There's something pleasing about running alongside the sea on a mild evening with the smell of the salt air & the coastal vistas which greeted us on the 5k Series' first vist to Maree this evening (13 May).

Unfortunately, when you're racing eyeballs out in a 5k race you are aware of absolutely none of these things & many appeared to do just that this evening as a plethora of Athenry AC members left Maree with new PBs. Many people were slightly dismayed at the exit of Craughwell from the series as it was widely regarded as a PB course but after this evening's race there won't be many complaining about Maree's inclusion in its place as it proved itself to be an equally fast course.

At the head of the race Peter O' Sullivan took the win for the second week in a row with a brilliant 15.59, 10 seconds faster than his winning time of last week & 20 seconds ahead of second placed Owen Byrne of GCH with Timmy Glavey of Mayo AC in third.

Regina Casey of GCH took the womens honours for the third week in a row in a time of 18.07, a single second slower than last week's time. Jane Anne Healy was second 12 seconds back with Sinead Foran in third a further 30 seconds back.

A brilliant 99 runners finished under the 20 minute mark (chip time) with 21 of those coming from Athenry AC including 13 who went under the 19 minutes.

In his neverending chase of Andrew Talbot, James Lundon finished with a 19.59 this evening, a time which would have just edged out Andy last week. Unfotunately for James, Andy was able to improve further this week with a 19.49 & keep the chase on for next week.

Elsewhere there were PBs across the board for Athenry members. Maeve Noone, Siobhan Guinan, David Noone, David Meehan, Mick Duane, Mairead Blake, Ronan McCarthy, Mark Hannon, Kiearn Guiry, Martin O' Hara, Kenneth O' Dea, Paul Hegarty & Tiernan Burke amongst others all improved on their 5k times this evening with surely more to come by the series end in Tuam in three weeks' time.

Results are located here.

Images from the races and the series to date are available here and here.