This article is from page 8 of the 2011-06-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
RECORD numbers turned out to walk, jog and run the Clare 10K on Saturday in what has become one of the sporting highlights of the summer in the county.
The event, organised by The Clare People newspaper in conjunction with Clare Haven, was once again a major success. This is the sixth year of the event and the number of entries topped 1,300 for the first time.
Local athlete Seán Hehir won the race in a time of 29 minutes 42 seconds, while Veronica Colleran from Ennis Track Club won the women’s race.
All of the money raised from the run goes to Clare Haven, which provides support for female victims of domestic abuse and their families.
According to Services Manager with Clare Haven Denise Dunne, this event is the organisation’s biggest annual fundraiser.
“The Clare 10K is our biggest fundraiser for the year. Over the past couple of years it has become difficult to fundraise. We can’t keep the service open without fundraising,” said Ms Dunne.
“The people of county Clare have been very good in supporting the Clare 10K every year,” she added.
Colin McGann, of The Clare Peo- ple , said that while the weather was poor for the run on Saturday morning, the pouring rain didn’t dampen the spirits of most entrants.
“Around 1,100 turned up on the day, which was less than the 1,300 entrants, but thankfully the rain didn’t keep the majority of people away,” he said.
“It was a family fun day out and it is great to have the facilities at Lees Road. The running track adds another dimension to it. We are happy to support a good cause,” he said.
While several top class athletes take part every year, hundreds of walkers also participate in the event.
“And while it is becoming more competitive up the front, equally the numbers of walkers have increased every year,” he added.
Carmel Brady, of The Clare People , paid tribute to the participants and also the volunteers who helped out on the day.
“A huge thanks to all the volunteers. Complimentary refreshments were available for everybody for the first time, which was a nice touch,” she said.
“We are hoping to increase numbers again next year. People are becoming more health-conscious and there are a lot of Meet and Train running groups and walking groups across the county,” she added.