KATHLEEN WINS IN LUCAN

Anne Ormsby (Fingallians) 3rd, Kathleen O'Callaghan (Sportsworld) the winner and Mary Finn (Sportsworld) third after the Women's Meet & Train Summer League 2 Mile run in Lucan on Tuesday April 17.

Just a second while I tie my lace.

They're off ! The start of the Women's Meet & Train Summer League run in Lucan



Kathleen O'Callaghan of Sportsworld as an emphatic winner of the first Women's Meet and Train two mile run held in Lucan last Tuesday.
Kathleen, who had shown good form in the Meet and Train Winter League, winning one of the four races, went into an early lead and by half-way had a good lead over her Sportsworld club mate Mary Finn and Anne Ormsby of Fingallians.
She crossed the line in 12 mins 7 secs, putting her fifteen seconds ahead of Finn, with Ormsby third.
"I led from the start but I found it hard. I just kept going," said Kathleen after the finish.
She only started running in 2002, encouraged by her Irish Life and Permanent workmate Deirdre Fizsimons, who ironically then gave up for a few years herself.
"We have four women running in Business Houses races - Rachel Beck and Edel O'Connell as well as myself and now Deirdre, whom we've got back running."
Her considerable improvement has come about since she joined Sportsworld two years ago. "I went to Lanzerote with Edel for a holiday and met up with the Sportsworld girls. We both then joined the club when we got back."
With her times improving all the time, Kathleen has high hopes of breaking 40 minutes in this year's Flora Women's Mini Marathon. It will be a busy period for her - in June, she is also getting married to Declan Morgan, who had divided loyalties on Tuesday since he is coach to the fledgling team from Dunboyne.
"I'll be trying to persuade Kathleen to come over to us, but I don't think I have much hope!" says Declan.
Sportsworld, a club which was started by Emily Dowling as a Meet and Train group for the very first Women's Mini Marathon in 1983, had the largest number in Tuesaday's race, with seven complete teams of six women.
Fingallians from Swords were also out in force with five teams although they were missing their Paralympian star Catherine Walsh, who has won the visually impaired prize in the women's mini marathon for most of the past ten or so years.
Catherine is currently trying her hand at cycling, but an accident on a tandem bike has put her in plaster. She hopes to be back in action for the next in the Meet and Train Summer League on Sunday April 29 (11.0) in Raheny, when the distance will increase to three miles.
Official race starter Harry Gorman was unstinting in his praise for the series. "I think every women in the city who's training for the mini marathon should come out and support these races. They're the perfect build-up to the big day and yet they're informal and friendly." You heard the man!
* Thanks to everyone in Lucan for putting on such a great show and to Harry, our official starter (complete with whistle!)

Result - 1 Kathleen O'Callaghan (Sportsworld) 12.07; 2 Mary Finn (Sportsworld) 12.22; 3 Ann Ormsby (Fingallians) 12.34; 4 Ann Higgins (Sportsworld) 12.49; 5 Stephanie Bergin (Sportsworld) 12.49; 6 Coroan Brady (Sportsworld) 12.50; 7 Orlagh Fleming (Sportsworld) 12.53; 8 Eilen Thoma (Dunboyne) 12.55; 9 Eileen Dalton (Sportsworld) 12.58; 10 Caroline Reid (Dunboyn) 13.0. .