Write a commentNewry AC - Winter Race Report
The winter period is a quiet time for the club - used for rest and training. However, a few athletes have stirred from winter hibernation and with podium results.
FLAHAVANS PORRIDGE PRIMARY SCHOOLS CROSS COUNTRY
On Monday 2nd December, Club Junior Luc le Blanc ran round 2 of the Flahavans Porridge Primary Schools Cross Country (Southern area).
This was a two round competition with round 1 in Lurgan end of September and round 2 in Portadown. With two third placings these secured Luc a well earned qualification into the Northern Ireland Finals in January. Well done Luc.
ALL IRELAND UNEVEN XC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Club Junior Eva Welsh competed recently in the All Ireland Unevens XC Championships.
Eve had a great run and her performance was rewarded with a 3rd place Podium U15. Team Medal with the Co. Down Team.
TRACK - NIA LIVE SERIES, DUBLIN
Round 2 of NIA LIVE at Sports Campus Ireland in Blanchardstown was held on 17th December.
Joanne and Meadow McCauley made the trip to The National Sports Campus to kick off their indoor season, taking part in the 60m, 200m & 800m respectively. Joanne dipped under the 9 for a 8.93sec PB finish and 29.67sec in the 200m.
Meadow covered 4 laps of the 200m circle to take a third place in the 800m.
The next indoor meet takes place on Tuesday 14th Jan.
BURREN TOWN LANDS 5k RACE
Mark Malone and Eve Welsh took part in the annual Boxing Day Charity 5k.
A short notice route change leading to a flatter course assisted the Newry AC athletes in great performances.
Mark stormed around the course take a clear race win in 16:55. Club Junior, Eve, followed Mark in with a time of 23:00 and took 1st female and 9th overall.
BOXING DAY TURKEY
Following a one off rest day on the 25th December - the Mountains of Mourne called Rory Mulvaney to toe the line of the annual Turkey Trot.
The shorter course had to be used for safety reasons with an out and back route to the Hares Gap via a flooded Trassey Track and Tollymore forest paths. Rory completed the race with a great top 13th placing.
CASTLEWELLAN CHRISTMAS CRACKER
Saturday 28th December was the annual Newcastle AC Christmas Cracker pairs race.
With a sold out event 700 teams signed up to what has to be Irelands biggest trail race based around the hills, trails and forests of Castlewellan.
Newry AC entered 4.5 teams due to Mulvaney crossing the Newry divide and pairing up with Conor Morgan from NCR, very closely followed by full Newry AC pairing of Andrew Knapton & Aidan Murray. Ronan Mynes and Noel Carr crossed the line in 1hr 15min, Ciara Coffey and Paul White secured a 7th place in the mixed 80-99 combined age category, with Cathal McGreevy and Mark Malone securing a top 10 in the Male 80-99 combined age category.
Keen followers of fell running will note a special appearance of Nicky Spinks alongside Newry AC in the photo above, a world class mountain athlete who is the only person to have ever completed a Double of the Ramsay, Paddy Buckley & Bob Graeme Rounds.
ROCK 5K ROAD RACE, COOKSTOWN
New Years Day saw Lee Maginnis take on the challenge of the undulating annual Rock 5k Road Race. Lee led the front pack and held off to cross the finish line to take Podium 1st place.
PARKRUN - CITYPARK CRAIGAVON
Joanne and Meadow McCauley hit the Parkrun at Craigavon Lakes on New Years Day.
Meadow finished 5th Female in a time of 22:24 with Joanne having a leisurely run at the back of the pack with their dog Pippa to finish in a time of 32:05. Pippa’s PB currently sits at 28 minutes.
PARKRUN - CASTLEWELLAN
Mark Malone joined 492 fellow parkrunners at Castlewellan on New Years Day.
Mark even after a Podium place at the Burren on Boxing Day and a great run on the 28th at the Christmas Cracker still had energy to speed round this beautiful course.
Mark flew around to finish in 1st place in an impressive time of 16:48.
