The Frank Duffy 10 Mile is one of the most competitive races on the Irish road running scene, particularly as it attracts a number of good athletes from the UK. This year’s race saw 5 UK based athletes finish in the top 10 with Andrew Douglas of the Scottish team winning in a time of 49.56.

Donore Harriers were very well represented in this year’s race with 28 men and 16 women in the field with 13 running inside the one-hour mark!

The turn-out and times again reflects the resurgence of the men’s team as only one member (Ken Nugent 54.22) broke the 60 minutes in 2012 and 7 in the 2013 race led home by Fergal Whitty in 54.49

This year the team was led home by Michael McMahon (53.57) in 19^th place overall and 15^th in the senior men’s category. Michael was almost 2 and-half minutes quicker that the time he set in the same race last year. He was closely followed by John Dunne (54.12) in 22^nd spot and 4^th in the M35 category. John was one and a-half minutes quicker than in 2013. Next home was Fergal Whitty (54.55) who was 31^st overall and 7^th in the M35 class. Then came Gavin Keogh (55.39) who recovered from an illness earlier in the week to record a PB and place 35^th (25^th senior).

Ken Norgrove was one of 3 individual winners from Donore Harriers on the day. Ken had a super run placing 38th overall and winning the M45 class in a PB time of 55.58. Second in the same age group was Phil Hennessy (57.37) who was 55^th overall. The other category winners were Terry Mee (1.16.26 and 866^th overall) in the M70 group – and Joseph Maguire (1.24.36 and 1580^th overall) in the M75.

Anne Curley ran a solid 62.54 to lead the ladies home. This was enough to nab 2nd F40 and 12th overall in a strong women’s field  that was led home by Maria McCambridge who travelled to Donegal following the race to win the Letterkenny half marathon on Sunday. Joined by Grace Kennedy (68.12) who ran brilliantly despite battling injury, Breda Mahony 68.31 and Alma Hanevy 68.36 to have 4 ladies come in under the 70 minute mark.

Here are the other Donore Harriers results: – 44^th / 3^rd in M40 Ciaran McCarthy (56.40); 46^th / 30^th MS Conor McCauley (56.57); 51^st /31^st MS Andy Kinane (57.18); 56^th / 6^th in M40  Garvan Smith (57.41); 57^th / 15^th in M35 Patrick Moriarty (57.46); 73^rd / 25^th in M35 Chris Muldoon (58.34); 105^th / 14^th in M40 Des Tremble (59.45); 133^rd / 43^rd in M35 Shane McAuley (1.00.54); 202^nd / 29^th in M40 Graham Hopkins (1.03.27); 252^nd / 96^th MS Liam Hickey (1.05.03); 362^nd / 128^th MS Patrick Byrne (1.07.11) debut; 472^nd /92^nd in M40 Ian Redican (1.09.25); 678^th / 6^th in M55 Tony Griffin (1.12.53); 890^th / 316^th MS Eoin Daltun (1.15.42); 957^th / 8^th in M60 Charlie O’Neill (1.17.53); 991^st / 49^th in M50 Arthur Connick (1.18.26); 1305^th / 118^th in M45 Barry Jennings (1.23.33); 2038^th / 203^rd in M45 John Powell (1.34.10); 2114^th / 406^th in M40 Aidan Kearns (1.37.06); and 2305^th / 807^th MS Donal Brennan (1.45.03)

12th / 3rd F40 Ann Curley (1.02.54); Grace Kennedy 27th / 15th FS (1.08.12); Breda Mahony 29th / 7th F35 (1.08.31); Alma Hanevy 32nd / 8th F35 (1.08.36); Sinead Graham (1.12.10); Nicola Dowdall (1.15.40); Elaine Verdon (1.16.58); Mary Murphy (1.17.52); Laura Murray (1.28.42); Lisa Kiernan (1.30.22); Hilary O’Connor (1.34.46); Jo Hughes (1.36.08); Deirdre Brennan (1.38.22); Amandine Devine (1.41.18); Annemarie Conneely (1.47.10); Adrienne Seery (1.52.05)

In the Irish Triathlon Donadea 5 kilometres road race Andrew Ledwith was the winner in a time of 16.21 with junior member Oisin Fitzgibbon (16.29) second and juvenile member Ruairi Fitzgibbon 8^th in 20.07.

The Harriers were also out in force in the Celbridge 5km race on Sunday. Four Donore men in the top 5 further highlights the rising stock of the men’s team and augurs well for the forthcoming cross-country season. John Travers ran out the race winner in a time of 14.43, some 13 seconds ahead of Clonliffe’s Mark Kenneally. Mark Dooley (15.27) came third, with Aogan MacDomhnaill (15.32) in 4^th and Daragh Fitzgibbon (15.49) in 5^th. The mens and womens teams both came first in the race with Ide Nic Dhomhnaill finishing as 2nd lady to lead the ladies home.

The full results were; John Travers 14.43, Mark Dooley 15.27, Aoghan MacDhomhnaill 15.32, Daragh Fitzgibbon 15.49 , Cathal Mccarron 16.38 then Luke Boland 17.28 Darren Hand 17.34 then second woman overall Ide Ni Dhomhnaill 18.23 Maura Kearns 19.56, Rhona Duane 20.16, ken Cronin 20.43 Karen Behan 20.58. Aisling Swaine 21.24, Ann Woodlock 27.11

In the Jog for Jockeys 5km race at Curragh racecourse Sam Allen (18.08) placed second, just 6 seconds shy of the winner. The hilly route over grass tracks proved a tough return to racing for Sam after being out of action for a few months due to injury. Rachel Burke was 13th woman in the 10k in 52.34.

In the Longford Marathon on Sunday Niall Lynch placed an excellent 4th in 2.49.22 whilst George Brady running his 90th marathon placed 8th in 2.53.56. There were 205 finishers.

We also got word today from Izmir in Turkey at the World Masters T&F that Anne Gormley was 7th in the W50 track 5k walk in difficult 39 degree heat conditions 

Jim Mc set an unofficial O75 record in the Duleek 10k yesterday with a super 4409, he is on a roll at the moment after smashing the O75 5000m record last week in the National Masters in Tullamore. Hopefully there will be more records to come in the next few months too. A solid ladies team of Barbara Murray, Sinead Graham, Caren Crowley and Mary Murphy also travelled up with him. Barbara showed that she is coming back into great shape and showed her usual flair over the 10k distance with a 40.51, Sinead Graham was next in a very strong 42.52 followed by Caren with 46.12 and Mary with a 48.23. All ran great and were third team. Gerard Morris also toed the line for Donore and finished up with a 41.32.

Three places and four athletes with the qualifying time! The National 1500m final was to be the race of truth to assist the selection process. Paul Robinson (St. Coca’s AC), Ciaran O’Lionaird (Leevale AC), David McCarthy (West Waterford) and our own John Travers would do battle to impress the selectors for a place on the Irish team at the forthcoming European Athletics Championships in Zurich.

This blue-riband race proved to be one of the highlights of the National Track & Field championships held at Santry on the 19^th and 20^th July 2014. Defending champion Eoin Everard (Kilknny City Harriers) and Robinson took the early pace leading the field through 400m in 68 seconds and the 800m mark in 2.06. Meanwhile Travers had made a conservative start being 11^th at the 300m before gaining to 3^rd at 1100m (2.50).  It could be argued that he was running a fine tactical race because in the middle of the back straight he was running in second place on the shoulder of the race leader Robinson. At this stage O’Lionaird put in a big effort and pushed towards the front whilst Travers seemed to lose his focus. On the top of the bend John’s chances of being on the flight to Zurich seemed lost as both McCarthy and a rejuvenated Everard brushed past. He lay fifth coming into the home straight.

With 70 metres to go O’Lionaird (3.43.85) was holding off the final challenge from Robinson (3.44.16), but Travers found another gear to kick past Everard (5^th) and then McCarthy (4^th in 3.45.64) to gain that all important bronze position in a time of 3.45.00. John has subsequently being named on the Irish team to compete at the European Championships at Zurich.

Eric Keogh was also in the field of 12 finalists, having qualified as a fastest loser on the previous day with a run of 3.55.86. Eric certainly deserved his place among the elite and showed enormous progress and potential with his efforts. He ran in 10^th position for most of the final running at the close behind the main bunch. He reached the bell in 2.52, but found the last lap tough going as he struggled home 11^th in 3.55.02.

Eamonn Fahey also had an eventful afternoon. Having finished a frustrating 4^th in his specialist event the Long Jump (6.84m) he lined up to compete in the second of five 100m Semi Finals. With only the winners guaranteed of a place in the final Eamonn had his work cut out. But he was fast out of the blocks and went on to win in a fabulous 10.85s. The field of 10 finalists was whittled down to 7 following 3 false starts that eliminated two of the big guns: David Hynes and Jonathan Browning. “We were all nervous and I just wanted to be extra careful out of the blocks” admitted Eamonn later. Despite the hesitant start Eamonn quickly got up to 3^rd place (10.99) and maintained his form through the finish line to win the bronze medal behind surprise winner Jamie Davis (10.90) from Raheny Shamrocks.

The final hour of competition saw Donore Harriers win 3 bronze medals. Added to those won by Travers and Fahey add the name Jaco Oosthuysen in the Javelin. Jaco threw consistently well throughout the competition recording a best of 57.37m. The event was won by Rory Gunning of Fr. Murphy’s AC in 59.22m with Shane Aston of Trim AC second with 57.53m.

Donore’s other competitor on the second day of competition was Ray Hynes in the 3000m Steeplechase. Ray had gained from 9^th to 6^th between the first and third laps and seemed to be going well. He passed through the 1500m point in 4.31, but landed awkwardly into the water jump and then took the precautionary decision to withdraw from the race.

The Men’s 10.000m was the club’s main focus on the first day of competition with 4 Donore athletes in a field of 21. The first Harrier home was Lee Van Haeften (31.25.67) PB in 7^th place. Lee was 10^th at the halfway mark passing the 5k point in 15.27. Next came Mark Dooley (32.43.21) PB in 13^th (15^th at 5k in 15.48). Two places further back was Michael McMahon (32.57.16). This was a very impressive run by McMahon who only took up running last autumn. After a hesitant opening few laps he passed the half-way point in 16.28 lying in 19^th place and then ran consistent laps over the second part of the race to gain to 15^th. Michael improved his PB time by massive 64 seconds. John Dunne M35 (33.29.16) had a marginal PB when finishing in 16^th spot. Dunne was 20^th at 5000m in 16.31.

The 10.000m race incorporated a team competition based on cumulative times and Van Haeften, Dooley and McMahon won the bronze medal behind winners Clonliffe Harriers.

David Campbell competed in the 400m, but was eliminated in the first of 4 Semi-Finals when he recorded a 6^th place in 52.57

The IMRA Sugar Bowl mountain race (16/7/14) was contested by Niall Lynch M40 who finished 5^th in 32.28, just 3 seconds shy of second spot.

Other results: –

Parkrun Griffeen Park (19/7/14): 1^st Gavin Keogh (16.44); 20^th Tom Fagan M45 (20.46)

Fingal 10km (20/7/14): 11^th Niall Lynch M40 (33.54) first in age category; 13^th Ken Norgrove M45 (34.16) first in age category; 27^th Will Morris M35 (35.24); 265^th Fred English (42.06); 442^nd Eoin Daltun (44.14). For the ladies we had Anne Curley 6th overall (38.34), Florence Curley 10th overall (39.35), Grace Kennedy (41.16), Nicola Dowdall (46.04), Caren Crowley (46.58) and Hilary O’Connor (54.46)

In the Raphoe 5k, congratulations to Maura Kearns who was first lady home and in the BHAA DCC 5K well done to Joe Murphy (19.32), Janette Strickland (21.30), Alma Hanevy (21.31) and Ann Woodlock (28.08)

Congratulations also to Conor McCauley who continued his recent run of from to finish 2nd in the Killarney Half Marathon (76.19)

John Travers may have finished only 6^th in Friday evening’s prestigious Morton Mile at Santry (Morton Games 11/07/14), but his new personal best time of 3.55.44 needs to be put into context. This was the 29^th running of the event and John’s time would have won every Morton Mile since Eamonn Coghlan’won in a time of 3.53.48 back in 1983. It should be noted that that was the same year that Coghlan went on to win the World 5.000m gold medal. The only other occasions that the Morton Mile was run quicker than the time achieved by Travers on Friday evening were by New Zealander John Walker, the 1976 1500m Olympic Champion, in 1977 with a time of 3.52.0 and by the legendary Steve Scott of the USA, silver medallist at the 1983 1500m and holder of a record 136 sub-4 minute miles, who won the 1981 ‘Morton’ in 3.54.76.

John thus becomes the 51^st Irishman to break the 4 minute barrier, but his time puts him 16^th on the Irish all-time list ahead of legends such as Ron Delany, Frank Murphy and Gerry Kiernan (John’s coach).

The race itself was star-studded with 12 sub-4 minute milers on the start line. John was one of just 6 home based athletes to compete against the strong international field. For the first two laps it looked as though our man Travers was out of his league. He completed the first lap of 409m in 0.59. He was 16^th. The quick tempo at the front was maintained, but John kept in touch with the main field passing the two lap marker in 1.54 and having gained slightly to 13^th position. On the back straight of the 3^rd lap he suddenly began to move through the field and he hit the bell in 2nd position in a time of 2.55. “I just felt great out there” said a delighted John afterwards. He had the crowd on their feet as he continued to thrust forward like a man on a mission. At the beginning of the back straight for the final time Travers was in the lead – by one metre, by two metres, by three metres… “He’s never going to hold it! – or is he?” was the aghast expression of Damian Allen as the crowd were enthralled by John’s fleet footed movement and audacious run to the front. The Donore Harriers supporters who witnessed this great race dared to dream, but 150 metres remained… But suddenly he was like a boxer on the ropes!

The final 150 metres was probably the gutsiest that Travers has ever run. He had to dig deep and just keep going. The big guns came and swept past, but John still had his mission! Will Leer of the USA won in a championship best time of 3.51.82. Leer is the USA Indoor Champion for the One Mile and 3.000m in 2013 and was a 1500m finalist at the last World Athletics championship. Second was Patrick Casey (3.52.62) of the USA. Casey won the silver medal in the recent American 1500m championship. Third was Corey Leslie, another American, in 3.53.44 with Zane Robertson of New Zealand 4^th in 3.53.72.

And John Travers! He held on bravely for an excellent 6^th place and he was the only Irishman to break the 4 minute mark. But John had another mission! He passed the 1500m mark (3.37.7) some two seconds inside the qualifying time for next month’s European Track and Field championships to be held in Zurich.

Brilliant! Just brilliant!

Here is a link to the race: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H-LDGjFoxI

Ray Hynes also took to the track at the Morton Games competing in the 3.000m and aiming for a Personal Best. A strong field ensured a quick early pace and Ray had to run his opening two laps in 62 and 64 seconds to stay in contact with the main bunch. This early pace would later take its toll as Ray faded in the second half of the race to finally place 18^th in 8.33.69, some 15 seconds short of his best time. The race was won by Juan Luis Barrios of Mexico in a stadium best time of 7.44.21. It should be considered that Ray missed a large part of his winter conditioning training due to injury. However he continues to return to his previous best form. Ray will be hoping for a better outcome at the National 3.000m steeplechase at Santry next weekend.

At the Dublin Open Graded meeting No. 6 at Irishtown on Wednesday evening (9/7/14) a good contingent of Donore Harriers athletes took to the start line. Results are as follows: –

400m ‘A’: – 4^th David Campbell (53.00)

800m ‘B1: – 8^th Paul Cummins (2.10.84 thru 400 in 60)

800m ‘B2’: – 1^st Emmet O’Briain M35 (2.03.04 thru 400 in 61) PB; 4^th Henry English M35 (2.05.30 thru 400 in 62)

800m ‘B3’: – 8^th Luke Boland (2.11.03 thru 400 in 63)

800m ‘D’: – 1^st Killian O’Hora (2.09.05 thru 400 in 63) PB

5.000m ‘B’ Race: – 2^nd Michael McMahon (15.52.56); 5^th John Dunne M35 (16.05.18); 6^th Chris Muldoon M35 (16.12.11); 9^th Fergal Whitty M35 (16.18.88); 11^th Ken Norgrove M45 (16.35.77) 13^th Cathal McCarron (16.41.36); 14^th Darren Hand (16.41.88).

In the Women’s 400m ‘B’ race Claire O’Connor Jnr came 5^th in 2.30.5 thru 400 in 71.

In the Letterkenny AC Sub-4 Challenge Track event on Sunday (13/7/14) Eric Keogh (8.40.46) won a competitive 3000m race, run in gale force conditions.

At the BUPA Great Nortk 10km at Gateshead, also on Sunday, Lee Van Haeften (31.54) came an excellent 10^th in a high-calibre field and recorded a new Personal Best time for the distance despite a testing course and wet, blustery conditions. The race was won by Stephen Kiprotich (29.39) from Uganda. Lee will line up with team-mates John Dunne, Michael McMahon and Mark Dooley in next Saturday’s National Track 10.000m championship.

Daragh Fitzgibbon (15.56) ran out an easy winner in Saturday’s Donadea 5km race (12/7/14) organized by Donadea Wheelers.

In the inaugural Castleknock 5km (13/7/14) Garvan Smith M40 came 3^rd in 17.15. The other Donore Harriers to finish included: – 22^nd Bernard Byrne (19.05); 24^th Niall O’Reilly M35 (19.18); 43^rd Jack Raftery <Juv> (19.59); 57^th Declan Raftery M40 (20.43); 122^nd Ronan McCooey <Juv> 23.06 and 123^rd Ciaran McCooey (23.06).

At the Kinnegad GFC 5k, Barbara Cleary had another victory to her name – breaking the course record to be first lady in 16.50 and 7th overall.  (Unfortunately there were problems with timing on the night – hand timing was used so some of the results below are reckoned to be out of sequence or slower than actual) Next in was Anne Curley in 19.10, Maura kearns 19.14 and Sam Conroy in 20.39 – their indefatigable coach Jim McNamara finished in 21.58.

John Travers (14.15.16) came 5^th at the Belfast International Meeting held on Wednesday evening 2^nd July. A strong domestic field failed to make inroads into runaway winner Ben St. Lawrence (13. 27.72) from Australia. Unfortunately John Travers failed in his attempt to gain the qualifying standard for the European Athletics Championships due to take place in Zurich next month.

David Campbell (53.08) won a bronze medal in the 400m National under 23 championship at Cork on Sunday (6/7/14).

Mark Dooley lowered his Personal Best by more than 20 seconds when recording a time of 14.59.71 whilst running as a guest in the British Athletics League Division One match at Tooting Bec in South London on Saturday (5/7/14).

Also on Saturday and much closer to home Des Tremble (M40) ran a very fine race to place 8^th in the Clontarf Half-Marathon recording a time of 1.21.52.

On the previous Saturday (28/6/14) Graham Hopkins was the first Donore Harrier home in the Irish Runner 5 mile road race at the Phoenix Park. In wet and blustery conditions Graham (27.43) placed 21^st overall and 4^th in the M40 category. Phil Hennessy M40 (28.16) placed 28^th overall and 5^th in his age group.

Next Harrier home was Stephen Conroy M35 (30.54) placing 93^rd overall. The remaining athletes included: – 299^th Gerard Morris (34.07); 312nd Eoin Daltun (34.29); 360^th Charlie O’Neill M60 (34.55) <1^st in age category>; 374^th Ken Cronin M55 (34.56) and 779^th Dave Wogan M50 (36.37).

Niall Lynch (48.37) running his sixth mountain race of the summer came a creditable 3^rd behind winner Des Kennedy (46.27) of Raheny Shamrocks in the latest Irish Mountain Running Association race at Seefingan on Wednesday evening 2^nd of July. Seefingan, one of the mountains that separates the counties of Wicklow and Dublin, proved a tough challenge and Niall could not keep contact with the 2 leaders.

Over the past fortnight, the ladies have been represented over a wide range of events.  The most unusual was a 5k at 11pm on Shannon Airport’s runway which attracted well over 1000 runners and which Ide Nic Dhomhnaill decided to take part in at the last minute – she was first lady home in an excellent 18.03.