An Ríocht AC First September 5K – It’s About Time

David Peskett with his mom, Nora at the start of the first of the series of three September 5K Road Races / Fun Runs in Castleisland on Wednesday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Marie Farrell and Tony Casey, Camp pictured at the start of the first of the series of three September 5K Road Races / Fun Runs in Castleisland on Wednesday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Ger Daly, Ballyfinnane was ready for the off at the start of the first of the series of three September 5K Road Races / Fun Runs in Castleisland on Wednesday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Killarney native, Beaufort resident, Siobhán Falvey at the first of the series of three September 5K Road Races / Fun Runs in Castleisland on Wednesday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Ride on – Run off: Local, Mikie O’Connor had a ringside seat on his ride-on mower at the start of the first of the series of three September 5K Road Races / Fun Runs in Castleisland on Wednesday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy

An Ríocht AC athletes: Liz Heaslip, Catherine Conroy, Maurice O’Connor and Marie Hickey at the start of the first of the series of three September 5K Road Races / Fun Runs in Castleisland on Wednesday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Good to go: Christine Broderick, Castleisland pictured with: Martin O’Sullivan (left) and Danny O’Shea, Tralee at the start of the first of the series of three September 5K Road Races / Fun Runs in Castleisland on Wednesday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy

The first five home in the An Ríocht AC 5K on Wednesday evening were: Martin Dineen, 5th Shona Healsip, 3rd; Tommy O’Brien, winner; Seán O’Sullivan, 4th and Pat O’Connor, 2nd. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Thomas Crowley, Farranfore (left) with: John Kelly, Carlow and Brian Lucid, Ballyheigue at the start of the first of the series of three September 5K Road Races / Fun Runs in Castleisland on Wednesday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Stephen Moore, Tralee taking a well earned break after taking part in the first of the series of three September 5K Road Races / Fun Runs in Castleisland on Wednesday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy

An Ríocht AC athletes from left: Janette Rahilly, Annie Murphy and Mary Barrett taking a break after finishing the first of the series of three September 5K Road Races / Fun Runs in Castleisland on Wednesday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Tralee Triathlon Club members from left: Catherine Wharton, Jessica and Anne Moynihan with sisters, Vicky and Leanne McCarthy at the start of the first of the series of three September 5K Road Races / Fun Runs in Castleisland on Wednesday evening were from left: ©Photograph: John Reidy

Over 70 race winner, Jim Langan from Tullamore Harriers AC pictured at the start of the first of the series of three September 5K Road Races / Fun Runs in Castleisland on Wednesday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy

The first four home in first of the series of three September 5K Road Races / Fun Runs in Castleisland on Wednesday evening were from left: Shona Heaslip, An Ríocht AC 1st.; Martina Kiely, St. Finbarr’s AC Millstreet, 2nd; Carol Finn, Lee Vale AC. 3rd. and Maria McCarthy, Farranfore Maine Valley AC. 4th. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Denny McSweeney, An Ríocht AC (left) and Tom Joe O’Donoghue, Gneeveguilla AC pictured at the first of the series of three September 5K Road Races / Fun Runs in Castleisland on Wednesday evening. ©Photograph: John Reidy

It’s all about time – isn’t everything. I learned a thing or two from observing and listening to some of the 120 runners of both the serious and fun varieties last evening.

I learned because I used to think it was all about being first over the line. It is and it isn’t. It’s all about time.

It’s all about time. And that’s how they think. The fast ones finish first – as they do. Some go off and drink water and eat oranges and throw their legs from them while walking on the track. Others head off a couple of laps just to cool down.

Urge-on Friends

The less fast just finish, gather their breath, drink water and go back to the vicinity of the finish to urge on friends and maybe family members.

They know their friends and what they should be capable of. It’s all about time. With an eye on the clock and one on the track they begin to jump and clap and cheer as they will those still running over the line before the clock gets a chance to flash from one split second to the next. If it does – so what. If it doesn’t – that’s great. And there are hugs and kisses and pats on sweat soaked backs.

It was a strange kind of evening. The forecast promised nothing in terms of weather. It delivered a beautiful evening with a magical sky.

There was a bit of a headwind on parts of the course and it slowed some of the runners down. They would have done a better time if the evening was a bit calmer – they said. It’s all about time.

Lovely, Relaxed Atmosphere

They, and I bet a lot more of them, will do it all again on the coming Wednesday evening at 7pm. I know because I heard many of them saying things like: ‘I’ll see you here next week’ – or – ‘we’ll do a bit better next Wednesday’ or ‘I’d like to get in under the 30 the next night.’ It’s all about time.

There is a lovely, relaxed atmosphere about these events. Volunteers in the kitchen lash out tea and coffee and biscuits to runners and their friends and family and there’s a promise of a party after the third and final in the September series.

In the meantime, they’ll be back on Wednesday evening next, September 14th for another go at their personal best, one more tilt at the clock. It’s all about time.

Wednesday evening’s results are as follows:

Pos Bib No. Name Category Time
1 113 Tommy O’Brien M40 16.27
2 132 Patrick O’Connor M40 16.29
3 112 Shona Heaslip SW 16.34
4 117 Sean O’Sullivan SM 16.4
5 105 Martin Dineen SM 16.51
6 143 Arthur Fitzgerald SM 17.11
7 107 Declan Guina SM 17.17
8 140 Martina Kiely SW 17.51
9 128 Carol Finn SW 18.28
10 122 Stephen Moore M40 18.3
11 152 Richard Murphy M40 18.57
12 125 Tim Long SM 18.58
13 114 Maria Mc Carthy W40 19.13
14 10 Larry Hickey M50 19.18
15 127 Roland Rogers M40 19.25
16 24 Micheal Casey SM 19.3
17 108 Niamh O’Sullivan SW 19.37
18 133 Sharon Cahill W50 19.51
19 110 Daniel Breen SM 19.55
20 33 Conor Shire SM 20.14
21 32 Maurice O’Connor M40 20.41
22 24 Micheal Casey SM 20.45
23 136 Joe Reynolds SM 20.47
24 37 Zack Walshe B16 20.51
25 28 Pa Cronin SM 21.15
26 102 Mary O’Connor W40 21.24
27 19 Caroline Murphy W50 21.25
28 134 Liam Dennehy SM 21.34
29 55 Tom Scanlon M40 21.4
30 49 John Guerin M40 21.55
31 116 Suzanne Neilan W40 21.56
32 11 James Healy M50 22.04
33 129 Mary Finn W50 22.18
34 130 Marie Mc Kenna W40 22.19
35 31 Damien Kelly SM 22.34
36 111 Liz Heaslip SW 22.37
37 35 JJ O’Connell SM 23.01
38 135 Mary Barrett SW 23.02
39 159 Donie Kelliher SM 23.42
40 138 Sean Leahy M50 24.02
41 141 Janette Rahilly SW 24.31
42 126 Siobhán Falvey W40 24.57
43 22 Marie Farrell SW 24.58
44 20 Tony Casey SM 24.59
45 18 Jim Langan M70 25.1
46 146 Dermot O’Sullivan M60 25.17
47 58 Laura Mahoney G16 25.2
48 21 Leanne Mc Carthy SW 25.22
49 50 Ann O’Riordan Murphy W40 25.3
50 54 Eileen O’Connell W50 25.44
51 43 Una Flynn SW 25.45
52 121 Catherine Mc Carthy W50 25.58
53 156 Neilus Flynn M40 26.01
54 53 Helena Shanahan W50 26.1
55 34 Pauline Walsh SW 26.22
56 42 Tara Wheatcioft SW 26.22
57 44 Noel Wheatcroft M40 26.27
58 5 Richard Steele M40 26.29
59 7 Mag O Callaghan W40 26.41
60 40 Noel Lane M50 26.51
61 12 Laura Fitzgerald SW 27.03
62 137 JP Curtin SM 27.14
63 106 Ita Prendiville SW 27.21
64 57 Bridget O’Connell W40 27.24
65 123 Tim O’Connell SM 27.37
66 60 Emer Nelligan SW 27.46
67 16 John Kelly SM 27.51
68 38 Pat Mc Carthy M50 27.54
69 119 Catherine Wharton W40
70 147 Marie Hickey W40 28.18
71 51 Catherine Conroy SW 28.18
72 30 Anne Moynihan W40 28.25
73 115 Mary Donnelly W40 28.26
74 14 Eileen O Sullivan SW 28.27
75 1 Liam Bell M50 28.28
76 118 Sean Houlihan SM 28.5
77 41 Liz Lane W40 29.12
78 47 Maureen Culhane SW 29.24
79 13 Selina O Grady SW 29.24
80 144 A Dillane M60 29.28
81 160 Denis Reen M50 29.37
82 3 Danny o Shea M40 29.4
83 45 Chilla Vamossy SW 29.42
84 148 Cyril Browne SM 29.59
85 17 Maurice Fitzgerald M50 30.09
86 131 Eleanor Stack W40 30.14
87 104 Abina Mc Sweeney W40 30.14
88 103 Samantha Riordan SW 30.15
89 25 Tomas Fitzgerald W40 30.23
90 158 Owen Mc Sweeney M50 30.23
91 39 Caroline Walsh W40 30.45
92 48 Yvonne O’Connor W40 30.59
93 4 Martin O sullivan M40 31.04
94 120 Brian Lucid SM 31.04
95 2 Kristine Brosnan W40 31.04
96 145 Claire O’Sullivan SW 31.3
97 153 Ella Murphy G16 31.37
98 154 Hazel Murphy G16 31.37
99 109 Ger Daly SM 32.08
100 157 Cyril Flynn M40 32.42
101 56 Helena O’Connor SW 33.09
102 155 Matt O’Donnell SM 33.09
103 151 Siobhan Mc Crohan 0 33.12
104 139 Mary J Murphy W40 33.51
105 8 Nora O Connor W40 33.51
106 27 Dan Clifford B16 35.18
107 15 Tomás Crowley SM 35.21
108 150 Ciarán O’Brien B16 35.22
109 26 Mary Clifford W40 35.55
110 29 Jessica Moynihan G16 36.19
111 6 Majella Cahill W50 37.59
112 9 Nora Peskett W50 38.57
113 52 David Peskett B16 38.57
114 36 Joan O’Connell W50 39.29
115 59 Eileen Mahony W40 39.53
116 142 Donncha O’Brien B16 42.02
117 46 Danielle Falcon Bridge SW 44.15
118 23 Vicky Mc Carthy SW 44.53