As the seasons shifted closer to summer, the local running scene was busy with races on the track and road. As ever NBH runners were right in the mix.
Pure Running NI half marathon series
The annual half marathon series has nearly reached the half way stage; with four of the races now complete the runners are eagerly awaiting the Lisburn Half Marathon in mid-June. The standings have recently been updated and NBH Peter McClelland’s strong performances to date have helped him hold on to 2nd place in his age category.
Albertville Harriers 4 mile Road Race, Duncrue, Belfast, Co Antrim
On Friday evening as workers left Duncrue Industrial Estate, close to three hundred runners headed in the opposite direction for the start line of the Albertville 4 miler. The mens’ race was won by Neill Weir from Willowfield Harriers (21:31) while the women’s race was won by Sarah Lindsay of North Down AC (25:16).
A huge number of NBH runners participated, 59 in total, making up a fifth of the overall field. The table below lists each great performance, among which are no doubt many PBs over the distance…
| Name | Finish Position | Time | |
| Colin |
Willetts |
21 | 00:23:54 |
| Piaras | McShane | 26 | 00:24:06 |
| Frankie | Smyth | 50 | 00:26:14 |
| Sean | McShane | 72 | 00:27:40 |
| Paul | Williams | 73 | 00:27:56 |
| Lyle | Carleton | 82 | 00:28:32 |
| Anthony | Fleming | 94 | 00:29:25 |
| Gary | Blythe | 104 | 00:30:09 |
| Andrew | Taylor | 110 | 00:30:37 |
| Katrina | McAuley | 113 | 00:30:51 |
| Sandy | Carr | 134 | 00:31:46 |
| Philip | McIlwrath | 141 | 00:32:27 |
| Joe | Wilson | 144 | 00:32:48 |
| Matthew | Carleton | 145 | 00:32:54 |
| John | Beggs | 148 | 00:33:08 |
| Diane | Taylor | 168 | 00:34:44 |
| Liam | Smyth | 169 | 00:34:46 |
| Fiona | Magill | 171 | 00:34:54 |
| John | Higgins | 195 | 00:37:00 |
| Cailein | Curley | 196 | 00:37:01 |
| Megan | Beggs | 197 | 00:37:02 |
| Trisha | Murray | 208 | 00:37:41 |
| Pauline | McKeating | 211 | 00:37:45 |
| Bronagh | Conlon | 212 | 00:37:45 |
| Eileen | Keenan | 215 | 00:37:59 |
| Michael | Lawlor | 216 | 00:38:37 |
| Jacqueline | Lawlor | 217 | 00:38:37 |
| Kathleen | O’Neill | 218 | 00:38:41 |
| Margaret | Stephens | 219 | 00:38:42 |
| Anne Marie | Clarken | 220 | 00:38:43 |
| Roberta | Toan | 226 | 00:39:22 |
| Monica | Okane | 229 | 00:39:30 |
| Rhiannon | Kelly | 233 | 00:40:20 |
| Claire | Kelly | 234 | 00:40:20 |
| Caroline | Hill | 244 | 00:41:09 |
| Sonia | Millar | 245 | 00:41:09 |
| Elaine | Crawford | 246 | 00:41:09 |
| Gemma | Lowe | 247 | 00:41:09 |
| Fionuala | Dunleavy | 248 | 00:41:10 |
| Michele | Flood | 249 | 00:41:13 |
| Ruth | Anderson | 252 | 00:41:24 |
| Sharon | Collins | 255 | 00:41:32 |
| Brenda | McKeever | 256 | 00:41:32 |
| Dermot | McGrath | 257 | 00:41:48 |
| Lindsay | Walker | 260 | 00:42:10 |
| Mick | Murray | 262 | 00:42:46 |
| Paula | O’Reilly | 265 | 00:43:09 |
| Catherine | Carleton | 266 | 00:43:09 |
| Rebecca | Johnston | 267 | 00:43:33 |
| Dirdre | Murphy | 268 | 00:43:51 |
| Michelle | Doogan | 272 | 00:45:29 |
| Clare | Corey | 273 | 00:45:30 |
| Nicola | White | 276 | 00:46:04 |
| Clare | Morgan | 279 | 00:46:12 |
| Gemma | Doherty | 280 | 00:47:14 |
| Leeanne | Magee | 281 | 00:47:15 |
| Jansje | Lamb | 285 | 00:49:38 |
| Rosy | Ryan | 287 | 00:53:06 |
| Martine | McAnoy | 288 | 00:53:09 |
Firmus Energy, Meet 3, Mary Peters Track, Belfast
On Friday evening the Mary Peters Track played host to hundreds of athletes of all ages, for the third meeting of the Firmus Energy athletics series, where all athletes did well to brace themselves against the unsettling weather. One of the last events of the night was the Senior Men’s 3,000 metre race. NBH had two men in the race, with Conal McCambridge comfortably clinching first place (9.16.94) and Conor O’Rawe securing third place (10.23.80).
Walled City Marathon, Derry / Londonderry
Over twelve hundred athletes took to the roads of NI’s maiden city on Sunday morning to tackle the marathon along the banks and bridges of the River Foyle, all hoping to cross the finish line at the historic Guildhall square with a smile on their faces.
The men’s race was won by Dan Tanui from Project Africa (2:25:26), with the women’s race being won by Catherine Whoriskey from City of Derry Spartan AC (2:50:38).
NBH runner Andrew Considine had put in months of meticulous training and was well rewarded by being the first NI runner across the line, in a fantastic time of 02:40:56. Andrew was 5th place in the entire field and won his age category. Donna, Ruth and Frankey all finished in the top 25 in their age category too.
| Position | Name | Time |
| 5 | Andrew CONSIDINE | 02:40:56 |
| 353 | Gordon GLENN | 03:51:53 |
| 641 | Donna MCLAUGHLIN | 04:14:36 |
| 646 | Ruth MURPHY | 04:15:00 |
| 1024 | Frankey MCGIVERN | 04:56:45 |
Hazelbank 5 Mile, Newtownabbey, Belfast
On Sunday, runners tackled a 5 mile course alongside Belfast lough shore, between Hazelbank and Loughshore park. The race was won by Eoin Lennon of Edinburgh AC (26:38), with the Ladies’ race being clinched by Caroline Girvan (36:21).
Three female NBH runners participated and were rewarded with great results
| Position | Name | Time |
| 65 | Cathy McKillen | 00:47:51 |
| 71 | Sonia Millar | 00:48:37 |
| 90 | Caroline Hill | 00:52:28 |
Parkrun @ various locations:
As ever the NBH attended parkrun events in their droves, this Saturday saw 7 new PBs.
Antrim
51st Stephen WALKER 24:01
52nd Paul WILLIAMS 24:01
Belfastvictoria
35th Colin SIMPSON 21:18
Citypark
13th Alan RITCHIE 20:09
Colinglen
13th Helen F WEIR 21:57 – New PB
Falls
19th John LAVERY 24:39
Larne
4th Ethan GLENN 22:55
5th Nat GLENN 22:56
38th Greg LAVERY 41:15
Ormeau
4th Laurence JOHNSTON 18:58
22nd Lauren COX 20:26 – New PB
45th Eva KISSENPFENNIG 22:08
Queens
3rd Martin REA 17:59 34th
Ciaran HUNTER 22:08
48th John LAVERY 23:29
Wallace
3rd John MCCONNELL 19:25
Waterworks
1st John BLACK 16:43
2nd Kent SWANN 16:50 – New PB
11th Matthew LAVERY 19:28 – New PB
12th John Gerard MURPHY 19:44
14th Drew KNOX 20:03
15th Piaras MCSHANE 20:04
22nd Greg MCCLURE 20:43
48th Jack CARBERRY 22:46
49th Emma SHEEHY 23:03
50th Tony REID 23:05
61st Sam CARR 23:52
71st Jim CLINTON 24:14
74th Simon REEVE 24:28
75th Anthony FLEMING 24:34
79th Katrina MCAULEY 24:51
80th Sarah Jane STEWART 24:53
86th John GRIBBIN 25:21
119th Kerry MCSHANE 27:54
120th Sean MCSHANE 27:56
122nd David JOHNSTON 27:59 – New PB
135th Lynn MCCULLOUGH 28:38
136th Michael LAWLOR 28:38
147th Thomas MCKINSTRY 29:14
149th Irene MCGREEVY 29:22
150th Sandy CARR 29:22
161st Trisha MURRAY 30:44
164th Claire BRADY 30:59
166th Joan GRIEVE 31:05
167th Bronagh CONLON 31:05
171st Margaret STEPHENS 31:16
182nd Matt SHIELDS 31:49
183rd Gabrielle MALLAGHAN 31:50
185th Philomena DONALDSON 31:51
187th Nuala MAHON 32:09
198th Bernadette DUFFY 33:07
204th Catherine O BOYLE 33:48
208th Eadaoin DONALDSON 34:07
212nd Dirdre MURPHY 34:59
232nd Gemma LOWE 38:10
236th Clare O’HARA 39:54
251st Rosy RYAN 49:36
Letterkenny
5th Paddy MCCAMBRIDGE 21:18
8th Ita MCCAMBRIDGE 21:57
9th Brendan MCCAMBRIDGE 21:57
15th Catriona MCCAMBRIDGE 25:18 – New PB
16th Orla MCCAMBRIDGE 25:19 – New PB
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