Runner of the Month – September 2018

Nominations this month were dominated with Belfast Half Marathon success stories and it’s great to see so many Harriers exceeding their goals after working so hard over the last few months and keeping to their training plans.

Tony McKeating, Karen McKee, Sharon Dunn and Joe Mathers all received nominations for their efforts, well done!

There were also nominations for Mairead O’Hare and Alex Davidson for their grit and determination to achieve their goals and fight through injury to represent the club.

This month it was a tight call at the top of the nominations with so many outstanding performances:

Laura Rose and Alan Ladd have put their all in to training and achieved unbelievable PBs at Belfast Half marathon, far exceeding what they expected.

“Laura shows great dedication to a very intensive marathon training program, culminating in some great PBs, especially at the recent Belfast Half Marathon.”

“Alan has been going from strength to strength over the last month putting in brilliant performances and a massive PB recently at Belfast HM. Alan worked hard to create half marathon training plans for club members and mentored first timers with Q&A sessions, it is great testament to this preparation that so many club members achieved PBs.”

But there can only be one winner, and ROTM for September goes to….

Lisa Kerr!

Lisa had a great month in September and has really been going from strength to strength with dedication to training rewarded with multiple PBs across several distances.

“Great work training for Belfast half marathon getting a 5k PB at Magheralin, 10k PB at Storming the castle and a 10-minute PB at Belfast Half.”

“Lisa has been flying lately, looks like the training is paying off, another good showing at Belfast half, Lisa is just getting faster and stronger with every run.”

“Hard work in training really paying off, multiple PBs across various distances this month, great work!”

Well done Lisa, thoroughly deserved and well done to all the nominees 

Club Report – Sunday 14th October 2018

I had a whole spiel organised giving off about the rain.

I wrote it yesterday. I binned it this morning.

Instead I will have to give you my favourite metaphysical poet, John Donne:

“No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face”

This week’s long run was definitely more enjoyable than last week!

Yesterday, our own Mark Smith and Nuala Muldoon took part in the Northern Ireland Masters Athletics Association (NIMAA) XC at the Dub Playing Fields. Mark’s time over 8k was 28:29 but more importantly he qualified for the NI Masters XC Team and will be part of the squad competing in Wales next month. Nuala’s time in the women’s race over 6k was 30:14.

The Harriers should be very proud to have representation at this level. Well done Sir.

Over in Saintfield, a couple of Harriers were taking on the Atlas Running Saintfield 10k:

Maeve Dunseith 56:24, Lisa Kerr 59:32

Doing the rounds of the parkruns were:

Valley parkrun:

Joe Mathers 19:23PB, Tom Fleming 19:49PB, Laura Rose (1st female finisher) 22:16PB, Alan Erwin 23:02, Brendan McGeown 23:55, Sarah Ross 24:07, Susan Thompson 24:59, Lord Ian Brennan 25:04PB, Janine McNevison 26:47PB (3rd week in a row!), Leanne Skillen 28:13, Neil Campbell 28:14, Oran McKee 29:35, Karen McKee 29:35, Lee-Anne Hutchinson 29:46, Frances Kane 29:55, Emily Dowling 30:22, Roisin Brooks 31:18, Sharon Dunn 31:18, Patricia Kane 41:39

Waterworks parkrun:

Robert Gould 22:32

Queens parkrun:

Jim Guinn 27:29, Jackie McCreesh 28:46, Marie McFarlane 30:39, Sharon Thompson 35:06, Josi McKeating 35:07, Miriam Clarke 39:20, Deirdre McCann 40:30

Antrim parkrun:

Maeve Kennedy 24:50PB, Deborah Ewing 28:44, Tina Steele 28:44

Dungannon parkrun:

Aidy Hughes 25:37

Newbie Galina Stanevicius thought she was this week’s best tourist as she completed the Omagh parkrun in 28:38 but she didn’t count on Mr & Mrs Donaldson. They went as far as Boston, Massachusetts to take part in the excellently named Jamaica Pond parkrun. Danny finished 3rd overall in 18:56 and Tiffany finished in 31:48.

And ADav went to Orangefield 22:30

Waterworks junior parkrun:

Joseph Eager 9:40, Ryan McCready 9:43, Matthew Hawkins 11:26, Olivia McCready 12:20, Aaron Ladd 14:24

Sophie Magee and Orin Calder headed to Manchester for the Half Marathon today, both finishing in 1:53:49 (you’ll be kept Sir!)

This week’s tune is to mark Sarah’s departure for New Zealand. Before you say anything, Crowded House only have one Kiwi, Neil Finn, so they’re basically Australian/American. Ladyhawke is 100% NZ.

Until next week, behave.

CAVILLATOR