IN PICTURES: Runners brave the elements for the 32nd running of the Luggacurren 10k

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Following a morning of heavy rainfall, the athletes who braved the elements for the 32nd Luggacurren 10k had yet another very successful event on Sunday morning, September 14. Photographer Paul Dargan attended the event for the Leinster Express/ Laois Live. SEE FULL RACE RESULTS BELOW PICTURE.

The race got off to a lively start with Brian Kelly, St. Abban’s AC and Jack McMahon, Ballyroan Abbeyleix & District (BA&D) setting the pace right from the start, followed closely by a group of runners from Newbridge, BA&D, and St. Abban’s. Kelly and McMahon held the lead with Kelly pulling away at the 8k mark to finish strong and win his first Luggaccuren 10k title in a time of 33:49, followed by Jack McMahon BA&D in 34:24. Dean Ryan, Newbridge AC finished 3rd in a time of 35:46 followed closely by Ronan O’Reilly BA&D 4th in a time of 35:55. In 5th place overall, John Fenlon, St. Abban’s AC had a great run of 36:00 to take 1st place in the O40 category with team mates, Dermot Ayres and PJ Leonard taking 2nd and 3rd prizes in 36:52 and 38:19 respectively. St. Abban’s AC Junior athletes, Will Duffy, 38:14, and Shane Stynes, 38:17, ran a very competitive race with Duffy edging Stynes by a mere three seconds to take his first Junior title in Luggacurren. In the O50 category, Sean Delaney, KCH finished 13th overall to win the O50 category in 39:58, followed by Derek Coogan, St. Michael’s, 2nd in a time of 41:54 and Pierre Kelly, St. Abban’s, 3rd in a time of 50:44. Martin McDonald, BA&D had a great run, taking the O60 Category in a time of 41:42, followed closely in 2nd place by Aengus Burke, Portlaoise AC in a time of 41:58, with Brian O’Reilly, Laragh AC 3rd in a time of 52:54. The team event sponsored by PJ and Martha Dunne, Dunne’s Transport, Shanrath was won by St. Abban’s, with a score of 19 points. The team was Brian Kelly, John Fenlon, David McEvoy and Dermot Ayres. In the Ladies race, defending champion Lisa Sweeney, St. Michael’s AC, held her title to win her second Luggacurren 10k in a row in a time of 38:48. Teammates Siobhán Burke and Caitriona McDonald, St. Abban’s AC, took 2nd and 3rd places in 45:56 and 48:18, respectively. Tara Leigh, Tinryland AC, finished 4th in a time of 48:30. Liz McWey won the O40 Category in a time of 49:08. The team event sponsored by PJ and Martha Dunne, Dunne’s Transport, Shanrath was won by St. Abban’s AC with a total of 63 points. The team consisted of Siobhán Burke, Caitriona McDonald, and Theresa Dunne.