On Saturday 24th May 2025, the May Fair Races return! Runners 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!
We pleased to announce that registration for our 2025 May Fair Race is now open! See Section 2 below.
We our proud to have Hanna Plastics LTD on board as our main sponsor. More information on our sponsors below.
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 May Fair Race Sponsors
1. Event Details
The Annual May Fair 5k and 10k races on Saturday 24th May 2025 will commence at 10:00 from Ballyclare Rugby Club, The Cloughan, Doagh Road, Ballyclare, BT39 9JD.
The races will have a staggered start with the 10km race starting at 10:00 and the 5km race at 10:10.
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:
May Fair 2025 Race Registration
Entries will close at 23:45 Sunday 18th May 2025.
On the Day entry – there will be a limited number of on the day entries. These entries will not receive a personalised bib number, technical t-shirt or a medal.
ENTRY FEES (Includes £1.20 ClubForce admin fee)
10K (15 years minimum age)
ANI Affiliated Athlete – £23.20
Unaffiliated Athlete – £25.20
5K (11 years minimum age)
ANI Affiliated Athlete – £18.20
Unaffiliated Athlete – £20.20
3. WHAT’S INCLUDED WITH YOUR ENTRY
- Officially measured courses
- Technical race t-shirt for the first 500 entries
- May Fair Races medal for the first 500 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 23rd May from 6-8pm and on the day from 8-9:30am.
The first 500 entries are guaranteed to receive a technical t-shirt and post race medal. We will unable to change your t-shirt size on the day.
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 at all times during the race. The loss of a number will mean that your time and position will not be recorded.
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.
We encourage you to car share with fellow runners or club members.
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 and 1st place Junior Male & 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. There will be no age category prizes in the 5k event.
- JUNIOR Category applies to runners aged 19 and under on the day of the race.
9. Course Safety
The course routes, which are both one complete lap, are available to view in section 1. 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.
Road closures have been ratified by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and the PSNI with traffic management in situ. Every effort is made to keep the event route free from motor vehicles. If a motor vehicle unintentionally enters the route please maintain a safe distance. For your safety you must follow all marshal instructions and remain within the course at all times.
Runners are asked to use footpaths if required, 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 rugby club lane approaching, so please follow the marshals’ directions and 5k/10k markers, and do not obstruct athletes.
The 10km event will have a lead car, 5km will have a lead bike and both events will have tail runners.
Headphones, Buggies & Dogs
In line with UK Athletics Rules, the wearing of headphones is NOT permitted with the exception of bone conducting headphones. This rule applies to in-ear or over-the-ear headphones.
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 & Name Changes
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.
We will accept name changes on entries up to 23:45 Sunday 18th May 2025. We will be unable to change names or details after this date.
You must not run under another runners name/number on race day. This could lead to disqualification.
11. Contact for Further Information
For further information please contact 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 |
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 |
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 |
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 record
13. Race Sponsors
County Antrim Harriers would like to thank the generous support of all our race sponsors, without whom the races would be possible.
Subsidiary Sponsor – CAROLINE’S SCHOOL OF MOTORING
Subsidiary Sponsor – Abbey Real Estate
Subsidiary Sponsor – Amplifi Solutions – R&D Tax
Subsidiary Sponsor – CIP Insurance Brokers
BT39 Winners prizes kindly sponsored by:
Annie Timoney Therapy – Sports Massage and Personal Training