On a bitterly cold St Patrick's Day morning. our very own National Short Course Cross Country Champion, Paul McNamara, carried the form he showed in winning the National title last week to record a victory over 4 Road Miles in the Phoenix Park KBC sponsored St Patricks Day Race. Battling the elements was necessary as the temperature hovered at little over freezing, with the wind chill factor on the open stretch between 2 and 3 miles biting through the layers worn by most runners. Added to the chill were hail stones at various times, and a challenging course down through the Glens and up the zig-zags to the Papal Cross, before a flat finish along the main road through the Park to the gates of Farmleigh, and a welcome cup of warming tea back at Castleknock College.

I'm afraid I haven't got the time for Paul yet, but I also took part as a final build up for Connemara, and ran 29:30, then ran it again as a warm down and training run, this time jogging it in 40 minutes with a friend.

Peter Delmer

18 years 8 months ago

Thanks for the report Liam. Paul's time for the 4m was 19:35 (4:54 pace). He beat home a quality field. Peter Matthew's is continuing a fine comeback and was second, with Gary Hynes third. Paul thought the third mile was by far the toughest being both uphill and into the wind - his pace dropping from the 4:40's to 5:19. Still it was during this tough mile that he opened the decisive lead. Nice one Paul.

And well done to Liam too who must be pushing hard for club-person-of-the-year with the number of runs he's getting in. (Although I hear a certain Alan Burke ran in Tubercurry to make sure he notched another race.)