Matty McParland, Bennachie Ultra 12/10/24
Matty McParland got the weekend off to a challenging start at the Bennachie Ultra, a 51k off road ultra marathon near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire on Saturday. The route took in parts of the Gordon Way giving fantastic views of the River Don and the surrounding hills. The route included the peaks of Hermit Seat, Oxen Craig and Mither Tap with its prehistoric hill fort giving runners almost 1700m of ascent over the 51k course. Marty didn’t hang around to enjoy the scenery, finishing 2nd in 4:32:57.
http://www.thistletimingresults.co.uk/results.aspx?CId=20032&RId=291&EId=1
Skyrun the Mournes, 12/10/24
Several more North Down AC mountain runners were out in the hills on Saturday at the welcome return of the Skyrun the Mournes races. After a break of several years the popular Mourne running event made its return with the classic 35k Mourne Skyline race offering runners more than 2700m of ascent as they raced from the start line in Donard Park to the Donard/Commedagh saddle then followed the Brandy Pad to Hare’s Gap and their first ascent of Bearnagh and Meelmore before dropping to Fofanny and beginning the climb that would bring them back round to Ott and Slieve Loughshannagh from where they followed the Mourne Wall to the summit of Slieve Donard before dropping to the finish line.
This year the race organisers included a 50k option with more than 3500m of climbing, the Mourne Skyultra where runners began their day with a climb from Donard Park to the top of Slieve Donard before dropping to the Head Road and climbing back up Slieve Binnian, Slieve Lamagan, Cove and Beg before reaching the Brandy Pad and following the same route as the Skyline runners, although thankfully without another ascent of Slieve Donard at the end!
Runners experienced 4 seasons of our weather throughout the races, adding and removing layers as sunshine, driving hail and strong winds reminded everyone why the mandatory kit list and thorough kit check at registration was necessary.
5 club members took on the 35k route; Alasdair Mair was first to finish in 5:39:56 followed by Michael Lenu 6:16:17, Andy Lowry 6:22:18, Gareth Hardy 6:26:53 and Kevin Mulligan 7:43:40.
4 more NDAC runners tackled the 50k version. Jonathan Gibson was the first ultrarunner back to Donard Park in 9th place in 7:57:22 ahead of Mark Weir 9:36:13, Seán Nickell 10:42:12 and Donald Smith 11:36:55.
https://live.primaltracking.com/mourne-skyline-2024/
Gr8 Dundrum Run 12/10/24
The North Down Skyrunners and the Gr8 Dundrum runners could have waved at each other from the beach and mountains on Saturday as 5 of the club’s runners tackled one of the most scenic local races in the running calendar. Offering an 8.4 mile or 3.5 mile option the races take in the roads, beaches and boardwalks around beautiful Dundrum looking up towards the Mournes. Noreen McCausland ran in the 3.5 mile race completing the tough course in 39:27. Stephen Wise was the first NDAC runner back in 59:32 with Brian Geddis 1:01:03, Gerard Adair 1:06:00 and Cliff McCausland 1:12:48 completing the quartet.
https://www.championchipireland.com/index.html#results
NI Veterans Cross Country Championships 12/10/24
North Down AC were well represented at the NI Veterans XC Championships at the QUB Playing Fields on Saturday, Superb performances across the age groups also ensured that many of the club members who raced qualified to swap their NDAC vests for Northern Ireland vests at the British and Irish Masters International Cross Country next month.
In the women’s race Sarah Grant 24:08 and Jodi Smith 26:28 were followed by Glynis Boye 28:00 1st W60, Claire Scott 28:08, Helen Byers 28:14 and June McMinn 2nd w65.
The Veteran men’s race also saw excellent performances with Terry Eakin winning his new age category, M75 in 26:57 ahead of Pat O’Driscoll 39:40 and a win for another debutant in his age category, John Adgey M80 35:46.
Dale Murray was 8th overall in the men’s race in 27:05 followed by James Budde 29:14 and 2nd M60 and NI’s newest international, Philip Mulligan 2nd M60 32:22.
Chicago Marathon 13/10/24
Mention Chicago and most people will think deep pan pizzas or musicals and all that jazz. Runners usually associate the city with one of the six World Marathon Majors and record breaking times! Runners paused before the race to remember the late Kelvin Kiptum who smashed the marathon world record in Chicago last year. Another world record was set in the women’s race where Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich took an incredible 1:57 off the previous best time and became the first woman to run under 2:10 setting a new record of 2:09:56.
The women’s world record was only part of the story for North Down AC supporters following the race tracking app as they followed the progress of 3 club members around the windy city. Fiona McQuillan was first back to the finish line at Grant Park in 3:04:47. Clair Quigley smashed her PB by 32 minutes in 3:36:59 while Wendy Neely set the PB of the day taking 42 minutes off her time to finish in 4:01:13 setting herself up for a sub-4 marathon next time out.
John McKeag Cup & Comber Cup XC, Billy Neill Playing Fields 13/10/24
