North Belfast Harriers Race Report 6th – 12th January 2025

North Belfast Harriers Race Report 6^th – 12^th January 2025 

The early January ice, snow and wintery weather had an impact upon the training of many runners locally, and caused some Parkruns to be cancelled or altered, to ensure the safety of participants. However, thankfully as the thaw progressed over the weekend, the race directors at a number of venues gave their approval for the events to be staged. There were some great performances from the runners of North Belfast Harriers, with podium places and silverware lifted in the process. 

Run Forest Run 10k, Loughgall, Saturday 11^th January 

Colin McDowell lifted silver in the 10k event at Loughgall Country Park on Saturday morning, finishing the mixed terrain forest race in the impressive time of 36 min: 31 sec, first in the M55 category, and only 9 sec behind the winner. Four Harriers enterd the 10k race and seemed pleased to be among those celebrating the achievement of completing another forest race, in the series that the organisers promote as “great races in great places”. Organised by the Born2Run organisation, the Loughgall event was the second in the series of 6 races at different locations throughout Nothern Ireland. Well done to all the participants. 

Run Forest Run 10k 

Position	Bib	Name	Category	Gun Time	Chip Time
2	2549	Colin McDowell	M55	36:31	36:31
26	2683	Simon Reeve	M45	42:04	41:56
27	2404	Louise Smith	F50	42:07	42:06
307	325	Maurice Palmer	M60	59:41	58:54

North Belfast Ladies Retain the Mathieson Shield, as Sarah McNutt lifts Gold, at Mallusk, Sunday 12^th January 

There was some impressive running and achievements at the Mathieson Cup and Shield Cross Country Meet at Mallusk Playing Fields on Sunday. Although the course was soft, remarkably it did not turn into the quagmire that might have been anticipated, as a consequence of the thawing of the ice and snow, that had covered it for much of the preceding week. 

In the men’s 8k race John Black ran well and was first home in 6^th place, first in his M35 category in 28 min: 10 sec. Worth a mention also was Eoin McConnell, who was third home for the Harriers in 25^th place overall, in 30 min: 03 secs, third in his U20 category.  

There was a great turnout of Harriers for the 6k race, with some superb running on the soft terrain. Sarah McNutt was the winner of the ladies’ race. Stamping her authority from early on, Sarah pulled away from the chasing athletes, to finish in 23 min: 02 sec, over half a minute ahead of her nearest rival, and in no small measure contributing to the team victory, as North Belfast Harriers retained the Mathieson Shield that they won in 2024. In the ladies’ race, Mora Leheny continued her good run of form, finishing third in her F45 category, 22^nd overall, meanwhile Emily McRitchie was third in her U20 category and Bernadette Duffy was third in her F65 category. In the male veterans’ race, Brian Stewart was second in his M70 category, while Joe Gallagher was third in his M65 category. Well done to all those who participated in another successful cross country meet, hosted by Mallusk Harriers. 

Mathieson Cup: Men’s 8k Race 

Position	Bib	Name	Category	Category Position	Time
6	313	John Black	M35	1	28:10
23	317	James Trainor	M35	7	29:51
25	309	Eoin McConnell	U20	3	30:03
26	318	Matthew McNutt	M35	8	30:07
30	312	Brendan McCambridge	M	16	30:12
33	321	Matthew McCombe	M	17	30:56
34	316	John Kearney	M	18	30:56
40	314	Ian Keys	M	19	31:21
46	315	Andrew Newell	M	20	31:38
53	308	Michael Lamont	M	22	31:50
60	319	Neil Carty	M55	4	32:16
124	320	Colin Willetts	M40	18	37:35
140	307	Kevin Crossley	M50	16	39:19
166	311	Gerry Anderson	M55	22	46:33

Mathieson Shield: Women’s and Male Vet’s 6k Race 

Position	Bib	Name	Category	Category Position	Time
1	116	Sarah McNutt	F	1	23:02
16	95	Natasha Henderson	F	9	25:47
21	108	April Clarke	F	10	26:17
22	108	Moira Leheny	F45	3	26:19
34	210	Joe Gallagher	M65	3	26:55
37	107	Emily McRitchie	U20	3	27:03
42	96	Fionnuala O’Hare	F	15	27:37
55	99	Una McConnell	F45	9	28:38
70	114	Brian Stewart	M70	2	29:25
101	105	Estelle Lowry	F35	9	31:30
102	103	Alina Biskupska	F40	13	31:31
103	115	Greg McClure	M65	4	31:45
111	100	John Casey	M65	5	32:36
119	110	Emma Taylor	F40	17	33:06
120	106	Donna McLaughlin	F50	13	33:09
125	97	Lorraine Hibburt	F50	15	33:43
152	98	Stephanie Coy	F45	27	36:00
154	102	Karen McClean	F55	9	36:55
167	104	Franses Stroud	F40	24	38:45
168	109	Gillian Roden	F40	25	39:04
177	111	Aoife McCaughey	F35	13	40:19
181	113	Orlaith Duffy	F	34	42:34
183	112	Bernadette Duffy	F65	3	43:13

Andrew Milligan sets a New North Belfast Harriers 10k Record at the Valencia Ibercaja 10k, Sunday 12 January 

Andrew Milligan raced in the Valencia 10k setting a new club record of 29 min: 13 sec, beating the previous record of 29 min: 12 sec, that was set by Stephen Scullion some 15 years ago. The race annually attracts 15,000 runners to test themselves on the roads at the Spanish city. Amongst a very fast field, Andrew finished in 99^th place. Congratulation Andrew on starting the year in style, with a real statement of intent for 2025! 

Parkruns, Saturday 11^th January  

Towards the end of the week locally the paths,roads and parks began to thaw. However some residual patches of ice and slush caused some Parkruns to be cancelled for safety reasons, whilst at other venues, such as the Waterworks, amendments to the course were deemed necessary. Despite the conditions, as always, members of North Belfast Harriers turned out in force, at many a Parkrun course locally and in more distant locations, to partake in the camaraderie, craic and convivial collective engagement, that are at the core of every Saturday Parkrun.  

Worth a special mention this week are Ryan Moore and Neil Mercer, who were first finishers, Fionnuala O’Hare, who was a first female and Andrew Newell, who was a second finisher. Also congratulations to Eimear O’Regan and Emmett Sullivan, who recorded new PBs on their respective courses. 

Well done to all those who participated, the runners and especially the volunteers, without whom the events could not be staged. 

Waterworks Parkrun 

Position	Name	Age Grade	Time	Remarks
1	Ryan Moore	77.17%	17:49	First Finisher
4	Brandon Mcminn	71.80%	17:58
6	Oscar Purvis	73.04%	18:29
13	Dara Cassidy	68.16%	20:06
14	John Gerard Murphy	75.12%	20:38
15	Thomas McLaughlin	69.51%	20:43
27	Fionnuala O’Hare	66.87%	22:08	First Female
30	Peter Dolan	61.17%	22:19
45	Frank Hughes	66.23%	23:00
47	Sean McShane	63.81%	23:18
53	Seamus Leheny	61.12%	23:45
55	Joe Gallagher	70.56%	24:00
65	Gavin McCaffrey	52.23%	24:42
66	Matthew McCombe	53.07%	24:43
67	Piaras McShane	51.81%	24:54
68	Matt Shields	70.67%	24:57
70	Brendan McCambridge	51.63%	24:59
71	Sean McShane Jr	51.60%	25:00
84	Michelle McLoughlin	61.00%	25:36
88	Matthew Purvis	51.95%	25:40
89	Nicky Hagan	52.37%	25:41
92	John Casey	67.66%	25:46
105	Catriona McCambridge	57.15%	26:20
120	Paddy McCambridge	60.47%	26:59
131	Gerry Anderson	56.95%	27:27
137	Philip McIlwrath	52.65%	28:01
139	Orán Steel	48.58%	28:12
143	Martin Rafferty	50.85%	28:19
153	Jim Clinton	57.63%	28:50
163	Catherine Seawright	57.26%	29:17
165	Frances Stroud	53.30%	29:18
176	Patrick Hamill	53.09%	29:57
177	Stella Harrison	68.65%	29:59
192	Katie-Louise Goodfellow	55.89%	31:24
193	Derek Goodfellow	45.46%	31:25
198	Grainne Stephens	46.79%	31:40
203	Jason Reid	42.16%	31:54
207	Gillian Roden	48.89%	32:11
209	Jack Carberry	66.86%	32:14
210	Thomas McKinstry	48.91%	32:14
212	Martin McLarnon	45.35%	32:16
220	Margaret Stephens	62.07%	32:39
221	Sandy Carr	48.19%	32:39
226	Evelyn Palmer	61.32%	33:03
238	David Waugh	51.96%	33:56
250	Bernadette Duffy	58.76%	35:34
259	Kathleen Montgomery	53.05%	38:48
263	Cathy Scullion	41.68%	39:16
267	Eadaoin Kelly	35.19%	42:46
281	Rosy Ryan	32.89%	50:59
283	Denis Loughran	41.67%	51:43
282	Paul Williams	31.29%	51:43
284	Roy Rainey	29.96%	51:44

Belfast Victoria Parkrun 

Position	Name	Age Grade	Time	Remarks
64	Mason Mercer	68.25%	22:25
115	Ray Cameron	58.18%	25:09

Falls Parkrun 

Position	Name	Age Grade	Time	Remarks
1	Neil Mercer	75.17%	19:28	First Timer and First Finisher

Enniskillen Parkrun 

Position	Name	Age Grade	Time	Remarks
10	Thomas Coy		23:13
13	Dermot Coy		23:26

Ormeau Parkrun 

Position	Name	Age Grade	Time	Remarks
32	Martin Rea	68.06%	21:30
33	Gerard McNamara	69.69%	21:30
35	Eimear O’Regan	72.93%	21:33	New PB
36	Matthew Carleton	59.81%	21:34
247	John Davidson	57.73%	26:51
662	Paul Lavery	37.57%	45:28

Carrickfergus Parkrun 

Position	Name	Age Grade	Time	Remarks
2	Andrew Newell	69.98%	18:09	Second Finisher

Poolbeg Parkrun 

Position	Name	Age Grade	Time	Remarks
208	Tony Reid	54.98%	29:26	First Timer

Orangefield Parkrun 

Position	Name	Age Grade	Time	Remarks
13	James Trainor	59.96%	22:45
88	Fergus Jamison	41.90%	37:57

Westpark Parkrun 

Position	Name	Age Grade	Time	Remarks
58	Glenn Beattie	52.26%	24:41

Coole Parkrun 

Position	Name	Age Grade	Time	Remarks
18	Emmett Sullivan	65.04%	24:53	New PB