DAME Mary Peters was one of 1400 women who took part in last Sunday's Runher 5K and 10K runs at Stormont.
The sun shone as the ladies of all ages and abilities took off on the seventh running of the event, but it was former track international Kelly Neely who led the hordes home in
a fast 19 minutes and 17 seconds. Rachel Gibson took second spot, just ten seconds back, with Jessica Craig third in 20:13. "My background is track running so I'm not used to steep hills," said 35-year-old Neely (right) who has run a number of half-marathons during the summer.
"That is the first time I've ever done a Runher event. It's strange. It being all being women, there's less of a competitive feel about it. But it's a great event." Quite a number took up the option of running the longer 10-kilometre course where Hannah Oldroyd shook off the effects of a race in Armagh the previous day to score her second victory of the weekend. The Saltaire Harrier (West Yorkshire) covered the tough twolap course in 39:16 to see off the challenge of former Runher winner
Cathy McCourt, who finished 22 seconds back. Frequent competitor Julie Balmer took third in 40:12. Dame Mary Peters also took to her trainers to complete the 5K course despite suffering a sore throat. "I take part every year and it's a tough course, it's a challenge," said the Munich Olympics gold medallist.