Donore Harriers
ESTD 1893
Latest News
08.07.08
Newtownards Half Marathon
The inaugural Newtownards Half Marathon was held on Friday 4th July. Five athletes from Donore, Fred Kiernan, Gerard Mc Donald, Andrew Downes, Andrew Rodgers and Tony Casey made the trip up north to compete in a field of 600 competitiors.
It was a tough course with many hills both on the outward leg and the return leg. The outward leg followed many undulations and took the athletes from Newtownards along the edge of the scenic Scrabo Hill, (a hill topped with and observatory and overlooking Newtownards). The return leg saw the athletes coming back again by Scrabo Hill on a different route but bringing them over yet many more hills to return back to the original race start point.
First home was Fred Kiernan with a solid and well respectable 86min placing him 24th overall. He was followed very shortly by Gerard Mc Donald in 90mins, then by Andrew Downes (96mins) and Andrew Rodgers (99mins).
Tony Casey retired at 7 miles still struggling with an injury and not fully fit but keen not to miss out on a great day of racing.
All athletes agreed it was a very trying course and Pauline Curley (9th place finish) agreed it was a very trying half marathon and probably her hardest yet. Joseph Mbithi of Kenya won the men's event in a time of 69mins and Caroline Kilpl was the winner of the women's race in 76mins, both times well outside their best a testament to a very difficult and challenging course.
Andy Downes
