NO PLACE LIKE HOME…
Harriers I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore…
A week on and as the storm has now settled from our club race, we can begin to draw breath and know that there is no place like home… well for most of us anyway…
Our first traveller, Lauren Whitehouse was blown in the direction of the Mighty Oaks 5km road race. In what was an undulating course (yep a wee bit hilly) Lauren came in with a PB for herself in a time of 30:11, very well done young lady, although I am sure it shall be a little different for that wee event on the 13th September in and around Tyneside…
Moving on to Saturday and the ‘local’ Parkrun events:
Waterworks: Patrick J Hamill 24:55
Antrim: Deborah Ewing 24:03 new PB, Tina Steele 25:50 new PB,
Laura Maguire 26:18 5km PB, Jennifer Butler 27:08.
Valley: Gavin Knipe 19:00, Tom Wylie 23:17 new PB, Martin Keenan 24:05, Catherine Boyd 24:40 new PB, Martin McCourt 24:40, Noel Bloomfield 25:00, Paul Skillen 26:13, Martin McCready 28:32, Alex Davidson 30:20, Clare Teer 32:39 new PB, Ian Simpson 32:40, Rosalind Stitt 37:45 and Fidelma McCoppin 38:33.
As the dust settled some of our Harriers did find themselves blown off course, Louise & Alan Ladd found themselves in the heart of Kilkenny. So armed with trainers and running buggy they took on the challenge with Alan coming third overall in a time of 21:04, with Louise on buggy pushing duties returning in 33:13.
As the howling wind ceased, suddenly Louise Smylie realised she was no longer in Newtownabbey, but found herself at Greenpoint parkrun in South Africa, wow… Louise managed to record, I suppose a PB for the course in 27:32… from all of us stuck on the plains and hills of Mallusk enjoy your holidays…
It’s just not cricket, but a 100 not out, marathons in 100 days that is, totally amazing from Stevey McGeown and Larry Maguire. The lads took on the challenge to raise money for ‘The Laura Maguire Foundation’. Some of our harriers took on the challenge, a very special mention to all that took part in helping the lads cross the line, although a particular mention to 3 of our own ladies how had never completed a half marathon before, that is until Saturday, very well done Lorraine Forsythe, Joanne Haddock and Kelly Nelson.
Sunday, baked in sunshine saw the inaugural ‘Storming the Castle’ 10k race hosted by Seapark AC. From a personal view the event was excellent, a superbly organised and well marshalled event, from bag collection, parking, the run, right through to the burgers and hog roast at the finish,. Credit where it’s due, well done Seapark… A fantastic achievement by all our runners, some of whom managed 5k PB’s the day before also recording PB’s at the event, Deborah, Tina and more notable was Anna Marie’s run. Only running one 10k before, the Sea To Sky, Anna-Marie recorded 1:17:00, today she managed to punch out 1:03:00, absolutely fantastic running young lady. Whilst for many of our new members it was a chance to push on that bit further. Graduates from our couch to 5k programme back in June, Jennifer Butler, Laura Maguire, Gillian Bainbridge and Leeanne Skillen took on the course and completed it in fantastic times to boot.
Summary of the times as follows:
Deborah Ewing 49:46,
Catherine Boyd 51:34,
Gary Stitt 53:04,
James Hewitt 54:28,
Tina Steele 55:09,
Jessica Wilson 56:40,
Laura Maguire 56:43,
Jennifer Butler 58:06,
Duncan Baxter 59:06,
Leeanne Skillen 59:53,
Paul Skillen 59:54,
Gillian Bainbridge 01:02:12,
Anna-Marie Barrington 1:03:00,
Fidelma McCoppin 01:05:49,
Again apologies if any of our runners have been missed out in this week’s report…
Safe running to you all, ‘pay it forward…’ and remember ‘Right to the Line…’