Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Senior Squads Running Challenge Event-Update
Thirteen Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Senior Squads took part in in the Lockdown Running Challenge Event organised by John Andrews from the Ballymena Academy Department of Physical Education and Movement Studies.
The event took place at the various towns throughout the province with all the participants enjoying the friendly rivalry and competition as the week went on. Results of each days’ work were totted up by John Andrews and all the runners took great interest in the results as the week went on.
The event ran from Wednesday 27th January until Wednesday 3rd February with each team fielding upwards of 35 pupils and staff.
With the 35 pupils and staff from each squad covering a total of 9279 kilometres the challenge turned out to be very competitive at both ends of the league table right up until the end of the challenge.
The resilient Regent House Grammar School took the overall title with a tremendous 1230 km covered through the week, with Luke Megarity’s 1 mile bonus point winning time of 4 mins 25 secs proving the difference over a finely tuned Dalriada School team which had actually covered the furthest distance in the course of the week by running in some 1271Km. Zach Kinkead, Matthew Deans and Peter Donaldson were among the Dalriada School players who put in great performances while coaches, Brian Young and Andrew Surgenor, impressed with their strong runs. The Dalriada School Principal, Mr Tom Skelton, and Head of Physical Education, Mr Rab Gregg, trained hard in the lead up to the event but were disappointed not to have been selected for their team.
Grosvenor Grammar School made a late push on the final day and picked up 350 bonus points through the efforts of the talented and hard-working Ben Johnston and Lewis Young.
Bonus Points were awarded on the following basis:-
Fastest 5K run =100 Points 2nd Fastest = 50 pts 3rd Fastest = 25pts
Fastest 1.6k run (1mile) = 100 2nd Fastest = 50 pts 3rd Fastest = 25pts
Thanks are due to all the boys and staff for their efforts over the week, making the competition really enjoyable with old, but friendly, rivalries spurring everyone on right until the end. It is hoped that a similar challenge will be rolled out for the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Medallion Shield squads in the near future and there has already been keen interest expressed for a rerun of the Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Senior Squads Lockdown Running Challenge Event in the near future.
The thirteen schools involved in the first event are all keen to participate in the next event when it is hoped that a lot more schools will wish to get involved.
While the challenge was essentially a team event there were some impressive and notable individual performances from each of the schools.
The success of individual participants from Regent House School, Dalriada School and Grosvenor Grammar School has been already listed above but the success of individuals from the other ten schools is worthy of mention as well.
The Ballymena Academy team saw players such as Josh Drain, who ran the one mile in a time of 4’45”, with No 8, Adam Lamont, clocking an impressive 6’07” for the one mile event and prop forward, Harry Andrews, covering 5 kms in 23’36”.
The Cambridge House Grammar School team had Jordan McMullan running the one mile in 4’54” with James McNabney covering the same event in 5’56” and clocking the 5kms in 21’38”. James Moss recorded a best time of 17’33” for his 5km run.
The Royal School, Armagh team had impressive performances over the course of the week from Ben Scott, Josh Cunningham and Joseph Haynes, who between them covered 180 kms.
Larne Grammar School had Jack Wallace and Ben Hodge came close to recording bonus points while the Belfast Royal Academy team saw impressive performances recorded by Matthew Todd, Keaton Morrison and Ben Lonsdale.
For the Royal Belfast Academical Institution team John Patterson, John Johnston, Josh Eagleson and James Hilman recorded some great times with staff members, Messrs McMullan and Bentley, putting in some hard work throughout the week.
The Enniskillen Royal Grammar School team had David Stinson, Jason Bothwell and Paul McConkey to thank for recording some impressive results with the Bangor Grammar School team having Rory Wood, Josh Scullion, Jack Mason, Robbie Grant, Jack Delargy and Ryan Butler leading the way with their endeavours.
The Lurgan College team saw Adam Black, Harry McMeekin and Matthew Conn all record impressive performances while players from Limavady Grammar School Adam McLaughlin, Joe Dallas and Robert McFarland worked hard over the course of the week. The Limavady Grammar School team captain, Ross McLaughlin, picked up a back injury four days into the event but was still on hand to encourage his team mates via social media channels. The Limavady Grammar School team coaches, Brian Hughes and Aaron Hamilton, were joined by Vice Principal, Chris O’Donnell, and staff member, and experienced very little difficulty in recording times for quite a few of the 5 km runs.
John Andrews is to be thanked and congratulated for co-ordinating this Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ Fun Lockdown Challenge Running Event and all the participants are to be congratulated on their positive approach to the event. The runners all got a lot out of the event from both a physical and mental wellness point of view.
John, and all the runners, are hoping that the ranks of runners will be swollen from other Danske Bank Ulster Schools’ teams and anyone interested in getting further details regarding other planned events should make contact with John via e mail at jfm_andrews@hotmail.com
