Another weekend of Irish endurance action, brought to you by Lindie Naughton. 

Munster invader Michael Harty of East Cork AC was the winner of the Rathfarnham 5km, held in Dublin on Sunday (September 24) in a time of 14 mins 32 secs.

Harty, who was also first M40, saw off the challenge of Raheny Shamrock AC’s Daniel Stone and David Scanlon of host club Rathfarnham WSAF AC who finished almost together in 14:37 and 14.38.

Photo: Lindie Naughton

Eighth and first M50 was Shane Healy of Metro St Brigid’s AC who has his sights set on the world M55 mile record when he moves into that category on October 5. First junior was Luke Duffy of Tullamore Harriers who finished tenth in 15:13.

Finishing in a time of 16: 53 was Clare Fagan of Mullingar Harriers who wax first woman. Last year’s winner Mary Mulhare of Portlaoise AC was second after pipping Ciara Hickey of Brothers Pearse AC in a scramble for the line with the pair both timed at 16:32.

First of the twenty-two men’s teams to finish was Rathfarnham WSAF AC, with Clonliffe Harriers second and Crusaders AC third. In the women’s team competition, Dublin City Harriers were clear winners ahead of Rathfarnham WAF AC and Sportsworld AC. In the over £5 team championships Sportsworld AC won the men’s title, with Brothers Pearse AC best of the women. Over 50 winners werre the Civil Service AC men and the Lucan Harriers women.

Not just a World Record in Berlin

Abroad, Christine Kennedy of Galway City Harriers, aged 68, won the W60 age category at the Berlin Marathon with a time of 3 hrs 17 mins 38 secs. Kennedy’s career best time of 2:35.05 was run at the 1989 Berlin Marathon – that’s thirty-four years ago.

Kennedy, who started running in her mid-twenties, won an Irish marathon title in 1984 and the Dublin Marathon in both 1990 and 1991. She also won a national cross-country title in 1989. When she moved into the master age-groups, she continued to race, winning world titles in both the 5000m and the marathon for the USA, where she lived for a time. In 2014, she became the oldest woman ever to break three hours for the marathon.

First home of the Irish in Berlin was Kyle Doherty of City of Derry Spartans with a time of 2:22.49. First Irish woman in 2:45.10 was Isabel Oakes of Sligo AC.

* Update: at the Sydney Marathon on September 17, Caitriona Jennings of Letterkenny AC, perhaps better known as an ultra runner these days, ran a time of 2:48.26

John Travers of Donore Harriers followed up his victory at the Griffith Avenue Mile last week with another win, this time in Athlone, where he proved the class of the field at the Midland 10km finishing almost ten minutes clear of the chasers in in 29 mins 50 secs.

In the half Marathon race, Mick Fogarty was the winner in 71:04, with Gareth Murran of Sportsworld AC second in 75:3, and Clive Glancy of Carrick-on-Shannon AC third in 75:47. First woman in 90:37 was Monika De Almeida of Athlone AC.

At the Sligo Coast-to-Coast 10-Mile from Strandhill to Rosses Point, Matthew McMeekin raced to victory in a time of 51 mins 10 secs. Second in 57:36 was Brian Kinsella. First woman was Cora Regan in 63:58.

Saturday races

Peter Somba of Dunboyne AC was the winner of Dublin Half Marathon, held in the Phoenix Park on Saturday after a Battle Royale with Sergiu Ciobanu of Clonliffe Harriers. Just a second separated the pair on the finish line with Somba timed at 67 mins 5 secs and Ciobanu at 67:06. Third in 67:08 was David Glynn.

Along with Mihai Sprincean, who finished fourth in 67:20, the top three had gone though the half way point in around 25 mins 31 secs.

First woman in 78:11 was Aoife Cleary from Wicklow. Second was Fiona Stack of Raheny Shamrock AC in 83:12, with Yuliya Tasasova of Clonliffe Harriers third in 84:31.

“I can’t believe I just did that” Cleary said of winning. “I grew up in the Wicklow Mountains, so I’ve grown up running in nature and got more into it during lockdown”.

Norah Newcombe Pieterse of Mayo AC became the latest woman to win a race outright when she finished first at the Ceide Coast Half Marathon in Ballycastle, Co Mayo. Pieterse finished in 83:02. Her Mayo AC clubmate John Gordon was second and first man in 83:32.

Newcastle and District AC took the men’s senior title at the NI and Ulster Road Relay Championships held in Victoria Park, Belfast on Saturday (September 23). The team of Eoghan Totten, Niall Goodman, Robbie Hagen and Patrick McNiff finished in 39 mins 14secs. North Down AC was second in 40:49 and Ballydrain Harriers third in 41:28. It was only a second victory in this event for Newcastle who also won in 2017.

Annadale Striders took the women’s senior title in 45:51, with Willowfield Harriers second in 47:01 and East Down AC third in 48:52. Best of the master women’s teams was Lagan Valley AC in 50:22 followed by Keep ‘Er Lit AC in 50:50 and Beechmount Harriers AC in 50:55. North Belfast Harriers won the master’s mens title in 42:26; North Down AC was second in 42:54 and Ballymena Runners third in 44:05.

Cross-country is back already!

In Armagh, Conal McCambridge of North Belfast Harriers was the winner of the men’s 7km at of the TJ McElmeel Cup in 26 mins 46 secs. Patrick Millar of Ballymena Runners was second in 26:55 and Tommy Arthur of Lagan Valley AC third in 27:42.

First in the M60-plus 5km with a time of 21:41 was Laurence Johnston of North Belfast Harriers. Winning the U18 5km was Tom Fleming of Loughview AC in 18.00.

Gillian McCrory of St Peter’s AC won the women’s 5km in 20 mins 9 secs and was also first W40. Olivia Morgan of Lagan Valley AC was second in 230:29 and Karen Costello of Dunleer AC third and first W45 in 20:47. Cora Scullion of Omagh Harriers won the W18 3km in 14:28.

Ultra/off-road

Winner of the Seven Sisters Skyline 55km in Dunlewey, Co Donegal was Aidan McMoreland of North Sligo AC in 7 hrs 56 mins 56 secs. British runner Paul Brennan was second in 8:03:09 and Enda Cloake of Slaney Olympic AC third in 8:16.36.

Fifth and first woman in 8:28.12 was former world mountain running champion Kasie Enman from Vermont in the USA. Ellen Vitting, the defending champion from Kenmare AC managed to finish second in 9:19.12 , despite her recent exploits at the UTMB 170km. Kristen O’Sullivan was third in 9:28.27.