Trim 10-mile road race reprise

Some 1,338 athletes completed the Trim 10-mile Road Road Race on Sunday, which also doubled as part of the Meath Championships.  

Ballinamore’s Colin Griffin won the men's in a time of 53 minutes and 45 seconds while the women’s race was won by no less a figure than Cavan’s very own Catherina McKiernan. 

A world class athlete in her glory days she won the London Marathon in 1998 as well as medals at World and European championships. 

McKiernan said before the race she was looking forward to taking part; such races were, she said, “fun, a social outlet” she now enjoyed.

It was a “ticking the box” exercise yet she demonstrated she still has that stamina, speed - and hunger - to beat the rest, producing, by all accounts, a highly impressive performance.  

Trim AC’s Ciaran Tobin was a busy man on Sunday ensuring everything was ready for the start.

He thanked local sponsor Nally’s SuperValu as well as the Meath Co Council and the Gardai for their support.

The biggest concern for the organisers, he said, was to ensure everyone who ran the race was safe.

He pointed out that this was the fifth staging of the Trim 10-mile road race and the capacity figure of 1,500 runners had been filled well before Sunday’s start - although clearly not everyone showed up.

A large factory unit in the Oaktree estate was utilised for registrations and there was a team of local officials in place to process the runners including Trish Duffy, Claire Smith and Paul Hegarty.

Another part of the event was runners with balloons tied around them with numbers such as 70, 80, 90, 100. These were the pacesetters for those who wanted to go a particular tempo. 

They included Andrew Revington, Tom Feeley, Michael Counsel, Helen Hartnett, Don Mahon, Audrey McHale, Mark Boshell and Eoin McCreevey.  

Among the local athletes who lined up for the start were Alan Ludlow from Tri an Mhi and Sean Murphy, who is from Kerry but runs in the colours of Trim AC.

Also there was Cáilin McDonagh from Rath Chairn and she was supported by her mother Caroline and her aunt Mary Gardiner who these days lives in England.

Others such as Elizabeth Fox from Kells and Ciaran Ward wearing the colours of Moynalty AC were also present and correct. 
Fox described how running provided for her “great head space.”

And of course Dunboyne AC had a big contingent present; “38 brave souls” as one club member described them.

There were some outstanding displays in the club’s colours too including Sabrina Keogh who crossed the line in 1:06:15. 

She was the eighth woman home overall and first Meath AAI affiliated woman across the line; a feat that earned her a Meath championship gold medal.

The indomitable Emilia Dan (below left) was the second runner home from a Meath affiliated club. She ran despite a heavy cold.

 

She also sustained a leg injury during the race yet still pushed on regardless. Dunboyne AC was the first women’s team in the open race, and therefore the first Meath team across the line also.

The impressive selection was made up of Keogh, Dan, Claire NI Fhaircheallaigh and Sarah Meegan.

In the men’s team section Dunboyne finished seventh in the open race and also the first Meath team to get back to base.

Gerry O’Reilly showed the way home with Kevin Clancy, club newcomer Darren McGrath and Stephen Devlin also making significant contributions. 

In the age categories in the open race Dan scored again with a silver in the F45 category.

TOP 12 MEN
1 Colin Griffin, Ballinamore 
2 James Doran, An Ríocht  
3 John Weldon, Newbridge 
4 Barry Sheil, Longford 
5 Paddy Sharkey, Longford  
6 Ian Mc Grath, Sli Cualann  
7 Peter Mooney, Inverse 
8 Gavin Kelly, Newbridge 
9 Sean O Sullivan, An Ríocht 
10 Brian Martin, Drogheda & District
11 Donal Mulligan, Longford 
12 Kevin English, Tallaght 

TOP 12 WOMEN
1 Catherina Mc Kiernan, Annalee 
2 Janeann Meehan, Galway City Harriers 
3 Natalie Hall, Non-club 
4 Niamh Devlin, Dundrum South Dublin 
5 Tara Kennedy, Raheny Shamrock 
6 Máire Hegarty, Navan Running Club 
7 Niamh Donnelly, Armagh 
8 Sabrina Keogh, Dunboyne  
9 Caroline Donnellan, Edenderry 
10 Sarah Fay, Metro/St. Brigid’s
11 Emilia Dan, Dunboyne  
12 Ellen Vitting, Trim 

CATEGORY RESULTS
MEN

M40
1 Paddy Sharkey Longford A.C. 54:46 
2 Peter Mooney Inverse / Clonard 54:57 
3 Gavin Kelly Newbridge A.C. 55:03 

M45
1 Ian Mc Grath Sli Cualann A.C. 54:51 
2 Donal Mulligan Longford A.C. 55:30 
3 Sean Murphy Trim A.C. 55:45 

M50
1 Nathaniel Glenn North Belfast Harriers59:06 
2 David John Carrie 1:00:41 
3 Tony Brennan 1:00:56 

M55
1 Ian O Gorman Le Chéile AC 1:05:11 
2 Thomas O'Neill MSB 1:08:41 
3 John O Connell Tullamore Harriers A.C. 1:09:36 
4 Paul Frewen Raheny Shamrock A.C. 1:10:11 
5 Pat Payne Na Fianna A.C. 1:11:55 
6 Fergus Tully Trim AC 1:12: 34

M60
1 Nollaig Mc Entegart Mullingar Harriers 1:08:05 
2 Michael Walsh Brothers Pearse 1:14:39 
3 Conor Cooney Drogheda & District 1:15:14 
4 Richard Ball Bohermeen A.C. 1:16:08 
5 Joe Boland Ashford AC 1:18:36 
6 Michael O’Sullivan Mullingar Harriers 1:20:11 

M70
1 David Hawcroft Trim A.C. 1:31:29 
2 Donal Branigan Drogheda & District 1:56:25

WOMEN

F40
1 Tara Kennedy Raheny Shamrock 1:05:12 
2 Caroline Donnellan Edenderry 1:06:12 
3 Tara Malone 1ZER01 1:07:29 
4 Andrea Mc Guinness Bohermeen A.C.1:08:50 
5 Noelle Capwell Ratoath A.C.1:09:13 

F45
1 Catherina McKiernan Annalee 1:00:02 
2 Emilia Dann Dunboyne 1:06:45 
3 Aisling Kirwan Parnell 1:08:34 
4 Linda Fahy Dunshaughlin 1:09:32 
5 Olivia Martin Bohermeen 1:12:16

F50
1 Noreen Fegan Armagh AC 1:09:20 
2 Louise Kierans Bailieboro A.C. 1:10:47 
3 Mary Hanley Na Fianna A.C. 1:11:37 
4 Imelda Clarke Na Fianna A.C. 1:14:27 
5 Yvonne Collins Navan Running Club 1:15:05

F55
1 Irene Clements 1ZER01 1:11:19 
2 Jean O'Kennedy Sli Cualann A.C. 1:14:45 
3 Laura Armstrong Non-club 1:17:46 
4 Pauline Troy Mullingar Harriers A.C. 1:19:43 
5 Mary O Reilly Longford A.C. 1:20:46 
6 Charlotte Stevens Sli Cualann A.C. 1:23:27 
7 Linda Casey Waterstown Warriors 1:23:06 
8 Linda Gunning Bohermeen A.C. 1:24:05 
9 Adrienne Togher Tara A.C. 1:27:12 
10 Jacqueline Gill Drogheda & District A.C. 1:27:38 
11 Jean Whelan Navan A.C. 1:28:11 
12 Carrie Brogan Trim A.C. 1:29:45

F60
1 Nuala Reilly Drogheda & District 1:15:36 
2 Mary Lynch Raheny Shamrock 1:17:58 
3 Lauren Flood Dunboyne AC 1:21:27 
4 Helen Leddy Moynalty A.C.1:21:51 
5 Maree Dowling Non-club 1:27:10 
6 Mary Browne Lucan Harriers A.C. 1:28:07 
7 Ursula Farrelly Non-club 1:31:38 
8 Bernie Tunney Waterstown Warriors 1:31:39 
9 Mary Tully Non-club1:34:23 
10 Yvonne Mulreid Trim A.C. 1:38:04