Weekly Report – 24th July-30th July 2023

August 2, 2023 by Sean Tanuvasa

Donaghadee 5k

Elaine Bates and Elaine Weston took part in the Donaghadee 5k last week, a break in the rain helping them round a deceptively tricky 5k course. Well done to you both on finishing 3^rd in each of your age categories!

Elaine Weston – 27.10
Elaine Bates – 28.15

Downpatrick 5k

Andrew Carson represented Orangegrove in the Downpatrick 5k but was unfortunately injured a mile in – still achieving a half-decent time all things considered. Hopefully you make a quick recovery and are able to resume getting running lessons from me before you know it.

Andrew Carson – 18.50

Police and Fire Games Winnipeg

Slightly further afield Robby Rankin took part in the second largest international multi-sporting event there is. Not only that but he came home with the title of 2^nd Toughest Competitor Alive. Robbie competed in 7 events over the day starting with a 5k which he finished 3^rd in with a time of 18.02. He followed that up with back-to-back personal bests. First in shot put – with a distance of 9.50m – and then winning the 100m sprint. As if that wasn’t enough he then competed in the bench press, 100m swim, rope climb and finished the day off with an obstacle course.

Fantastic achievement Robby, well done!

Giant’s Trail Race

Closer to home the Giant’s Trail Race was held on Friday night. This race starts from Queen’s Playing Fields at Upper Malone Road taking in the scenic trails and towpath of the Lagan Valley Regional Park. It’s a challenging six mile course on a combination of forest trails, pastures and the Lagan towpath. The route provides stunning views of the River Lagan, with runners climbing through the woodlands of the Minnowburn, running through the Neolithic monument at the Giant’s Ring and returning via Edenderry village and Gilchrist Bridge to Shaw’s Bridge and on to the finish.

Although it started as a dry night, the rain made an appearance by the end however Michael O’Donoghue confirmed for us that there was a good feed at the end – I am beginning to notice this pattern with the races he chooses to enter. Well done to Michael and Verity representing OAC.

Michael O’Donoghue – 43.28
Verity Cornford – 59.20

Parkrun Report

29/07/23

Lots of OACers trying out new locations for this weekend’s parkrun with Selina Myles at Derry City, Catherine McIntyre at Enniskillen, Verity Cornford at Carrickfergus, Brian Todd at Comber and Kimberley Reynolds and Alison Canning both at Holy Cross College for the first time. Alison leads the way out of these folks in terms of unique parkrun locations, with Holy Cross College being her 55^th.

Meanwhile, at Enniskillen parkrun Andy McIntyre was finishing first for the 3^rd time in 4 weeks with a time of 18.17. Seems like ages ago when he finished 2^nd 5 times in a row and everyone thought he was finished as a runner. Well done on turning it around Andy.

Results

Derry City

Selina Myles – 27.03

Belfast Victoria

Tom Smith – 23.48
Alison McConnell – 27.12
Anna Rankin – 27.40

Queen’s

Melinda Wilkinson – 29.45

Enniskillen

Andrew McIntyre – 18.17
Rodney Corrigan – 27.36
Catherine McIntyre – 37.04

Ormeau

David Montgomery – 19.06
Jemma Smyth – 32.15

Carrickfergus

Verity Cornford – 27.54