New records set at Ratoath half marathon
Ratoath AC hosted its second annual half marathon this morning at Fairyhouse Racecourse which was an ideal venue with excellent facilities for the 1,000 runners and the large number of spectators.
In between the start and the finish of the half marathon the club organised a 5k that was entirely within the racecourse complex and over 300 competed with it the win achieved by local clubman Marcus Clarke with Trim AC runner Ava Costello taking the female honours.
The 5k was also a great success for the Ratath athletes who started on the couch to 5k programme in the past number of weeks and received great encouragement from their supporters as they crossed the finish line.
Some 130 couch to 5k runners took part, all of them had been training with Ratoath AC for the past seven weeks.
Ciaran McKenna (Star of the Sea) took the honours in the half marathon and the female winner was Niamh Clifford (Star of the Laune).
Both athletes bettered the times set last year by Stephen Kelly (74:48) and Aoife Parrella (91:47) with the respective new record-breakers claiming the €150 bonus each.
WATCH THE START OF THE HALF MARATHON
Over €4,000 worth of prizes were on offer
Male & Female
1st €250 + €100 Run Hub Voucher + Brooks Runners
2nd €150 + €75 Run Hub Voucher + Brooks Runners
3rd €100 + €50 Run Hub Voucher + Brooks Runners
TEAM PRIZE: €200 per team.
First male team - won by Drogheda & District
Drogheda & District - Colin Leonard, Stephen Kelly, Brian Martin, Patrick O'Grady).
First female team - won by Star of the Sea
(Star of the Sea Karen Lavelle, Aoife Parrells, Susan Vickers and Fiona Kenna).
RESULTS CHECK
HALF MARATHON
TOP SIX
(all times shown in minutes and seconds)
MEN
Overall - 1, Ciaran MCKENNA 68:38 (Star of the Sea); 2, Mark RYAN 69:48 (Rathfarnham WSAF); 3, Sean DORAN 70:34 (Clonliffe Harriers); 4, John WHELAN 72:32; 5, Colin LEONARD 74:22 (Drogheda & District): 6, Seamus SOMERS 74:43 (Sligo AC).
WOMEN
Overall - 1, Niamh CLIFFORD 81:11 (Star of the Laune); 2, Karen COSTELLO 85:11 (Dunleer AC); 3, Sabrina KEOGH 87:06 (Dunboyne AC); 4, Rose LAMBE 89:10 (Carrick Aces); 5, Claire NI FHAIRCHEALLAIGH 89:35 (Dunboyne AC); 6, Karen LAVELLE 89:56 (Star of the Sea).
5K
MEN
Overall - 1, Marcus Clarke 17:01 (Ratoath AC); 2, Matthew Hayes 17:40 (Ratoath AC); 3, Kyle Witter 17:50 (Ratoath AC); 4, Bryan Barry 18:35 (non-club); 5, Gavin Maher 18:45 (Dunshaughlin); 6, David Doyle 19:18 (Duleek & District).
WOMEN
Overall - 1, Ava COSTELLO 19:23 (Trim AC); 2, Emilia DAN 20:05 (Dunboyne AC); 3, Eimear Marie ENGLISH 20:17 (Dunboyne AC); 4, Janice DOYLE 20:22 (Bros Pearse AC); 5, Grainne BUTLER 20:29 (Civil Service Harriers AC); 6, Hannah SLATTERY 21:09 (Ratoath AC).
See next Tuesday evening's Meath CHronicle for more detailed results and photos
