurich marathon (27th in 22:00), Josie Ward (75th and 7th female finisher in 24:49), Franky Keane, just behind (76th in 24:50), Christina Campbell (90th and 17th in 26:07), Djinn Von Noorden, also getting ready for Zurich (108th and 27th in 27:13), Aisling O’Riordan (116th and 32nd in 27:31), Cynthia Perucca (180th and 72nd in 32:29), Niamh Trihy and Tara Murphy (196th and 79th and 197th and 80th in 35:33), Andrea Talpo (221st in 45:44) and Kevin Kenny, tailwalking. Members may be interested to know that Anna Gallo’s father, Marco, on a visit from Italy, placed 99th in 26:50.

Our other first finisher was Michael O’Conor, who ran in Brickfields, crossing the line first in a field of 104 and in a time of 18:17.  Podium places went to Ross Neill (2nd in a time of 17:08 in a field of 488 in Ormeau Park, Belfast) and Karl Walsh (2nd in a field of 134 in a time of 20:11 in Naas).  Toby Benham in Tramore Valley in a field of 239 and Maria Pertl in Tolka Valley with its field of 60, both tailwalked. Diarmuid Byrne also ran in Tolka Valley where he placed 16th and 30th in 25:59.

Emer Kenny took 22nd and 6th places in a time of 24:34 in Father Collins Park with its field of 114, whilst Darina Scully ran 29:02 for 32nd and 12th places in the 95-strong field in River Valley Park. Mairead Cashman ran her 250th parkrun in Illaunmanagh where, in a field of 79, she placed 34th and 7th in 29:21.

Paul F. and Aoife Kelly ran in Poppintree alongside 226 other runners, where Paul placed 32nd in 22:49 and Aoife came home in 73rd and 11th places in 27:18, whilst, in Marlay Park, Kate Murray took 151st and 28th spots in a field of 522 and in a time of 25:50. Meanwhile, Liam Lyster joined 31 other participants in Strokestown where he placed 13th in 31:16, whilst Eoghan Corrigan crossed the line in Kilcock in a time of 22:23 for 23rd place. The field there measured 189. In Fenit Greenway, Fiona Shine placed 43rd and 15th in 28:34, followed, in the field of 76, by Lisa Shine and Máirín Shine, tailwalking.
In St. Anne’s Raheny, with its field of 482, Cian Coughlan placed 96th in 24:23, followed by Áine Crotty (114th and 29th in 24:53), Cría Dowling (313th and 129th in 31:07) and Louise O’Riordan (314th and 130th in 31:08), whilst, in Shanganagh, with its field of 229, Aoife Clarke finished in 132nd and 36th places in 29:27, followed by Carina Davidson (212th and 86th in 39:41) and Orlaith de Burca, tailwalking.

Further afield, Aidan Hudner ran once again in Pollok in Glasgow where, in a field of 371, he placed 61st in 24:34, whilst Thom Martini placed 256th in 27:01 in a field of 626 in Gunnersbury Park in London, and Richard Morrissey placed 27th in 17:30 in the 778-strong field in Dulwich.
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Great Ireland Run 10k (2003)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Aaron Hanlon 1 00:31:10
36 Aisling O’Connor 1 00:38:16
Crusaders AC runners
5 Andrea Rondina 00:32:41
15 Paul Cowhie 00:36:57
20 Rory Goldsmith 00:37:17 (PB)
122 Rachael Yorke 00:42:15 (PB) (10)
217 Will Holton 00:44:10
266 Phelim Murray 00:42:06
413 Tom Gleeson 00:47:23
Full results here: https://www.myrunresults.com/events/biofreeze_great_ireland_run_2024/4979/results
Grocers Fun Run 10k (168)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Myles Gibbons 1 00:35:00
12 Siobhan Eviston 1 00:38:29
Crusaders AC runners
XX Phil Sykes 00:49:19
56 John Corish 00:51:40
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/grocers-fun-run-dublin-2024/#1_7336A4
Westport Half marathon (1170)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Hugh Armstrong 1 01:06:24
6 Elizabeth Griffiths 1 01:13:38
Crusaders AC runner
129 Jeanie Watson 01:36:32 (PB) (13)
Full results here: https://sportmaniacs.com/en/races/westport-marathon-24/661a8a44-fd50-4073-abfb-48c3ac1f0060/rankings
Westport 10k (1228)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 John Regan 1 00:34:14
3 Ellen Moran 1 00:34:59
Crusaders AC runner
11 Annie Hughes 00:41:03 (PB) (4)
Full results here: https://sportmaniacs.com/en/races/westport-marathon-24/661a8a47-92d8-40bc-87e0-4101ac1f1551/rankings
Michal Rejmer Dooneen 10-mile road race (214)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Peter Somba 1 00:52:40
26 Breda Gaffney 1 01:06:02
Crusaders AC runner
66 Luke Haran 01:14:00
Full results here: https://www.myrunresults.com/events/michal_rejmer_dooneen_10_mile_2024/5046/results
Illanmanaugh Parkrun (79)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Aidan Suleyman 1 00:17:25
16 Aoife Mullane 1 00:24:04
Crusaders AC runner
34 Mairead Cashman 00:29:21 (7)
Shanganagh Parkrun (229)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Drew Donoghoe 1 00:16:49
11 Emily Feighan 1 00:20:57
Crusaders AC runners
132 Aoife Clarke 00:29:27 (36)
212 Carina Davidson 00:39:41 (86)
228 Orlaith de Burca 00:52:56 (100)
Tolka Valley Parkrun (60)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Luke Townsend 1 00:17:48
11 Victoria Rooney 1 00:24:56
Crusaders AC runners
16 Diarmuid Byrne 00:25:59
59 Maria Pertl 00:49:52 (30)
Poolbeg Parkrun ()232
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Kevin Fitzgibbon 1 00:17:02
23 Ava Rose Clarke 1 00:21:29
Crusaders AC runners
1 Kevin Fitzgibbon 00:17:02
19 Adrian Groarke 00:20:58
25 Kevin Lambe 00:21:38
27 Charles Cartledge 00:22:00
75 Josie Ward 00:24:49 (7)
76 Franky Keane 00:24:50
90 Christina Campbell 00:26:07 (17)
108 Djinn Von Noorden 00:27:13 (27)
116 Aisling O’Riordan 00:27:31 (32)
180 Cynthia Perucca 00:32:29 (72)
196 Niamh Trihy 00:35:33 (79)
197 Tara Murphy 00:35:33 (80)
221 Andrea Talpo 00:45:44
231 Kevin Kenny 01:01:56
St. Anne’s Parkrun (482)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Caleb Long 1 00:18:05
2 Maria Ní Mhaolagain 1 00:18:19
Crusaders AC runners
96 Cian Coughlan 00:24:23
114 Áine Crotty 00:24:53 (29)
313 Cría Dowling 00:31:07 (129)
314 Louise O’Riordan 00:31:08 (130)
Naas Parkrun (134)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Steven Byrne 1 00:18:04
10 Aoibheann O’Brien 1 00:20:11
Crusaders AC runner
2 Karl Walsh 00:20:11
Marlay Parkrun (522)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Ethan Bramhill 1 00:17:37
6 Doireann Mullany 1 00:19:33
Crusaders AC runner
151 Kate Murray 00:25:50 (28)
Poppintree Parkrun (228)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Aaron Murray 1 00:17:46
25 Karen Slye 1 00:22:20
Crusaders AC runners
32 Paul F. Kelly 00:22:49
73 Aoife Kelly 00:27:18 (11)
Fenit Greenway Parkrun (76)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Garoid Pierse 1 00:18:32
3 Abby Stephenson 1 00:20:06
Crusaders AC runners
43 Fiona Shine 00:28:34 (15)
73 Lisa Shine 00:48:08 (38)
74 Máirín Shine 00:48:16 (39)
Father Collins Parkrun (114)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Anthony Brady 1 00:16:42
9 Andreea Bortas 1 00:22:35
Crusaders AC runner
22 Emer Kenny 00:24:34 (6)
River Valley Parkrun (95)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Declan McGrath 1 00:21:18
12 Imelda Kavanagh 1 00:24:19
Crusaders AC runner
32 Darina Scully 00:29:02 (12)
Brickfields Parkrun (104)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Michael O’Conor 1 00:18:17
12 Stephanie Bergin 1 00:22:12
Crusaders AC runner
1 Michael O’Conor 00:18:17
Strokestown Parkrun (32)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Barry Lohan 1 00:20:26
9 Katie Daly 1 00:28:42
Crusaders AC runner
13 Liam Lyster 00:31:16
Royal Canal, Kilcock Parkrun (189)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Alexander Wallace 1 00:16:48
8 Louise Reilly 1 00:19:31
Crusaders AC runner
23 Eoghan Corrigan 00:22:23
Ormeau Parkrun (488)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Neill Weir 1 00:17:04
24 Georgina Garland 1 00:20:40
Crusaders AC runner
2 Ross Neill 00:17:08
Tramore Valley Parkrun (239)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Alan O’Sullivan 1 00:18:10
12 Maeve Buckley 1 00:20:57
Crusaders AC runner
237 Toby Benham 00:51:32 

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Phelim Murray (1525)

Rachael Yorke

Rory Goldsmith

Will Holton

Annie Hughes

Phil Sykes

Conor Macguinness