Saturday 28th September 2024 was the date set for this year’s event on what was a bright and dry Autumnal morning. This is a local 10K race that really has gone from strength to strength in recent years with attendance having doubled in the past 6 years with over 1300 runners taking part in this year’s event. This year also includes the NI & Ulster Championships, with various category prizes up for grabs.
Facilities
Parking and registration were centred around the Bangor Aurora Swimming Centre, a legacy project from the London 2012 Olympic Games, and the efficiency that registration was expedited was first class. I know some races get bad press around registration, pack collection, toilet facilities etc, but this was run very well, with no significant queues to delays throughout the process, so well done and thanks to the volunteers of North Down AC for facilitating this.
Race Route
The route is fairly flat and fast, starting outside the Town Hall in Castle Park along a 200M single track road, which then turned left before heading downhill into Bangor town centre, aligned by family and friends of runners, before taking in the coastal scenery around Ballyholme and Groomsport ending with a short hill, which some locals would believe was as steep as Mill Hill Mile around the 9k mark before heading towards the finish line in Ward Park. Throughout the course, supporters where a plenty, both young and old encouraging runners on their journey.
Runners
Newcastle AC had 7 runners represented in this race across 6 different categories and all runners benefiting from near ideal running conditions, with Gillian, Patrick, Brendan, Ciaran, Oran, Danny & Ernie donning the Red & Amber Bibs.
First four finishers of Patrick, Brendan, Ciaran & Oran narrowly missed a Podium Men’s Team by c.5 mins to finish in 4th place overall to Annadale Strider’s and NDAC A & B Team.
Great running by all competitors and well done to Ernie for attaining first place in the V70 Category.
Brendan McQuaid
Ciaran Brennan
Oran Dillion
Ernie Hall
|
Runner |
Chip Time |
Category Position |
Overall Position |
|
Patrick McNiff |
32.25 |
13th overall |
13th |
|
Brendan McQuaid |
35.08 |
4/101 |
30th |
|
Ciaran Brennan |
35.31 |
20/297 |
39th |
|
Oran Dillion |
39.07 |
13/997 |
98th |
|
Danny O’Boyle |
41.30 |
8/82 |
143rd |
|
Ernie Hall |
44.09 |
1/7 |
242nd |
|
Gillian McNiff |
51.58 |
6/32 |
598th |
|
|
|
|
1311 Runners |