Author Archives: Michael O'Donoghue

1. Northern Ireland XC Championships – Lurgan

   February 20, 2016 11:43 pm Comments Off on Northern Ireland XC Championships – Lurgan

   The penultimate round of the cross country league saw the cream of the local mud running brigade gather in the spectacular setting of Lurgan Park, lured by the promise of double points and the potential to make a move up the league table at what is officially deemed the NI championship race.

   Set in the grounds of Ireland’s second largest public park and overlooked by Brownlow House the 259 acre estate plays host to cycling events, motorsport rallies and a one day agricultural show that has been running for more than a century. The 59 acre lake in the park is unique in that it was, at the time of construction, one of the largest hand dug lakes in Ireland. Commissioned during the potato famine as a means of offering employment in the local area, the men were paid less than the going wage for the time, were reported to be sullen in nature as a result and were known locally as the spades, thus giving rise to the popular expression.

   Down the years Brownlow House has played host to local rifles and fusiliers battalions during World War I, General Dwight D. Eisenhower and his American troops during World War II and an owner in Charles Brownlow who reportedly had a secret underground tunnel dug to escape the prying eyes of his estranged wife and allow him to pursue romantic dalliances in town. No doubt if Lady Brownlow had discovered the nature of her husband’s antics she’d had a face on her like a Lurgan spade.

   Displaying facial expressions of nothing other than grit and determination the Orangegrove ladies were first up to test themselves over the 6k distance. The club captains Robin and Eleanor did a fine job in rounding up a big team for double points day, even finding a last minute replacement in Sharon McFarland who, despite an initial reluctance, later declared her undying love for all things cross country (or words to that effect) well done Sharon for stepping into the breach, your club salutes you. In cold but dry conditions and with a course soft in patches, the ladies recorded the following times:-

   Antra Balcuna	26:50	(28th/142)
   Trudy Brown	27:04
   Sile Brennan	27:21
   Lyndsey Tyro	27:27
   Liz Leitch	28:42
   Lisa Rodham	30:04
   Emma McWilliams	30:22
   Jill Holland	30:37
   Verity Cornford	32:23
   Sharon Corken	33:18
   Kerris Hamilton	33:59
   Kirsty Buchanan	34:28
   Eleanor Acheson	38:44
   Linda Craig	40:55
   Sharon McFarland	45:07

   Congratulations Antra on leading the ladies home in a fine time and well done to everyone for answering the captains call. Newcastle’s Shalene McMurray (23:07) was the clear winner on the day, but with her team of four finishing out of the points placings the Orangegrove ladies can expect to move ahead of Newcastle in the battle for 5th place.

   Next up it was the turn of the men to take on 11.4km and in an endurance battle eventually won by City of Derry’s Aaron Doherty (40:24) the Orangegrovers finished as follows:-

   Andy McIntyre	47:16	(62nd/155)
   Thomas Leitch	48:47
   Robin Montgomery	50:53
   Tim Robinson	53:09
   Darren Houston	54:47
   Paul Woodman	54:48
   Michael O’Donoghue	55:15

   Another great effort by Andy who has made significant progress during the cross country season and a good day all round for Orangegrove, afterwards Chairman Thomas Leitch expressed his pride in the efforts of all involved and wished everyone well for the rest of the year.

2. Armagh International Road Races 2016

   February 18, 2016 11:58 pm Comments Off on Armagh International Road Races 2016

   Long established as the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland the cathedral city of Armagh has for at least the last quarter of a century been the holy grail for runners in search of a fast track and a quick time. A race with a fascinating history, it has its origins as one of a series of events, including two cross country races, to be included in Armagh’s inaugural International Sport & Cultural Week back in 1975.

   The brainchild of local legend Brian Vallely the events were run under the rules of the National Athletic & Cultural Association of Ireland (NACAI), originally an athletics based branch of the Gaelic Athletic Association and an organisation that ran in parallel to the Northern Ireland Amateur Athletic Association until affiliation in 2000.

   Taking up his role as NACAI international Secretary in 1973, it was only two years later that Vallely saw it’s affiliation with the International Workers Sports Federation as an opportunity to bring over the cream of athletics talent from across the Iron Curtain in countries such as the USSR, Poland and Czechoslovakia to compete in Armagh. Later associations were made with labour sports organisations in Western Europe, resulting in more top athletes flooding in from countries such as Italy, Portugal and France amongst others.

   The race as we know it today dates back to 1990 when Vasily Koromyslov of the USSR broke the tape and for nearly three decades since then a mix of international athletes and top class locals have targeted Armagh’s flat and fast mall circuit as an opportunity to test themselves against a ‘stacked’ field. To put the standard into context, the course record for Victoria Parkrun is currently held by Irish international Paul Pollock, whose 15:05 is the fastest time in the five year history of the event. Last year alone 56 athletes dipped under 15 minutes at the Armagh Road Race, the first two athletes went sub 14 and Olympic bronze medal winning triathlete Johnny Brownlee could only finish third in 14 minutes dead.

   And so it was that on a crisp and cold Thursday in February one of Ireland’s smallest cities once more found itself hosting a series of races culminating in an elite event of such a standard that the organisers quite rightly bill it as ‘One of the fastest 5k races in the world’. First up for the Orangegrove contingent was Iseult Fahy, a highly promising young athlete who was running as one of the youngest competitors in her 2400m race age bracket. Showing her racing maturity Iseult set off at a steady pace and refused to be carried along with the fast start, her tactics certainly paid dividends in the latter stages as she moved relentlessly through the field to finish in an impressive 10:18, well done Iseult, more to come.

   Next up for the club was the men’s 3k, Des Fahy and Chris Downey toeing the line in near perfect running conditions. The race, which was won by North Down’s star in the making Craig McMeechan (8:48), seared the lungs and left the legs burning with lactic acid but rewarded both men with PB’s as they crossed the line within a short distance of each other, Chris in 10:45 and Des in 10:48.

   In the main races of the night Ireland’s Sara Treacy (9:18) took the honours for the ladies in a 3k event which saw 28 ladies dip under 10 minutes and for the men it was England’s Charlie Hulson (14:02) who timed his finish to perfection, the first amongst a staggering 67 men who beat the 15 minute barrier. A truly special night and huge thank you to Armagh AC for a series of inspiring events and a great spread in St Marks church hall afterwards.

3. Weekend Report – February 14th

   February 14, 2016 11:34 pm Comments Off on Weekend Report – February 14th

   Roses are red, violets are blue, Nothing I love better, than a good running shoe.

   Yes, Sunday is Valentine’s Day and various Orangegrovers have been spreading the love throughout the week in various locations and races such as:

   • Flahavans Porridge Primary School Cross Country Final
   • Scottish Masters
   • Parkrun
   • Sperrin Harriers Parkanour Forest 10 Mile
   • Dune Half Marathon

   Flahavans Porridge Primary School Cross Country Final (OAC JUNIORS)

   During the week Olivia, Christian Chandler and Matthew Sykes performed admirably in the NI Schools Final in which there were 23 schools taking part and during which Niamh McGarry from St Malachy’s Coleraine won in 5:43 and Oisin Colhoun from St Pat’s L/Derry won in 5:05.

   This contest must have been frenetic, competitive and popular as there were 186 girls and 212 boys racing respectively in very quick times.

   SCOTTISH MASTERS GLASGOW

   From the young to the very young at heart…Jim Harris folks won THREE Golds in the 200ms (31 secs), 400ms (71 secs) and 800ms (3 min 5 secs) in Glasgow proving gold is the new red on Val’s Day. Wow…well done Jim!

   PARKRUN

   Derry City parkrun

   Stephen Craig (28:54) and Anne Devlin (29:41 -1st in Age Cat & 2 secs of a PB) won the farthest Parkrun travellers this week.

   Victoria parkrun

   Ian Reid fell in love with Victoria…Park…on Saturday after he broke the 30 min barrier & achieved a PB of 29:53, well done Ian.

   Also notable were 1st Age Cat wins for Thomas Leitch, Sam Rainey, Anna Rankin, Liz Leitch, and Jacqui Maxwell with Neal Killen and Alan Martin soon to reach the Parkrun milestones of 50 and 150 respectively.

   A welcome return to fitness looks on the cards for Mark Williamson and Michael O’Donoghue managed to squeeze in another Parkrun on the day of another race.

   Queens parkrun

   There were a few broken hearts at this course with presumable problems with timing but Aaron McCord and Adam and Matthew Sykes were loving it when they realised they finished joint first with 59:59!

   Ormeau parkrun

   Poppy McGonigle ran a very fine 24:23 and Brian Todd didn’t finish on his tod on 26:03 as Kirsty Buchanan finished just ahead with 26:02. It was not Paul Buchanan making Kirsty’s heart race this Valentine’s Day but rather the Ormeau PB.

   Bangor parkrun

   Continuing the Valentine’s theme its nice to see the recently married Paul & Lyndsey Tyro both achieve 1sts in Age Cats with 20:22 and 22:19 respectively and Lyndsey with a Bangor PB.

   Stormont parkrun

   They say ‘there’s no love lost on the hill’ when it comes to NI politics but Andrew Allen (22:24), Lisa Rodham (24:05) and Kerris Hamilton (25:50) contradicted this with a Stormont PB each. Melinda Wilkinson and Darren Houston also braved the cauld start to the morn.

   

   

   

   SPERRIN HARRIERS PARKANAUR FOREST 10 MILE

   The final race in the Winter league series (in which MO’D may have completed all) is the 10 miler at Parkanour, which, is located close to Castlecaulfield, 4 miles from Dungannon. This new 10 mile course is a trial replacement for the Lough Fea 10 mile course and comprises of three laps of the trail around the forest (as opposed to four laps of Lough Fea) taking you past the stately Parkanaur House and its gardens and along the Torrent River.

   Parkanaur House is a Class A listed large Tudor Revival style house and a two-storey building, constructed in the 1840s from block rubble. It has a terraced front with octagonal pinnacles and gables at each projection of the façade, a big bay window and an upper oriel and incorporates an earlier two storey building as an east wing. At the rear is a coach house and free-standing office block.

   Land previously owned by the O’Donnelly family was granted by James I to Sir Toby Caulfield in the early 17th century and remained in the possession of the family until sold to Ynyr Burges in 1771. His descendants built a two-storey cottage on the estate which they called Edenfield. In the 1820s John Henry Burges moved in and enlarged the cottage, and his son John Ynyr Burges commissioned architect Thomas Duff to design a new mansion, which was built between 1839 and 1854, which he renamed Parkanaur.

   The house remained in the Burges family until they moved to England in 1955. It was then bought by American millionaire Thomas Doran who had emigrated from Castlecaulfield as a teenager. He made the property available to his friend Rev Gerry Eakins to develop a new centre for the education of young adults with disabilities. The house reopened in 1960 as ‘The Thomas Doran Training Centre’, (Parkanaur College) and much of the house continues today in this role. The grounds were opened to the public as Parkanaur Forest Park in 1983. They contain a rare herd of white fallow deer.

   Re our runners…Paul Gruhn and Michael O’Donoghue travelled for this race but there was a rumour circulating that Michael was trying to match his recent feat of 3 races in 1 day by hiring a helicopter to make the Parkrun, Parkanaur and O’Cahan’s Trail at Roe Valley….I wouldn’t put it past him!

   At this hour, the results aren’t available but I am reliably informed that Michael achieved an approximate 74:48 time but Paul unfortunately did not finish due to injury. Well done lads for representing the club and to Michael for probably being well-placed in the final series standings.

   DUNE CROSS-BORDER HALF MARATHON

   This popular Half starts at the Quays Shopping Centre in Newry and finishes in Market Square in Dundalk and flirts with Brian Todd’s home-town but that was the only flirting on Valentine’s Day as the guys & gals got down to the serious business of 13.1 miles.

   There were some superb performances here. Darren performed well despite the possibility that he wasn’t feeling so well, Brian, with a 1st in Age Cat, helped push the excellent Emma whereas, Anne ran a fantastic 1:38:19 and Chris outsped Cupid’s Arrow by finishing in 1:30:35 and beating his Half Mara PB by approx…4 minutes! There were rumours the apres-race pints went almost as quickly.

   44th	Chris Downey	1:30:35	PB
   119th	Anne Moore	1:38:19
   201st	Darren Houston	1:44:47
   298th	Emma McWilliams	1:53:11
   299th	Brian Todd	1:53:11

   

   

   

   

   

   

   I was going to finish with a made-up romantic Valentine’s stat about the number of proposals made at Victoria Parkrun or something but I’ll gladly refer instead to the delightful good news for a couple of our members Louise Browne and Fintan Hurl.

   Roses are red, violets are blue, Congrats to Louise & Fintan, it’s now 3, not 2!

   Also…lets throw a loving glance towards our Parkrun Volunteers…thanks again everybody. If anybody would like to extend a gesture that way and volunteer, please e-mail Gerry Ward at belfastvictoriahelpers@parkrun.com

4. Weekend Report – February 7th

   February 7, 2016 11:22 pm Comments Off on Weekend Report – February 7th

   When OAC’s most highly esteemed scribe, Brian Todd, suggested that I join the writing pool for the weekend report, I felt I couldn’t say no (I must be particularly susceptible to his sweet talk). Apparently he thought it would be a good idea to have a ‘newbie’ on board to mix things up a bit. I’ll leave you to be the judge of that…

   This week we waved goodbye to January, the month when it feels acceptable (in my book anyway) to hibernate indoors rather than face the wrath of the latest quirkily-named ‘weather event’, not to mention the discomfort of a tighter waistband on those sleek running bottoms which fitted perfectly before the festive chocolates were polished off! With the arrival of February, suddenly it feels there is no time to waste in working towards the running goals we set ourselves for 2016.

   DOWNPATRICK RACECOURSE ROLLERCOASTER RACES

   There will undoubtedly be a huge turnout from OAC at the Rollercoaster Races, due to take place on Saturday at Downpatrick Racecourse. Beginning at noon with a series of Junior races, including a 1.5k ‘Colts and Fillies Stakes’ race in which I understand the accomplished young OAC athlete, Rory Hall-Thompson, will compete for the last time as an U13, there will be plenty going on before the Senior event – the Rollercoaster Derby – gets underway at 2.15pm. The second race of this year’s club championship will give us all the chance to unleash our inner horse as we gallop along the 5k course (25 furlongs in horse racing parlance).

   Read the full race report here

   

   

   

   

   

   

   BORN 2 RUN ANTRIM CASTLE 10K

   Earlier on Saturday, 700 runners descended on Antrim Castle grounds for the penultimate 10k in this season’s Born 2 Run “Run Forest Run” series. Built originally in 1613 by English settler Sir Hugh Clotworthy, and rebuilt in 1813 as a three storey Georgian-Gothic castellated mansion, Antrim Castle stood on the banks of the Sixmilewater River until it was destroyed by a fire that broke out during a grand ball on 28 October 1922. Although much of the evidence pointed to arson, the official verdict was inconclusive. The castle was finally demolished in the 1970s and now all that remains is a slightly raised grass platform, as well as a gatehouse and a freestanding Italianate tower which was built in 1887.

   Described as being “a popular tourist attraction”, the Castle grounds certainly looked impressive in the photos used by Born 2 Run to promote the event. The following three OAC members travelled to Antrim to take part in what I understand was one of the fastest and flattest races of this winter’s Run Forest Run series:

   Michael O’Donoghue	42:13	(60th/700)
   Mairead Napier	1:04:13
   Shona Pryde	1:06:43

   Congratulations to MOD, Mairead and Shona on completing yet another race in the Run Forest Run series. You must all be well on your way to earning the Forest Finisher T-shirt by now! I understand that Michael’s time was a personal best over the 10k distance, but he is keeping quiet about it as his GPS watch recorded the course as being 0.1 mile short.

   Up until the Antrim Castle 10k, the Run Forest Run series had been dominated by William McKee and Laura Graham (both of Mourne Runners), who had 100% records going into Saturday’s race. Whilst Laura maintained her unbroken record, finishing in an impressive 36:02, William narrowly missed out on first place to Mark McKinstry (North Belfast Harriers) who was first to cross the line in 31:46.

   NI & ULSTER JUVENILE INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS

   The Meadowbank Sports Arena in Magherafelt was the venue this weekend for the annual NI & Ulster Juvenile Indoor Track & Field Championships. Athletes from the U12 to U19 age groups competed on the indoor track, with events ranging from the 60 metres to 1500 metres.

   OAC was represented in the 60m heats by the following Junior athletes:

   U15	Aaron	8:44	(2nd in his heat and 7th overall)
   U15	Adam	8:98	(5th in his heat and 12th overall)
   U13	Matthew	9:47	(joint 2nd in his heat and joint 7th overall)

   Both Aaron and Matthew qualified for the 60m finals and recorded the following times:

   U15	Aaron	8:32	(7th)
   U13	Matthew	9:35	(8th)

   All three boys normally run middle/longer distances so they are to be congratulated in representing the club so well in Magherafelt. Once again, the OAC Juniors and their coaches have given us all reason to believe that the future is orange!

   PARKRUN

   With so many OAC athletes heading to Downpatrick for the Rollercoaster races, it was perhaps inevitable that things would be quiet on the parkrun front this weekend. At Victoria Park, the only OAC members who appeared in the results were Robin Montgomery (warming up for the Rollercoaster) and Verity Cornford. Over at Stormont, first to cross the line was Paul Woodman who must have been delighted with his time of 19:16 (a PB for that course). Also running at Stormont were Fintan Hurl, Melinda Wilkinson and Lisa Fleming.

   In an effort to complete as many running events as possible in one day, Michael O’Donoghue warmed up for his Born 2 Run 10k at Antrim parkrun. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the country, Rodney Corrigan was a first timer at Armagh parkrun. Finally, a bit closer to home, Darren Houston performed well at Comber parkrun, finishing in 4th place with a time of 21:33.

   AND FINALLY…

   You will all be hugely relieved (but not as relieved as me!) that this report is almost at an end! But it would be remiss of me to finish without reminding you that Gerry Ward and the rest of the dedicated volunteers need help to keep the parkrun show on the road. I understand that it’s Gerry’s 83rd birthday this month – what better way to help him celebrate than to contact him at belfastvictoriahelpers@parkrun.com to offer your services as a volunteer?

   We’re only talking about two or three times a year – you’ll still have plenty of opportunities to run. It’s hard to beat the feeling you get from knowing you are helping to keep the smiles on runners’ faces every Saturday morning!

5. Rollercoaster 5K – Club Championship

   February 6, 2016 11:00 pm Comments Off on Rollercoaster 5K – Club Championship

   There will undoubtedly be a huge turnout from OAC at the Rollercoaster Races, due to take place on Saturday at Downpatrick Racecourse. Beginning at noon with a series of Junior races, including a 1.5k ‘Colts and Fillies Stakes’ race in which I understand the accomplished young OAC athlete, Rory Hall-Thompson, will compete for the last time as an U13, there will be plenty going on before the Senior event – the Rollercoaster Derby – gets underway at 2.15pm. The second race of this year’s club championship will give us all the chance to unleash our inner horse as we gallop along the 5k course (25 furlongs in horse racing parlance).

   It is not a cross country event – all the races take place on the perimeter road – so apparently we will not have muddy or wet feet to contend with (Ian Reid’s new spikes will have to remain in their box a little while longer!). According to the event organiser, Joe Quinn of East Down AC, there are no hurdles or fences to negotiate, although he does add, rather ominously I must say, that “they are not flat races either”! Those of us who have watched the course video posted online have a feeling we’re in for a bumpy ride! There is no doubt, however, that the organisation of these races will be anything other than smooth – Joe Quinn is renowned for his high standards. I haven’t been a runner for long, but it is already apparent to me that Joe is a bit of a legend in the running community. If you ever have a query about a race he is organising, don’t hesitate to get in touch with him. You’ll be sure to get a prompt and encouraging response!

   Personally, I am really looking forward to Saturday as it gives me the opportunity to return to Downpatrick to re-live my glory days on the school sports field. Such was my enthusiastic for PE back then, I used to take a detour into the bus station on my way to Down Leisure Centre for the compulsory two hour ‘games’ session – the express bus home to Dundrum was a much more attractive option. Fast-forward twenty years and it’s safe to say there will be no repeat of this behaviour on Saturday. On the contrary, I can’t wait to experience the thrills of the Rollercoaster Derby. How could a race named after a funfair ride be anything but enjoyable?

   And I’m happy to report that Orangegrove’s “day at the races” was a great success, despite the intermittent rain and blustery winds which threatened at times to blow us off course! The weather appeared to have put off other athletes – almost half (it seemed like more) of those taking part in the Senior race were wearing orange vests. As someone pointed out, it was as if a “sea of orange” had descended on Down Racecourse to brighten up an otherwise damp and dreary day!

   Two OAC athletes took part in the Junior races: Sam Rainey and Rory Hall-Thompson. I watched Rory as he powered his way around the 1.5k course to secure 2nd place in the U13 Boys and Girls race – he makes it look effortless. Congratulations Rory on another fine performance! And well done to Sam who also ran a great race.

   As the Junior races drew to a close, the OAC Seniors began to venture out along the track in an effort to warm up for the final race of the day: the 5k Rollercoaster Derby. Forty out of the 89 participants were OAC members and the following times were recorded:

   Men

   		OAG
   Andy McIntyre	18:22	70.42%	(6th)
   Robin Montgomery	19:12	–	(1st M45)
   Tim Robinson	20:48	68.19%
   Brian Todd	21:16	78.13%
   Stephen Anderson	21:27	67.68%
   Martin O’Brien	21:30	63.95%
   Ian Grant	21:55	60.53%
   Andrew Allen	22:19	65.57%
   Ian Millgate	22:27	61.25%
   Michael O’Donoghue	23:56	57.03%
   Gerald Harvey	24:22	67.58%
   Alan Martin	25:33	60.67%
   Reg Sanlon	26:14	64.55%
   Martin Walker	27:29	50.82%
   Adrian Sproule	27:33	47.07%
   Jason Moore	29:15	44.10%
   Neal Killen	31:43	45.40%
   Ian Reid	34:43	40.23%
   Eoin Woodman	37:51	50.07%

   Ladies

   		OAG
   Trudy Brown	21:46	72.97%	(1st F45)
   Pauline Bayliss	22:25	67.81%
   Julie McKimm	22:46	67.20%
   Emma McWilliams	23:50	66.01%
   Lisa Rodham	24:00	61.74%
   Jill Holland	24:16	68.27%
   Jacqui Maxwell	24:59	71.51%
   Alison Hall-Thompson	26:38	57.45%
   Trish Magill	26:48	59.27%
   Jenny Powell	27:06	56.09%
   Kerris Hamilton	28:20	53.41%
   Linda Craig	28:21	63.02%
   Catherine Fearon	28:48	51.39%
   Kirsty Buchanan	28:54	51.21%
   Hilary Bradshaw	28:54	51.21%
   Sarah Malcolmson	29:37	50.48%
   Judith McCann	29:41	51.21%
   Karen Russell	29:47	51.37%
   Beverley Martin	30:47	57.28%
   Anne Devlin	31:34	55.17%
   Deborah Killen	38:42	43.84%

   The Rollercoaster 5k race was won by David O’Flaherty (Newcastle AC) in 16:35 and Rebecca Henderson (Dromore AC) in 19:03.

   While this wasn’t a course for a 5k personal best, there were some very strong performances on the day from a significant number of OAC athletes, so many in fact that it’s impossible to mention all of them in this report (I’m already concerned about the length of it!). However, Andy McIntyre, Robin Montgomery and Trudy Brown ran particularly well, with Andy finishing first amongst his club mates and in 6th place (out of 89) overall, and both Robin and Trudy winning first prize in their respective age categories (M45 and F45).

   Judith McCann, who recently joined the club and was running in her first race as a fully signed-up member, also deserves a special mention. Judith completed Jog Belfast with me this time last year so I know that she’s already a good runner and has the potential to be very good indeed! Another club member who stood out on the day was Deborah Killen, who was competing in her first ‘non-parkrun’ event. Deborah appeared to enjoy the experience, particularly the last few metres of the race when she received fantastic support from her club mates. We hope that this will be the first race of many for you Deborah!

   It was, however, Michael O’Donoghue (aka MOD) who was, in many people’s minds, the star of the Rollercoaster race on Saturday. Around 30 seconds after the firing of the starting pistol, OAC’s most intrepid runner rushed past us on his way to the start line. Having already completed Antrim parkrun and the Born 2 Run 10k at Antrim Castle (more of which later), MOD had left himself a bit short of time to get to Downpatrick and many of us were slightly concerned when we noticed he wasn’t anywhere to be seen as we lined up to start at 2.15pm. So you can imagine the cheers that broke out when he came hurtling past us, determined not to let his late arrival knock too many minutes off his overall time. It will surprise no one that he still managed to run a fine race! He was spotted at the end, smiling to himself as he counted out his pennies for the entry fee. I can only guess he was smiling with relief – it must have been a stressful afternoon!

   Following the post-race refreshments (the tastiest soup I’ve had in a long time) there was a short ceremony during which the overall and age category winners, including our very own Robin and Trudy, stepped forward to receive their prizes. The event then drew to a close, but not before club captain Robin took the opportunity to present Julie McKimm and Emma McWilliams with their 2015 Club Championship medals for first and second place respectively.

   OAC is grateful to Joe Quinn and his friends from East Down AC for the smooth organisation of yesterday’s races and for making us feel so welcome. Special thanks must also go to my work colleague, Mags Mathieson, for taking care of the timing. I tried to bribe her to take a few minutes off my time but, needless to say, I didn’t get anywhere! And, of course, a huge thank you to the OAC supporters who travelled to Downpatrick to cheer us all on.

   It will be interesting to see if the age grading makes much difference to the positions in the club championship table. The club captains are currently working on the results and will provide us with an updated list as soon as possible. We all appreciate the efforts of both Robin and Eleanor in delivering what has so far been a very well organised and enjoyable 2016 club championship.

6. Victoria parkrun #249 – Club Championship

   January 23, 2016 11:52 pm Comments Off on Victoria parkrun #249 – Club Championship

   This was always going to be busy! The first event in the OAC club championship and an inter club competition with our friends from Acorns AC.

   Nearly 300 runners took part, over 60 from our club and over 30 sporting the blue of Acorns.

   Our 1st finisher was the speedy Andy McIntyre in 18.03 and First Lady home for OAC was the accomplished triathlete Trudy Brown in an excellent 20.49.

   As our club championship is age graded for the 1st time this year , it will be interesting to see what this does to the results. Our captains are currently working on compiling the results and these will be posted in due course.

   I can tell you that Trudy will be at the top of the ladies’ table with an age grading of 76.3 with Brian Todd leading the way for the gentlemen with an age grading of 81.12 (international level, well done Mr Todd) .

   There were Belfast Victoria parkrun PBs for Jenny Powell, Emma McWilliams, Julie McKimm, Eoghan and Sam Rainey, Tim Robinson, Ian Reid, Ian Millgate and Michael O’Donoghue.

   Congratulations to Eoghan Rainey and Fintan Hurl on achieving the 50 parkruns milestone.

   Thanks as always to our volunteers, without them we couldn’t run every week. OAC parkrun volunteers this week were Carole Bell, Liz Murray, Lisa Fleming, Jim Harris, Darren Moan and Gerry Ward.

   	Time	Age Grade
   Brian TODD	20:29	81.12 %
   Thomas LEITCH	18:07	77.64 %
   Robin MONTGOMERY	18:32	77.07 %
   Trudy BROWN	20:49	76.30 %
   Des FAHY	19:07	74.72 %
   Jacqueline MAXWELL	24:25	73.17 %
   Timothy ROBINSON	19:28	72.86 %	PB
   Reg SANLON	23:15	72.83 %
   Andrew MCINTYRE	18:03	71.65 %
   Jill HOLLAND	23:16	71.20 %
   Pauline BAYLISS	21:24	71.03 %
   Sile BRENNAN	21:04	70.97 %
   Julie MCKIMM	21:34	70.94 %	PB
   Gerald HARVEY	23:26	70.27 %
   Darren HOUSTON	20:02	70.22 %
   Andrew ALLEN	21:26	68.27 %
   Michael O’DONOGHUE	20:14	67.46 %	PB
   Emma MCWILLIAMS	23:21	67.38 %	PB
   Rodney CORRIGAN	20:03	65.75 %
   Martin O’BRIEN	21:04	65.27 %
   Alan MARTIN	24:06	64.32 %
   Graeme BENNETT	20:25	64.24 %
   Stephen HAMILTON	21:06	64.22 %
   Ian MILLGATE	21:37	63.61 %	PB
   Ashleigh COLLIM	23:26	63.16 %
   Ian GRANT	21:08	62.78 %
   Lisa RODHAM	23:43	62.47 %
   Trish MAGILL	25:42	62.39 %
   Sarah STEER	24:20	60.89 %
   Mark WILLIAMSON	22:41	60.18 %
   Alison HALL-THOMPSON	25:29	60.04 %
   Colin SYKES	23:43	59.80 %
   Jenny POWELL	25:34	59.45 %	PB
   Anna RANKIN	26:12	59.16 %
   Hannah MACLEOD	25:25	58.82 %
   Kirsty BUCHANAN	25:10	58.81 %
   Eoghan RAINEY	23:41	58.48 %	PB
   Anne DEVLIN	30:03	57.96 %
   Linda CRAIG	31:17	57.11 %
   Stephen CRAIG	27:22	56.64 %
   Catherine LAVERY	30:41	56.00 %
   Fintan HURL	23:48	55.11 %
   Catherine FEARON	27:14	54.35 %
   Paul BUCHANAN	24:31	52.75 %
   Hilary BRADSHAW	28:25	52.08 %
   Martin WALKER	27:23	51.00 %
   Adrian SPROULE	25:30	50.85 %
   Sharon CORKEN	31:13	49.01 %
   Eleanor ACHESON	31:07	48.85 %
   Neal KILLEN	30:11	47.71 %
   Deborah KILLEN	36:24	46.61 %
   Mairead NAPIER	33:47	45.29 %
   Ian REID	31:24	44.48 %	PB
   Shona PRYDE	33:47	44.01 %
   Louise BROWNE	49:39	30.01 %
   Chris DOWNEY	49:39	26.89 %

7. Weekend Report – January 17th

   January 17, 2016 11:17 pm Comments Off on Weekend Report – January 17th

   IAAF Antrim International Cross Country, Run Forest Run Series – Mount Stewart 10k, Hong Kong Half Marathon and Parkrun

   IAAF Antrim International Cross Country

   Undoubtedly the main event of the weekend on the local scene was the Antrim International Cross Country, staged again at the Greenmount agricultural college. One of only twelve international cross country meetings to be awarded a permit by the IAAF, the race has a rich history dating back to 1977 when the inaugural event was held at Mallusk playing fields on the outskirts of Belfast.

   Read the full race report here

   

   

   

   Run Forest Run – Mount Stewart 10k

   The Run Forest Run series is an ever expanding selection of mostly trail runs which the organisers, Born To Run Events, like to describe as ‘great races in great places’. Mount Stewart certainly fits the bill with it’s world class gardens recently added to the UNESCO ‘tentative list’ of world heritage sites, and a grade A listed building that had been home to the family of the Marquess of Londonderry since 1816.

   Read the full race report here

   

   

   

   Hong Kong Half Marathon

   As we all know Paul and Lyndsey Tyro are a couple who like to run the road less travelled, frequently taking part in events that had not been on everyone’s radar, however with their latest adventure they have really outdone themselves. Married in late 2015 they delayed their honeymoon until the new year and are currently on their travels through Asia, taking in Hong Kong, Vietnam and Thailand.

   Unperturbed by the prospect of combining sightseeing with training for the London marathon they have lined up a series of events to keep the mileage ticking over and while some of us were just getting home from a Saturday night on the town they were toeing the line 6000 miles away at the 20th annual Hong Kong Half Marathon. The event, which attracted 23500 entrants, took runners on a tour of the former British colony beginning in Kowloon, passing through the western harbour tunnel onto Hong Kong Island and eventually finishing in, of all places, Victoria Park!!

   Torrential rain for the duration of the event made life difficult for the intrepid pair and having to start in the third wave meant making their way through traffic, but in the end there were plenty of positives with Paul finishing in 1:28:29 and Lyndsey, 1:37:19, well done folks and safe travels for the onward journey.

   

   

   Parkrun

   For the 248th time a band of merry men and woman lined up at the old man’s hut in Victoria Park to hear event director Gary Keenan send them on their way with the immortal words ‘it’s a timed run, it is not a race’. In a break from tradition however, the director informed the 145 assembled athletes that due to the frosty conditions this week would be neither a timed run nor a race. Several neighbouring parkruns had fallen foul of the weather, but Gary and the rest of his loyal team are always reluctant to admit defeat, and as was the theme for the day a compromise was reached that involved all runners being awarded the same time of 59:59. In the event of this occurring positions are recorded, the run will count towards the participants running total but with PB’s out of the picture the runner is encouraged to take it easy and concentrate on safety.

   For the record Des Fahy, in 10th place, was the first of thirteen Orangegrove athletes to finish, Jenny Powell (50th) was first lady and Tom Smith (47th) was first junior. Incidentally, Tom has now completed 99 parkruns at Victoria Park (out of a total of 105 runs) was one of the original pioneers who ran event 1 on 7th May 2011 and has amassed an impressive 19 PB’s along the way – well done Tom.

   Despite the frosty morning the Stormont trails were probably a safe bet to avoid an event cancellation and in the end ten Orangegrove athletes agreed. Stephen Anderson was the first of the contingent with 22:40 for 31st place and not far behind were the remainder of the marathon training group, Ian Grant and Pauline Bayliss. On the day only one Orangegrove PB was recorded, Hannah Macleod, who can also claim membership of the Victoria parkrun event 1 club, celebrated her 202nd with 27:21 for 102nd place. Finishing alongside Hannah, and registering his 150th was the irrepressible Michael O’Donoghue, 5k a decent leg stretch before his afternoon adventures.

   Paul Gruhn, another recent Parkrun centurion, was Orangegrove’s sole representative at a frosty Ormeau Park and celebrated his 103rd run with a 27:11. Thomas Leitch stopped off at Comber and recorded a 24:25 at the local parkrun before making his way to Mount Stewart for the main event of the day.

   As is customary for the weekly report, I’d like to finish by giving you a gentle nudge in the direction of the Belfast Victoria Parkrun volunteer rota. Gerry Ward is perhaps the nicest person you will ever meet and an hour or two spent in his company will leave you feeling much happier about the world in general. You can get in touch with this hero of the parkrun scene at belfastvictoriahelpers@parkrun.com. As usual you are under no obligation to volunteer, but should you choose to, you will be providing a valuable service and will most likely find it an equally rewarding experience.

   Chris

8. IAAF Antrim International Cross Country

   January 16, 2016 11:28 pm Comments Off on IAAF Antrim International Cross Country

   Undoubtedly the main event of the weekend on the local scene was the Antrim International Cross Country, staged again at the Greenmount agricultural college. One of only twelve international cross country meetings to be awarded a permit by the IAAF, the race has a rich history dating back to 1977 when the inaugural event was held at Mallusk playing fields on the outskirts of Belfast. The venue has changed down the years to take in Barnett Demense and more recently Stormont before finding a home at it’s present location in 2009, however with a list of previous winners including Steve Ovett, Paul Tergat and four times champion Paula Radcliffe there has always been a good turnout of high calibre athlete.

   There was plenty of quality on show again this year with both reigning champions, Thomas Ayeko and Birtukan Fente Alemu, returning to defend their titles along with Yeman Crippa of Italy and Belgium’s Louise Carton, junior champions from the recent European Cross Country championship. Also in the ladies race Britain’s Kate Avery and Ireland’s Fionnuala McCormack renewed their rivalry of seven days previously when they finished first and second respectively in the Edinburgh cross country meet.

   Probably of more interest to the Orangegrovers is the ongoing battle for the Titanic Cup otherwise known as the trophy awarded to either the good men, or (presently) better women of Orangegrove AC for points scored in the cross country league. The men’s team started their campaign with every intent to overturn last years loss but have fallen behind the ever consistent ladies who have turned out in big numbers at just about every event. The reigning club champions may have bigger fish to fry before the culmination of the league, sitting in 5th position in the Athletics NI cross country standings prior to Saturday, they were only five points behind Ballydrain and holding the position of top Belfast club.

   In the end the ladies were unable to field the minimum four runners for a team due to injury, but with double points for the next fixture in Lurgan Park a big turnout there should leave them in a strong position for the league finale at Stormont on 27th February. In difficult conditions the ladies 5.6k race was won by Alice Aprot Nawowuna of Kenya in 18:05, second was Mimi Belete (Bahrain) in 18:09 and third Fionnaula McCormack in 18:13.

   By the time the men’s race came around the course was cutting up badly and the hosts from the agricultural college were expressing their concerns about the state of the grounds, the irony of farmers giving off about a ploughed field was lost on no one. In the end a compromise was reached and the course was reduced by two laps from 10.8k to 7.2k. On the day the club was fortunate to be represented by five of its best in Michael O’Donoghue, Andy McIntyre, Robin Montgomery, Tim Robinson and Darren Houston, Michael is currently in training for the 53 mile Highland Fling and was probably the only man in Antrim disappointed by the lost miles. Andy was first of the Orangegrove quintet to finish in 29:08 (66th/134), followed by Robin (30:39), Tim (32:00), Darren (32:44) and Michael (33:01), tough conditions for the lads, but you know what they say about Spring PB’s being made in the depths of winter. In a blanket finish the race was won by Aweke Ayalew (Bahrain) in 21:25 from Uganda’s defending champion Thomas Ayeko (same time) and Kenya’s Timothy Cheruiyot (21:27).

   In the earlier primary school boys race Sam Rainey ran an excellent 6:55 for 16th place. Sam usually runs Victoria Parkrun with his dad Eoghan and has been knocking out a few PB’s recently. Having completed his 50th run and with dad one away from a half century the father/son duo will soon be easily spotted in their matching red t-shirts. Keep up the good work Sam.

9. Run Forest Run – Mount Stewart 10k

   10:32 pm Comments Off on Run Forest Run – Mount Stewart 10k

   The Run Forest Run series is an ever expanding selection of mostly trail runs which the organisers, Born To Run Events, like to describe as ‘great races in great places’. Mount Stewart certainly fits the bill with it’s world class gardens recently added to the UNESCO ‘tentative list’ of world heritage sites, and a grade A listed building that had been home to the family of the Marquess of Londonderry since 1816. The legacy of the Londonderrys is clearly evident in nearby Newtownards whether it be Scrabo Tower, the memorial to the 3rd Marquess or the local airfield which was built on land donated from the aviation enthusiast and 7th Marquess.

   Reports from the time suggest that the arrival, by German military aircraft, of Adolf Hitler’s foreign minister Joachim Von Ribbentrop caused more than a stir in the local area, especially given that in 1936, the second world war was looming on the horizon. Undeterred the 7th Lord Londonderry, who himself was Winston Churchill’s cousin, not only hosted Von Ribbentrop at Mount Stewart but travelled to Berlin to meet the Führer in person and asked for him to step back from the brink of war. As history shows he was not successful in this endeavour.

   Endeavour of a different variety was clearly on display at the estate on Saturday as at least sixteen hardy individuals donned the orange vest and set off on what was a step into the unknown, given that Mount Stewart was hosting it’s inaugural Born to Run event. From a cold and drizzly start at the main house the runner was treated to an out and back sightseeing tour of the estate, taking in the Bell Tower Village, Temple of the Winds and finally a clockwise loop of the main lake before a downhill finish back to the picturesque courtyard. A surprisingly hilly route made personal bests unlikely for all but the most determined of runner, but at least two of the Orangegrove contingent proved themselves worthy of that title.

   Thomas Leitch	37:27	8th/703
   Chris Downey	42:38
   Brian Todd	43:19	1st M60
   Andrew Allen	45:06
   Ian Millgate	45:54	PB
   Liz Leitch	46:34
   Emma McWilliams	49:09
   Verity Cornford	49:43	PB
   Jason Moore	50:10
   Reg Sanlon	51:20
   Catherine Fearon	58:59
   Mairead Napier	59:56
   Sylvia Pearce	1:08:56
   Ian Reid	1:09:40
   Tania Rothwell	1:09:45
   Shona Pryde	1:28:58

   Mourne Runners pair William McKee (33:30) and Laura Graham (36:53) continued their dominance of the Run Forest Run series by again taking the top spots, with Thomas Leitch not far behind in an excellent 8th place.

   Not for the first time Brian Todd was first in his age category whilst new member Ian Millgate continues to impress and took over a minute off his PB with a fine run. Also claiming a lifetime best was Verity Cornford, who was delighted with a first sub 50 run and for Mairead Napier it was sub 60, with 4 seconds to spare it was never in doubt.

   Special mention must go to Ian Reid who recently joined the club after graduating through Jog Belfast. Having conquered 5k, Ian immediately set his sights on doubling up and with a target of sub 70 minutes he paced his effort to perfection to finish on 1:09:40 in his first 10k. Well done Ian (and everyone else).

   In what was my first experience of a Born2Run event I have to say I was impressed. Running clubs tend to host the best races because they know what runners want and are not usually motivated by profit, but the Born2Run folks put on a good show from a well marshalled and marked route to a decent spread of soup and wheaten at the finish and a prompt publication of results and photos. Throw in a decent medal to take home and most people agreed it was a grand day out.

10. Weekend Report – January 10th

    January 10, 2016 11:43 pm Comments Off on Weekend Report – January 10th

    First of all, on behalf of the club, I would like to convey our thanks to our esteemed colleague Brian Todd for his super report-writing in 2015 which kept us up-to-date with the club’s weekly activities and successes but were also fun and interesting. Luckily, Brian remains in the writing rota.

    MOIRA XC

    This fast flat parklands course was to take place on Saturday but, due to the ground conditions, it was cancelled. This would no doubt have disappointed some of our XC-ers but nonetheless I think it is appropriate to thank Moira (whoever she is) for promptly communicating the race cancellation thus avoiding any wasted journeys for potential entrants.

    AN CREAGAN 5 MILE (Sperrin Harriers Winter League)

    The Sperrin Harriers Winter League Trail Series has grown into one of Northern Ireland’s premier trail race series, attracting all types of runners from the beginner to top athletes. Its popularity is testimony to the scenic venues, great atmosphere and warm welcome that makes the league so unique.

    The 2014/15 Sperrin Harriers’ Winter League attracted a total of 686 entries, with 355 individual athletes taking part in one or more of the five races. Popularity of the Winter League increased dramatically last year with the numbers participating up 40% on the previous year, and some races even having a 70% increase in runners at the start line. Runners from 42 clubs across N. Ireland and the Republic of Ireland took part. The series drew a significant number of high profile athletes making for strong competition in a league that is now considered to be one of the premier fixtures in the running calendar (…and they always provide post-race refreshments!).

    Races include(d): Davagh Forest 10k (31/10/15), Lough Fea 5k (14/11/15), An Creagan 5M (09/01/16), Drum Manor 10k (23/01/16) and, Parkanour Forest 10M (13/02/16).

    Our very own high profile athletes who chose to test themselves at An Creagan were Verity Cornford and Michael O’Donoghue and they both represented the club very well indeed:

    56/215	Michael O’Donoghue	34:46	5 mile PB
    148/215	Verity Cornford	42:01

    Well done guys…our only non-PR racers this week!

    Michael Crawley 1st Male 27:38
    Julie Butler 1st Lady 31:03 Omagh Harriers
    Jack McKenna 1st Male Junior 32:26
    Lauren Cox 1st Lady Junior 36:14

    Sperrin Harriers Winter League @ An CregganSperrin Harriers Winter League @ An Creggan. Click HD for clearer viewing and remember to like page to see new posts…

    Posted by E2S Aerial Images on Saturday, 9 January 2016

    PARKRUN

    As there were not too many races held this week, and in case any fellow report-writers on the rota suggest I ‘got an easy week’(!), I thought I’d delve a little further into this week’s Parkrun and throw in some stats for Victoria Parkrun. Firstly, the general results:

    Princes Parkrun, Liverpool (226 runners took part)

    We had Princess Catherine join the Princes Parkrun and represent the club in Liverpool in a charming time of 32:48

    Ormeau Parkrun (285 runners)

    We had a fleet-footed Fantastic Four frequenting Ormeau this week with:

    15	Lyndsey Tyro	20:40	(2nd Female)
    72	Jacqueline Maxwell	24:45	(1st in Age Category/Female)
    123	Kirsty Buchanan	26:34	(2 seconds off PB)
    125	Michael O’Donoghue	26:40	(1 parkrun off 150 runs!)

    (Wait, hold on a minute, did the MOD send a copy MODel…I thought I mentioned him racing at An Creagan on the same day…yes I did and…he did…them both!)

    Stormont Parkrun (131 runners)

    I’m unsure what the weather was like in the other locations but Stormont began to rain heavily as we started off…and there were already plenty of puddles but the following still managed to create their own perfect storm:

    4	Thomas Leitch	19:41	(Stormont PB, Age Cat 1st & 1 of 31 different Parkruns!)
    14	Martin O’Brien	22:21	(4 seconds off Stormont PB)
    49	Fintan Hurl	25:38	(Stormont PB, 49th PR)
    76	Melinda Wilkinson	28:20	(Beat previous 2 times)
    85	Karen Russell	29:36	(Good time for 1st Parkrun in a while)
    126	Darren Houston	37:24*

    * (at last I got ahead of Darren…albeit he had a pram!)

    Victoria Parkrun (215 runners – 29 Orangegrove AC)

    9	Paul WOODMAN	00:18:13
    10	Robin MONTGOMERY	00:18:13
    18	Des FAHY	00:19:26
    23	Graeme BENNETT	00:20:35
    36	Ian MILLGATE	00:21:54	PB
    51	Pauline BAYLISS	00:22:59
    52	Stephen ANDERSON	00:22:59
    53	Ian GRANT	00:23:00
    74	Gerald HARVEY	00:24:25
    82	Sam RAINEY	00:25:05
    83	Tom SMITH	00:25:06
    84	Eoghan RAINEY	00:25:08
    87	Reg SANLON	00:25:15
    91	Sile BRENNAN	00:25:46
    94	Paul GRUHN	00:26:06
    99	Sarah STEER	00:26:24
    103	Anna RANKIN	00:26:42
    116	Martin DOHERTY	00:27:45
    123	Hannah MACLEOD	00:28:04
    135	Selina MYLES	00:28:36
    138	Mairead NAPIER	00:29:00
    142	Diana PORTER	00:29:25
    144	Nicola DOWNEY	00:29:49
    145	Neal KILLEN	00:30:01
    156	Hilary BRADSHAW	00:30:36
    160	Anne DEVLIN	00:31:00
    161	Stephen CRAIG	00:31:00
    187	Ian REID	00:33:47	PB
    197	Deborah KILLEN	00:37:22
    201	Lisa RODHAM	00:38:26

    I’m not sure if they were holding hands crossing the line but I know that the cameras were in the wrong place this weekend…instead of Mo Farah & Edinburgh, it should have been Paul & Robin, or is it Robin & Paul as they both crossed the line in 18:13!

    Well done on a ‘neck & neck finish’ & on Robin with Age Cat & 10 secs off a PB (that presentation obviously didn’t tire him out). Des wasn’t far behind them with another great time.

    A few club members are now marathon training which is why Pauline, Stephen & Ian G provided a ‘neck & neck & neck finish’ whereas, Ian M really stuck his neck out by gaining the only Victoria Park PB of the day, well done Ian on 21:54.

    A few others were close to PBs such as Graeme and Anne with Eoghan having had 2 PBs in his 2 previous runs.

    Its worth noting that Diana is always regularly in the 70% Age Grade and that you shouldn’t let Sam & Tom’s age disguise their experience of 156 runs between them!

    Several others who ran today appear to be making comebacks probably of varying sorts having not run for a while but made good strides today and here’s hoping the New Year sees us all keep fit and able to hit our personal targets.

    STAT ATTACK

    CLUBS

    Top 5 clubs who provided the most runners at Victoria Parkrun:
    Orangegrove AC – 5,525
    Willowfield Temperance Harriers – 1,599
    Dub Runners – 1,167
    North Down AC – 1,081
    JogBelfast – 908

    I think this goes to show not only the benefit of and the influence of JogBelfast but also of involvement of the wider community and help from local friends.

    RUNNERS

    The number of runners Victoria Parkrun has had since its inception per year (please bear in mind Tommy Patton was a replacement for VP between October 2013-May 2014 during major works):

    2011 – 2,579
    2012 – 6,534
    2013 – 6,959
    2014 – 7,523
    2015 – 13,409

    Now, let’s be honest who said “oh no…not the statistic part!”? This is pretty amazing…right? The upward trend is obvious despite the work being done on Victoria Park and last year… wow! How many will have ran in VP in 2016?

    You should never finish with stats but hey. And this was a quiet week! I promise, if ever asked again(!), to keep it shorter!

    Marty