May Fair 5k & 10k Races 2024

On Saturday 25th May 2024, the May Fair Races return! Racers of all levels will once again have the opportunity to run the roads of Ballyclare, over a distance of either 5k or 10k.  You don’t want to miss it!

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We are proud to announce our main sponsors as Watt’s Garage Ballyclare.

1 Event Details
2 How to Enter & Entry Fees
3 What’s Included In My Entry Fee
4 Registration & Pack Collection
5 Water Stations
6 Race Day Parking
7 Post Race Arrangements
8 Prize Giving
9 Course Safety
10 Refunds
11 Further Information
12 Course Records & Previous Winners
13 Stena Line Prize Draw
14 May Fair Race Sponsors

1. Event Details

The Annual May Fair 5k and 10k races on Saturday 25th May 2024 will commence at 10:00 from Ballyclare Rugby Club, The Cloughan, Doagh Road, Ballyclare, BT39 9JD.

5K Route

10K Route

Both courses will be marked at every km point and will be fully marshalled.

2. How to Enter & Entry Fees

Registration is handled by ClubForce. Please click on the link below to register.

2024 May Fair 5K & 10K Race Registration

Entries will close at 11.45pm Sunday 19th May 2024

On the Day entry –  there will be a limited number of on the day entries. These entries will not receive a personalised bib number or technical t-shirt.

ENTRY FEES (Includes £1 admin fee)

10K (15 years minimum age)
ANI Registered Athlete – £21
Unregistered Athlete – £23

5K (11 years minimum age)
ANI Registered Athlete – £16
Unregistered Athlete – £18

3. WHAT’S INCLUDED WITH YOUR ENTRY

  • Officially measured courses
  • Technical race t-shirt for the first 400 entries
  • Chip timing 
  • Personalised race number
  • Water stations on each route
  • Water at the finish line
  • The famous and “worth racing for” May Fair Races post-race refreshments
  • Prompt uploading of results to Race Facebook Event page 
  • Prompt uploading of race day photos to Race Facebook Event page

4. Registration & Pack Collection

Packs can be collected at Ballyclare Rugby Club on Friday 24th May from 6-8pm and on the day from 8-9:30am.

The first 400 entries are guaranteed to receive a technical t-shirt. 

Your race pack will include your personalised race number (which includes your timing chip). Race numbers must be worn on the front of vests/T-shirts  and should be worn the at all times during the race. The loss of a number will mean that your time and position will not be recorded.

As per Athletic NI rules race entries cannot be transferred. This will lead to runners being disqualified.

5. Water Stations

There will be ONE water station on the 5k route; and TWO water stations on the 10k route (at approximately 3k and 8k).

6. Race Day Parking

There will be FREE parking available at the Rugby Club, but access in and out of the lane will be closed at 9:30am for the commencement of the race, so please plan to arrive early to allow plenty of time to park and collect packs.  

YOU MUST NOT PARK AROUND POLICE CONES or obstruct areas of the race course.

7. Post Race Arrangements

  • Male and Female changing facilities available
  • Water and fruit
  • Probably one of the best post-race refreshment spreads in the country (tea, coffee and plenty of treats!)

8. Prize Giving

Prize giving will be at approximately 11.30am at the Rugby Club.

In both the 10k & 5k prizes will be awarded to:

  • 1st, 2nd and 3rd Male and Female
  • 1st BT39 Male and Female (proof of address will be required) (will be notified by email after the event)

Note

  • Age Category Winners (will be notified by email after the event) for 10k race ONLY

9. Course Safety

Once PSNI has approved and risk assessed courses.

The course routes, which are both one complete lap, will be available to view on www.athleticsni.org.  Both the 5k & 10k courses are certified by an ANI measurer; and both 5k and 10k routes have duly been risked assessed and approved by PSNI and Licence approved and duly insured under UK Athletics Registered in England No.3686940.  

The surrounding roads will be closed for the start of the race, after which the traffic will be allowed through, so for your safety you must follow all marshal instructions and remain within the course at all times. 

Runners are asked to use footpaths where available, or when directed to do so by a marshal, and to keep to the left hand side of the road except when otherwise directed.  Failure to obey a PSNI officer or race official/marshal at any point may lead to disqualification.

Please be aware that leading 10k athletes may catch the tail end of runners entering the finishing rugby club lane, so please follow the marshals’ directions and 5k/10k markers, and do not obstruct athletes. 

Headphones, Buggies & Dogs

In line with UK Athletics Rules, the wearing of headphones is NOT permitted. The rule applies to in-ear or over-the-ear headphones (with the exception of those medically prescribed). Bone conducting headphones which sit on the cheek are permitted as they transfer sound through the cheekbone and do not block other sounds through the ear. 

Please note for Health & Safety reasons, runners will not be allowed to compete pushing buggies or prams.

In line with UK Athletics Rules runners must not be accompanied by a dog in the race.

First Aid

First aiders will be present at the end of the race. If assistance is required, please contact one of the marshals or a first-aider.

10. Refunds

Please note no refunds will be given once a registration is completed.  There will also be no refunds if the race has to be cancelled or postponed due to circumstances outside our control, for example due to adverse weather conditions or on police advice.  In such cases we will endeavour to inform participants as quickly as is possible.

11.  Contact for Further Information

For further information please contact Brian Cunningham via mayfairrace@gmail.com

12. Course Records & Previous Winners

10k COURSE RECORDS

  • Dan Taui 30:30 (2016)
  • Heather Foley 36:51 (2016)

5k COURSE RECORDS

  • Peter McGarry – 15:17 (2022)
  • Caitlyn Harvey – 18:02 (2023)

PREVIOUS WINNERS 

May Fair 10k Past Winners – Men

Year Runner Club Time
2025      
2024 Matthew Lavery North Belfast Harriers 31:31
2023 Matthew Lavery North Belfast Harriers 31:53
2022 Steven McAlary North Belfast Harriers 31:01
2019 Eric Koech Project Africa Athletics 31:06
2018 Mark McKinstry North Belfast Harriers 33:06
2017 Dan Taui Project Africa Athletics 30:33
2016 Dan Taui Project Africa Athletics 30:30
2015 Brian Campbell Willowfield Harriers 32:57
1st place male runners for the 10K race

May Fair 10k Past Winners – Women

Year Runner Club Time
2025      
2024 Debbie McConnell North Belfast Harriers 38:46
2023 Gemma McDonald Ballycastle Runners 38:57
2022 Gemma McDonald Ballycastle Runners 38:40
2019 Gemma Turley Ballycastle Runners 39:22
2018 Gladys Ganiel North Belfast Harriers 37:02
2017 Gladys Ganiel North Belfast Harriers 37:14
2016 Heather Foley Unattached (no club) 36:51
2015 Gemma Turley Springwell Running Club 40:43
1st place female runners for the 10K race

May Fair 5k Past Winners – Men

Year Runner Club Time
2025      
2024 Tom Fleming Loughview AC 15:35
2023 Brendan McKeown Annadale Striders 15:23
2022 Peter McGarry North Belfast Harriers 15:17
2019 Gareth Lyons North Belfast Harriers 16:13
2018* Arron Callaghan East Coast AC 17:54
2017* Ethan Dunn Ballydrain Harriers 17:29
2016* Matan Keane Larne Athletics Club 18:21
2015* Martin Agnew Larne Athletics Club 18:46
* Course not accurately measured

May Fair 5k Past Winners – Women

Year Runner Club Year
2025      
2024 Hannah OToole East Coast AC 19:20
2023** Caitlyn Harvey Roadrunners AC 18:02
2022 Rachel McClosky Beechmount Harriers 19.24
2019 Ann Terek City of Belfast 19.31
2018* Jana Ross County Antrim Harriers 20.34
2017* Laura Maxine East Down AC 19.47
2016* Rhonda Brady Larne Athletics Club 22.59
2015* Alanah McCombe Seapark AC 22.23
* Course note accurately measured
** Course record

13. Stena Line Prize Draw

This year’s prize draw is provided by Stena Line, with 1 lucky winner enjoying an Irish Sea Crossing for 1 car and 2 passengers.

14. Race Sponsors

County Antrim Harriers would like to thank the generous support of all our race sponsor Watt’s Garage, without whom the races would be possible.

Watt’s Garage, Ballynure Road

Dennison Commercials

Amplifi Solutions

Hanna Plastics

CAROLINE’S SCHOOL OF MOTORING