We traverse from Bangor to the Causeway to Berlin up Divis down to the Docks and all the way around the parks this week.  Find out more over the jump!

Warmup
Well, the nights may be drawing it and the temperatures cooling off slightly – but as a club we’re still red hot and on form. Spoiler alert: there was an absolute raft of new PBs this week, might as well get in early and tell you all that, but before you read all about our running this week. I keep imagining I’m holding an invisible pack of cards – no one knows what I’m dealing with! Right then, on to the roundup:

Wedding Bells
Many congratulations to club member Danielle who married Conor on Saturday. Danielle would be one of our B-group runners posting consistent times and PBs over all distances in recent months. Conor has come to the club a few times and joined a few sessions with us – he’s one of the really speedy ones! The club would like to wish you all happiness and joy in the years to come!

Bangor 10k
Apparently, there was some kind of rugby match on Saturday morning? Castle Park is where this 10k all started, making a break for the coastal road and heading out the bypass towards Groomsport. From there it is a slow rise as you head back into Bangor where Ward Park and the finish line awaits you. A championship race and ideal weather conditions meant that this one was always going to be a popular one:

The personal bests just keep rolling in for you Brendan – amazing running on Saturday morning – with back-to-back weekend races PBs. We also happen to know that Brendan’s warmdown after the race was to go for another 10k jog along the coastal path by Helen’s Bay! Outstanding effort, the training is paying off big time for you at the moment, we’re just missing a photo of you running now!

Causeway Costal Challenge Half Marathon
Who doesn’t love a wee day trip up to the causeway? We suppose that explains why this annual event is extremely popular (see what we did there?!) While the weather did its job on a lovely Saturday morning, the undulating course did not and it was filled with mud, mud and more mud! We had one Dub on the start line:

Aw, that is some running Stephen – nice work indeed! For those who don’t know, Stephen is one of our newbies – quiet in training, but clearly produces the goods when he needs it! A little piece of advice – he tells us that a wee dip in the sea is the best post-race cure. Keeping up the tradition, he even sent through a few photos:

Berlin Marathon
If you want to do a marathon away from home, then you’d book one in a place and time of the year when it should be dry, maybe even a little warm. We on Sunday in Berlin, it was unfortunately very wet for the 46th running of the Berlin Marathon. We had two Dubs taking on the iconic route this year:

Outstanding – two Dubbers and two PBs! That was a tight race in the wet and for two of you to come through it all personal best times is just unbelievable running. The best advice I have ever heard about the course is that once you get to the Brandenburg Gate – don’t stop, there’s still some course left! Celebrations are in order now, right after a few photos:

Divis 10k
This one kind of sneaked up on us this year, or at least it wasn’t on our radar. A route familiar to the club: start just off the road, swing left up the summit trail, down around by the boardwalk and make for home again. One Dub was up for recreating the summer feeling by doing fell running:

Brilliant Katherine – nice little unexpected podium and trophy at the end too helped make it a day to remember! What a cracking time too – especially considering that there is over 800 foot of elevation change over the 10k route, that is no mean feat. Of course, a day to remember needs photos to help tell the story:

Albertville Harriers 5k Road Race
Celebrating 100 years of the Albertville Harriers, this brand new local 5k race is pretty much everything you’d be looking for! Two laps around Duncrue Street and Dargan Crescent, flat as a pancake with 20ft of elevation change and near the port. While it may not be the most inspiring locales for a race, that did not stop three hearty Dubs going for it:

Some absolutely magic running from our trio who went to the port but didn’t get on the boat on Sunday (no matter how tempting it might have been)! Not only was it an age category win for Maureen but it was also a season’s best performance from the Dub Legend who continues to impress in 2019. It was a small by snaking route, and we managed to get a few photos as the runner meandered around the course:

parkrun
While it was a cracking Saturday morning in the parks, there was a distinctive chorus of “Ah no, I forgot about the match!” coming from all angles! While most hid behind the sofa (akin to the old Doctor Who days) watching the match unfold, some club members threw caution to the wind and turned up at their local, puddle strewn parks. Let’s have a look at how everyone got on:

Blue tops well represented there – and resisting the allure of a morning spent watching sport on the TV – I love it and great times everyone!  We had not one but TWO brand new all-time 5k personal bests this week from Rob at Ormeau and Catherine B at Stormont – amazing work you two! We also had some cool placings too with Claire T coming first home at Stormont, Niall storming to second place at the Falls event and two third place finishes from Marie S at Ormeau and Catherine B at Stormont. Three new course PBs were set this week by Liam (at Queen’s), Claire T and Ronan O (at Stormont). Finally, there was one bit of tourism this week by Francis (at Orangefield). Phew – I think we need a photo after all that:

Warmdown
Our winter routes have now well and truly bedded in – so that means high-vis gear. I know we all want to cling on to the remnants of summer, I do too, but we have to ensure the safety of all our runners. These darker nights, when no one really wants to be out is when the club comes into its own – misery loves company, and you can be guaranteed of company as we edge closer to darker evenings! Finally, bad news, I need a little bit of cash therefore I am looking to sell my DeLorean: good shape, low mileage – only driven from time-to-time.

Live long and prosper.

Disclaimer: Every effort was taken to ensure the results above are correct (it isn’t an easy job, have a go yourself!) If you’d also like to make a complaint, then you’ll automatically volunteer yourself for writing duties