Letterkenny Athletic Club’s 2012 Olympian, Caitriona Jennings, had a superb run in Sunday’s gruelling Comrades’ Marathon in South Africa.
It is one of the world’s oldest and most famous road races.
In the 94th edition of the 86.83KM race, between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, Sinead was the 3rd woman in an excellent time of 6.24.12.
In a distance of more than double, that of a Marathon, Sinead’s average pace was 4.25/KM. The winner of the women’s race, local, Gerda Steynwinning, (highly appropriate surname), finished in 5.58.53 and set a new women’s record. Comrades’ Marathon alternates every year between Durban-Pietermaritzburg and Pietermaritzburg-Durban.
It was in the former direction this year, which is the tougher, uphill direction. The overall race winner was another South African, Edward Mothibi, who finished the tough event in 5.31.33.
Killygordon continues to be fertile ground for Eimear Gormley. In early April, she was the winner of the women’s race in the Killygordon Crossroads Playschool 5K and, in late April, she was the 2nd woman in the Gleneely National School 5K.
Last Tuesday, she was the second woman in the Donegal Aurivo 5K in Killygordon. Gormley’s time was 21.10.
The leading woman was Finn Valley AC’s Leoni Mullen in 18.28. The overall race winner was also a Finn Valley runner, Shea Carlin, in 16.24.
Letterkenny AC runners were at the sharp end of Thursday evening’s Ballyraine National School 5K.
In-form Karol Duggan continued his impressive form to win the race in a very fast time of 15.35. Ivan Toner, one of Co Donegal’s most consistent performers, was 2nd in 16.20.
Dessie Shiels was a top 10 finisher and the leading M40 runner in 19.07. Aidan McGlynn had a sub 20 minute finish of 19.56. Frank Pinder was the 2nd M50 finisher in 20.52, just 1 second behind Finn Valley AC’s Eddie McMenamin, the category winner. Stephen Shiels clocked 21.06 and John A. Mullen 21.25.
Garry Price’s time was 21.31. Jane Toner made a welcome, and impressive return to competitive action. She was the 2nd woman across the line, in a time of 21.35. Fionnuala Larkin was the first woman home in 20.03. Marie Mullen was the first F50 runner, in 21.44. Noel Lynch’s time was 21.52.
Danny McKinley finished in 22.16. Catherine McKinley, who teaches in Ballyraine NS, was the winner of the F40 category in 22.32. Pat Brady clocked 23.16. Young Frankie Pinder crossed the line in 24.22 and James McBride in 24.29. Niamh McDaid’s time was 25.49.
Eoin Hughes and Conor Gallagher put on good performances at the weekend in the 5000m race at the Northern Ireland Senior Track and Field Championship. In a keenly contested race, Eoin ran the 12.5 laps in 15.43 and Conor in 15.58. Neil Johnston, Springwell Running Club, was the race winner in a fast time of 14.50.
Kathryn McDevitt was pleased to return to competitive action at the weekend. She turned in 2 good performances at the Munster Masters’ Championships.
She was 3rd in the W35 100m in a time of 13.98 seconds. She was 4th in the W35 Long Jump, with a distance of 4m. Speaking afterwards, Kathryn declared herself ‘just glad to be back on track…. after 14 weeks out with Achilles injury.’ Kathryn intends running on Saturday in the Connaught Championships in Sligo.
Gerard and Monica McGranaghan both had very good runs in the Killyclogher 10K, near Omagh, Co Tyrone. Gerard was 7th overall and 2nd in the M40 category. Monica was the 2nd woman and the leading F40 runner in a time of 40.26. The race winner was Scott Rankin, Foyle Valley AC, in 32.33.
Liam Ferry, running in his 30th Letterkenny Parkrun, continued his excellent record. He was 2nd in a time of 20.01, which gave him 1st place in the M40 category. Philip McHugh, who finished in 18.14, was the only runner ahead of Liam. Noel Lynch, who reached the quarter-century mark for Parkruns completed, was 1st in the M50 group in 23.11. Cathal Roarty’s time of 23.23 gave him 1st place in the M55 category.
James McBride celebrated reaching a half-century of Parkruns by finishing as the leading M65 category in 26.07.
Young Ronan Burke clocked 30.11.
