Going that Extra Mile at An Ríocht

Over the line for Julia and Cousin Mary: Listowel women, Mary Kavanagh (left) and Julia Galvin celebrating after they finished the 5K segment of the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland yesterday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Members of the Ready to Run group relaxing after finishing the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. Included are, seated from left: Marie Hickey, Steve Keys, Sheila Curtin, Eileen Brennan, Fred O’Connell and Anne O’Leary. back from left: George and Joan Glover and Micheál Donovan. ©Photograph: John Reidy

The first three home in the 5K were: Ger O’Sullivan, An Rocht AC (left) was first home with the second placed, Donal Leahy, Listowel AC and Aidan McCarthy, Farranfore Maine Valley AC was third in the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Ballymacelligott twins, Jemma (left) and Josephine O’Shea delighted to be over the finish line at the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

St. Brendan’s AC Ardfert members, Csilla Vamossy (left) and Linda O’Sullivan after the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

An Ríocht AC Couch-to-5K graduates Margo O’Dowd, Milltown (left) with Eileen Courtney, Castlemaine and Mary O’Connor, Ballyfinnane after the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Georgina Fagan (left) and Desi Georgeiv ‘manning’ the post race ‘Service Department’ at the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Linda Gleeson (left) and Mary Lane representing Meenkilly National School, Abbeyfeale in the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Owen McSweeney looks like he’s flying early on and that’s Frances Shanahan minding her own business in the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Maria Moynihan, Tralee (left) pictured with: Maggie Large, Knockanure; Tina Curtin, Knocknagoshel; Norma Cahill, Abbeyfeale and Breda Wyles, Castlegregory indulging in a little celebration after finishing the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Chilling out after the run were: Derry Prendiville (left) with Mark Reidy, Castleisland and John McGillycuddy after the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

At the finish line of the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday were from left: Kiona Kavanagh with her mom and 5K winner, Niamh O’Sullivan, Catherine O’Sullivan, second; Majella Diskin, third and Mary Barrett, An Ríocht AC. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Tralee historian, Martin Moore (1565) and Linda O’Sullivan, St. Brendan’s AC (No. 6) are among the leaders of this group at the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

The first three home in the 10 Miler, from left: Donal O’Callaghan, An Ríocht AC 1st.; Derek Griffin, Tralee Harriers AC 2nd. and Seán O’Sullivan, An Ríocht AC 3rd. at the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Ballymacelligott native, Joan Ennis, nee Kerrisk, was the winner of the An Ríocht/Lee Strand 10 Miler in Castleisland on Sunday. Joan is pictured (second from left) as one of the first four home in the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. from left: Sharon Cahill, An Ríocht AC 3rd.; Joan Ennis, Grange-Fermoy AC, 1st.; Deirdre Nagle, Farranfore Maine Valley AC 2nd. and Rachel Stokes, Kerry Crusaders, 4th. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Handing out the medals the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday were: Desi Georgiev, Shone Heaslip and Cathleen Reidy. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Causeway’s Zach Walshe,(9) of St. Brendan’s AC navigated his way around the course and was the first juvenile home in the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Sunday’s 10miler challenge turned into a personal triumph for An Ríocht AC athlete, Larry Hickey as he broke the 70 minute barrier in the course of his battle with illness. Larry is pictured here with his wife Marie – who ran the 5K with An Ríocht AC Chairman William Dennehy and Manager, Kate McSweeney after the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Job Done: An Ríocht athlete, Donal O’Callaghan taking a well earned rest after he won the 10 Miler at the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

The Brosna Bunch: Brosna Couch-to-5K members after the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. Included are: Anne O’Connell, Andrea Whelan, Kit Walsh, Denise Quinlan, Elaine Coughlan. ©Photograph: John Reidy

Kosta Georgeiva pictured with his boys, Kalin and Zack at the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. ©Photograph: John Reidy

The Buckley family from Lyreacrompane delighted with their 5K finish and medals at the annual An Ríocht AC/Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler and 5K Fun Run in Castleisland on Sunday. With mom, Mary are: Eoin, Michelle and Carol. ©Photograph: John Reidy

It’s tourism of sorts I suppose when you bring people into your locality even for a few hours and send them home fed, watered, sober and happy.

Praise was heaped on all at An Riocht AC from all quarters on the facilities, helpfulness, hospitality and organisation of the annual An Ríocht AC / Lee Strand Kingdom Come 10 Miler Road Race and 5k Run.

Athletes for a Day

A estimated 350 athletes and athletes for the day and of all abilities and paces took off down Main Street at 11am on Sunday morning . Most of them were back and hosed down before the Angelus bell rang in the nearby Church of Saints Stephen and John.

While the runners were out pounding the roads, the kitchen staff in the club pavilion were busily preparing food for them and their families and supporters.

Many travelled from long distances to support the event and the club philosophy would appear to be that they are well treated while they’re here and fed and looked after before they return home.

Personal Barrier

I didn’t meet her on Sunday morning but I knew of Siobhán McCrohan’s determination to beat her own personal barrier of 30 minutes for the 5K and she did just that.

Knocknagoshel athlete Larry Hickey approaches his running with the same determination with which he has fought his battle with cancer over the last couple of years.

On Sunday morning, that determination saw him crossing the finishing under the 70 minutes he set himself for the 10 miler.

Congratulating him in his own unique way, William Dennehy caught my arm and told me I’d have to take a photograph of Larry and his wife Marie at the finishing line. I asked William and Kate McSweeney to stand in also.

Self Imposed Expectations

And these are only two of the many battles with self imposed expectations and tussles with the clock, the elements and the road.

While the weather played a hugely important role in the success of the day, the volunteers and their attitude and attention to the participants was just as vital a cog in the whole process.

Bernadette and Joan and Chris went out of their way to look after those thrust into their care for the duration.

Stewarding Station

Many people were delighted to meet and see club founder member, Denis Brosnan at his usual stewarding station in spite and maybe because of the family loss of their son and brother, Donnacha in Galway on March 17th last.

All involved, along with facility manager Kate McSweeney, can be well pleased with how they handled the events of the day.

That’s based on the comments I picked up in the aftermath of the race as people relaxed, mixed and were wrapped up in the esotericism which events like this seem to create without effort.

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