HIGHLIGHTS: Eric Keogh records a time of 2.18.24 on his marathon debut in Frankfurt. Sub 2.30 runs by Ray Hynes and Fergal Whitty in Dublin and Lee Van Haeften in Frankfurt. In the 40^th Dublin marathon Aislinn Nic Dhomhnaill 2.48.31 claims 3^rd spot in W40 category, with Barry Potts 3.46.18 securing M70 silver. Juvenile athletes Gavin Curtin, Honor Lynch, Katie Delaney and Matei Ursachi are all first home at various parkruns.

 

REPORT: After months of hard miles and tough sessions a total of 50 Donore Harriers athletes faced their marathon challenge on Sunday (27.10.2019) at home in Dublin and away in Frankfurt.

 

Eric Keogh (2.18.24) arrived on the top stage of Irish marathon running with his debut effort in the FRANKFURT MARATHON. Running even splits of 1.09.18 and 1.09.06 Keogh averaged 3.17 per kilometre to finish in 28^th place – and was the 12^th European in what is one of the most competitive big-city marathons.   Lee Van Haeften, also running his debut marathon, placed 81^st of more than 8,000 male runners. Van Haeften was hoping to beat 2.25 and his half-way time of 1.12.47 had him ‘on target’. However, he struggled in the final kilometres and a second-half timing of 1.15.37 resulted in a time of 2.28.23 and 81^st place. A truly very fine effort! Shane Ryan (2.55.01) finally broke the 3-hours mark and placed 618^th overall.

 

A crisp, cold morning turned into warm sunshine as the 40^th edition of the KBC DUBLIN MARATHON hit the streets. There was plenty of interest for the Chapelizod based club with 47 runners on the starting waves. First home was Ray Hynes (2.25.33) who placed 23^rd overall and an excellent 5^th in the M35 age category. Hynes recorded a personal best time, after holding good form in the latter stages having passed the hallway point in 1.12.20.

Next Donore man was Fergal Whitty (2.29.09), repeating his sub-2.30 run of last year, to finish 39^th overall and 6^th in the M40 class. The teak-tough Whitty passed the halfway mark in 1.14.35 and is a master of consistency. Peter Gaffney (2.45.01) came 164^th overall and a brilliant 4^th in the M50 age-group. He was followed home by Aislinn Nic Dhomhnaill (2.48.31) in 210^th position. Nic Dhomhnaill, a mother of 3 young children and competing in her first marathon in 10 years, was the 7^th Irish woman to finish and came an impressive 3^rd in the W40 age category.

Regular Dublin marathon runner Andy Kinane recorded a time of 2.48.49 to place 217^th and 57^th in the M35 class. Popular club coach and endurance athlete Niall Lynch (2.48.59) was 222^nd and 25^th M45. Chris Muldoon (2.49.09) hit ‘the wall’ just before 20 miles but recovered to place 226^th and 53^rd M40.

UK based Ken Nugent (2.51.00) came 264^th and 72^nd M35. Sean Fox (2.51.44) 287^th and 69^th M40 and Alan Farrell (2.54.15) 347^th were next, placing 69^th M40 and 39^th M45 respectively.

There were personal bests for Danny O’Sullivan (2.54.15) 370^th and 104^th M35 and Alan Keogh (2.55.04) 380^th and 98^th M40.

Tony Barry (2.55.49) came 419^th and 118^th M35. Behind him Eoghan Doolan was having a fine run, knocking 6 minutes of his PB to set a new time of 2.58.54 to place 649^th and 143^rd senior male.

Shane McAuley (3.04.16) came 827^th and 114^th M45, whilst Grace Kennedy-Clarke (3.05.00) running her 4^th marathon of 2019 finished 858^th overall and 28^th senior woman. Craig Scott (3.08.33) placed 1,054^th and 289^th M40.

Anne Curley (3.09.20), who like the aforementioned Fox and McAuley had competed in the Berlin Marathon last month, put in a courageous run to place 1,113^th and 11^th woman in the over-45s category.

Stephen Dawson M35 ran 3.09.55 as Oliver O’Hara knocked 14 minutes of his previous best marathon time to get home in 3.14.24 for 1,428^th place and 388^th M40.

Ariana Ball (3.19.35) came 1,875^th and 38^th W35, ahead of Colm O’Connell (3.21.40) 2,017^th and 433^rd M35 and Guillaume Nolain (3.22.54) 2,127^th and 342^nd senior man.

Next for Donore Harriers were Brian Gaffney (3.26.00) in 2,396^th and 619^th M40, Breda Mahony 2,281^st and 85^th W40 and Patrick Farrell (3.29.02) 2,828^th and 585^th M35. Farrell knocked more than 20 minutes of his previous best marathon time.

The remainder of Donore Harriers’ finishers are listed in the results section below. Special mention to the remarkable Barry Potts (3.46.18), running in his first marathon in 16 years. Potts placed 4,872^nd overall from 17,680 finishers and came 2^nd in the M70 age group.

Not far behind the Donore Harriers veteran, Pamela White (3.50.18) showed true grit and determination in the final few kilometres to finish 5,578^th and 182^nd senior woman. White was struggling at the 20 miles point but put in a huge effort to get home in a respectable time.

Another returning the marathon after a break Charlie O’Neill. O’Neill, who is beginning his 2^nd term as Club President, recorded a time of 4.28.37 to place 11,408^th and 38^th in the M65 category. It was O’Neill’s first marathon in 5 years.

Laura Rice (4.41.11) had to overcome stomach problems but reached the finish line in 4.41.11 to finish in 12,847^th place. There was a super effort also from Helaine Kelly (4.38.31), a mother of 5 children who all represent the club’s juvenile teams.

 

PARKRUN SERIES (26.10.2019): In the Parkrun series (26.10.2019) juvenile athletes Gavin Curtin (18.31 at Corkagh), Matei Ursachi (19.07 at Father Collins), Honor Lynch (20.18 at St. Anne’s) and Katie Delaney (24.33 at Waterstown) were all first place finishers.

 

RESULTS IN BRIEF:

Mainova FRANKFURT MARATHON (27.10.2019)

28^th & 14^th MS Eric Keogh (2.18.24 debut)

81^st & 37^th MS Lee Van Haeften (2.28.23 debut)

618^th & 143^rd MS Ciaran Ryan (2.55.01 PB)

8,190 male finishers

DUBLIN MARATHON (27.09.2019)

23^rd & 5^th M35 Ray Hynes (2.25.33 PB)

39^th & 6^th M40 Fergal Whitty (2.29.09)

164^th & 4^th M50 Peter Gaffney (2.45.01)

210^th & 3^rd W40 Aislinn Nic Dhomhnaill (2.48.31)

217^th & 57^th M35 Andy Kinane (2.48.49)

222^nd & 25^th M45 Niall Lynch (2.48.59)

226^th & 53^rd M40 Chris Muldoon (2.49.09)

264^th & 72^nd M35 Kenneth Nugent (2.51.00)

287^th & 69^th M40 Sean Fox (2.51.44)

347^th & 39^th M45 Alan Farrell (2.54.15)

370^th & 104^th M35 Danny O’Sullivan (2.54.48 PB)

380^th & 98^th M40 Alan Keogh (2.55.04 PB)

396^th & 109^th M35 Declan Lynch (2.55.19)

419^th & 118^th M35 Tony Barry (2.55.49)

649^th & 143^rd MS Eoghan Doolan (2.58.54 PB)

827^th & 114^th M45 Shane McAuley (3.04.16)

858^th & 28^th WS Grace Kennedy-Clarke (3.05.00)

1,054^th & 289^th M40 Craig Scott (3.08.33)

1,113^th & 11^th W45 Anne Curley (3.09.20)

No placing available – Stephen Dawson M35 (3.09.55)

1,428^th & 388^th M40 Oliver O’Hara (3.14.24 PB)

1,875^th & 38^th W35 Ariana Ball (3.19.35)

2,017^th & 433^rd M35 Colm O’Connell (3.21.40)

2,127^th & 342^nd MS Guillaume Nolain (3.22.54)

2,396^th & 619^th M40 Brian Gaffney (3.26.00)

2,781^st & 85^th W40 Breda Mahony (3.28.43)

2,828^th & 585^th M35 Patrick Farrell (3.29.02 PB)

3,292^nd & 89^th M55 Paul Graham (3.33.17)

3,447^th & 91^st WS Claire Devaney (3.34.50)

3,478^th & 32^nd M60 Tony Griffin (3.35.04)

4,483^rd & 646^th MS David McGrath (3.43.29)

4,872^nd & 2^nd M70 Barry Potts (3.46.18)

5,578^th & 182^nd WS Pamela White (3.50.18)

6,207^th & 349^th W40 Elaine Verdon (3.54.17)

6,209^th & 1,356^th M40 Neil Lanigan (3.54.17)

7,770^th & 343^rd W45 Jo Hughes (4.02.23)

10,971^st & 565^th W45 Michelle Dawson (4.25.37)

11,146^th & 573^rd W35 Ann Maria Nolan (4.26.44)

11,154^th & 351^st M55 Arthur Connick (4.26.49)

11,408^th & 38^th M65 Charlie O’Neill (4.28.37)

12,524^th & 849^th W45 Helaine Kelly (4.38.31)

12,789^th & 695^th W35 Fran Brennan (4.40.34)

12,847^th & 634^th WS Laura Rice (4.41.11)

13,017^th & 907^th W45 Ann Ryan (4.42.49)

14,407^th & 1,359^th W40 Deirdre Brennan (4.57.01)

16,035^th & 972^nd W35 Anna McMahon (5.27.10)

17,336^th & 1,745^th W40 Tracey Clarke (6.30.22)

17,680 finishers. 1,809 MS runners, 2,082 M35, 2,689 M40, 2,195 M45, 1,307 M50, 567 M55, 248 M60, 96 M65 & 56 M70 – and 976 WS, 1,075 W35, 1,788 W40, & 1,478 W45

PARKRUNS (26.10.2019)

Brickfields: 11^th Daniel Nemeth M35 (24.11)

Bushy: 63^rd Tommy Halton M60 (27.08

Castletown, Celbridge: 24^th Tom Fagan M50 (23.16)

Corkagh: 1^st Gavin Curtin U18 (18.31). 4^th Aidan Kelly U19 (20.01), 29^th & 3^rd woman: Nicola Dowdall W45 (24.04)

Father Collins: 1^st Matei Ursachi U13 (19.07), 12^th Sebastian Ursachi U10 (23.07)

Naas: 26^th & 6^th woman: Mary McDermott W50 (24.21)

Poppintree: 3^rd Jonathan Daly M35 (18.22). 8^th Fred Kiernan M45 (19.10), 15^th & 2^nd woman Kate Cleary W45 (21.57). 24^th & 3^rd woman Cristina Gonzalez (23.52)

St. Annes: 21^st & 1^st woman Honor Lynch U14 (20.18), 23^rd Niall Lynch M45 (20.29)

Waterstown: 3^rd Dylan McKenna U14 (21.31), 9^th & 1st woman: Katie Delaney U14 (24.33)