THE people at Armagh AC are rightly congratulating themselves this week after the club’s senior men claimed silver team medals at the Dublin Marathon last Sunday.
Armagh’s Michael Fox was the first Northern Ireland runner to finish in the race with a personal best net time of 2:21:36. He was followed home by Brendan Heaney, who was also breaking new ground with a 2:30:26 mark, while Brian McElvanna completed the scoring trio for the men from the Orchard county with a 2:31:38 time.
Armagh AC’s cumulative time based on the elapsed times, rather than net times, was 7:23:47, well behind the 7:03:53 of winners Leevale AC from Cork, but clear of bronze medal team of Dundrum South Dublin, who recorded 7:39:05 and included Hiko Tonosa who set a new national record of 2:09:42 in finishing third overall.
Fox and McElvanna also lifted individual silver medals in their respective M35 and M45 age groups.
The national runner-up spot caps an outstanding 12 months for the Armagh club. In national competitions the men in blue and green have already taken championship team medals in the 5K road, 5 miles and 10 miles.
In addition Marty McKenna, Kathryn Rafferty, Fearghal Delaney and Julie O’Neill have all medalled individually at national level.
At provincial level, Armagh were crowned team champions at both the NI & Ulster Half Marathon in Omagh and the Belfast marathon.
And success has not been confined to the roads with the Armagh men winning cross country fixtures in Derry and Stormont as well as in the mountains at the Slieve Gullion race. That consistency was rewarded with a runner-up spot in the 23/24 Athletics NI Cross Country League which concluded in March.
Members have also excelled on the international stage. Scotland-based Fionnuala Ross represented Ireland at both the World Road Running Championships in Riga and the European Cross Country in Brussels.
As well as being the mainstay of Armagh men’s teams, Michael Fox also represented Northern Ireland at the Antrim Coast International Half Marathon. Keith Johnston donned NI colours in mountain-running internationals on two occasions.
Meanwhile, the countdown is on to the Rudolph Run 10K and 5K Road Race in Tyrone on Saturday, December 7. The annual festive event is organised by Knockmany Running Club and Eskra Community Association and race HQ will be the Eskra Community Centre again.
Now a long-established fixture on the road racing calendar, the 2023 races attracted over 700 participants from across the country, many of them drawn by the legendary post-race hospitality.
Strabane Triathlon Club’s Brendan Murphy is the defending men’s 10K champion while Irish International Eimear McCarroll was the winner of the women’s race last year.
There is a prize-fund of over £1,600 including bonuses for setting new 10K course records in both male and female categories.
The present record for the men’s race was set in 2019 by Scott Rankin with a 31:24 timing, while Ann-Marie McGlynn stormed round the course the same year to register a 34:15 mark.
The organisers will also award a £50 bonus to anyone setting a new 5K record in either male or female categories. Derry-based Kieran Kelly currently has the men’s best of 14:47 and Eskra native McCarroll remains the fastest of the women with an 18:29 mark.
The 10K race also incorporates a team event with £350 prizes for both male and female club teams. The organisers advise would-be participants to enter early and ensure they receive the much sought after Rudolph Run beanie hat.
Online registration links are on the Rudolph Run Facebook and X pages. Further information is available at www.eskra.org. Enquiries can be made by e-mail at eskra10k@eskra.org.
