The East Mayo Athletics Club held their first Half Marathon on Saturday, October 16 with upwards of 100 taking part. Conditions were ideal with the day holding dry with just a slight breeze in evidence as the competitors took to the starting line.
The East Mayo Athletics had a great team of volunteers in place at various locations on the route with the committee covering all bases in terms of organisation and planning. They ran an excellent event and hats off to the participants who clocked some brilliant times and completed the course which was the sole objective of all who took part. A nice crowd gathered at the finishing line to welcome each and every runner home as they hit the finishing tape with plenty of supplies in terms of drinks and fruits available for the runners to re-fuel and re-stock their energy levels after finishing such a demanding and tough course.
The following were the first five men home with their respective finishing times;
- Enda Marren (Cloonfinish) 1.15.09
- Alan Kelly (Ballina AC) 1.16.08
- Declan Brennan (Ballisodare) 1.17.54
- David Tiernan (East Mayo Athletics Club) 1.18.28
- Tadhg O’Sullivan (Bweeng Trail Blazers) 1.20.35
The ladies also clocked some tremendous times and the first five to cross the finishing line were as follows;
- Roisin Golden (Galway) 1.33.38
- Susan Gannon (Castlerea) 1.40.50
- Rachel Burgess (Cavan) 1.41.01
- Trina Donogue (East Mayo Athletics Club) 1.41.26
- Petrina Edwards (Trim AC) 1.42.52
Each and every participant should be immensely proud on completing the event which is testimony to their fitness levels, stamina and endless hours of training and dedication which one needs to put in to even consider taking on a distance of this magnitude.
The East Mayo Athletics wholeheartedly thank all the many stewards and volunteers who gave up their time to help out with the running of the event. Their help and support was very much appreciated by all connected with the club. Thanks to Reggie Veggie’s who once again came up trumps in his sponsorship of the fruit which was available for all the runners as they crossed the finish line. Thanks to Delaney’s Mace and Centra Bellaghy for their continued support of all the events and races the club run on a regular basis. Special thanks to the Beaumont Ambulance Service who also support each and every event at the East Mayo Athletics stage as they look after any medical needs that may be needed. Last but not least a sincere thanks to the event’s main sponsor Kenaidan Contractors for their very generous support which was deeply appreciated by all involved with the club and provided the financial platform for the race to take place.
All who took part were unanimous in their agreement that the race was one of the best run and organised they have had the pleasure of taking part in which is rich praise indeed for all connected with the club as they look to make it an annual event in the East Mayo Athletics Club calendar.