Large crowd anticipated for St Stephen's Day 5k at Finn Valley AC - entries opened

A large crowd is expected in Stranorlar on Friday for the annual St Stephen’s Day 5k at Finn Valley AC.

This event is one of the most popular in the local road race series and is the longest successive event in Donegal since its inception in the 1970s.

Everyone is invited to run, jog or walk and it is open to all.

Online entries are open here.

Numbers have swelled from the early days, when the race was held in Drumboe Woods, with entries touching 1000 in some recent years.

The event has attracted world stars in the form of Mo Farah (2006) and Vivian Cheruiyot (2007). Indeed, Farah holds the record having won in a blistering 13 minutes and 29 seconds.

Farah’s time in the 5k equalled the British all-time best for a 5k, matching the 1996 mark set by Rob Denmark.

A year later, Kenyan Cheruiyot was in tow and returned in 16:14.

In 2015, Sligo’s Mary Cullen set a new course record for women when she won in 15:45. Cullen’s time was 29 seconds faster than the previous best set by Cheruiyot, the Kenyan 5,000 and 10,000m gold medalist.

The first winners in 1977 were Anthony Rushe and Geraldine Gillespie. Rushe won three of the first four stagings with Michael Crampsie winning in 1979.

Caitriona Jennings won four-in-a-row 2009-2012, whole Thomas Hayes won three-in-a-row 2014-2016,

Last year, Finn Valley AC’s Sean McGinley and Elsa Moore of Lifford-Strabane AC were the victors.