Paths of Glory

Joe Walsh (in orange)

Just as the European Cross Country Championships in Portugal on Sunday morning weren’t exactly held on the sort of cross-country course we would generally expect here, the BHAA is now having to confront situations in parks managed by SDCC, where XC events are not being allowed to run on grass. A little extreme as a comparison, perhaps. However, for at least the third time this season the race organisers of what was intended to be an XC race on Saturday morning were forced to concede defeat. This time the latest event, in Kiltipper Park, south of Tallaght, was required to be conducted on footpaths.  

As a consequence perhaps of the event no longer being XC, the field for the mixed 6k race in South Dublin, which was sponsored by Revenue, was relatively small at 62. The compromise agreed with the council was that the event was conducted on an asphalt footpath around the boundary of the park, on an anti-clockwise route of 3 hilly laps of around 2000m.

Fresh from his run in the Valencia marathon last weekend, Joe Walsh placed 2nd in 22:35 and Joe was followed by Karl Fitzmaurice (6th in 23:12). Next came Tony Hackett (31st in 28:40), a bit ahead of Chris Bannon (40th in 30:23), with the contingent completed by Brendan Glynn (49th in 31:34).

Further afield over the weekend, one of our exiles in the UAE, John Cunnane, ran the Skechers Half marathon in Zabeel, which he completed in 1:43:38.  Then, on Sunday, Charles-Edouard Cattier ran in the Malaga marathon, recording a time of 3:17:28. Members may be interested to hear that Catherine Thornton, the GCH athlete who sometimes trains with us, ran in the half marathon there, which she finished in 85:08.

We had a few first finishers in Saturday’s parkruns. Mary Donnelly placed 24th overall and 1st female finisher in Bushy Park in a time of 23:40, just ahead of Aoife McCarthy (28th and 2nd in 23:58). In the field of 164, Kev Moore, Mary’s partner, placed 12th in 21:53. In the modest field of 25 in Mountbellew Forest, Áine Kenny took 3rd place (behind the overall first finisher with the interesting name of Bellew) in a time of 22:33. At least 26 Crusaders took part in Poolbeg in an overall field of 213.

Ciara Regan placed 11th and 1st in 19:45, behind Kenan Furlong (4th in 18:09) and Stephen Hurley (6th in 18:53). Simon Kenny was next (12th in 20:10), followed by Adrian Groarke (19th in 20:46), Ryan Preston (29th in 21:55), Jade Murphy (30th and 6th in 22:05), Ross Neill (37th in 22:44) and Dale Whelehan (40th in 22:46). The first of several runners who completed the Valencia marathon last weekend was next. John Lohan (41st in 22:52) and he was followed by Stephen Mulligan (42nd in 22:53), Emily Glen (43rd and 8th in 22:57), David Pepper (44th in 23:03) and Kevin Fitzgibbon (62nd in 24:00), also both Valencia survivors. Alongside Kevin came Conor Kilkenny (63rd in 24:00) and he was followed by Mark McGovern (64th in 24:05), Josie Ward (70th and 10th in 24:42), Alan Martin  (75th in 25:31), Sharon Woods (91st and 16th in 26:47), Franky Keane (94th in 27:09) and Tanja Narancic (96th and 19th in 27:17), alongside Louise O’Riordan (97th and 20th in 27:18). Tara Murphy, again another runner in Valencia, was next (109th and 25th in 27:53) and she was followed by Aisling O’Riordan (115th and 30th in 28:22), Una McCullagh (158th and 52nd in 30:44) and Cynthia Perucca (185th and 68th in 33:42). Members may be interested to read that Liz Maher, another GCH athlete who trains with us, placed 15th and 2nd in 20:36.

In Fairview, with its field of 146, Mikel Crisostomo placed 7th in 22:09, followed by Dee Ni Chearbhaill (14th and 2nd in 23:38), whilst, in Shanganagh, with its field of 222, Dee Lawlor took 6th spot in 18:52, followed by Alby Allan (12th in 20:18), John O’Donnell (20th in 21:36), Miriam Logan (27th and 4th in 22:06) and Orlaith de Burca (161st and 44th in 30:39).

Ronan Walsh and Claire Reidy joined 414 other runners in St. Anne’s where Ronan placed 12th in 19:13 and Claire finished in 53rd and 9th spots in 21:35, whilst, in Tolka Valley Park, with its field of 51, Laura O’Malley placed 26th and 14th in 25:30. Meanwhile, we had at least 5 athletes in Marlay Park. In a field of 462, Garret Dunne placed 148th in 25:42, followed just behind by Kevin Kenny (150th in 25:44), Kate Murray (174th and 38th in 26:21), Mairead Cashman (281st and 88th in 29:56) and Carina Davidson (436th and 191st in 41:14. In Poppintree, with its field of 181, Paul F. Kelly took 59th in 25:25, followed by Máirín Shine (125th and 30th in 31:54), whilst other members of the Shine family ran in the 131-strong field in Cabinteely. Fiona placed 59th and 18th in 29:46, followed by Lisa (99th and 38th in 35:28). Finally, one of our London exiles, Jeanie Watson, ran once again in Finsbury Park, where, in a field of 652, she placed 78th and 7th in 21:55.
 
Do please let us know if there were any races that have been missed or if you took part in any of the events listed in this report, but where for one reason or another, you have not been included. Finally, going back to the European XC Championships, members may be interested to hear that several elite athletes from other clubs, including Jack O'Leary who placed 5th in the senior men's race on Sunday morning, helping the team to take silver, and also including Mark English, have been seen recently training on our track, something unlikely before the track was replaced, a testament to how attractive our facilities are now.
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BHAA Revenue 6k (62)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Paul Cummins 1 00:22:27
5 Laura McDonnell 1 00:22:59
Crusaders AC runners
2 Joe Walsh 00:22:35
6 Karl Fitzmaurice 00:23:12
31 Anthony Hackett 00:28:40
40 Chris Bannon 00:30:23
49 Brendan Glynn 00:31:34
Full results here: https://members.bhaa.ie/results/race/540
Poolbeg Parkrun (213) 
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Richard Pearcy 1 00:17:06
11 Ciara Regan 1 00:19:45
Crusaders AC runners
4 Kenan Furlong 00:18:09
6 Stephen Hurley 00:18:53
11 Ciara Regan 00:19:45 (1)
12 Simon Kenny 00:20:10
19 Adrian Groarke 00:20:46
29 Ryan Preston 00:21:55
30 Jade Murphy 00:22:05 (6)
37 Ross Neill 00:22:44
40 Dale Whelehan 00:22:46
41 John Lohan 00:22:52
42 Stephen Mulligan 00:22:53
43 Emily Glen 00:22:57 (8)
44 David Pepper 00:23:03
62 Kevin Fitzgibbon 00:24:00
63 Conor Kilkenny 00:24:00
64 Mark McGovern 00:24:05
70 Josie Ward 00:24:32 (10)
75 Alan Martin 00:25:31
91 Sharon Woods 00:26:47 (16)
94 Franky Keane 00:27:09
96 Tanja Narancic 00:27:17 (19)
97 Louise O’Riordan 00:27:18 (20)
109 Tara Murphy 00:27:53 (25)
115 Aisling O’Riordan 00:28:22 (30)
158 Una McCullagh 00:30:44 (52)
147 Djinn Von Noorden 00:31:28 (51)
185 Cynthia Perucca 00:33:42 (68)
Marlay Parkrun (462)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Colm Fitzgerald 1 00:16:19
18 Sophie Hartley-Green 1 00:19:41
Crusaders AC runners
148 Garret Dunne 00:25:42
150 Kevin Kenny 00:25:44
174 Kate Murray 00:26:21 (38)
281 Mairead Cashman 00:29:56 (88)
436 Carina Davidson 00:41:14 (191)
Lough Key Parkrun (95)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Clive Glancy 1 00:16:56
14 Kate Murray 1 00:25:48
Crusaders AC runner
14 Kate Murray 00:25:48 (1)
Poppintree Parkrun (181)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Benard Kapkamak 1 00:17:36
22 Ava Fagan 1 00:21:10
Crusaders AC runners
59 Paul F. Kelly 00:25:25
125 Máirín Shine 00:31:54 (30)
Mountbellew Forest Parkrun (25)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Adrian Bellew 1 00:21:33
3 Áine Kenny 1 00:22:33
Crusaders AC runner
3 Áine Kenny 00:22:33
Cabinteely Parkrun (131)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Cameron Fallon 1 00:17:25
12 Heather L. Walden 1 00:23:39
Crusaders AC runners
59 Fiona Shine 00:29:46 (18)
99 Lisa Shine 00:35:28 (38)
Shanganagh Parkrun (222)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Ronan Byrne 1 00:17:22
13 Emily Kane 1 00:20:20
Crusaders AC runners
6 Derek Lawlor 00:18:52
12 Albert Allan 00:20:18
20 John O’Donnell 00:21:36
27 Miriam Logan 00:22:06 (4)
161 Orlaith de Burca 00:30:39 (44)
Bushy Parkrun (164)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Ted Burke 1 00:19:24
24 Mary Donnelly 1 00:23:40
Crusaders AC runners
12 Kev Moore 00:21:53
24 Mary Donnelly 00:23:40 (1)
28 Aoife McCarthy 00:23:58 (2)
Fairview Parkrun (146)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Edward Blacque 1 00:17:52
8 Rachel Pullan 1 00:22:43
Crusaders AC runners
7 Mikel Crisostomo 00:22:09
14 Deirdre Ni Chearbhaill 00:23:38 (2)
Tolka Valley Parkrun (51)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Paul Fleming 1 00:17:22
6 Sian Walkington 1 00:20:18
Crusaders AC runner
26 Laura O’Malley 00:25:30 (14)
St. Anne’s Parkrun (416)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
2 Joseph Kirwin 1 00:18:10
3 Beth Reamsbottom 1 00:18:12
Crusaders AC runners
12 Ronan Walsh 00:19:13
53 Claire Reidy 00:21:35 (9)

Karl Fitzmaurice (492)

Chris Bannon (511)

Brendan Glynn (561)

John Cunnane (79)