2003 Races
Donegal Hillrunning Weekend 15/16 March ‘03 - Report by Joe Lalor
Glengesh Horseshoe 15/3/03
South Donegal was looking its best as the runners assembled outside Adara for the start of this season’s Championship Racing. The field slightly larger than last year was predominantly made up of Crusaders runners who were enjoying the hospitality of Alan Cox in Portnoo. The race up one side of Common Mountain and down the other, which has become known by the much grander title of the Glengesh Horseshoe, was easier than last year with full visibility all the way around and drier conditions underfoot. This lead to faster finishing times all round but some still found the isolated bog holes and had to be gallantly rescued.
At the summit turning point World Master Robin Bryson was well ahead of Geraint Florida-James who in turn was well clear of Paul Nolan. By the finish Paul was only 16 seconds behind Robin and gaining. It would have made for a very interesting finish if it were a little longer. The First vet. was Kevin Grogan who promptly turned around and did the route in reverse. Coming back after injury Joan Flanagan had a fine run to take first in the ladies race.
| Glengesh Horseshoe | 15-Mar-03 | ||||
| Pos | Num | Name | Club | Cat | Time |
| 1 | 303 | Robin Bryson | Newcastle AC | M40 | 31.58 |
| 2 | 262 | Paul Nolan | GEN-DSD | M | 32.14 |
| 3 | 300 | Geraint Florida-James | Carnethy HRC | M | 34.40 |
| 4 | 234 | Peter O'Farrell | Crusaders | M | 37.27 |
| 5 | 115 | Kevin Grogan | Rathfarnham | M40 | 37.31 |
| 6 | 301 | Rickie Simpson | Carnethy HRC | 40.05 | |
| 7 | 304 | Joan Flanagan | Ajax | F40 | 44.43 |
| 8 | 100 | Vivian O'Gorman | . | M40 | 44.48 |
| 9 | 308 | Andrew Campbell | ACKC | M | 45.00 |
| 10 | 306 | Mike Fairmaner | . | M | 47.24 |
| 11 | 294 | Jane Cahill | DSD | F | 47.46 |
| 12 | 302 | Susan Gray | Troon | F | 48.35 |
| 13 | 291 | Patrick Mason | Set | M | 49.10 |
| 14 | 146 | Emma Sokell | Crusaders | F | 49.53 |
| 15 | 177 | Maura Ni Chearbhaill | Crusaders | F | 51.02 |
| 16 | 162 | Graham Porter | Crusaders | M50 | 51.58 |
| 17 | 132 | Eva Mulleady | Crusaders | F | 52.02 |
| 18 | 305 | Simon Fairmaner | DSD | M | 52.05 |
| 19 | 168 | Jane Watt | 52.18 | ||
| 20 | 265 | Alan Ayling | GEN | M | 57.37 |
| 21 | 216 | Mick Kellett | GEN | M60 | 58.45 |
| 22 | 144 | Maureen Cloonan | Crusaders | F | 59.22 |
| 24 | 307 | Alan Cox | Crusaders | M | 62.03 |
| 24 | 309 | Rebecca James | Crusaders | F | 62.03 |
| 25 | 249 | Isabelle Lemée | Crusaders | F | 62.13 |
| 26 | 208 | Paddy Lord | . | M50 | 63.37 |
| 27 | 227 | Charlie O'Connell | 66.44 |
Errigal 16/3/03
A similar number of runners lined up to start the second race of the weekend on Errigal race but roughly half of them were different people. There were a variety of reasons for this. The ladies vs. gents football match on Portoo Beach accounted for a few (ladies won 3-2), a few more were feeling the effect of the "moshing" and stage surfing in Narin Inn on Saturday night while a few more didn’t quit the singsong until 6.30am.
The race first took in the Summit of Mackoght, then dropping down to join the main ridge of Errigal and finished at the top. There was very little between the first three at the first peak but nobody was to trouble Robin in an up only race and the result was the same one two three as the day before. In the absence of Kevin Grogan the vet. prize was won by IMRA chairman Vivian O’Gorman. Joan again won the ladies race.
The main talking point of the day was the supervet category. Paddy Lord after 25 years of racing and 17 years of IMRA hillruns won his first prize which he milked for all it was worth.
| Errigal | 16-Mar-03 | ||||
| Pos | Num | Name | Club | Cat | Time |
| 1 | 303 | Robin Bryson | Newcastle AC | M40 | 31.38 |
| 2 | 262 | Paul Nolan | GEN-DSD | M | 33.10 |
| 3 | 300 | Geraint Florida-James | Carnethy HRC | M | 33.19 |
| 4 | 315 | Martin Boner | . | M | 36.50 |
| 5 | 301 | Rickie Simpson | Carnethy HRC | 39.50 | |
| 6 | 314 | Fergal Duffy | . | M | 40.05 |
| 7 | 310 | Jonny Gregg | Newry | M | 40.10 |
| 8 | 100 | Vivian O'Gorman | . | M40 | 43.02 |
| 9 | 318 | Dale Morgan | Ball7yclare High | MJ | 44.10 |
| 10 | 316 | Michael McKillop | . | MJ | 44.45 |
| 11 | 317 | Ian O' Neill | North Belfast | MJ | 45.09 |
| 12 | 313 | Ronan Duffy | . | M | 45.19 |
| 13 | 304 | Joan Flanagan | Ajax | F40 | 45.30 |
| 14 | 308 | Andrew Campbell | ACKC | M | 46.00 |
| 15 | 294 | Jane Cahill | DSD | F | 47.11 |
| 16 | 306 | Mike Fairmaner | . | M | 47.58 |
| 17 | 311 | Hazel McCausland | Omagh Harriers | M | 48.25 |
| 18 | 189 | Brendan Lawlor | . | M40 | 51.50 |
| 19 | 132 | Eva Mulleady | Crusaders | F | 52.17 |
| 20 | 305 | Simon Fairmaner | DSD | M | 52.18 |
| 21 | 302 | Susan Gray | Troon | F | 53.01 |
| 22 | 216 | Mick Kellett | GEN | M60 | 53.46 |
| 23 | 208 | Paddy Lord | . | M50 | 54.01 |
| 24 | 291 | Patrick Mason | Set | M | 54.02 |
| 25 | 168 | Jane Watt | 55.50 | ||
| 26 | 161 | Barry Tennyson | . | M50 | 56.29 |
| 27 | 312 | Mary Hussey | . | F | 56.41 |
| 28 | 265 | Alan Ayling | GEN | M | 56.59 |
| 29 | 227 | Charlie O'Connell | 60.51 | ||
| 30 | 162 | Graham Porter | Crusaders | M50 | 66.59 |