20th December 2009 - Results and Fixtures

Martin Cooney Wins Grand National

The annual running of the Grand National took place on Tuesday of this week. This race is run over four laps of the Spollenstown- Charleville road circuit and covers a distance of 5060 metres. It is a handicap race where the runners are let off at different intervals with the fastest athletes setting off last in pursuit of those ahead of them.

Martin Cooney and Jim Dolan were the first to be let off and Cooney who was having a much improved run on his previous race went into the lead and maintained his form to come home a clear winner by a margin of sixty three seconds. The battle for the minor placings was much closer with just ten seconds covering the next six places. Eanna Gowarn finished very strong to take second place, just pipping Martina Conlon on the line. Johnny Feery stormed through the field but the finish line came too quick for him and he finished in fourth place just a second behind Conlon. Catch Grennan who started from scratch recorded the fastest time of the night of 16.27.

Full Results : ( Actual times in brackets) : 1 Martin Cooney 30.11 (23.41) ; 2 Eanna Gowarn 31.14 (18.44) ; 3 Martina Conlon 31.15 (22.15) ; 4 Johnny Feery 31.16 (17.31) ; 5 Mary Walsh 31.19 (24.19) 6 Eddie Garry 31.21 (17.36) ; 7 Seamus O Chongaile 31.24 (18.39) ; 8 Catch Grennan 31.27 ( 16.27) ; 9 Pat Conlon 31.30 (18.45) ; 10 Darren Butler 31.32 (18.02) ; 11 Declan Fahey 31.35 (17.20) ; 12 Liz Cuskelly 31.37 (19.07) ; 13 Maire Triona O’Connor 31.38 (19.08) ; 14 Neville Coughlan 31.40 (30.25) ; 15 Evelyn Herlihy 31.41 (21.26) ; 16 Mary Daly 31.44 (20.29) ; 17 Pauline Curley 31.45 (18.00) ; 18 John Donegan 31.47 (17.32) ; 19 Jody O’Reilly 31.49 (18.04) ; 20 Colm Colohan 31.58 (19.28) ; 21 Liam Byrne 32.03 (20.18) ; 22 Joe Wrafter 32.05 (19.35) ; 23 Maurice Fitzgerald 32.07 (19.37) ; 24 Vinny Conlon 32.08 (19.38) ; 25 Fra Mollen 32.19 (20.34) ; 26 Tony McCormack 32.25 (21.25) ; 27 Una Mullen 32.26 (22.11) ; 28 James Mahon 32.52 (21.07) ; 29 Ivan Cuddihy 33.02 (24.02) ; 30 Glen Finlay 33.04 (21.49) 31 Jim Dolan 33.22 (26.52) ; 32 Brendan Kennedy 33.27 (22.42) ; 33 Ronan Duffy 33.48 (30.03)

The presentation of prizes for the race and for other club races took place later that night in Euguene Kelly’s Lounge and a good social night was had by all.

Goal Mile.
The Goal Mile will take place on Christmas day between 10 and 12 noon on the Tullamore Harriers tartan track. It is a great place to meet people and also work up an appetite for the Christmas dinner. All you have to do is turn up, run or walk a mile and make a donation to Goal. For anyone feeling particularly energetic there will be a competitive mile at 11am. Also this year at 11.15 there will be a mile race involving some well known personalities from the Tullamore area and this should be very enjoyable, particularly for those watching.

Fixtures
December 25th : Goal Mile.
December 31st at 12 mid day. Round the Houses Road Race.
January 10th : Leinster Senior Cross Country, Kilmacow, Co.Kilkenny.
January 17th : AAI Games in Nenagh.
January 24th : Indoor Games, Nenagh.
January 31st : Leinster Senior and Masters Indoors, Nenagh.

Training: Tuesday and Thursday at 6.30pm, Sunday morning at 8.30am Except on a race day. New members always welcome.

With the dark evenings now here it is important to be seen on the roads so reflective gear must be worn while training on the roads

Membership is now due. Forms available in clubhouse.