*******Dunboyne AC at Debra Wicklow Way Half Marathon & 10K*******
With thanks to Cian Mangan for the report.
While the majority of the club’s Senior and Fit4Life heroes were carving a new page in history in Bohermeen last Sunday, adding to the bulging medal haul and trophy cabinet (and photo album), a different type of Sunday spin was unfolding further to the South-East in the beautiful Wicklow mountains. Owen Fletcher and Cian Mangan were flying the Blue and White in the Debra Ireland Wicklow Half Marathon Challenge and Kevin Deery in the 10K.
Skipping to the headlines, Owen ‘The Machine’ Fletcher scorched home in a time of 1.39.36 to take 7th in a field of 375, hardly breaking sweat over a tough course which took in magnificent views from West of the Wicklow Gap, up St Kevin’s Way and down the gap towards the tin mines, along the valley to Glendalough before a punishing climb up Brockagh Mountain and then one last glorious descent to the finish line and tea and sweet cake. That’s what it said on the brochure and most of it is true. The Club’s second finisher’s eyewitness testimony is slightly more garbled, with little mention made of the panoramic views, as his field of vision was filled more with his own feet and the rocky trails, as he trudged up the hills, his laboured breathing drowning out the birdsong and the sweat stinging his eyes. Cian Mangan came in at a more stately 1.53.41, battling it out in one of those do or die battles between 49th and 50th, which take on an Olympian quality in the moment, but seem misguided by the time the tea is poured out and the car is turned for home. It was a fantastic event in a great cause and apart from a few trail shoes going MIA in the mud, there were no serious casualties.
Kevin Deery meanwhile stormed home in 6th place in the 10k in a terrific time of 45:59. Well done to all 3 of our mountain men!
