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Author Archives: Brian Todd

  1. Race over the Glens

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    It was misty and drizzly, but surprisingly warm, at Glenariff Forest Park for the 2015 New Year’s Day, Race over the Glens, the third round of the O.A.C. Club Championship. This is a challenging race with some serious inclines… and declines which never seem to compensate you adequately.

    It was a super day out for the Leitch pair, Thomas and Liz. Thomas led the O.A.C. men home in an impressive time of 44.03 (34/402), and Liz proved that her pace at Castlewellan, which nearly floored the writer, was no fluke by leading the ladies home on 54.35 for the 6 mile course… that really felt more like 60 miles.

    It is currently now very tight at the top of the men’s table with only three points separating the top three, Andy McIntyre, Thomas Leitch and Robin Montgomery, with Chris Downey still very much in the hunt for a final podium position. Tim Robinson ran superbly, surprising everybody and possibly himself, finishing fourth of the O.A.C. men, to earn himself 15 points on his first Club Championship outing. Ian Grant, very much a mountain goat, ran well to edge out both Brian Todd and Michael O’Donoghue. A strong run from Stephen Hamilton saw him consolidate his already strong position. Darren Houston, Adrian Sproule, Fintan Hurl and Paul Edgar all ran well. Particular congratulations to Eoin Woodman who won the over 70 age category prize, O.A.C.’s only silverware winner at Glenariff.

    Although Liz Leitch was the leading O.A.C. lady on the day, it is Emma McWilliams who currently leads the ladies championship with a very impressive 46 points from three very good runs in the three events to date. Catherine Fearon has leaped up the rankings through consistent finishing, although the formidable Sharon Dickenson remains poised to pounce on any slip up by the current leaders. Verity Cornford, who is a better runner than she thinks, is currently in fifth position and the elegant Louise Browne challenged well to score 14 championship points in her first Club Championship event. Great to see Linda Craig back from injury and scoring 13 championship points in what is, possibly, one of the most difficult races in the calendar.

  2. Run Forest Run Minnowburn 10k

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    On Saturday 8th February we had the penultimate race of Run Forest Run series, the Minnowburn trail race. Several hundred runners and 4 OAC athletes in rainy conditions made it to the Mary Peters track for the 10k race round the surrounding woodland and towpath. OAC coach Stephen Orr showed that he has returned to top form with a great time of 45m43s with Louise Lemon (4th female) shortly behind at 45m56s. Also doing well was Emma McWilliams on 52m01s and Beverley Martin at 1h08s. The superb series concludes in County Monaghan early next month, and hopefully some of us will make it out for that.

  3. Irish Runner 5m Race in Dublin

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    Well done to Paul Woodman competing at the Irish Runner 5m Race in Dublin … Paul Woodman (Orangegrove AC) – 29:31

  4. Belfast Marathon

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    Well done to Sarah Steer, Sile Brennan, Andy Dickson, Paul Cordner, Rachel McKenzie, Darren Moffett, Leanne Gibson, Ralph, Pauline Bayliss and Michael O’Donoghue in completing the Belfast Marathon.

  5. Round Up 7 April

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    Another great weekend for the club with particular focus on two racing events;  Johnny Park ran into 2 place in the Decathlon Half Marathon and recorded a new OAC best time for this distance.

    The new club half marathon stands at  1:17:08 Other OAC vests took part in the Decathlon10k race, including Sharon Dickenson, Rachael Farrell, Sharon Corken, AlanMontgomery, Desmond Fahy, Jonathan Stewart and Peter Scullion. Further afield in Galway,Thomas Leitch was the first Northern Ireland person home in the Connemara Ultra (39.3mi) in a time of 5:16:54.

    Thomas finished in 12th place overall. Darren Houston also took part in the Ultra and was the 4th Northern Ireland competitor across the finish line in a time of 7:56:20. In the same event, Carole Bell competed in the Marathon Walk and finished in 7:25:14.

  6. Omagh Half Marathon & parkrun

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    Saturday 30th March 2013, record breaking numbers turned out for the twenty fourth running of the SPAR Omagh Half Marathon. In good weather conditions, it was Stephen Scullion (Clonliffe Harriers) who set a new course record in 64.46, in the womens race Anne Marie McGlynn (Clifford Harriers) won in 80.03. Many of our OAC’s broke their own personal records, Sile Brennan set a new club record for the Women’s Half running a very speedy 1.34.23.

    Other added bonuses where category winners / high places – Hugh Young winner in age group M70; Gary 2nd M50 ; Zdzislaw 4th M60; Sile 4th in FO.  Well done all!

    Gary Keenan M50 Orangegrove A C 01:18:29
    Andrew Acheson M35 Orangegrove A.C. 01:29:00
    Mark McFeeters MO Orangegrove A C 01:29:06
    Sile Brennan FO Orangegrove A C 01:34:23
    Leann Gibson FO Orangegrove A C 01:42:04
    Sarah Steer FO Orangegrove AC 01:44:09
    Zdzislaw Malkinski M60 Orangegrove A C 01:44:56
    Pauline Bayliss F35 Orangegrove A C 01:47:36
    Raymond Leitch M35 Orangegrove A C 01:49:38
    John Neill M45 Orangegrove A C 01:51:06
    Michael O’Donoghue M35 Orangegrove A C 01:51:25
    Hugh Young M70 Orangegrove A C 01:54:09
    Stephen Anderson M45 Orangegrove A C 01:55:28
    Jill Holland F45 Orangegrove A C 01:55:08
    Eleanor Acheson F35 Orangegrove AC 01:59:33
    Sharon Dickenson F35 Orangegrove A C 02:01:14
    Melinda Wilkinson F40 Orangegrove A C 02:01:14
    Lisa Fleming F40 Orangegrove A C 02:04:00
    Beverley Martin F50 Orangegrove A C 02:06:29
    Darren Moan M40 Orangegrove A C 02:12:05
    Rachel McKenzie F40 Orangegrove A C 03:00:38
    Michael McGrath MO Orangegrove A C 03:10:36

    Victoria parkrun celebrated it’s 100th … a great turnout of runners with more new registrations.  Congratulations to Thomas Leitch, Graeme McNabb, Matthew and Adam Skyes,  on a new PB’s.  Many of the OAC’s running were in ‘training’ mode, still on marathon schedule or supporting other parkrunners

    OAC Time Age Graded PB
    Thomas LEITCH 17:58 76.53% New PB!
    Dylan MCBRIDE 22:55 71.35% PB stays at 00:21:38
    Joy MCALEER 24:45:00 67.74% PB stays at 00:24:03
    Graeme MCNABB 19:18 67.62% New PB!
    Jacqueline MAXWELL 25:37:00 67.08% PB stays at 00:23:55
    Emma SMITH 23:14 65.42% PB stays at 00:22:32
    Gavin Leslie MARSHALL 21:05 62.53% PB stays at 00:20:02
    Adam SYKES 26:09:00 60.36% New PB!
    Aaron MCCORD 27:41:00 57.01% First Timer!
    Alan MONTGOMERY 26:03:00 56.17% PB stays at 00:24:18
    Nathan MCBRIDE 26:30:00 56.10% PB stays at 00:23:49
    Matthew SYKES 30:46:00 55.31% New PB!
    Jonathan STEWART 26:00:00 54.94% PB stays at 00:23:43
    Hamish John Andrew CALVERT 30:45:00 43.36% PB stays at 00:21:42
    John Logan BROWN 31:33:00 41.79% PB stays at 00:21:29

  7. Queen’s ‘Round the River’ 5K

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    Wednesday 27th March 2013, hundreds of runners gathered at the Queen’s University Physical Education Centre on the Stranmillis Embankment, Belfast for the annual Queen’s Sport ‘Race around the River’ 5km road race.

    Stephen Scullion (Clonliffe Harriers) – finished first man in a new course record 14:27. First women was Claire Connor (North Belfast Harriers) – 18:17.

    Paul Woodman broke OAC club record in a time of 16.50 setting a new PB and finishing 3rd in his Age Group, Gary Keenan finished in 17:18 and second in Age Group .  Only OAC female was Joy McAleer finishing in 24:38, 3rd in Age Group.

    Other OAC athletes were Conor Moffett with a great run in 19:13 closely followed by Graeme McNabb  19:18, Des Fahy  19:22,  and Peter Scullion 20:22.

    Paul Woodman M35 00:16:50
    Gary Keenan M50 00:17:18
    Conor Moffett MO 00:19:13
    Graeme McNabb MO 00:19:18
    Desmond Fahy M40 00:19:22
    Peter Scullion MO 00:20:22
    Joy McAleer F50 00:24:38

  8. Weekend Round Up

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    Juniors & Minis had a great finish to their XC season. Congratulations to all athletes and young Grace McKimm who finished second overall.

    Jimmy’s 10
    On Sunday     17th March 2013, well over six hundred runners celebrated St Patrick’s Day by participating in Jimmy’s 10k in Downpatrick, County Down.  Jimmys is the first major 10k race of the Northern Ireland road racing calendar.  Well done to all who ran and to Sharon Corken made her maiden run in OAC colours.

    Jimmy's 10K 2013

    Glenariff Mountain Race
    Well done to John Neill who ran in difficult conditions on the mountain course .

    Glenariff Mountain Race 2013

  9. Orangegrove winner Belfast Sports Awards

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    Yet another fantastic night for Orangegrove AC.

    Belfast Sports Awards 2013 winners for Active Lifestyle for Belfast Victoria Parkrun…

    Well done everyone 🙂

  10. Lots of racing, lots of great results

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    Thomas Leitch set a new Club Half marathon record 1 17 43 on an extremely tough course @ Carlingford, Taking 4mins off his PB.

    Thomas

    At Albertville 5 Mile, a slew of PB’s … and the girls picked up 2nd place in the team event… well done all!

    Paul Woodman M35 Orangegrove AC 00:28:25
    Gary Keenan M50 Orangegrove AC 00:28:39
    Michael Thompson MO Orangegrove AC 00:30:42
    Conor Moffett MO Orangegrove AC 00:31:01
    Andrew Acheson M35 Orangegrove AC 00:31:14
    Paul Cordner M35 Orangegrove AC 00:31:19
    Desmond Fahy M40 Orangegrove AC 00:31:52
    Graham McNabb MO Orangegrove AC 00:33:20
    Gavin Marshall M35 Orangegrove AC 00:33:55
    Raymond Leitch M35 Orangegrove AC 00:34:23
    Elizabeth Leitch F40 Orangegrove AC 00:37:08
    Julie McKimm F35 Orangegrove AC 00:37:27
    Michael O’Donoghue MO Orangegrove AC 00:38:12
    Christopher Winning MO Orangegrove AC 00:39:08
    Sharon Dickenson F35 Orangegrove AC 00:39:41
    Darren Moan M40 Orangegrove AC 00:39:44
    Sile Brennan FO Orangegrove AC 00:39:44
    Hugh Young M70 Orangegrove AC 00:40:34
    Alan Montgomery M45 Orangegrove AC 00:43:01

    At parkrun Dylan McBride (P5) was 2nd OAC finisher at parkrun this morning. His brother Nathan (P7) was 4th OAC finisher.