This week we chat with Will Greensmyth who has been a member for almost 10 years and in recent years has taken to the Marathon, having just ran Berlin. Being from Limerick he has a Willie O’Dea streak in him.
When did you join Sportsworld?
May 2006. I was a fresh faced country lad up in the Big Smoke and having entered the Terenure 5 mile, got talked into joining over a post-race cup of tea.
Where do you work?
I’m a solicitor with Walkers, a law firm specialising in financial services.
What is your favourite club session?
The Wednesday night post-International Running Challenge party in La Santa. The sight of Gareth “Hips Don’t Lie” Murran dancing to Danish pop music is an experience in itself.
What is your favorite race distance?
Probably 5k. Hopefully after Berlin, it might be the marathon…(!)
What is your favorite meal before a big race?
What sort of heathen has a favourite meal BEFORE a race?? AFTER a race…that’s what I’m talking about! Point me towards the nearest chipper. Battered everything please.
My Favourite place to train/compete is?
At home, a run along the River Shannon from Corbally to University of Limerick. I think Dunshaughlin 10k is class. Out foreign, the Prague Half Marathon was pretty impressive as city centre routes go.
What is your target for the next year?
First and foremost, enjoy running and stay injury free. Maybe be a scoring runner on a medal winning Sportsworld cross country team. I’d like to dip under 80 for the half and maybe get a little closer to 2 minutes for 800m.
What is your best Sportsworld memory?
My first trip to La Santa with the club, way back in 2007. The sun was shining, the Celtic Tiger was roaring, and I spent a week in Club La Santa (like Irish college for athletes) and shared an apartment with Eanna, Phil, Eoin, Noel Keenan and Ronan Merrick. I don’t think I have ever laughed as much in one week. The trip was a microcosm of all that’s great about Sportsworld: Runners of all ages and talents, having the craic and not getting too caught up on times, with Emily and Myles keeping a watchful eye on us all, haha.
What international events have you ran?
Aside from I think five trips to La Santa, I’ve toed the line in the Munich Marathon, the Malmo Hostmil, the Prague Halfmarathon, and in September of this year, the Berlin Marathon…
What do you like doing when you don’t run?
I’m a deluded fan of hopeless sporting causes and between Munster Rugby, Limerick FC, Limerick hurling and the Irish soccer team, I’ve plenty of misguided optimism to go around. There are positives – Munster have given us some great days and I’ve travelled to places in Europe watching Ireland play soccer that aren’t on everyone’s radar. Recent years have seen us visit Russia, Estonia and Macedonia.
How/When did you start your adventure with running?
While I ran as a kid, my first loves were hurling and soccer. Took up running more seriously for the first few years in university. Been stuck at it ever since.
Tell us about your PB’s / What is your biggest achievement?
The PB I most want to break is in the marathon. I’ve ran two and blown up in both. Hopefully third time’s the charm in Berlin in a few weeks time.
How often do you run / What is your typical weekly mileage?
At the moment with marathon training, running 6 out of 7 days a week. Mileage is fairly high as a result. I couldn’t run every day.
What would you say is the best thing about being in a Running Club?
Perfect excuse to wear short shorts in public. That, and the camaraderie that you get after a grueller of a Saturday morning session and the way everyone pushes and cheers everyone else on in those last few reps. Oh, and the breakfast afterwards.
What made you join a Running Club?
As someone who was involved in soccer and hurling, I liked the idea of coached training with others and competing for a team.
What was your first day at the Club like?
I remember coming into the clubhouse and wondering why it was like a ceilí house from the 1930s with the lads on one side and the girls on the other…
Why is running important to you?
Running, and in particular Sportsworld, has introduced me to some of my best friends. It’s kept me involved in sports and gives a good balance to life generally.
Is there anything you would like to see more of or less of at the Club?
More cake. Also, I’d love to see us having full teams for all the big cross country races. But mainly more cake.
Who is the person in the club who inspires/drives to run better?
Emily and Myles have been great coaches, both for running and life generally, since the first day I joined the club. Also, the achievements of people like Phil, Lucy, Jean Wilson, Aoife Brady, Karol during the course of my time in Sportsworld are also amazing to think about.
Do you do any cross training / other sports on a regular basis?
I’m a member of the Crossfit gym beside work and try to be in there three mornings a week before work. It’s good fun, “PE for adults” and is definitely helping with the running form and staying injury free. I also have a love/hate relationship with swimming and am definitely, probably, maybe doing the Thomond Swim in the River Shannon next year.
