Some key points...
1) In 2017, three men ran under 50 minutes. In 1987, it was fourteen.
2) The time for the 50th finisher in 2017 was 57m 45s. In 1987, the 50th person was 54m 08s. The time for 50th place in 1987 would have finished in 16th place in 2017.
3) The time for the 100th finisher in 2017 was 59m 50s. In 1987, the 100th person was 56m 46s...roughly 3 minutes faster. The time for 100th place in 1987 would have finished in 42nd place in 2017.
As for why the times were so much faster back then? Basically, it mostly due to the fact that in 1987, most of those in the top 100 were young men who ran a lot. The age profile of the average runner now is older.
The 1987 results can be seen below...
Results of the Ballycotton '10' - March 8, 1987
Pos. Name Club Cat. Time
1 Jerry Kiernan Clonliffe Harriers 48:06
2 R. Costello Limerick A.C. 48:18
3 Liam O'Brien East Cork A.C. 48:46
4 R. Williams Exeter Harriers 48:49
5 R. Brewster Clayton-Ie-Moors 48:52
6 T. Blackwell Wrexham A.C. 48:55
7 J. Lenihan Riocht A.C. 49:00
8 T. O'Leary Leevale A.C. 49:22
9 Dick Hooper Raheny Shamrock A.C. 49:25
10 S. Coleman Exeter Harriers 49:34
11 E. Tierney Clonliffe Harriers 49:38
12 G. Seward Exeter Harriers 49:43
13 R. Burke St. Finbarrs A.C. 49:45
14 J. Scanlon West Limerick A.C. 49:51
15 J. Griffin St. Johns A.C. 50:24
16 P. Heffernan Thurles Crokes AC 50:25
17 P. Duffy Limerick A.C. 50:26
18 S. Murphy Kilkenny City Harrriers. 50:34
19 M. Kelly Team Puma 50:59
20 S. Harte St.Finbarrs A.C. 50:59
21 A. Schofield Clayton-Ie-Moors 51:05
22 P. Keane Clonllffe Harriers 51:10
23 T. Brouder West Limerick A.C. 51:25
24 T. O'Halloran Leevale A.C. 51:31
25 B. Meade East Cork A.C. 51:37
26 B. Horgan Clonliffe Harriers 51:44
27 Eamon McEvoy St. Finbarrs A.C. 51:48
28 G. Mullane Reenavanna Harriers 51:49
29 J. O'Halloran Tipp. Town A.C. 51:51
30 D. O'Riordan Leevale A.C. 52:18
31 Eric Crockett St. Finbarrs A.C. 52:22
32 J. Wallace East Cork A.C. 52:35
33 D. Jordan Slaneyside A.C. 52:45
34 T. Ryan Dungarvan A.C. 52:46
35 C. Wllsdon Exeter Harriers 52:50
36 V. Edwards Wrexham A.C. 52:53
37 T. Owens St. Nicholas A.C. 52:55
38 D. Shannon Tinryland AC O/40 53:03
39 B. McKenna Clayton-Le-Moors 53:08
40 Joe Chawke West Limerick A.C. 53:09
41 W. Hayes Reenavanna Harriers 53:15
42 Seamus Hartnett East Cork A.C. 53:21
43 M. Neville Tullamore Hrs. O/40 53:44
44 G. Blackwell Wrexham A.C. 53:54
45 M. McDonnell West Limerick 53:54
46 Pat Kerrigan Mallow A.C. 53:56
47 J. O'Brien Midleton A.C. 54:00
48 L. Cotter St. Finbarrs A.C. 54:02
49 M. Roche Dungarvan A.C. 54:07
50 F. Walsh Youghal A.C. O/40 54:08
51 S. Brennan Mallow A.C. 54:09
52 P. Halley Waterford City A.C. 54:11
53 J. O'Callaghan Leevale A.C. U/19 54:12
54 P. Walsh Deise A.C. 54:22
55 Denis McCarthy East Cork A.C. 54:23
56 M. Griffin St. Nicholas A.C. 54:23
57 G. Doyle Sportsworld 54:24
58 P. Murray Leevale A.C. 54:31
59 L. Griffin St. Johns A.C. 54:34
60 Michael Carey Leevale A.C. 54:36
61 P. Ryan St. Finbarrs A.C. 54:38
62 S. Crawley West LImerick A.C. 54:38
63 J. Condon West LImerick A.C. 54:40
64 E. Reck Slaneyside A.C. 54:40
65 James Veale Dungarvan A.C. 54:42
66 P. Mulholland East Cork A.C. 54:44
67 D. O'Driscoll St. Finbarrs A.C. O/45 54:47
68 J. Murphy Leevale A.C. 55:05
69 K. Roberts Exeter Harriers 55:06
70 C. Deasy Northbrook A.C. 55:08
71 G. Cantwell Dungarvan A.C. 55:11
72 P. Weathers Fermoy & District Harriers 55:16
73 T. Lane Reenavanna Harriers 55:17
74 D. Grant Deise A.C. 55:18
75 G. Walsh Youghal A.C. O/40 55:19
76 G. Daly Bandon A.C. 55:24
77 R. Collins East Cork A.C. U/19 55:28
78 D. Shine Fermoy & District Harriers 55:30
79 J. Haire Raheny Shamrock A.C. 55:31
80 T. Goulding Leevale A.C. 55:32
81 D. Hegarty St. Finbarrs A.C. 55:35
82 T.O'Connell Clonmel 55:39
83 Tommy Ryan Eagle T.C. 55:45
84 E. Noonan Eagle T.C. 55:46
85 B. Mitchell Ballybrack 55:48
86 G. Fitzgibbon West Limerick 55:52
87 A. Neenan Mallow A.C. 55:59
88 J. Moran Mallow A.C. 56:04
89 J. O'Driscoll Bandon-Bridge A.C. 56:06
90 B. Foley East Cork A.C. 56:09
91 L. Dwyer Dungarvan A.C. 56:15
92 T. Morrissey Leevale A.C. 56:17
93 John O'Leary Leevale A.C. O/45 56:18
94 P. O'Neill St. Finbarrs A.C. O/40 56:19
95 S. O'Neill Leevale A.C. 56:24
96 B. Lyons St. Johns A.C. 56:26
97 A. Buckley Leevale A.C. 56:33
98 D. Leahy West Limerick A.C. 56:36
99 Frank Cashman East Cork A.C. 56:43
100 T.J. O'Connell Loughrea A.C. 56:46
There was 4 Olympians in 1987 and 1 in 2017 plus there was 3 Masters in Top 50 1987 and 14 in 2017.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1474273319252360&set=a.142295992450106.24904.100000091192678&type=3&theater
Who were the 4 olympians in the '87 race?
ReplyDeleteJerry Kiernan finished 9th in the marathon at the Loas Angeles Olympics in 1984.
ReplyDeleteLiam O'Brien represented Ireland in the 3000m Steeplechase at the same games.
Dick Hooper ran in the marathon in the Moscow games in 1980, the Los Angeles games in 1984 and Seoul in 1988.
Not sure about the 4th. Maybe someone else can let us know.
Was it John Griffin? Think he won Dublin a few times in 2.12 or 2.13
ReplyDeleteJohn Griffin was a great athlete alright but did not make it to the Olympics. Regardless if it was three or four Olympians in the Ballycotton 10 in 1987 that's that first comment was very interesting and informative.
ReplyDeleteSomeone sent on this...
ReplyDeleteThere was a future Olympian in that Ballycotton '10' of 1987 as winner of the women's race, Ailish Smyth of Dublin City Harriers (57:07), would go on the following year to run the marathon for Ireland at the Seoul Olympics.
Winner of the Dublin Marathon in 1984 (2:47:30), around six months after Ballycotton she ran her fastest time of 2:39:36 at the Berlin Marathon.