McCambridge impresses at Santry ahead of Paris date

Maria McCambridge, who was the first Irish woman home in the 2008 Lifestyle Sports-adidas Dublin Marathon, continued her impressive form in the National Senior Cross Country Championships in Santry on Sunday.

Letterkenny based athlete McCambridge strode home comfortably to take the senior women’s title, an accolade she last won in 2005. McCambridge, took the lead early on, with DSD club mate Linda Byrne on her trail.

Maria, partner of running veteran Garry Crossan who is also her coach, had never run a marathon until taking part in the Lifestyle Sports-adidas Dublin Marathon last October, despite stealing the show in the Lifestyle Sports-adidas Frank Duffy Ten Mile women’s race last August where she came in first place.

It seems that McCambridge has truly caught the Marathon bug and given her performance on Sunday there is every indication that she will have an exciting run in Paris next month where she will take part in the Paris Marathon on April 5th.

Raheny Shamrock’s Annette Kealy also displayed some great running at the Cross Country Championships on Sunday, coming in third place in the women’s race. Earlier this year Kealy took first place in the Irish Runner 5 Mile Challenge.

Another Series winner Vinny Mulvey, club mate of Annette, claimed the men’s bronze medal. Mulvey was the winner of the Irish Runner 5 Mile Challenge last July and was second a month later in the Lifestyle Sports-adidas Frank Duffy Ten Mile race, pipped only to the post by Josphat Boit.

Grabbing the headlines in yesterday’s papers was Keith Kelly, the Drogheda athlete stormed out of retirement to put in an outstanding performance which saw him win his first National title. The 31 year old whose career has been hampered by a string of injuries to date is most well known for his victory in the American Collegiate NCAA 9 years ago.

In flying form yesterday, Kelly hit the ground running and only Mark Kenneally of Clonliffe Harriers could anywhere near his pace. It was tit for tat up until the third last lap when Kelly surged ahead. In the end there were only 3 seconds in it but for Kelly they were longest of his life. Kelly returns to his training base in Rhode Island with a new lease of life and with a distinct vision and purpose-The European Cross Country Championships in December.