These popular races were once again promoted by the Club in Clerihan last Friday night, where the club honoured two of its finest former members, Joe Grinsell and Laura Taylor who died so tragically a few years ago.
Both races, 5k and 8k, went off at the same time in very humid and warm conditions. The first group of athletes to come back into the village were the 5k athletes. Here at the front of affairs was Conor Flaherty who put in a very good performance when winning in 17 mins 28 secs. That was an impressive performance by Conor who has recently only started back training after a lengthy lay off due to injury. Then we had Daragh Boland also running very well when finishing 2nd in 19 mins 56 secs. Laura Cooney running in front of the home crowd won the women’s race in a very good time of 20 mins 24 secs with her training partner Ruby Carroll finishing 4th overall in 21 mins 4 secs, the future looks bright with such young talent coming through the Juvenile ranks.
In the 8k race we also had some very good performances. Conor Fleming ran well when winning the over 50 award in 29 mins 50 secs. Then we had Angela McCann finishing 2nd woman in another good time of 31 mins 29 secs. Eelco Beckers is another Club member who has been putting in some impressive performances of late and he again produced a very good performance in Clerihan when winning the over 40 award in a very good time of 32 mins 14 secs.
We also had good performances from Trevor Whelan 13th in 33 mins, Anthony Power 15th in 33 mins 30secs, Donal Ryan 16th in 33 mins 37secs, Niall O Ceallaigh in 33:53, Pat Coffey 21st in 34:57, John Walshe 24th in 35:57, Nicola Maunsell winning the over 50 award when finishing in 37 mins 24 secs, David Lorigan 29th in 37:46, Sareen Walsh 32nd in 38:41, Helen O Ceallaigh 35th in 40:40, Ned O Brien 44th in 43:49, Noel Howley 49th in 45:44, Aoife Condon 57th in 48:33, Donna Nagle 58th in 52:18 and William Lonergan 60th in 53:18.