Now for Couch-to-5K Autumn Finale

Eventual winner, Tim O’Connor, An Ríocht leading club-mate, Joe O’Connor and Conor Kissane, Farranfore Maine Valley in the early stages of Friday evening’s An Ríocht Couch-to-5K Road Race in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy.

Couch-to-5K friends, Cathriona Daly, Castleisland (left) and Margaret Murphy, Killarney over the finishing line after their first official 5K road race together at An Ríocht AC on Friday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Roland Rogers heading up this bunch which includes from left: Padraig O’Connor, Caitriona Barry, Tony Casey, Maurice O’Connor, Andrew Purcell and Mariosz Podraza at Upper Main Street during Friday evening’s An Ríocht Couch-to-5K Road Race in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy.

The first three home and in order from left: winner, Tim O’Connor, An Ríocht AC; Maurice Feehan, Gneeveguilla and Conor Kissane, Farranfore Maine Valley after Friday evening’s An Ríocht Couch-to-5K Road Race in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy.

Sarah Walsh getting a better view of the action on her dad, William’s broad shoulders during Friday evening’s An Ríocht Couch-to-5K Road Race in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy.

The leaders of this group include: Mike Riordan, Majella Diskin, Norman Fitzgerald, Damien Moran and Eileen Egan during Friday evening’s An Ríocht Couch-to-5K Road Race in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy.

A Killarney group pictured after Friday evening’s An Ríocht Couch-to-5K Road Race in Castleisland. Included are: JP and Anette Courtney, Lucy, Holly Barrett and Rebecca McGrath. ©Photograph: John Reidy.

Action from Friday evening’s An Ríocht Couch-to-5K Road Race in Castleisland. Included are: Adam Wharton, Jessica Moynihan, Mairead Corridan, Seamus Hickey and James A O’Sullivan. ©Photograph: John Reidy.

Munster B Athletics Championships Silver Medalists: An Ríocht Athletic Club athletes, Aoife Kerins and Jane Lawlor who both won Silder Medals at the meeting in Templemore. Aoife’s was for the U-12 X 80 metres and jane’s was for the U-12 Long Jump. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Locals, Cathriona Daly (left) with: Maggie Prendiville and Margaret Murphy, Killarney acknowledging their admirers at Upper Main Street during Friday evening’s An Ríocht Couch-to-5K Road Race in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy.

Locals: Jeraldine McCarthy (left) pictured with Eileen, Joan and Deirdre Cronin after completing Friday evening’s An Ríocht Couch-to-5K Road Race in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy.

Tommy O’Brien, An Ríocht and Fred Browne leading this bunch which includes: Robert Purcell Jnr, Seán O’Sullivan and Maurice Feehan in the early stages of Friday evening’s An Ríocht Couch-to-5K Road Race in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy.

The first five women home and in order from left: Shona Heaslip, An Ríocht AC; Niamh O’Sullivan, An Ríocht AC; Catroina Barry, Farranfore Maine Valley; Sharon Cahill, An Riocht AC and Janet Slye, An Riocht AC after Friday evening’s An Ríocht Couch-to-5K Road Race in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy.

Waves and smiles from promising An Ríocht athletes, Aoife Kerins, Jane Lawlor and Grace Cahill with Joe Reynolds, Jerh Tangney, Mary Barrett and John McGillicuddy during Friday evening’s An Ríocht Couch-to-5K Road Race in Castleisland. ©Photograph: John Reidy.

Wheelchair athlete Ger Daly setting out on the 5K route in Castleisland on Friday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy

There are little gestures peculiar to individuals and different in each one of us. You’d notice this if you were at the finishing line of Friday evening’s second Couch-to-5K Road Race / Fun Run. Among the serious runners, and those who stop their watches and timing devices on crossing the line, are those to whom fun-running and jogging is a recently acquired passion. It’s at the height of their magic moments you’d spot the peculiarities.

It’s more pronounced here as many of those people who made it over the line on Friday evening will have crossed a chasm of a life change in taking on the three-month preparations for these occasions of huge, personal achievement.

That’s the length of time and level of dedication set out if you want to participate in a Couch-to-5K Road Race series. There was a great variety of half-veiled gestures of triumph at the end from ‘the beginners’ on Friday evening.

From arms outstretched and Chariots of Fire like finishes to eyes to heaven – and to God only knows whom there. There was the odd clinched fist and one or two thumbs up and a punch or two at the air they were gulping in buckets and, here and there, a barely audible ‘Yes’ at the end of their great challenges.

This coming Friday evening will see the culmination of it all for the Couch-to-5Kers. This will be the evening of the last great challenge of this autumn’s series and it’s presentation evening into the bargain.

There will be food and chat and a celebration of all that’s gone on for the past few months as this beautiful autumn unfolds.

The results from last evening’s event in which An Ríocht AC athlete, Tim O’Connor set a blistering pace from the outset and came in on a time of 15:36.3. Shona Heaslip, An Ríocht won the women’s race on a time of 18:06.7.

Friday evening’s Couch-to-5K begins at the usual time of 7pm. People can register at the desk at An Riocht Athletic Club, Crageens, Castleisland.  For further information you can ring 066 71 42199.

Autumn Series Race 2 Results as Follows:

Finish No. Number Name Finishing Time Category

1 1484 Tim O’Connor 15:36.3 SM

2 1993 Maurice Feehan 16:33.4 SM

3 1742 Conor Kissane 16:40.3 JM

4 1973 Tommy O’Brien 17:12.2 SM

5 1477 Sean O’Sullivan 17:26.3 SM

6 1970 Robert Purcell 17:27.5 M40

7 1985 Martin Dineen 17:31.8 SM

8 1494 Daniel Murphy 17:37.0 SM

9 1936 Joe O’Connor 17:40.4 SM

10 1949 Pat Dunworth 17:54.4 M40

11 1929 Mícheál Ó’Sé 18:00.6 JM

12 1465 Jeremy Ahern 18:03.8 SM

13 1754 Shona Heaslip 18:06.7 JW

14 1971 Robert Purcell Jnr. 18:11.4 SM

15 1744 John Kissane 18:16.0 M40

16 1974 Niamh O’Sullivan 18:27.6 SW

17 1738 Willie Reidy 18:28.4 SM

18 1976 Donnacha Cassidy 18:41.5 SM

19 1906 Verners Tess 18:43.9 M40

20 1962 Fred Browne 19:02.5 M40

21 1932 Roland Rogers 19:09.5 M40

22 1959 Kevin Griffin 19:21.6 M50

23 1994 Mariosz Podraza 19:33.5 SM

24 1972 Andrew Purcell 19:36.5 B16

25 1905 Dermot Dineen 19:40.9 SM

26 1776 Caitriona Barry 19:45.1 SW

27 1980 Maurice O’Connor 19:47.8 M40

28 1486 Pa Cronin 19:53.0 SM

29 1979 Denis Mc Carthy 19:54.4 SM

30 1495 Tony Casey 20:04.1 SM

31 1748 Danny Hughes 20:29.4 SM

32 1481 Sharon Cahill 20:32.0 W50

33 1978 Dylan Brennan 20:32.9 SM

34 1958 Jer Tagney 20:35.8 SW

35 1935 Joseph Reynolds 20:53.8 SM

36 1928 Janet Slye 21:08.6 SW

37 1977 Tom Scanlon 21:12.6 SM

38 1915 Damien Moran 21:16.8 M40

39 1768 John Mc Gilicuddy 21:19.7 SM

40 1756 Michelle Hoare 21:30.7 SW

41 1937 Mary Barrett 21:32.7 SW

42 1496 Ursula Barrett 21:33.4 SW

43 1960 Frank Nelligan 21:34.1 M50

44 1910 Michael Horan 21:34.7 SM

45 1946 Norman Fitzgerald 21:38.7 M40

46 1984 Padraig O’Connor 21:42.5 M40

47 1983 Tomás O’Connor 21:54.9 M40

48 1500 Eileen O’Connor 21:55.5 SW

49 1990 Trevor Cremin 22:10.3 B16

50 1763 Damien Cashell 22:11.4 SM

51 1479 Eoin Cahill 22:12.2 B16

52 1931 Eileen Egan 22:24.9 M40

53 1783 Dariusz O’Dwazny 22:29.5 M40

54 1968 Julie Purcell 22:36.0 SW

55 1927 Denis Houlihan 22:57.3 SM

56 1750 Anthony Nash 23:09.0 SM

57 1473 Helen Tansley 23:10.3 SW

58 1966 Majella Diskin 23:11.2 F50

59 1926 Noel Carl 23:31.2 M40

60 1934 John Collins 23:34.3 SM

61 1790 Pat O’Shea 23:50.3 M50

62 1755 Declan Corridon 23:52.4 SM

63 1769 Aoife Kerins 23:58.1 G16

64 1469 Kate Spring 24:04.4 SW

65 1753 Elizabeth Heaslip 24:08.7 F40

66 1919 Mike Riordan 24:11.0 SM

67 1765 Kevin O’Donnell 24:19.3 SM

68 1948 Sean Leahy 24:26.8 M40

69 1466 Michael Dineen 24:34.4 M50

70 1499 Grace Cahill 24:36.1 G16

71 1485 John J Healy 24:39.4 M40

72 1480 Denis Cahill 24:39.9 M50

73 1961 Mary Breen 24:44.8 W40

74 1944 Suzanne Neilan 24:47.4 SW

75 1945 Caroline Doyle 24:48.9 W40

76 1488 Noel Lane 24:50.3 M50

77 1920 Margaret O’Connor 24:54.7 SW

78 1772 Michael Brosnan 25:18.1 M40

79 1969 Clare Purcell 25:21.9 SW

80 1798 James A O’Sullivan 25:27.2 SM

81 1942 Chloe O’Connor 25:29.5 G16

82 1791 Therese Kelliher 25:37.7 F40

83 1800 Roisin Griffin 25:42.0 SW

84 1792 Claire Kiely 25:48.8 F40

85 1493 Jane Lawlor 25:51.3 G16

86 1487 Catherine McCarthy 25:52.1 W50

87 1749 Denis Reen 26:00.2 M50

88 1941 Anne Marie O’Connor 26:05.9 SW

89 1764 Marie Buicke 26:07.5 SW

90 1918 Bridget Flynn 26:10.3 SW

91 1950 Nora Buckley 26:11.9 SW

92 1734 Deirdre Cronin 26:20.3 SW

93 1947 Liam Bell 26:22.5 M50

94 1044 Aileen O’Leary 26:23.5 SW

95 1917 Barthy Flynn 26:25.5 SM

96 1751 Ciaran Stack 26:28.0 SM

97 1930 Colin Poolman 26:28.7 SM

98 1975 Donnacha Mc Sweeney 26:32.1 B16

99 1922 Máiréad Corridan 26:32.6 SW

100 1921 Seamus Hickey 26:34.4 M40

101 1982 Joanne Lenihan 26:36.7 SW

102 1468 Mairead O’Shea 26:40.9 SW

103 1475 Martina Mc Aulliffe 26:48.3 F40

104 1943 Marie McShane 26:48.9 SW

105 1766 Sharon Mc Carthy 26:51.3 SW

106 1793 John Sullivan 26:53.0 M40

107 1797 Catriona Roberts 27:09.0 SW

108 1771 Fred O’ Connell 27:09.8 M40

109 1787 Marie Hickey 27:11.4 F40

110 1786 Catherine Conroy 27:12.1 F50

111 1781 Yvonne Brosnan 27:14.0 SW

112 1773 Rose Brosnan 27:29.1 F40

113 1762 Kieran Buicke 27:30.0 SM

114 1752 Marian Cullinane 27:30.9 SW

115 1767 Pat Mc Carthy 27:34.6 M50

116 1909 Sheilanne Brosnan 27:53.9 SW

117 1907 Maura Herlihy 27:54.5 SW

118 1483 Deirdre Guiney 27:57.5 G16

119 1963 Siobhán O’Keefe 28:02.1 SW

120 1964 Warelle Corkery 28:02.8 SW

121 1471 Catherine Wharton 28:11.7 W40

122 1497 Norma Cahill 28:15.0 F40

123 1737 Eileen Cronin 28:19.9 SW

124 1491 Liz Moriarty 28:20.7 F50

125 1951 Marian O’Connor 28:24.2 SW

126 1938 Anne Moynihan 28:25.0 W40

127 1965 Hilda McGuire 28:50.2 SW

128 1957 Ann O’Rourke 28:50.7 SW

129 1472 Adam Wharton 29:00.0 B16

130 1769 Aoife Kerins 29:08.3 G16

131 1954 Margo Kenny 29:27.6 SW

132 1489 Ciara Curtin 29:34.4 SW

133 1933 Dean Farrell 29:36.1 B16

134 1913 Nora Peskett 29:39.0 F40

135 1788 Ger Daly 29:36.8 WA

136 1770 Cyril Browne 29:39.3 M50

137 1777 Caroline Walsh 29:50.0 F40

138 1795 Teresa O’Leary 29:51.0 F50

139 1492 Ryan Dennehy 29:52.1 B16

140 1908 Sandra Donovan 30:01.6 SW

141 1912 Hannah Fitzgerald 30:02.0 SW

142 1953 Christine O’Hanlon 30:02.4 SW

143 1911 Jennifer O’Connor 30:02.9 SW

144 1758 Louise Farrell 30:03.5 M40

145 1940 Helena O’Connor 30:18.7 SW

146 1967 Noreen O’Gorman 30:19.4 SW

147 1774 Aoife Brosnan 30:31.0 JW

148 1739 Orla Finn 30:37.4 G16

149 1740 Alan Finn 30:37.9 M40

150 1794 Hannah McCarthy 30:57.4 SW

151 1490 Stacey O’Leary 32:04.0 SW

152 1939 Jessica Moynihan 32:18.8 G16

153 1498 Ruth Cahill 32:20.1 G16

154 1467 Ava Regan 32:24.3 G16

155 1741 Aoife Walsh 32:28.4 G16

156 1986 Melanie Walsh 32:48.9 F40

157 1779 Tina Drumm 32:58.4 SW

158 1780 Clare Lucid 33:02.3 SW

159 1991 Alex Regan 33:07.8 B16

160 1925 Elaine Fitzgerald 33:19.7 SW

161 1952 Koren O’Brian 33:37.7 SM

162 1914 Annie Brosnan 33:40.0 F40

163 1757 Laura Griffin 33:42.9 SW

164 1955 Monica Casey 33:46.2 SW

165 1924 Donal Hughes 33:48.8 B16

166 1464 Robyn Cahill 33:59.3 G16

167 1923 Ailish Hughes 34:02.7 SW

168 1470 Mairead O’Sullivan 34:05.8 SW

169 1981 Ciara Prendiville 35:29.7 SW

170 1759 Emily Casey 35:32.5 SW

171 1482 Tina Brosnahan 35:43.7 SW

172 1761 Sarah Mullins 35:47.3 SW

173 1760 Lorna Cooper 35:47.9 SW

174 1988 Mary Carmody 36:23.1 F50

175 1989 Mae Cremin 36:23.8 F50

176 1992 Luke Regan 37:35.1 B16

177 1987 Conor Walsh 37:35.6 B16

178 1735 Geraldine Mc Carthy 37:48.1 SW

179 1747 Holly Barrett 37:48.6 G16

180 1743 Rebecca Mc Grath 37:49.8 G16

181 1916 Aine Barrett 37:50.4 G16

182 1736 Joan Cronin 37:50.9 F50

183 1745 JP Courtney 37:57.7 B16

184 1746 Annette Courtney 37:58.4 F40

185 1476 Maggie Prendeville 38:24.2 SW

186 1677 Margaret Murphy 38:24.8

187 1789 Cathriona O’Connor 38:25.3 F40

188 1784 Jean Young 39:09.0 F50

189 1478 Breda Drumm 44:15.7 W40