On a beautiful October day under blue skies, runners from our club took on the iconic GR8 Dundrum race, the tenth event in our club series. The course, set in the shadow of the Mournes, offers breathtaking views and an exhilarating challenge for runners. Starting and finishing in Dundrum, the race featured two distances: 3.5 miles and 8.4 miles, with the longer distance including a tough 2-mile stretch along the beach. While the skies were clear, the headwind on the beach added a fierce challenge to the day.
In the 3.5-mile race, Amanda Mogey delivered a strong performance, finishing in 0:28:40 and securing second place in her age category. Justine McGrugan followed with a time of 0:35:44, showing determination in the shorter course.
In the 8.4-mile race, Callum Robinson led our club runners with an impressive time of 0:53:15, navigating both the trails and beach effortlessly. David Hynes came in shortly after with a solid time of 0:55:58. Peter Mulgrew and Adam Fullarton-Healey crossed the line together, finishing in 1:05:04 and 1:05:25 respectively. Mark Rocks showed consistency with a time of 1:07:03, followed closely by Jill Mellon, who ran an excellent 1:07:49. Stephen Reid clocked a strong 1:09:10, and David McBride finished with an impressive time of 1:10:18, pushing through the headwinds on the beach.
Elish McColgan and Maria McAllister both battled through the beach section to finish in 1:13:33 and 1:13:52. Lynne Mounstephen and Eamon Rafferty stayed close together throughout, finishing in 1:17:17 and 1:17:32. Catherine Ferguson put in a determined run, completing the course in 1:19:18. Paul McCorry and Tommy Cheng showed grit, crossing the finish line at 1:25:17 and 1:25:14. Unfortunately, Andrew McGrath had to pull up on the beach due to a calf strain, but he was running well up until that point.
This year’s GR8 race offered a fantastic mix of trails, sand, and scenery, making it a memorable day for all involved. Despite the headwinds on the beach, our club runners showed grit and determination, with several impressive times on what proved to be a challenging but rewarding course. A big congratulations to everyone who took part!
Afterwards we enjoyed a well earn meal in The Dundrum Inn.
See our BRC race series results page for latest update to results and BRC 2024 race series for information about all our 2024 events.
MR