As the nights draw in, Harriers continued to train and race this week in many scenic locations from Carlingford to Finland!
Mill Hill Mile – Tuesday 2nd September
The 38th running of the Mill Hill Mile took place under calm skies and dry conditions—ideal weather for the North’s most iconic uphill sprint. First held in 1987, the race has become a staple of the local athletics calendar, with only one interruption in its history: the 2020 cancellation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic (words from Sam McNeilly, Newcastle AC). This year’s race saw a strong turn-out including one Harrier, James Trainor, who placed 4th in an impressive time of 6:02.9, winning his age category in the process!
Finlandia Five – Friday 5th September
Part of the larger Finlandia Marathon Festival held annually in Jyväskylä, this scenic 5km route took participants around Lake Jyväsjärvi, offering beautiful views of nature on the “flat and fast” route. Chris Callaghan was the sole representative for the club, reaching the Finnish line (pun intended) in 36:21. Well done, Chris!
Photo courtesy of Chris Callaghan
Ards 5 Mile – Friday 5th September
Organised by Scrabo Striders, this popular race fixture was attended by three Harriers. The route heads out from Londonderry Park along the picturesque Portaferry Road, taking a left up Finlays Road onto Bowtown Road and finishing back in Londonderry Park. First home for the club was Colin Willets, followed by Sarah-Jane McFadden who secured herself a stunning 2nd place on the female podium, with Jason Reid completing the trio.
| Name | Time |
| Colin Willets | 31:57 |
| Sarah-Jane McFadden | 32:08 |
| Jason Reid | 41:28 |
Photos courtesy of Jason Reid and Scrabo Striders Running Club Facebook
Dromara Drumlins 10k – Saturday 6th September
Hosted by Dromara GAC in Association with the NI Hospice, this brand new scenic and challenging course started from Dromara GAC and continued around the undulating local roads, allowing runners to “take in the beautiful surroundings and raise money for a worthy cause.” Neil Carty represented the club, coming 3rd place in an unofficial time of 41 minutes 56 seconds. Well done, Neil!
Photo courtesy of Dromara GAC Facebook
Break 4 the Border Half Marathon & 10k – Saturday 6th September
This inaugural Born2Run event offered runners the rare chance to cross the border entirely on foot, as they travelled from Northern Ireland into the Republic of Ireland while soaking up some of the most spectacular views the island has to offer. Set against the breath-taking backdrop of the newly completed Greenway between Newry and Carlingford, this event tempted ten Harriers across both distances. Great running from all involved!
10K Results
| Name | Time |
| John Casey | 55:25 |
| Colm Smyth | 1:07:00 |
| Cathy Scullion | 1:11:19 |
| Michelle Harkley | 1:17:12 |
| Alun Rolph | 1:29:07 |
Half Marathon Results
| Name | Time |
| Moira Leheny | 1:34:15 |
| Sandy Carr | 1:53:09 |
| Alina Biskupska | 1:57:39 |
| Lorraine Hibburt | 2:06:53 |
| Derek & Katie-Louise Goodfellow | 2:24:55 |
Waterside Half Marathon – Sunday 7th September
A record field of over 3,000 runners took part in the 42nd edition of this event, organised by Derry City and Strabane District Council, were hundreds of athletes raised money and awareness for their chosen causes. The challenging figure of eight route took in the city’s greenway network and bridges around the banks of the River Foyle. Ryan Moore ran a brilliant race, placing 20th in a time of 1:18:31.
Great North Run – Sunday 7th September
Approximately 60,000 people took on the 44th staging of the world’s biggest half marathon on Sunday morning, running the famous route from Newcastle Upon Tyne to South Shields. As the sun shone and the Red Arrows roared overhead, three Harriers lapped up the atmosphere and completed the route. Well done to all!
| Name | Time |
| Maurice Palmer | 2:09:44 |
| Kate Montgomery | 2:58:18 |
| Nuala Mahon | 3:06:35 |
Laganside 10k – Sunday 7th September
Sunday afternoon saw the return of our own annual club event, Laganside 10k. Over 1,100 participants took on the relatively flat circuit as they journeyed along the banks of the River Lagan and navigated the paths of Ormeau Park. 65 of our own club members took part, tackling the route in drizzly conditions, however this didn’t appear to adversely affect their performances, with many achieving great Personal Best times, ringing the PB bell at the finish line!
Notable mentions to Mark Cornett and Eoin McConnell, who placed impressively in the top 10 of a hugely competitive field, with Sarah McNutt topping the female podium in style, followed by Gladys Ganiel placing 4th place. Well done to all the runners, organisers and volunteers, who contributed their time and energy into making this year’s event such a great success.
It is safe to say that North Belfast Harriers shone as a club today in the absence of sunshine on the day!
| Name | Time |
| Mark Cornett | 33:13 |
| Eoin McConnell | 33:33 |
| Oscar Purvis | 34:42 |
| Sarah McNutt | 36:30 |
| Matthew McNutt | 36:33 |
| Michael Lamont | 36:51 |
| Gladys Ganiel | 37:25 |
| Andrew Newell | 37:54 |
| Paddy McAuley | 38:09 |
| Arran Rutledge | 38:22 |
| Adam McCleave | 39:08 |
| Louise Smith | 39:48 |
| Dermot Coy | 40:03 |
| Laurence Johnston | 40:37 |
| Dara Cassidy | 40:31 |
| Holly Collins | 41:31 |
| Frank Hughes | 41:28 |
| John Murphy | 41:48 |
| Matt Sheilds | 42:13 |
| David Kennedy | 43:09 |
| Sean McCafferty | 43:15 |
| Simon Reeve | 44:22 |
| Geoff Dickson | 44:59 |
| Kieran Quinn | 45:25 |
| Bo Morrison | 45:52 |
| Brian Stewart | 46:37 |
| Una McConnell | 46:54 |
| Conor Henry | 47:20 |
| Martin Doherty | 47:42 |
| Matthew Carleton | 49:19 |
| Estelle Lowry | 50:29 |
| Sean-Paul Donnelly | 50:55 |
| Catriona McCambridge | 51:50 |
| Fiona Magill | 51:58 |
| Stephanie Coy | 52:08 |
| Mark Brooks | 54:41 |
| Martin Rafferty | 54:57 |
| Robyn Thompson | 54:47 |
| Paddy McCambridge | 55:29 |
| Brendan McConnell | 55:32 |
| Thomas Norton | 55:34 |
| Joanne Boal | 56:10 |
| Lindsay Bell | 57:00 |
| Fiona Sharratt | 57:04 |
| Joanne Curran | 57:01 |
| Niamh McMillan | 57:03 |
| Patrick Hamill | 57:46 |
| Heather Griffiths | 58:27 |
| Clare Curran | 58:05 |
| Rachel Aicken | 58:11 |
| Frances Stroud | 58:23 |
| Maria Lynch | 58:23 |
| Sophie Scott | 59:22 |
| Lisa Higgins | 59:11 |
| Neve Johnston | 1:00:06 |
| Victoria Goodfellow | 1:03:48 |
| Leanne McConnell | 1:04:24 |
| Colm Smyth | 1:06:15 |
| Sharon Courtney | 1:09:04 |
| Christine Graham | 1:10:05 |
| Naoimhin Angil | 1:11:26 |
| Christine Rainey | 1:11:05 |
| Philip McIlwrath | 1:11:11 |
| Catherine Beatty | 1:14:51 |
| Denise Fuenzalida | 1:17:23 |
Photos courtesy of Joe Gallagher and Jason Reid
Parkrun
86 Harriers took part in Parkruns near and far this week, along with many others who contributed their time to volunteer and help these events go ahead!
| Finsbury Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 5 | Conor O’RAWE | 18:03 | |
| Waterworks Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Cormac LEHENY | 16:56 | 1st Male |
| 11 | John Gerard MURPHY | 21:13 | |
| 29 | Thomas MCLAUGHLIN | 22:59 | |
| 35 | Simon REEVE | 23:18 | |
| 40 | Adam MCCLEAVE | 23:51 | |
| 44 | Kieran QUINN | 24:00 | |
| 52 | Joseph GALLAGHER | 24:29 | |
| 53 | Oisin CALDWELL | 24:34 | New PB! |
| 61 | Georgia OSHAUGHNESSY | 24:52 | |
| 75 | Ruby Mae MCLAUGHLIN | 25:42 | New PB! |
| 78 | Sophia KIELTY | 25:57 | New PB! |
| 79 | Michelle MCLOUGHLIN | 25:58 | |
| 86 | Niamh MCMILLAN | 26:09 | |
| 90 | Emmett SULLIVAN | 26:18 | |
| 91 | Ryan MOORE | 26:25 | |
| 94 | Greg MCCLURE | 26:50 | |
| 107 | Conor HENRY | 27:36 | |
| 109 | Gerry ANDERSON | 27:39 | |
| 113 | Martin DOHERTY | 27:53 | |
| 116 | Paul WILLIAMS | 27:56 | |
| 122 | Lindsay BELL | 28:17 | |
| 123 | Patrick HAMILL | 28:19 | |
| 126 | Frances STROUD | 28:31 | |
| 131 | Grainne STEPHENS | 28:53 | |
| 132 | Tony REID | 28:54 | |
| 162 | Gillian RODEN | 30:11 | |
| 165 | Joanne BOAL | 30:23 | |
| 168 | Jack CARBERRY | 30:33 | |
| 172 | Stella HARRISON | 30:50 | |
| 174 | David WAUGH | 30:57 | New PB! |
| 176 | Bernadette DUFFY | 31:23 | |
| 184 | Paul JENKINS | 32:04 | |
| 193 | Eva MCLOUGHLIN | 32:44 | |
| 199 | Eadaoin KELLY | 33:16 | |
| 202 | Matthew PURVIS | 33:45 | |
| 206 | Jason REID | 34:02 | |
| 216 | Aisling DOHERTY | 36:07 | |
| 231 | Liam DANIEL | 43:50 | |
| 242 | Philomena DONALDSON | 52:04 | |
| 244 | Catherine CARLETON | 58:20 | |
| 245 | Paula O’REILLY | 58:20 | |
| 249 | Lyle CARLETON | 01:03:21 | |
| Belfast Victoria Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 13 | Niall ARMSTRONG | 17:46 | |
| 48 | Roma DOHERTY | 20:04 | |
| 65 | Fionnuala O’HARE | 21:28 | |
| Queen’s Parkrun, Belfast | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 152 | Vincent BRADLEY | 36:10 | |
| Citypark Parkrun, Craigavon | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 16 | Stephen MCCULLOUGH | 20:46 | |
| 46 | Debbie MCCONNELL | 23:14 | 3rd Female |
| 105 | Declan LIGGETT | 26:12 | |
| Ormeau Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 221 | John DAVIDSON | 27:17 | |
| Larne Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 24 | James TOPPING | 24:49 | |
| 53 | Greg LAVERY | 01:03:54 | |
| Carrickfergus Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Andrew NEWELL | 18:55 | 1st Male |
| Valley Parkrun, Newtownabbey | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 1 | Colin MCDOWELL | 19:06 | 1st Male |
| 2 | Mark SMITH | 21:01 | 2nd Male |
| 41 | David JOHNSTON | 29:19 | |
| Colin Glen Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 19 | Jim CLINTON | 35:49 | |
| Hasenheide Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 101 | Ann CRAVEN | 27:59 | |
| 173 | Paul MC CUSKER | 33:46 | |
| Orangefield Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 81 | Fergus JAMISON | 35:09 | |
| Westpark Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 117 | Glenn BEATTIE | 29:58 | |
| Royal Canal Parkrun, Kilcock | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 20 | Ray CAMERON | 22:20 | New PB! |
| Sixmilewater Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 3 | Emily MCRITCHIE | 19:34 | 1st Female |
| 19 | Rory KANE | 22:16 | |
| Leazes Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 172 | Maurice PALMER | 29:43 | |
| 268 | Evelyn PALMER | 35:36 | |
| University of Stirling Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 122 | Gavin MCCAFFREY | 29:40 | |
| Lews Castle Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 1 | James TRAINOR | 19:35 | 1st Male |
| Peel Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 145 | Niamh O NEILL | 24:41 | |
| Porch Field Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 17 | Kevin LAVERY | 26:08 | |
| Paisley Park Parkrun | |||
| Position | Parkrunner | Time | Notes |
| 18 | Philip MCILWRATH | 27:20 | |
| 34 | Mark BROOKS | 31:04 | |
| 36 | Lynn MURRAY | 32:00 | |
| 50 | Rosy RYAN | 52:55 | |