The Mallory Park Road Challenge will take place on Sunday March 22nd on the flat and fast course at Mallory Park Racing Circuit. Organised by international athlete Sam Stabler and colleagues James and Gareth at ‘We Who Run’, the races add a rare opportunity for a fast road 5km as well as a quality 10km race in the spring.

The organisers say their test events saw over 65% of participants achieve personal bests and given their experience within the sport we are pretty sure runners will be in for a fantastic event.

Pacers throughout the field

With this in mind, the Mallory Park Running Series aims to provide the friendliest and most welcoming environment anywhere in the UK, for club runners of all levels of ability and provide the best opportunity for all runners to PB.

As such the organisers have got a team of expert pacers to support runners from the front to the back of the field stay on track and crack that 5km or 10km PB.

Focusing on what counts

Entry fees for both 5km and 10km are highly competitive with group discounts for clubs with 10 or more runners available as detailed on the race website.

Races these days tend to be more focused on the medal after than the quality of the race itself, but not here! Swapping a post-race T-Shirt and medal for investment in second to none pre-race facilities. You will get advice before and afterwards from a team of running experts with Sam and his team putting the emphasis back on the running itself, which is refreshing to see.

Wheelchair racing

In addition to the running races the team are putting on a 5km wheelchair race with the aim of seeing the biggest ever mass participation wheelchair event that the UK has ever staged. The race is aiming to top the 289 competitors who took part in an event in Dubai last year, which is currently the officially recognised world record.

The venue is fully equipped to cater for the needs of wheelchair participants, with ample parking, changing and toilet facilities, as well as a sizeable area close to the start/finish lines that will serve as an ideal changeover area for those who wish to participate in a race chair as opposed to their own day chair.

As a self-contained, professional motor circuit, the surface for tyres is as close to ideal as can be found and the obvious health and safety benefits that a private, well marshalled track offers, will hopefully offer complete piece of mind to those using our event as their first experience of a mass participation event!

You can sign up to the races on the Mallory Park Road Challenge website and we look forward to covering the results and PBs as they come in.

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The post Mallory Park Road Challenge set for PBs over 5km and 10km appeared first on Fast Running.

Eoin Hughes and Sarah Fitzpatrick ran the quickest parkrun times in Ireland yesterday (May 18).

Eoin Hughes ran a parkrun PB to lead the Irish parkrun times this weekend. Acorn AC man Hughes ran 15:17 on the MUSA Cookstown course – where we often see some of the fastest times run. Hughes has had a great year so far running a 31:32 10km PB Termoneeney 10K recently and 15:04 at Armagh 5km.

Regular top 10 performer Sarah Fitzpatrick ran 19:29 on the Bushy course in Dublin to be this weeks leading woman. Fitzpatrick who has a 5,000m PB of 18:01 was a little way off her best of parkrun PB 19:10 but well clear of the second place finisher. Niamh Hughes with 19:35 was this week’s second faster female and there was a tie for 3rd with Orla Byrne and Leann Gibson both clocking 19:38.

Stephen Kelly was nearly 4 minutes clear of the second place man at Oldbridge as be clocked 16:13. Kelly who was a  competitor in the recent European Masters Championships has a parkrun best of 15:50. Kevin O’Grady had yet another impressive performance. Under 17 O’Grady has a parkrun PB of 16:16 and finished over a minute ahead of the second placed runner.

The post 10 fastest Irish parkrun times on Saturday 18th May (2019) appeared first on Fast Running.

The Ipswich Twilight 5k event, organised by Ipswich JAFFA Running Club, takes place on Saturday and this year hosts the England 5km Road Championships and the supporting events include a unique elite 800m road race. The sold out 5km race takes place on one of the fastest road courses  in the UK and the start list is stacked with quality. Such has been the popularity of the race and the depth of quality that an additional sub-15 minute race has been added to the timetable.

The Leading Contenders

Nick Goolab of Belgrave ran 13:50 last year to put him second on the UK rankings last year. Defending his title after a UK leading 28:22 10km at Brighton Goolab will face stiff competition including 13:54 man and World Cross competitor Adam Hickey. Other sub 14 minute challengers include Jack Gray (PB – 13:52), Phil Sesemann (PB – 13:50), Kieran Clements (13:53) and Graham Rush (13:51).

Embracing the nautical heritage of the town Gray told us “I’m really excited to set sail for Ipswich Waterfront and get on-board a fast pace. Hopefully we will see a continuation of what has been an incredible year for domestic road racing in the wake of Armagh, Brighton and London. My goals are the English and British championships, it should be a fascinating contest and I’ll be vying to take the helm come Saturday night.”

The women’s field is headlined by Laura Weightman who has been in sparkling form on the roads in 2019. Steve Cram coached Weightman, who has a 15:08 clocking on the track, ran 31:39 at the Parelloop 10km in March to move to 5th on the UK all time rankings. Jessica Judd returns to road racing having run 9:05 at Armagh 3km in February. Judd will be joined by Gemma Steel, third on the UK all time 10km rankings. The fabulous field, including internationals such as Danielle Hodgkinson, Lucy Crookes and Claire Duck, is testament to the quality of the organisation by race director Carl Ashton.

An unique 800m Race

The event also includes a unique 800m road race with a high quality invited field including European Indoor Medallist Jamie Webb (PB – 1:45.73), Zak Curran (PB – 1:46.78) and Spencer Thomas (PB – 1:47.76) in the men’s race. The women’s race sees international Gemma Kersey (PB – 2:06.11) going head to head with fellow Basildon athlete Isobel Ives (PB – 2:07.36) and Lily Coward (PB – 2:07.44).

An Afternoon of Athletics

The elite races cap a full afternoon of racing. The racing kicks off at 14:00 with a daily mile race for local schools. There are separate 5km races for over 30 minute runners and 21-30 minutes as well as a business challenge and family 2km race. The sub 20 minute race which includes the women’s elite race starts at 19:00, the men’s elite race at 19:30. The women’s and men’s 800m races take place at 17:00 and 17:15 respectively.

The elite races will be screened live on the Ipswich Twilight Facebook site.

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The Scottish 5km Championships take place on Friday 3rd May with conditions expected to be perfect for fast times. The event, organised by Run and Become and Scottish Athletics, takes place on a pancake flat course alongside the Firth of Forth and has traditionally been one of the most competitive events in the Scottish road racing calendar. Maclennan and Jones are joined by the likes of Morag Millar, Fionnuala Ross, Alastair Hay and last year’s winner Lachlan Oates at the head of a sold out 600 strong field.

The Fight for Medals

Mhairi Maclennan will arrive on a high after her recent 2nd place finish at the Brighton Marathon 10km clocked a new PB of 32:59. The Helen Clitheroe coached athlete will expect stiff competition from Fionnuala Ross who retained her Scottish 10,000m title in April and clocked 33:30 to win Leeds Abbey Dash 10km last November.

Whilst last year’s winner Annabel Simpson misses the race due to exams Central AC’s Morag Millar will challenge with a 5km best of 16:14. With the likes of Elspeth Curran, Jenny Bannerman and 2012 Olympian Freya Ross also on the start list medal positions will be hotly contested.

2018 winner Lachlan Oates also retained his Scottish 10,000m title in April in a fantastic new PB of 29:40. Oates will know he needs to be on his best form as he is joined by 13:45 5,000m man Kris Jones who will be looking to make a winning return to racing after a recent Achilles niggle. The Swansea Harrier told FR

“It will be my first race since January due to an Achilles problem, so I am very excited for it. I hope that I will be in the fight for the win, but if I come through the race without a negative reaction from the Achilles that would be a success. I’ve been on an altitude camp in Albuquerque and I’m starting to feel like some fitness is returning, but you never really know how things are until you race.”

Medals are expected to be hard fought Central AC’s Alistair Hay has a fine pedigree over the distance with a 14:07 5,000m best and he will expect to be pushed by the likes of Corstorphine’s Calum McKenzie and Edinburgh AC’s Michael Christoforou.

A Scottish Classic

With 112 runners clocking sub 17 minute times in 2018 the race can rightly be considered alongside the likes of Armagh as one of the most competitive road races on the UK circuit. The course records of 14:17 (Callum Hawkins) and 16:07 (Maddie Murray) and popularity of the race with top athletes including Andy Butchart are testament to the quality of the organisation and course. Alongside the main individual championships medals are on offer for team races and masters categories. More details on the race can be found on the Run and Become website.

Drone footage of Run and Become 5K Scottish Champs 2018 from adrian stott on Vimeo.

RELATED: Records set to tumble in Wales this weekend

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The post Fast Times Expected at the Scottish 5km Champs appeared first on Fast Running.