Sunday Road Running
Christine Kennedy of Galway City Harriers, aged 68, won the W60 age category at the Berlin Marathon with a time of 3 hrs 17 mins 38 secs. Kennedy’s career best time of 2:35.05 was run at the 1989 Berlin Marathon - that’s thirty-four years ago.
Kennedy, who started running in her mid-twenties, won an Irish marathon title in 1984 and the Dublin Marathon in both 1990 and 1991. She also won a national cross-country title in 1989. When she moved into the master age-groups, she continued to race, winning world titles in both the 5000m and the marathon for the USA, where she lived for a time. In 2014, she became the oldest woman ever to break three hours for the marathon.
First home of the Irish in Berlin was Kyle Doherty of City of Derry Spartans with a time of 2:22.49. First Irish woman in 2:45.10 was Isabel Oakes of Sligo AC.
Here’s a (very unofficial) listing of Irish finishing times:
W35: Isobel Oakes 2:45.10; Emma Furey (St LOT AC) 2:50.28
W40: Jan Corcoran (Le Cheile AC) 2:54.46; Aoife O’Leary (Sportsworld AC) 2:52.59; Caroline Hassett (Templemore AC) 2:56.05
W45: Tara Kennedy (Raheny Shamrock AC) S 3:05.13; Mary Walsh (Raheny Shamrock AC) 3:0.16; Patricia McLoughlin (Le Cheile AC) 3:11.29
W65: 1 Christine Kennedy (Galway City Harriers) 3:17.38
M35: Kyle Doherty (City of Derry Spartans) 2:22.49. Michael Fox (Armagh AC) 2:26.19
M40: 6 Robert Murphy 2:23.49. 7 Alexander Wallace (St Coca’s AC ) 2:24.06
M45: 16 Ciaran Doherty (Letterkenny AC) 2:34.40; Shane O’Farrell (LSA AC)2:38.15.
M55: David Kehoe (United Striders) 2:54.32
M65: Paul McCullagh (City of Lisbon AC) 3:21.36; Cathal Murphy (Derg AC) 3:30.51.
* Update: at the Sydney Marathon on September 17, Caitriona Jennings of Letterkenny AC, perhaps better known as an ultra-runner these days, ran a time of 2:48.26
OTHER LOCAL RACES
John Travers of Donore Harriers followed up his victory at the Griffith Avenue Mile last week with another win, this time in Athlone, where he proved the class of the field at the Midland 10km finishing almost ten minutes clear of the chasers in in 29 mins 50 secs. In the half marathon race, Mick Fogarty of Ferbane AC was the winner in 71:04, with Gareth Murran of Sportsworld AC second in 75:3, and Clive Glancy of Carrick-on-Shannon AC third in 75:47. First woman in 90:37 was Monika De Almeida of Athlone AC.
Dymphna Ryan of Dundrum AC was the winner of the South Tipp Women’s 8km Mini Marathon in Cahir, Co Tipperary in 28 mins 9 secs. Niamh Moore of Leevale AC was second in 28:28 and Kealey Tideswell of Clonmel AC third in 28:50.
At the Sligo Coast-to-Coast 10-Mile from Strandhill to Rosses Point, Matthew McMeekin raced to victory in a time of 51 mins 10 secs. Second in 57:36 was Brian Kinsella. First woman was Cora Regan in 63:58.
In Co Kildare, Kevin Byrne of Raheny Shamrock AC was the winner of the Naas Town 10km in 33 mins 59 secs. First woman in 42:29 was Siobhan O’Toole.