TRIM AC 10 mile road race

The Trim AC Bewleys 10 mile road race is the latest addition to the excellent list of quality running events on the Meath athletics programme of events for 2015. The winter sun shone brightly throughout the race on a field of nearly 800 runners. The race route took the runners along the outskirts of the town and the flat rural roads of Dunderry, Meadstown, Kilbride and Moymet.

In the mens race, the in form Martin Fagan from Mullingar Harriers followed his recent victory at the Raheny 4 with a convincing win. He set up a lead of 100 metres over Gary O Hanlon in the first kilometre and steadily extended it to come home in 48.23 with a margin of nearly 3 minutes. After the race he said he was pleased with the race conditions and the level course. He is hoping to run the Rotterdam Marathon in April, one of the fastest courses in the international marathon calendar. The third man home was Clonliffe runner Tudor Moldovan. Two Meath runners made it into the top six finishers with fifth placed Luke Forde of Dunboyne clocking in at 54.11 just ahead of Peter Mooney from Clonard. In the masters categories there were two Meath winners, Phelim Glynn, Dunboyne AC announced his arrival into the M50 category with a winning effort of 56.29. It was fitting that victory in the M60 grade went to Pat Comey from the organising club Trim AC who has been to the forefront of masters athletics for many years.

In the womens race Breege Connolly from North Belfast Harriers put in a really impressive performance to cross the line two and a half minutes ahead of her nearest rival Pauline Curley, Tullamore Harriers. Speaking after the race the winner expressed satisfaction at having set a new personal best time for ten miles and asked what lay ahead in her season she said “When it comes to racing, I plan not to plan”. While there was no Meath women placed in the top six seniors local women were to the fore in the masters categories. The strength in depth of the womens masters scene in the county was shown thoughout. Meath athletes filled the first three spots in F40, with strong performances by Olivia Martin, Karen Lavelle and Andrea McGuninnes. They took two out of three places in other masters grades with Mary Hanley won F45 and her clubmate Imelda Clarke finished third in F45. In the F50 grade second and third places went to Linda Gunning and Ann Tobin respectively.

Trim AC secretary Andy Linsley was very happy with the how this new race went and the support it received from the running community and the title sponsors Bewleys Ireland.The number of runners who turned out for the first ever staging of this event surpassed all expectations. The club also secured a sponsor for the county 10 mile championship, though Rentokil Initial. The county medals were presented by the President of Meath Athletics, Dessie Gough the renowned Cushinstown jumps coach. Trim AC are looking forward to developing both aspects of the race in the coming years. Many of the runners who took part in the Trim AC event will now turn their attention to next months Bohermeen Spring Marathon. The next event planned by the Trim club will be the now well established Braveheart Trail 5km on Friday 12 June.