Life in the Fast Lane

5/4/2026

Enda Clarke

This week the report generally belongs to the middle distance and 5k runners. In particular, we had two athletes taking part in the European Masters Indoors in Torun in Poland, the same venue recently used for the World Indoor Championships.

Enda Clarke ran in the M40 1500m, and in the first round won his heat in a time of 4:43.64. In the final, the following day, he ran a much faster race, achieving a super PB time of 4:09.36 for 4th place overall. Congrats to him! Karl Fitzmaurice took on two events. In the M50 800m first round he placed 5th in a time of 2:18.24, but unfortunately did not get through to the final, whilst, although also not qualifying from the 1500m first round, he ran 4:42.79 for 8th place in his heat. Ireland had 140 athletes competing across all the age categories and events, and with 77 medals, finishing 7th in the table, out of 32 countries that came home with medals.

The other speedsters this week ran in the chilly and damp Streets of Kilkenny on Thursday evening, the 2nd event in this year's Peugeot Series. There were 927 finishers in the high-quality event, nearly 300 of them breaking 20 minutes. Emily Sheils led our contingent home in 97th place overall, 11th female finisher, in an excellent time of 17:28. Emily was followed by Annie Hughes (154th and 18th in a super 18:17), who was just ahead of Conor MacGuinness (155th in a PB time of 18:15). Gary Park was next (221st in 19:20), followed by Kilkenny native and resident, Maria Kennedy (433rd and 151st in 24:24).

On Friday evening, IMRA organised another Night Challenge, this time on Cruagh in the Dublin mountains, involving a race of 8.4k with a climb of 255m. We had 3 Crusaders join the field of 113, and Donatas Jocius won the race in a time of 39:52. Donatas was followed across the line by Gavan Doherty (35th in 51:40) and then by Clare Sullivan (41st and 6th in 53:08).

With it being Easter, many of our parkrunners were dispersed this weekend, several running in their home localities and quite spread out. We have results from at least 22 parkruns around Ireland on Saturday morning before Storm Dave arrived in the afternoon.

It was good to see Orla Drumm back in action down in Tramore Valley in County Cork, where, in a field of 244, she placed 3rd and first female finisher in 18:18. Michael Wycherley had to go all the way to Thetford in Norfolk to finish first in the parkrun there, leading home the field of 290 in a time of 18:20. Garret Dunne stayed closer to home, placing first in Tymon park ahead of a field of 110 participants in a time of 17:47, whilst, in his native Limerick, Rob Cross placed 2nd alongside 186 other runners in a time of 17:50. Rob was followed home by Fiona Bane (54th and 7th in 24:58). Meanwhile, Dave Carter ran in Russborough in a field of 136, where he placed 3rd in 19:54.

Poolbeg saw another large turnout from Crusaders, with the club stacking the top 10 places behind James Sherry, preparing for next week’s Paris marathon, who placed 3rd in the field of 238 in a time of 18:12, quite likely a PB. Stephen Hurley followed closely behind (4th in 18:17) and then he was followed by Kenan Furlong (5th in 18:39), Alby Allan (7th in 18:50), young Joe Murphy (8th in 18:56), Ashley Hayes, tapering for the Vienna marathon in 2 weeks’ time (9th in 19:09) and Gerard Moore (10th in 19:18).

Training for the Boston marathon in a couple of weeks, Conor Kilkenny was next (16th in 19:56) and he was followed by Darragh Jones (19th in 20:26), Zlatko Kulic (36th in 22:00), Kabir Sala (40th in 22:16), Josie Ward (53rd and 6th in 23:29), Sharon Woods (61st and 9th in 23:57) and Eamon MacFhionnlaoich who has been helping the club out overseeing the fit4life group in recent weeks (68th in 24:27).

Sophia Morgan was next (91st and 15th in 25:47) and she was followed by Anousheh Alamir (116th and 27th in 27:16) and Bo Chicoine (130th in 27:52), alongside Tanja Narancic (131st and 30th in 27:53). Kevin Lambe placed 135th in 28:08, and he was followed by Iseult Ni Chuinneagain (137th and 34th in 28:12), Una McCullagh (151st and 43rd in 29:12), Maureen McGinley (161st and 50th in 29:55) and Kevin Kenny (186th in 31:53).

Karl Walsh ran in Westport, where, in a field of 81, he placed 8th in 21:27, whilst, in Mungret down in Limerick, Luke Haran placed 14th in a field of 116, in a time of 22:02. Cathal Murphy joined 30 other runners in Fethard Town, where he took 12th spot in 27:28, whilst Cormac Fenton ran in Marlay Park, with its field of 460 participants, placing 19th in 20:39.

Over in Sligo, Ross Neill placed 9th in 20:57. He was joined in the field of 127 by Ellen Walsh who took 74th and 19th spots in 29:32. Meanwhile, Serena Moloney ran in the field of 121 in Templemore, where she placed 28th and 7th in 25:40. Aisling O’Riordan ran alongside 330 other runners in Tralee, where she placed 143rd and 48th in 30:23, whilst, on Midleton Greenway, Lorraine McMahon placed 90th and 26th in 28:31. The field there measured 177. Down on Inch Beach, Michael O’Shea joined 68 other runners, where he took 8th spot in 24:13, whilst, in Donabate, Brendan Glynn placed 38th in a field of 188 and in a time of 23:48.

Fiona and Lisa Shine ran once again on Wexford Racecourse where, in a field of 115, Fiona placed 99th and 43rd in 36:54 alongside Lisa who placed 100th and 44th in the same time. Meanwhile, in Shanganagh, with its field of 286, Dee Lawlor placed 137th in 27:07, followed by Máirín Shine and Orlaith de Burca, both tailwalking. Mairead Cashman ran 32:56 for 108th and 35th places in the 140-strong parkrun in New Ross, whilst, in Vandeleur, Martina White placed 57th and 24th in 29:45 in a field of 112. Fanny Trébouet joined a field of 54 in Tolka Valley, where she placed 32nd and 14th in 31:13, whilst Carina Davidson was our lone runner in Cabinteely with its field of 173. Carina placed 113th and 30th in 32:02. Finally, one of our Australian exiles, Kris Ryan, ran in Coomera, where she placed 35th and 9th in 26:51 in a field of 114.

Streets of Kilkenny 5k (927)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Sean Tobin 1 00:13:57
36 Michelle Finn 1 00:15:55
Crusaders AC runners
97 Emily Sheils 00:17:28 (11)
154 Annie Hughes 00:18:17 (18)
155 Conor MacGuinness 00:18:15 (PB)
221 Gary Park 00:19:20
433 Maria Kennedy 00:24:24 (151)
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/streets-of-kilkenny-5k-2026/
IMRA Night Challenge 2: Cruagh 8.4k (113)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Donatas Jocius 1 00:39:52
15 Gemma Kenny 1 00:48:18
Crusaders AC runners
1 Donatas Jocius 00:39:52
35 Gavan Doherty 00:51:40
41 Clare Sullivan 00:53:08 (6)
Full results here: https://www.imra.ie/events/results/id/2773/category/O/
Sligo Parkrun (127)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Edward Blacque 1 00:17:57
28 Sorcha Moran 1 00:23:44
Crusaders AC runners
9 Ross Neill 00:20:57
74 Ellen Walsh 00:29:32 (19)
Tymon Parkrun (110)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Garret Dunne 1 00:17:47
12 Emer Fitzpatrick 1 00:22:14
Crusaders AC runner
1 Garret Dunne 00:17:47
Marlay Parkrun (460)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Liam O’Flaherty 1 00:17:53
32 Rebecca Leane 1 00:21:58
Crusaders AC runner
19 Cormac Fenton 00:20:39
Fethard Town Parkrun (31)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Eoin O’Connell 1 00:20:45
6 Edith Rainsford 1 00:22:53
Crusaders AC runner
12 Cathal Murphy 00:27:28
Inch Beach Parkrun (69)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Steve O’Connell 1 00:21:15
10 Julia Semple 1 00:24:29
Crusaders AC runner
8 Michael O’Shea 00:24:13
Limerick Parkrun (187)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Dylan Storan 1 00:17:20
20 Greta Adomaviciute 1 00:21:50
Crusaders AC runners
2 Rob Cross 00:17:50
54 Fiona Bane 00:24:58 (7)
Shanganagh Parkrun (286)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Niall McCague 1 00:17:44
11 Liadh Fitzmaurice 1 00:19:46
Crusaders AC runners
137 Derek Lawlor 00:27:07
282 Máirín Shine 00:48:58
285 Orlaith de Burca 00:56:14
Midleton Greenway Parkrun (177)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Darren McCann 1 00:17:58
9 Nollaigh O’Neill 1 00:20:33
Crusaders AC runner
90 Lorraine McMahon 00:28:31 (26)
Templemore Parkrun (121)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Damian Hogan 1 00:18:55
16 Charlotte Brennan 1 00:23:44
Crusaders AC runner
28 Serena Moloney 00:25:40 (7)
Tralee Parkrun (331)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Thomas Lyons 1 00:17:34
14 Ciara Tierney 1 00:22:02
Crusaders AC runner
143 Aisling O’Riordan 00:30:23 (48)
Poppintree Parkrun (179)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Tom Trousdale 1 00:17:33
22 Elizabeth Daly 1 00:22:33
Crusaders AC runner
72 Paul F. Kelly 00:28:17
Poolbeg Parkrun (238)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Matthew Atkins 1 00:17:16
14 Miranda Frizzelle 1 00:19:47
Crusaders AC runners
3 James Sherry 00:18:12 (PB)
4 Stephen Hurley 00:18:17
5 Kenan Furlong 00:18:39
7 Alby Allan 00:18:50
8 Joe Murphy 00:18:56
9 Ashley Hayes 00:19:09
10 Gerard Moore 00:19:18
16 Conor Kilkenny 00:19:56
19 Darragh Jones 00:20:26
36 Zlatko Kulic 00:22:00
40 Kabir Sala 00:22:16
53 Josie Ward 00:23:29 (6)
61 Sharon Woods 00:23:57 (9)
68 Eamon MacFhionnlaoich 00:24:27
91 Sophie Morgan 00:25:47 (15)
116 Anousheh Alamir 00:27:16 (27)
130 Bo Chicoine 00:27:52
131 Tanja Narancic 00:27:53 (30)
135 Kevin Lambe 00:28:08
137 Iseult Ni Chuinneagain 00:28:12 (34)
151 Una McCullagh 00:29:12 (43)
161 Maureen McGinley 00:29:55 (50)
186 Kevin Kenny 00:31:53
Vandeleur Parkrun (112)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Gerald Troy 1 00:18:46
8 Ava Comerford 1 00:21:10
Crusaders AC runner
57 Martina White 00:29:45 (24)
Cabinteely Parkrun (173)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Simon Donohoe 1 00:19:16
25 Jenny Forde 1 00:24:12
Crusaders AC runner
113 Carina Davidson 00:32:02 (30)
Tramore Valley, Cork Parkrun (244)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Christopher O’Reilly 1 00:16:47
3 Orla Drumm 1 00:18:18
Crusaders AC runner
3 Orla Drumm 00:18:18 (1)
Westport Parkrun (81)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Shane O’Malley 1 00:18:41
3 Fiona Bree 1 00:20:32
Crusaders AC runner
8 Karl Walsh 00:21:27
Wexford Racecourse Parkrun (115)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Cillian Larkin 1 00:18:20
20 Lisa Foley 1 00:25:10
Crusaders AC runner
99 Fiona Shine 00:36:54 (43)
100 Lisa Shine 00:36:54 (44)
Russborough Parkrun (136)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Peter O’Connell 1 00:18:54
10 Niamh Brophy 1 00:21:52
Crusaders AC runner
3 David Carter 00:19:54
New Ross Parkrun (140)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Daire Hasson 1 00:19:22
24 Sara Langford 1 00:23:59
Crusaders AC runner
108 Mairead Cashman 00:32:56 (35)
Donabate Parkrun (188)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Patrick Phillips 1 00:19:13
12 Geraldine McHale 1 00:21:28
Crusaders AC runner
38 Brendan Glynn 00:23:48
Mungret Parkrun (116)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Thomas Holmes 1 00:18:19
23 Mary MacNamara 1 00:23:34
Crusaders AC runner
14 Luke Haran 00:22:02
Tolka Valley Parkrun (54)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 James McCluskey-Lambert 1 00:21:21
6 Aleksandra Sobota 1 00:23:57
Crusaders AC runner
32 Fanny Trébouet 00:31:13 (14)