James Budde wins Crawfordsburn Trail Race, 07/08/24
The first of North Down AC’s open races took place over the original Crawfordsburn 5k trail course on Wednesday evening. The route incorporates parts of the weekly parkrun route, familiar to many runners, through the country park but with a few extra hills making it an even tougher challenge!
More than 30 club members raced along the forest trails and coastal path with an almost equivalent number ably organised by Nicola Stevenson marshalling the route.
James Budde led the field home, winning the race in a superb 17:09. Next NDAC finisher was Sean McLaughlin in 3rd place in 18:16 followed by Michael Lenu (6th) 18:57 and Alastair Mair (7th) 19:00. Gareth Hardy finished comfortably inside 20 minutes (19:39) ahead of Colin Walker 20:09 and Luke Dobson 20:25. Sarah Grant was the first female finisher in 20:32 closely followed by Philip Mulligan 20:35m Eamonn O’Reilly 20:47 and 2nd female Coco Smith 21:05. Luke Hamilton’s excellent form continued as he finished in 21:30 ahead of Abbie Small 21:53, Tim Cooke 22:22, Alan Massey 22:23, Stephanie Hambling 22:40 and Sarah Gibson 22:50. The next finishers were Lisa Tomalin 23:01, Gerry O’Boyle 23:14, Gerard Adair 23:31, Becka Laffin 23:38, Jacob Sullivan and Paul Lynas both 24:30, Robert Martin 24:54, Emma Fox 24:55 and Olivia Cumming 24:59. Freya Lowry completed the 5k in 25:00 ably pacing her dad Andy Lowry to his own 25:02 finish. Katlyn Massey 26:34 was followed by Paula Simpson 26:56, Isla Wiltshire 28:42, Beth Mulree 28:48, Agata Young 29:24, Sophie Hamilton 29:55, Caroline Gilmore 30:29 and Nicola Ingram 30:39.
https://www.championchipireland.com
Mallusk 5 Miler, 09/08/24
4 North Down AC members headed to Mallusk on Friday 8th August for the annual 5 mile road race. First club finisher over the undulating 5 mile course was Ashley Dixon, taking 3rd place in 27:33. Sarah Gibson was 1st F50 in 36:02 with Marion Beattie 41:32 and Nicole Bell 51:00 both running strongly.
Gary Morrow wins Dambusters 10k. Dambusters 5k and 10k, Silent Valley, 10/08/24
The annual Born 2 Run Dambusters 5k, 10k and 10 mile races took place in the Silent Valley on Saturday 10th August with runners tackling courses between the Silent Valley and Ben Crom Dams. Caitlyn Dickenson ran the 5k race finishing 10th overall and 2nd FJ in 24:04.
North Down AC’s Gary Morrow won the 10k race in 33:55, and Andy Belshaw ran an evenly paced race to finish in 44:14.
https://www.championchipireland.com
Lurig Run, Cushendall 10/08/24
5 North Down mountain runners headed for the Antrim coast on Saturday 10th August to run up and down Lurig, the big hill looking down over Cushendall and Waterfoot. Runners started in Cushendall and ran or fast hiked up the hill before an inevitable slide on their bottoms down the steepest parts of Lurig on their way back to the coast. The route of approximately 6k covers more than 300m of vertical ascent. Clair Quigley was the club’s first finisher and 1st F40 in 41:43. Tom Agnew completed the race in 43:36 followed by Claire Scott 51:34, John Adgey 1st M70 56:27 and Judith Kyle 1:01:35.
NI & Ulster Senior Track & Field Championships, MPT, 09&10/08/24
A number of North Down AC athletes were in action at the NI & Ulster Senior T&F championships at the Mary Peters Tack on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th August.
Curtis Hughes and Ethan Isles took place in the senior men’s and women’s 4x400m on Friday evening finishing 2nd in 3:32.90. Ethan’s 53s leg 2 took the team from 4th to 2nd.
On Saturday Louis Albrown was 2nd in the U23 men’s 100m in a PB of 10.90. He followed up his 100m PB taking gold in the senior men’s 400m with another PB of 49.12.
Mark Carberry was 7th overall (and 2nd U23) 800m final in 2:00.45 after finishing equal 3rd in his earlier heat in 1:58.80.
The men’s 5000m ramped up in pace over the final kilometre where Craig McMeechan placed 6th in 15:14.13. In the same race Josh McDowell ran a solid 17:08.40 in warm but breezy conditions.
The men’s 1500m was another tactical affair where Daniel Dines finished a creditable 5th place in 4:16.26.
Gemma Caughers took bronze (and first senior woman) in the senior women’s discus with a best throw of 25.57m.
Morgan Wilson was 1st in the U20 women’s pole vault clearing 2.30m.
In the senior men’s triple jump Karl Martin won the U20 event with a PB of 13.23 while Callum Hunter was 1st senior male with a season’s best jump of 11.60m.
https://ani.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2024/GBR/ni-ulster-senior-track-field-championships/event/F06/1/1/