North West 10k.

by Kieran Carlin

A number of Finn Valley athletes participated in both the Northwest 10k and the Belfast City marathon. The first Sunday of May the usual date for the northwest 10km, this been the 12th running of the event. A glorious sunny Sunday afternoon over 1800 people went to the start line to raise vital funds for the three chosen charities. The by now annual event that organised by a dedicated group of people in the Letterkenny area owes the success to the people of the county, with out their participation and persistence the event would not have survived. The knock on effect of the event is that, the health of the individuals will improve having trained for the event, and of course the charities for which the monies are raised.

The race was closely contested between the eventual winner Pauric Mc Kinney Letterkenny AC 32.52 and the new kid on the block Eoin Mc Ginley from Cranford AC 33.02. Both battling together to the last kilometre when Mc Kinney made the winning break, experience winning out over youth. In the ladies section the clear winner was the master athlete Kay Byrne 40.13, Kay having won the race in Nemours past years having won the inaugural race 12 years ago Kay once again have shown her ability. Runner up was Fionulla Diver Letterkenny AC 41.15. John Mc Glinchey winning the masters O-40 in a time of 35.58 John having returned from warm weather training in Portugal. Well done to all walkers, joggers and runners who participated in the event.

At the 19th Belfast city marathon a change in the weather didn't deter the 35000 people who competed. What a change a day can bring from the sunny Sunday to the wet cold dreary Monday. The big attraction at the Belfast city marathon being the running in conjunction with the marathon the relay event that enables groups of people to participate in various distances over the marathon course, an added bonus to the organisers, but also an logistical nightmare.

Both men's and women's races was won by Kenya athletes for the 3rd year running.

Thom Thompson running in the Valley colours having an excellent race in the cold blustery conditions coming home in an excellent time of 2.56.56.

As per the northwest 10k this event is an excellent opportunity for organisation and groups to fund raise, a number of groups in Aghyaran & Castlederg areas took advantage of this; over 80 people from these two areas took part, both the principle Marion Mc Hugh of St Carols Primary school Aghyaran and John & Eleanor Mc Hugh from Cystic Fibrosis Society organising both groups to run and raise vital funds. Well done to all who took time out to run for their charities? We must give a special word of thanks to Mark Connolly who help in the training and preparing of the runners and walkers for the event.

Congratulations to Karen Connolly and Paul Connolly who got married and Saturday, Karen daughter of Mark and Rosemary ran in the Finn Valley colours for a number of years before she began her studies to become a doctor. The club would like to wish them well in their future life together.

Results.

Results.

Pictures.

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Loads of pictures by Kieran Carlin.