Bank Holiday Weekend Report
Before the business of the weekend, an omission to report from last weekend. In recent weeks a number of Orangegrove members have become interested in duathlon, combining their interest in running with riding a bicycle. I suppose triathlon would be great if it were not for the bloody awful swim! Duathlon is the next best thing! Duathlon involves a two mile run, a ten mile bike ride and then another two mile run, with two transition periods to separate the disciplines.
The latest recruit to duathlon is the versatile Martin O’Brien who took part in the recent Bishopscourt Duathlon at the motor racing circuit not too far from Downpatrick. One of the attractions of duathlon in Northern Ireland is the fact that the organizers utilize motor racing circuits like Bishopscourt and Kirkistown. This was Martin’s first duathlon and clearly he enjoyed the experience. His finishing time was 1:06:56. This comprised of 14.04 for his first two mile run, 37.24 for the ten mile bike ride and then 14.14 for the second two mile run. This gave Martin 16th place in a field of 32. Very well done indeed and clearly a very solid platform for further similar ventures. Maybe more of us should get involved in duathlon; after all variety is the spice of life. Pity you need a decent bike!
The Newcastle A.C. Hill and Dale series continued on Thursday evening in dry sunny conditions in the southern Mournes and on a cold and blustery Friday evening at the Mary Peters’ Track a considerable number of Orangegrove’s speedier runners gathered to take part in the Active Financial and NiRunning mile sprints in association with the British Milers Club.
Of course the big event this weekend, on Bank Holiday Monday, will be the Deep River Rock Belfast City Marathon and for a number of Orangegrove members who have braved the winter storms and the drudgery of training in the dark and rain it will be the great test and the culmination of their efforts. May they run well and be well pleased with their times! One or two of the less brave will be running as Orangegrove relay teams and other members will be out and about around the course offering encouragement and sustenance and we thank them sincerely in advance.
The route begins at Belfast City Hall and then takes in East Belfast before returning to the city centre in a westwards direction along Castle Street, Divis Street and the Falls Road. The direction is then northwards towards the Crumlin Road, Oldpark and the feared Antrim Road before the descent towards the Shore Road to Gideon’s Green and the return to Belfast along the Loughshore path, lovely Duncrue Street to Ormeau and eventually to the finish line in Ormeau Park. It is not one of the greatest marathons in Europe, but it is a marathon, and not an easy one at that and anyone who finishes it will have earned their medal and the respect of us lesser mortals.
The following members of Orangegrove will take the line for the full haul:
- Eleanor Acheson
- Stephen Anderson
- Susan Anderson
- Gary Morrow
- Paul Edgar
- Stephen Orr
- Pauline Bayliss
It would appear that the relay teams are as follows:-
Men A – Gary Keenan, Raymond Leitch, Joe Craney, Andy McIntyre, Chris Downey.
Men B – Mark Williamson, Michael O’Donoghue, Brian Todd, Gavin Marshall, Rodney Corrigan.
Men C – Alan Montgomery, Martin Walker, Martin Doherty, Paul Gruhn, Paul Buchanan.
Ladies A – Jennifer Black, Louise Browne, Leann Gibson, Carolyn Beattie, Liz Leitch.
Ladies B – Sharon Corken, Trish Magill, Sarah Steer, Hilary Bradshaw, Kirsty Buchanan.
Two other relay teams containing Orangegrove members will take to the roads on Easter Monday. The ‘Gutties, Guts and Glory’ team and the ‘Get Your Gutties On’ team were entered before Orangegrove’s tentative venture into relay. Members with legs to run are Reg Sanlon, Mary Boyd, Mairead Napier, Tania Rothwell and Ursula Graham. May luck, and whatever else is needed, be with them as well!
Somebody once told me that the quality of life and wellbeing for the inhabitants were greater in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, than for any other city in the world. Maybe that is why Darren Moffett was there this weekend taking part in the Bank of Montreal Vancouver Half Marathon. One way or the other Darren is in love with Canada and will enjoy his run through the Yaletown, Chinatown and glitzy West End districts of the city. Best of luck Darren; and for us back home it is comforting to know that at least one orange vest will be pounding the streets and environs of that great city. Let us hope that when Darren leaves Vancouver the sense of wellbeing and contentment previously enjoyed by the inhabitants will be still intact! And the news from Vancouver is good news. Darren completed the race in a very respectable 1:40:08 which gave him 547th place out of the 7850 taking part. Well done Darren! Now, time to relax!
Saturday 2nd May was a milestone for both Orangegrove A.C. and Victoria Park parkrun. From little acorns great oaks grow! This will be the fourth anniversary of the parkrun at Victoria Park and, undoubtedly, for over three hundred runners it will be their first meaningful activity of the day. It all began on the 7th May, 2011, with 67 runners. Currently, well over three hundred runners regularly take to the paths and tracks of Victoria Park on a Saturday morning. We are, as always, grateful to our ever present race director Gary Keenan and to the host of volunteers, both those on the track led by the indomitable Gerry Ward, and particularly those in the kitchen, all of whom work so hard to enable the event to take place. Happy 4th birthday Victoria Park parkrun, and may there be many more.
If you are an Orangegrover, and you were determined to set a personal best, this was obviously the day to do it! Congratulations to the following: Robin Montgomery (18.49), Des Fahy (19.02), Tom Smith JM11-14 (22.27), Matthew Sykes JM19 (25.05), Sam Rainey JM10 (27.03) and Kathryn Morrow (27.38). There may well have been a few more but, unfortunately, a slight glitch with the timer from position 337 to the end meant that they were not recorded. Apologies! At Ormeau Park parkrun Poppy McGonigle ran a personal best of 24.54.
Victoria Park parkrun is expanding. The list of volunteers must expand with it. Email Gerry Ward to volunteer your services to your parkrun…
belfastvictoriahelpers@parkrun.com
