KILBRONEY PARK IN THE SUN
The Bobby Rea Memorial Cross Country race on Saturday was the 2nd round of this year’s Cross Country League and was held in Kilbroney Forest Park in Rostrevor, in my opinion the best location for cross country running anywhere in Ireland, in conjunction with the NI & Ulster Evens Age Group Championships
AGE GROUPS
The EDAC Juniors have cut their teeth on the McGrady Junior XC Series so far this year, and last weekend the level of competition rose sharply when some of them took part in the NI & Ulster Champs. It was a fine, dry day and the course was challenging but doable – perfect for hard racing. Erin Moore ran as U10 and was comfortably mid pack. EDAC is lucky to have a large number of 10 and 11 year old girls which allowed for a U12 Girls Team. They put in huge efforts to secure bronze medals in the Club Team ranks with their scoring members Anna Gardiner 7th, Lucy Foster 17th Jodi Foster 23rd Kara Trainor 40th Emily Burns 52nd and Ella Telford 90th. Anna Boyd bravely turned out for her first experience at this level, seeming to revel in the large pack of 99 and providing invaluable backup as she finished just 2 places behind Ella
The EDAC Team has now qualified for a slot at the All Ireland’s on 26th November. As well as club slots, you can qualify as a member of a County Team and Ollie Robinson secured his place for the All Irelands this way. He was 25th/75 overall and the Down Team placed 2nd. Kirsti Foster missed out narrowly on individual selection due to a dramatic tumble. She regained her feet with amazing agility and still came 13th (1-12 qualify). As she was a counting member of the Down team which came 2nd she will still get a crack at the All Irelands.
In the U14 Boys we had Mackenzie Murray 42/80. Edie Carroll ran in the U16 Girls and found the 3.5k a tough challenge. Matthew McGrattan with his sprinting pedigree had a similar opinion once he finished the 5K he had to tackle as a U18. As always the support of the Juniors for each other is exemplary and keeps them all coming back for more.
FIRST CLASS DISPLAY FROM THE LADIES WHO FINISH IN SECOND
Getting a team together for a XC event is often a feat of engineering but this time the stars aligned and EDAC Ladies were able to field 10 runners all ready and willing. The craic at XC is something else as team participation is a great encourager but even before we stepped foot on the course I was aware of the Club spirit as we arrived to find that some **pixies ** had put up the gazebo. It is always great to have a focal meeting point but even nicer when someone does it for you. Also the spectating at XC is usually close and frequent and those stalwarts who turn up just to cajole and shout are as much part of the team as the runners. All very much appreciated.
CAROLINE HITS THE TOP TEN
Anyway on to the race. There was no real challenge to Rebekah Nixon of Dromore as she showed that she is more than ready to be competitive at senior level. She only had her team mate Laura Bickerstaff to contend with and won in 17.51 by a comfortable margin. In the EDAC interest it was inspiring to see Caroline O’Hare make her way into the mix and make light work of the 5K route. To come 9th in a field of Saturday’s calibre is impressive. Catherine O’Connor ran much more comfortably than in Comber a few weeks ago finishing a useful 12th. Deirdre Weatherall made her XC debut and despite trying to keep her pretty new spikes clean came 17th and looking like she was sorry it wasn’t longer. Joanne Foster was 21st – a team member who always comes up with the goods. These 4 put EDAC in second place in the overall team rankings. Well Done ladies. Behind Joanne in 26th place Niamh Kellett was forced to recognise that her antics up the mountains in the Garmin Mourne Skyline last weekend may require a bit more recovery before she is able to go full gas again. It took real grit for her to finish this race.Aoife Cochrane ran strongly and came a creditable 33rd place. She is well able for the distance and will only continue to improve. Coming 73,74 and 75 Ella Carroll, Janine Murray and Alison Carroll, in that order, provided great entertainment for the watchers as well as for themselves. There were various attempts to take the lead and Ella took the opportunity to take revenge on her mum for the Comber Cup affair while Janine played referee! All good fun and games.
SWEET 16 Lisa Milligan has recently returned to the ranks and her calm good humour is a welcome addition. She paced the race well and got an all important point for the League Table. If we could just get 6 more runners we would have a full 16 – now that would be an achievement in itself! All in all a great day out.
** I know who the “pixies” are and a more unlikely definition of them would be hard to find! JQ
MEN’s 8K RACE
East Down fielded a team of 10 in the Men’s race and it was a welcome return for Brendan Teer, who although still a way off full competitive fitness he still managed 20th place in a very hotly contested race. The tough as teak Martin Willcox was next of the EDAC squad taking 37th place with Paul Burns 43rd and Ciaran Denvir 46th completing the team ranking scorers. After that came James Smyth, making his debut in the senior cross country team and claiming a very respectable 63rd place followed by Dee Murray 75th, Davy Foster 100th, Gavin Hynds 101st, Mark O’Connor 106th and Gareth Amos 148th who joyfully declared afterwards that it was his first cross country since primary school and he didn’t finish last! Not only does this demonstrate his understanding that the important thing is to finish to get an extra point for the team but also that he has a remarkable memory span!
‘C’MON YOU 16
Anyway the combined result of everyone’s efforts was that EDAC Men were ranked as 6th place team which results in an overall 6th place in the Cross Country League on 25 points. However had we managed to field 16 runners in both these opening rounds we would have had 40 points, been in 5th place and only one point behind 4th placed team.
SAINTFIELD 10K/5K
As is often the case there was more than one option for runners on Saturday and some opted for the firmer terrain of road running in the event celebrating one year of existence for the Saintfield Striders’ Club. A good crowd turned out – 258 in the 10K and 126 in the short distance. East Down was represented in the 10K by Barry Milligan, Gavin McConvey, Robert Miskelly as well as the slick duo Eithne McGrattan and Bernice McCann while Lauren Madine and Callum Kent took part in the 5K.
DUBLIN CITY MARATHON 2017
On Sunday morning, refreshed by the extra hour in bed, I tired myself out again by getting up an hour earlier than I needed to because I forgot about the clocks going back. Anyway a least I wasn’t running in Dublin so had the chance to catch up on the missing winks on the way down, courtesy of my good friend and driver Brian Hamilton. We reached our destination by 8.00am and after putting up our East Down banners on the flyover walkway near mile 22 we headed for our usual spot, a large roundabout junction just after 12 miles, where we can stand in relative safety and wait for the 20K plus runners to appear. And appear they did, in ones and twos initially and then the odd group of 5/6, mostly of African origin, until the 4 lane roadway was totally awash with runners as they poured forward, many of them oblivious to the fact that they were required to squeeze through a 2 lane bottleneck to continue their way towards the finish line and redemption. So I tried with Brian and one or two others, including a Garda Siochana to divert the leading runners across the road before they tripped up on the kerb. I have to admit that I was mightily relieved when it was time to leave for Mile 25 to re-invigorate the (most of the) surviving runners who would be within 1 mile of the end of their epic trip, that I was still in one piece.
As was the case at mile 12, the first East Down runner through was Declan Teague on his way to an impressive 3.11, just outside his 2016 time. Afterwards he spoke about the frustrations caused by getting caught up with a particular group of runners and being unable to hit and maintain his targeted race pace. I reckon it’s as detrimental as going out to fast early on but the answer is to keep a cool head and not to panic. Panicking has the same effect as that of starting too fast, namely the loss of precious energy, which will cost a good finish.
Be that as it may he thoroughly enjoyed the whole event, well apart from the last 2 miles perhaps?
Gareth Kelly was next to finish and he cruised to a confident looking 3.14,, knocking a massive 8 minutes off his 2016 time while Dermot Cahill clipped 7 minutes off his previous best for the distance, which must have pleased their mentor and coach Phillip Vint himself completing marathon number 18 in 2017 in 3.15, just seconds ahead of Liam Keenan who nailed the London Good For Age qualification time for his age group.
THE ROCKY ROAD
As in every marathon there are highs and lows, triumphs and disappointments and examples of tremendous camaraderie and selfless acts of sacrifice. None more so than that of Raymond Milligan who hit the wall around 15 miles having suffered cramp at halfway. It was his 50th marathon and he wanted it to be a memorable one. And so it was, though for all the wrong reasons but with help from Clare Carson, Linda Cunningham and especially Sean Sealey who walked with him from mile 17 until at least mile 25 where I last saw them, he made it to the finish line. It took him just over 6 hours but he did it! Well Done Raymond everyone in the club acknowledges the effort you had to make to do that and we take our hats off to you. PBs for Joanne Carson 4.20 and Carmel Tumelty 4.12 new PBs for both who simply get on with their training, quietly and efficiently, follow the book and get the job done. Both were concentrating so hard when they passed us at 25 miles that neither saw nor heard our shouts of encouragement until I practically grabbed Joanne’s hand, sorry to have broken into your focus Joanne. Catherine Gilchrist 4.12 was another picture of concentration – I think this was a PB for her also. Well Done to them.
Clare Carson 4.34 running with an injury, was happy to finish without any of her normal stomach problems while Tom McClean 4.08 felt he didn’t get his pacing right but enjoyed the experience. It was Chris Smith’s first marathon, he trained with his brother and was equally over the moon with both his time of 3.33 and the experience itself. Bring your brother along to the Club Chris, he could perhaps get a job as a coach. Stephen Heasley didn’t set a new PB but was content to get his 10th one done.
Andrew Telford was faster than last year, a massive 32 minutes by my reckoning, but slower than he was hoping for while Mick McCreesh clipped 3 minutes off his 2016 time.
Kevin Kelly 4.24 also ran with an injury, never advisable, but like he said “Got it done”. Mags Flynn with a late decision to enter was more than happy with 4.34 putting her a few minutes ahead of her Belfast time.
Gary Cull also completed in 4.37, a late decision to enter but he knows what’s required if he wants to better that time.
Linda Cunningham took it in her stride and completed in 5.06, after adding considerable encouragement to Raymond in passing.
I know there were others and apologies if you were missed but well done on your efforts none the less.
SEAN SEALEY
A special word must go to the remarkable Sean Sealey, who provided support, both moral and physical to Raymond Milligan and who clearly sacrificed whatever time he was aiming for to assist his deserving fellow Clubman. I probably don’t know the half of it yet Sean but the term Good Samaritan doesn’t even come close. Well done to you, a true gentleman and exceptional club man.
So there you have it folks, the ups and the downs, the agonies and the ecstasies that go to make up every marathon and will continue to do so for as long as people are prepared to turn up and run them.
Joe Quinn & Alison Carroll
30 October 2017