Road Race Results
Ireland & USA
15 October - 7 December 1999

Catherina McKiernan finished twelfth at the Chicago Marathon running 2:35:31 for the 26.2 mile marathon distance. McKiernan from Co. Cavan had won her first three marathons including last year's Amsterdam Marathon where she set the Irish record of 2:22:23. McKiernan told Tom O'Riordan (Irish Independent), "Over the last six miles I was just surviving and simply doing my best to get to the finish. I went through a very bad patch at that stage [16-mile mark] and it was a struggle for me. I had an upset stomach in London last year but managed to overcome it. Today it was different and there was nothing I could do about it," While McKiernan was extremely disappointed, the men's winner Moroccan Khalid Khannouchi was ecstatic. Khannouchi who is in the process of attaining US citizenship set a new world record. His finishing time of 2:05:42 broke Ronaldo de Costa's record (2:06.05) set in Berlin in last year.

Catherina McKiernan
Photo courtesy of FSM

Catherina McKiernan
Dermot Donnelly edged North Belfast rival and Annandale mate John Ferrin at the Seeley 10km race which served as the Northern Ireland Road Championships at Ormeau Park on 4 December 1999. Dermot Donnelly ran 30:16 with John Ferrin six ticks behind in 30:22. The pair helped Annandale to their 18th successive team title in the Joe Seeley Cup. Both men are now looking forward to competing at the European Cross-Country Championships which are next weekend in Slovenia. Sparta's Ann Paul (36:31) took the women's title ahead of Beechmount's Clare Quinn (37:26).
 
Sonia O'Sullivan (Cobh, Co. Cork) returned to racing with a brilliant fourth place finish at the BUPA Great North Run on 10 October. O'Sullivan covered the 13.1 mile trek from Newcastle to South Shields in 1:10:05. O'Sullivan gave birth to daughter Ciara a mere thirteen weeks ago. She told reporters after the race, "The most important thing is that I felt strong all the way and was able to make it a good hard run." Joyce Chepchumba (Kenya) took first in 1:09:07. Next up for O'Sullivan is Saturday's Loughrea Five-Miler.
Marie McMahon (Ennistymon, Co. Clare) ran 17:34 to win the Great Island 5-K road race held in New Castle, New Hampshire on 10 October. Irishman Eric Morse won the men's race in course record 14:51. A week earlier, McMahon ran 26:46 to place second in the Rojack's 8k held in Attleboro Massachusetts on 3 October. The race was won by Jane Ngotho from enya in 26:07.
 
Catriona Dowling placed eighth covering the 5.7 kilometre course in 22:46 at the Rocky Mountain Shoot-Out cross country race held in Boulder, Colorado on 3 October.
 
At the Larne Road Relays held on 2 October, Dermot Donnelly (Annadale Striders) ran the fastest leg (8:58) to make up a 25 second deficit on the final leg and overall long time leaders North Belfast Harriers who finished second ahead of Willowfield. John Ferrin's (NBH) 9:13 placed him second quickest runner of the day. Donnelly now heads to Sydney, Australia for a month of intensive training in preparation for the European CC Championships.
Dubliner Niall Bruton (Clonliffe Harriers) placed third in the Run to the Far Side 5-K running 15:05. Richie Boulet (USA) won the race in 14:28 which took place in San Francisco, California on 28 November 1999.
 
Catriona Dowling (Dublin City Harriers), 41 ran 38:21 to place third in Longmont Turkey Trot 10-kilometre road race held in Longmont, Colorado on 13 November 1999. The men's winner was Brazil's Ronaldo Da Costa (31:12) and the women's champ was Cindy O'Neill (37:50) from Colorado.
 
Catriona Dowling placed fourteenth overall and second in the Masters division (40+) at the Avon Running U.S. National Championships held in Cincinnati, Ohio on 31 October 1999. Dowling covered the 10-kilometre course in 37:38. Kelly Keeler, from Minnesota won the race in 34:53.

Niall Bruton photo courtesy
of the Irish Independent

Niall Bruton
Sonia O'Sullivan set a World Best at the BUPA Five Mile road race held in Loughrea, Co. Galway on 16 October 1999. Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain) running 24:47 in Balmoral, Great Britain (24 April 1999) held the previous world best. Elana Meyer (South Africa) had a reported 5-mile split of 24:37 en route in a 15-K in Capetown on 2 November 1991. Hendrick Ramaala (South Africa) won the men's race in 22:22.
 
 
Women: 
1  Sonia O'Sullivan     IRE (Ballymore/Cobh)      24:27
2  Daniella Negal       ROM                       25:30
3  Rosemary Ryan        IRE (Bilboa)              25:46
4  Ester Kiplagat       KEN                       26:15
5  Ann Keenan-Buckley   IRE (North Laois)         26:52
6  Mary Donohoe         IRE (Clonliffe)           27:10
7  Geraldine Hendricken IRE (SLOT, Carlow)        27:38
8  Ann Lennon           IRE (Mayo AC)             28:05
9  Mary Meade           IRE (North Cork)          28:14
10 Maureen Harrington   IRE (Kenmare)             28:21

Men: 
1  Hendrick Ramaala     SA                        22:22
2  John Mutai           KEN                       22:27
3  Séamus Power         IRE (Kilmurray/Ibrickane) 22:54
4  Paul Evans           SCO-GB                    23:25
5  Martin McCarthy      IRE (Leevale)             23:28
6  David Burke          IRE (Mullingar Harriers)  23:50
7  Cathal Lombard       IRE (Leevale)             23:52
8  Gerry Ryan           IRE (Galway)              23:57
9  John Mayock          GB                        24:08
10 Andy Caine           GB                        24:18

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