Mourne Mountain Marathon, 21&22/09/24
The 2 day Mourne Mountain Marathon tests runners’ ability to navigate through the Mournes as pairs of runners tackle 4 different courses based on their levels of age, skill, experience and speed through the mountains. The pairs are given route cards with grid references which they must visit in order although they are free to choose their route between checkpoints and competitors also carry gear for their overnight camp in the Mournes. A handicap system based on age within each class of runners ensures that the playing field is more level than the mountainous routes they tackle!
3 North Down AC members were involved in the race with Jonathan Gibson and Newcastle AC’s Simon Hodge racing in the elite category over 55km with more than 2700m of ascent. Jonathan and Simon finished 3rd in 10:50:11.
In the C Class category NDAC’s veteran mountain man John Adgey raced with his son Chris taking on a course of approximately 35km with over 1800m of climbing, The Adgeys won the Veteran C group with an overall age graded time of 6:59:21.
The D Class category has the same distance as C Class with slightly less elevation for those newer to mountain running, although the kit and navigational requirements remain just as challenging. Maol Larkin and Noel Larkin took 9th place in 11:03:18.
https://mourne2day.com/liveresults/index_combined.html
Belfast Half Marathon, 22/09/24
The Belfast Half Marathon took place in ideal running conditions on Sunday 22nd September. Tweaks to last year’s course ensured a better event for runners and spectators as runners began on the Ormeau Embankment and ran along parts of the Ormeau and Ravenhill Road perhaps more familiar to some as the last 3 miles of the Belfast Marathon! The route took runners out to Victoria Park, back into the city centre past the H&W cranes before the final climb up the Falls Road to the RVH and a welcome descent down the Grosvenor Road to Great Victoria Street, Botanic Avenue, University Street and back to the Ormeau Road and the finish line on the embankment.
Cameron Grant was the first NDAC runner to finish, in 7th place in 1:10:22 followed by Gary Morrow, 12th in 1:13:36. Josh McDowell with an excellent PB of 1:16:35, Robert Duncan 1:18:49, Aaron McAuley 1:19:37 and Alan McConnell with a PB of 1:21:49 were the next club members to finish narrowly ahead of Chris Couchman 1:26:12 and Simon Boyle 1:27:44. Fiona McQuillan was the first NDAC lady in 1:28:00 seconds ahead of Sarah Gibson 1:28:22 with Melissa Eccles 1:29:56 joining them in the sub-90 minutes club. Tom Agnew 1:30:17 and Darren Edgar 1:30:21 had a close race ahead of Luke Dobson 1:31:31, Clair Quigley 1:33:48, Glynnis Boyle and Fiona McVicar both 1:38:09 and Sarah Wilson 1:39:41. Claire Scott 1:42:13, Nicola Ingram 1:43:15, Keith Gilmore 1:45:38, Susan Black 1:47:53, Michael Stevenson 1:50:51, Marion Beattie 1:51:14, Paula Simpson 1:51:19, David Balmer 1:51:30, Alan Massey 1:54:54, Katlyn Massey 1:54:58, Alex Irvine 1:55:00, Andy Belshaw 1:55:26, Nathan McLeer 1:56:17 and Wendy Neely 1:57:38 all finished comfortably within 2 hours. Sandra Hall and Mick Hall both finished in 2:13:48 ahead of official 2:15 pacer Donald Smith 2:14:19. David Milligan 2:21:46, Caroline Gilmore 2:22:14, Glenn Frazer 2:22:48, Sinead Mooney 2:25:39, Nicola Bell 2;25:58 and Caroline Kirwan 3:03:44 completed the list of NDAC finishers with many club members taking the opportunity to pace friends or family members to their own goal times or using the half marathon, and in some cases adding extra miles, as a training run for the upcoming Chicago, Dublin and New York Marathons.
TJ McElmeel Cup – Armagh Cross Country 22/09/24
Despite the Indian summer that invariably follows the return to school, the first hint that “Winter is Coming” was heralded by the return of the cross country season.
Although many senior athletes were taking part in the Belfast half marathon the club still managed to produce an excellent turn out for the first major cross country event at the Palace Demesne in Armagh.
In the junior races from U9 to U18 athletes raced over courses between 500m and 5000m. Casey Seaton was 2nd in the U9 boys with Daly Seaton also finishing 2nd in U11. Sophie Rankin was 6th in the U13 girls with Eve Sloan, Molly Rankin and Isla McQuillan also racing. Robin Anderson was 12th in U13 boys. Coco Smith was 11th in U15 girls with Caitlyn Dickenson racing too. James Blease and Seb Mair raced over 3000m in the U15 boys. At U18 Holly Blease was 11th girl finishing the 3500m course in 14:41 while Oliver Playfair was 6th in the 5000m U18 boys’ race in 17:42.
In the 5000m Women’s Open race Rachel Gibson 22:36 and Helen Byrers 24:19 both put in strong performances.
Terry Eakin ran 24:08 in the Master’s race.
The NDAC mens’ team finished 4th in the 7500m team event with the scoring 6 of James Budde 26:44, Daniel Dines 27:23, Finn Johnson 28:37, Francis Marsh 29:57, Steven Donegan 30:22 and Dennis Scott 30:33. Alasdair Mair 31:31, Mark Weir 31:38, Tim Cooke 34:35 and Robert Martin 37:01 all raced strongly too.
