Pictured above, race organiser David Huane. Photo Credit: John O'Connor

Inaugural Ballindine Handicap 4 Mile Race

On the 12th July 2009 in the pretty Mayo village of Ballindine, 74 runners and walkers stepped up to the line for the first ever Handicap 4 Mile Race. Some of the most talented athletes in the west were among them. But it was not going to be the fastest who would win. Instead that person who could most accurately predict their finishing time, without the aid of a stopwatch, would get the prize.

Race Director, David Huane instructed all participants to remove watches or any other timing devices and proceed to the starting line. Within minutes they were off, proceeding on a left handed loop out the Ballyhaunis road, then twice left, to return to Davitts GAA Club, along the N17. Less than 22 minutes later, the first runner, John Byrne of Mayo AC crossed the line.

Tea and sandwiches awaited the finishers, a fine display of Mayo hospitality. Analysis of the results showed that three runners had each managed to finish the race within 3 seconds of their predicted times! Thus, the victory was shared by Angela O'Connor (Mayo AC), Paul Fallon (Galway City Harriers AC) and David Mullins (Tuam AC). To be within 3 seconds of a time prediction over four miles is not easy. Race Director, David Huane, congratulated the three athletes on their achievement.

David expressed his delight at the turnout on the day and the quality of the field, with so many who had run the previous evening in Headford turning up again. Most importantly, €1,200 was raised for Western Alzheimer's.

Name Race No. Club Predicted Time Clock Time +/- Split Offset

David Mullins 548 Tuam 0:24:36 0:24:39 Slower 0:00:03

Angela O'Connor 522 Mayo 0:26:50 0:26:47 Quicker 0:00:03

Paul Fallon 506 GCH 0:24:24 0:24:27 Slower 0:00:03

Michael McGrath 524 Mayo 0:28:58 0:28:53 Quicker 0:00:05

Fergal Egan 528 0:26:43 0:26:53 Slower 0:00:10

Deirdre Ruddy 521 Mayo 0:36:00 0:36:11 Slower 0:00:11

John Stagg 543 0:32:25 0:32:36 Slower 0:00:11

Joseph Fahey 526 0:38:00 0:37:44 Quicker 0:00:16

Dan O'Rourke 529 0:24:00 0:23:39 Quicker 0:00:21

Anne Fahey 531 0:29:20 0:29:48 Slower 0:00:28

John Byrne 532 0:20:47 0:21:17 Slower 0:00:30

Chrisy O'Malley 539 0:31:26 0:30:55 Quicker 0:00:31

Bernie Kelly 503 GCH 0:29:20 0:29:56 Slower 0:00:36

Owen Mongan 512 Mayo 0:27:00 0:27:36 Slower 0:00:36

Ian Egan 530 GCH 0:24:04 0:23:27 Quicker 0:00:37

Sarah Syron 533 0:30:30 0:31:12 Slower 0:00:42

Chris O'Connell 540 0:32:20 0:31:27 Quicker 0:00:53

Anne Marie Tiernan 547 0:34:15 0:35:14 Slower 0:00:59

Tom O'Toole 546 Mayo 0:24:40 0:25:43 Slower 0:01:03

Michael Sheridan 538 0:30:30 0:29:20 Quicker 0:01:10

Chris Clarke 520 Mayo 0:34:02 0:32:50 Quicker 0:01:12

Nadine Dabbagh 519 Mayo 0:35:46 0:34:33 Quicker 0:01:13

Sean Dooner 507 0:45:00 0:46:13 Slower 0:01:13

Maurice Prendergast 525 0:30:00 0:28:38 Quicker 0:01:22

Gabriel Devane 504 0:30:00 0:31:25 Slower 0:01:25

Jane Campbell 509 GCH 0:32:19 0:30:48 Quicker 0:01:31

Yvonne Byrne 508 0:31:09 0:29:31 Quicker 0:01:38

Adrian Fitzmaurice 523 Athenry 0:30:00 0:28:19 Quicker 0:01:41

Kathy Connelly 534 0:28:55 0:27:11 Quicker 0:01:44

Pierce Cooney 510 0:32:38 0:30:47 Quicker 0:01:51

Gary Doherty 544 Athenry 0:29:30 0:27:32 Quicker 0:01:58

Marcella McDonnell 536 0:35:00 0:32:57 Quicker 0:02:03

PJ Hall 515 Mayo 0:28:50 0:26:40 Quicker 0:02:10

Ciaran Quinn 511 Mayo 0:27:27 0:24:21 Quicker 0:03:06

Clare Walsh 541 0:40:10 0:37:02 Quicker 0:03:08

Rosie Duffy 552 Mayo 0:42:32 0:45:54 Slower 0:03:22

Mary Gleeson 551 Mayo 0:42:32 0:45:55 Slower 0:03:23

Brian Bruton 554 Athenry 0:30:00 0:26:32 Quicker 0:03:28

Brendan Devane 501 0:38:40 0:35:02 Quicker 0:03:38

Martin Kenny 513 0:35:50 0:32:06 Quicker 0:03:44

Seamus Ronayne 527 0:36:42 0:32:42 Quicker 0:04:00

Breege Staunton 516 Mayo 0:45:40 0:41:24 Quicker 0:04:16

Tony Gleeson 549 0:38:35 0:33:56 Quicker 0:04:39

Mary Kirrane 566 0:38:40 0:33:46 Quicker 0:04:54

padraig Devane 502 0:33:50 0:27:47 Quicker 0:06:03

Adrian Hession 542 0:42:06 0:35:14 Quicker 0:06:52

Padraig Moran 561 0:40:00 0:32:38 Quicker 0:07:22

Brian Finn 537 0:45:00 0:37:11 Quicker 0:07:49

Noel Cosgrove 560 0:45:30 0:33:02 Quicker 0:12:28

Mary Walsh 553 0:50:00 0:36:57 Quicker 0:13:03

Padraig Farragher 514 CRH 0:32:30 0:46:13 Slower 0:13:43

Martin Sheridan 550 0:43:30 0:29:37 Quicker 0:13:53

Eugene Conway 518 0:50:00 0:33:17 Quicker 0:16:43

Bridie Flanagan 535 1:05:00 0:36:08 Quicker 0:28:52