Ards Half Preview, New Coach Qualifications

Posted: 23/6/2019

Scrabo Striders Running Club are very pleased to be hosting the return of the very popular Ards Half Marathon, on Friday 28th June starting at 6:30pm. The route begins on South Street behind the new Blair Mayne Health & Wellbeing Complex, taking in a loop of the town centre before heading out Circular road and the feared Scrabo road hill towards Killynether.

Continuing through the countryside of Ballyrainey, Unicarval and Ballyhenry onto the Darragh road and into Comber town centre, then commencing the return leg along the dual carriageway to the even more feared Moate road hill followed by a lovely downhill along the Scrabo road to the finish line at the Blair Mayne Centre. Food, refreshment and craic in abundance awaits.

In previous years support along the route has been phenomenal and the organising committee would like to invite you all to come along to spectate and enjoy the atmosphere on the night. The event has received great support form Ards and North Down Borough Council and form our main sponsor Uhire on Jubilee road, where you can get great deals on all kinds of tool and equipment rental.

On Sunday three club members successfully completed their formal coach training to be awarded CIRF status, as assessed by Athletics NI. Namely Rachel Murdock, Gary Hunsdale and Johnny Wray. The Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) programme  is designed for those who want to get involved in coaching runners who take part in non-track based activities e.g. road, fell, cross country or multi terrain events. Congratulations guys.

In the week’s running news James Lappin was placed 32nd in a field of 200 runners at the Hill and Dale Series mountain running event at Meels. He completed the challenging course in a second over 36 minutes, followed in for Scrabo by Stephen Gargan in 55:37. Well done to our mountain goats!

At the Roscor charity 10K held at Shane’s Castle the Club’s Peter McGonigal finished the distance in 47 minutes 25 seconds followed by David Turton in an hour. Then came Elaine McGonigal and Susanne McVea.

At the weekly 5km Parkruns Curtis McCaw took 2nd place in Parkway, Comber in a time of 19:09, followed by Norman Mawhinney in 21:46 and Mark Halus recoding a new personal best time of 22:45.

by George McGonigal, Vice Chair

Pictured : Scrabo Striders' Race Director Hannah Robinson with Craig Connor, Sports Development Officer at Ards and North Down Borough Council

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