Race Report – Eirgrid Dunboyne 4 Mile Road Race, Sunday 3rd April 2016
Dunboyne AC’s 4 Mile Road Race is known as the short race with the big reputation and the 47th running of it proved so once again today. Huge number took part, including plenty of depth at the front of both the men and women’s races. This edition of the race saw 11 of the top athletes break the 20 minute barrier for the 4 mile distance. The legendary spread and attention to detail that the Club has built up over the years was again on display on what was an ideal day to run a road race.
The men’s race featured former winner Joe Sweeney and clubmate Brandon Hargreaves of DSD, Rio bound Mick Clohisey of Raheny, West Waterford’s David McCarthy, Clonmel’s Kevin Maunsell. Also running was elite Paralympic middle distance athlete Michael McKillop.
Last years home club winner, Rio bound Sara Treacy was back to defend her title, but had fellow Internationals Deirdre Byrne of Slí Chulainn and Orla Drumm of Crusaders to contend with
It was the five aforementioned men who took on the race from the start. Their quality was evident and at the 800m mark as the race passed through the village for the first time they’d made 20m on the rest of the field. The five chose to share the work right to the three and a half mile point where Dave McCarthy, a sub 4 minute miler, made the break for the finish in the village. The gap opened quickly enough, with 20m between first and second, Brandon Hargreaves gave chase, however the smile on McCarthy’s face told the story as he came into the village for the third and final time, with the race sewn up, crossing the line in a blistering 18:39.
In the women’s race Dunboyne AC’s Sara Treacy took the running in a group of ten runners, taking in out at 5:15 pace, benefiting from running with some of the home Clubs lead male athletes in the first couple of miles. The bunch included Deirdre Byrne, and not far off the back was Orla Drumm. The race played out without any changes at the front with Sara pushing on at two miles buoyed by the home support to receive the biggest cheer of the day as she finished under the gantry in a time of 21 flat, knocking a chunk out of her time in 2015 and retaining her crown in her home race.
The team prizes gave the home Club another reason the cheer soon after when Dunboyne AC teams packed well to place second in the men’s and women’s team competitions, behind Raheny Shamrock in the men’s competition, and Civil Service Harriers in the women’s race.
The Eirgrid Dunboyne 4 Miler prides itself on the race experience it provides for all runners and whilst the big guns played it out for honours at the front, we’d almost 600 other athletes from top Club standard right through to those who, last January, set their sights on completing the daunting challenge of their first road race over the distance. Each athlete received deafening cheers as they passed though the village on three occasions over the course of the 4 mile route and were treated to entertaining and informative commentary from Feidhlim Kelly during the race and equally enjoyable post race entertainment and refreshments afterwards whilst the presentations were made.
Full results for the race are available on www.myrunresults.com.
Dunboyne AC would like to express its heartfelt thanks to all who ran, supported, sponsored, planned and catered for yet another successful 4 Mile Road Race and we look forward to the next two races in the Club race series, the Clonee 10k in June and the Carton Trail race in July. We will be posting a report from the different sections of the club as well as big thank you to all our volunteers and sponsors in the coming days. Click HERE to view photos from the race.
