130 runners break 15 minutes at local 5K in Northern Ireland

Breaking 15 minutes for 5K is a feat most male runners dream of; at a local race in Armagh, Northern Ireland, a shocking 130 runners went under the 15-minute barrier. 

The Armagh 5K promotes itself as one of the fastest road races in the world, and after seeing the results, it’s hard not to agree. This year was the first time the 5K took place since 2020—when 139 runners recorded sub-15 minute times.

The winner of the 5K was Henry McLuckie of Shaftesbury, England, who recorded a course record time of 13:37. Seventeen men also ran under 14 minutes.

If you are curious about what makes the course so fast, it’s entirely flat, with less than 10m of elevation gain. Racers are required to do five laps around a large communal park in the centre of the city before finishing on the opposing side.

Athletes from all over the world make the trek to the town of 14,000 for a chance to run a fast time, and this year’s field had athletes from the U.S.A., U.K., Finland, Poland, Belgium, France, Germany, Scotland, Ireland and Wales in attendance.

According to the race, the town comes to a halt for this race, and the entertainment and excitement of elite runners draw large crowds–not to mention that a road 5K at night is also pretty cool.

posted Saturday February 11th
by Marley Dickinson