The historic Georgian Mall in Armagh City was Baltic on Thursday evening, but thankfully dry, and the earlier blustery winds had subsided by the time the juvenile races got underway at 18:30.
Roughly an hour and a half later it was time for the international races to take to the course, which is a road loop round the inner pathways, cricket ground, war memorial and trees.
The women's race was first and was run over 3K. 9 minutes and 5 seconds after the gun, Verity Ockenden from Swansea sprinted down the finishing straight to claim victory. India Weir (Thames Valley Harriers) was 2nd in 9:07 with Bracknell AC's Amelia Quirk 3rd in 9:09.
Local and Irish athletes did very well with Roisin Flanagan (Finn Valley AC) 7th in 9:19. Danielle Donegan of Tullamore Harriers was 8th in 9:20, Niamh Kearney (Raheny Shamrock) was 11th in 9:24 and Hannah Gilliland (Annadale Striders) was 12th in 9:25. Amy O'Donoghue, AAI Indoor Games 3,000m gold medallist a few weeks ago from DSD was 15th in 9:26, Amy usually specialises in the 1,500m.
The men's 5K was an absolute spectacle. A sub-16 qualification standard introduced some years ago ensured that the field stretched out like a locomotive with no real big gaps developing. Spectators were treated to a rush of cold air as the athletes sped past, literally inches from the barriers. By the time they reached the final lap, the train was stretched out round 3/4 of the mall!
Andrew Colley of the USA, who competed in last year's Morton Games, timed his run to perfection, opening up a small gap in the finishing straight and sprinting away with the line in sight to take victory in 13:33, a new course record. Jack Kavanagh (Holland Sports AC) 13:35 and Sebastian Larstad (IFK Lidingo) 13:36 were also under the previous record.
There were 22 athletes who ran sub-14 minutes. And another record, the first known race where 215 athletes have been timed sub-16!
Efram Gidney of Clonliffe Harriers AC was 8th in 13:51 and led his club to team victory, the first Irish team to achieve this at Armagh. Michael Murphy of DCU was 25th in 14:02, Colm Rooney of Clonliffe Harriers was 29th in 14:05, Jack O'Farrell of Newry AC was 31st in 13:06 and Andrew Milligan of North Belfast Harriers was 35th in 14:07.