Double-Header Weekend Kicks Off the Series in Style
The BRC Race Series got off to a flying start with a bumper double-header over the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. First up was Jimmy’s 10K in Downpatrick on Sunday, 16th March, followed by the Craic 10K in Belfast on Monday, 17th March – St. Patrick’s Day. Runners could choose to take on one race or, for those feeling extra ambitious, tackle both — with their fastest time counting towards the series standings.
Jimmy’s 10K – Sunday, 16th March
The series opener was the 25th Anniversary Edition of Jimmy’s 10K, hosted by East Down Athletics Club. On a sunny but cool Sunday morning, Downpatrick was buzzing with hundreds of runners ready to tackle the sold-out two-lap course — including a strong showing from BRC.
The BRC crew didn’t disappoint, putting in some brilliant performances. Leading the way was David Hynes, who ran the fastest BRC time with an impressive effort. Fabrice Scoupe followed closely in second, with Mark Rocks securing third place. Shaun Henry and Tommy Cheng locked down fourth and fifth, while Sarah Corscadden was the fastest female BRC runner in sixth. Paul McCorry completed the team effort in seventh.
Craic 10K – Monday, 17th March
The next morning, there was no time for rest as over 5,000 runners hit the streets of Belfast for the Craic 10K — back in full green glory for St. Patrick’s Day. Starting at City Hall and finishing in Ormeau Park, the good race conditions made for some fast times and a lively atmosphere.
Not content with just running Jimmy’s 10K the day before, David Hynes, Fabrice Scoupe, and Paul McCorry laced up again to complete the double — and still managed to put in strong performances. David was once again the first BRC finisher, with Vernon Murphy following closely in second. Paul Corthorn secured third place, with Fabrice Scoupe in fourth and Andrew McGrath in fifth. Jill Mellon was the first BRC female finisher in sixth, followed by Colin McMahon and Aoibhin Carlisle in seventh and eighth. Syd Brown took ninth place, with Donna Healey and Barra Shields finishing together in tenth. John Deery placed eleventh, Portia Larlee came in twelfth, and Ciaran Kearney and Paul McCorry rounded off the team effort in thirteenth and fourteenth.
Combined results for both races are on our race series result page.
A fantastic start to the race series with some great results and a brilliant team effort all round. The bar has been set high — bring on the next one!
Next up is the sold-out Deep RiverRock Queen’s 5K Race Round The River on Wednesday, 2nd April. This hugely popular event in the Queen’s Sport calendar takes place on the Annadale and Stranmillis embankments. The 5km Open NI and Ulster 5K Championships race starts at 7.35pm. If you’re not taking part yourself, come down and cheer on your clubmates! The action kicks off with the 3K race at 6.50pm and the 5K Championship Elite (sub-20 minutes only) at 7.15pm. It should be a great night — see you there!
MR