Report by Diarmuid Ó Súilleabháin
Thanks to Joe Haugh for the photos.
The Frank Duffy 10 Mile race took place in good conditions this weekend past. The weather was dry, still, and only a little warm for the third installment of the 2015 Dublin Marathon Race Series. There was a good energy amongst the people at the start line as people had a last few stretches, exchanged the times they wanted, and opinions on the course. As I switched on my watch for the race, I thought to myself did many people that morning know much about the man immortalised the race they were so excited about.
Frank Duffy would have been very happy to see the over 4000 people taking part in the 32nd running of the race that memorialises him on Saturday last. Originally from Galway, Frank was instrumental in the re-forming of Ireland’s oldest athletic club, the Civil Service Harriers & Athletic Club in the Phoenix Park, after the Civil War in 1925. He devoted his life to athletics and was known as a tough coach who trained many people through the years. Two of whom became olympians, Noel Carroll, and Des McGann. While he may not have spared the whip on his budding athletes, he certainly liked to practice what he preached. Notably celebrating his sixtieth birthday by running 60 miles in the Phoenix Park. As you do.
I wasn’t left with this thought as the race began promptly at 10am and the train of thousands of colours bobbed and flowed down the chesterfield avenue towards Guinness’s. Sportsworld was well represented on the day with dozens of participants taking part for a variety of goals; preparations for the Berlin and Dublin marathons, preparations for half marathons, and just a day out. Conditions stayed favourable as we wound around the course which is more forgiving than some of the other races in the park due to it making use of wide stretches of road that prevent bottling, and its avoidance of some of the more hilly stretches.
Talking with the clusters of Sportsword singlets on the Furze Road after the race it was apparent that everyone enjoyed the day with people generally exceeding their expectations and returning with a good time. Many personal best times in the distance were set, and everyone who was preparing for a race later in the year came in on the right side of time they hoped for. A good day. The next in the Race Series is the Dublin Half Marathon. Hopefully there will be more success and improvement to be reaped here again.
The Frank Duffy race also doubled as the Dublin 10 mile Road Race Championship where the club had a great medal haul! Congratulations to all!
Gold – F50 Eileen Rowland 74.35
Gold – F65 Carol Lynch 82.45
Gold – Team F50 Eileen Rowlan, Carol Lynch, Audrai O’Driscoll
Silver – M40 Conor Curran 55.42
Silver – F45 Orla O’Flynn 72.40
Bronze – Team M50 Noel Tobin, Stephen Willoghby, Enda McMorrow
The chip time for a selection of Sportsworld’s runners is as follows (Apologies if I haven’t included you):
Conor Curran 00:55:42
Justin McKeever 00:59:19
Kevin Curran 00:59:40
Trevor Sweeney 00:59:44
Michael Cunningham 01:00:53
James Brady 01:01:45
Karl Chatterton 01:05:32
Diarmuid Ó Súilleabháin 01:05:37
Noel Tobin 01:07:52
Emmet Wardell 01:10:10
Joseph Haugh 01:10:27
Sean Donegan 01:10:57
Tadgh Taillefer 01:10:59
Eoin O’Brien 01:11:02
Stephen Willoughby 01:11:50
Orla O’Flynn 01:12:40
Mark Heffernan 01:12:52
Andrea McNamara 01:13:49
Eileen Rowland 01:14:35
Naoise Waldron 01:16:24
Dave Clarke 01:19:08
Enda McMorrow 01:20:18
Madeleine Byrne 01:21:13
Catherine Gilmore 01:21:51
Christopher Quaid 01:22:04
Ray Carpenter 01:22:30
Carol Lynch 01:22:45
Grainne Dilleen 01:23:28
Katie Nugent 01:23:49
Maria Finnegan 01:24:54
Audrai O’Driscoll 01:27:53
Well done to all who took part and supported on the day.
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