Mayo AC had twenty-two runners in action at three events in recent weeks.
Nine athletes competed in the 35th Annual Warriors Run. It’s a recognised tough event starting at sea level in Strandhill. The course leads up to the top of Knocknarea hill, circles Queen Maeve’s cairn, and returns via the other side to the seaside finish line.
A Belgian runner - Max Drion - was this year’s winner, coming home in 51:57 ahead of a record 1106 finishers. Dwayne Flynn led the nine Mayo AC finishers across the line in an excellent 16th place overall in 61:57. He was followed by Anto Devaney 73:14, Padraic McVann 76:08, Greg Barry 1:28.16, John Nyland 1:31.17, Ann McDonnell 1:38:55, Angela McVann 146.30, Colette McTigue 2:11.24, Patricia Nyland 2:11.24.
The annual Claregalway 10k also took place recently, it is organised by the local Clare River Harriers club. The race winner was John Fitzgibbon (Thurles Crokes AC ) in 33:02, and Regina Casey (GCH ) was the first woman to cross the line in 37:49.
Six Mayo AC finishers were led home by Darren Brewer 40:24 – 39th overall followed in 40th place by Johnny Cribbin 40:37. Then came Tony O’Malley 40:52, Andrew Hayes 40:59, Andy Neary 44:24, Ann Marie Clarke 48:00.
The big race of recent weeks was the annual Longford Marathon, Half and Ultra. The race winner was Freddie Sittuk (Raheny ) in 71:06 with Brendan Conway (Westport AC ) in second place 71:44. Brendan has had a great summer with top three finishes in a number of races in the West over a range of distances. His finish time was well inside his winning time 74:12 in the Westport Half on August 10.
John Higgins was the first of Mayo AC’s seven runners to cross the line in a brilliant fourth place with a new PB of 73:46, improving on his previous best of 74:29 at the National Half Marathon Championships in Dublin a couple of weeks earlier. Well done also to new Mayo AC member Tadgh Hanrahan, running his first race in their club vest. He came home 21st in 1:24.47.
This year Tadgh ran 31:48 in the Tuam 8k in January, 31:43 when finishing 10th in the Carra Classic 8k in March, and 1:29:59 in the River Moy Half Marathon in May - his Longford time was five minutes faster. The other Mayo AC finishers were Kevin Donnellan 1:36.05, Clive Lavelle 1:36.36, Monica Nee 1:44.46, Tracy Cunnane 1:54.25 and Justin McDonagh 1:56.58.
Full results from Strandhill, Claregalway and Longford can be seen at www.mayoac.com
