Dalriada Festival 5 and 10K races
The local running action kicked off last weekend on Friday evening when the seaside village of Glenarm played host to the annual Dalriada Festival 5k and 10k races with nearly two hundred and fifty athletes turned out between the two races. The well-organised event, which is part of a week-long festival attracted athletes from the length and breadth of the province, and beyond.
The 10k competitors were faced with a challenging but picturesque two lap route, while the 5k athlete completed one lap of the same course. In humid conditions, the field set off uphill into Glenarm Forest and onwards towards the adjoining Castle Estate.
Ballymena Runners Judith Worthington was in top form in the ladies 10K race when she came home the clear winner in 48 mins 1 secs in the 10K race finishing almost one minute ahead of her nearest challenger Vicky Mellon in 49 mins exactly. Ballymena Runners also in the 10K event were 4th Wayne Morrow, 00:37:49, 8th, Rick Hill, 00:40:48, 10th, John Hasson, 00:40:58, 11th, Seamus Kelly, 00:41:18, 17th, Colin Hoey, 00:44:20, 29th, Judith Worthington, 00:48:01, 31st, Glenn McGall, 00:48:35.
In the shorter 5K race Matthew Morrow lost out in a sprint finish for the runner up spot, having to settle for 3rd overall in 18 mins 1 secs just 1 secs behind second place man David Clarke, with kent Swann winning in 17 mins 17 secs.
Kennedy Kane McArthur Festival of Running
The next day saw over three hundred athletes descended on the County Antrim village of Dervock for the annual Kennedy Kane McArthur Festival of Running.
The event which offered runners the opportunity of racing over 10k and Half Marathon distances, with the latter also being part of the Pure Running Half Marathon Series.
The well organised event was hosted by Springwell Running Club, whose members dominated the podium places in both the Half 13.1 mile and 6.2 mile events.
Ballymena Runners split themselves between the two races with eight members in the 10K race and 16 members opting for the longer Half Marathon distance race.
First home for the club over the longer 13.1 mile race distance was Ian McCracken in 89 mins 33 secs, in 18th overall, with first club lady Elle Forrest in 1 hr 40 mins 58 secs. They were followed by
71, John, McGerty, 01:42:05, 80, David, Rainey, 01:43:33, 102, Donal, Martin, 01:50:15, 140, Patrick , Millar, 01:57:43, 141, Gerry, McClintock, 01:57:48, 155, Paschal, O'Sullivan, 02:02:58, 156, Pamela, Davis, 02:03:15, 160, Brigid, Quinn, 02:05:14, 168, Rachel, Galbraith, 02:07:13, 169, Wendy, McAuley, 02:07:49, 170, Helen, McCormack, 02:08:10, 175, Stacey, McGerty, 02:09:55, 206, Mairead, Agnew, 02:35:30, 207, Adrian, Dodds, 02:35:31
In the short distance 10K event the club had two age category wins with Rodney Livingstone and Davy Nicholsonfastest in their respective age groups and John McClelland and Peter Fleming second in theirs. Times were as follows;
5, Peter, Fleming, M40, 00:41:19, 7, Rodney, Livingstone, M45, 00:41:44, 11, Daniel, McClelland, MO, 00:43:00, 14, John McClelland, 44:13, 30, David, Nicholson, M65, 00:49:32, 35, Naomi, Hutchinson, F0, 00:51:11, 67, Helen, Beattie , F45, 00:59:22, 83, Mary, Duffin, F50, 01:03:46, 88, Sylvia, Ringer, F45, 01:05:33