Busy weekend for the Glens Runners

Two Towers and at least 3 boats!

Saturday 24th saw a veritable armada set sail for the 2024 Rathlin run.

Spreading the bet across both the 5km and 10 mile distances on offer, the ladies took the honours in the aesthetically stunning but deceptively hilly 10 mile road race with a 1st for Niamh Marrs and 2nd for Kelly Anne McAuley. Over on the 5k scene Decky ‘ultramarathoner’ McNaughton reigned in the distance and upped his pace for an impressive 2nd place finish.

Also in action in the 5k were Anna Steede 8th, Niamh Delargy 17th, Patricia McCollam 18th, Clare Fyfe 19th, Jane Baxter 31st, Anne Marie McKendry 44th and Missy Quinn 45th.

At the same time back on the mainland a 4 strong team of Jonny Steede, John Marrs, Dom McLarnon and Joanna Wheeler Connon ventured south to the Mourne Mountains to tackle the Two Towers. This, the last race of the 2024 NIMRA championship race sees runners round a 12km (940m ascent) loop, climbing from the foot of Happy Valley, up Trassey track to the tower of Commedagh then, by way of Hare’s Gap, to the summit tower of Meelmore before descending back down Happy Valley to the finish.

If first to face-plant was being contested Jonny would have topped the podium as he did just that mere strides into the race. As it was Jonny would have to settle for an impressive 5th (1st MV40) in a well stacked field, followed by John (myself) in 6th (1st MV45) a full 5 minutes later. Dom would claim 16th (1st Dominic) and Joanna an impressive 9th (1st FV40) on her first time seeing the route.

…and then to Sunday

Saturday’s near perfect running (and sailing) conditions were a distant memory come Sunday morning. Grumblings among the early starters for the Sunday Social run from the Laragh Lodge doubted we would see much of a turn out but come 10am we had 2 large groups setting off on separate magical mystery tours led by whichever Steede you dared follow. Moist but mighty craic nonetheless.

Notable absentees from the social run were Decky ‘5k specialist’ McNaughton, Andrea McAlister and Mary Duffin. These troopers had elected to suffer the Larne Antrim Coast Half Marathon and I’m sure come 9:30, lining up in the wind and rain in Larne, they were questioning their life choices. Not content with his podium finish in the 5k on Rathlin the day before Decky posted an impressive time of 1:34 in the 13 mile distance along the exposed Antrim coast road in what were very poor conditions as did Andrea in 1:59 and Mary in 2:02. We’re told the high point of this particular outing was the post race nutrition….