LAST LONG PRE-MARATHON RUN

Editor James O'Fee writes -

On Saturday I went on my final long run before the Belfast Marathon on Mayday. I followed the normal route round the coast – see MARATHON TRAINING on Monday, April 17 here –

http://www.impalapublications.com/blog/index.php?/archives/227-MARATHON-TRAINING.html

Past Swineley Bay to Crawfordsburn Beach, where stands the former Crawford mansion, which became a hospital and now is the site of flats. The Crawford family gave their name to the stream ('burn' - the Scots word) and village.

Sharman Crawford (1781-1861), was an improving landord and Radical MP (Dundalk, 1835-1837, Rochdale, 1841-1852). In 1847 Crawford founded the Ulster Tenant Right Association which sought to have the Tenant Right customary in Ulster given the force of law. So he was a leader of the Tenant Farmers’ movement throughout Ulster and, indeed, further afield. In 1852 Sharman Crawford gave up his seat in Rochdale to contest County Down, but was not elected. This website celebrates Sharman Crawford as a founder of the Chartist Movement –

http://www.chartists.net/The-six-points

Crawfordsburn village boasts Ireland’s oldest inn. See – SWISS, Wednesday March 22

http://www.impalapublications.com/blog/index.php?/archives/111-SWISS.html

Crawfordsburn Primary was my first school. My mother got a teaching job there and brought me along with her a year young. I stated school age 3 ¾. My first sweetheart was called Rosemary Crawford and Rosemary attended that school.

That run took me 70 minutes. Just a short run more and then the marathon on Monday, where, of course, I shall be running only 6 or so miles.