A new course, a new distance, a new record turnout and a new winner all combined with a “new” type of weather i.e. sunny and warm in August to ensure that Thursday night’s Road Race and Fun Run in Darragh Cross was one to remember. Taking local advice the organisers plotted a new route, which substituted a long section on the very dangerous Carrickmannon Rd with a not much safer stretch at Carsonstown and along the Saintfield Road, but excluded the Raffrey section of earlier years. In the event the new route proved popular with all but the flat earth society, who might as well look for the end of the rainbow as try to find a “flat” course in Co. Down. Continue reading →

The 4^th running of the Kilmore Rec and Crossgar Community Association 5 Miles Road Race on Monday night saw the most competitive of the races so far with East Down’s James Savage battling it out with Ballydrain’s Richard Coey and Aaron Harrison. At the line James prevailed in 29.14 with Richard 11 seconds behind and Aaron a further 5 seconds further back in 3^rd and first Junior to cross the line.

Catherine O’Connor 31.19 made it a double for the East Down club by taking the Ladies prize ahead of her Junior club mate Laura Gardiner. Continue reading →

After missing out on last year’s event, Brendan Teer returned to the Old Course Road venue on Wednesday last to pick up where he left off in 2013 and ran out winner again in a time of 32.24 with Newcastle duo Martin Melville and Brendan Quail filling the minor places. James Savage, Michael Cultra and Dee Murray were next best of the 35 strong East Down contingent which took part, with James and Dee picking up the Over 35 and Over 45 prizes respectively, while Norman Mawhinney from the ever supportive Ballydrain Harriers retained his Over 55 crown. Continue reading →

It doesn’t seem like a year since the 2014 edition of the Portaferry Gala 10 Mile Race and Relay was severely affected by the fog which engulfed the peninsula and prevented many runners from getting to the venue. Not so this year when over 330 runners descended on the Co. Down village last Tuesday night and in ideal conditions proceeded to write a new chapter in the history of this great race.

The Men’s race was a fascinating contest between former winner Brendan Teer – and the clock! From the off the East Down man surged to the front and in addition to outstripping the 2 wheelchair athletes who had started a minute ahead, he set himself a new pb 53.28, almost 2 and a half minute quicker than last year’s winning time.. First lady home was Colette McCourt 67.33 with Newcastle’s Sinead Murtagh 68.16 close behind. Continue reading →

Brendan Teer turned up, ran, won. A very simplistic description of the outcome of Saturday’s Comber Potato 10K race and one which would do a great disservice to what was a fascinating contest. It was perhaps fitting that the first renewal of this race in over 30 years should provide a duel between the past and the present, with wily veteran Paul Rowan from Willowfield Harriers, 4 times former winner of Jimmy’s Ten, throwing down the gauntlet to East Down’s ever competitive athlete of the year. The fact that the race was only decided inside the last kilometre showed that even at 45 plus years Rowan is still a force to be reckoned with and that Teer’s strategy of waiting until the Willowfield man had fired his best shots before pouncing is one which he will employ to good effect again. Continue reading →