Kennedy Kane McArthur Festival of Running
Last Thursday saw the official opening of the Marathon Mac exhibition in Ballymoney Museum and the launch of the Kennedy Kane McArthur Festival of Running to be held on Saturday 21st July.
The exhibition will run until the 22nd September and includes Kennedy Kane’s South African blazer and his race number, 613 worn in the Olympic Marathon. Unfortunately the whereabouts of his Olympic gold medal has not been know for many years, but a number of his trophies and other medals are on display.
Thursday also saw the launch of the Marathon Mac website which has details of all the centenary celebrations. Anyone interested in entering the Festival of Running can do so online at www.athleticsni.org or by downloading an entry form from www.springwellrunners.com .
There will be a Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K so there should be a race for everyone. All three courses have been accurately measured by John Glover of Athletics NI. The Half Marathon is included in the Up & Running Half Marathon Series and anyone running the marathon can have their half way time recorded for that competition. Entries close on 30th June so there will be no entries on the day. All runners will receive a technical T-shirt and for marathon and half marathon runners, a specially commissioned bespoke medal.
You can also keep up to date with developments and post questions on Springwell Running Clubs Facebook page Kennedy Kane McArthur Festival of Running .For further details email Bryan Edgar: bryan762@btinternet.com or Kenny Bacon: k.bacon14@btinternet.com.
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Northern Ireland’s Olympic focus will centre on the small village of Dervock in July next year. Just 6 days before the opening ceremony of the London games, Springwell Running Club along with Dervock and District Community Association will host a festival of running to mark the centenary of Kennedy Kane McArthur’s historic gold medal win over the marathon distance in Stockholm.
For those unaware, McArthur was born and raised in Dervock honing his running skills whilst delivering post around the district. He immigrated to South Africa where his athletic career blossomed so much so that he was selected to run for that country at the marathon distance.
The Stockholm Olympic marathon took place in sweltering heat. McArthur and his teammate Christian Gitsham ran together and soon took the lead. Confident of victory, Gitsham stopped for water, expecting his colleague to join him, as agreed. Instead McArthur ran on, stretching his lead and taking him to victory over by 58 seconds.
In the next season, McArthur injured his foot in an accident and was forced to retire from athletics. He ran six marathon races (including the Olympic marathon) throughout his career and never lost one.
His results have ensured his place in local folklore and it is fitting that he be honoured on the one hundredth anniversary of his most famous win by his home village. The Olympic flame will visit Dervock on the 3 June 2012 in his honour. The last marathon to be stage in Dervock was in 1988. The club are in a very privileged position in Olympic year to organise this festival which will include 3 races, a 10K, a half marathon and a full marathon. Preparations are well under way and there is a lot of media interest both locally, nationally and internationally.
As well as the races a number of other activities will be held in the village over the weekend. A play of McArthur’s home coming and a torch light procession along with an exhibition of McArthur Olympic jacket, race number and trophies will be on display at Ballymoney Museum from Wednesday 4 April 2012.
A new course has been developed which has already been well received by runners taking in the more scenic parts of North Antrim (and faster than the previous). The half marathon will now be part of the established half marathon grand prix series. The marathon will be the only other road race over the distance after Belfast and Newry, the 10K is set to be faster on the clockwise route.
Route maps 10K / Half and Full marathon
We are hoping for 1000 competitors over the three events, but early indications suggest that we may have to set an entry limit such is the interest. We hope to attract some high profile runners that may include some Olympic athletes preparing for the following weeks competition.
To keep up to date with the marathon preparations, visit www.springwellrunners.com
Bryan Edgar, Race Director, leads a group of Springwell Runners through the Dark Hedges on a trial run of the new course for 2012.
