Boyne ladies’ virtual delight
A HARDY group of ladies from Boyne AC took to the rain-lashed local roads on Sunday to complete their VHI Women’s Mini Marathon.
There seems to be no stopping the club’s senior runners at the moment and they were more than happy to take the ‘virtual’ option after the race proper - an annual 10K charity road race that usually takes place on the June bank holiday weekend in Dublin and is the largest women’s event of its kind in the world - was cancelled owing to Covid-19.
Like most large races this year, the Mini Marathon went virtual to allow the thousands of entrants to complete their race and raise vital funds for many charities.
To complete their virtual 10k, runners had to finish the distance on any route and at any time during the first week of October, and it was with this goal in mind that the nine brave ladies set off along the banks of the Boyne in the most unforgiving of weather.
Weeks of hard work by this group, under the expert guidance of coach Christine Kennedy, have certainly paid off as they all completed the distance, some of them for the first time, and several PB times were set.
Following weeks of relatively fine ‘Irish’ weather, it seemed as if several months worth of rain was unleashed on Sunday morning, but while most sensible people were tucked up at home in their beds the group set out into the driving wind and rain.
Michelle Crosbie, Blaithnaid Wall and Paula Marron worked together to set the pace, followed closely by Lisa Collier. Joan Cadden and Jackie Clarke fought hard into the driving winds, with Yvonne Walsh and Helen Dowling close behind, supported all the way by coach Christine.
They made their way along the ramparts onto the boardwalk in the direction of Oldbridge House and the half-way point, before turning and pushing hard all the way to the finish at the Old Abbey car park.
Soaked to the skin, but elated with their achievements, the group were delighted to have completed the run in great supportive company.