Eight people tested the newly-laid running track at Dangan on Sunday 18th in an informal 5k race cum time trial. The track looked and felt good, much bouncier than the previous threadbare version, and less hard on the legs, according to Peter Delmer. Indeed the track is so new that the lane lines are not even drawn yet. (Note that PJ Coyle has asked people to use outside lanes when training to avoid wear and tear on those inside lanes.)

Running on the track seemed to do the trick for the aforementioned Peter (together with some shrieked support from his three kids) and he came first in 17:29, a full 47 seconds better than his time in the Club Championship 5k at Newcastle. Mick Rice came second yesterday; he looked a little tentative having tweaked some lower back muscle earlier in the day.

Peter and kids

Johnny O’Connor, now rested after his great marathon in Berlin, was another to best his Newcastle 5k time, by fifteen seconds in this case, with an 18:15.

Mark Breen contributed the quote of the day, running after unknowingly just turning up for a quiet training session: “5k...that’s three and a half laps, right?”. Further confusion followed during the race until he finally realised on the 10th lap that there are in fact 60 seconds in a minute, not 100. Obviously, he was missing Gráinne!

But Mark still came home in a good 19:29, followed closely by a relaxed Dave Dunne, out again racing (if not necessarily training) following a break. Philip Magnier is still short of the elusive 20 minute barrier but registered a PB in 20:08. Another two of the “Aspiring to 20 min club”, Frank Burke and James Corbett, overcame a heavy cold and an injury-hit season respectively, to register solid times and contribute to an enjoyable end-of-season race on a chilly afternoon in November.

Many thanks to club chairman, Alan Burke, for volunteering as timekeeper and lap counter on this and many other occasions over the past two years.

Peter Delmer 17:29

Mick Rice 17:39

Johnny O’Connor 18:15

Mark Breen 19:29

Dave Dunne 19:48

Philip Magnier 20:08

Frank Burke 20:39

James Corbett 21:05