Outstanding displays by Mayo runners in Glasgow
Four Mayo women at the Masters International Cross-Country in Glasgow, from left: Mary Browne, Pauline Moran, Norah Newcombe Pieterse and Mags Glavey.
Athletics: Mayo AC was proud to have three representatives selected on the Irish team that competed in the 34rd Annual British and Irish International Masters Cross-Country which took place in Tollcross Park, Glasgow last Saturday morning.
It’s always a very special weekend, with as many as 80 men’s and women’s teams from England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Ireland enjoying a friendly rivalry that has existed for the last 33 years and which was resumed in Glasgow.
The races took place over three or four laps of what was a tough 2k course.
Mayo’s world masters medallist Pauline Moran led the Irish F65 team and finished a brilliant first overall, out of a field of 39 over-65s women finishers. Her time of 25:48 was almost 40 seconds ahead of second place. Pauline won individual gold and her Irish team won silver.
Scotland took team gold with nine points (2, 3, 4) ahead of Ireland on 16 points after the next best of Pauline’s teammates finished in seventh and eight position respectively.
“I felt good and just went for it,” said Pauline Moran afterwards. She is a great competitor and a proven winner whatever the terrain – cross-country, road or track.
In the same race, Mags Glavey finished sixth overall and second F70, winning individual silver in 28.17. She was first of her Irish team home, leading them to gold with twelve points – Eileen Kenny was third and Mary Lynch seventh.
“It was a challenging course, but perfect weather after a frosty sunny morning. I’m delighted with the results,” admitted Mags.
In the very competitive F40 category, Norah Newcombe Pieterse from Ballina finished twelfth in 22:48. The Mayo AC runner kept well up in the fast paced race and was happy to be part of the Irish gold medal winning F40 team – a well-deserved reward for another great performance.
The three Mayo AC runners won five medals in total: Pauline Moran F65, individual gold and team silver; Mags Glavey F70, individual silver and team gold; Norah Newcombe Pieterse F40, team gold.
England won the overall title with a score of 72 points while last year’s winners Ireland came second with 63 points ahead of Scotland's 62 points. However, Ireland’s women won the British and Irish women’s overall teams title which was a great result, underlined by the three excellent performances by Norah, Pauline and Mags.
Medals were presented at the traditional post-race banquet, which was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the banks of the Clyde. The awards banquet is always a highlight of the international weekend.
Elsewhere at the weekend, Mayo AC’s Paul Brennan took on the challenge of the Athens Marathon last Sunday. The Kiltimagh runner, who is in the M50 category, had prepared for Athens with an excellent PB in the National Half-marathon in Tullamore back in August. He finished there in 1:37.03, which was more than four minutes of an improvement on his 1:41.45 in the River Moy half-marathon the previous May.
In Athens on Sunday, Paul reached halfway in 1:59.03. His pace dropped to over six minute kilometres in the hilly second half, and with the temperature rising, it became a tough task to complete the distance. But finish he did, in 4:37.27. The marathon is not a 'fun run' on any day!
