Plenty of racing over ten miles and half marathon distance, as track stars continue their preparations for Doha. The Irish weekend round-up is here courtesy of Lindie Naughton. 

Yared Derese of Carrick Aces and Breege Connolly from City of Derry Spartans were the winners at the Frank Duffy 10 mile road race in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on Saturday (August 24).

Derese’s winning time of 49:06 was the fastest in some years, with second placed Mick Clohisey of Raheny Shamrock also running a fast time of 49:39. In third place was regular Irish visitor Josh Griffiths of Swansea AC in 50:10.

Breege Connolly was taking her second victory in the Dublin Marathon Race Series finished well clear of the opposition in 58:30. Gemma Rankin of Kilbarchan AC in Scotland was over a minute behind in 59:55 with Star of Laune AC’s Niamh Clifford third in 62.21. Major target for Connolly this year is the Dublin Marathon.

Breege Connolly, City of Derry

Just shy of 4,000 runners complted the course on a warm and humid day; well up on last year’s total of 2,700. Next race in the Dublin Marathon Series is the Dublin Half Marathon will take place on Saturday 21 September, again in the Phoenix Park. A record entry of 22,500 will take place in the 40th Dublin Marathon on Sunday 27 October; the race is sponsored by KBC Bank.

Going for half

David Mansfield of Clonmel AC made it a home win at the Boston Scientific Half Marathon in Clonmel on Sunday (August 25) leading home 824 finishers in 70:09.

Mansfield had well over a minutes to spare on second placed John Kinsella of Bilboa AC who finished in 71:42.

Finishing seventh and first woman was Siobhan O’Doherty fo Borrisokane AC in 78:33. Anegela McCann of Clonmel AC, winner of the national half marathon title a few weeks ago, was 11th and second woman in 79:48.

Also on Sunday, Brendan Conway was the winner of the Longford Half Marathon in a time of 71 mins 44 secs. Second in 72:25 was Patrick Sharkey , with John Higgins third in 73.44.

Adrianna Mulligan was first woman in 82:54, followed by Adele Walsh of St Senan’s AC in 84:09 and Isabel Oakes in 85.50.

Barry Shiel was the winner of the marathon in 2:26.27. First woman in 3:12.28 was Niamh Kieran. Winning the ultra in 4:50.19 was Jacek Latala. Jenny Mullarkey was first woman in 6:24.22

On a packed weekend for half marathon races, Joe Lillis in of United Striders in 78 mins 26 secs and Niamh Murphy in 91:18 were the winners of the Oylegate Half Marathon in Co Wexford again on Sunday (August 25)

Winning the Celbridge 5km on Thursday (August 22) was Paul Stephenson of Rathfarnham WSAF AC in 15:22; secs; second was Sean Doran of Clonliffe Harriers in 15:48. First woman was Maria Snell of Newbridge AC in 19.16.

Track and field

Thomas Barr of Ferrybank AC continued his preparations for next months’s World Championships at the Paris Diamond League meet on Saturday (August 24) where he finished seventh in the 400m hurdles with a time of 49.32. Barr’s best this season in a 49.11 run at the Bislett Games last June; he is currently lying seventh on the world rankings list, which is good news with Doha just a month away.

In action at the Brussels Grand Prix meet a day earlier on Friday (August 23) was a group of Irish sprinters with Leon Reid of Menapians AC winning 200m race in a season’s best 20. 57 secs. Marcus Lawler of St LOT also won his 200m race though in a slower time of 20.85; behind him, Stephen Gaffney of Rathfarnham WSAF AC was fourth in 21.60.

Gaffney, who tops the current 200m rankings, did better in the 100m, winning his heat in 10.58 (+0.06) – not far off the personal best 10.54 he ran at the Cork City Sports.

Over 400m, Chris O’Donnell of Sligo AC clocked a season’s best 46.54 for second place in his race. Katie Kirk of Ulster University ran 2:04.93 for 800m, another season’s best, while Kerry O’Flaherty of Newcastle AC clocked 10:03.51 in the women’s steeplechase.

Morton Games

Rain may not have stopped play at the Morton Games last Wednesday but for the first time in eight years, the weather gods did not look kindly on the meet organisers with the cold, windy and wet conditions making fast times a near impossibility.

In the men’s 800m, Mark English of UCD AC, fresh from his spectacular win at the Birmingham Diamond League meet, had be be content with fourth place in 1:49.267; race winner was the American Isaiah Harris in 1:48.20.

Over 400m Brian Gregan of Clonliffe Harriers was hoping for a return to racing in front of his home crowd after a 23 month lay-off. Despite a troublesome hamstring, he started the race but then abruptly pulled up. Everyone at Fast Running hope the injury isn’t serious and Gregan is back racing again soon.

In the women’s 200m, held into a fierce -2.2 headwind, Phil Healy of Bandon AC clocked a time of 24.02 for second place behind Kiara Parker of the USA who finished in 23.94. Ciara Mageean of City of Lisburn AC had opted for the 800m, where she finished fourth in a solid time of 2:01.94.

Feature event of the evening was the Morton Mile, and despite the challenging conditions, five men went under four minutes with Robert Domanic, winner at the Cork City Sports a week earlier, beating fellow American Sam Prakel for victory in 3:58.90. Best of the Irish was Cathal Doyle of Clonliffe Harriers who finished 10th in 4:02.65.

On the trails

Belgian athlete Max Drion who lives and trains in Switzerland, was the winner of the annual Warrior’s Run to the top of Knocknarea and back in Strandhill Co Sligo on Saturday (August 23).

Finishing in 51 mins 56 secs, Drion held off the challenge of East Cork’s Tim O’Donoghue who came home in 52:16. A distant third in 53.32 was Shaun Dixon of Phanos Amsterdam. Seamus Somers in fourth place was first Sligo athlete and first M45, with a time of 56.55.

First woman was Irish mountain running international Becky Quinn who was also first W45 in 66:34. For a fourth year, Heather Foley of Sligo AC was second in 69:59 and Sinead Fowley third in 72.07. A record total of 1,107 completed the race.

parkrun

Kirsty Foster and Rachel Gibson were joint fastest females, whilst speedy Hiko Tonosa was the quickest chap for parkrun times in Ireland this weekend. Full rankings here.

If you would like to run faster at parkrun, top tips to help runners of all abilities can be found here.

RELATED: 7 ways to run faster at parkrun

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Lindie Naughton is a journalist and writer based in Dublin who joined the athletics club at her college many many years ago and has never quite escaped. You’ll normally find her jogging around some orienteering course somewhere – or down at the Irishtown track coaching kiddies!