SLIGO FIT4LIFE WOMEN’S 8K MINI MARATHON - An event for female runners and walkers of all abilities – ideal preparation for Dublin Ladies mini marathon.

The inaugural Roscommon Carers Association 10km Mini-Marathon got off to the best possible start this past bank holiday Monday with beautiful May sunshine and a larger than expected crowd, with 456 finishers. Results attached.

You know the way it is. You say to yourself, "I'm going to do that race. I'm definitely doing that race". Then, a couple of weeks later you talk with someone who tells you they've actually entered the race and you realise that you haven't, and that you're too late now.

Well.....! The closing date for the Champion Sports Cork City Marathon is tomorrow Friday the 9th of May

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7172037378352665542

(18 minutes 50 seconds - all runners who finished under 48 minutes should be viewable)

Sincere thanks to Mick Tobin of Craughwell AC for holding the camera for its duration.

P.S. The constant humming in the background was from the engine to keep the finish line inflatable in place.

Due to an unfortunate local death the Ballyhaunis 8km Road race scheduled for next monday has been cancelled. It's hoped to reschedule the race for some time in the future. We'll post more details when they become available.

Following the astounding success of our first caption competition (http://www.athenryac.com/ballycotton-2008-caption-competition) we'll have another go. I'm not sure whay Peter Delmer has featured in both pics. Perhaps he's just unlucky or perhaps he's an attention junkie. Judge for yourselves

Add your suggested caption below in a comment.

As a race director, no matter how big or small an event, it's always pleasing to see everything go well on the night.

Credit where credit is due:

To all participants -
You were all there in good time, you shared cars, and it made parking noticeably easier.
You followed instructions to the letter, I didn't spot anybody with their number on their back or wearing headphones.
This make life really easy for those of us organising the races.

There were frayed nerves and reputations on the line as the cream of the Athenry Saturday morning training group fought it out, tooth and nail, for bragging rights and Community Games medals. When the bodies were hauled from the field of play the news emerged that Alan Burke and Aileen McNamara had claimed the spoils of war.

Excepting a Truth and Reconcilliation Commission the rest of us are going to have to wait until next year to extract our revenge.

Photos courtesy Peter Lyons...