Back to Back Racing Brings the Series to Life
The BRC Race Series continued in spectacular fashion with its fourth event of the year — a rare and exciting back to back challenge offering runners the chance to tackle not one but two competitive 5 mile races on consecutive evenings. First up was the Fairhill 5 Mile Challenge in Ballymena on Thursday June 5th, followed swiftly by the CS Lewis 5 Mile Challenge (formerly Connswater) in Belfast on Friday June 6th.
Runners had the choice of racing either event, but for the brave (or slightly mad), the opportunity to run both brought an added tactical twist. Only their fastest time from the two events would count towards the overall BRC Series standings, calculated using age grading. With good conditions and two very different courses on offer, there was plenty of strategy (and recovery planning) involved.
The action kicked off with the sold out Fairhill 5 Mile Challenge, where seven BRC runners lined up among 481 competitors. Perfect racing weather greeted participants as they tackled a single lap course that wound its way through the Ecos Nature Park. Much of the route followed winding narrow paths, adding a technical element to the run. While generally flat and fast, a couple of sharp hills were thrown in to keep runners honest and break up the rhythm.
Post race, runners were treated to the legendary Ballymena Runners “Big Feed,” offering top tier hospitality and a chance to refuel, recover and reflect on their performance.
Leading the BRC charge was Mark Rocks, followed by David Hanna and Shaun Henry, who were closely matched throughout. David McBride put in a strong run to finish just behind them, with Tommy Cheng, Aaron Hill and Paul McCorry rounding out the team effort. Each runner gave it their all, whether treating it as a standalone challenge or the first leg of the two night double.
Just 24 hours later, the BRC crew were back on the start line — this time at the CS Lewis 5 Mile Challenge in East Belfast. Starting and finishing in the vibrant C.S. Lewis Square, the race followed the familiar Connswater route, taking runners along the Greenway and into Victoria Park.
The course mixed urban paths with narrower trail sections and long stretches of grassy terrain, which proved deceptively tough underfoot. Though the weather stayed dry, the grass in Victoria Park was particularly soft and occasionally slippery, adding a little extra challenge to an otherwise flat route.
Nine BRC runners took on the course, with several making their 2025 Race Series debut and one notable returnee — Tommy Cheng, the only club member bold enough to tackle both events. Having completed the Fairhill 5 the evening before, Tommy returned with renewed determination and ran significantly faster in Belfast, showing impressive resilience, smart pacing, and a well earned second wind.
Leading the BRC charge on the night was Chris Murphy, delivering a strong performance. He was followed by Fabrice Scoupe and David Hynes, both running well and pushing each other over the closing miles. Paul Corthorn kept things steady just behind them, with Liz Robinson and Jill Mellon both putting in well paced and composed runs across the mixed terrain. Tommy Cheng, showing grit and stamina, completed the double in style. He was joined by Donna Healey and Orla Muldoon, who both showed great resilience in seeing the race through to the finish.
A big shout out to Liz who also won the F60 age category overall.
With both races complete and the dust now settled, the brave few who doubled up — or rather the one — and the many who gave it their all in one, can take pride in a memorable back to back race effort. Whether navigating the winding paths of Ecos or the grassy trails of Connswater, every runner played their part in what has been the most dynamic stretch of the BRC Race Series so far. The age graded results are now available — click the link to see how it all shook out.
MR