A number of Mayo AC athletes competed in 26.2 degree of heat last weekend in the Burren Marathon challenge. Organised by Ballyvaughan-Fanore walking club this is the third year this event has been in existence and is growing steadily in numbers with over 1,600 participants this year. The event encompasses a 10k, a half marathon and the great challenge itself the full 26.2 mile marathon.
First home for Mayo AC were Anne Fahey and PJ Hall, Anne was fifth woman home overall and PJ was in the top of the over-50 group.
Next home was the stalwart marathon runner Christy O’Malley only four weeks after completing the London Marathon. Nadine Dabbagh of Mayo AC completed her first ever marathon in the Burren, an amazing achievement for a woman that only started running last year and has gone from 10k distance to half marathon and now completing her first marathon, and what a marathon she choose to challenge herself. Yvonne Byrne, Maria Creighton and Sara Creighton three other Mayo AC women were in fantastic form finishing in great times and great spirits having really enjoyed the challenge and already talking about next year.
Swinford Tri Sports
Swinford Tri Sports had their official web launch in the Gateway Hotel, Swinford, for the Humbert Challenge which takes part on Sunday July 25. A large gathering of people from all sporting clubs, in the town as well as regionally attended the event. Swinford Tri Sports chairman Padraic Frain had a very comprehensive overhead slide show to show how the triathlon will be run and how it is aimed at levels of fitness and genders. Padraic went on to to say that as it was the first year there would be a lot of teams taking part, with two or three people per team, where one member of the team will do the swim part 1900 meters, second member will do the cycle 90km and third member to the run 21km. This was then followed by Mayo Sports Partnership co-ordinator Charlie Lambert. He complimented the committee on how advanced its plans were and how much was achieved over a very short period of time. You can see the web page on www.swinfordtrisports.com
