Full Name
Damien Geraghty
When did you join Sportsworld?
January 2016 – New year, New resolution
Where do you work?
Deputy Store Manager for Tesco – currently based in Dun Laoghaire
What is your favourite club session?
Strangely its hills and sprints – your body knows you’ve done a serious workout after it
What is your favourite race distance?
Yet to figure out – will decide after this year ha
What is your favourite meal before a big race?
Chicken pesto pasta dish
What’s your favourite race?
Has to be Dublin Marathon – Done 4 times now – no better feeling/experience
What is your target for the next year?
Two main aims for this year
- London Marathon in April – aiming to get as close to 3 hours as possible. Running in aid of Temple Street (with Thomas Kinsella) and we need all the help we can get so if anyone is feeling generous here is the fundraising page – https://www.gofundme.com/temple-street-foundation
- Win some sort of race – I’ve had a few third-placefinishes, so if anyone knows of a handy race or parkrun please let me know.
What is your best Sportsworld memory?
Dublin Marathon 2017 – meeting up with training mates (in McGettigans) just after completing Marathon to hear we all achieved PB’s was a fantastic feeling as we had all put in a lot of work. The night out that follow was also memorial.
What international events have you ran?
Completed a 10km over in Suffield, Connecticut last year while on holidays. Rather embarrassing story came from it. I finished in 5th place and in the awards ceremony after I was called out as 1st male between 30-39 and 1st male from the local town (friend had entered me as a resident of the town). After winning too handy sports vouchers worth a nice chunk of money and taking part in the winners’ photograph I was then called up and was told there had been a mistake – the person in 4th place was called Jesse but had been entered into the race as a female when in fact he was a male – so I had to hand over my prizes to him. My first ever win taken from me!
Where’s the most interesting place you have run?
Lake Garda – simply stunning
Where’s the most interesting place you’ve been?(Doesn’t have to be running related)
Spent 18 months in Australia in my younger days – loved every minute of it. Heading to Sir Lanka and Maldives later in year (honeymoon) so that will be pretty interesting.
What do you like doing when you don’t run? (hobbies/past times)
When not running I like to enjoy quality time with my fiancée, friends and my family. I’m originally from Armagh and come from a large family of 8 children (no tv’s back in the day) Getting married in September to a Cork lassie so safe to say I will be kept busy this year with stag, wedding and honeymoon.
How/When did you start your adventure with running?
Started in 2013 – had a cousin that passed away from SADS (Sudden Adult Death Sydrome) so I decided to run Dublin Marathon to raise funds for SADS. Looking back I don’t know how I done it (most people go from 5km to Marathons but I went from a marathon to doing 5km) I had never raced before and put myself into a marathon with no training plan or structure. Managed to complete it in 3.47 and raised 3000 euro for SADS.
Tell us about your PB’s / What is your biggest achievement?
5km – 18.24
5 mile – 30.06
10km – 38.24
½ marathon – 85.06
Marathon – 3.16
Determined to better all these within next few months. No Pressure!!!
How often do you run / What is your typical weekly mileage?
According to Strava this year I’m running on average 82km a week – what Strava doesn’t tell you is that is 82km a week of running in horrible winter conditions.
What would you say is the best thing about being in a Running Club?
Meeting people from all over. Have formed some great friendships with a great bunch of lads in the club. (no details of Whatsapp conversations will be shared)
What made you join a Running Club?
Failure in Dublin Marathon 2015 – horrible horrible day in which I can only look back and laugh
What was your first day at the Club like?
Met TK (Thomas Kinsella) on first night – he didn’t come back then for 6 weeks. Also met Sean Duffy and Emmet Wardle in first week and pleased to call the 3 them good friends now
Why is running important to you?
Healthy mind and healthy body
Who is the person in the club who inspires/drives to run better?
Since I’ve been in club 2 men have stood out for constantly improving. Diarmuid O Sullivan and Martin Doyle. Both lads broke 3 hours last year and got PB’s in all races entered. Hope to follow in their footsteps. Really shows hard work does pay off. GRIND!!!!
Do you do any cross training / other sports on a regular basis?
Have taken up Yoga in last year – it definitely helps. Hope to get more into it over next year.
Tell us something that no one in the club knows about you!?
I’ve a big appetite – once ate 12 double cheeseburgers on a night out (McDonalds). There may have also been a Mc chicken Sandwich and nuggets involved…
