This Week’s News

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PB for PB at JOE SEELEY?

This started out as a bit of banter when discussing the forthcoming Seeley Cup strategies which might result in running a pb or PB  (Personal Best)for the10K distance, and it was put forward that the above headline would look good if it was achieved. And so it does and Well Done – Personal Best for Paul Burns. I got to thinking that we have become obsessed with acronyms, perhaps because of the growth of texting etc. We have LoLs, BOGOFs, BYOBs,

I’m not sure whether it’s a matter of laziness or thrift in not waning to over use letters but it has become an overly used idiom, whether in sport with  MOTD, SPOTY,. Medicine BSE, CJD, MS, PD, OPCD, SAD, ADHD, COPD   Music AC/DC , ELO, JLS, U2,UB40 and eating places KFC , McDs

When I was younger we only ever had PTO and PS with the occasional RSVP.

MARTIN’S FIRST IN HIS FIRST

Near ideal conditions greeted the near 1000 runners (863 finishers to be exact) for the race on Saturday in Belfast’s Ormeau Park.

First of the East Down contingent to finish this year was Martin Willcox, I was surprised to discover that this was his first ever Joe Seeley, but he made up for that with a blistering start and a well maintained pace to the line in 35.56. Of course it is ever the case that as soon as someone posts a headline grabbing time that someone else will pull in a performance which shouts out for recognition.  And so it happened on Saturday not once or twice but three or four times and indeed as if inspired by such standards EDAC members turned in gilt edged performances on Sunday as well, at every level and on a huge variety of surfaces.

DOES CD USE AC FOR PB?

The next contender was Ciaran Denvir and I must admit I did a double take when he passed me the first time, even though I knew he had been improving steadily and was in good form. The second time he passed I started to get really excited about his prospects as he was maintaining his place and shape and was well focussed. To put it in context, his previous time in this race, 2 years ago was 40.49, and on Saturday he topped that with 36.39 – YES an improvement of OVER 4 MINUTES. I don’t know what Ciaran is on but I’ll have some of it – or I might start training with him!!  Perhaps just training with anyone would be an even better idea?

And then along came Paul Burns – PB – and he did indeed deliver the PB he promised, dipping under 37 minutes for the first time with 36.51, 41 seconds better than his 2015 time and a real confidence booster ahead of his next target in the CC (Christmas Cracker) where he will partner KA, sorry Karen Alexander. 

CATHERINE DONALD’S (as in Trump as opposed to Duck) THEM ALL

But then just a mere footstep behind Paul came Catherine O’Connor, (CoC) whose previous best in this particular race was 41.50 in 2013, was EXACTLY 5 MINUTES slower than her time on Saturday.  Not only that but she was the fourth female finisher and a mere 12 seconds off a podium place..  Given that Catherine is not by any means at her potential best just yet and this result must surely lead her to believe that she can win this coveted title in the not too distant future.

Dee Murray, Stephen Heasley and Gavin Hynds all improved their previous times for the Seeley Cup and though Gavin Oakes might be slightly disappointed with his time he has no reason to be.

LISA ADDS SOME MORE SPARKLE

Lisa Laird, LL, having a Saturday off for a change, made the most of her opportunity and knocked 3.09 off her 2015 time with another PB performance of 43.24 and with the aforementioned PB (gets confusing doesn’t it? )and the yet to be Paddy McDonald (PMcD) was one of the few to run negative splits on Saturday. Paddy  was another first timer on Saturday and while I don’t know if his 44.58 set a new PB for the distance but it’s a time to be proud of nevertheless. Michael McKeown 43.46, Tom McClean 49.42 and Gary Cull 55.54 completed the Men’s results. While Alison Carroll 48.12, Janine Murray 50.07 and Carmel Tumelty 55.37 who have all run faster seemed to enjoy every minute of it.

AND YET MORE GLORY in the HOMESTART SANTA RUN

On Sunday morning’s first ever Homestart Santa 5K and 10K over 140 men women and children took to the streets and the roads around the county town in support of this very worthy cause and it was the host club which stole the honours, kicking off with Oliver Robinson’s fine victory in the 5K, with clubmate Callum Kent just behind in second and Ben Chambers in third. 

Ella Carroll won the Ladies race from Saintfield Striders Lisa Corry with Oliver’s Mum Marguerite in third.  A special word of Congratulations to all who used this race as their graduation for the just ended Couch to 5K fitness programme and to the Ladies from the recently formed Saintfield  Striders Club.

In a superb finish to the 10K East Down’s Matthew McGrattan 38.54 just held off the attentions of Gerry Murray 38.54 and the ever supportive Norman Mawhinney from Ballydrain Harriers who finished 3rd. Edie soon followed her sister’s journey to the podium with an excellent debut win 43.53 ahead of Clare Doran and Maxine Dynes both from the splendid Ballygalget  AC. (not the AC referred to in para 3 heading)

THANK YOU VERY MUCH (TYVM)

The Homestart Downpatrick group would like to thank everyone who helped in any way or who participated in the runs after which they provided excellent  refreshments.  It is their intention to make this an annual event.

JUNIORS IN MEDAL WINNING FORM IN ALL IRELAND C/HIPS

So How do you top that lot then? Well a little further south on Sunday East Down’s Juniors were participating in the All Ireland Cross Country Age Group Championships and their Under 12 Girls, led by the superb talent of Lauren Madine who took the individual Silver medal, claimed Bronze medals in the Team competition.  The other scoring runners were Anna Gardiner 24th,  Kirsti Foster 42nd and Lucy Foster in 70th places ad the County Down team of which they were also members was only just denied medals as they finished fourth.

At the same meeting Laura Gardiner did very well to finish 17th in the Junior Women’s race and James Smyth was just inside the top 100 in the Under 18 Boys race.

MORE FROM CoC And CD (see earlier paras)

And just when we thought it was all over came the news that CoC took part in an event billed as Blood, Sweat and Tears (BSaT) on Sunday afternoon in Dungannon and was 1st Female to finish  and CD was 7th overall out of 400 participants. The event is described as a 10K though a forest with an obstacle course at the end which includes walls, underwater bits, electric wire etc. Sounds like the perfect way to recover from a hard race the day before!!

STAR OF THE WEEK?

So I’ll leave you to decide who’s is the Performance of the Week – my choice?  They are heroes and heroines all. That’s a cop out! (TACO)

NEXT WEEK – GRASS and GRIDDLE

It’s back to the grass again next Saturday when Cross Country League action resumes at the Malcolm Cup fixture in Ballyclare.

And then on Sunday the challenge is to Survive the Griddle!   Organisers say if you’re intending to run please enter online at www.athleticsni.org as on the day entries will cost more.

TAFN (that’s all for now)

Just think if this acronym melarkey catches on I could save myself about 6,000 keystrokes every week and perhaps avoid RSI?

Joe Quinn