Four Letterkenny Athletic Club runners ran in Dessie’s Run, the annual Derry 10K, on Wednesday evening. All four runners had superb runs. Conor Gallagher had a particularly fruitful evening.
In-form Conor set a new PB; his time of 32.57 was his first sub 33 minute 10K and eclipsed his existing PB by 43 seconds.
He was 6th overall and the first runner from a non-Derry club. Conor described himself as being “absolutely delighted with that run” and added that “the hard work and effort keep paying off.”
He also said that he wished to express “thanks to my coach for keeping me in the right direction.”
Annmarie McGlynn had an excellent run. She won the women’s race in 33.16, giving her more than nine minutes to spare over the 2nd woman. Annmarie also won last year’s event, but her time this year was 43 seconds faster.
Barry Mackey followed up his medal in the 5000m at Tullamore in the National Masters’ Championships with a sub-40-minute performance.
Barry’s time was 39.40. He was 2nd in the M55 category which was won by the astonishing and ageless Tommy Hughes, of Termoneeny Running Club, in 33.25.
Richard Raymond celebrated his 65th Birthday just a few days before the 10K. The Kerryman didn’t take long to assert himself in his new category and was the leading M65 runner in 48.00.
Ivan Toner was LAC’s sole representative in Friday evening’s Brockagh 6K. The well-established event was formerly a 4-mile race but in recent years it has become one of the country’s few 6K races.
Ivan had an excellent time of 21.23, which gave him 3rd place overall and 1st place in the M40 category.
Finn Valley AC’s Gerard Gallagher won the race in 20.48; he had just 1 second to spare over Rosses AC’s Charlie O’Donnell.
The winner of the women’s race was Maria McCambridge, former LAC runner and now of Dundrum South Dublin. Maria’s time was 21.50.
Anthony Farren was the first LAC runner across the line in Saturday’s Letterkenny Parkrun. Anthony was the 1st M50 finisher, in 23.31.
Dara Dunne was also 1st in her F50 category, in a time of 24.23. Cathal Roarty made a welcome return to action.
Cathal received a painful injury in a cycling accident earlier in the summer but ran an excellent comeback time of 24.57 in his 71st Parkrun.
Noel Lynch’s time was 25.58. Peter McLean is heading towards the Century mark and completed his 90th Parkrun in 29.11. The first runner home was West Limerick AC’s Michael Guiney, in 20.06.
LAC organised a road relay event on Sunday, which was put on in conjunction with the Letterkenny Folk Festival. In an exciting senior race, the LAC team held off the challenge of Foyle Valley AC.
The 1st runner in the LAC team was Raymond Birch, the 2nd leg was run by Michael Galvin, with Aidan McKenna running the anchor leg. LAC appreciates the effort of Foyle Valley AC in sending a team to compete in this event.
This was the first year of the event and it is hoped that the event can grow in future years.
There was also an exciting Juvenile race, involving LAC, Foyle Valley and Lifford Strabane AC.
The LAC Under 13 Boys took 1st place in their race and the Under 13 Girls were 2nd. There was an excellent atmosphere for the event. Letterkenny Athletic Club is very grateful to Charley’s Cafe for the generous sponsorship of the event. They provided excellent post race refreshments.
