Athletics: Springwell coaches make the headlines

Run the Race Series - Stormont

Friday, July 29 saw the latest event in the Bob & Berts Run the Race Series take place on the Stormont Estate. Three ‘Springers’ made the trip to Belfast to represent the club on a challenging 10k course.

Deborah and Rodney McPhee, two volunteer coaches who can be found every Tuesday and Thursday in Ballymoney coaching and motivation their club mates, put their teachings into practice with Rodney running an excellent 41:06 to finish on the podium in third place with Deborah finishing 40th in 55:24. Shaun Carton was the third Springer in action and ran 52:24 to finish 27th.

Dunlewey Festival 5k

Thursday, July 28, saw Peter Tees continue his recent run of excellent form with a strong run at the Dunlewey Festival of Running 5k being rewarded with a personal best time. The race at the base of Mount Errigal attracted a highly competitive field with the course providing the opportunity for fast times. Peter finished in 11th and 4th in his age category with a time of 18:24.

Sale Sizzler 5k Manchester

Thursday also saw Ciarán Ferris in action in Manchester in the Sale Sizzler 5k, which also forms part of the 2022 Summer Championships. The course in the Wythenshawe Park and Gardens produced some very fast time with Ciaran continuing his strong form to finish in 10th place in a highly competitive field with a time of 15:43.

Parkrun

Saturday saw 50 Springers parkrunning at ten events with one personal best and one official milestone recorded in a stroke, as Stephen Fillis celebrated his 25th parkrun with a personal best at the Limavady event.

Ivan Prue, parkrun ambassador, and a man to whom the Club is very grateful for all the work he does coaching the Coleraine group, completed his 300th parkrun at the Garvagh Forest event and, although not an official milestone, is still worth a mention.

Reading - Adrian FINLAY 22:37; Waterworks - James HUGHES 21:56, Jim BREEN 26:09; Derry City - Pauline MULLAN 24:58; Ecos - Rodney MC PHEE 19:57, Deborah MC PHEE 24:23

Portrush - Maurice WALKER 21:16, Alan NEVIN 21:26, Rhys WALKER 22:04, David O’NEILL 22:45, Stephen BEGGS 23:58, Mervyn ADAMS 24:46, Paul MOORE 25:56, Cathy ADAMS 26:07, George BRIEN 26:25, Mervyn THOMPSON 27:36, Barry MCBRIDE 28:08, Alanna MILLAR 28:25, Patricia CRAIG 28:57, Andrew WILMOT 31:02, Andrew WILSON 32:16, Grainne MOORE 34:07, Iris WILSON 39:05, Caitriona MACKLE 42:38, Fergal MACKLE 46:14, Aisling HYNES 48:04, Emer THOMPSON 55:12

Omagh - Fergus THOMPSON 22:12; Westport - Elaine MONTGOMERY 29:27; Castlewellan - Gary KENDALL 23:29, Catherine BYERS 32:38; Limavady - Chris DENTON 17:17, Stephen FILLIS 17:34 PB, Aaron MOFFATT 18:09, Ryan KENNEDY 19:58, Kevin MCLEAN 22:56, Janet PATRICK 25:52, Alan WHITE 26:22, Alan STEEN 28:26, Alison C DUNCAN 28:50, Nicola WHITE 30:38, Lorraine ABERNETHY 32:04, David MCCOOL 45:32

Garvagh Forest - Catherine PINKERTON 23:38, Gary MOORE 25:59, Michael MCKEOWN 26:00, Sylvia POLLOCK 26:07, Roisin WALKER 30:30, Colin CONNOLLY 34:01, Caroline OWEN 59:55

GES Group Purple Ladies 5k

Thursday saw a great turnout of runners who came along to a trial run of the GES Group Purple Ladies 5k route. Club president Kenneth Bacon was on hand to meet Lorraine Farrell from GES Group and to thank them for their ongoing support. Springwell Running Club looks forward to welcoming runners to this event on August 17 at the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre in Ballymoney.

To sign up https://athleticsni.org/Fixtures/Purple-Ladies-5k