Perhaps with his eye on one of the special “Top 100” T-shirts for the first 100 finishers at the Ballycotton 10 mile Road Race on Sunday 21st March, Eddie Newman really pulled out all the stops and set a new personal best of 61:50 but cut it very fine for the T-shirt by finishing in exactly 100th place to nab the last T-shirt. This is a great performance by Eddie and will give him a great boost in confidence ahead of the Boston Marathon in April.

Eddie was one of a large group of Mullingar athletes among the nearly 3,000 competitors in Ballycotton, which has a well-deserved reputation as probably the best organized and best value for money road race anywhere. Following behind Eddie was Patrick Muldoon Junior (64:47), Keith Gorry (69:12) and Enda Mimnagh (69:32). Of note is that this was the first time Keith and Enda have broken the 70 minute barrier.

Also in action and competing well and soaking up the terrific atmosphere on the dry warm afternoon in Cork were Aidan Daly, Vera McCool, Paul McCool, Breda McDonnell (2nd in her master age-category), Des Walsh, Mary Dillon, Sinead Marshall, Geraldine Walsh and Martha Marshall. Well done to everyone on their performances.