EAH Forest Series: Woodburn – Club Championship Round 7
East Antrim Harriers AC have presented their 12th series of Summer Trail Races with Woodburn Forest being the 1st and 4th of this series and, Tardree Forest (3.5 miles) and Ballyboley Forest (4 miles) being the 2nd and 3rd.
This 1st race of this trail series was held on a beautiful Tuesday evening based in Woodburn Presbyterian Church just outside Carrickfergus. The omens were good (because I didn’t get lost), the sun was shining, the forest looked mighty but splendid and the course was varied, challenging, twisty, hilly, enjoyable and topped off with the highlight of a life-embracing run across the top of, and in between, 2 reservoirs glistening in the evening sun (I think I sweated a reservoir).
A similarly picturesque collection of Orangegrove species turned up to fly around this forest, a total of 48 in fact!
| 8 | Andrew McIntyre | 18:27 | |
| 27 | Eric Fairfield | 19:57 | |
| 29 | Robin Montgomery | 19:59 | |
| 44 | Timothy Robinson | 20:51 | |
| 47 | Michael O’Donoghue | 21:03 | |
| 52 | Darren Houston | 21:24 | |
| 58 | Stephen Anderson | 21:36 | |
| 61 | Trudy Brown | 21:50 | (3rd Lady) |
| 68 | Mark Williamson | 22:01 | |
| 72 | Martin O’Brien | 22:23 | |
| 75 | Ian Grant | 22:42 | |
| 81 | Andrew Allen | 23:00 | |
| 84 | Stephen Hamilton | 23:05 | |
| 107 | Greg Calvin | 24:11 | |
| 109 | Claire Kelleher | 24:15 | |
| 112 | Emma McWilliams | 24:25 | |
| 115 | Gerald Harvey | 24:33 | |
| 121 | John Neill | 24:47 | |
| 135 | Jill Holland | 25:14 | |
| 144 | Reg Sanlon | 25:36 | |
| 150 | Ian Millgate | 25:50 | |
| 151 | Heather Shanks-Miller | 25:52 | |
| 158 | Alan Martin | 26:04 | |
| 159 | Fintan Hurl | 26:05 | |
| 167 | Ian Wilson | 26:29 | |
| 171 | Alison Hall-Thompson | 26:35 | |
| 175 | Jenny Powell | 26:49 | |
| 180 | Brian McFarland | 26:54 | |
| 191 | Anna Rankin | 27:21 | |
| 192 | Paul Gruhn | 27:29 | |
| 196 | Adrian Sproule | 27:38 | |
| 202 | David Doey | 27:52 | |
| 209 | Sarah Malcolmson | 28:16 | |
| 210 | Martin Walker | 28:17 | |
| 218 | Catherine Fearon | 28:33 | |
| 228 | Sarah Steer | 28:56 | |
| 229 | Stephen Craig | 29:02 | |
| 234 | Melinda Wilkinson | 29:07 | |
| 235 | Karen Russell | 29:08 | |
| 236 | Hillary Bradshaw | 29:09 | |
| 237 | Judith McCann | 29:10 | |
| 238 | George Gribben | 29:11 | |
| 251 | Beverley Martin | 31:07 | |
| 255 | Sharon McFarland | 31:25 | |
| 276 | Ian Reid | 34:52 | |
| 277 | Neal Killen | 34:57 | |
| 302 | Deborah Killen | 40:37 |
You would nearly think that this was the 7th race in the Club Championship and that the mystical prize of a freshly-designed OG Buff was on offer for those that have completed 7 races!
The race was won by Matthew Hewitt in 17:38 and the 1st lady was Kerry Bamber in 20:14 with our own Trudy Brown finishing as 3rd lady (1st in Age Cat) in 21:50. Well done Trudy and to Andy McIntyre who finished 8th in 18:27 and also to Eric Fairfield in 19:57 and Robin Montgomery in 19:59. Gerald Harvey also achieved a 1st in Age Cat. There were too many super individual OG performances to mention.
This was a super turnout from the club with many highlights ranging from the weather, the course, those performing well after recent marathoning exploits, to Robin’s food van (I’d love to see Robin turn up with a Robin Reliant & try the same again!) but especially those who gave a trail race a try for the 1st time and to the support throughout and at the Orangegrove finishing tunnel.
Thanks to East Antrim Harriers, Ballymena Runners, Tim Khanna, Larry McAteer for the photos.
