This weekend the harriers had racing options over cross country, trail and road, while Waterworks parkrun was celebrating a special birthday.
Run Forest Run Minnowburn 10k (sat 6th November)
On Saturday morning over 550 runners took part in the latest race of the Run Forest Run Winter Race Series, with 5 club members amongst them. The race started and finished at the Mary Peters track, and took in the Lagan towpath, Giant’s Ring and Edenderry on it’s undulating route. The early rain and windy conditions added a little spice to proceedings. International marathon runner Gladys Ganiel was well up the field from the start, eventually finishing 6th overall and the clear winner of the ladies race in just under 40 minutes.
Full results for NBH athletes were:
| Pos | Athlete | Cat | ChipTime |
| 6 | Gladys Ganiel | F40 | 0:39:34 |
| 328 | Thomas Norton | M40 | 0:59:30 |
| 378 | Jason Reid | M35 | 1:02:13 |
| 444 | Mia McDowell | F50 | 1:05:05 |
| 506 | Martin McLarnon | M45 | 1:09:53 |
Ulster Novice Cross Country (sat 6th November)
The Ulster Novice Cross Country championships, promoted by Finn Valley AC, took place on Saturday at Stranorlar in Donegal. Wind and rain was again in evidence as the uneven age group races preceded the novice women’s race over a 4k course and the novice men’s race over 6k.
Despite very muddy conditions, the women’s team ran well, securing a podium place and taking bronze.
The results were:
| Novice Women | ||
| Pos | Athlete | Time |
| 10 | Erin Beattie | 0:18:31 |
| 13 | Natasha Henderson | 0:18:45 |
| 22 | Una McConnell | 0:19:10 |
| 25 | Moira Leheny | 0:19:16 |
| 34 | Orla McCambridge | 0:20:06 |
| 50 | Joanne Curran | 0:23:15 |
| Novice Men | ||
| Pos | Athlete | Time |
| 12 | Cathaoir Purvis | 23:13 |
| 14 | David Hamilton | 23:27 |
| 34 | James Trainor | 24:24 |
| 44 | Matthew McCombe | 24:53 |
| 75 | Paddy McAuley | 26:40 |
McConnell Shield, Ballyclare (Sat 06 November)
The popular McConnell shield took place at Sixmilewater Park in Ballyclare on Saturday afternoon, and despite not featuring in this year’s cross country league still attracted a large contingent of athletes from all over Northern Ireland. In the team events, the NBH men were narrowly pipped to the title by a strong team from Annadale Striders, while the ladies also claimed a podium spot as 3rd team. The results were:
| Pos | Athlete | Cat | Time |
| 10 | SJ McFadden | F35 | 19:52 |
| 12 | April Clarke | FO | 20:18 |
| 29 | Janice Plumb | F50 | 21:25 |
| 31 | Brian Stewart | M70 | 21:40 |
| 33 | Fionnuala O’Hare | FO | 21:44 |
| 34 | Joe Gallagher | M60 | 21:45 |
| 40 | Helen F Weir | F50 | 22:13 |
| 44 | Carol Clarke | F55 | 22:30 |
| Pos | Athlete | Cat | Time | Note |
| 4 | Philip Goss | M35 | 27:20 | M35 WInner |
| 8 | Lawrence O’Hara | M40 | 28:11 | M40 Winner |
| 11 | Gavin McCaffrey | MO | 28:23 | |
| 18 | Conal McCambridge | MO | 29:27 | |
| 30 | Nat Glenn | M55 | 30:36 | |
| 46 | Simon Reeve | M45 | 32:13 | |
| 47 | David Curran | M50 | 32:14 | |
| 51 | Peter Reed | MO | 32:39 | |
| 72 | Ciaran Sloan | M35 | 36:03 | |
| 94 | Ray Cameron | M45 | 39:34 |
Target Ovarian Cancer 5k and 10k, Ormeau Park (Sun 07 November)
There was a good turnout of club athletes in Ormeau Park on Sunday morning to run in support of the Target Ovarian Cancer charity. Thanks and congratulations to all that took part.
Ballynahinch Run to remember 5k (sun 07 november)
This race was promoted by ATLAS Running and The Royal British Legion Ballynahinch Branch. Lawrence O’Hara was the only NBH athlete who toed the line. He followed up his win in the M40 category at Ballyclare on Saturday by taking top spot in a speedy 17:28, over half a minute ahead of the second placed athlete. Lawrence also won this race in 2019 !
parkrun
The first parkrun event in Ireland took place at Waterworks Park on 6th November 2010. That meant that Saturday was the 11th birthday to the very day. Despite a bit of wind and rain later in the morning that threatened the celebratory cakes, regulars and visitors enjoyed their weekly 5k round the park. Rosie Ryan and Phil McIlwrath enjoyed double celebrations as they each completed their 250th parkruns.
The results for North Belfast Harriers members at 9 different events were:
| Waterworks parkrun, Belfast 06/11/2021 | #514 | |||||
| Pos | parkrunner | parkruns | Age Grade | Time | Comment |
| 8 | John Gerard MURPHY | 475 | 74.30% | 20:10 | PB 18:49 |
| 13 | Thomas COY | 16 | 73.91% | 20:42 | New PB! |
| 15 | Thomas SIMMONS | 43 | 65.38% | 21:11 | PB 17:07 |
| 17 | Simon REEVE | 258 | 65.62% | 21:46 | PB 17:48 |
| 24 | Chris CALLAGHAN | 28 | 71.78% | 21:58 | New PB! |
| 28 | Drew KNOX | 294 | 72.90% | 22:12 | PB 18:42 |
| 29 | Dermot COY | 22 | 62.15% | 22:17 | PB 21:29 |
| 32 | Greg MCCLURE | 430 | 74.57% | 22:29 | PB 18:41 |
| 39 | Fionnuala O’HARE | 195 | 63.93% | 23:09 | PB 21:13 |
| 60 | Tony REID | 483 | 62.77% | 25:07 | PB 21:50 |
| 81 | Jack CARBERRY | 286 | 76.95% | 26:06 | PB 21:14 |
| 88 | Gerard SOWNEY | 63 | 49.84% | 26:27 | PB 20:47 |
| 94 | Sam CARR | 142 | 50.00% | 26:40 | PB 20:07 |
| 96 | Sabrina NULTY | 11 | 58.49% | 26:42 | New PB! |
| 98 | Matt SHIELDS | 382 | 63.86% | 26:45 | PB 17:44 |
| 106 | Emma TAYLOR | 16 | 56.05% | 27:00 | PB 23:49 |
| 107 | Lyle CARLETON | 189 | 58.85% | 27:01 | PB 21:22 |
| 109 | Lynn MCKENNA | 28 | 61.45% | 27:17 | PB 26:30 |
| 117 | Philip MCILWRATH | 250 | 51.71% | 27:51 | PB 24:47 |
| 118 | Stella HARRISON | 344 | 70.63% | 27:52 | PB 26:03 |
| 126 | Chris O’DONOGHUE | 72 | 48.49% | 28:09 | PB 24:31 |
| 127 | Jim CLINTON | 491 | 56.82% | 28:13 | PB 21:37 |
| 151 | Gerry ANDERSON | 171 | 50.92% | 29:55 | PB 22:13 |
| 158 | Sandy CARR | 278 | 49.33% | 31:11 | PB 22:55 |
| 163 | Grainne STEPHENS | 85 | 46.91% | 31:33 | PB 29:16 |
| 165 | Margaret STEPHENS | 299 | 61.10% | 31:45 | PB 28:23 |
| 166 | Michael LAWLOR | 157 | 50.03% | 31:47 | PB 25:44 |
| 171 | Lorna MCGRATH | 58 | 60.88% | 31:52 | PB 30:16 |
| 188 | Roy RAINEY | 31 | 44.88% | 33:41 | PB 32:33 |
| 189 | Eva MCLOUGHLIN | 3 | 55.63% | 33:44 | New PB! |
| 190 | Michelle MCLOUGHLIN | 131 | 44.35% | 34:30 | PB 24:00 |
| 205 | Eadaoin DONALDSON | 204 | 39.65% | 37:35 | PB 24:26 |
| 211 | Sile HANNON | 58 | 45.06% | 40:10 | PB 32:00 |
| 212 | Denis LOUGHRAN | 153 | 49.63% | 40:28 | PB 35:00 |
| 217 | Denise RAINEY | 107 | 38.46% | 42:33 | PB 34:48 |
| 218 | Elisabeth FRENCH | 73 | 37.92% | 43:10 | PB 41:10 |
| 233 | Rosy RYAN | 250 | 26.73% | 01:01 | PB 36:00 |
| Belfast Victoria parkrun 06/11/2021 | #481 | |||||
| Pos | parkrunner | parkruns | Age Grade | Time | Comment |
| 12 | Luke KELLY | 155 | 84.82% | 15:55 | New PB! |
| 32 | Paul BUTCHER | 9 | 79.41% | 18:08 | New PB! |
| 74 | Peter MCCLELLAND | 14 | 60.54% | 22:23 | New PB! |
| 85 | Paul WILLIAMS | 354 | 68.17% | 22:56 | PB 19:44 |
| 128 | Joe WILSON | 119 | 60.84% | 26:36 | New PB! |
| Ecos parkrun, Ballymena 06/11/2021 | #404 | |||||
| Pos | parkrunner | parkruns | Age Grade | Time | Comment |
| 55 | Paul JENKINS | 47 | 57.53% | 25:14 | PB 18:13 |
| Citypark parkrun, Craigavon 06/11/2021 | #399 | |||||
| Pos | parkrunner | parkruns | Age Grade | Time | Comment |
| 1 | Colin MCDOWELL | 159 | 85.46% | 17:32 | PB 17:21 |
| Castlewellan parkrun 06/11/2021 | #146 | |||||
| Pos | parkrunner | parkruns | Age Grade | Time | Comment |
| 128 | Bernadette DUFFY | 252 | 37.50% | 53:15 | First Timer! |
| 130 | Philomena DONALDSON | 252 | 37.48% | 53:16 | PB 32:01 |
| Larne parkrun 06/11/2021 | #337 | |||||
| Pos | parkrunner | parkruns | Age Grade | Time | Comment |
| 3 | Paul HUTCHINSON | 29 | 67.49% | 21:01 | PB 19:07 |
| Valley parkrun, Newtownabbey 06/11/2021 | #309 | |||||
| Pos | parkrunner | parkruns | Age Grade | Time | Comment |
| 39 | Liam SMYTH | 32 | 55.00% | 28:40 | PB 26:41 |
| 52 | Clare HOLMES | 111 | 49.76% | 31:09 | PB 24:09 |
| Orangefield parkrun 06/11/2021 | #104 | |||||
| Pos | parkrunner | parkruns | Age Grade | Time | Comment |
| 47 | Ita WEIR | 34 | 41.71% | 40:12 | PB 39:27 |
| Edwin Carolan Community parkrun 06/11/2021 | #3 | |||||
| Pos | parkrunner | parkruns | Age Grade | Time | Comment |
| 11 | Kieran CALLAGHAN | 131 | 52.31% | 26:17 | PB 25:20 |