BLE National Marathon Clonmel 1993 - Report and Results

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Report & Results - BLE National Marathon Championships

Clonmel

Sunday April 18th 1993

Brid Murphy, Leevale AC and Seamus O'Donnell, Galway City Harriers, National Marathon Champions 1993
Left to Right: Padraig Griffin, BLE President, National Marathon Winners Brid Murphy and Seamus O’Donnell, with Tipperary Mazda dealer, Gerry Pierse

Mazda National Marathon

Report by Kathryn Davis

Download Marathon Report - Irish Runner June/July 1993, Vol 13, No 4, P36 - PDF File

Marathon Report - Irish Runner June/July 1993, Vol 13, No 4, P36    Download Marathon Report - Irish Runner June/July 1993, Vol 13, No 4, P36 - PDF File

Seamus O'Donnell finally tasted the sweet elixir of marathon success when he won his first ever marathon from eighteen starts, in a race full of incidents in Clonmel.

Marathons are always fraught with danger and this race was not without its moments of anxiety. Having negotiated twenty-six tortuous miles, and with the finish in Clonmel tantalisingly in sight, the lead car turned left and Seamus duly followed. Officials quickly redirected the winner onto the course, but to do so he had to duck under two ropes, an effort which left him lightheaded. As he straightened up his six foot frame with only 80 metres to negotiate, veering around a sharp bend he stumbled, but gathered himself sufficiently to stop his wristwatch as he crossed the line.

With Roy Dooney already secure in his nomination for Stuttgart, the winner had to dip under 2 hrs. 16 mins, to join him on the starting line.

As early as the opening 5K in 16:41, it was obvious that this time would not be achieved on a humid day with a strong wind facing the athletes on the second half of the course.

The leading group consisted of John Griffin, Richard Mulligan, Aidan Donaldson, Noel Hyland, Pat Heffernan and O'Donnell, with Hyland and O'Donnell the first to drop off the pace, to be followed later by Heffernan.

At the 10 mile mark in 52:32 O'Donnell had rejoined the three leaders, as they faced the more demanding parts of the course, with Mulligan and Donaldson losing contact soon after, and finally abandoning.

At half way in 68:32 the prospect of a strong wind faced both Griffin and O'Donnell. Locked into battle, Griffin’s pitter patter upright style contrasted starkly with O'Donnell's more languid, loping stride as they wondered who would capitulate first. Four miles from the sanctuary of the tape it was Griffin who finally broke as the Galway RTC lecturer moved in front for the first time, with Griffin reduced to walking for the first time in a race over the distance.

O'Donnell increased his margin all the way to the finish, coming home in 2:23:38, almost five minutes ahead of a gallant Griffin, with Hyland's conservative pacing paying dividends as he overcame Heffernan to take bronze

Brid Murphy also had reason to celebrate as she took her first victory and retained her veterans title. Nebraska-based Catriona Dowling, home on holidays for the race had kept Murphy company for 13 miles before the Dubliner moved ahead. By 20 miles she had a lead of two minutes, but the Leevale girl never panicked and closed her down with 2 miles to race to win in 2 hrs 51 mins 33 secs, with Dowling suffering badly over the final miles.

 Irish Times Report Monday April 19th 1993

Irish Times Marathon Report

O’Donnell Wins National Title

By Kathryn Davis 

The virtue of patience brought its own sweet reward on the rotting countryside of South Tipperary as Seamus O'Donnell finally gamed the elusive and much prized Mazda National Marathon title in Clonmel

Marathon running is fraught with danger as yesterday's race again proved. Entering the town of Clonmel with 26 tortuous miles already in his legs and the finish tantalisingly in sight, the lead car turned left and off course, with O’Donnell duly following.

Officials quickly realised the error and pointed him back towards the sanctuary of the tape.

But to reach the home straight the victor was forced to duck under two ropes. The effort left him light headed and as he straightened up His six foot frame with a mere 80 metres to negotiate he stumbled, as he veered around a sharp bend. But he gathered himself sufficiently to cross the line in two hours 23 minutes and 38 seconds despite having run an additional 400 metres.

Locked in battle Griffin's pitter-patter upright style forced the pace, with the 32-year-old Galway RTC Lecturer first on his right, then on his left shoulder, as they sought out each other’s weakness.

Eventually with four relatively flat miles to race the cumulative effects of the distance the humidity and the wind which buffeted the athletes on the homeward journey saw Griffin capitulate as O'Donnell eased to the front.

It was also a first marathon victory for Brid Murphy but her second National title as she enjoyed the company of Nebraska- based Catnona Dowling until halfway point, when Dowling upped the pace and had a two minute margin at 20 miles. Bui Murphy never panicked and inexorably closed her down four miles later to come home in 2 hours 51 minutes 33 seconds with Dowling almost six minutes in arrears.

MEN: 1 S O 'Donnell (GCH) 2:23:38 2 J Griffin (St Johns) 2:28:18. 3 N Hyland (Raheny) 2:31:26: 4 P Heffernan (Clonmel) 2:33:02 5 B Feery (Clonmell) 2:34:31, 6 K Maunsell (Comeragh) 2:34:33: 7 T O'Connell (Comeragh) 2:36:25. 8 TJ O'Loughlin (Comeragh) 2:36:55 9 L Foley (Donore) 2:38:56 10 N McEntaggart (Mullingar) 2:36:56

WOMEN: 1 B Murphy (Leevale) 2:51:33 2 C Dowling (DCH) 2:57:29. 3 M Morley (St Finbarrs) 3:21:26. 4 A McEvoy (St Finbarrs) 3:28:34 5 D Kelly (Dublin) 3:45:45

VETERANS;    O/40 L Foley; O/45 TJ O'Loughlin O/50 A Jones (Sportworld) 2:39:22
WHEELCHAIR: G Forde (Blarney) 3:27:40
TEAMS: 1 Comeragh 21 points. 2 Eagle 50 points. 3 Oisin 56 points

Results of BLE National Marathon, Clonmel, April 1993

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