Report by Shane Rooney: From meeting the Cops to ending up in Coppers, the Clonliffe ladies came out in force on the sunny Sunday of June 3rd to run the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon.
The Women’s Mini Marathon is the biggest all-female event in the world and a host of Clonliffers laced up to run alongside 30,000 runners, walkers and everyone in between. Those who are familiar with the WMM know that this race is not just about competing, it’s about supporting and encouraging one another, it’s about raising money for charities and it’s an opportunity to promote a healthy lifestyle.
From a Clonliffe perspective, it is a great opportunity for the training groups to come together, run together and socialise together. To quote Laura Kernan “We get to show that you can have fun while training hard….happy and healthy mind….healthy body….Clonliffe pals for life, it’s a Win Win”
The 30+ members from Team Clonliffe were led home by Sinead Hartnett (42.07), Joyce O’Hare (42.31) and Aisling Andrews (43.08), congratulations to each and everyone of athletes who did the Club and themselves proud. To celebrate this wonderful event, and to swap runners for heels, the crew took themselves to the Sport and Fitness Markievicz Centre (ask Aideen about Float Fit) where the music was pumping and the prossecco was flowing…sure a race wouldn’t be a race without some bubbles.
To mark this special annual event, Aideen wrote a poem, which I’m sure you’ll agree captures the day brilliantly.
Runners & Heels, by Aideen Brady
T’was the sunny morning of the mini marathon when Harriers woke up and said let’s get this done!
What a day for a race…
What a day for a race…
…where we can all run our own pace
Hair up, vests on and runners are laced!
Wearing the Black & Amber colours unbelievable proud
Enjoy all the shouts & cheers from our supporting crowd.
Drink plenty of water & don’t stop moving cause when we are done we will be grooving!
Medals, smiles, PB’s all around
Everyone delightful and feeling very sound!
Make up on, heels on and ready to party on the Green!
Bank Holiday Sunday it’s the place to be seen!
So let’s get ready for the fab day we have ahead
3am we will be hitting the bed!!!!
Before I sign off on this report, I’d like to give a big shout out to Mary Ketterer who was 2nd lady home in the Kinvara Half Marathon
It was also great to see Niall Gorman, who recently returned from duty, smashing the Cork Half Marathon in awesome time of 1:12:17.
Until next time, keep on running.
Shane R