News Page
Happy New Year
Dromore runners and
I hope you have set
your challenges for
2012.
The year of The
Olympics. Some of us
are following Denise
Mathers's suggestion
of
running every day of
2012. On rest days
we just do one mile,
so far we're all in.
However
I have another
suggestion why not
make it the year
that you take part
in more races than
previous years.
Count your races and
there could be a
very novel prize for
you in December.
This inspirtional
suggestion came to
me on the Saturday
that I travelled to
Monagham for
the championship
cross country,
alonely pint with
not another club
vest in sight.
But Ah! Moira what a
different story.
Moira for Dromore
was Ladies Day. A
host of golden
and black vests
perfectly modelled
on ravishing Dromore
female runners.
Julie,Louise,Catherine,
Mandy,Janice,Aine
Helen and Yours
Truely. Our
numerical strength
at the start line
was certainly
impressive. As the
whistle resonated
through the park
"Our Own Julie"leapt
to the front in
perfect
panther style,and
led from start to
finish other top
athletes panting
behind her.
All praise to
Catherine,well
deserving of those
noble colours,you
did the
business,just as Roy
said
you would.We know
your target for the
future and you have
all the Dromore
support behind you.
Next came the
quartettes,Aine,Janice,Mandy
and the raving
runner.What a race
that was.Janice
and Mandy crossed
the line shoulder to
shoulder like
conjoined twins.My
objective in that
,my possible
last cross country
of the year was to
stay ahead of the
posse and that posse
meant business.Helen
the dark
horse was`t far
behind and that was
without trying,who
are you trying to
lull into a false
sense of security
Helen? The real star
of the day was
Louise new to the
club and unfamiliar
with all our
idiosyncrasies.
Out there with us
"non
competitive!!!!" die
hards was a valuable
experience.Ladies
Day at Moira-great
day.
Men,although,generally
negligible are
certainly not that
if they are Dromore
men. The svelte
Andrew
Hicks raced around
the course like
poetry in motion.He
finished in second
place without
loosing his relaxed
form and style.His
smile at the end
told us that he
could easily have
done another
lap.Youth Andrew can
achieve
great things.No less
great was Wille
Weir`s run head
down,steady
pace,years of
experience.
Ian B spectating,and
his excuse was that
he had his trousers
on.Ian all you had
to do was lie down
on the
ground legs in the
air and Nurse Mandy
and myself would
have whipped them
off before Tommy
Walsh could
have got his whistle
out of his
pocket.Men never let
a pair of trousers
be a barrier to
participating.
And finally get out
there this year and
race,and write about
it ,some of you
might see it as an
opportunity
to get your own back
on me.
Dromore Abu
Dromore XC
By the
Running
Raving Reporter
I noticed before
the race Russell
walking through the
field very cool and
casual. I thought
"he’s afraid of the
hill and a four
letter word
beginning with W
came to mind. After
the race I thought
of another four
letter word also
beginning with W and
ending in SE. Wisdom
is knowing how to
pick your
race.
I could put my
poor performance
down to
a: recovering from a
cold
b: a sinus infection
c: a lower right 7
extraction within 24
hours
but the undiluted,
unadulterated,
undeniable truth is
that day I just
couldn’t cut the
mustard.
I did get off to
a bad start having
only one of my
spikes with me.
Dale Mathers jumped
to the rescue by
leaping the wall and
fence like a panther
and running to my
car to look for the
missing spike. But
the state of my car
was too much for
even an ultra runner
like Dale. He
returned empty
handed, but by then
I was off
in Maureen of the
Oliver’s pristine,
"saving for good"
spikes .What I
returned to her that
day was two mucky
sods with a spike
shoe buried in each.
Later a paper cup of
mulled wine was
accepted as a peace
offering and all is
good again.
As for the race, the
course certainly set
apart the mountain
goats from the
baaing sheep and
I was left bleating
well behind knee
deep in muck. I got
swamped up in the
vortex of mud as
long legged athletes
strided past me,
with no time to
speak as if there
was a pot of gold on
the brow of the
hill. There was a
further assault on
my self esteem when
at the beginning of
the third lap Aine
passed. About that
time I saw my
solicitor standing
near the finish I
thought, I should
have made a will, if
I collapse and die
who will get my
Dromore vest I don’t
want any Tomisina,
Dicktine or Harriot
to have it. I didn’t
die but cowed,
deflated and looking
like ninety I
crossed the line.
My 'used to be ' friend Fionnuala
said afterwards with
her usual congenial
smile "you had a
great first lap
Mary". Over 15 years
running with the
club and at least
once a week
listening to Michael
say "Keep it steady"
that’s about 52x15
times I’ve been
told, how unlike me
not to listen!
Do I regret
running? never. When
all is said and done
we were all wearing
the same vest and
when any yellow and
black comes through
good all yellow and
black share in the
success
Until we race
again
. Dromore Abu
Mary
My Latest Blog
http://marathonboy67.blogspot.com/2011/12/adam-ant-vicar-st-dublin-nov-25th-2011.html
Ian Cardwell
The Dreaded
Seeley
22 Dromore runners
signed up for the
10k from hell (sorry
Roy I know it’s your
baby) but for some
of us it’s "Oh my
God I hate that
race” This year I
decided that after
this race myself and
The Seeley would be
committed to the
annals of
history.
I started to get
nervous about 11am
Thursday when I
realized that I had
no training that
night as I was
resting up for IT.
By mid afternoon I
decided to do a wee
run in the of
fooling my brain
into believing that
Saturday was no big
deal. On Friday as I
sat relaxing in the
dentist’s chair
during a root
filling my thoughts
were of the mental
anguish that lay
ahead next day. The
dentist in my mouth
or the wind in my
face on the Annadale
Embankment, the
dentist wins every
time.
Saturday morning,
wound up like a
spring, I drove to
pick up Ernie as
arranged. I was
confronted by two
barking dogs but no
Ernie. Suddenly I
had a vision of
Ernie flat on his
back on the bathroom
floor passed out
with only one leg in
his shorts.(the
thought of those
laps being too much
for him) No time to
contemplate what to
do I had pick up
Helen. In a panic I
drove to Dromore
with the handbrake
on wondering why the
car was so sluggish.
I parked in my usual
angular way and
knocked Helen’s door
and a few others
just in case I had
the wrong one.
Next stop
Lisburn to pick up
"Mc Neill Mc Steel"
at 1 10.No Aine more
panic and Helen
recalls me standing
on the side of the
car with a half
banana in my mouth
shouting Aine over
the car park to the
wonderment of"
normal people out
for a day’s
shopping.
Finally the three
of us arrived at
Destination
Detestation. I took
comfort when I saw
CJ and The Pup
bending the iron
railings around the
park . There was no
malicious
destruction of
property intended
just stretching
their calves. But
those two bizzoms
don’t know their own
strength. As the
iron railing gave
way under their
weight the two
gadgets on their
arms beeped louder
and louder. Two
female runners in
blue had just jogged
past and the Dromore
girls were just
getting psyched up
.
After the usual
headless chicken
routine over the
numbers and the chip
I made it to the
start line. Ian B
was eying me up as I
eyed up Ian C Ernie
Thank God had made
the start line with
both legs in his
shorts. Julie
smiling and relaxed,
expertly concealing
that "killer
instinct" that comes
to the fore when the
whistle goes. Poor
Janette who had just
survived me spitting
all over her as I
tried to speak,
couldn’t wait till
the whistle went
till she got rid of
me.
And Aine had
that half smile half
frown which
accompanies her
moving into 'the
zone'. Her elbows at
the right angle and
fists loosely
clenched let me know
that a race was on.
Helen you were
enjoying the whole
comical scene. Nigel
had just put out his
last cigarette and
was awaiting the
whistle. Rodney was
somewhere behind
playing a watching
game and Colin was
beside playing it
safe. More Dromore
vests behind, added
vibrancy to the
field. Off went the
whistle and off went
the runners, the
scalded cats, the
steady pacers and
the negative
splitters. As usual
we all settled into
our paces about the
1K.The odd glance at
the watch and a
furtive look behind
kept the focus
going.
The
results brought
glory to Dromore=
Andrew 34 15
Julie35 48 Nigel 35
58 Russell and Ian
B had a good
tussle, seconds
between you and
Kerry close at your
heels. Some of us
were disappointed
that certain blades
were in front. Some
of us were not
pleased that 'slippy
tit runners passed
on our blind side
but as our lord and
master tells us
'When the whistle
goes, it’s a race
every man for
himself'" Despite
everything none of
us regretted doing
it. And will I do
it next year? Ask Dr
Aine. She knows,
only a maternity
leave would stop
me!!!
Mary
For all the Dromore
runners "maturing
nicely"the cross
country on Saturday
was the place to
be.The soft autumnal
day provided a moist
grassy surface,just
what we're used
to.An appetiser to
get stuck in.
The ladies
race,three laps [6k]
with the 065 men
went off first.Our
own Willie was the
first man home.He
went out with and
maintained a
blistering
pace.Where are you
secretly training
Willie ? and is it
all running or have
you got your own
brand of workout
that you,re not
sharing? Maybe the
Downshire is
providing very
nutritional beer.Im
only jealous "Well
Done Willie.Gillian
who Icould,nt see as
she was so far ahead
crossed the line
with a place in the
040 team.No sweat
there Gillian.Us
three runateers
Mandy Aine and
myself never once
considered the
position of each
other but raced only
for the glory of the
club and to gain a
place on the team.
The men,s
race,however was
something to
watch,what
competition? Brian
Mc Kee, fast nimble
and mentally strong
out ran tough
opponents to make
the team. Nigel
Grier,confident in
his new age group
ran a perfect
race.Young Nigel
McKibben had a smile
on his face the
whole way round the
course."Getting back
well from injury
Nigel" The runner
that was forced to
give it all was
Ernie,head down
total focus on the
ground in front of
him a true Dromore
star.
Now there are eight
Dromore runners on
the N.I Masters
team. What a club we
are!!!!!
Dromore
Abu
Mary
My review of Lisburn
Half Marathon
http://marathonboy67.blogspot.com/
Ian Cardwell
HELEN WILKINSON
MEMORIAL RACES.
5-7-2011.
U/11.
RACE.
1ST. MARK AIKEN.
2MINS.14SECS.
2ND. THEO DICKSON.
2.16.
3RD. BEN GAULT.
2.31.
4TH. ADAM MCKIBBIN.
2.34.
5TH. KATIE
MCDONALD. 2.36.
6TH. BECKY
PINKERTON. 2.37.
JUNIOR HANDICAP
RACE.
1ST. TIMOTHY
MCCRACKEN.
2ND. REBEKAH NIXON.
3RD. ALANNA WILSON.
[
ATHLETES TIMES ]
TIMOTHY MCCRACKEN.
4MINS .54SECS.
REBEKAH NIXON.
5.12.
RYAN OSBORNE. 5.13.
CONOR GUINEY. 5.17.
ALANNA WILSON.5.46.
MOLLY DICKSON.
5.50.
DEAN WATSON. 6.03.
ADAM RAINEY. 6.03..
AMELIA BURNS.
6.09..
RORY BURNS. 6.10.
JOSH MILLAR. 6.13.
ROBIN CANTLEY.
7.20.
HELEN
WILKINSON MEMORIAL
HANDICAP RACE.
1ST. LORRAINE
BURNS.
2ND. NIGEL
MCKIBBIN.
3RD. BRIAN MCKEE.
[
ATHLETES TIMES ]
RYAN MCDERMOTT.
9MINS..09SECS.
BRIAN MCKEE. 9.30.
NIGEL MCKIBBIN.
9.42.
JULIE TURLEY.
10.02.
PATRICK MACKIN.
10.57.
CATHERINE
MCCLOSKEY. 11.38.
JACK GORDON. 11.55.
COLM MCMULLAN.
12.01.
IAN CARDWELL.
12.06.
CRAIG FINLAY.
12.36.
MARY MACKIN. 12.41.
AINE MCNEILL.
12.52.
RODNEY GREER.
12.53.
CAROLINE NELSON.
12.54.
NEIL MARTIN. 12.57.
MICHAEL CRAWFORD.
13.01.
TINA DAVIES. 13.02.
JOHN WILKINSON.
13.08.
MANDY RUSSELL.
13.12.
IAN BATES. 13.14.
GORDON LIGHTBODY.
13.18.
HELEN MCCARTAN.
13.19.
LORRAINE BURNS.
13.32.
KERRY HALL. 13.47.
KIM MCDONALD.
13.53.
JULIA KELLY. 14.10.
CONOR BROWNE.
14.31.
BEVERLY MARTIN.
14.37.
DAVID GUINEY.
14.43.
ROY MILLAR. 14.43.
ANNELIZE BEKKER.
15.47.
DUNDALK. 5K. ROAD
RACE.
6th. andrew hicks.
16.10.pb.
10th. nigel
mckibbin.16 41. [
1st o/40.]
1st. julie turley.
16.49.pb.
4th geraldine
branagh.19.10.
DONAGHMORE.5.MILE.
ROAD RACE.
5th. nigel grier.
29.26.
10th.damien
fearon.31.43.
BELFAST VICTORIA
PARK/RUN.
29th. alan martin.
22.01.pb.
37th. neil
martin. 23.09.pb.
38th. ian bates.
23.11.pb.
52nd.beverly
martin.25.53.
SLIEVE DONARD
MOUNTAIN RACE.
1st.o/55. mary
mackin.
1hr.30mins.53secs.
LOUGHLINISLAND
3.MILE RACE.
2nd. timothy
mccracken. 16.48. [
1st junior male ]
EDWARDS+CO.
NO.4.TRACK AND FIELD
MEETING. [mary
peters track]
u/13 girls. 100mts.
alanna wilson.
14.91secs.pb. 4th.
u/13.boys.100mts.
robin cantley.
14.60.secs.pb. 2nd.
u/13.boys 1500mts.
ben mckibbin. 10th.
[ no times given for
race]
u/15.girls. 1500mts.
rebekah nixon.
5mins..09.8.pb. 3rd.
u/15.girls 100mts.
rebekah nixon.
14.68secs.pb. 11th.
u/15.boys.1500mts.
jack mckibbin.
4.45.0.pb. 3rd.
u/11.boys. 100mts.
adam mckibbin.
18.76secs.pb. 26th.
u/11.boys long jump.
adam mckibbin.
2.71mts.pb. 10th.
BRITISH MASTERS
ATHLETICS FEDERATION
TRACK AND FIELD
CHAMPIONSHIPS.
o/45 mens 5000mts.
brian mckee.
16mins.54.40secs.
3rd.
o/45 mens. 1500mts.
brian mckee.
4mins.31.57secs.
4th.
IRISH JUNIOR [ U/20
] TRACK AND FIELD
CHAMPIONSHIPS.
TULLAMORE.CO OFFALY.
5000mts. ryan
mcdermott. 15mins.
43secs. 1st.
ODE TO
WENDY(Dromore,s
First Lady
Home-Craigavon10k)
Wendy Wendy
Give me your answer
do
How you did it
How you flew
Was it a sweet
Tucked in so neat?
Or maybe a gel
Absorbed so well.
Perhaps a nod
From our demi
god(Michael)
Or Janice behind
!!Janice behind !!
The mantra you
rhymed.
Whatever the secret
keep it.
And as for the form
Again and again
repeat it.
Dromore Abu
Mary
Well Done to all
Dromore runners at
Banbridge 10k on
Wednesday night.
What a great feeling
to be out in my
yellow and black
vest with all you
lot. The team spirit
was almost tangible.
Personally it was a
tough race, the
hills, the wind, but
it was the in house
competition that I
wont forget for a
while. At the finish
line Helen noticed
blood running down
my arm. I don't know
if it was Janice's
nails clawing me as
I tried many times
to pass her or if
I was sweating
blood. Helen said
"Definitely the
nails Mary" that
Janice one takes no
prisoners" For
those of you who
wonder but were too
polite to ask" No
Aine did not have a
gigantic boil or a
carbuncle on her
leg. It was an
energy sweet down
her black knee sock,
placed there for the
moment when a friend
or foe might creep
up upon her. No
sweet at the end
Aine? Did you eat it
or throw it at them?
Wendy had a bit of a
bruise on her cheek.
Oh dear I have
a feeling that I
will pay dearly for
that comment now
that Aine back from
injury and focused
on tactical and
technical racing to
achieve her Seeley
form of a 43 10k
soon. Go girl you
have people to beat
and they're not all
in yellow and
black
Dromore Abu
Mary
The McLong MacRun
On April 30th
2011 Aine McNeill
and Mary Mackin
nobly represented
Dromore AC in one of
the UK’s most scenic
yet grueling Ultra
Marathons, “The
Highland Fling”
which is 53 mile of
the Highland way
which runs from
Milngavie to Tyndrum.
The terrain mostly
single track and
mountainous included
rocks to climb over
and river beds to
negotiate,
punctuated with
forest trail, a
mountain to climb, 4
mile of tarmac to
please the road
runners and the
seemingly endless
stretch of Lock
Lomond kept them
busy for twelve
hours.
The two women
crossed the finish
line with a smile
and no regrets
displaying the true
spirit of athletics.
“Competition is not
about conquering but
about struggling
well” in ultra
running anyway.
Race over, job done,
now both Anie and
Mary are back safe
and sound (mentally
you wonder) to their
beloved Dromore
where the real hard
work takes place.
What next? The word
on the street is
that a book entitled
“The Jungle
Marathon” - toughest
of the tough, is
being passed around
- and why not? If
it’s tough, there’s
no tougher than the
Dromore runners,
ain’t that right
Michael.
Aine & Mary
Belfast Marathon
2011
%20(2).jpg)
The Dromore team
(Mrs. Browns Boys)
who took part in the
relay race running
to raise money for
CRY
(Cardiac Risk in the
Young).
CRY have been
involved for a
number of years in
research and
screening of young
people from all
walks of life but
especially those
involved in sports.
The screening
services are
available in
Northern Ireland as
advised on their web
site.
The European Society
of Cardiology (ESC
2005) and
International
Olympic Committee
(IOC) recommend
cardiac screening
for any young person
taking part in
competitive sport.
Sport itself does
not lead to cardiac
arrest, but can
trigger a sudden
death by aggravating
an undetected
cardiac abnormality.
If you have a child
competing in
competitive sports
or are between the
ages of 14 - 35
please consider
using this service.
CRY (Cardiac Risk in
the Young)
was founded in 1995
to raise awareness
of conditions that
can lead to
Young Sudden Cardiac
Death (YSCD);
Sudden Death
Syndrome (SDS);
SADS
CRY's Vision 2011:
to work with
cardiologists and
family doctors to
promote and protect
the cardiac health
of our young by
establishing good
practice and
screening facilities
devoted to
significantly reduce
the frequency of
young sudden cardiac
death throughout the
UK.
Anyone whishing to
make a donation to
this very worthwhile
cause contact any of
the team above for
details.
Next clinic in
Northern Ireland 4th
- 5th June in
Coleraine and
can be booked on
line at
Appointment.com
Appointment Service
Listing
The Girls team (Elesilenco)
who also took part
in the relay event.
My new blog with
full review of
Belfast Marathon
Ian Cardwell
http://marathonboy67.blogspot.com/
SPAR GREAT IRELAND
RUN
PHOENIX PARK
10/04/11
TITANIC
JUNIOR MILE
NI & Ulster
Junior/Inter/Vets XC
Champs
Stormont 08/01/11
(See Photo Page)
Christmas Cracker
Castlewellan
28/12/10
McCain Liverpool
Cross Challenge inc.
European Trials
27 November 2010
U13 Results
Great result Rebekah
in a large (84
athletes) and strong
filed.
Himalayan 100 mile
stage race India
Thank you to all who
sponsored me for my
adventurous to mad
100mile plus in The
Himalayas. I have
raised over four
hundred pounds to
date for Marie
Curie. For those of
you who are
interested here is a
brief summary of the
trip.
It was a long
journey, a flight to
London then four and
a half hours to
Bahrain, a three
hour stop over
followed by another
four hour flight to
dusty Delhi, then a
two hour bus drive
to our hotel for a
two night stay. Next
day exhausted we
visited Delhi‘s
.most famous
temples, Muslim and
Hindu. On that day I
put my Christian
faith on hold and
prayed fervently to
the monkey god for
strength and the
elephant god for
good luck(there are
a few races that I
could be calling on
them again)
Next day back
to the airport and a
three hour flight to
Bagdogra in the
Darjeeling area, in
North East
India,againfour
hours on the bus
till our destination
at Merik,a lake
resort at
6,000ft.Certainly
not a resort by our
standards but at
least the air was
clean. At Merik we
had two days to
acclimatize, one of
which was spent in
the town of
Darjeeling where we
bought tea but we
didnot drink any
incase we would have
to go to the toilet
which was a hole in
the ground and we
weren’t in India
long enough to be
comfortable with
that yet.
Race Day 1 Monday 25
Oct, a 4am start,
breakfast on the
bus, while we
suffered another
three hour bus
journey to the race
start at 6,000ft.The
route was24 mile up
a mountainous track
along the border
with Nepal,
finishing at
12,000ft.That night
we slept in huts,
without electricity,
washed in a half
bucket of tepid
water, and was quite
happy to use the
hole in the ground.
The only problem
that I had with
altitude was loss of
appetite and I had
to make a real
effort to eat some
rice before getting
into the sleeping
bag with woollen hat
and gloves at 7 pm.
Next morning race
day 2 more rice for
breastfast and a
boiled egg at 4:30,
before starting a
20mile (out and back
route) staying at
12,000 feet.
Day 3 was the big
one , The Everest
Marathon a wake up
call at 345 to see
the sunrise over
Everest followed by
the usual food and a
6am race start. I
expected a 26 mile
run (marathon
distance) after 18
miles at 12000 ft we
started our decent
through the forest
to finish at 6000
feet. At 18 mile I
expected to have
another 8 mile to
run. After running
that supposed 8 mile
for nearly two hours
on terrain which can
only be compared to
coming down Slieve Donard
with trees, fallen
trees deep ravines ,
huge boulders and 3
river beds. I came
to an aid station
where I was told I
had about 10k to go.
I nearly devoured
the sherper who was
offering me a salty
hot potato. At that
point I threw up the
head and started to
walk. A soldier said
“run Mam” he saw my
despondent face and
persisted then he
started to run with
me for about ½ mile.
That got me going
again through that
day took me 61/2
hours and I lost my
pos as 4th
women to 5thwomen.
Day 4 was 12 mile on
road, 3 mile a
dangerous steep down
hill, 5 mile flat
and 4 mile up hill
(3rd
women that day ).
Day 5 17 mile first
10k like running up
Spegla then up and
down to finish and
that’s the photo you
see.
On Marathon day if
it wasn’t for the
fact that people had
sponsored me I would
have sat on a big
stone in one of
those river beds and
refused to move.
Apart from the job
of running the views
were secular the
snow capped peaks of
4 of the highest
peaks in the world
Everest,
Kanchenjunga, Lhotse
and Makalu. The
villages, the people
and the group of
runners made it all
worth while.
If any of you want
more detail with a
view to going I will
be happy to help you
on your way.
What next is the
question?
Mary Mackin
