Springwell Running Club - Press Release – 9th December 2018
The past week has seen Springwell RC members in action at the Flahavans Primary School Cross Country League, the Athletics N.I. Cross Country League and the Lanzarote Marathon. A real contrast in weather and temperatures but some great performances produced at all events.
Flahavans Primary School Cross Country League
The final round of this year’s Flahavans PS Cross Country League took place on the 5th December on St Mary’s playing fields adjacent to the Roe Valley Leisure Centre. Thankfully the rain stayed away as over 160 P6 and P7 schoolchildren took on the challenge of their 1400m races. In the girls race Springwell RC junior member Eobha McAllister, representing St Josephs PS, Dunloy, ran a perfect race, demonstrating an experience usually associated with seasoned runners. After two well paced laps Eobha moved to the front to easily win the race and, having won the previous race in the series, this year’s league. Eobha is the first runner in the Causeway Section to retain the title, having won the league in 2017 while in P6.
Springwell RC’s junior section was well represented at the event with Adria McAllister 5th, Eva Fell 9th, Zoe Mellet 10th, Brid O’Kane 28th, Lily Armstrong 31st, Jessica Mellet 33rd, Sine Armstrong 41st and Anna McLaughlin 65th. In the boys race Ethan Buchanan was 17th and Daniel Henry 18th. As a result of their efforts Eobha, Adria, Eva, Zoe, Brid, Ethan and Daniel have qualified for the final of the league.
Mighty Oaks
The Mighty Oaks Cross Country hosted by Acorns Athletics Club took place on the 8th December at the Mid Ulster Sports Arena in Cookstown. This year saw a couple of amendments to the course, with the runners now avoiding a lap of the well maintained pitches and instead taking to some rougher, overgrown areas of the arena, making for a more challenging and traditional cross country course. The weather on Saturday was cold, wet and windy with the only certainty being that there was no rain between the showers.
Once again it was the Springwell RC junior section who led the way with Eobha McAllister, having already retained her Flahavans Cross Country title this week, racing in the Girls U12 race. In a closely contested race just 3 seconds separated the first three places with Lily Rimmer (Dromore AC) 1st, Aisling Smith (Ballymena & Antrim AC) 2nd and Eobha 3rd. Springwell RC’s youngest junior member, Adria McAllister, who still has another two years in this particular age group, finished a very respectable 8th.
Eobha McAllister (Springwell RC), Lily Rimmer (Dromore AC) and Aisling Smith (Ballymena & Antrim AC)
In the Boys U16 race Roan Wilson (Springwell RC) transferred his recent excellent Parkrun performances to a competitive cross country event and had an excellent race to finish second.
Peter Jack (Springwell RC) at the Mighty Oaks XC (photo – Ballymena Runners)
The Senior Mens race was the fourth event in this season’s Athletics N.I. Cross Country League and, although it was Springwell RC’s smallest turnout in the league their efforts produced the best result so far with the team placed fourth. The race itself was dominated by Aaron McGrady (East Down AC), who took the lead halfway through the first lap and continued to increase the gap between him and the chasing pack to eventually win in a time of 23.29, 56 seconds ahead of the battle for second place between Neill Weir (Willowfield Harriers), Vincent McKenna (Acorns AC) and Gareth Lyons (unattached). It was Neill who took second in 24.25 and, while Vincent and Gareth both recorded 24.26 times it was Vincent who just took third place on the line.
Simon Stewart, Dale Corbett, David McGaffin, Maurice Walker, Barry Mullan and Peter Jack at the Mighty Oaks.
Leading the Springwell RC contingent home Simon Stewart finished 6th in 25.25 with Dale Corbett 18th 26.47, Barry Mullan 21st 27.13, Maurice Walker 43rd 29.27, David McGaffin 53rd 30.53 and Peter Jack 82nd 34.25 completing the scoring for the team.
Lanzarote Marathon
The Lanzarote Marathon took place on Saturday 8th December in very different weather, as almost 600 runners took on the challenge of running a marathon in blustery conditions with temperatures in excess of 20C. At least in was dry.
Karen McLaughlin (Springwell RC) has had an excellent year so far and Saturday produced another great result as she ran 3.27.21 to finish 62nd overall and 8th lady. Karen’s performance easily won her Vet C-F age category.
Springwell RC’s Karen McLaughlin and Pamela Mooney at the Lanzarote Marathon (Photo Richard McLaughlin)
Springwell RC was represented at the event by another two ladies with Pamela Mooney finishing 231st (41st lady and 12th Vet B-F) in 4.06.18, literally just a step ahead of Helena Dornan who was 233rd (42nd lady and 7th Vet C-F) with a time of 4.06.19.