Purple Patch for 10k running

2/6/2025

Back row L-R: Aoife Matthews, Tanja Narancic, Máirín Shine, Joanne Carey, Lorraine McMahon, Carina Davidson. Front row L-R: Emer Kenny, Lisa Shine, Olwyn Dunne

What a super day it was, supporting the Women’s Mini Marathon 10k, its 43rd edition (and we met at least one runner who’d completed at least 41 of them)! The sun was shining. It wasn’t too hot, at least for the early finishers among the nearly 24,000 participants. There was a bit of a strong wind, particularly on the return from around UCD to the top of Nutley where it became a headwind for a while until the turn down to the Merrion Road with only 4k to go.

The spot at 4k and 6k on the N11 was a great place to be, seeing the runners twice and being treated to a brilliant choice of music to run to! By all accounts there were Crusaders out in numbers along the entire route to provide support to the contingent of at least 35 of our clubmates who took part. 8 of the group performed as pacers. They were Joanne Carey, Tanja Narancic, Aoife Matthews, Emer Kenny, Lisa Shine, Carina Davidson, Máirín Shine and Lorraine McMahon, and all did a splendid job (particularly managing the enormous balloons they had to run with).

Our first runner across the line was Saoirse McGrath (17th in a likely PB of 39:17), behind race winner Kilkenny’s Grace Richardson (34:17) who not so long ago placed second in our Docklands 5k. Saoirse had run in a small group of about 5 runners for most of the race which also included Irene Gorman and Aoife Quigley, and Irene finished immediately behind her in 18th place in 39:18. Aoife was a little further back in 39:32 for 21st place and the notable achievement of finishing as 1st F40 in her age category. Jennifer Dobbyn ran well for 41st spot (41:54) and she was followed by Nina Holmes (51st in 42:18), Ciara Lynch (78th in 43:37) and Emily Quinlan (84th in 43:49) among the runners in the top 100.

Jennifer’s sister, Louise Dobbyn, was next (114th in 44:45) and Louise was followed by Tara Gavin (117th in 44:47) and then by Jade Murphy (136th in 45:22) who was running with the 45 minutes pacers for a good while. Next came Dee Ni Chearbhaill (157th in 45:51), followed by Claire Reidy (169th in 46:07), Olwyn Dunne (271st in 47:47), Joanne Carey (474th in 49:30), Tanja Narancic (507th in 49:41), Kelly Brown (803rd in 51:40) rounding out the top 1000 across the line.

Pauline Roger (1319th in 53:59) was next, followed by Aoife Cowhie (1486th in 54:31), Sarah Bradley (2149th in 56:28), Aoife Matthews (2771st in 57:53), Gabriela Segura (3309th in 59:00), Ciara Looby (4307th in 61:04), Helen Finucane (4379th in 61:14), Mairead Cashman (4724th in 61:52), Mari Hansen (4753rd in 61:54), Linda Walsh (6204th in 64:39), Michelle English (6814th in 65:49), Cynthia Perucca (6869th in 65:54), Emer Kenny (8609th in 70:10), Lisa Shine (8681st in 69:13), Marie-Claire Daly (10234th in 72:11), Ellen McHugh (10736th in 73:17), Carina Davidson (15239th in 86:14), Máirín Shine (15313th in 86:31) and Lorraine McMahon (16003rd in 89:03) completed the contingent.

Racing on the roads this week for the club actually began on Tuesday evening with the Star of the Sea AC Michelle McKiernan 5k in Stamullen, Navan, Co. Meath. The race had a field of 228, among the runners, ladies’ captain Kathryn Gibbons who enjoyed a sprint finish after encountering a few drags on the course to place 26th overall and 4th female finisher.

On the same evening, the BHAA held its annual visit to Dunboyne for the Irish Life 5-miler, on a generally flattish country course, finishing on the Dunboyne track. On a cool and damp evening, we had at least 8 runners in the 220-strong field. They were led home in 7th place by Ger Forde who also placed 1st M45 with his time of 27:20. Ger was followed by Michael O’Conor (12th in 28:02), who was followed further back by Sean Murphy (62nd in 32:22). Neil Brown was next (109th in 35:31) ahead of David O’Donnell (116th in 36:32), Robbie Moore (128th in 37:42), Tony Hackett (167th in 41:29) and Kelly Brown (169th and 36th in 41:34).

On Thursday evening, Seamus Moore joined 409 other runners in the Balbriggan Summerfest 5k, where he placed 89th in 24:23.

On Sunday, we had runners in each of the three events held under the umbrella of the Cork City Marathon. Conditions were described as windy, and showery on a hilly course.

The first event to take place was the 10k and we had at least three runners in that, Rebecca Fleming, Phelim Murray and Sarah Lyons. In a field of 3647, Rebecca placed 253rd and 46th in 44:54, followed by Sarah who placed 260th and 49th in 45:06, with Phelim a little further back (471st in 48:59).

We had at least 4 runners in the half marathon with a field exceeding 3800 finishers. John Fahy was the first Crusader across the line, placing 147th in 90:01, followed by Simon Everard with a likely PB (152nd in 90:26). Louise O’Riordan (635th and 124th in 1:44:26) was next, with the picture completed by Aitor Arribas Velasco (1397th in 1:55:49) with a last-minute entry into the race. Finally, in the marathon, Ronan Moynihan placed 559th in a field of 1945 finishers and in a time of 3:39:52, followed by Liam O’Brien (1018th in 4:00:05) who was pacing his son, Ben, in his first marathon.

Two Crusaders took part in the TriAthy triathlon on Sunday. Both took part in the Olympic distance with a run of around 10k. Isabelle completed the run in 45:12, with Maria further back in 55:11.

Further afield, one of our French exiles, Clément Rince, ran in the Foulée Royale 5k in Saint-Germain-en-Laye on the outskirts of Paris over the weekend, where he likely finished in the top four, finishing in a time of 16:27. Then perennial winner, Esther Requena Ferri, one of our exiles in Spain, won again in the Carrera la Mayora Algarrobo 8.5k, recording a time of 34:40 for the distance. Her partner, Cristian Vilchez Ceballos won the M35 age category in 32:49. On Sunday, one of our London exiles, Kate O’Malley ran in the Dorking 10 miler where on a hilly course she placed 7th female finisher in an excellent time of 65:13.

News from the mountains this weekend includes two IMRA races, but also is dominated by the efforts of Donatas Jocius who headed off to Nicolosi in Sicily to compete on behalf of his native Lithuania in the European Masters Mountain Championships. Donatas ran in three races over three consecutive days, the first being a classic up and down event conducted over 8.3k on Monte Gemmellaro and Monte Grosso. Donatas placed 35th in 44:08. The following day he ran in a vertical event, where he placed 64th on the 4km course in just over 56 minutes. Finally, he placed 21st overall and 5th M35 in the off-road championship, involving a climb of some 1800m on a course measuring over 28k. He completed the event in 3:18:56. Many congrats to him!

Meanwhile, last Wednesday, around Howth, IMRA organised its annual 9.5k loop (an out and back effectively) along the coast to the east of the peninsula. 146 runners contested the event, among them at least 6 Crusaders. Clare Sullivan placed 32nd and 2nd in 58:56 on the course with its climb of over 300m. Clare was followed by Caoimhe Dempsey (64th and 6th in 64:29), Gavan Doherty (68th in 66:25), Berndt Heim (126th in 82:04) just ahead of Charles Cartledge (127th in 82:05) and Djinn Von Noorden (128th and 30th in 82:06) in the first of two mountain races in which she competed this week.

The second event was held on Sunday morning and it was a mountain half marathon held in Co. Louth, the Cooley Half marathon, with a climb of nearly 800m on moderate terrain. Brian McGuckin led our small group home in the field of 92 in a time of 2:06:02 for 19th spot and 2nd in his M55 age category. Brian was followed by Kevin Kenny (89th in 3:19:45) and by Djinn (90th and 24th in the same time).

The weekend saw a good turnout of Crusader participants in Saturday morning’s parkruns. The majority of our runners ran in Cabinteely, celebrating Mairead Cashman’s 300th parkrun and also in Poolbeg, some 27 in all across the two parkruns.

Cabinteely also witnessed a first finish by Dee Lawlor, fresh from his epic runs in Transylvania. Dee headed the field of 192 in a time of 18:49 and he was followed in 11th spot by Kabir Sala (22:12) and then by David O’Donnell (14th in 23:05), Patricia Velasquez (37th and 6th in 25:14), Gavan Doherty (40th in 25:36), Kevin Kenny (41st in 25:46) and then by Olwyn Dunne (103rd and 32nd in 30:05), Fanny Trébouet (111th and 38th in 30:33), Niall O’Connell (117th in 31:08), Mairead herself (121st and 43rd in 31:35), Lorraine McMahon (130th and 48th in 32:02), Lisa Shine (149th and 59th in 34:53), Máirín Shine (150th and 60th in the same time) and Carina Davidson (175th and 79th in 44:37). Meanwhile, in Poolbeg, whilst we did not have any first finishers we did enjoy a couple of podium finishes. In the field of 221, Kenan Furlong placed 2nd in 17:37, followed by Stephen Hurley (9th in 19:47), Eddie Nugent (14th in 20:34), Ross Neill (30th in 22:51), Aoife McCarthy (32nd and 3rd in 22:59), Bo Chicoine (41st in 24:01), Josie Ward (44th and 5th in 24:06), Russell Murphy (63rd in 25:34), Tara Murphy (83rd and 18th in 26:51), Alan Martin (96th in 27:08), Cliodhna O’Reilly (102nd and 27th in 27:26), Tanja Narancic (114th and 34th in 27:56) and Ellen Walsh (154th and 56th in 30:06).

Michael O’Conor was first to cross the finish line in Falcarragh with its field of 80, Michael completing the 5k in 19:02, whilst Felipe De Sousa, with his time of 19:48, placed 2nd in Tolka Valley Park. In the field of 67 there, Maria Pertl also ran, placing 35th and 7th in 29:58. We had 3 runners in the 499-strong field in Marlay Park. They were led home by Charles-Édouard Cattier, recently returned from his Spanish exile, who placed 8th in 19:14 and he was followed by Kev Moore (21st in 20:19) and Mary Donnelly (44th and 4th in 21:43). Meanwhile, in his native Co. Cork, Tim O’Donnell joined 54 other runners in Clonakilty where he placed 6th in 21:04, whilst, on Inis Meáin, David Timoney ran in a similar-sized field of 56, where he placed 10th in 22:45.

Aisling O’Riordan ran on Fenit Greenway with 91 other participants, where she placed 40th and 13th in 27:14, whilst Martina White headed to Queens, Belfast, joining a field of 196, and taking 142nd and 42nd spots in 32:09. Back down in Cork, Aitor Arribas Velasco ran 26:05 for 73rd place in the 224-strong field in Tramore Valley, whilst in Glengariff, with a field of 107, Dale Whelehan took 16th place in 24:18.

Lieze Verberght ran in Fairview alongside 218 other runners, where she placed 149th and 29th in 31:03, whilst Chris Bannon took 33rd spot in the field of 174 in Dodder Valley Park. Once again, Colm Foley took on the Griffeen Parkrun, where, in a field of 262, he placed 52nd in 23:47, whilst Paul F. Kelly ran in Ardgillan, placing 19th in 24:54 in the field of 280. Orlaith de Burca was our lone runner in Shanganagh in a field of 280, where she placed 220th and 74th in 35:16, whilst, in Porterstown, Kevin Flynn ran 41:53 for 136th place in the 158-strong field there.

Finally, abroad, Kate O’Malley ran in Tooting Common with its field of 785, placing 297th and 84th in 27:25, whilst, in Perth, Scotland, John Reidy placed 36th in 22:01 in the field of 355 and in Centennial Park in Sydney, Deirdre Kennedy placed 294th in 29:16 in a field of 463.

BHAA Dunboyne 5-miler (220)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Sean Doran 1 00:25:16
36 Jane Bandila 1 00:30:40
Crusaders AC runners
7 Ger Forde 00:27:20
12 Michael O’Conor 00:28:02
62 Sean Murphy 00:32:22
109 Neil Brown 00:35:31
116 David O’Donnell 00:36:32
128 Robbie Moore 00:37:42
167 Anthony Hackett 00:41:29
169 Kelly Brown 00:41:34 (36)
Full results here: https://members.bhaa.ie/results/race/531
Cork City 10k (3647)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Fearghal Curtin 1 00:29:46
22 Hannah Steeds 1 00:34:51
Crusaders AC runners
253 Rebecca Fleming 00:44:54 (46)
260 Sarah Lyons 00:45:06 (49)
471 Phelim Murray 00:48:59
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/cork-city-marathon-2025/#3_7A221F
Cork City Half Marathon (3804)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Jake O’Regan 1 01:06:51
3 Niamh Allen 1 01:10:06
Crusaders AC runners
147 John Fahy 01:30:01
152 Simon Everard 01:30:26 (PB)
635 Louise O’Riordan 01:44:26 (124)
1397 Aitor Arribas Velasco 01:55:49
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/cork-city-marathon-2025/#2_2513D5
Cork City Marathon (1945)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Chris Jeuken 1 02:18:55
54 Evelyn Twomey 1 02:54:30
Crusaders AC runners
559 Ronan Moynihan 03:39:52
1018 Liam O’Brien 04:00:05
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/cork-city-marathon-2025/#1_AFF7BC
Women’s Mini Marathon 10k (23704)
Overall place Name Chiptime
1 Grace Richardson 1 00:34:17
Crusaders AC runners
17 Saoirse McGrath 00:39:17 (PB)
18 Irene Gorman 00:39:18
21 Aoife Quigley 00:39:32
41 Jennifer Dobbyn 00:41:54
51 Nina Holmes 00:42:18
78 Ciara Lynch 00:43:37
84 Emily Quinlan 00:43:37
114 Louise Dobbyn 00:44:45
117 Tara Gavin 00:44:47
136 Jade Murphy 00:45:22
157 Deirdre Ni Chearbhaill 00:45:51
169 Claire Reidy 00:46:07
271 Olwyn Dunne 00:47:47
474 Joanne Carey 00:49:30 (PACER)
507 Tanja Narancic 00:49:41 (PACER)
803 Kelly Brown 00:51:40
1319 Pauline Roger 00:53:59
1486 Aoife Cowhie 00:54:31
2149 Sarah Bradley 00:56:28
2771 Aoife Matthews 00:57:53 (PACER)
3309 Gabriela Segura 00:59:00
4307 Ciara Looby 01:01:04
4379 Helen Finucane 01:01:14
4724 Mairead Cashman 01:01:52
4753 Mari Hansen 01:01:54
6204 Linda Walsh 01:04:39
6814 Michelle English 01:05:49
6869 Cynthia Perucca 01:05:54
8609 Emer Kenny 01:10:10 (PACER)
8681 Lisa Shine 01:09:13 (PACER)
10234 Marie-Claire Daly 01:12:11
10736 Ellen McHugh 01:13:17
15239 Carina Davidson 01:26:14 (PACER)
15313 Máirín Shine 01:26:31 (PACER)
16003 Lorraine McMahon 01:29:03 (PACER)
Full results here: https://www.tdleventservices.co.uk/en/results-embed.php?event=4114#0_3AF9CB
Star of the Sea Michelle McKiernan 5k (228)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Jonas Stafford 1 00:14:53
5 Faye Dervan 1 00:17:11
Crusaders AC runner
26 Kathryn Gibbons 00:19:27 (4)
Full results here: https://myrunresults.com/events/star_of_the_sea_michelle_mckiernan_5k/5724/results
Balbriggan Summerfest 5k (410)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Ronan Dunphy 1 00:16:40
22 Katie Halpin 1 00:20:37
Crusaders AC runner
89 Seamus Moore 00:214:213
Full results here: https://myrunresults.com/events/balbriggan_summerfest_5k_2025/5680/results
IMRA Howth Summer 9.5k (146)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Enda Cloake 1 00:39:41
12 Emer Perkins 1 00:44:10
Crusaders AC runners
32 Clare Sullivan 00:58:56 (2)
64 Caoimhe Dempsey 01:04:29 (6)
68 Gavan Doherty 01:06:25
126 Berndt Heim 01:22:04
127 Charles Cartledge 01:22:05
128 Djinn Von Noorden 01:22:06 (30)
Full results here: https://www.imra.ie/events/results/id/2656
IMRA Cooley Half marathon (92)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Adam Cunningham 1 01:34:07
51 Therese Cunningham 1 02:16:38
Crusaders AC runners
19 Brian McGuckin 02:06:02
89 Kevin Kenny 03:19:45
90 Djinn Von Noorden 03:19:45 (24)
Full results here: https://www.imra.ie/events/results/id/2699
Marlay Parkrun (499)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 David Reidy 1 00:17:50
28 Sarah Hade 1 00:20:52
Crusaders AC runners
8 Charles-Édouard Cattier 00:19:14
21 Kev Moore 00:20:19
44 Mary Donnelly 00:21:43 (4)
Tolka Valley Parkrun (67)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Mark O’Connor 1 00:19:22
13 Catherine Airey 1 00:23:47
Crusaders AC runners
2 Felipe De Sousa 00:19:48
35 Maria Pertl 00:29:58 (7)
Ardgillan Parkrun (95)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Sam Wheeldon 1 00:18:19
10 Niamh Vincent 1 00:22:09
Crusaders AC runner
19 Paul F. Kelly 00:24:54
Poolbeg Parkrun (221)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Christopher O’Reilly 1 00:17:22
18 Sophie Tonge 1 00:21:20
Crusaders AC runners
2 Kenan Furlong 00:17:37
9 Stephen Hurley 00:19:47
14 Eddie Nugent 00:20:34
30 Ross Neill 00:22:51
32 Aoife McCarthy 00:22:59 (3)
41 Bo Chicoine 00:24:01
44 Josie Ward 00:24:06 (5)
63 Russell Murphy 00:25:34
83 Tara Murphy 00:26:51 (18)
96 Alan Martin 00:27:08
102 Cliodhna O’Reilly 00:27:26 (27)
114 Tanja Narancic 00:27:56 (34)
154 Ellen Walsh 00:30:06 (56)
Queens, Belfast Parkrun (196)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Conall Mullan 1 00:19:04
5 Nicola Black 1 00:19:44
Crusaders AC runner
142 Martina White 00:32:09 (42)
Fairview Parkrun (219)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Christian Finn 1 00:18:00
28 Yasmin Hatton 1 00:23:05
Crusaders AC runner
149 Lieze Verberght 00:31:03 (29)
Cabinteely Parkrun (192)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Derek Lawlor 1 00:18:49
5 Hannah Brooks 1 00:21:25
Crusaders AC runners
1 Derek Lawlor 00:18:49
11 Kabir Sala 00:22:12
14 David O’Donnell 00:23:05
37 Patricia Velasquez 00:25:14 (6)
40 Gavan Doherty 00:25:36
41 Kevin Kenny 00:25:46
103 Olwyn Dunne 00:30:05 (32)
111 Fanny Trébouet 00:30:33 (38)
117 Niall O’Connell 00:31:08
121 Mairead Cashman 00:31:35 (43)
130 Lorraine McMahon 00:32:02 (48)
149 Lisa Shine 00:34:53 (59)
150 Máirín Shine 00:34:53 (60)
175 Carina Davidson 00:44:37 (79)
Griffeen Parkrun (262)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Michael Silke 1 00:17:06
33 Maia Hannon 1 00:22:28
Crusaders AC runner
52 Colm Foley 00:23:47
Shanganagh Parkrun (280)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Niall Hanton 1 00:16:47
7 Catherine O’Connor 1 00:19:03
Crusaders AC runner
220 Orlaith de Burca 00:35:16 (74)
Dodder Valley Parkrun (174)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Alan McAndrew 1 00:19:29
24 Aideen Cooke 1 00:23:04
Crusaders AC runner
33 Chris Bannon 00:24:24
Falcarragh Parkrun (80)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Michael O’Conor 1 00:19:02
7 Clare Lavery 1 00:21:25
Crusaders AC runner
1 Michael O’Conor 00:19:02
Glengariff Parkrun (107)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 David Barry 1 00:18:45
5 Hester Hill 1 00:20:49
Crusaders AC runner
16 Dale Whelehan 00:24:18
Porterstown Parkrun (158)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Nickolas Colyn 1 00:15:06
4 Ellen McLoughlin 1 00:18:17
Crusaders AC runner
136 Kevin Flynn 00:41:53
Tramore Valley, Cork Parkrun (224)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Marcus Bishop 1 00:17:17
4 Michelle Kenny 1 00:18:08
Crusaders AC runner
73 Aitor Arribas Velasco 00:26:05
Clonakilty Parkrun (55)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Emer Perkins 1 00:19:33
2 Anthony Ryan 1 00:19:51
Crusaders AC runner
6 Tim O’Donnell 00:21:04