Fionnuala McCormack a class apart
In a race devoid of any African elites — organisers instead choosing to invite a team of Commonwealth runners — McCormack proved a class apart, surging to the front in the second mile and soon disappearing out of her rivals’ sight.
McCormack started in conservative fashion, nestling on the shoulder of Maria McCambridge in the blustery conditions, but McCormack was all alone crossing the finish, 71 seconds ahead of Byrne (34:41), who fended off McCambridge to take second.
“I’d say I lost any chance of a good time at the start,” said McCormack. “It was windy and it’s a tough course, so it wasn’t going to be fast. This race is never about times, though, only positions.”
This was McCormack’s third race in the last four weeks, and capped a successful spring campaign for the 31-year-old; she finished fourth at the New York City Half Marathon last month and ran an Olympic qualifier of 32:05.08 for 10,000m in California last weekend.
“It was a short spring season and it was three good races,” she said. “It sets me up well for the summer.”
Fellow Wicklow woman Byrne was also pleased with her effort. “Fionnuala was on another level, so when she moved, I let her go,” she said. “It was a tough last kilometre, but I’m absolutely delighted.”
There was no such success for the home contingent in the men’s race, with leading Irish runner Mick Clohisey touched off by England’s Andy Maud in a hard-fought battle. Clohisey cut out much of the early running alongside fellow Dubliner Brandon Hargreaves, but made the decisive move shortly before 7km, a surge only Maud could follow.
“I have to run at an honest pace,” said Clohisey. “I can’t sit in and react.” Maud tried his best to launch an attack of his own, but Clohisey was alert to the threat and responded. “The last 3K, we were both trying to edge ahead but neither could get anything,” said Maud.
“Mick is a good front runner. Every time I tried to go ahead, he put himself back in front. I tried to break him at 8K, but he kept retaliating.”
In the end though, Maud’s change of gears proved too much for Clohisey, and the Highgate Harrier took victory in 29:55 to Clohisey’s 30:00. Clonmel’s Kevin Maunsell continued his rise to the top ranks by finishing third in 30:23.
“The atmosphere was fantastic,” said Maud. “The organisation is brilliant, and for such a hilly course, it’s quick. I’ll definitely come back.”
For Clohisey, the race was another step forward on a road he hopes will culminate in Rio de Janeiro later this year. The 30-year-old is the second fastest Irish qualifier for the Olympic marathon, having run 2:15:10 in Seville, and is hopeful of gaining selection on the May 23 deadline.
“I just don’t have that extra zip right now, but coming off the marathon, it takes time to get that bounce back,” he said. “I have to keep doing what I’m doing now and focus as if I’m going [to the Olympics].”
The men’s mile was won in impressive fashion by Donore’s John Travers, whose mid-race surge carried him clear to win in 4:11 ahead of England’s John Ashcroft (4:14).
“I decided to go for hell after halfway,” said Travers, who is planning to open his track season with a 5000m race in Belgium in May. “It was tough with the wind, but I’m happy.”
On a day that saw almost 8,000 runners take to the streets, race organiser Gareth Turnbull was confident the new format would help rejuvenate the race, which had seen a drop in participation in recent years. “We’re regenerating this event,” he said.
“Competitive athletics is what gets people going these days, and that’s what we’re trying to engage in here. Hopefully in the following years we’ll bring other national teams across too.” n Meanwhile at the Rotterdam Marathon yesterday, Leevale’s Mark Hanrahan was the leading Irish finisher in 2:19:50, which was outside the Olympic standard of 2:19:00.
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