The Christmas Cracker
The Castlewellan Christmas Cracker is an annual 8.5-mile team (pairs) race that takes place in and around Castlewellan, Co. Down.
The race takes place on roads, fields, and forest tracks with the course changing every year.
This festive treat was first staged by Ballydrain Harriers in Comber in December 1984. That year the race was won by Newcastle AC's stalwarts Deon McNeilly and Des McGonigle.
This year a number of Ballymena Runners enjoyed the fine weather and stunning views in and around Castlewellan Forest Park.
Thank you to Newcastle for another fantastic event!
We can run in twos (sorta!)
The Turkey Trot!
The Turkey Trot is a long running festive Boxing Day calorie burn for mountain runners.
The course follows a clockwise circuit of Slieve Meelmore, 7.5 km in length with a height gain of 400m.
After an absence of many years, Ballymena Runners returned in style with William Fleck and Mark Alexander making the trip to the Mournes.
The festive raiding party proved fruitful with both of them picking up prizes. Albeit, one for brawn (age cat) and one for brains (quiz). We'll let you decide who won what...
Thank you to BARF for a superbly organised event.
We run 'off the turkey'!
William and Mark
Greencastle 5 Mile
It's a day traditionally associated with visiting those relatives you've been putting off seeing since Christmas 2023, recovering from the effects of a turkey sofa coma, or seeing how much you can squeeze into your Next online sales shopping basket, but a handful of hardy Ballymena Runners decided on Thursday they'd break with tradition in the most fun way possible; jump in their cars and drive to the wilds of Tyrone for what Terry Foley promised was "an iconic" Boxing Day race - the Greencastle Five Miler.
He wasn't wrong. Despite a lengthy journey that twisted through the "barren" heartland of Mid Ulster (in poetic form, Mr Foley!), a warm welcome (and copious amounts of parking) awaited runners at Greencastle Community Centre, which is a hilly little hamlet just outside Omagh.
"It's a flat enough route, isn't it." I stated to my companions, with all the intention of this being a rhetorical question.
Their exchange of quizzical glances told me I couldn't be any further from the truth, and they broke it to me that there was a hill at around 3.5 miles of an ascent which was enough to rival the neighbouring Sperrins themselves.
Nonetheless, off we set, on a course that comprised bendy country roads with beautiful, misty views, and a gradual climb that made me ask my neighbouring runners - "is this the hill yet?" - more than a few times.
Sadly, it wasn't, so when the hill came at a sharp right hand turn just over halfway along the route, it felt a bit like someone telling you they're going to slap you in the face; just because you're expecting it, it doesn't make it any less pleasant.
Blocking out the sighs of weariness, and the mutterings of " next year I'll be in the pub" around us, it was a case of gritting one's teeth and getting it done via whatever means necessary. If that meant reciting your favourite Cliff Richard Christmas song backwards, or trying to recall where you'd left that scarf that you were going to regift your Aunt Mildred with, then so be it.
Once it was conquered, it was delightfully and jubiantly downhill all the way to the finish line, where not only a goodie bag including of crisps, cheese and Mars Bars awaited, but also a sumptuous spread of hot drinks, sandwiches, cocktail sausages - wait for it - mulled wine were ready for the taking inside the Community Centre.
It felt like Christmas Day Round Two.
We joined Peter Faith, who was on his fourth wine, to watch the silverware being presented. Unsurprisingly, Ballymena Runners' own Brigid Quinn was presented with the prize for first female home in the over 80 category.
The rest of the crew put on some pretty good performances as well, considering the challenging, undulating nature of the route.
(In layman's terms, it was tougher than that morning's turkey leftovers).
But it was certainly a fantastic day out and event, and huge acknowledgement must go to the organisers, who are undoubtedly planning next year's 40th anniversary run as we speak.
See you then!
Results:
Susanna Allen 42:01
Paddy Millar 43:16
Matthew Allen 47:01
Laura McMullan 50:37
Terry Foley 52:05
Peter Faith 52: 06
Brigid Quinn 55:41
BRAC at Greencastle