Joe Quinn Beckons Runners For The Jimmy’s Ten On Sunday 13 March

As the local runners look forward to another exciting, challenging and busy season, the ever-popular Jimmy’s Ten is literally about six weeks away writes Joe Quinn. This is one of the attractive runs outside the Belfast marathon through St Patrick’s  country.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA

Runners stream on to the Ballydugan Road from the start line last year.
Runners stream on to the Ballydugan Road from the start line last year.

The next event on the local front is the Rollercoaster Races on Saturday 6 February at Downpatrick Racecourse and all schools and clubs are invited to send their juniors to this safest of venues for road racing. All the races take place on the perimeter road round the racecourse and there are free refreshments for all participants.

Adults too are welcome to what is Downpatrick’s annual answer to Parkrun, a 5K race for seniors to round off the day.

MONEY SAVING REMINDER for JIMMY’S TEN
In case you had forgotten or never heard of in the first place online entry for this year’s Jimmy’s Ten on Sunday 13 March is open at:

www.athleticsni.org

and that there is a special EARLY BIRD offer for those who enter by 31 January.

Entry Fee is only £13 for Registered and £15 for Unregistered runners so get your entry in now to take advantage of these rates as the fees increase by £2 from 1 February and will cost even more by race day – if there are still places left!

UNIQUE OFFER MEANS YOU CANNOT LOSE
East Down AC are the only club which offers to carry over to next year any entry which cannot be used this year, for whatever reason, so enter now in the knowledge that come what may you cannot lose.

The African runners in 2015: 2nd Vincent Kirotich, 1st, Gideon Kinosop and 1st lady was Selinah Kangogo.
The African runners in 2015: 2nd Vincent Kirotich, 1st, Gideon Kinosop and 1st lady was Selinah Kangogo.

Or why not treat a friend or Clubmate who may just have taken up running or who hasn’t yet taken part in Jimmy’s Ten to an entry. It might just be the incentive they need to keep at it when the New Year Resolution enthusiasm to Get Running, Get Fit, starts to wear off?
The entry fee includes the following:
* Technical T-shirt (first 750 only)
* Individual chip timing
* Race Number
* Complimentary post race refreshments

wAnother great day is anticipated with the prospect of the return of the Project Africa athletes to defend their titles from last year while local hopes will be entrusted to Brendan Teer who will be back in top form again after taking time off to recover from his efforts in the Dublin marathon last October.

But before this event occurs there will be the Ben Dearg Coast 10K on Sunday 28 February to whet he appetites of the road running fraternity.