Making it look easy – Super runs in the National 50k Championships

12/2/2023

Olwyn Dunne (with race director Anto Lee)

We are only 6 weeks into the year and already we’ve seen some super racing, the latest being the National 50k championships held for the 12th time in Donadea Forest in Co. Kildare on Saturday morning, with the participation of 7 Crusaders among the 216 who completed the full 10 laps of the competition.

We start, however, with a couple of results from last week that have just been brought to our attention. Matt Behan competed in an indoor meet in Ghent in Belgium last weekend where he enjoyed a season’s best time of 8.10 for the 60mH, whilst, on Wednesday, Hugo Magee was part of an U23 quartet who broke the U23 4x400m national record at the National Indoor Arena in Abbotstown.

Moving back to the 50k, the day was chilly at around 6 degrees, but, thankfully, there was only a gentle breeze from the southwest. Runners were well supported by a good number of club-mates who turned out to cheer them on, as well as managing the nutritional eats and drinks at the impressive refreshment stations around the finish line which had to be crossed 10 times. The 5k course itself was set out on the narrowish forest trails with a 15m climb in the middle of the loop. Given the nature of the challenge, it was inspiring to see how fresh all of our runners appeared each time they crossed the finish line. Past overall female champion club President Olwyn Dunne led our contingent home in an impressive 4:22:28 to place 77th overall (6th female finisher) and not only winning her F55 age category but also finishing ahead of every other female runner over the age of 50. Olwyn was followed by 2 runners embarking on an ultra-marathon for the first time. Having experienced a severe sinus headache the day before, Miriam produced a stellar performance on the day, finishing in 4:29:15 for 88th overall and 9th female finisher (4th F35), whilst Áine Crotty, training for the 63k Connemarathon ultra in April, treated the race as a training run, and, despite having only the day before emerged from her sickbed having suffered a bout of flu during the week, also ran out of her skin to finish in 4:37:09 for 108th and 14th places. 177 athletes completed the challenge in under 5 hours, including Karl Walsh (112th in 4:40:46) and Joe Dunne who paced the 5-hour finishers, crossing the line in 4:59:03. Joe’s metronomic running was so impressive that he and his charges passed through the gantry to start their 7th lap under a minute behind the winner, Clonliffe’s Tudor Moldovan, who won in a fabulous time of 2:59:04. Just outside 5 hours came Gerald Hoare (186th in 5:06:31) and Kevin Kenny (191st in 5:12:32). Well done to all! Completing an ultra-marathon is such a considerable achievement.

Another event involving national championships was the masters XC that took place down in the Gowran Demesne in Co. Kilkenny on Sunday. We had 3 runners in the event involving 204 athletes. Paul Cowhie finished the three-lap, slightly undulating but winding, 7k course in 25:35 for 73rd place overall, but, more importantly, the bronze medal in the M55 category. Paul was followed by Joe McDermott (105th overall and 26th M35 in 26:20) and by Eddie Nugent (149th overall and 23rd M45 in 27:39). Conditions were relatively mild at 10 degrees with a south-easterly breeze for the competition. Underfoot conditions would not have been too much of challenge, given how little rain we have experienced recently.

Elsewhere around the island over the weekend we had 3 athletes run in Gort in the south of Co. Galway. Joe Walsh and Alma Hanevy have run the Gorgeous Gort 5k before and would have been familiar with the course which provided a sharp 10m downhill incline over the first km, but which took it back for the finish. The field measured 123, with Joe taking 6th place in a super time of 17:00, followed by Henry Griffin (10th in 17:52) and by Alma (29th and 4th female finisher in 20:53.

Enda Clarke ran in the Mayo AC-organised Turlough 8k. Results are yet to be published, and, when they appear, the report will be updated. However, we can report that Enda ran 30:56 for the distance, likely to have given him a decent finishing position.

Further afield, Italo Giancaterina won another XC race over the weekend in Italy: the Campionato Regionale Cross Corto 3k. He ran 9:35 for the win. Then, in Spain, Esther Requena Ferri and Cristian Vilchez Ceballos ran in the Circuito Carreras urbanas Fuengirola. The road course measured just over 3k and Esther won the women's event in 11:12, whilst Cristian placed 3rd in the men's race in 10:17.

Another set of results yet to appear at initial publication is that of the latest IMRA race. Members should note that the results of last week’s mountain run, the Brockagh Burst 6k, have now been included in last week’s updated report. The results did not appear until quite late in the week because of a computer glitch. The latest race took place summiting Howth (involving a climb of 248m) and run over a distance of 7.5k on moderate terrain on a fully marked course (although one or two runners may have slightly gone astray). We had at least 5 Crusaders in the race, led home by Clare Sullivan in her 2nd mountain race. Clare placed 30th and 3rd in 40:17, closely followed by seasoned mountaineer, Donatas Jocius, in 31st (40:24). Next came Brian McGuckin (45th and 3rd M50 in 41:57), followed by Redmond Murphy (62nd in 45:12) and Gavan Doherty (134th in 57:46). The field measured 164 runners.

Crusaders took part in at least 18 parkruns over the weekend and, as usual, we had a few podium finishes.

Irene Gorman took first place in the women’s event in St. Anne’s. In a field of 517, Irene ran 20:27 for 28th place overall and she was followed by William Ralph (45th in 21:26). Further north, Kathryn Sweeney took advantage of a trip home to run in Omagh, where she placed 3rd overall and 1st female finisher in a field of 101 and in a time of 19:37. Toby Benham took 2nd place in Tramore Valley in Co. Cork in a time of 17:59. The field measured 197. Then, in Poolbeg, Stephen Hurley led a considerable contingent from the club home in a field of 178. Stephen placed 2nd in 17:18 and he was followed by Sam Carvill (7th in 18:36), Joanne Carey (24th and 3rd in 20:42), Dale Whelehan (31st in 21:19), Sophia Morgan (37th and 4th in 21:30), Josie Ward (53rd and 6th in 22:41), Franky Keane (64th in 23:21), Tara Murphy, in training for the Limerick marathon (87th and 18th in 25:05), Mark Swan, making a welcome return to competitive running (106th in 27:08), Maureen McGinley (131st and 40th in 30:09), Niamh Trihy (148th and 48th in 32:39), Kenan Furlong (149th in 32:40) and Mari Hansen (163rd and 57th in 37:03).

Several of our clubmates, on their way to support in Donadea, decided to take on the Royal Canal parkrun in Kilcock, with success. In a field of 121, Paula Bradshaw placed 17th and 2nd in 21:56, followed by Lisa Shine (29th and 5th in 24:17) and Máirín Shine (62nd and 22nd in 28:38). Elsewhere, Darina Scully took 2nd place (and 17th overall) in River Valley Park. Darina’s time was 23:59 and the field measured 126. Kate Murray did likewise in the 72-strong field in Longford. Kate placed 9th and 2nd in a time of 24:06.

Susanne English took 33rd and 5th places in a time of 26:27 in a field of 66 in Oldbridge, whilst David Carter placed 7th in Cabinteely, in a time of 20:12 and a field of 146, where the first overall finisher was the wonderfully named Alfie Devine-Wright. Aoife Cowhie ran in the 235-strong field in Malahide where she placed 68th and 9th in 24:15, whilst Ronan Moynihan took 10th place alongside 446 runners in Marlay Park where he ran 18:38 for the 5k distance. Hector Jimenez continues to run in Southwark, where this week, in a field of 418, he placed 298th in 29:37, whilst, in Ardgillan, Eoghan Corrigan placed 55th in a field of 113 and in a time of 28:57. Liam Lyster placed 13th in 28:33 in Strokestown with its field of 40, whilst Tim Hyland took 58th spot in 29:48 in a field involving 103 runners in Dundalk. Carina Davidson ran once again in Shanganagh. This week’s field measured 195 and Carina placed 81st and 22nd in 26:01, whilst, in Bushy Park, Mairead Cashman joined 194 other participants where she placed 138th and 48th in 31:15. Finally, there were 197 runners in Poppintree, among them Andy Deuser and Diarmuid Byrne. Andy placed 26th in 21:14, whilst Diarmuid placed 77th in 26:08.

Donadea 50k (National 50k Championships) (216)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Tudor Moldovan 1 02:59:04
11 Deidre Martin 1 03:35:11
Crusaders AC runners
77 Olwyn Dunne 04:22:28 (6)
88 Miriam Logan 04:29:15 (9)
108 Áine Crotty 04:37:09 (14)
112 Karl Walsh 04:40:46
177 Joe Dunne 04:59:03 (PACER)
186 Gerald Hoare 05:06:31
191 Kevin Kenny 05:12:32
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/donadea-50k-2023/
Gorgeous Gort 5k (123)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Rory Chesser 1 00:15:28
19 Grainne Kelly 1 00:19:22
Crusaders AC runners
6 Joe Walsh 00:17:00
10 Henry Griffin 00:17:52
29 Alma Hanevy 00:20:53 (4)
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/gorgeous-gort-5k-2023/
IMRA Howth Winter 7.5k (164)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Killian Mooney 1 00:37:58
18 Eimear O'Brien 1 00:39:19
Crusaders AC runners
30 Clare Sullivan 00:40:17 (3)
31 Donatas Jocius 00:40:24
45 Brian McGuckin 00:41:57
62 Redmond Murphy 00:45:12
134 Gavan Doherty 00:57:46
Full results here: https://www.imra.ie/events/results/id/2289/category/O/
National Masters 7k XC (204)
Overall place Name Guntime
1 Tim O’Donoghue 00:21:45
Crusaders AC runners
73 Paul Cowhie 00:25:35
105 Joe McDermott 00:26:20
149 Eddie Nugent 00:20:53
Full results here: https://myrunresults.com/events/123ie_national_inter__masters_xc_championships/4774/results
Dundalk Parkrun (103)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Ian McEntegart 1 00:19:50
24 Cliodhna Daly 1 00:24:02
Crusaders AC runner
58 Tim Hyland 00:29:48
Longford Parkrun (72)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Dermot Washington 1 00:19:45
7 Julie Taitt 1 00:23:00
Crusaders AC runner
9 Kate Murray 00:24:06 (2)
Omagh Parkrun (101)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Colly Harkin 1 00:17:45
3 Kathryn Sweeney 1 00:19:37
Crusaders AC runner
3 Kathryn Sweeney 00:19:37 (1)
Shanganagh Parkrun (195)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Brian Caulfield 1 00:17:21
19 Marie-Louise Maddison 1 00:21:18
Crusaders AC runner
81 Carina Davidson 00:26:01 (22)
Royal Canal, Kilcock Parkrun (121)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Alexander Wallace 1 00:18:32
8 Sandra Mason 1 00:20:32
Crusaders AC runners
17 Paula Bradshaw 00:21:56 (2)
29 Lisa Shine 00:24:17 (5)
62 Máirín Shine 00:28:38 (22)
Strokestown Parkrun (40)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Kieran-James Wallace 1 00:18:32
8 Sandra Mason 1 00:20:32
Crusaders AC runner
13 Liam Lyster 00:28:33
Ardgillan Parkrun (113)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Jamie Kavanagh Shiels 1 00:18:26
10 Deirdre Deegan 1 00:21:58
Crusaders AC runner
55 Eoghan Corrigan 00:28:57
Bushy Parkrun (195)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Robert Murphy 1 00:15:35
13 Bernadette Crowley 1 00:21:43
Crusaders AC runner
138 Mairead Cashman 00:31:15 (48)
River Valley Parkrun (126)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Clive Cleary 1 00:20:57
12 Elaine O’Connor 1 00:23:36
Crusaders AC runner
17 Darina Scully 00:23:59 (2)
Poolbeg Parkrun (178)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Andrew Humphries 1 00:16:58
20 Annie Hughes 1 00:20:15
Crusaders AC runners
2 Stephen Hurley 00:17:18
7 Sam Carvill 00:18:36
24 Joanne Carey 00:20:42 (2)
31 Dale Whelehan 00:21:19
37 Sophia Morgan 00:21:30 (4)
53 Josie Ward 00:22:41 (6)
64 Franky Keane 00:23:21
87 Tara Murphy 00:25:05 (18)
106 Mark Swan 00:27:08
131 Maureen McGinley 00:30:09 (40)
148 Niamh Trihy 00:32:39 (48)
149 Kenan Furlong 00:32:40
163 Mari Hansen 00:37:03 (57)
St. Anne’s Parkrun (517)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Dermot Coffey 1 00:17:51
28 Irene Gorman 1 00:20:27
Crusaders AC runners
28 Irene Gorman 00:20:27 (1)
45 William Ralph 00:21:26
Marlay Parkrun (447)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Mark Stitch 1 00:16:57
41 Ruth Wilson 1 00:20:55
Crusaders AC runner
10 Ronan Moynihan 00:18:38
Oldbridge Parkrun (66)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Jordi Romera 1 00:19:08
7 Anne O’Brien 1 00:21:51
Crusaders AC runner
33 Susanne English 00:26:27 (5)
Poppintree Parkrun (197)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Sean McGrath 1 00:16:40
19 Joyce O’Hare 1 00:20:56
Crusaders AC runners
26 Andy Deuser 00:21:14
77 Diarmuid Byrne 00:26:08
Tramore Valley, Cork Parkrun (197)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Patrick Geary 1 00:17:48
23 Jean Keyes 1 00:21:02
Crusaders AC runner
2 Toby Benham 00:17:59
Malahide Parkrun (235)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Matthew O’Shea 1 00:17:34
3 Aine Crimin 1 00:19:09
Crusaders AC runner
68 Aoife Cowhie 00:24:15 (9)
Cabinteely Parkrun (146)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Alfie Devine-Wright 1 00:17:56
10 Derval Devaney 1 00:21:36
Crusaders AC runner
7 David Carter 00:20:12