North Belfast Harriers Race Report 2nd-8th May 2022
The past week saw members of North Belfast Harriers participating in a wide range of races encompassing distances from 5km on runways, roads, hills, mountains and running track to the 26.2 miles of a marathon, as well as the weekly ParkRuns. And as usual, there were some notable successes and podium places.
It’s Gold for North Belfast’s Gareth Lyons, in the 10k Run the Runways Race, at Newtownards Airport, on Friday 6th May
North Belfast Harrier, Gareth Lyons took 1st place in the 10k race, at the “Run the Runways” meet, on Friday evening. Running two laps over an improvised race circuit, laid out on the runways of Newtownards airfield, it was a close race for first place on the initial lap, with Gareth and the second place finisher recording identical splits, and only 2 seconds separating the first four places. However, in the second lap, Gareth pulled away from the others in the leading pack, to finish 4 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, in a close and exciting race. Congratulations, and well done Gareth! Also worthy of a mention are David Hamilton, who finished 6th in the 10k, and David Clarke, who was only 2 seconds away from a podium place, finishing 4th in the 5k race.
Over recent years, and particularly in the aftermath of the curtailment of mass running events, because of the pandemic, many race organisers have sought out novel venues for race meets. Newtownards running club, Scrabo Striders certainly deserve credit for organising their unique race meet, on the flat, fast runways of the airfield at Newtownards. Options of running a junior 2k, a 5k and a 10k race were available.
Photos courtesy of Scrabo Striders Facebook.
| Race | Position | Bib | Name | Category | Chip Time |
| 5k | 4 | 539 | David Clarke | M | 16:54 |
| 5k | 40 | 727 | Diane Taylor | F | 21:19 |
| 5k | 41 | 540 | Carole Clarke | F | 21:31 |
| 5k | 228 | 577 | Elizabeth French | F | 42:30 |
| Race | Position | Bib | Name | Category | Lap 1 | Lap 2 | Chip Time |
| 10k | 1 | 109 | Gareth Lyons | M | 16:48 | 16:17 | 0:33:04 |
| 10k | 6 | 72 | David Hamilton | M | 17:33 | 1754 | 0: 35:26 |
| 10k | 129 | 186 | Catherine Seawright | F | 27:18 | 27:23 | 0: 54:21 |
| 10k | 131 | 110 | Fiona Magill | F | 27:19 | 27:25 | 0: 42:30 |
| 10k | 180 | 198 | Robbie Speers | M | 34:22 | 36:24 | 1:10:25 |
Photos courtesy of Martsje Hell
North Belfast Harrier, Martsje Hell Tackles the Tough Terrain with the Northern Ireland Team, Sunday 8th May
On Sunday, North Belfast Harrier, Martsje Hell, representing Northern Ireland and Ulster, ran in the Inter-counties Mountain Running Championships, in Llanberis in Wales. In the late spring sunshine, the runners undertook this mountain challenge, ascending a total of 750m in the 7 mile race. Martsje finished in 22nd place overall, in 1:06:37, helping her team finish in 9th place. The course involved a 2.5 mile climb up Moel Eilio, followed by lesser climbs to Foel Gron and Foel Goch. A fast final descent over new trails took the runners back to Llanberis. Well done to all involved in the challenging race over the rugged and stunning mountain countryside.
NBH Friendly 5,000m Races, Friday 6th May
On the evening of Friday 6th May North Belfast Harriers hosted the latest in a series of Friendly 5,000m track races at the Boys’ Model Playing Fields in North Belfast. A total of 4 races over the 5,000m distance were staged, with runners matched against competitors of a similar speed. The first race was for those with PBs of 24-27 min, followed by race two for those with PBs of 21:30-24 min. The third race was for those with PBs of 19-21:30 min, with the final race being for those with PBs of under 18:30 min. The last time this meet was hosted by North Belfast Harriers was in the summer of 2021. Joining North Belfast Harriers, were representatives from the greater Belfast area, in the form of Mallusk Harriers and Beechmount Harriers, as well as Tafelta, from Magherafelt and Keep Er Lit, from Coalisland. Worth a mention are Kieran Callaghan and namesake Chris Callaghan, who both finished second, in their respective races. Congratulations to both runners. Also well done to those runners, who recorded new personal best times.
Photos courtesy of Emma Taylor, Margaret Stephens and Joe Gallagher.
Details of the times of the finishers from North Belfast Harriers are listed below.
| Race 1- 24:00-27:00 mins | |||
| Position | Bib | Name | Time |
| 2 | 1341 | Kieran Callaghan | 24:28 |
| 5 | 1337 | Joanne Curran | 25:17 |
| 6 | 1346 | Cheryl Shaw | 25:44 |
| 7 | 1343 | Claire Curran | 25:46 |
| Race 2- 21:30-24:00 mins | |||
| Position | Bib | Name | Time |
| 2 | 1321 | Chris Callaghan | 21:31 |
| 7 | 1328 | Ciaran Browne | 22:54 |
| 10 | 1330 | Maurice Plamer | 23:17 |
| 11 | 1329 | Declan Liggit | 23:19 |
| 12 | 1332 | Michelle McLoughlin | 23:46 |
| Race 3- 19:00-21:30 mins | |||
| Position | Bib | Name | Time |
| 9 | 1313 | Roma Doherty | 20:19 |
| 10 | 1306 | Matty Carleton | 20:45 |
| 12 | 1312 | Joe Gallagher | 20:57 |
| Race 4- 18:30 mins and under | |||
| Position | Bib | Name | Time |
| 6 | 1290 | Ian Keys | 17:36 |
Greg McClure finishes 3rd (photo courtesy of Gregg McClure)
It’s Another Podium Place for North Belfast’s Greg McClure, on Sunday 8th May, in the latest “We Run Wild” marathon over the mountains around Belfast and East Antrim.
On Sunday, veteran distance racer, Greg McClure, competing in his 127th marathon, only a week after running the Belfast City Marathon, finished in third place in this challenging hill, trail and mountain race, in 5h:04m:20s. This event, the second in a trilogy of “Castle to Castle” races, involved navigating the prescribed scenic route, and running from Belfast Castle to Carrickfergus Castle, covering a distance of 26.2 miles. The route involved a climb over the Cavehill, across paths, country trails and heathland, before descending and then climbing once again up to the Knockagh Monument, and onwards towards the finish line, at Carrickfergus Castle. The organisers of the We Run Wild race series, state that their events are about taking running back to nature, running for enjoyment, and taking in scenery that is often missed in other races. Commenting after the race, which involved a total climb of around 800m, Greg McClure stated, “It was a beautiful day for the race over the trails and backroads, although possibly a bit warm for running.” Well done Greg for another great achievement.
Northern Ireland Club League, Sunday 8th May
Sunday saw the first round of the NI Club League at the Antrim Forum, with members of North Belfast Harriers recording some fast finishes and commendable performances in the 800m and 1,500m on the track. Well done James Conor and Peter.
| Race | Position | Bib | Name | Category | Time |
| 800m | 1 | 804 | James Trainor | M | 2:06.77 |
| 800m | 2 | 800 | Conor Curran | M | 2:07.79 |
| 1,500m | 1 | 801 | Peter McGarry | M | 4:18.54 |
Binnian Hill and Dale Race, Thursday 5th May
On Thursday 5th May two members of North Belfast Harriers took part in the latest race in the Hill and Dale Series of ten races, organised by Newcastle Athletic Club. As the name would suggest this race is run over the scenic slopes of Binnian Mountain in the Mournes. Runners in this race completed a 5km course that involved a challenging climb of 750m. Well done to all the participants. Details of the finishing times for the two Harriers are given below.
| Position | Bar Code | Name | Category | Finish Time |
| 98 | 174 | John Murphy | M50 | 37:09 |
| 149 | 670 | Ray Cameron | M45 | 41:49 |
ParkRuns, Saturday 7th May
With the weekend weather continuing to improve, members of the North Belfast Harriers turned out in numbers, with cheerful dispositions to take part in the wonderful weekly ritual that is ParkRun. Running in a variety of locations, locally and further afield, including Ireland, England and South Africa, they joined runners of all ages and abilities to enjoy the camaraderie and craic, whilst partaking in a parkland 5k. Worth a special mention are Fionnuala O’Hare and Janice Plumb, who were first female finishers in their respective ParkRuns, John Gerard Murphy, who completed his 500th ParkRun, and Conor O’Rawe, who recorded a new PB.
Waterworks ParkRun
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 5 | David Curran | 76.9% | 19:29 | |
| 8 | Fionnuala O’Hare | 69.32% | 21:21 | First Female |
| 11 | Joseph Gallagher | 76.69% | 21:40 | |
| 12 | Joe Drain | 69.66% | 21:42 | |
| 18 | Christopher Lennon | 67.35% | 21:54 | |
| 34 | Ita McCambridge | 84.35% | 22:41 | |
| 35 | Seamus Leheny | 62.48% | 22:42 | |
| 39 | Ray Cameron | 62.33% | 22:55 | |
| 50 | Greg McClure | 70.45% | 23:48 | |
| 57 | Tony Reid | 65.11% | 24:13 | |
| 76 | Nicky Hagan | 53.02% | 24:52 | |
| 77 | Orán Steele | 58.12% | 24:57 | |
| 87 | Matthew Purvis | 53.94% | 25:48 | |
| 91 | Jack Carberry | 77.69% | 25:51 | |
| 92 | Piaras McShane | 49.81% | 26:00 | |
| 95 | Sean McShane Jr | 49.62% | 26:06 | |
| 98 | Paul Williams | 59.87% | 26:20 | |
| 100 | Stephen Walker | 59.90% | 26:24 | |
| 119 | Thomas McKinstry | 56.50% | 27:12 | |
| 120 | Chris O’Donoghue | 50.12% | 27:14 | |
| 135 | Matthew Carleton | 46.10% | 27:59 | |
| 146 | Catherine Seawright | 56.99% | 28:43 | |
| 149 | Stella Harrison | 67.87% | 29:00 | |
| 153 | Laurence Rogers | 50.26% | 29:21 | |
| 169 | Sandy Carr | 51.35% | 30:11 | |
| 170 | Margaret Stephens | 65.10% | 30:14 | |
| 177 | Philip McIlwrath | 47.57% | 30:31 | |
| 188 | Eadaoin Donaldson | 47.28% | 31:31 | |
| 192 | Eva McLoughlin | 57.15% | 31:42 | |
| 193 | Michelle McLoughlin | 48.24% | 31:43 | |
| 197 | Matt Shields | 53.50% | 31:56 | |
| 201 | John Gerard Murphy | 47.24% | 32:00 | 500th ParkRun |
| 209 | Martin McLarnon | 44.28% | 32:31 | |
| 221 | Gordon Glenn | 43.47% | 34:12 | |
| 246 | Catherine Carleton | 46.90% | 40:48 | |
| 249 | Denise Rainey | 40.11% | 41:18 | |
| 250 | Roy Rainey | 36.87% | 41:19 | |
| 251 | Denis Loughran | 47.80% | 42:01 | |
| 260 | Sean McShane | 29.97% | 48:50 | |
| 268 | Rosy Ryan | 26.87% | 1:00:55 |
Belfast Victoria ParkRun
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 127 | Paul Jenkins | 49.02% | 29:37 |
Queen’s ParkRun
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 108 | Vincent Bradley | 47.93% | 33:46 |
Portrush ParkRun
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 36 | Jean-Claude Bourgeois | 63.76% | 23:19 |
Citypark ParkRun, Craigavon
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 2 | Colin McDowell | 86.36% | 17:21 | Equals PB |
Enniskillen ParkRun
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 8 | Dermot Coy | 63.2% | 22:06 | First Timer |
| 13 | Thomas Coy | 65.06% | 23:31 | First Timer |
Antrim ParkRun
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 168 | Mannix McAlister | 36.23% | 35:42 | First Timer |
Larne ParkRun
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 12 | Janice Plumb | 75.53% | 22:45 | First Female |
Carrickfergus ParkRun
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 38 | Maurice Palmer | 57.18% | 28:32 | First Timer |
| 39 | Liam Smyth | 55.22% | 28:33 | First Timer |
Valley ParkRun, Newtownabbey
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 63 | David Johnston | 48.75% | 31:15 | |
| 87 | Angela Rogan | 47.99% | 38:14 |
Colin Glenn ParkRun
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 2 | Martin Rea | 74.59% | 19:09 |
Crawfordsburn ParkRun
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 17 | David Hurst | 53.52% | 25:19 | First Timer |
Hillsborough Forest ParkRun
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 45 | Ian Keys | 52.78% | 24:34 |
Falcarragh ParkRun, Co Donegal
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 18 | Kevin Lavery | 59.92% | 26:32 | |
| 44 | Paul Lavery | 47.23% | 35:30 | |
| 50 | John Lavery | 43.45% | 37:15 |
Deerpark Forest ParkRun, Virginia, Co Cavan
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 13 | Jim Clinton | 60.99% | 26:32 | First Timer |
Nairn Beach ParkRun, Donegal
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 14 | Claire Boyle | 35.16% | 43:45 |
Bournemouth ParkRun, England
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 9 | Conor O’Rawe | 69.29% | 18:37 | New PB |
Umhlanga ParkRun, South Africia
| Position | Name | Age Grade | Time | Remarks |
| 32 | Paul Carlin | 55.9% | 26:33 |
