The summer racing schedule is in full flow now with some outstanding running. No more so then Aoife Brady’s 1st place finish in the 3000m at Irishtown stadium last Wednesday evening (3rd June) and Paul Duffy who won his grade in the men’s 3000m at the fourth Graded Track & Field. On a perfect warm summer’s evening Aoife ran a storming 3km in 9.41.05 winning by a cool 18 seconds clear of second place (also 9sec off her PB!!!) and Paul won his grade with a sprint to the line coming home in 9.31.22. Crona Brady finished 10th in a competitive 800m on the same evening and Sean Wall battled to 7th in his grade also in 800m.

Also on the June Bank Holiday Monday saw an impressive Sportsworld contingent set out in sweltering conditions in the Womens Mini Marathon. An epic sight of a field of 40,000 took on the 10km course. Those of us spectating were melting in the heat so it must have been akin to running in a cauldron for the competitors. Congratulations to everyone who took part and even more so to the club member’s who braved the hot weather, basked in the sun and cheered the club on. Out of the huge field Sportsworld had Lucy D’Arcy, Helen White, Kathleen O’Callaghan, Stephanie Bergin all finishing in the top 50. See the Photos Menu for pictures of the great day.

Up in the hills and far away a steady stream of Sportworld runners have been competing in the Irish Mountain Races in all weather conditions. Recent events have included the Powerscourt 6km uphill race, Corrig Mountain and Prince Williams Seat where Colm Kennedy, Paul Mitchell & Jakub Splawski all had top 30 finishes.

Also Best of luck to the Sportsworld Wicklow Way Relay Team this Saturday, 5th of June. Colm Kennedy (a 7am start!!!), Paul O’Connell, Ciara Foster, Liam McFadden, Helen White, Paul Mitchell, Ed McEntee and Paul Duffy are competing in a staggering 105km relay event across some wild terrain. Race report to follow.

Last weekend six valiant explorers headed west to try their hand at the second Clare Burren Half Marathon based out of Ballyvaughan in Clare. With Phil in the driving seat, and Paul Duffy strapped up in the back we set out of Dublin early on Friday afternoon which turned out to be a cracking day by the time with reached the West. And so with time on our side we stopped off in Kinvara to get a closer look at the impressively kept Dunguaire Castle and chill out by the harbor in the sun. After rendezvousing with our three other companions Ed McEntee, Trevor Sweeney and Dublin ex-pat William Greensmyth we headed out for a few sociable drinks around the village before we retired to our rooms looking forward to a run in the sun. If awaking to sound of the rain and wind beating the window wasn’t unsettling enough, answering a knock on the door in my shorts and singlet 30 minutes before the race to see Ed wearing a hat, gloves, long sleeve shirt, leggings and trail runners really gave me a feeling of being slightly under prepared.

The race consists of a marathon, half marathon and mini marathon and is organised by the Ballyvaughan Hill Walkers Club and so as can be expected a large part of the field where walkers. So out by the pier in the lashing rain the brave Sportsworld souls defiantly made our way to the front in our vests and shorts through the field of backpacks, walking sticks and stairs through the rain gear. Our MC for the day (and he was MC’ing the whole day!) informed us to remember it wasn’t a race but a challenge and to add a little razzmataz Brenden Glesson thanked us for bringing the weather and set us on our way.

Phil, Ed, Paul and Will were out for sight by the first corner and so I waved them Au Revoir and settled into a comfortable pace. Someone mentioned in the bar the night before that it wasn’t a hilly course and the opening few miles, with the exception of the wind and rain, where pleasant enough taking us along stone walled country lanes and by Newton castle. The fun started after about 3 miles when we took a sharp left through a gate and straight up a stony trail that had become a mud bath with the heavy rains. The trail opened out into a path that took us up Faunarooska hill and over the rocky fields of the Burren. Not far off the peak thankfully our trail pealed off to start descending again whilst the brave full marathon runners, heads bowed in the rain, continued off up to the crest and deeper into the Burren mountains.

Back at sea level we tore along a trail parallel to the Rathbornry River, with the size of the puddles we had to splish splash through it would probably have been less damp running in the river itself! We got back on to the roads of the Burren Way before coming upon the point where we realised why this was called a challenge. The epic sight before us was the cold stony face of Gleninagh Peak and tiny runners zigzagging up the path out of sight. So up we climbed and followed the trail around the peak and the past the warning sign of “uneven surfaces ahead”. That sign was ever so slightly understated as we then tried to negotiate our way across a minefield of limestone crevasse’s. But then the view opened up into a spectacular coastal scene of Galway Bay and the Burren where I believe the front runners even eased off the pace to take it all in. We continued on across the north face of Gleninagh, past a race steward with a pot-holing hat on to a death defying decent upon a trail that had been rendered a mud slide due to the rain. Throwing caution to the wind flinging yourself down the hill at the mercy of gravity was the only option as a controlled decent in the slippery mud was nigh impossible. Hitting the bottom we had a welcome but never ending flat 2.5 mile finish along the coast road as the weather finally broke and the sun shined through.

In the end Phil Kilgannon came in 2nd place behind West Limericks Dermot Kearns. Ed McEntee followed in 3rd and Paul Duffy 4th and all finished the race in sub-90mins which is impressive given the conditions and terrain. Will and I came followed the lads Trevor had an impressive return from injury finishing the mini marathon.

In spite of the weather it was a great race and the course was really something different and the weekend is definitely penciled in for next year. Much to the delight of one of our entourage the post race entertainment in the local pub was provided by “The All Ireland talent show 2009 winners – The Mulkerrin Brothers” followed by a late night of dancing. We even managed to squeeze in a trip to the Poulnabrone Dolmen the flowing morning to freshen up before we headed east again (Phil promises a trip to the Aillwee Caves next year!)

Eoin

We have been trying for years to get the holy grail of GOLD / SILVER / BRONZE in the team competition, but we went one better and got 1st and 2nd in Gold.

Congratulations to all the teams who took part in this years ( 2008-2009 ) cross country and road races.

The ladies teams achieved 1st in DIAMOND, 1st in GOLD and 1st in SILVER in the cross country, and 1st and 2nd in GOLD, 1st SILVER and 1st BRONZE in the road races.

Keep on running,
Paddy

PS – Remember the fundraiser for myasthenia gravis association in the club house this evening.

This Tuesday May 26th sees the start of the Lord Mayor summer road series in Raheny. These are a low key, harmless series of races that take place throughout the summer, and along with the graded track meets on a Wednesday evening offer an alternative to doing a session in the early part of the week. There is very much a fun and sociable atmosphere at them, and the race finishes with tea and biscuits back in the club house where many stories are exchanged. The fact that it’s bright so late adds to the event.

They take place over 2 full laps of the (virtually traffic free) flat course that the National Road Relays were held on (= 3338m = 120m longer than 2 miles). They are well organised and stewarded by people who not only have an admirable knowledge of how to run these events but who have also enjoyed magnificent athletics careers themselves, some even Olympic standard. Race numbers are typically anywhere from 30 – 50 people though of course this may vary. Chances of winning are very high, with prizes galore for most age categories, so this is an added confidence booster.

If you enjoy racing regularly, they serve as a series of races if so wished, with overall prizes being dished out. I did the series in 2006 and if I remember rightly entry fee was only €5, and if you did 4 out of the 6 races you qualified for the series. Ray Carpenter also competed that year and it’s not uncommon for a good Sportsworld gang to turn up.

The event kicks off of a Tuesday evening at 20.00. Registration is at the small hut that is Raheny’s clubhouse (opposite the church in Raheny village). The dates are May 26th, June 9th, June 23rd, July 7th, July 14th and July 28th.

Packie.

Congratulations ro all the teams in this years Women’s Meet and Train Summer League

Here are the Sportsworld places for the Phoenix Park Final

1st and 2nd in Gold.
1st in Silver.
and are waiting for the bronze results (hopefully another 1st)

Meet And Train – Phoenix Park 2009

Paddy

Results

2 > Stephenie Bergin
3 > Edel Madigan
4 > Ciara Foster
5 > Louise Bruton
8 > Susan McDonnell
9 > Ann Higgins
12 > Catherine O’Neill
13 > Helen Dixon
14 > Eileen Dalton
16 > Irene O’Connor
20 > Ann Sweeney
26 > Karen O’Connor
29 > Breda Browne
33 > Tara Quirke
35 > Anna Delaney
36 > Aileen Melody
37 > Deirdre Shannon
38 > Louise Courell
39 > Caroline Warton
43 > Fiona McManus
57 > Claire Rowley
61 > Sinead Mc Gonagle
62 > Catherine Gilmore
66 > Teresa Brennan
68 > Cliona O’Riordan
69 > Val Lacey
71 > Louise Flood >
72 > Nicola O’Brien
81 > Jenny Maher
88 > Deirdre Mullen
98 > Louhons Delair
102 > Maria Finnegan
106 > Petrina Mulroe
121 > Yvonne Callis
124 > Maura Maughan

35 Ladies running – could someone describe the event in a short report?

The 8km Docklands run took place on Tuesday 19th May around the Docks/IFSC area of Dublin. With no big name in the starting line up, it gave a chance for sportsworld members to claim top honours. Paul O’Connell was first over the line, with Paul Duffy home in 4th followed closely by Ed McEntee in fifth. Kathleen Horgan narrowly missed out on third place and Aideen Downes closed out the sportworld runners.

Well done to all, yet another profitable night for all sportsworld competitors.

Race Report,
Paul Duffy.