Quest Kenmare
A challenge of a different kind saw 3 of our newer members take on the Quest Kenmare event in Co Kerry at the weekend. Sharon Martin, Fran Rea & Jennifer Kehoe all put their training to good use as the cycled , ran and kayaked around the course.
Jennifer chose to tackle the Challenge distance of 28k finishing 21st in 1:50:58.
Sharon and Fran both tackled the Sport distance of 43k with Sharon finishing 29th (4th lady) in 2:11:16 and Fran finishing in 56th in 2:19:44
Well done to the three of you.
123.ie Masters National indoor Championship
After their success in last weeks Leinster Championships Martin Kelly & Siobhan Doyle took the road to Athlone again this time to compete in the All Irelands.
Fantastic to see them both competing at such a high level.
Martin competes in O70 and chose the 1500m & 3000m races this weekend. He only went and won gold in both. Running 5:55.33 for 1500m and 12:29.81for 3000m saw him add the golds to his Leinster medals for 2025
Siobhan was competing in the O60 category and she was in the competitive 60m finishing 5th in 10.56 seconds and 35.84 for 200m sprints claiming 4th place.
Huge congratulations to both athletes on their achievements showing their dedication to their chosen events.
Clare 1/2 Marathon
Ryan Ellard completed the Clare Half Marathon in a super time of 1:37:47 on Saturday in glorious running weather. He only recently completed a half while in America and went nearly 5 minutes quicker in todays run. An athlete who continues to improve , well done Ryan.
Great Gorey Run
A fantastic morning for a run saw club members head to Gorey for the Great Gorey Run where there was a choice of 10 mile or a 5k race.
In the 5k John was 2nd in his age cat.
John Dier 25:31
Bridie McGuire 40:33
Sharon Dier 46:41
Running in the 10 mile were John and Eamonn who gave good accounts of themselves over the testing course.
John Hyland 1:17:52
Eamonn Foley 1:19:17
Congrats everyone.
Menapians Take on Lisbon Half Marathon in Annual Running Adventure
Following last year’s successful trip to Helsinki, members of the Menapians running club set their sights on the Portuguese capital for their annual half marathon and 10km event.
With local tour guide Tadhg Henderson leading the way, the group explored Lisbon on Saturday, taking in the city’s cultural and historical highlights. A visit to Castelo de São Jorge provided stunning panoramic views, while a stroll through the iconic Praça do Comércio worked up an appetite before lunch at the renowned Time Out Market.
However, the group was met with a touch of familiarity—the grey skies and drizzle of Ireland seemed to have followed them to Lisbon, and everyone had great fun trying to stand between the myriad of raindrops as the blue skies of Lisbon turned a dull grey to greet their guests from the Emerald Isle.
When the strangely shy sun did make an occasional appearance, Lisbon dazzled like a peacock, revealing its vibrant tiled facades, historic architecture and the shimmering Atlantic coastline.
Race Day Challenges
Sunday saw three of the group—Tony, Tadhg, and Enda—take on the half marathon, one of six prestigious ‘Super Halfs’ in Europe. Over 17,000 runners began their journey with a 3km run across the iconic 25 de Abril Bridge, offering breathtaking views of the city. However, after the bridge, the race route proved somewhat monotonous, with long, straight stretches and a few “double backs” offering little variety. The 10km participants, including Eavan, Louise, Peter, Janette, Ilze, Sinéad, Katie, Orla and David, followed a similar course alongside 12,000 fellow competitors.
Afterwards it was wisely decided to avoid the nearby train that would have taken us straight back to the hotel for a 90-minute walk to work out the lactic acid from our tired and stiff legs before finally finding another route home that required six train changes and seventeen stops that eventually delivered us to the Hotel Açores Lisboa where a hot shower and some Super Bock beers warmly greeted the athletes with all the lust of a long-lost lover.
Looking Ahead
As one adventure ends, thoughts are already turning to the next. Riga, Latvia, has emerged as an early frontrunner for the club’s next destination, thanks to a recommendation from Ilze. Whether the Baltic capital will play host to the next Menapians meander remains to be seen—but one thing is certain: the spirit of adventure is alive and well in this group of dedicated runners.
parkrun
The final report of a very busy weekend for our club members. Lots of members got their 5k complete while the weather was good before it changed later on.
Dermot Foley, Brian Smyth, Eamonn Foley, Paula Gondard, Geoff Hoffheinz, John Hyland, Fran Power, Ann Thomas, Linda Leacy, Michael Murphy Dave Percival, Bridie McGuire & Sharron Dier all completed the Wexford Racecourse Parkrun.
Olllie Stack ran the New Ross parkrun in the scenic grounds of J.F.K. Park.
Well done to everyone.