Race report by Jim ‘I shot Bambi’ Browne
Photos by Peter Knaggs and Eoin O’Brien.
Full Sportsworld results below.
Kraftwerk: Race Reporter Jim and Denis McCaul (already giving Jim the cold shoulder)
It was with eager anticipation that I made my way to the Trinity College Grass Track on Wednesday night to compete in the BHAA organised 1000 yard and 2000m races. But to be frank from a Sportsworld perspective these two races and especially the 1000 yards were about one thing and that was Eoin (Modest) O’Brien coronation as a track god for another 12 months. However Mr Modest hadn’t planned on the vagaries on the BHAA grading system.
At the registration table BHAA couldn’t find my details and entered me as a grade 10 runner (I’m normally ranked a 9 or 10). Well this was not to the liking of Mr O Brien who had been categorised as a grade 11 or to the liking of Mr McCaul who was categorised as a grade 9. The grading meant that Eoin and I would be in the C race and Denis would be in the B Race. Let’s just say Eoin was not gracious about my ranking and effectively accused me of cheating in an attempt to block him retaining his track crown. What McCaul said to me remains unprintable.
I protested my innocence but it was to no avail and for the hour before the race I faced constant accusations of sharp practices by O Brien and McCaul. O’Brien even took to Facebook before the race started likening my entry into the C Race to somebody taking a gun to Bambi.
An unimpressed Eoin O’Brien
Anyway enough about the prerace bullying I suffered at the hands of my club ‘team mates’’ and into the actual races.
1000 yards race.
Obviously 1000 yards is an unusual distance and was chosen by BHAA to mark the world record set in the park by Alfred Courtney in 1873 of 2 minutes 23.4 secs. First up from Sportsworld were the McMorrow brothers in the Grade E race and both ran very well.
The McMorrow Bros
Soon Bambi and I were on the line and ready to go in the Grade C race and for some reason The Saw Doctors song ‘To Win Just Once’ was whirling around in my head. Maybe I really wanted to win this one???
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The jostling, pushing and speed of the first 100 yards came as a bit of a shock. (Yes I did elbow Bambi out of the way but hey this is a Grade C BHAA Track race and not Kindergarten). After about 150m the race settled and I found myself in 4th about 10 yards adrift of the leading group. Now it was time to focus , work to catch the leading group, win the race , get the commerative T Shirts printed (Editor: I would like it on the record that I didn’t actually print those t-shirts myself…but they are great…and still available) and bask in the glory of my win for a full year (aka like a certain other Sportsworld person did last year).
Jim Browne waits for no man. Particularly if that man is Eoin O’Brien. Emily commented she’d never seen Jim so focused in a race
Unfortunately the leading three had other ideas as did the other couple of runners that passed me as I completely imploded at about the 600 yard mark. Worse still I could sense Bambi on my back and it took every ounce of my energy in the home straight to hold him off. My only consolation was that the accusations of sharp practices by me in entering the C race were proved totally unfounded. (Finishing 7th suggest that I was correctly graded).
Straight up after us in the B race were Conor Keating, Martin Keenan, Diarmuid O’Sullivan and Denis ’they graded me wrongly’ McCaul . It was a cracking race and the standout performance of the night was Conor Keating who sprinted up the home straight and was just piped for first. Martin Keenan on the comeback trail after his hamstring injury also had a great run as did Diarmuid. I can also confirm that Denis was wrongly graded.
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2000m Race.
My first reaction after the 1000 yard race was I wasn’t doing the 2000m. 10 minutes later I was warming up for the 2000m and having a shot at redemption.
Killian McMorrow ran in the E race and gave it a good lash. Much to the consternation of Bambi, it was decided to run the B & C race together. So not only did he have to run against me but he also had to run against Conor, Martin, Diarmuid and Denis. ‘Welcome to the big leagues Bambi’.
‘Bambi’ is so not impressed with those two Cheshire Cats in his 2k race
Heeding Martin’s advice to run my own race, I tucked in at the back of the field and allowed myself some time to settle into the race. Fortunately I got my timing right on this one and picked off several runners during the course of the race and just lost out on a sprint finish for I think 9th place.
Diarmuid Sullivan had a great race and finished third and Martin consolidated his good run in the 1000 yards with a solid performance. Denis, Eoin and I were more than happy with our runs.
After a quick warm down, it was into the Pavilion Bar for a cold beer and some sandwiches and a bit of banter with my Sportworld team mates.
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I would recommend these races to any club runner. The races are well organised and graded and the atmosphere is relaxed with great camaraderie between the runners. And where else would you get the opportunity to run on a grass track at a famous university campus on a warm sunny June evening?
Many thanks to Emily, Phil Daly and Peter Knaggs for coming out and cheering on their clubmates while sinking a few beers in the sun!
Team Bambi Supporters
Sportsworld Results
1000 Yards A Race (Std 1-7)
2 Conor Keating 2:39.3
5 Paul O’Connell 2:47.5
1000 Yards B Race (Std 8-9)
2 Martin Keenan Lyreco 2:49.4
3 Diarmuid O’Suilleabhain 2:54.5
7 Denis McCaul 3:15.5
1000 Yards C Race (Std 10-11)
7 Jim Browne 3:05.5
10 Eoin O’Brien 3:07.2
1000 Yards E Race (Std 14-16)
17 Patrick Killian McMorrow 3:53.8
2000m A Race (Std 1-7)
4 Paul O’Connell 6:48.9
2000m B Race (Std 8-9)
3 Diarmuid O’Suilleabhain 6:59.5
5 Martin Keenan 7:14.6
6 Denis McCaul 7:48.5
2000m C Race (Std 10-11)
4 Jim Browne 7:33.2
5 Eoin O’Brien 7:35.3
2000m E Race (Std 14-16)
14 Patrick Killian McMorrow 9:02.9
Thats all till next year folks!
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