COMBER 10K
Vying for top billing this week are two of East Down’s top runners though specialising in two very different genres of the sport. First to throw his hat in the ring was Gordy Graham when he placed 4th overall in the Comber 10K Road Race on Friday night. Gordy has been training hard to set a new PB for the distance but unfortunately he picked up a tummy bug in the days leading up to the race. Nevertheless he did set a PB clocking 35.46 in the hot conditions. So all round a satisfactory outcome even if he had targeted a much faster time. As ever there will be other races to improve his time on.
SPELGA SKYLINE SPECTACULAR
Neil Andrews was the other EDAC man to challenge the headline writers when on Saturday he finished the Spelga Skyline mountain race in 2nd place in 2.48.46 less than 2 and a half minutes behind the winner, Mourne Runners Timothy Johnston but over ten minutes ahead of the 3rd placed Mark Stephens Lagan Valley Orienteers. This race was contested by the top mountain runners from across NI and considering the blistering conditions and the fact that the athletes covered a course which measured 12.4 miles in distance and included 1,400m of ascent, these are tremendous times
This particular event is a bit like the “Hill & Dale for busy men”, as it takes in 8 of the “Hills” featured in the aforementioned series, which takes 10 weeks to do otherwise. Of course Neil had already carried out his recce for this one as he ran most of the H & D Series as well! Not to be outdone Niall Gibney also gave it a first timer’s go and right well he did too placing 16th overall in 3.27.08.
Like all fence sitters I’ll leave it to you to decide which deserves the ultimate accolade of Performance of the Week! Perhaps a Joint Award?
MORE FROM COMBER
Back to Comber again where it was noted that Paul Lloyd also set a new PB with 41.17 in 41st place and Joanne Foster’s 42.53 resulted in her winning the F35 category and placing the 7th Female overall. Janine Murray returned to the roads after the most recent H&D Series and despite the heat and the much firmer underfoot conditions, she posted a highly creditable 56.58 and finished just outside the top half of the near 800 finishers.
LINDA CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY AT EAMS
After running yet another marathon, the aptly name EAMS Skool’s Out Marathon, on a circuit near Greenisland, on Saturday, Linda Cunningham was happy to spend a few hours on Sunday celebrating her birthday with a relaxing walk to the top of Slieve Donard. As you do!! And long may you continue to do so Linda.
Linda Cunningham at end of Saturday’s EAMS Skool’s Out marathon
SLIEVE GULLION 8 MILE CHALLENGE
Donal Smith was the sole EDAC runner at Slieve Gullion Forest Park 8 mile race in aid of the Newry and Dundalk Samaritans on Sunday. With an elevation of over 1500 feet and the intense heat to contend with it was never going to be easy or one for a PB so he was pleased to complete the distance in 1.17.
Donal Smith after the Slieve Gullion 8 mile race
BELFAST INTERNATIONAL TRACK & FIELD MEETING
East Down Juniors Ella Telford and Erin Moore took part in the Primary Girls 60m at the international meet at Mary Peters Track on Tuesday night and posted times of 10.15 and 10.93 respectively which placed them 9th and 14th respectively based on time splits of the overall entry. Jodi Foster went in the Primary 1000m and came 9th out of 15 in a time of 3.40.93. The international races which followed provided a great spectacle and a chance to see some high class athletes in action.
Local heroine Ciara Mageean ran in the international 800m and after leading for a lap and a half she was out run by 2 Irish girls Claire Mooney and Sarah Healey. Although the race was won by Mooney, it was Healey who produced the most talked about performance of the night as the 17-year-old’s 2:02.76 was not only a personal best time but a new Irish Under 18 and Under 20 record and is the fastest Under 18 time in Europe this year. The previous record was set by Mageean, who finished in 4th place, but nevertheless showed her true class and character by posing for photos afterwards, in spite of her disappointment at her own performance.
EDAC juniors Emily Burns (left) and Ella Telford (right) meet Ciara Mageean – Commonwealth and Olympic athlete
Joe Quinn & Alison Carroll
2 July 2018