Weekend Report – August 30th

That woman Elaine Mcallister has been at it again! On Tuesday of this week she was the lone female Orangegrover who made her way to the Maiden City for the Dessie’s 10k race in the vicinity of the grounds of Gransha Hospital, a place well known to those of us who follow the cross country circuit every year. Dessie’s run is organised by the City of Derry Spartans Club in memory of their former Club Captain, Dessie McNulty, and is sometimes seen as a preliminary warm-up race for the Waterside Half Marathon on Sunday 6th September. The route starts and finishes in the grounds of the hospital but the runner also covers the new greenway between the hospital and St. Columb’s Park.

Very well done to the intrepid Elaine Mcallister who completed the distance in 1.08.35. I have also gleaned that Eoin Woodman was there too, wearing his NICSAC vest, but we will mention him anyway! Well done Eoin on your time of 1.07.42, but be mindful that Elaine is getting closer and closer. The race was won by Paddy Hamilton (Slieve Gullion Runners) in 31.13 with Catherine Whoriskey (City of Derry Spartans) first lady in 36.37.


Last weeks report was a little hazy on results from the Northern Ireland and Ulster Multi Events Meeting at the Mary Peters Track where Beverley Martin, Jennifer Black and Joy McAleer were competing. Well done to Beverley Martin in the 100m sprint (17.49/7th), Joy McAleer in the 800m (2.49.99/6th) and Jennifer Black in the 10,000m (39.42/1st).


The Killyleagh 5 mile road race was on Friday evening starting in Frederick Street in the Co. Down town, a race which embraces the surrounding country roads and a picturesque section along the coast near the end. This is a Joe Quinn and East Down AC event and so will be both well organised and marshalled. I am only aware of one Orangegrove member taking part, Des Fahy, who is running extremely well at the moment. I understand Des ran 31.36 and was placed 25th overall out of 106. Well done! The race was won by Martin Melville (Newcastle AC) in 27.39 and Catherine O’Connor East Down AC) was first lady in 30.26.


Saturday brought the Rathlin Island 10 mile and 5k races. The main race was a round of the Orangegrove Club Championship last year when a fairly large contingent of orange vests lined up for the start of what was a memorable race. The main event, the ten miler, takes the runner from the start at McCuig’s Bar in Church Bay to the West Light on the very western extremity of the island…and back! While at the West Light there will be little time to view the puffins, guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes from the RSPB observation platform above the light. If you wish to bag a decent time on what is a very challenging route you must get back to McCuig’s as quickly as possible for the prize giving, a pint of Guinness and the ferry back to Ballycastle.

This year we didn’t include Rathlin in our list of championship events. Although a great race in support of a worthy charity (Belfast Activity Centre) and one which is sponsored by our friends at NiRunning, it is quite an expensive day out when you consider travel to Ballycastle, ferry bookings and so on, and one or two of our brethren would consider a six mile ferry crossing across the Sea of Moyle, one of the most unpredictable stretches of water in Europe, as not the best preparation for a ten mile race. If it doesn’t catch you on the way out, it most certainly will on the way back! So, this year it was left to individuals to make the call.

Well, Thomas and Liz Leitch made the call as they did last year. Both have reputations to defend. Thomas finished in third place last year in the ten miler in 1.04.53 and Liz was second lady home in the 5k event in 22.19. So, it will be interesting to see what happens this year. Linda Caron-Craig and Sharon McFarland are also on the Island. Hopefully the weather conditions will be as favourable as they were last year!

Three Club members ran in the main 10 mile event, Thomas Leitch, Liz Leitch and Linda Carson-Craig. Well done to all three on excellent times:

Thomas Leitch 1.07.23 (4th/155)
Liz Leitch 1.25.13
Linda Carson Craig 1.48.56

Very well done indeed to all members of Orangegrove who took part in this very challenging race, and particular congratulations to Thomas on his excellent time and position.

The Rathlin Island 10 mile race was won by Conor Carson (Kennilworth Runners) in the remarkable time of 1.01.32 and Martsje Hell (North Belfast Harriers) was first lady in 1.11.03. Michael Kelly (Armagh AC) won the 5k race in 18.32 and Gemma Turley (Springwell AC) was first lady in the 5k race in 18.57.


Saturday also saw the running of the Strangford 10k, part of the Strangford Festival, near the village of Strangford in Co. Down. East Down Athletic Club is also involved in helping to run the race. The race begins at the Strangford Ferry’s overflow car park and takes in the quiet roads south of the village and east of the Downpatrick Road in the vicinity of Churchtown. I understand that former World Junior Medalist Ciara Mageean will set the runners on their way. The route will be a fairly flat one but there is an elevation gain of about 250 feet, so not pancake flat! The locals have been running this route for weeks in training so there will be no time for laxity on the day. Best of luck to those from Orangegrove taking part in this race. It will be a good one. Joe Quinn will see to it!

In the end Sarah Malcolmson, a local girl from Dundrum just down the road, was the lone Orangegrove representative in the race. Very well done Sarah on completing the distance in 58.45 in hot and humid conditions and on representing the Club so effectively and so elegantly.


Several OAC members were up in the hills above Belfast on Saturday afternoon where they were taking part in the Belfast Mountain Scenic 10k which started at the Divis Mountain Barn Café at noon. This event, supported by Sweatshop, was organised jointly by Run Belfast and Lamh Dhearg CLG. All proceeds will go to local good causes, in particular The Healthy People Project, Belfast. Refreshments and entertainment were available afterwards in the nearby Lamh Dhearg clubhouse. Well done to John Neill, Jill Holland, Ian Wilson, Eoin Woodman and Elaine Mcallister on fine performances in this worthy event:

John Neill 51.41 (13th/107)
Jill Holland 54.30 (18th/107)
Ian Wilson 58.49
Eoin Woodman 1.13.35
Elaine Mcallister 1.15.17

Girlie weekends away are becoming a regular feature of life for some in Orangegrove, combining a bit of running with whatever else. Last week we had the Warrior girls in Sligo and this week we have the Tullamore Two (or more) in Co. Offaly, Sharon Dickenson and Verity Cornford. The ladies are taking part in the Tullamore Harriers Quinlan Cup Half Marathon which follows a fairly flat course starting at the Harriers Stadium on the Birr Road in Tullamore and taking the runner through the surrounding villages of Muchlagh, Killurin and Cloonagh before returning to the finish at the Stadium. There is also a relay option, in which the race can be run in two legs of 10.5km each.

And the news from Tullamore is good. Both ladies survived the testing heat and humidity to complete the half in well below the two hour mark, Sharon in 1.54.40 and Verity in 1.56.47. Well done ladies! They were last seen entering a public house, so it could get messy and we may never see them again!


We all now that Carrickfergus Castle was built by that Norman renegade John de Courcy in 1177 and that over the next eight hundred years or so it was in turn besieged by the Scots, the Irish, the English and even the French. Well, the castle’s troubles are due to continue on Sunday 30th August when its battlements will once again be stormed by a gaggle of 10k runners. The Carrickfergus Storming the Castle 10k race will start at the Amphitheatre on Prince William Way and eventually the runners will storm the castle to the finish line. Having gained entry to the castle they will be treated to hot food and refreshments in the courtyard. Sounds like my kind of race! A number of Orangegrove runners are taking part and whether they survive the battle will be reported in the next edition.

And the results eventually arrived with me by carrier pigeon. Well done Garry Morrow who was third overall in the excellent time of 37.26 (3rd/360). Chris Downey also ran extremely well to finish in 43.45 (45th/360). Super running from Nicola Downey on getting around in 1.03.07 and Sylvia Pearce too on her time of 1.07.25. Well done everybody who ran in Carrickfergus. Your Club is proud of you!


Following last Saturday’s Dambusters’ Half Marathon the final placings for the Pure Running/ChampionChip Ireland Half Marathon Series have been published for those who completed five or more races from those available. Three Orangegrove members feature in the final placings:

Category Position Time
F35 Anne Moore 3rd 8.27.16
M45 Robin Montgomery 3rd 7.12.40
M60 Brian Todd 1st 8.15.32

For anybody thinking of attempting the Series next year it is certainly a worthwhile venture. I personally find half marathon running considerably easier than say attempting to run a fast 10k and there is a certain razzamatazz and camaraderie in the Series that you do not find in other races. The cash prizes too in the younger age categories are considerable. However, you need to pick your five events carefully from the ‘halves’ and avoid bunching and always remember that some of the half marathons are considerably easier than others.

The events which made up the series this year were DUNE (Newry to Dundalk), Larne, Omagh, Newry and Lisburn (first half), Ards, Dervock, Cookstown, Groomsport and Dambusters (second half). Entrants who wished to satisfy the Series regulations were required to run at least two from each half and another, but there was nothing to stop you running all of them if you were so inclined and this year seventeen (14 men and three ladies) did so across the various age categories and each of them will be awarded a special jacket in due course. Well done to everyone who took part and grateful thanks to Pure Running and ChampionChip Ireland for their generous sponsorship, even if I didn’t get any of it!


Saturday, as usual, delivered parkrun at 9.30am at Victoria Park, Belfast. We expected numbers to be a little down this morning given the inaugural Stormont parkrun in the grounds of Parliament Buildings. We wish Mel Boyle and his team all the best in their venture. In the end some 214 runners plumped for the Victoria Park venue and there was just a single notable personal best on the day from a Club member. Well done to Rodney Corrigan (20.19). However, bear in mind that the race this morning was run on three outer laps due to some flooding on the trail. The timed run was ‘won’ by Craig McMeechan (East Down AC) in the excellent time of 15.43. The outer course record time is 15.05 (Paul Pollock in August 2012).

Nearly forty Orangegrovers headed to Stormont this morning, many of them wearing their orange Club vests, for the inaugural Stormont parkrun where everyone was a first timer and nobody could fail to achieve a personal best for the course! Well done to Paul Tyro on finishing 5th in 18.44 and Lyndsey Pronger (12th and second lady) in 20.44. Well done too Shona Pryde (32.37) who was wearing the Orangegrove vest this morning for the first time. Apparently she also bought an orange car to match it! And the news from the north coast is good too where soft sand and spring tides were no match for John Craig who was first home at Portrush parkrun in 17.22. Paul Woodman was fourth in 19.51 and Rachel Woodman (running/walking for two!) got there and back in 40.09. Well done all!

Wherever you run your parkrun you should think about volunteering your services occasionally. It is enjoyable being a parkrun alickadoo on the odd Saturday morning. You don’t have to run and get yourself all sweaty and you can also show off some of your casual finery while you do your duty, although you might have to wear a high viz vest. However, if you turn up a bit late all the vests will have been allocated and you will then be seen at your very best. You will also meet nice people. Runners are generally a very optimistic and easily pleased bunch who appreciate all you do for them, even if you only shout a little encouragement! So, contact Gerry on belfastvictoriahelpers@parkrun.com. Don’t linger! Do it now!