This weekend saw Athenry AC athletes in action in various part of the country. Ultra running dynamo Valerie Glavin is deep into an ambitious training schedule for the Connemara 100 Mile race next month and in preparation for that event she completed three full marathon distance runs in five days last week. Starting last Wednesday she was part of a small group of desperados that ran the official Connemara Marathon route as a long training run and then followed that up by running the first two of the West of Ireland Marathon Race Series which is being organised by our own Ray O’Connor on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Three marathons in a week – that’s some going.

In Dublin Jane Ann Healy flew the Athenry colours with great distinction when placing 9th in the women’s field at the Addidas Irish Runner 5 Mile Road Race in the Phoenix Park in Dublin in a time of 31:02. This was a huge improvement, by nearly two minutes, on Jane Ann’s time from last year on the same course. To make the top-ten in such a competitive event is a marvellous achievement. There may well have been other Athenry runners in this race but so far I haven’t been able to track them down. If you know of any please let us know.

Jane Ann - 9th In Addidas 'Irish Runner' 5 Miler

Out in Oughterard for the inaugural running of the Mick Molloy 10k there was more success for the Athenry women when Elaine Walsh placed first and she was followed home by Athenry new recruit Eimear Butler. Elaine is back in top form following an early season injury and seems set for great things over the remainder of the season.