Seaside Fun

12/8/2024

L-R: James Cottle, Peadar Killeen, Miriam Logan, Brian Regan, Joe McDermott, John Mulvihill, Enda Clarke

Several Crusaders headed over to the west coast over the weekend for Saturday evening’s running of the Streets of Galway 8k, its 38th edition. Meanwhile, others were in action in Cork, at the inaugural Youghal Bay 10k, which, along with a half marathon on offer, was part of the town’s “Festival of Sport”. Still further away, some of our exiles in Australia were making their mark in Sydney’s annual City2Surf 14k race.

We start with the Streets of Galway which for the past several years had been an annual pilgrimage for many club members, taking place as it does on a Saturday evening, and ending with traditional celebrations in Monroes in the wee hours of the following morning. This year saw 9 club members taking part, among them one of our latest, youngest and fastest recruits, Peadar Killeen, who will be returning to his native United States in a week’s time after spending a short time with us. Hopefully, he will be back!

There were no excuses for decent times. The strong westerly wind that had prevailed through the day died down somewhat in the evening, but still was powerful enough to help us complete the last 2k or so along the Salthill Prom. It was a dry and warm summer’s evening for a race on an undulating course but descending to a long flat finish on the Claddagh. More than 2,600 runners took to the streets with a record number of spectators cheering them on. Our contingent was led home by John Mulvihill in 21st place with a time of 27:40. It was great that our first four athletes home all finished within 28 minutes and were thus able to take home the prize for second place in the team competition behind local club Craughwell. John was followed closely by Peadar who ran 27:40 for 28th spot. Brian Regan and Joe McDermott enjoyed a good battle between them towards the end with Brian prevailing in a time of 27:49 for 30th place, followed closely by Joe in 32nd in a time of 27:57. Next came Enda Clarke in 55th place in a time of 29:35 and he was followed by Mikel Cristosomo (128th in 31:38), with James Cottle further back, running a time of 33:44 for 200th place and winning the M65 age category. Next came Emma Rowe (215th overall and 23rd female finisher in a chiptime of 33:42) and Emma was followed by Miriam Logan who had to start even further back in the packed field (264th and 38th in 34:16). Finally, Amy Forde completed the contingent finishing in a time of 46:11 for 1,484th and 636th spots.

Down south on Sunday on a wet morning, Louise O’Riordan took in the Youghal Bay 10k as part of a much longer run, placing 235th overall in a field of 652. As 76th female finisher she recorded a time of 54:50 and was followed by Lorraine McMahon (497th and 239th in 64:47). The race involved an out-and-back undulating course with a 2-3k loop along the coast. Members may be interested to hear that Maria Kennedy took part in another triathlon, this time in Carrick, where she recorded a time of 25:30 in the 5k element.

Further afield, we had at least 4 Crusader exiles joining a field exceeding seventy-seven and a half thousand in the annual running of the 14k City2Surf race taking place in Sydney, Australia. They were led home by Fearghal O’Hare who placed 67th in 48:29 and by Maurice Kelter who placed just behind Fearghal in 70th place and a time of 48:35. Further back came Eoghan Walsh (962nd in 56:58) and the contingent was completed by Deirdre Kennedy (19,588th and 5,413th in 82:26). In Spain, our exile there, Esther Requena Ferri, placed 2nd female finisher in a 5.75k trail race, the Subida a Colmenas, where she ran 28:46. Esther was preceded by Cristian Vilchez Ceballos who ran 25:26 for the same distance.

Lucky Máirín Shine celebrated the arrival of her third grandchild (to Lisa) last week with participation in the 10k run as part of the Marathon pour Tous in the Paris Olympics. Starting around Midnight on Saturday, the run, involving over 20,000 runners, took in loads of sights in Paris. Máirín completed the event in 64:13 and even got a shout out on RTE the following evening.

There were two events organised by IMRA last week. The first, on Wednesday evening, took place in Co. Wicklow on Trooperstown Hill, involving a distance of 11.8k and a climb on moderate terrain of 455m and was the latest event in the Leinster League. The women’s race was won by Becky Quinn (25th overall in a field of 137 in 65:19) and she was followed by Clare Sullivan (40th, 4th and 2nd F40 in 71:35) and by Ian Clifford (89th in 90:17). Then, on Sunday, Becky won again. This time the race was in the Leinster Championship and involved 35 runners. Becky placed 10th overall in a time of 75:15 on a course named Ballineddan, an alternative route up to and back from Lugnaquilla in Co. Wicklow.

We had 2 first finishers in the parkruns on Saturday morning. One of our UK-based exiles, Kieron Sexton-Campbell, ran in Tolka Valley where, in a field of 43, he ran 17:20, followed by Grainne Regan (7th and 2nd in 24:55). Then, in St. Anne’s, Raheny, Annie Hughes placed 8th and 1st in 19:24 in a field of 405. Annie was followed by Áine Crotty (124th and 16th in 26:07). Podium places were also recorded. Ross Neill crossed the finish line in 2nd place in Poolbeg in a time of 18:01. In a field of 184, Ross was followed closely by Jan Manschot (3rd in 18:03) and by Michael Wycherley (4th in 18:07) and then further back came Kabir Sala (20th in 21:27), John Lohan (21st in 21:37), Adrian Groarke (23rd in 21:54), Ronan Walsh (40th in 23:18), Kevin Kenny (44th in 23:35), Josie Ward (57th and 11th in 24:11), Sharon Woods (62nd and 12th in 24:36), Tara Murphy (86th and 23rd in 26:48), Mairead Cashman (142nd and 55th in 32:19), Siobhan Russell (148th and 60th in 33:54) and Niamh Trihy guided to 159th and 66th in 35:53.

Derek Lawlor headed up to Ormeau Park where he placed 4th in a field of 490 and in a time of 18:49, whilst Tomás Bradley ran in the 159-strong field in Killarney House, finishing in 5th place in 19:11. Tomás was followed home by Colm Foley (30th in 22:53). Karl Walsh placed 6th in 19:12 in Naas alongside 149 other participants, whilst, in Cabinteely, among 176 other runners, Ronan Moynihan placed 15th in 20:59, followed by Louise Dobbyn (31st and 5th in 23:46).

Cynthia Perucca ran with 168 other runners in Bushy Park where she placed 110th and 35th in 31:27, whilst Helena O’Keeffe ran once again in Tramore Valley, where, in a field of 205, she placed 102nd and 24th in 27:45. Orlaith de Burca placed 178th and 64th in 31:04 in the 263-strong run in Shanganagh, whilst Andy Deuser was also a sole runner in Fairview. In a field of 138 Andy placed 20th in 22:54. Luke Haran joined 67 other runners in Mungret Park in Limerick where he placed 13th in 23:49, whilst Emma O’ Mahony ran alongside 132 other participants in Enniskillen where she took 53rd and 11th spots in 27:56. Edwina Quinlan made a welcome return following the birth of her first child with a run in Vicarstown, where she tailwalked, whilst Barry O’Neill ran in Marlay Park where, in a field of 467, he placed 123rd in 24:19.

Across the water, Chris Bannon ran in Woking where he placed 60th in a field of 347 in a time of 23:39, whilst our exiles there variously ran in Pollok, Peel and Gunnersbury. In Pollok Aidan Hudner joined 334 other runners, placing 79th in 24:45, whilst Toby Benham ran in Peel in Greater Manchester where, in a field of 518, he placed 111th in 22:10. Finally, Thom Martini ran in the 610-strong field in Gunnersbury where he placed 101st in 22:32.

Streets of Galway 8k (2627)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 David McGlynn 1 00:23:43
69 Norah Newcombe Pieterse 1 00:30:11
Crusaders AC runners
21 John Mulvihill 00:27:21
28 Peadar Killeen 00:27:40
30 Brian Regan 00:27:49
32 Joe McDermott 00:27:57
55 Enda Clarke 00:29:35
128 Mikel Cristostomo 00:31:38
200 James Cottle 00:33:44
215 Emma Rowe 00:33:42 (23)
264 Miriam Logan 00:34:16 (38)
1484 Amy Forde 00:46:11 (637)
Full results here: https://redtagtiming.com/results/SoG2024.html
Youghal Bay 10k (652)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Chiptime
1 Jeremiah Sheehan 1 00:32:36
18 Linda Kelly 1 00:39:34
Crusaders AC runners
235 Louise O’Riordan 00:54:50 (76)
497 Lorraine McMahon 01:04:47 (239)
Full results here: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/youghal-bay-10k-half-marathon-2024/#1_7336A4
IMRA Trooperstown Hill (137)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Cian Taylor 1 00:55:29
25 Becky Quinn 1 01:05:19
Crusaders AC runners
25 Becky Quinn 01:05:19 (1)
40 Clare Sullivan 01:11:35 (4)
89 Ian Clifford 01:30:17
Full results here: https://www.imra.ie/events/results/id/2512
IMRA Ballineddan 10.5k (35)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Elvin Laugier 1 01:02:33
10 Becky Quinn 1 01:15:15
Crusaders AC runner
17 Becky Quinn 01:15:15 (1)
Full results here: https://www.imra.ie/events/results/id/2513
Enniskillen Parkrun (133)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Oisin May 1 00:19:29
7 Irene Clements 1 00:21:33
Crusaders AC runner
53 Emma O’Mahony 00:27:56 (11)
Shanganagh Parkrun (263)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 James Foot 1 00:17:32
11 Christine Parsons 1 00:19:37
Crusaders AC runner
178 Orlaith de Burca 00:31:04 (64)
Vicarstown Parkrun (105)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Tom Dunne 1 00:17:45
2 Lisa Murphy 1 00:19:30
Crusaders AC runner
96 Edwina Quinlan 00:50:01 (56)
Poolbeg Parkrun (184)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Seán Cahill 1 00:17:58
13 Ava Rose Clarke 1 00:20:35
Crusaders AC runners
2 Ross Neill 00:18:01
3 Jan Manschot 00:18:03
4 Michael Wycherley 00:18:07
20 Kabir Sala 00:21:27
21 John Lohan 00:21:37
23 Adrian Groarke 00:21:54
40 Ronan Walsh 00:23:18
44 Kevin Kenny 00:23:35
57 Josie Ward 00:24:11 (11)
62 Sharon Woods 00:24:36 (12)
86 Tara Murphy 00:26:48 (23)
142 Mairead Cashman 00:32:19 (55)
148 Siobhan Russell 00:33:54 (60)
159 Niamh Trihy 00:35:53 (66)
Ormeau Parkrun (490)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Callum Dinsdale 1 00:17:53
9 Grainne McGrath 1 00:19:35
Crusaders AC runner
4 Derek Lawlor 00:18:49
Bushy Parkrun (169)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Cian Buckley 1 00:18:44
18 Niamh O’Keeffe 1 00:22:52
Crusaders AC runner
110 Cynthia Perucca 00:31:27 (35)
Falcarragh Parkrun (145)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Michael O’Conor 1 00:18:11
18 Norleen Kenny 1 00:21:49
Crusaders AC runner
1 Michael O’Conor 00:18:11
Naas Parkrun (150)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 David Duke 1 00:17:33
15 Ruth O’Loughlin 1 00:20:54
Crusaders AC runner
6 Karl Walsh 00:19:12
Tramore Valley, CorkParkrun (205)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Barry Twohig 1 00:18:07
18 Alanna O’Brien 1 00:21:52
Crusaders AC runner
102 Helena O’Keeffe 00:27:45 (24)
St. Anne’s Parkrun (405)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Anthony Sharkey 1 00:16:34
8 Annie Hughes 1 00:19:24
Crusaders AC runners
8 Annie Hughes 00:19:24 (1)
124 Áine Crotty 00:26:07 (16)
Mungret Parkrun (68)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 John Whittaker 1 00:19:15
7 Kate O’Brien 1 00:22:37
Crusaders AC runner
13 Luke Haran 00:23:49
Tolka Valley Parkrun (43)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Kieron Sexton-Campbell 1 00:17:20
6 Claire Gilligan 1 00:24:35
Crusaders AC runners
1 Kieron Sexton-Campbell 00:17:20
7 Grainne Regan 00:24:55 (2)
Fairview Parkrun (138)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Conor Cavanagh 1 00:19:42
33 Orla Deighan 1 00:24:35
Crusaders AC runner
20 Andy Deuser 00:22:54
Marlay Parkrun (467)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Eoin Lynch 1 00:17:23
12 Laura Ryan 1 00:19:14
Crusaders AC runner
123 Barry O’Neill 00:24:19
Cabinteely Parkrun (178)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
1 Nick Bowker 1 00:18:11
11 Megan Brunt 1 00:20:27
Crusaders AC runners
15 Ronan Moynihan 00:20:59
31 Louise Dobbyn 00:23:46 (5)
Killarney House Parkrun (159)
Overall place Name Cat. Place Guntime
2 Jakub Winnicki 1 00:18:55
8 Marie Claire Healy 1 00:20:01
Crusaders AC runners
5 Tomás Bradley 00:19:11
30 Colm Foley 00:22:53