Kerry Wins Trail Race Series
The popular East Antrim Forest Trail Race series came to a close last week with the fourth and final race of the series held last Tuesday evening.
The race series promoted by East Antrim Harriers hosted the last race at Woodburn Forest just outside Carrickfergus over a 4.2 mile forest trail course on what were favourable conditions for the 135 assembled runners for the event.
Having won the first three races and therefore securing the Ladies Title for the Overall series was Ballymena’s Kerry Bamber. Also in the prizes for the local club was Matthew Morrow who was third overall in the men’s standings with Alex Brennan also claiming the MV40 title for the series.
Ballymena Runners had 18 members from the club competing in the last off road race with the group led home by Matthew Morrow in the top ten in 5th overall in 26 mins 28 secs; also in the top ten was Alex Brennan in 6th overall in 26 mins 41 secs. They were followed by 20th, Nigel McClintock, 29:17, 30th, John McClelland, 30:54, 35th, Derek Agnew, 31:22, 42nd, Judith Worthington, 32:15, 49th, Chris Young, 33:03, 59th, Alastair Donaghy, 33:55, 81st, Alison Foster, 36:09, 92nd, Emma Donnelly, 37:58, 107th, Beverly Kidd, 40:19, 115th, Helen Beattie, 42:27, 116th, Wendy Moore2, 42:43, 117th, Hannah Soar, 42:44, 118th, S McFall, 42:44, 127th, Rosemary Morrow, 46:28, 129th, Mary Duffin, 48:57, 130th, Sylvia Ringer, 48:58,
Overall winners in the final race were, Top 3 Men: 1st Matthew Hewitt (East Coast AC) – 24:51, 2nd Kent Swann (North Belfast Harriers) – 25:08, 3rd Paul Horan (North Belfast Harriers) – 25:24, Top 3 Ladies: 1st Claire Donnelly (Unattached) – 28:52, 2nd Debbie Matchett (Ballydrain Harriers) – 29:30, 3rd Patricia Blair (Larne AC) – 29:38,
Catherine Sets New Club 10 Mile Race Record
Last week also saw Catherine McQuillan breaking the Ballymena Runners Ladies 10 Mile record at the Springwell Runners Jude Gallagher Memorial Round the Bridges race in Limavady.
On a night when the 500 entrants had to endure torrential down pours during the race, Catherine wasn’t deterred by the wet conditions as she raced over the line in 67 mins 56s secs. Catherine now holds tow current records having set the Ladies Marathon record in 2015.
Ballymena Runners had a huge turn out at the race with over 40 runners from the club taking part. Ballymena Runners places and finishing times as listed.
20th Rodney Agnew Ballymena Runners M45 1:01:16 1:01:16 25th John Hasson Ballymena Runners M45 1:03:40 43rd Rick Hill Ballymena Runners MO 1:06:12 46Tom Mills Ballymena Runners M45 1:06:20 50th Rodney Livingstone Ballymena Runners M45 1:06:37 60th Catherine McQuillan Ballymena Runners FO 1:07:56 69th Jack McKenna Ballymena Runners Male Under 18 1:08:53 72nd Andrew Ferguson Ballymena Runners MO 1:08:57 74th Nicholas Read Ballymena Runners M45 1:08:57 80th John Donnelly Ballymena Runners M45 1:09:17 99th Colin Hoey Ballymena Runners M45 1:11:23 138th David Rainey Ballymena Runners M50 1:14:32 157th Linda Petticrew Ballymena Runners F50 1:15:47210th Chris Young Ballymena Runners MO 1:19: 249th Helen McCormack Ballymena Runners F35 1:20:34 1:20:57 8:03/M 250 704 Dominic Hasson Ballymena Runners M45 1:20:37 1:20:58 8:04/M 255 708 Patrick Millar Ballymena Runners M50 1:20:59 282 310 Alison Foster Ballymena Runners F40 1:23:13 290 340 Aine Hasson Ballymena Runners F45 1:23:41 303 474 Helen Metrustry Ballymena Runners F45 1:25:01 1:25:18 8:30/M 304 284 Alastair Donaghy Ballymena Runners M45 1:24:57 307 417 Gerry McClintock Ballymena Runners F35 1:24:58 312 356 Naomi Hutchinson Ballymena Runners FO 1:25:39 327 368 Deborah Kerr Ballymena Runners F40 1:27:35 329 510 Paschal O'Sullivan Ballymena Runners M50 1:27:44 1:27:52 331 202 Robin Alexander Ballymena Runners M50 1:27:37 337 248 Arnold Cochrane Ballymena Runners M45 1:28:06 1:28:27 8:49/M 338 574 Andrea Wylie Ballymena Runners F45 1:28:08 341 357 Andrew Hutchinson Ballymena MO 1:28:32 352 289 Emma Donnelly Ballymena Runners F35 1:29:21 1:29:31 8:56/M 353 369 Beverly Kidd Ballymena Runners F35 1:29: 383 620 Brigid Quinn Ballymena Runners F65 1:33:04 455 274 Adrian Dodds Ballymena Runners M40 1:41:03 457 337 Nikki Hassan Ballymena Runners F35 1:41:04 475 201 Mairead Agnew Ballymena Runners F40 1:44:46 476 205 Harry Armstrong Ballymena Runners M50 1:44:47 479 534 Amanda Scott Ballymena Runners F55 1:45:18480 326 Sonia Gormley Ballymena Runners F35 1:45:17 486 224 Elizabeth Brown Ballymena Runners F55 1:48:31 497 411 Wendy McAuley Ballymena Runners F40 2:01:46498 344 Tracy Henderson F40 2:01:46
Spelga Skyline Mountain Race
On Saturday the action was in the Mournes with the Denis Rankin Memorial Spelga Skyline Race which was hosted by Belfast Association of Rock Climbers and Fell Runners (BARF).
The race was number six of the Northern Ireland Mountain Running Championships and took in a tough 20 km route that saw the hardy competitors tasked with reaching the summits of Butter Mountain, Slieve Meelbeg, Slieve Loughshannagh, Slieve Muck, across Deers Meadow to Slieve Moughanmore, onwards to Pierces Castle, Rocky, Hen and finally Cock Mountain before the technical descent back to the Spelga Dam finish line. The race started at Spelga Dam.
Ballymena Runners lady Gillian Wasson started as one of the contenders fro the ladies race, but despite a gutsy performance was just out side the podium places in 4th spot overall with a finishing time of 3 hours 34 mins 29 secs. Gillian did do enough however to claim first spot in her respective age category. Gillian was in fact the first of the Ballymena Contingent to finish with Tim Lowry following in 3 hours 36 mins 36 secs in 32nd overall with Ruth Aiken next in 5 hours 22 mins 22 secs, 56th, Alastair Donaghy 5 hours 25 mins 47 secs. Robin Alexander also started the vent but was forced to withdraw in the early stages.
Overall winners were Men: 1st David Hicks (Newcastle AC) – 2:38:51, 2nd William McKee (Mourne Runners) – 2:44:05, 3rd Thomas Leitch (Orangegrove AC) – 2:53:06.Ladies: 1st Diane Wilson (Dromore AC) – 2:59:24, 2nd Shileen O’Kane (Lagan Valley AC) – 3:11:04, 3rd Jackie Toal (BARF) – 3:32:0
Other News
Aidy Dodds was also in action at the Comber 10K recently finishing in 58 mins 8secs. Julian Kennedy was the sole Ballymena representative at the recent Northern Ireland Masters Track and Field Championships in the Shot put and Discus events. Julian recorded 8.95m in the Shot put and 29.24 in the Discus.
NEW 24 HOUR RECORD FOR RYAN!
Not one to shy away from a challenge Ballymena Runners Ryan Armstrong was in action last weekend at the Energia 24, a 24 hour race that also included a 12 hour race and 100km race. Ryan is no stranger to the event having completed for the past 2 years, setting a club record of a staggering 106.5 miles at last years event.
This year the competitors would have been glad of a change of venue with the event switching from Mary Peters track to Victoria Park, East Belfast, home of the Victoria Parkrun event. Getting away from the monotony of a 400m lap competitors were running on a mile loop this year with the scenery of the park also breaking the race up.
Ryan beat his record for the race by stretching it out to an amazing 106.8 miles covered during the 24 hour period. Despite suffering calf stiffness in the early periods of the event Ryan recovered to complete the 24 hours setting a new club Record! During the event Ryan has now completed 51 Marathons.