7th May.
Carrickfergus on 7th May was attended by Richard Craig, Ryan Weatherhead (with a parkrun PB of 19:25 on his 50th parkrun), Ian Cleland, Clive Weatherhead, Richard Hethering, Brendan Rice, Jonathan Beattie, Jonathan Preuss, Andrew Smyth, Philip Poag, Neill Harper and Beverley Kernoghan.
The original plan for the 22 group was to head to Colin Glen (since it’s the year of hills and all) but the thought of that scared some people and they backed out at the last moment (insert your own PG expletive here). Those that embraced the hill at Colin Glen were Bobbie Irvine (with a course PB of 19:57), Paul Daniels (1st run at Colin Glen), Allan Grant (1st run at Colin Glen), Derek Kane (1st run at Colin Glen), Alan Poag (1st run at Colin Glen) and Susan Kane (1st run at Colin Glen).
While the hill challenged group decided to go to Comber instead. They consisted off Mark Welsh (1st run at Comber), Alison Welsh (1st run at Comber), Julie Kelly (parkrun PB of 27:51 at her 1st run at Comber) and Michael Kane (1st run at Comber). They should have just ripped that band aid off as they still need to go to Colin Glen to complete the 22 challenge.
Rebecca Tester had planned to go to the Falls parkrun on 7th but on route she and Conor Sheridan had a little scare as they got a flat tire. They were both okay and managed to fix the tire but being hard-core parkrun participants it didn’t deter them from completing a parkrun. They had worked out the nearest parkrun to them at that time was Ormeau so they headed there, making it just in time (or JIT for the Economists among you) for Rebecca’s 1st run at Ormeau. Lucky for them the Ormeau briefing ran long.
Elsewhere there was Karen Waring on her 1st run at Falls, Ann McCracken (with a course PB of 28:19) and Karen McMaster (with a parkrun PB of 29:05) at Queens, Colin McCrum at the Victoria cakerun, Gary Craig and Ross Gillmore at Waterworks, Robert Steel on his 1st run at Kilkenny and Gavin Irvine at Hull.
14th May.
There were a few PBs at Carrickfergus on 14th. In attendance were Richard Craig, Charlie McCormick (with a course PB of 19:09), William Jenkins, Ryan Weatherhead, Jonathan Beattie, Clive Weatherhead, Jonathon Bell (parkrun PB of 21:47), Richard Hetherington, Philip Poag, Sara Johnston (parkrun PB of 26:34), Jessica Lyness (parkrun PB of 27:33), Catherine Steele (parkrun PB of 27:42), Gemma Lovell, Julie Lyness, Neill Harper and Susan Kane.
Some of the 22 group made it to the Falls parkrun (and would you Adam and Eve it there were not one, but two cakes). Those that had a slice included Robert Murray (1st run at Falls), Alan Poag (1st run at Falls), Trevor Lamb, Glenda Murray (1st run at Falls) and Rebecca Tester (1st run at Falls).
Ronald Simms completed his 1st run at Armagh prior to doing the Lislea 10K (and after doing the Les Jones 10K the night before). While at Cookstown there was Bobbie Irvine (with a course PB of 19:06) and Nicola Irvine (on her 1st run at Cookstown and with a parkrun PB of 25:09). Other parkruns attended included Colin McCrum at Portrush, Brendan Rice, Ann McCracken and Karen McMaster at Victoria, Gary Craig (with a parkrun PB of 24:13) at Waterworks and Gavin Irvine at Hull.
21st May.
Charlie McCormick was the first Seaparker to cross the finish line at Carrickfergus on 21st. He was followed by Paul Daniels, William Jenkins, Richard Hetherington, Andrew Smyth, Philip Poag, Karen Poag, Laura Laverty (with a parkrun PB of 26:10), Jessica Lyness (with another parkrun PB of 27:04), Catherine Steel (with a parkrun PB of 27:35), Karen McMaster, Alison Welsh, Neill Harper and Jonathan Beattie.
Neill turned up late but still managed to finish before Jonathan Beattie. All that cycling must be slowing Jonathan down.
It appears that no one likes cake as much as they used to as the planned road trip to Cookstown’s 3rd anniversary cakerun on 21/05/16 fell though. Most people had prior commitments (yea, yea) so instead of traveling to Cookstown on their own Trevor Lamb and Derek Kane (1st run) went to a surprisingly sunny Bangor. They should have took their sunglasses.
While that was going one Rebecca Tester completed Larne for the 2nd time, Brendan Rice returned to Victoria and at Derry we had Ian Cleland (on his 75th parkrun and 1st run at Derry), Robert Murray (1st run at Derry), Sara Johnson (1st run at Derry) and Glenda Murray (1st run at Derry) completing the parkrun prior to the Hell and Back race soon after.
Bobbie Irvine (with a parkrun PB of 19:54) and Nicola Irvine (with another parkrun PB of 26:03) both attended the Portobello parkrun in Edinburgh.
28st May.
With the Ballyclare 10K, Liverpool Rock N Roll 5K and the Kent Roadrunner Marathon all on the 28th only thirteen Seaparkers managed to complete a parkrun on 28th May.
Carrickfergus was attended by Jonathan Preuss, Richard Hetherington, Gary Craig (with a course PB of 24:52) and Julie-Ann Mitchell.
Robert Murray and Glenda Murray decided to embrace the hill at Colin Glen for the first time each.
Bobbie Irvine (with a course PB of 19:24) and Nicola Irvine (1st run at this course) ran at Bangor.
Derek Kane and Alan Poag went to Craigavon for the first time each.
Elsewhere Thomas Dunlop attended Ormeau for the first time (with a parkrun PB of 24:34) and Brendan Rice did his first timed run at Limavady.
And last but not least Karen McMaster dropped out of the Ballyclare 10K to keep her lead in the Race to 100 challenge and attended Whitley Bay for the second time (with a course PB of 28:47 + only 5 secs of her parkrun PB) instead.
Race to 100
The gap is getting a bit wider this month.
Karen McMaster (AKA Team Chair) is at 83 parkruns as off 28/05/16.
Glenda Murray (AKA Team Devious) is at 80 parkruns as off 28/05/16.
Trevor Lamb (AKA Team Wolf) is at 79 parkruns as off 18/05/16.
Allan Grant (AKA Team Barcode) is at 78 parkruns as off 28/05/16.
#Raceto100
Seapark charity 22 parkrun challenge
As of 28/05/16 there are 32 parkruns left to the end of the year (if you count Christmas Day). Plenty of time to do all 22. The bold ones are new this month.
Derek Kane (17)
Antrim, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Colin Glen, Comber, Craigavon, Ecos, Falls, Larne, Limavady, Ormeau, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.
Glenda Murray (17)
Antrim, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Colin Glen, Comber, Craigavon, Derry, Ecos, Falls, Larne, Ormeau, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.
Bobbie Irvine (16)
Antrim, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Citypark, Colin Glen, Comber, Cookstown, Ecos, Larne, Ormeau, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.
Nicola Irvine (14)
Antrim, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Citypark, Comber, Ecos, Falls, Larne, Ormeau, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria & Wallace.
Trevor Lamb (14)
Antrim, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Comber, Ecos, Falls, Larne, Ormeau, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.
Alan Poag (14)
Antrim, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Colin Glen, Craigavon, Ecos, Falls, Larne, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.
Karen Waring (14)
Antrim, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Colin Glen, Comber, Ecos, Falls, Ormeau, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.
Allan Grant (13)
Antrim, Carrickfergus, Colin Glen, Comber, Cookstown, Larne, Ormeau, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.
Robert Murray (13)
Antrim, Carrickfergus, Colin Glen, Craigavon, Derry, Ecos, Falls, Larne, Queens, Valley, Victoria, Wallace & Waterworks.
Rebecca Tester (10)
Antrim, Armagh, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Colin Glen, Ecos, Falls, Larne, Ormeau & Victoria.
Alison Welsh (10)
Bangor, Carrickfergus, Comber, Ecos, Ormeau, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria & Waterworks.
Julie Kelly (8)
Bangor, Comber, Ecos, Queens, Stormont, Valley, Victoria & Waterworks.
Michael Kane (6)
Bangor, Carrickfergus, Comber, Ecos, Victoria & Wallace.
Mark Welsh (6)
Bangor, Comber, Ecos, Ormeau, Valley & Victoria.
Geraldine Kane (5)
Ecos, Queens, Valley, Victoria & Wallace.
Colin McCrum (4)
Antrim, Carrickfergus, Portrush & 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.
#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 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.
Thanks to Nicola Irvine giving Andy Smyth the evil eye until he changed his mind anyone doing any volunteer role at Carrickfergus (while wearing a hi-viz top) will get a credit towards the challenge. Nicola was doing token support and Trevor Lamb was acting as photographer when they saw that Andy’s guidelines stated that these volunteer roles didn’t count. He soon learned his mistake and changed his mind.
#APC2016