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Some Dates for diary 2012

2012-01-21T09:44:00.002Z

Race locations and dates

Donagh 10k - Sun 29th at 2pm. Registration from 12.00 onwards in Donagh Club house.

•Carmen 10km Carrickmore – March 12th
•Run Altamuskin – March 17th
•Enniskillen 10km – June 11th
•Dromore 10km – June 18th
•Strabane 10km – July 2nd
•Felix 10km Dungannon – Sept 17th
•Drumragh 10k – Sept 24th
•Sallys 10km Omagh– Oct 8th
•Eskra 10km –Dec 10th
•Lough 5 Loughmacrory– Dec 31st

Christmas Morning Jog 2011?

2011-12-26T11:05:00.003Z

Rumour has that a large number of our members gathered at Castlecoole on Christmas morning for a festive run but there is no evidence that this actually took place. However, a large group of people were seen assembling at the rear of Peter Littles car, parked at the entrance. Peter can be seen below distributing drinks and nibbles before serving up a delicious 3 course Christmas dinner.

Lisbellaw 10k - 3rd December 2011

2011-12-03T18:02:00.006Z

Michael Walsh 3rd - Derek Sommerville 1st - Joe Swarbrick 2nd

(click here for full results)

Michael Walsh Dermot Nolan

Dessie Elton Brian Johnston

Enniskillen Spooktacular 5k - 28th October 2011

2011-10-29T09:32:00.011+01:00

Almost 300 participants of all ages and abilities took part in the Spooktacular 5k last Friday night.

Leading runners from Down, Donegal, Antrim and Tyrone all made the trip to Fermanagh in a bid to take the first Spooktacular title but it was local lad Mark Hoy who crossed the line first. Mark bided his time after a leading pack broke clear from the rest of the field before making a perfectly timed dash for home, holding off a strong challenge from North Down vet Francis Marsh, breaking the tape in a time of 16.21- good going on a windy night on a course with a number of short though testing hills. Marsh finished four seconds back with clubmate Michael Dyer taking third in a time of 16.56.

The womens race was also hotly contested with a very high quality field lining up. It was always likely to come down to a tussle between Finn Valleys Teresa McGloin and Cathy McCourt of North Belfast Harriers, and that was how it proved. It was the Finn Valley athlete who took the honours in a time of 17.40, good enough for ninth spot overall. McCourt finished two places back in 17.59. Third spot was claimed by Monaghan's Donna Evans in 19.25.

One of the performances of the night came from the under-18 winner Ryan Davidson from Enniskillen Running Club. As well as romping to victory in the junior standings, his time of 17.40 was good enough for eighth overall. Adam Cooke from the club was also well to the fore, placing sixth in a time of 17.21.

Ryan was followed in the junior standings by Winston Moran in 19.54, with Ryan Ballentine third in 20.30.In the female junior race, the Club's Edel Monaghan, despite only being 13, was a convincing winner as she crossed the line in 22.55. Sarah Britton followed in 23.44, with Rachel Hume taking third spot in 23.46.

In the vets categories, Proinsias McCaughey took the M40 in 19.05 while Finn Valley's Mark Connolly capped a very successful night for his club by taking the M50 title in a swift 18.30. Owen McPhilips was the first over 60 male in a time of 24.41.

In the womens events, Mary Lipsy was first F40 in an impressive 20.51, Gloria Donaghey clocked 23.04 to take the over-50s honours while Hazel Keys was the fastest F60.

Mark Hoy and Teresa McGloin receive their prizes from Thomas Maguire

Our congratulations to all the prizewinners who received their prizes from our very own ultra running champion Thomas Maguire.

The results can be found on the ANI website http://www.niathletics.org/filestore/default.asp?itemId=500

Professional photos are also now available at http://www.alisonhillphotocart.com/photocart/index.php?do=photocart&viewGallery=10004#page=1

We must say a big thank you to all who turned out for the race. We were overwhelmed by the support from everybody. Nearly 300 took part which was way above our expectations. We had runners from all over the country and even had a few from Australia.
All the volunteers did an exceptional job and could not be faulted so a big thank you to all.
We intend to make this an annual event in the running calendar and would like the race to grow and make it more enjoyable for you the runner. If you have any comments please send us an email to enniskillenrunningclub@rocketmail.com and let us know your thoughts. We welcome all feedback both good and bad so please let us know and we will do our best to make this an event you will come back to.

Derrygonnelly 10k 24th September 2011

2011-09-24T16:46:00.003+01:00

Jimmy Renfrew wins the Derrygonnelly 10k for the second time in succession after a battle with fellow club runner Michael Walsh. Karen Dolan took first place in the ladies event.

More photos to follow.

Waterside Half Marathon 11th September 2011

2011-09-12T22:22:00.005+01:00

A few of our runners made the trip to Derry on Sunday morning for the 30th Anniversary of the Waterside Half Marathon and despite the dreadful weather conditions produced some solid performances. Although this is the official Northern Ireland Half marathon championship, attracting some of the Norths top runners, the route, which took runners through car parks, industrial sites and along dual carriageways proved very dissappointing.

Despite the difficult conditions Stephen Duncan from Omagh Harriers completed his third win in a row in a time of 67m 56s. He was followed by Stephen Scullion of North Belfast Harriers in 69m 31s. Fergus McGirr was first home for Enniskillen Running Club in a time of 82m 30s followed by Eustace Tierney in 90m 33s. Dermot Nolan produced a PB of 95m 11s despite taking a short detour and he was followed by Stephen Clawson whose Summer diet of long Sunday runs helped him to a new PB of 107m 31s. Mark Burns was next home in a time of 107m.

Stephen Clawson, Dermot Nolan & Eustace Tierney

who managed to brave the conditions for just a few more seconds.

Kesh 10k 15th August 2011

2011-08-15T21:56:00.007+01:00

Ther was an impressive turnout of around 200 runners at the annual Kesh 10k & 4K road race on Monday evening despite heavy rain.

Enniskillen Running Club were well represented with Adam Cooke producing a fantastic race, taking first place in a time of 35.09. Greencastle’s Pierce McCullagh was a close second, in a time of 35.30. Eamonn Monaghan was the next club member home finishing in 37.34 followed by Ewan Ballentine in 40.10. Darell Irvine, Peter Jones & Martin Dillon battled hard in the wet conditions and just missed out on a sub 40 finish.

Karen Dolan took the ladies title in a time of 40.29 with clubmate, Tara Malone second in 43.19.

Linzi Davidson took the over 40 female prize with an excellent run in 45.31 and the over 40 male category was won by Derek Sommerville from Omagh Harriers.

Dessie Elton took minutes of last years time for the event, finishing in a time of 44.40 in a well contested over 50 category which was won by Joe Swarbrick from England.

There were also great runs from Brian Johnston and Dermot Nolan who were using the event to add a little speed to their legs as they prepare for the Dublin Marathon in October. Both runners posting impressive times despite having completed energy sapping long runs the day before.

London Marathon - Sunday 17th April

2011-04-17T16:54:00.004+01:00

Congratulations to Eamonn Monaghan and Albert Little who completed this years London marathon. Albert, making his debut over the distance, produced a very solid run finishing in 4hs and 1min. Eamonn, now a marathon veteran, produced another impressive run to finish in a time of 3hrs and 23 mins.

Omagh Half Marathon - Saturday 2nd April

2011-04-02T22:38:00.004+01:00

Over 1000 people took part in the Omagh Half Marathon on Saturday which included a strong showing from Enniskillen Running Club.

Local man Stephen Duncan won the event in 1:06:32 ahead of Sergiu Ciobanu in 1:07:25 with Joe McAlister in third- 1.09.02.

The first female was Tullamore Harriers Pauline Curley in 1.18.34 followed by Breege Connolly in 1.19.16 and Julie Balmer in third.

The first club member home, continuing his great form was Fergus McGirr in a superb time of 1:16:14. Glenn Phair was next in a time of 1:20:13 claiming first place in his category followed by Jimmy Renfrew who put in a great performance for the vets finishing in 1:24:02.

Linzi Davidson was the first of the ladies home in a time of 1:47:28 closely followed by Julie Wood and Veronica Tonge.

See the results page for a list of all members times.

Bundoran 10m - Saturday 5th March

2011-03-05T21:51:00.002Z

More than twenty members of the club went to Bundoran on Saturday for the inaugural Cara Bundoran 10 mile run, It was the first long race in the lead up to the marathon season and attracted a crowd of over 400 runners.

The race was won by Paddy Hamilton & the first lady home was Breege Connolly

Several of our runners had never raced over this distance and found the run tough. However, the beautiful coastal scenery along the route lessened the pain.

Stephen Prentice of Ballinamallard won the junior event in a time of 62m.45s

Tara Malone was the 5th female runner in 68.43. Karen Dolan was 8th female and third woman in her age category.

Eamonn Monaghan in his debut at this distance, finished 33rd in a time of 64.45 and was first Enniskillen Running Club member home.

Albert Little, Martin Dillon, Marion Power, Annmarie Kirkup, Stephen Forster, June Clarke, Martin Dillon, Matthew Dolan, Roger Monaghan, Dessie Elton, Bernie Cornyn, Adrian Power, Brian johnston,Philip Mitchell,Richard Orr, Yvonne Elliott and Andrea kennedy also put in good performances for the Enniskillen Club whilst Mary Rutledge led the Churchill Ladies home.

Ulster Schools Cross Country Finals

2011-02-26T22:50:00.019Z

There were some great performances at the Aviva Ulster Schools Cross Country finals in Mallusk last week including Faith Viney creating a little piece of history for herself by becoming the first athlete from the club to claim a spot in a schools all-Ireland final.

For full report go to the Junior section.

Donagh 10k - 29th January 2011

2011-01-29T18:04:00.003Z

Fergus McGirr maintained his winning form to take top spot in the inaugural Donagh 10k organised by St. Patricks ladies GAA team.

A field of 140 runners took to the roads and trails around Donagh Village along a very scenic and hilly route with spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.

The challenging course measured a little over 10k and finishing times were understandaly a few minutes slower than normal. Fergus was the only runner to break the 40-minute barrier coming home well clear in a time of 38:15 followed by Derek Somerville a couple of miutes later. Eamonn Monaghan came home in fourth in a time of 42.03 and Michael Walsh in sixth in 42.46.

Karen Dolan came second in the ladies race in a time of 47.28 just behind Donna Evans from Monaghan.

Other notable performances were Kieran McGrory (47.59), Albert Little (50.04), Dessie Elton (50.50), Nuala Corrigan (53.37), Emma Ferguson (55.06), Linda Long (59.20) and Bernie Cornyn (59.42)

The Two Seconds Per Mile Per Pound Rule.

2011-01-09T19:59:00.001Z

This little rule has been knocking about for along time and for those of us who have put on a few pounds over Christmas and are now desperately trying to shed that unwanted weight, a little reminder is called for.

Finding our ideal running weight is crucial to our running performance but just how much does weight affect speed? Just how thin should we be and how will it affect our running and racing? There is some evidence that suggests we run two seconds per mile faster for every pound of weight we lose until we reach our ideal weight. Then we start running slower as our body doesn’t have the strength it needs to make us run our fastest.

Losing a pound or two doesn't mean much over a single mile, but when this is multiplied over a 5k or 10k race we really start to see the advantage of being that little bit lighter.

For example. Ten pounds is the equivalent of 20 seconds per mile, which over 5K is more than a minute. In a 10K it is over 2 minutes and nearly 4.5 minutes in a half-marathon. Even for some of our more finely tuned athletes shedding a couple of pounds could take 30 seconds of a 10k, perhaps enough to break the 40min barrier or even earn a place on the podium.

There are of course many other factors that affect our running speed but for those of us that are carrying a little extra weight losing a few pounds will not only get us across the finish line a bit quicker but it will also help to reduce the risk of injury and improve our biomechanics.

Greencastle 5m Road Race -26th December 2010

2010-12-26T18:11:00.005Z

Fergus McGirr made the trip to Greencastle for the annual Boxing Day 5 mile run. The race attracts some of the country's top runners and despite the unfavourable weather conditions over the festive period there was a great showing of talented runners. Gareth Turnbull took the top spot in a time of 24minutes and 39 seconds. Fergus just missed out on a top ten place - finishing 11th overall - in a great time of 29mins and 7 seconds.

Christmas Morning - Bucks Fizz Run

2010-12-25T09:20:00.013Z

A few of our hardier members dragged themselves away from the toys on Christmas morning for a festive jog around Catlecoole. I'm not sure if the Bucks Fizz was consumed before, during or after the run!

Eskra 10k - 11th December 2010

2010-12-11T18:17:00.001Z

THERE were plenty of red noses but not too many reindeers in sight as over 300 hardy souls took to the roads for the inaugural Eskra 10k Rudolph Run in Tyrone at the weekend. And the latest addition to the local racing calendar proved a successful outing for Fermanagh athletes.
Leading the way was Enniskillen Running Club's new big-money signing Fergus McGirr. Donning the white vest for the first time, the Irvinestown man was hoping to repeat the victory he'd claimed a couple of weeks earlier in Maguiresbridge.

There had been a welcome thaw in the temperatures but conditions remained difficult underfoot, and McGirr showed true grit to stay in contention the whole way round.

In the final kilometre though Omagh's Kris Muldoon pulled away to take first place, with McGirr hot on his heels in a time of 36.15. He was followed home by Enniskillen man Sean O'Rourke in 36.33 to complete the podium positions.

Enniskillen Running Club's Jimmy Renfrew beat hundreds of younger competitors on his way to the first over-50 prize and tenth spot overall in a time of 39.14. Eight seconds and one place further behind in 11th was the club's Michael Walsh, who claimed second in the over-40s.

Karen Dolan, just home from some warm weather training in the Canaries where she was fourth lady overall and 1st in her category in the Lanzarote Half-Marathon, took the female vets title in a time of 43.33, while Martin Dillon came home in 47th spot in 44.07. Nuala Corrigan, meanwhile, continued her recent progress, with a superb 49.00.

Maguiresbridge 10k - 27.11.2010

2010-11-27T14:00:00.008Z

There was a good turn out for the annual Maguiresbridge Turkey Trot on Saturday despite the poor weather conditions. Overnight snow and frost left the roads very slippery for large sections of the course but this did not deter the hardy Fermanagh runners who still managed to post great times.

Fergus McGirr improved on his 3rd place last year to claim the overall title in a fantastic time of 35mins 14 seconds. Fergus was pushed hard all the way by the Club's Sean O'Rourke who has consistently posted great times this year.

Sean O'Rourke & Fergus McGirr

The prizewinners are listed below:

Male
1: Fergus Mc Girr : 35 mins 14 Secs
2: Sean O’ Rouke : 35 mins 16 Secs

Female
1. Kirsty Murray : 43 mins 55
2. Bernie Toner : 50 mins 01

Male Veteran
1. Brian Reilly: 40mins 53
2. Vincent Craig: 41 mins 27

Women Veteran
1. Bernadette Corrigan 56 mins

Male Under 18
1. Ian Stuart 45mins 23
2. Lee Somerville 46 mins 26

Check out the Photo Gallery for some race pics!

Virgin London Marathon 2011

2010-11-18T12:47:00.000Z

The draw for the two entries to the 2011 Virgin London Marathon took place last Monday evening and the lucky names drawn from the hat were Ewan Ballentine and Eustace Tierney. The reserve name was Albert Little.

Congratulations to Ewan and Eustace and also to Albert who might still have a chance to take part in one of the worlds greatest marathons!

With just over 21 weeks to race day we can expect to see plenty of the lucky winners as they clock up the miles in preparation for this fantastic event.

Maguiresbridge 10k Turkey Trot - 27th November, 2:00pm

2010-11-15T08:14:00.006Z

The date and time for the annual Maguiresbridge 10k is now confirmed and will start at 2:00pm on Saturday 27th November.

The course this year has been changed, offering a liitle less elevation but still promising a good workout before we all commence our "fat building phase" during the festive season.

Check out this years route on the "RACE INFORMATION" page.

New York City Marathon - 7th November 2010

2010-11-07T08:41:00.000Z

Congratulations to Martin Dillon, who made the trip to the Ing New york City Marathon, one of the worlds great road races, attracting more than 45,000 runners and many world class professionals.

Martin just missed out on a share of the $600,000 in prize money in a race that proved to be the 6th fastest in history but still produced an excellent run to finish in a time of 3hrs and 52 mins.

Sallys 10k, Omagh - 16th October

2010-10-16T19:58:00.011+01:00

In perfect weather conditions over 450 entrants took part in the first ever Sallys Omagh 10k. Stephen Duncan led from early on finishing in a time of 30 minutes 46 seconds over what proved to be a testing course. He was followed home by club-mate, Owen Gahan, taking second in 33.05 minutes. Mamraz Nagi from Enniskillen -just back after a long spell out with injury - produced a great performance to take 3rd place.

Eustace Tierney was the first club member home in a time of 38.32. Tara Malone was next home in a time of 42:43 closely followed by Peter Jones in 42:54. Joan Flannagan continued her good form finishing in 43:28.

Roger Monaghan finished in 43:54 follwed by Marcus Stewart in 47:49, Tim McCrea in 51:40 and Philip Mitchell in 53:39.

Tara Malone and Joan Flanagan

Armagh 10 Mile Road Race - 10th October

2010-10-10T08:50:00.019+01:00

There were over 400 entrants at the ever popular 10mile event in Armagh with five club members taking up the challenge.
Leading the quintet home in her first ever trip over the distance was Tara Malone in a suberb time of 1hr and 11mins. She was closely followed by Dermot Nolan less than 2mins behind. Roger Monaghan finished in a very respecatble time of 1hr 17mins follwed by Richard Tracey in 1hr 22mins with Mark Burns a minute further back.

Derrygonnelly 10k - 9th October

2010-10-09T08:32:00.002+01:00

There were over 80 participants in the inaugural Derrygonnelly 10k. The course, starting and finishing at Derrygonnelly community centre, foillowed a much appreciated scenic route. The first runner home was local athlete and club member Jimmy Renfrew in a time of 38:23. Joan Flannagan was the first lady home in 42:55.
The club was well represented at the event with six club members included in the top 10 finishers. Ronnie Johnson, Myles Dolan, Martin Dillon and Karen Dolan all posted great times.

Northwest Lakes 10k, Pettigo - 3rd October

2010-10-03T12:12:00.000+01:00

There was a good turnout for the second Pettigo 10k which took place on Sunday, with a number of our members taking up the challenge.

The scenic but testing course provided a good mix of road and forest trail with a few testing hills thrown in for good measure as it meandered along the shores of Lough Erne.

After a battle with Omagh Harriers’ Derek Somerville, Eustace Tierney - just back from injury - pulled away to take a great win in 38.20. Karen Dolan continued her fine recent form, taking second spot in the ladies race.

Causeway Coast - 2nd October

2010-10-02T12:01:00.000+01:00

A number of Fermanagh runners took on one of the most spectacular courses in Ireland at the weekend and came home laden with prizes.
The Causeway Coast event offered a 10k, a half-marathon, a full marathon and, for those who thought that 26 miles was a little short, an ultra race of 39 miles.

It was Maguiresbridge man Ivan Sadlier who took on the challenge of the latter, and crossed the finish line first in 5hrs 55 minutes.

Meanwhile in the marathon, there was more Fermanagh success. The testing course took in beaches, rocks, mud, stiles, hills and lots and lots of steps as it wound its way from Portballintrae via the Giant’s Causeway to Ballintoy harbour, and back again.

Fresh from his victory in the Knocks last week, Irvinestown man Fergus McGirr worked his way to a substantial lead over the first half of the race - but a navigational error with only a few miles to go allowed his two nearest challengers to catch up and cost him the chance of the win. Nonetheless, he eventually finished in a very impressive third place.

The victory was taken by Dale Mathers from Newry, while Enniskillen native Billy Reed, now living in Co Antrim, claimed second spot.

Just behind the leading bunch, Enniskillen Running Club’s Michael Walsh was also experiencing a navigational mishap. With only a few hundred metres to go out of the 26 miles, he missed a marker and ended up taking a half mile detour, which dropped him from fifth to sixth spot.

With Florencecourt runner Gerry Kingston then claiming fifth, it meant that four Fermanagh athletes filled the top six slots.

Knocks 10k

2010-09-25T20:37:00.002+01:00

Some of the hardy members of the club took to the roads for the Knocks 10k just outside Lisnaskea, another welcome addition to the local racing scene. In perfect conditions the runners rose to the chalenge of a very testing course posting some impressive performances.

First home was Irvinestown man Fergus McGirr in 38miutes and 37 seconds but was made to work hard by club youngster Ryan Davidson who stormed to second spot ahead of Ronnie Johnston.

The womens race was a clean sweep for the club with Karen Dolan continuing her recent winning spree. She was followed onto the podium by Andrea Kennedy in a great return to form after a recent injury and the ever improving Nuala Corrigan.

The first local home in the mens section was club memeber Kieran McGrory in a time of 39 mins 28 seconds with Teresa Bannon the first local lady home.

North Leitrim Glens Run

2010-09-17T08:12:00.006+01:00

Five club members the trip to Manorhamilton for the inaugural North Leitrim Glens Run at the weekend.

They were among 500 participants who gathered for the community event, being staged in support of a local charity. And though the hilly course was certainly tough, the beautiful scenery along deserted one-track roads went some way to take the mind off the pain the legs were feeling.

In the 10k race, there was more success for the fleet-footed Karen Dolan, who picked up yet another prize as she clinched 13th place overall and second spot in the women’s standings in a time of 44.30. Nuala Corrigan followed closely behind as she took an impressive 34th place in a field of over 300.

In the half-marathon, Michael Walsh just cracked the top ten with a time of 1.28.24, while Dermot Nolan came home in 31st place in 1.43.03. Martin Dillon was home soon after - and then surprised all at the finishing line by keeping on running. In all, Martin completed 21 miles as part of his training for the New York marathon in November.

With a great atmosphere, a fantastic spread of sandwiches and cakes afterwards, faultless organisation and a lovely course, the North Leitrim Glens run is set to be one of the highlights of the local calendar for many years to come.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the country Tara Malone took four minutes off her time of last year to come home fourth woman in the Dingle half-marathon in Co Kerry. The podium place that would have been hers if only chip times had been counted certainly awaits next year for the ever-improving Tara.

Kesh 10k

2010-08-22T15:14:00.001+01:00

Despite the extremely wet conditions, there was a good turnout for the annual Kesh Carnival 10k road race on Monday evening. There were over 130 entrants in the 10k race an as in previous years it attracted athletes from all over Ireland and some English holiday makers too.

Martin Cox (Omagh) took the overall title in a time of 34.33. The race for second place was more tightly contested with our own Glenn Phair taking that position for the second year in a row. He beat previous winner, Nigel Grier (Dromore AC) by 18 seconds. The standard was very high with another of our runners, Sean O’Rourke, in 4th overall with a great time of 36.05

In the ladies race no-one broke the 40 minute barrier this year, probably due to the adverse conditions, but veteran runner, Dianne Wilson (Lagan Valley AC) did a very commendable 42.25 to take the top spot. Gloria Donaghy (Finn Valley) in second ladies overall position emulated the great Merlene Ottey in still taking top prizes in her 50s! For the second year in a row, Andrea Kennedy came third in 45.37.

The male veteran categories were as usual very popular, in particular the male over 40 category. This title was successfully defended by Derek Sommerville from Omagh Harriers in a time of 37.32 mins. The ladies over 40 was won by Sandra Wilson from Lisnaskea and over 50’s by Margaret Cummings (Castlederg).

The over 50’s male category was won by Joe Swabrick from Preston in an impressive time of 37.41, closely followed by Jimmy Renfrew.

John McCann (Dromore) also successfully defended his over 60 title in an even faster time than last year of 45.01. Unfortunately, Peter Little who pushed John all the way to the line last year, sustained an Achilles injury whilst racing recently and was relegated to marshalling duties this year.

Alexander Mc Elroy (Kesh) was the first under 18 male and he also took the first local (Kesh) prize. Second Kesh man in was Kris Loane, a relative newcomer to the sport, showing great promise in a time of 43.06 whilst Lucy Parkinson (daughter of main event organiser Jill) was the 1st local lady home.

1st U-18 female winner was the clubs Clare Elliott. Worthy of special mention was the performance of Conor Keys, who was the youngest competitor by some margin, yet finished in an excellent time of 46.52 to secure a top 50 finish and 2nd place in the U16 category behind the winner, Lee Sommerville from Ballinamllard.

Full results and video footage are posted on the Carnival website at http://www.keshcarnival.com/.
More Photos in the Gallery.

Gleniff Horseshoe 10k

2010-08-12T08:14:00.002+01:00

An event that was described by the organisers as the hell of the north west proved heavenly for two of the Clubs ladys as they climbed to victory in the Gleniff Horseshoe 10k at the weekend.

The run through the stunning Co Sligo natural amphitheatre boasted one of the most beautiful courses on the island, with spectacular views of the Annacooona cliffs, Classiebawn Castle in Mullaghmore and Donegal Bay beyond.

But participants had more than a few hills to contend with before they could admire the scenery, with one particularly steep rise lasting for over a kilometre (hence the hell of the north west tag).

Joan Flanagan floated through the field to take top spot in the women's race, followed closely by Karen Dolan who took the veterans' crown as the club celebrated more success.

Dirty Running With Michael Walsh

2010-08-09T08:35:00.008+01:00

On Sunday morning last a few of the clubs early risers were treated to the delights of trail running when Michael Walsh led the way through the forests and hills around Florencecourt House.

We new little of what was ahead of us as we disappeared down one of Florencecourt’s many forest trails. The first mile was a pleasant jog, just enough to loosen our legs and raise our heart rates. There were a few hills but nothing too testing. The second mile was a different story. The trail began to rise sharply and had us wondering what we had let ourselves in for. We climbed almost 800ft over the next mile with little opportunity to catch our breath. The steep climb brought us out of the forest, above the tree line and rewarded us with a spectacular view across the Fermanagh countryside.

We had just enough time to catch our breath before Michael took off again. This time he led us off the gravel paths onto single-track trail which traversed some fairly rough terrain and required our full concentration. We continued along this elevated trail for another mile or so, only daring to look up occasionally to admire the views.

We then began our descent which twisted and turned precariously down the hillside along some very narrow single-track before we re-entered the forest and eventually the more pedestrian forest trails. The last mile allowed us to stretch our legs a little as the trail took us back towards Florencecourt House along much flatter terrain. In total we ran just under 7miles in a little over the hour.

For some of us this was our first venture into trail running and although a challenging experience it was a welcome break from the day-to-day routine of pounding the pavements around town. A chance to forget about pace and how many miles you ran, a chance to immerse yourself in nature and just RUN!

We eagerly await Michael’s next episode of Dirty Running!

Edwards and Co Super 5 - Lagan Valley.

2010-08-05T08:59:00.000+01:00

Our junior members continued to impress at the fourth round of the Edwards and Co Super 5 series at Lagan Valley. Leading the way was young Jane McCutcheon who was racing in the 1999-2001 age category. Jane romped through her 400m in a time of 69.22, a huge eights seconds ahead of her nearest competitors. In doing so she maintained her unbeaten record in the series with one race to go.

Faith Viney, running over a much shorter distance than she's used to, revealed a real turn of speed to take third place in the 300 metres in the 1995-96 age group, posting a fantastic 47.33 timing.

And Robbie Mills, brother Tom and Mark McCarron also produced battling performances on another encouraging night fot the club's youngsters.

Edeney 10K

2010-08-05T08:55:00.000+01:00

A number of our members lined up on the streets of Ederney at the weekend and cleaned up in the village festival's 10k road race.The Ederney Festival 10k is the latest addition to the ever-burgeoning local calendar and the charity event attracted over 150 participants. There was little charity shown to the other runners by Glenn Phair who has spent his summer home from university picking up prizes in races across the county. Glenn led from the gun to claim an easy victory. He was joined atop the podium by Karen Dolan, who had a similarly comfortable time of it in the women's race. There were prizes too for Eustace Tierney who came home first in the vet category and, in fourth place overall, just ahead of the evergreen Jimmy Renfrew. Ryan Davidson picked up the under-19 title.

Ederney Carnival 10k 31st July 12:00pm

2010-07-21T13:37:00.003+01:00

(click on image for larger copy and right click for print option)

Registration also available on the day at Ederney GAA Grounds from 9.30am-11.30am. Entry fee is £10.

The Race will start in front of McElhills Garage.
The route is fairly flat heading straight out the Lack/Omagh Road then turning left towards Colaghty, left again towards Tirwinney Cross (hilly), left onto the Edenaveagh/Tirmacspird Road (flat/hilly) and left on the Ederney/Castlederg Road (flat).
The race finishes at St.Josephs Hall.

Edwards and Co Super 5 Series

2010-07-03T16:18:00.002+01:00

Personal bests were the order of the night as the young athletes of Enniskillen Running Club enjoyed another success-filled outing to the home of local athletics, the Mary Peters Track in Belfast.
Seven budding local talents took to the track in round three of the Edwards and Co Super series - and all showed just how far they've come since the start of the season under the tutelage of coach Tommy Farrell.
Nowhere is that improvement better shown than in the performances of Faith Viney. Starting off the year with a modest 5 minutes 47 seconds time in the 1500m, this 15-year-old has been chipping huge chunks off that time ever since. And on Thursday night she again showed great heart to record a fantastic 5.04 for the distance, taking second place in her race in the process. 11-year-old Jane McCutcheon had already claimed two first place finishes on her other outings in the race series this year. And the young Clabby girl made it three out of three as she easily romped home in her 1200m heat, taking a stunning 15 seconds off her last timing. This sets Jane up nicely for her first assault on an all-Ireland title when she travels to Tullamore in Co Offaly next week. Completing the podium finishes was Alexandra Carroll who put in a much improved performance - and again notched up a PB - to take second spot in her 1500m.
Though none of the other Enniskillen runners finished among the top places, there were still some superb showings. Young Robbie Mills (9) ran very well in his first ever 1200m, while older brother Tom posted a solid time over 1500m, hinting that there's still much to come from this young talent.
Meanwhile, Christopher Irvine and Mark McCarron both ran gutsy races to again achieve personal bests. It rounded off a great night for the Enniskillen club whose young runners are really beginning to make a name for themselves on the local racing scene.

Enniskillen Rotary 10k 2010

2010-06-12T08:41:00.004+01:00

Kilkenny runner Owen Gahan won the this years Rotary Tesco 10k in a time of 32 minutes and 43 seconds. Conditions on the day were excellent and the experienced hill runner won the race by seven seconds from Belfast challenger Connor Magill.
The top local finisher was Enniskillen's Cathal O'Connor, whose time of 36 minutes 42 seconds earned him eighth overall.
First place in the Men's Over 40 category went to club member Eustace Tierney who finished 13th overall in a time of 37 minutes and 20 seconds.
The fastest female runner on the day was Omagh's Julie Butler, who dominated her category and finished 26 seconds ahead of her nearest challenger and clinched an impressive 25th overall.
The top Fermanagh finisher in the ladies category was club member Tara Malone who covered the course in 42 minutes 43 seconds.
Belfast's Nelson Cahoon won the over 50s section in a time of 37 minutes 16 seconds, 18 seconds ahead of Enniskillen Running Club's Jimmy Renfrew.
The winner of the under 19 category was Stephen Prentice, with Portora's Lloyd Seaman taking second in a time of just over 39 minutes.
In the ladies categories it was once again a case of experience over youth with both over 40s winner Debbie Matchett and over 50s winner Marie Rooney finishing in a quicker time than under 19 winner Gemma Dickson.
In the over 60 categories Violet Cullen won the ladies section, while the title for the fastest senior man was a closely fought battle. David Phair and Peter Little proved to be the class of the field, with David's time of 49 minutes 7 seconds enough to prevail by a mere eight seconds.
There was also success for the club as the mens team consisting of Eustace Tierney, Jimmy Renfrew, Michael Walsh and Kieran McGrory took first place. The ladies section was won by Tir Chonaill AC.

E District Schools Championships

2010-05-19T08:44:00.001+01:00

Junior members of the club continued their recent run of great results at the E district schools championships. Faith Finey and Alexandra Carroll are both through to the Ulster finals in the intermediate girls after storming to second and third places in the 1500m race. And in the junior boys 1500m Tom Mills and Chris Irvine also excelled, just missing out on qualification for Ulster. With both having another year left in this age group and running against competitors a year older, the duo showed they will be a force to be reckoned with next time around. Meanwhile, in the minor girls 800m it was a similar hard-luck story for Holly Wallace, who was second in her heat but again just missed out on going through to the Ulster finals.

Ballyshannon 5k

2010-05-19T08:37:00.002+01:00

Enniskillen Running Club members displayed the club colours in the recent Ballyshannon 5K, the second instalment in a huge summer festival of road running in the neighbouring county.

The brother and sister double act of Claire and Mark Elliott were joined on the start line by mum Yvonne and dad Mervyn. And, in what proved to be a very successful family outing, Claire speeded to the first junior female award while Mark took second spot in the junior male category.
There was also success for the club's Kim Hassard who claimed second in the V3 category, while Karen Dolan, Faye McManus and Linda Long also put in strong showings.

Edwards and Co Super 5 Series

2010-05-07T08:45:00.001+01:00

Seven of the club's young athletes travelled up to the Mary Peters track in Belfast for the second round of the Edwards and Co Super 5 series.
In the previous meet, 11-year-old Jane McCutcheon had romped home in the 1200m, becoming the club's first-ever race winner. This time round though she had raced the day before, easily winning the schools district cross-country championships, booking herself a spot in the regional final.
Would her exertions of 24 hours earlier show against some of the province's best young talents over 600m at Mary Peters? Not a bit of it - as Jane made it three victories out of three as she easily cruised across the line well ahead of the rest of the field.
Other impressive performances came from Christopher Irvine and Faith Finey who both finished well up the field in their races. Mark McCarron put in a typically gutsy performance, as did Tom Mills who found himself stranded at the start of his 800m race after he took a tumble in the opening exchanges. Tom showed his grit by getting up and chasing the pack hard home over the two laps. Tom's younger brother Robbie, the club's youngest competitor, ran well in both the 150m and the 600m races. And Alexandra Carroll again continued to improve, showing the benefit of the training programme put in place by coach Tommy Farrell.

Belfast City Marathon

2010-05-07T08:25:00.012+01:00

There were no prizes but plenty of satisfaction for two club members who joined the throngs on Bank Holiday Monday for the Belfast City Marathon. Eustace Tierney, making his debut over the classic distance, clocked a highly impressive 3hrs 11mins. And club chairman Robert Robb celebrated his 25th marathon finish with a very respectable 3hrs 46 timing.

Achill Island 10k

2010-05-06T08:11:00.001+01:00

This week as three local athletes made a Bank Holiday assault on Achill Island - and came home laden with prizes. The inaugural Achill 10k attracted over 200 runners from across Ireland, with many coming from as far afield as Dublin to tackle what must count as one the most scenic routes in the country. The event was organised by Northern Ireland-based 26 Extreme, who have already brought us the fantastic, though gruelling, Mourne Way and Causeway Coast marathons - and who have all the groundwork done for a similar 26.2 mile event right here in Fermanagh.
In Achill the organisers' reputation for tough but stunning courses was confirmed, with the 10k route comprising a mixture of quiet, hilly roads, spectacular scenery and a 2k finishing straight along one of the best beaches in Ireland, Keel Strand.
Michael Walsh led the local contingent home, placing fifth overall and taking the top male veteran prize, as he posted a time of 39.01. Karen Dolan, in her longest run in months due to a recurring injury problem, was the second woman across the line in a time of 46.46. Meanwhile Linda Walsh claimed third place in the ladies vet standings. The generous prizes picked up included a trophy, meal vouchers for a local restaurant and free entry to another 26 Extreme event.

April 2010

2010-04-26T13:32:00.004+01:00

Almost a year to the day of its inception, Enniskillen Running Club has just celebrated its first race winner.
Take a bow, 11-year-old Jane McCutcheon, who led a string of gutsy performances by the youth section at meet one of the Edwards & Co Super 5 Series at the home of local athletics, the Mary Peters Track in Belfast.
This was a big step up in class for coach Tommy Farrell's young charges, many of whom found themselves lining up on a synthetic track for the first time in their lives, and facing some of the best talent in the province.

That certainly wasn't a problem for Jane, though, as she romped home in the 1200m. After nonchalantly staying at the front of the field for the first three-quarters of the race, she put the boot down and left her opponents for dust, eventually winning by an emphatic 10 seconds. It was an outstanding run by Jane who carved a little piece of history for herself in the annals of the club.

Though there were no other podium finishes on the night, a lot of potential among the local youngsters was on show. In the 80m boys 1999-2001 age group, the club's youngest competitor Robbie Mills gave a good account of himself, as did Holly Wallace in the 100m girls 1997-98, coming ninth out of 23 runners.

The club's other five athletes all competed over the 1500m distance. Faith Finey put in a very impressive run in the 1995-96 age group, as did Christopher Irvine in the 1997-98 category. Christopher showed true grit to the take the race lead with a lap and a half to go before his fitness caught up with him and he eventually finished a very credible fifth. Tom Mills took the field in the 1995-98 boys category and stuck at it on a night where it just didn't go right for him. Mark McCarron showed similar guts in a very tough 1993-94 race, won by St Michael's Finn Corrigan. Mark's never-say-die attitude was a tribute to him. Meanwhile, last but not least, the improving Alexandra Carroll found herself facing athletes an age group up from her. Undaunted though, she ran very well to cap a great night.

Tommy Farrell was delighted with his young team: "This type of track experience is vital and they'll all learn and all improve from it. There was a lot of very good performances out there and I've no doubt there's plenty more to come from this bunch."

Meanwhile the makings of a half-decent masters team emerged at the Armagh 10k on Sunday. Four club members made the trip to the Cathedral City to take on a fairly tough, undulating course. In a very well-organised race that boasted almost 500 competitors, the Enniskillen runners were well to the fore. First home for the club was the evergreen Jimmy Renfrew who came home in 13th place in a time of 37.53. That was enough to see him win the over-50 category by a country mile.

Nine seconds and one place behind Jimmy in 14th overall was over-40 runner Michael Walsh, while Dermot Nolan (over-45) posted a 43.41 time to claim 67th place. Gordon McKenzie (over-45) was also well up the field as he finished in 57.37.

Premier Power Larne Half Marathon

2010-03-26T14:10:00.000Z

Michael Walsh and Dermot Nolan made the long trip to Larne for an event considered the official start of the road-racing calendar here.

Over 1000 runners gathered for the race which is run on a course described as one of the most scenic in the UK. The course wound its way out the Glenarm coast road into a considerable wind before nipping up a two mile climb and turning round and coming back down towards the ferry port.

In his first race of the year Michael just dipped under the 1 hour 24 minute mark to claim 53rd place. Dermot, meanwhile, in his first trip over the distance for quite a few years finished in an impressive 1 hour 44 minutes.

British & Irish Masters Championships

2010-03-25T14:01:00.002Z

Jimmy Renfrew represented the club at the British & Irish Master Championships at Stormont estate, lining out against a top class field of veteran runners from across the British Isles. Jimmy took 18th place in the over-50 category, a great performance against some of the best age group athletes around.

Annual General Meeting, 12th April 2010

2010-03-15T14:36:00.003Z

There will be an Annual General Meeting of Enniskillen Running Club on 12th April 2010 at 7.15pm.
The meeting will be held after Monday night training and will take place upstairs in Pat's Bar.
It is very important that all members attend this meeting. Officers will be elected for the 2010/2011 year.

Concern's fund for Haiti

2010-02-11T09:13:00.004Z

Some Enniskillen Running Club members recently gave up precious weekend running time to bagpack in Tesco. Over half of the money raised was given to Concern's fund for Haiti. This is Enniskillen Running Club's first fundraising event for charity. Well done to all involved!
The picture shows treasurer, Richard Tracey, presenting the cheque to Eammon Hoy and Eamonn Dolan who are volunteer workers for Concern in Fermanagh.

ERC Committee Meeting 7th Dec

2009-12-29T19:47:00.004Z

ERC Committee Meeting 7th Dec
Forum Canteen

Committee Members Present:
Chairperson: Robert Robb
Deputy Chairperson: Don Stockdale
Treasurer: Richard T Tracey
Club Secretary: Karen Dolan
Coach: Tommy Farrell
Child Protection Officer: Tara Malone

Others: Robert Wilson
Ewan Ballantine
Helen Stockdale

1. NIA affiliation fees/ Club Membership fees
The following was agreed:
The 2010 annual membership fees are due in January. The cost of membership for the year (January - December) is £15.00. If you have only joined the club recently (from October 2009 onwards) and have already paid a membership fee of £15 this will cover you until December 2010. All other members should give their membership payment to any committee member who should pass on to Richard Tracy before January 18th.
The £15 includes the NIA affiliation fee.
This information is to be posted on the blog with a reminder that NIA affiliation has the benefit of reduced race entry fees to many races (as well as being compulsory for athletics clubs in NI)

Richard agreed to keep the table of member’s details up to date and to send off the fees to NIA.

2. Membership cards
Richard will provide every member with a personal membership card. It is hoped that in the future this card may be used to get discount in local sports/shoes stores. Any committee member with contacts in these relevant businesses is to research the potential of this idea.

3. Funding for sports equipment
£1000-£10,000 is currently available from Sports NI for capital expenditure.
It was decided that Tommy would draw up a ‘wish list’ of items required for a successful athletics club.
Also, it was decided that a big clock would be very useful for races and training purposes.
The applications must be in before early January 2010 (it was thought to be 6th Jan? this is to be confirmed). They are not first come first served.
The NIA target categories are thought to be girls and older people.
The application form is complicated and are frequently rejected so Ewan Ballentine agreed to discuss the ERC application with Joseph Donnelly at Sports NI before working with Robert Robb on it’s submission.

4. Youth/Children's secretary/Children’s officer
Tara Malone agreed to take on both above roles. Richard is to help out by drafting codes of conduct.
Anyone involved with children must have ANI clearance. Tara is to find out who must sign the back of ANI form

5. Children’s coaching sessions
These are to be suspended until the clocks change due to poor attendance. It was felt that this could be due to Friday evening being the only time when the 3G pitch is free. However, when the clocks change it will be possible to use the track again and therefore hold the sessions on Thursday evenings. The ERC should start to promote children’s athletics sessions then.

6. Club Notice Board
Richard said that a glass cases notice board would cost £213. He said he would ask Ian Kennedy if one could be put up in the forum.

7. Disciplinary committee
Child Protection regulations make a disciplinary committee necessary.
The following people were nominated for the committee:
Tara Malone
Robert Wilson
Ewan Ballantine
Helen Stockdale
Tara is to represent the disciplinary committee at the main committee meetings.

8. Fund Raising/ Social events
Tesco has been booked for 31st Jan for bag packing. The relevant insurance documents have been sent to Myrtle there. Tara is to co-ordiate the volunteers on the day.
There had been a poor attendance at the ERC Christmas dinner. It was decided that it would be good to have a small (4 people) fundraising/ social committee in future to organise fun fundraising events. Volunteers were to be sought via the ERC blog and word of mouth.

9. Enniskillen 10k committee
Karen passed on a request for ERC representation on Enniskillen 10k committee. Robert Robb volunteered. It was agreed that Linzi would be asked if she wished to volunteer (she subsequently agreed).Karen is to pass on both nominations to the 10k committee.

10. Club Kit
Robert Robb to investigate price of club fleeces and to gauge interest from club members.

11. Future Events/races
Christmas morning- ‘turkey trot’ in castle coole
Post –training Christmas drinks on last Monday before Christmas day.
Coaching level 1 course in early Feb. Anyone interested is to let Robert Robb know and he is to get more details

Next Meeting: Date to be arranged

Club Fleeces

2009-12-15T10:38:00.003Z

We are thinking of purchasing fleeces for the club but need to get 30 orders before we can go ahead. I have had a number of people contact me saying they would like a fleece. If you would like one and have not contacted me please let me know. The fleeces will cost £10.95 plus Vat. They will be black with our club name in white embroidery lettering. Contact details revrobbrp@hotmail.com or 66320286

Annual Membership Fees & Club Kits

2009-12-15T10:33:00.005Z

The 2010 annual membership fees are due in January. The cost of memebrship for the year (January - December) is £15.00. If you have only joined the club recently (from October 2009 onwards) and have already paid a membership fee of £15 this will cover you until December 2010. All other members should give their memebrship payment to either Richard Treacy or Robert Robb before January 18th.

Anyone who has not yet purchased a club kit can do so by contacting Robert Robb either by email - revrobbrp@hotmail.com or by phone 66320286. Please let me know your size (order a size bigger than you normaly would as kits are small fitting). The cost of the kit (shorts and vest) is £25.00

Christmas Morning Turkey Buster!

2009-12-15T09:58:00.003Z

For all those interested in a Christmas morning run, meet at the Forum Car park at 10.00am. The proposed route is the Ennislillen 10k course.

Maguiresbridge Turkey Trot 10k Fun Run

2009-11-20T11:55:00.008Z

2.00pm Sunday 6th December
Click on image to enlarge.

Armagh 10 Road Race, October 2009

2009-10-15T12:12:00.006+01:00

Andrea produces run of the day.
After a quiet few weeks on the events calendar, Enniskillen Running Club members dusted off their racing flats and ventured back into action at the weekend.
Sunday saw one of the highlights of the autumn programme, with almost 500 athletes from across Ireland converging on the Navan Centre for the annual Armagh 10 Road Race.
And among their number was a quartet of vets from the local club who tackled the tough, hilly course.
Without a doubt the Enniskillen performance of the day came from Andrea Kennedy who, ignoring the windy conditions, cantered to the women's over-35 crown.
Her time of 71 minutes 49 seconds represented a three-minute improvement on last year and showed the benefits of those Monday night speed sessions at the Lakeland Forum.
It was a contrasting story for a sub-par Michael Walsh who just managed to crack the top 50 with a time of 64:22, almost three minutes down on his performance last year.
Hot on his heels came Ewan Ballantine. His 66:58 earned him 70th place overall. And, also improving on last year's time, Richard Tracey came home in 79:58.
Overall, Stephen Duncan of Omagh Harriers successfully retained his title with a swift 51:28.
(extract from the Impartial reporter)

New era dawns...

2009-09-17T16:54:00.001+01:00

A new era has dawned for athletics in Fermanagh with the recently-formed Enniskillen Running Club making its entrance onto the competitive running scene.
Resplendent in their new club colours, members travelled to races the length and breadth of Ireland at the weekend.
And with the club's debut being announced over the tannoys at Clogher and Derry to rousing applause, it was an auspicious start for the local runners.
Seven members made the short trip down the road for the inaugural Clogher 10k organised by McDaid's Centra and Garry's Gym in aid of Action Cancer and Marie Curie.
And it was a winning outing for Helen Stockdale, the club's big money signing from Omagh Harriers, who romped home in the women's race in 44.35, a good time on a course that was widely described as challenging.
Next home for Enniskillen was Faye McManus in 6th place, closely followed by Linzi Davidson in 8th and Julie Wood in 15th. Great running by the girls.
In the men's race - won by Phil Wood in 36.37 - the club's Canadian acquisition Colin Brown was a superb fourth in a time of 39.07. Just as impressive was Ryan Davidson's 8th place in 42.20. Not bad for a 15-year-old who has come on leaps and bounds in the past few months. Dessie Elton showed a clean pair of heels to many younger runners to finish in 32nd spot.
Meanwhile an intrepid band of vets made the journey up to Derry for one of the biggest races in the local calendar, the Waterside Half-Marathon, and all brought medals home.
Okay so the other 827 finishers also got medals but the Fermanagh quartet could at least claim to have all finished well up the field.
In a race won by Omagh Harriers' Stephen Duncan, first of the Enniskillen runners home was Michael Walsh in 47th place in a time of 1hour 23 minutes 20 seconds, with Ewan Ballantine next over the line in 1.32.27. Trevor Mills, tackling the distance for the first time in almost a decade, took six minutes off his previous best, coming home in 1.41.24, while Robert Robb, suffering badly from an injury, battled through the pain to finish in 1.47.32.
At the same time hundreds of miles further south in Dingle, Co Kerry, Tara Malone tackled a rather hillier 13.1 mile route. Tara finished among the top ten women, with an impressive 1.41.24 on a very tough course.
It was an encouraging start for the Enniskillen club, which in the space of a few months has garnered 50 members of all ages and abilities and from all ends of the county, with more joining weekly.

(Impartial Reporter)

Enniskillen Rotary 10k June 2009

2009-06-12T15:24:00.005+01:00

A record number of runners contested last Saturday’s Rotary 10k race, with over 1,300 taking to the roads around Enniskillen.
Everyone from elite runners to dedicated walkers were keen to take advantage of the almost ideal weather conditions, and although almost an hour and a half separated the first finisher from the tail end stragglers, 1,192 managed to cross the finish line.
The first runner home was Omagh’s Stephen Duncan who completed the course in 31 minutes 30 seconds, over a minute quicker than last year’s victor. While the top athletes were pushing for an outright victory, much of the field were content to pit themselves against the clock. The hour mark is a target for many, and this year 564 people crossed the line before the clock reached 3pm. All the finishers reached the Lakeland Forum finishing line inside two hours, and for many their achievements brought much needed sponsorship money for their favourite charities.
Tommy Farrell was top of the local finishers in fourth overall, reversing the result of last year to finish just ahead of local rival Niall Cullen. Veteran runner Tommy proved experience is still a match for youth by finishing stopping the clock on 33 minutes 36 seconds, 17 seconds clear of Niall, who took the junior award.
In the ladies section the honours went to Donna Evans from Monaghan with a time of 37.49. Helena Crossan from Donegal was second, with local runner Angela Speight taking third. Angela also lifted the first Fermanagh prize, sponsored by the Killyhevlin Hotel. Joanna Williams narrowly missed out on a podium position in fourth place, whilst Helen Stockdale won the ladies veteran category with Joan Flanagan in third.
Monaghan’s Brendan Sherlock put in an impressive performance to win the male over 60 category in a time of 37.32. Local man Peter Little came fourth in this category, with his daughter Ruth finishing as eighth woman overall. Other commendable local performances came from Finn Corrigan, who although under 19, managed to finish in the top ten overall; Conor Donaldson was third junior male home; Enniskillen fireman Robbie Bryson was second male veteran home and 11th overall in a time of 35.03; and Eustace Tierney knocked over a minute of his last year’s time to finish in 37.56 and squeeze into the top 30.
There were 127 teams contesting the event, with City of Derry taking the mens award and the local ladies of Church Hill just forced into second spot in the female category behind Omagh Harriers. The model Primary School, St Mary’s Maguiresbridge and St Comhghall’s Lisnaskea were among the schools who entered teams, while Rani Ramteke, who is originally from India, was the captain of a team of men and women for race sponsors Tesco. Joanne Prytherch from the MDC was on hand to receive sponsorship money and distribute balloons and T-shirts to those who had fundraised.
Jaclyn Phair won the inaugural fancy dress competiton, although the wings on her Tinkerbell costume may have given her an unfair advantage over those who had to rely solely on their feet.
“Everyone seemed to enjoy the event and the atmosphere surrounding it,” said Karen Dolan, a member of the organising committee. “The committee would like to thank everyone who took part and also the large number of volunteers who helped out before and during the race. They are the people who really make it all happen.”
While it is another 12 months before the event returns, there are still plenty of opportunities for those who have been bitten by the running bug. In just over a week Dromore hosts a 10k run, and there are other similar events in Lisnaskea, Irvinestown, Kesh and Derrylin before the end of the summer.

(extract from the Impartial Reporter )