July 2016 parkrun round-up

2nd July

There were three parkrun PBs at Carrickfergus on 2nd with Thomas Dunlop (24:10), Heather Haggan (24:19) and Nicola Dunlop (30:29).  Others in attendance included Richard Craig, Jonathan Preuss, William Jenkins, Ryan Weatherhead, Jonathon Bell, Colin McCrum, Julie-Ann Mitchell, Allan Grant, Neill Harper and Karen Waring.

Allan Grant even completed the course with his arm in plaster.  I can’t decide if that shows determination or stupidity?  Hmmm.

The big event of the week (if not the month or even the year) was the Glenda Murray vs. Derek Kane showdown for the 22 challenge finish.

Derek Kane completed his 22nd different NI parkrun of 2016 at a very wet Derry City.  He was accompanied by Trevor Lamb (1st run at Derry), Alan Poag (1st run at Derry), Michael Kane (1st run at Derry) and Susan Kane (with a course PB 30:18).

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The ‘We bring our own cake’ group at Derry’s cakerun
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Trevor Lamb at Derry
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Alan Poag at Derry
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Derek Kane finishing his 22nd different NI parkrun of 2016 at Derry
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Michael Kane at Derry

While Glenda Murray attended Cookstown for her 22nd different NI parkrun in 2016.  Alas, even the bad weather didn’t deter her from finishing.

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Glenda Murray also had cake and a nice wee t-shirt for finishing the 22 challenge first

Also in attendance where Robert Murray (1st run at Cookstown), Nikita Murray (1st run at Cookstown), Alison Welsh (1st run at Cookstown), Geraldine Kane (1st run at Cookstown) and Lorraine Ogilby (with a parkrun PB of 31:39).

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The ‘we also bring our own cake’ group at Cookstown. Glenda’s showing off her t-shirt
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What is it with Seaparkers being overtaken by kids?
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Don’t we look cool when the kid’s out of shot

Nicola Irvine was 1st Lady home (while achieving a parkrun PB of 24:44) at Limavady.  Bobbie Irvine was also in attendance to cheer her on.

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Limavady Selfie

Elsewhere in NI Gary Craig attended his first run at Victoria and Ronald Simms returned to Wallace.

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Look for a hat and it’ll be Simmsy

Karen McMaster attended the infamous Highbury Fields parkrun in London for the first time.  It’s infamous for being one of the few parkruns with five laps.  You can get lapped twice if you’re not fast enough (three if you’re me).

However, the prize for parkurn tourist goes to Ian Cleland and Sara Johnston for attending the Clermont Waterfront in the USA.  Both attended for the 1st time and Ian took 2nd place.

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Ian and Sara in the USA

9th July

Richard Craig took the top spot at Carrickfergus on 9th.  He was followed by William Jenkins, Jonathan Beattie, Jonathon Bell, Robert Steele, Thomas Dunlop (with a parkrun PB of 23:22), Catherine Steele (with a parkrun PB of 26:14), Colin McCrum, Jacqui Coghlan, Derek Kane, Marie Nicholson, Susan Kane and Neill Harper.

The main bulk of the 22 group went to K2, sorry Armagh.  You know it’s a hard one when Bobbie Irvine says it tough.

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You can tell this is the before picture at Armagh as everyone’s smiling

Bobbie Irvine was the first Seaparker over the line and was followed by Nicole Irvine (with a course PB of 25:01), Trevor Lamb (1st run at Armagh), Alan Poag (1st run at Armagh), Karen Waring (1st run at Armagh), Mark Welsh (1st run at Armagh and running under protest) and Alison Welsh (1st run at Armagh).  It may have been at this point that Mark ‘Weak Link’ Welsh decided to drop out of the NI 22 parkrun challenge.  More on that later.

A splinter 22 group went to Bangor.  They included Robert Murray (1st run at Bangor), Nikita Murray (1st run at Bangor) and Glenda Murray (with a course PB 31:48).

Rebecca Tester attended her 1st run at Comber while Julie Kelly did the same at Larne.  Both adding another notch to their 22 parkrun challenges.

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Julie Kelly and her hair breezing though Larne

Richard Hetherington returned to Portrush and Brendan Rice gave Victoria another try.

And over on the mainland Allan Grant tried his first Gateshead parkrun.

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Allan ‘Gotta kept the parkrunning up’ Grant at Gateshead

16th

It was Ian Cleland’s turn to take the 1st spot at Carrickfergus on 16th.  He was followed by Charlie McCormick, Brendan Rice (with a course PB 20:03), William Jenkins, Robert Steele, Andrew Smyth, Carol Woods, Julie-Ann Mitchell and Julie Marshall.

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Charlie McCormick showing of his 50th parkrun t-shirt
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Brendan Rice with a course PB at Carrickfergus
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William Jenkins at Carrickfergus
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Andrew Smyth at Carrickfergus

11 other NI parkruns where attended by Seapark AC on 16th.

Antrim – Nikita Murray (1st run at Antrim), Glenda Murray, Michael Kane (1st run at Antrim) and Geraldine Kane (1st run at Antrim).

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Michael ‘Don’t call me Robert Murray’ Kane’s not going to let that kid overtake him.
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Glenda ‘There’s no way I’m taken a break until I get to 100’ Murray at Antrim

Colin Glen – Bobbie Irvine, Philip Poag (1st run at Colin Glen), Karen Poag (1st run at Colin Glen) and Nicola Irvine (1st run at Colin Glen).

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Bobbie Irvine found the only downhill spot at Colin Glen
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Philip Poag at Colin Glen
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Karen Poag and Rory Poag at Colin Glen
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Nicola ‘Now I’ve did the same amount of NI parkruns this year as Bobbie’ Irvine

Cookstown – Karen Waring (1st run at Cookstown).

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Karen ‘I need a throne to sit on after that’ Waring at Cookstown

Limavady – Rebecca Tester (1st run at Limavady), Derek Kane and Susan Kane.

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The Limavady gang
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Derek Kane with his 22 winners t-shirt and Beccki Tester
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Susan Kane at Limavady

Stormont – Robert Murray (with a course PB of 20:22).

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Robert ‘Of course I’m going to get a course PB as the only other time I’ve done this was when I was pacing Trevor’ Murray at Stormont
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Robert ‘At least there’s no kids about’ Murray again at Stormont

Bangor – Allan Grant.

Falls – Gary Craig (1st run at Falls) and Julie Kelly (1st run at Falls with a parkrun PB of 27:47).

Ormeau – Alan Poag (1st run at Ormeau) and Karen McMaster.

Valley – Alyn McChesney.

Victoria – Ann McCracken.

Waterworks 300th parkrun – Richard Craig, Heather Haggan and Trevor Lamb.

We might have got another two but Patrick Hughes went to Killarney (1st run at Killarney) and Colin McCrum went to Castlebar (1st run at Castlebar).

23rd

Richard Craig took the top spot for the second time this month at Carrickfergus on 23rd.  He was followed by Bobbie Irvine, Jonathon Bell, Philip Poag, Nicola Irvine (with a course PB of 25:58), Karen Waring (with a course PB of 26:23 on her 50th parkrun), Karen Poag, Carol Woods, Marie Nicholson, Karen McMaster, Neill Harper, Geraldine Kane (with a course PB of 31:37) and Carol Downey (who’s been tapering for this timed run all year).

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Karen Poag is smiling because she slipped some beetroot in the cake
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Neill Harper is showing of his new top
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A nice wee t-shirt for Karen Waring
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Karen ‘The faster I run, the faster I can get to the cake’ Warning
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Karen’s confusing the cake with an ex boyfriend
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Action shot of Karen Waring at her 50th parkrun

It was Robert Murray’s 100th parkrun on 23rd so a group of Seaparkers went to Cookstown to support him.

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The Murrays at Cookstown again (and yes, they brought their own cake again)

Robert Murray was the first Seaparker home (with a course PB of 19:44 on his 100th parkrun) and he was followed by Alan Poag (1st run at Cookstown), Trevor Lamb (1st run at Cookstown), Nikita Murray (with a course PB of 28:23), Rebecca Tester (1st run at Cookstown), Glenda Murray (with a course PB of 29:02) and Michael Kane (1st run at Cookstown and mocked by a sheep as he went around the course).  The sheep went Ha Ha (there’s no way it was Ba Ba) every time Michael passed it.

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Michael’s still having nightmares about the sheep
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The Cookstown group at Robert’s 100th parkrun

Elsewhere Allan Grant took a trip to Derry, Richard Hetherington attended Portrush, William Jenkins went to Valley, Alison Welsh completed her 1st timed run at Wallace and Colin McCrum returned to the Gunpower parkrun.  I wanted to say ‘with a bang’ for that one but unfortunately Colin didn’t even get a course PB so I can’t.

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Alison ‘I don’t need Mark, just my sunglasses’ Welsh at Wallace

30th July.

It was the first Seapark AC 10 mile handicap at 10:00 so not much parkrunning was going on, but a few still attended a parkrun.

Bobbie Irvine messed up his 10 mile handicap by being the first Seaparker home at Carrickfergus parkurn.  He was followed by Allan Grant, Ruth Hawkins, Danielle Hamilton, Karen McMaster and Toma Gerasimaite (with a parkrun PB of 33:52).

Three members of the 22 club went to Queens.  Trevor Lamb, Michael Kane (1st run at Queens) & Glenda Murray.  Nikita Murray (1st run at Queens) also attended.

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Queens selfie group

Michael had Trevor in his sights for the first 3K, however he wasted that much energy trying to overtake him that by the 3K point he was spent.  He never caught up with him in the end and he was thinking it’s just a pity that a parkruns weren’t 3K.  All I’m going to say is that he can always try a junior parkrun.

While another two members of the 22 club went to Limavady.  Derek Kane and Alan Poag (1st run at Limavady).  Susan Kane was also in attendance.

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The Limavady group

And finally for the month Kate Delaney went to Antrim for the 1st time while Ann McCracken attended Victoria.

Race to 100

Karen McMaster (AKA Team Chair) is at 91 parkruns as off 30/07/16.
Glenda Murray (AKA Team Devious) is at 89 parkruns as off 30/07/16.
Trevor Lamb (AKA Team Wolf) is at 88 parkruns as off 30/07/16.
Allan Grant (AKA Team Barcode) is at 84 parkruns as off 30/07/16.

Official hashtag #Raceto100.

Seapark charity parkrun challenge

Team Blue for the boys and Team Pink for the girls.

Unfortunately Mark Welsh had to drop out of the 22 parkrun challenge for materialistic reasons.  It seems that overtime is more important than parkrun.  Tut tut.  To avoid an automatic forfeit by Team Blue it was decided by both parties that the remaining members of Team Blue will need to complete the rest of Mark’s parkuns.  Only one can be counted per week, and only if said person has already completed it themselves for their own challenge.

Robert Murray completed the first of these by doing Cookstown on 23/07/16 and Trevor Lamb did the second by doing Queens on 30/07/16.

As of 30/07/16 there are 23 parkruns left to the end of the year (if you count Christmas Day).

Team Blue
Derek Finished, Bobbie 1, Robert 2, Trevor 2, Alan 2, Allan 6, Michael 8 and Mark (to be completed by the rest of Team Blue) 10 = 31.

Team Pink
Glenda Finished, Nicola 1, Karen 3, Alison 6, Rebecca 7, Julie 10 and Geraldine 10 = 37.

Derek Kane (22)
Completed and 1st Make Winner.

Glenda Murray (22)
Completed and 1st Female Winner.

Bobbie Irvine (21)
Antrim, Armagh, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Cookstown, Citypark, Colin Glen, Comber, Derry, Ecos, Enniskillen, Falls, Larne, Limavady, Ormeau, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.

Nicola Irvine (21)
Antrim, Armagh, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Citypark, Colin Glen, Comber, Cookstown, Derry, Ecos, Enniskillen, Falls, Larne, Limavady, Ormeau, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.

Trevor Lamb (20)
Antrim, Armagh, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Comber, Cookstown, Derry, Ecos, Enniskillen, Falls, Larne, Limavady, Ormeau, Portrush, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.

Robert Murray (20)
Antrim, Armagh, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Colin Glen, Cookstown, Craigavon, Derry, Ecos, Enniskillen, Falls, Larne, Limavady, Portrush, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.

Alan Poag (20)
Antrim, Armagh, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Colin Glen, Cookstown, Craigavon, Derry, Ecos, Falls, Larne, Limavady, Ormeau, Portrush, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.

Karen Waring (19)
Antrim, Armagh, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Colin Glen, Comber, Cookstown, Craigavon, Ecos, Enniskillen, Falls, Ormeau, Portrush, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.

Allan Grant (16)
Antrim, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Colin Glen, Comber, Cookstown, Derry, Larne, Ormeau, Portrush, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.

Alison Welsh (16)
Armagh, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Comber, Cookstown, Ecos, Enniskillen, Falls, Limavady, Ormeau, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.

Rebecca Tester (15)
Antrim, Armagh, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Colin Glen, Comber, Cookstown, Craigavon, Ecos, Enniskillen, Falls, Larne, Limavady, Ormeau & Victoria.

Michael Kane (14)
Antrim, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Comber, Cookstown, Derry, Ecos, Enniskillen, Limavady, Ormeau, Queens, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.

Geraldine Kane (12)
Antrim, Carrickfergus, Cookstown, Ecos, Enniskillen, Limavady, Ormeau, Queens, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.

Julie Kelly (12)
Bangor, Carrickergus, Comber, Ecos, Enniskillen, Falls, Larne, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria & Waterworks.

Team Blue AKA Mark Welsh (12)
Armagh (Mark’s last one), Bangor, Comber, Cookstown (Robert), Ecos, Enniskillen, Falls, Limavady, Ormeau, Queens (Trevor), Valley & Victoria.

The two charities are Brainwaves NI and Macmillian Cancer Support. Remember that if each of the two charities reaches the £2500 target then Michael Kane and Trevor Lamb will get their legs waxed and then run a 10K with nice waxed legs. You know that the suffering of others will make you feel better so dig deep.

https://www.justgiving.com/teams/seapark

Official hashtag #AllNIparkruns2016.

Andy’s parkrun challenge 2016.

March saw the return of Andy’s parkrun challenge. Between 26/03/16-29/10/16 participants have 32 weeks to complete three different parkruns, plus volunteer at Carrickfergus (and wear a hi viz vest) at least once. The parkruns are Carrickfergus, Larne and the third one will be any of the participants own choosing. Age grade percentage will decide the winner.