Dublin marathon report

Dublin City Marathon Day doesn’t be long coming around and the city streets were taken over by marathoners from every corner of the country today.  It was a busy day for the club with the water station volunteers getting ready for the crowds from 7am. Overall a very successful day out for the club with a copious helpings of PB along the way.
First in was Kane Collins in a fantastic pb 2.25.24, 15th overall and in his own words a very good day. Club stalwart Ken Nugent ran a very solid 2.40.46, a great run for Ken after some great sessions with coach Willie Smith over the summer!
We had Sean Fox, Danny O’Sullivan and ultra man Didier Da Costa who was delighted with a pb of 2.44.52 all breaking the 2.45 barrier. Next in was world record 50k holder super woman Sorcha Loughnane in a fantastic 2.45.29, she also finished 3rd Irish woman finishing only second to heavyweights Anne Marie McGlynn and Gladys Ganiel. Ever humble and self deprecating she  was still critical of her great performance. A sure quality of a superstar.
Wayne Waldron who also holds impressive ultramarathon credentials and did not have his best day in the office carrying an injury into the race but finished in a very brave 2.47.19., He has had a very good year with a marathon win in Galway and pbs over the half marathon so hopefully it is only a short term setback. 
Track runner Michael Ryan, consistent M50 runner Peter Gaffney, Andrew Kinane, Liam Keane and Declan Lynch all got well under the 3 hour barrier.  Liam Keane was delighted to finally break the sub 3 after a few bad encounters with the marathon.
Grace Kennedy Clarke our next woman in ran a very impressive 3.08 after a very shaky preparation in the last few weeks with illness, she had to radically adjust her target time but was happy with her run.
David McGrath was thrilled with his 5 min pb of 3.12.54 and has made a big improvement over the last few years. 
Kevin Odgers who is also running Valencia in December, new member Kishor Shelake and Phillip Hennessy all finished sub 3.15.
Oliver O’Hara and training partners Ariana Ball and Amy Moriarty all finished in an even 320 with Amy and Ariana running as best buddies the whole way together.
Alan Kinsella was happy with his pb of 3.22.14 followed by Kieran Beausang and  Niamh Clifford, Niamh jogged around in 3.23.50 a time most fast runners would be proud of, this is coming off a similar ‘fun’ marathon 3 weeks ago in Chicago.
JP O’Hanlon and Louise Kelly came over the line just on the nose of 330, Louise was thrilled with her 8 min pb.
The sub 3.40 crew of Suzie Henley Willis, Dean Fullston and Pam White were next, Suzie equally thrilled with a 13 min pb of 3.37.34.
Big congrats to Ben Conroy, Margaret O’Brien, Angela Eustace, Neil Lanigan, Ava and Niamh Clarke, Katie Keogh, Ken Henley Willis and Elaine Verdon who all finished under the 4 hour barrier. Margaret had her debut run and felt she could run another one tomorrow, great to see club stalwart Angela Eustace back in marathon action in 3.50 after a 7 year break and has been running very well this season.
Katie Keogh had her debut run as did sisters Ava and Niamh Clarke. Ken Henley Willis hubby of Suzie was thrilled with taking a big chunk of his pb too. Fit for Lifers Elaine Verdon and Neil Lanigan made the sub 4 look very easy, their coach and training partner Ken Cronin finished just a minute outside 4 hrs, great to see club legend Ken back on the marathon trail too. 
Mark Devine also has his debut over the distance, well done Mark, big well done to Meet and Train captain Sarah Ni Ruairc who finished in 4.16 her first marathon in 12 years,  Elaine Miskella in her debut finished next in 4.26 followed by club stalwart Dana Mackey in 4.37. Well done to Fit For Lifer Jo Hughes, Sam Kendlin Hobbs, Arthur Connick and Des Gill who all finished well under the 5 hour barrier, kudos to the much loved Arthur Connick who swears it was his last ever marathon, we all said that Arthur!
Also notable was John Travers who did some pacing duties til half way
And Ian Fitzgerald ran around the course with team Cobey who finished in a great time !
See you next year!.

It was a tough day out in cold wet conditions for everybody and well done to each and every one you are all heroes.
Big well done to all volunteers down in Chapelizod af the water station too!

Kane Collins 2.25.24 PB 15th man
Ken Nugent 2.40.26
Sean Fox 2.43.10 PB
Danny O’Sullivan 2.43.38
Didier Da Costa 2.44.52 PB
Sorcha Loughnane 2.45.29   3rd Irish woman
Wayne Waldron 2.47.19
Michael Ryan 2.55.24. PB
Peter Gaffney 2.55.30
Andrew Kinane 2.56.21
Liam Keane 2.56.59  PB
Declan Lynch 2.57.27
Grace Kennedy Clarke 3.08.11
David McGrath 3.12.54
Kevin Odgers 3.13.39
Kishor Shelake 3.14.32
Phillip Hennessy 3.14.35
Oliver O’Hara 3.20.02
Ariana Ball 3.20.22
Amy Moriarty 3.20.22
Alan Kinsella 3.22.14 PB
Kieran Beausang 3.23.39
Niamh Clifford 3.23.50
JP O’Hanlon 3.30.21
Louise Kelly 3.30.49 PB
Suzie Henley Willis 3.37.34 PB
Dean Fullston 3.39.30
Pam White 3.39.33
Ben Conroy 3.49.19
Margaret O’Brien 3.49.38 PB
Angela Eustace 3.50.08
Neil Lanigan 3.52
Ava Clarke 3.53.17 PB
Niamh Clarke 3.53.17 PB
Katie Keogh 3.54.46 PB
Ken Henley Willis 3.56.04 PB
Elaine Verdon 3.58.00
Ken Cronin 4.01.01
Mark Devine 4.14.50 PB
Sarah Ni Ruairc 4.16.22
Elaine Miskella 4.26.14 PB
Dana Mackey 4.37.59
Jo Hughes 4.40.35
Sam Kendlin Hobbs 4.50.52
Arthur Connick 4.54.18
Des Gill 4.55.17

REPORT – SOUTH-EAST CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at Charwood Golf Club, Columbia, South Carolina (27th of October 2023) and the BIG EAST CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at Kenosha, Wisconsin (28th of October 2023) 
Louis O’Loughlin was back in cross-country action on Friday, when he lined up for the Auburn Tigers team in the NCAA SOUTH-EAST CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at Columbia, South Carolina. The 8km men’s race was held over a flat, fast course at the Charwood Golf Club.
The Donore Harriers middle-distance specialist held 76th position at the 4km point, then continually gained places to cross the line in 38th spot in a time of 24.25.8. His final kilometre split of 3.03 was the 10th fastest in the field. O’Loughlin was the 4th scorer on the Tigers team that came 5th of 12. The race was won by Victor Kiprop (22.23.4) of Alabama University.
On Saturday Abdel Laadjel donned the colours of the Providence College Friars at the Wayne Dannehl national cross-country course at Kenosha, Wisconsin for the BIG EAST CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS. The 8.5km men’s race was held over a one-lap meandering tree-lined course with plenty of testing climbs. Laadjel, having finished 24th in each of the last two Big East championships, was aiming for a top 10 finish. The Donore Harriers star ran stride for stride with his team-mate Liam Back, a New Zealander, until the final stages of the race. Back kicked on to finish 8th in 25.22.5, with Laadjel next home in 25.28.6. The race was won by Liam Murphy of Villanova University in a time of 24.46.3. The Providence Friars team came 4th of 9.
Laadjel said afterwards: “I was happy with that. A step in the right direction and a real confidence booster”.
The two Donore Harriers athletes will next be in action in the NCAA Regionals on the 10th of November.    
RESULTS:
SOUTHEAST CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at Columbia, South Carolina (27.10.2023) –
Men’s 8km race – 38th Louis O’Loughlin (24.25.8). 107 finishers.
The BIG EAST CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS at Kenosha, Wisconsin (28.10.2023) – Men’s 8.5km race – 9th Abdel Laadjel (25.28.6). 84 finishers.