As always, we put the word out that the C25K crew needn’t be the only lucky ones to enjoy a 5K track challenge 8 weeks into the New Year. 16 club members arrived ready for action at 10am, keen to get the party started for the C25K gang who would follow. Fair play to our good sports!
We had a slightly delayed start due to technical difficulties; the clock wouldn’t start so our caped crusader Seamus Brady was dashing home for an extension lead to get it going for the 11am challenge. None of our cool 10am gang seemed in the least bit perturbed by this. Viv and Jan took out the mobiles and became the talking clocks on each lap instead.
Juvenile member Mathieu Kieffer turned up with Mam and Dad, chomping at the bit for a track challenge. Given his age and that fact that he was in competitive action the following day, we talked him into doing a 1K challenge if he promised not to overdo it for his two and a half laps of the track. He promised us faithfully, but we suspected he’d find it hard to put the brakes on.
For everyone else, the challenge remained at twelve and a half laps. We offered Fit4Youth member Jessica Clarke the option of a shorter distance, but she politely declined; she was determined she was tackling the 5K.
On hearing about Mathieu’s 1K distance, Pat Ryan spotted the challenge within the challenge and tried to keep up with Mathieu for the first 1K. Pat did really well, but there was absolutely no way Mathieu was going to be passed. He was in flying form and arrived victorious to the 1K line, leaving Pat worse for wear and the rest of the field a long way behind. We hoped Mathieu hadn’t overdone it, but he wasn’t even out of breath. He was straight off to help the catering crew set up. Pat, on the other hand still had 4K to go. Oh dear!!
Recent Senior recruits Carl Harrington and Michael Lawlor also joined in the challenge as did Fit4Lifers Alessandra Verri, Ana Quigley, Caroline Clarke, Domenico Procopio, Heather Harold, Maria Kavanagh, Niamh Kieffer, Noel Leddy, Romuald Kieffer, Tara McCormack and Tina O’Reilly.
Michael Lawlor overtook Pat Ryan in the latter stages of the 5K with a sustained sprint to finish in an impressive 22.59. Pat Ryan crossed second in 23.41, with Carl third in 24.18. In the spirit of the day, they set off for a few cool down laps helping pace the remaining runners to the line. Heather Harold matched daughter Jessica Clarke stride for stride right up to the closing stages when Jessica stretched ahead with a killer kick to finish first Junior and indeed first overall lady. Congrats Jessica on a superb run! Just like last year, Heather was second lady overall and first “Senior” lady. Yeah, we made sure to emphasise the word “Senior” when we presented her prize. Rather than simply overlapping wife Alessandra, Domenico paced her for a while before pushing on towards the end.
All ran very strongly from start to finish as you will see from the times below. Everyone seemed more than happy with their efforts at the finish line. We regrouped for a post-5K group photo and Club Chairperson Teresa Smith presented the prizes to our winners. Fantastic running and terrific club spirit to kick-start what has been a very exciting day at the track for 4 years running now!
Check out all the fab photos taken by Claire Clifford and Jan Rice here. Thanks ladies!
| 1K | |
| Name | Time |
| Mathieu Kieffer | 04.14 |
| 5K | |
| Name | Time |
| Alessandra Verri | 31.34 |
| Ana Quigley | 27.32 |
| Carl Harrington | 24.18 |
| Caroline Clarke | 26.33 |
| Domenico Procopio | 28.29 |
| Heather Harold | 26.10 |
| Jessica Clarke | 25.59 |
| Maria Kavanagh | 33.46 |
| Michael Lawlor | 22.59 |
| Niamh Kieffer | 33.40 |
| Noel Leddy | 29.20 |
| Pat Ryan | 23.41 |
| Romuald Kieffer | 26.18 |
| Tara McCormack | 32.06 |
| Tina O’Reilly | 30.12 |
