National Road Relays

Sportsworld Photos from RacePix365

Sunday the 19th April saw the exciting National Road Relays competition held again in Raheny. The weather was a scorching hot day, too hot for a marathon or half marathon but with two course records on the day it didn’t seem to affect the runners and was perfect for the spectators. Raheny may have had their A, B and C senior team but it was great to see Sportsworld with a full ladies and men senior and masters teams.

First up was the ladies masters team with Helen White rounding the last corner in first place giving Lucy Darcy doing the second 2 mile leg the perfect start. Both Rathfarmham and Raheny had a strong Masters team but Aideen Downs brought the team home to take third place comfortably.

Next we had the mens master team with new club member Trevor Sweeny taking the first leg in his first road relays. Trevor did brilliant, running with the lead pack for the entire lap. Then over to Ed McEntee who like Lucy is more used to running in the Senior team. Ed did a great 2 mile leg passing over to Joe Byrne for the final one mile leg. The extra training on Saturdays on the polo grounds paid off for Joe doing a brilliant final leg and deserves to be given a new singlet for his run(only the runners have to be over 35 Joe)

Then we had the Ladies senior race which unfortunately was without Jean but thankfully Eimear Martin was fit and ready to run. Crona Brady took the first leg and showed what an improvement she has made since last year taking a deserved spot on the senior A team. Then Aoife took the second 2 mile leg chasing down the DSD team who have continued on from their brilliant cross country season. Eimear then took the final leg to bring the girls home in 4th. There was only 16 seconds between 3rd place and 9th with DSD getting a course record. However with the improving form of the Sportsworld senior team the DSD girls won’t be as confident of their medals next year.

Then after watching all the other runners warm up, annihilate themselves on the course and then enjoy the nice cool down lap in the sun it was finally the mens senior teams turn. Paul Duffy lead off taking the first 2 mile leg, with most of the teams putting their best runners on the first leg Paul had to contend with some of the best runners in the country on his first road relay. Next was myself who’s claim to fame now is that I beat Lorraine Manning by 1 second(now to beat some of the guys). Phil took the 3 mile leg, this year we had lot of competition for places on the team but there is not many if any in Sportsworld who could of done the gruelling 3 mile leg, Phil did a brilliant run matching his time from last year. The final 2 mile leg fell to Ronan who some how manages to work, go to college, train and learn Polish brought the team home to end a very exciting mens relay which saw Raheny return to form taking first place and doing it in style by getting a course record.

As usual the teams where helped along with great support from club members. There was 3 new relay runners this year who have bench marks to work off for next year, Packie is showing a return to form and hopefully next year will take his usual place on the senior team but there will be competition with new club member Gareth showing great speed. There is even rumours of Eanna out training. So hopefully next year the ladies masters team won’t be the only ones coming home with medals.

Report by Michael Cunningham

Black Mountain 2009

When the chatter started about Black Mountain, a 787m climb over 15km I didn’t engage in the banter that normally goes with trying to psyche oneself into entering such an event. Paul O’Connell and James Shanahan were the ringleaders – talking the whole thing up – sure how hard could it be? For the record neither of these gentlemen actually made it to the start line. One of them, it’s reported, going so far as to throw himself in front of a bus to get out of it.

We are now, already, three months into the IMRA calendar and the races have thus far been really enjoyable while at the same time getting progressively more ‘challenging’. Even the grass wall that was Crone Woods (3 weeks ago ), where `we clawed our way to the top on hands and knees and paraglided down catching the thermals with our Sportsworld singlets did not completely dampen our enthusiasm. My own abiding memory of that event is of Tullamore Cross Country Ace, Liz Cuskelly, on her first foray into mountain running, standing on what afficiondo’s call a ‘Technical Descent’ (read shear drop), looking completely forlorn, pleading with any one who’d listen (no one) to be careful, as we flung ourselves, lemming style, over the edge. That was a 470m climb over 7.5km. It was murderously difficult so I wasn’t keen to do another almost twice as big.

Despite my reservations I once again allowed myself to be cajoled in to it and so found my self up on the beautiful Cooley Peninsula last Sunday morning in glorious crisp Spring sunshine at the foot of the Black Mountain. My travelling companions, Jakub and Eoin were in good spirits and once they had gone through there elaborate and comprehensive ‘vaselining’ rituals we headed off to the race start. On our way up the road to the start we bumped into club mate Helen White who had turned up for her mountain running debut to what she had thought was going to be a 7km loosener…!?!!

The race starts on a section of the Tain Trail (Queen Maeve, Cuchulainn etc. etc.) and merges later with the route of the Puc Fada (Hurlers will know what I’m talking about). The route is out and back over a number of small peaks culminating on the top of the Black Mountain. At which point you turn around and head back to the start. The first 2km from the start are a gradual ascent on good fire roads. At the end of the fire road there is a stile beyond which extends the open hillside. The route does not follow any particular trail that I could determine but was well marked on the day by IMRA volunteers. The Black Mountain race is considered a good introduction to ‘classic’ Irish mountain running, resembling somewhat the conditions to be faced latter in the year by Irish Championship runners on Lugnacoille, the Galtees and the Big Kahuna Carrauntoohil. This translates to bog, marsh waterholes, bracken, rocks ledges and worse. (Not sure we’re ready for these monsters yet but we might have to try.)

From the gun the serious racers set off at a pace designed to split the field. The rest of us watched in awe as they disappeared up the road. By the time I got to the top of the first major climb, crowned by a an ancient Cairn, I was completely shattered but was able to recover on the down slope, picking-off some of the people who’d passed me on the way up. Across the bog to the Black Mountain I put a bit of distance between us only to be caught again as I made may way up to the summit. Turning around I could see Jakub close behind and shortly afterward I passed Eoin as he began his ascent. We now faced back toward the series of hill tops we had only just traversed. Coming down from the Cairn I lost my way only to be passed in a flash by Jakub and three other runners. Tracking these mountain goats for dear life I recovered as we crossed the bog to the stile. By the time we reached the stile I had just regained the lead over my three companions and vaulted the stile hoping to fool them into believing I was as fresh as a daisy and that they had no chance of catching me. It was now a straight race down the fire road to the finish. Jakub and I did best getting there well ahead of the other two –due in no small part, I’m sure, to our hard winter slog on the roads around Rathfarnham Bank.

All in all an extremely enjoyable day out, in great conditions, to a part of the country I would not have thought to go otherwise.

For the record..
1.Peter O’Farrell Rathfarnham 67:26
7. Paul Mitchell 78:31
8. Jakub Splawski 79:06
16. Helen White (2nd by 14s in Women’s Race) 82:54
29. Eoin O’Brien 93:33
46. John Fitzgerald 103:42
56. Charlie O’Connell 146:02

Good luck to our runners Eoin, Paul and Ed this Sunday at the Wicklow Way Trail Race, Lough Tay to Johnny Fox’s Pub, 771m over 22km.

Report by Paul Mitchell

131 D’ARCY, Lucy – 01:01:54 (5th Place!!!)
203 GREENSMYTH, William – 01:04:47
274 HORGAN, Kathleen – 01:06:41
282 O’BRIEN, Eoin – 01:06:47
457 WILLOUGHBY, Stephen – 01:10:03
499 MCMORROW, Patrick Killian – 01:10:41
625 McMORROW, Enda – 01:12:59
694 HIGGINS, Ann – 01:13:23
831 LLOYD, Trevor – 01:15:50
1043 MCGANN, Ruth – 01:18:34
1154 LLOYD, Judith – 01:20:10
1347 MELODY, Aileen – 01:23:19
1691 COSGRAVE, Derry – 01:28:24
1826 MCGANN, Tony – 01:30:33

Full Results: http://www.ballycottonrunning.com/FullResult20091.htm

By Michael Cunningham

Last Sunday saw the official end to the 2008-2009 cross country season, for some it was pay off for a lot of hard work and for others running up hills in the rain and muck wasn’t the only pain they experienced. Even though a lot of the races involved giving up their Sundays (apparently a day of rest) and travelling to the hilliest, recently cow inhabited back field down the country, every race had a full women and men’s team.

The teams where made up of race veterans some of whom where able to make it on to Dublin or Meath teams and new club members who enjoyed the experience of representing the club at Novice to Senior and Dublin to National level for the first time. Below are some of the success stories of the year but more importantly thanks to new and old club members coming forward the club was represented in the team event in each of the races.

Dublin Novice
28th Sept 2008, Phoenix Park
Sportsworld Ladies Team 3rd Crona Brady, Louise Bruton, Susan McDonnell, Claire O Reilly

Dublin Intermediate
12th Oct 2008, Tymon Park
Sportsworld ladies Team 3rd Adele Madigan, Crona Brady, Ciara Foster, Claire O Reilly
3rd place Adele Madigan

Dublin Senior
2nd Nov 2008, St Annes Park
Sportsworld ladies Team 2nd Aoife Brady, Eimear Martin, Rachel Morgan, Mary Finn
5th Aoife Brady,
7th Eimear Martin

Under 18’s Inter County
23rd Nov 2008, Tramore Waterford
Sean Wall Gold medal Dublin team

Leinster Novice and Masters
26th Oct 2008, Avondale
Sportsworld ladies Master Team 2nd Rachael Morgan, Helen White, Kathleen O’Callagan
5th Crona Brady
11th Ronan Merrick

Leinster Intermediate
9th Nov 2008, Heywood
Sportsworld ladies Team 1st Aoife Brady, Crona Brady, Stephine Bergen, Lisa Dowling
1st Aoife Brady

Leinster Senior
18th Jan 2009, Tymon Park
Sportsworld mens Team 4th Phil Kilgannon, Ed McEntee, Ronan Merrick, Paul Duffy
Phil Kilgannon Gold medal Dublin Team
Sportsworld ladies Team 2nd Aoife Brady, Lucy Darcy, Rachel Morgan, Stephine Bergin
Aoife Brady and Lucy Darcy Silver medals Meath Team

National Intermediate and National Masters
15th Feb 2009, Tymon Park
Sportsworld Ladies Team 1st Aoife Brady, Crona Brady, Mary Finn, Adel Madigan
1st place Aoife Brady
Sportsworld ladies Masters Team 1st Lucy Darcy, Rachel Morgan, Helen White, Kathleen O’Callagan

National Senior
1st Mar 2009, Santry
7th Aoife Brady
Sportsworld mens Team 3rd Phil Kilgannon, Paul O Connell, Ed McEntee, Paul Duffy

All of the above I’m sure would give a big thanks to all of the supporters who came out to the races especially those with hangovers who still somehow managed to shout the runners on.

Race Report: IMRA Trooperstown Hill 28/02/09
By William Greensmyth

Trying to justify participation in mountain running to those who have never scrambled up hill and sprinted down dale is difficult. You are often confronted with dubious looks, concerns over your mental well-being and queries into whether you have sufficient health cover. ‘Tis true – mountain running attracts a different breed of running animal…none of your cheetahs who whip around the track nor your gazelles who stride over the cross country plain, thank thee very much.

And so on Saturday last, 28 February, seven of our club’s true troops trooped to Trooperstown Hill and the longest race of the IMRA winter league.

At 10,600 metres and with an ascent of almost 400m, this was no fun run. At the start line, it was clear that the national senior XC hadn’t reduced the calibre of the field as many of the leading competitors were present and correct. Following a run-through of the course from Rene, off we went.

The first 4k was a long gradual climb with a few steep sections thrown in for good measure. Lungs wheezing, legs burning, hearts breaking, after 4k there was a brief respite and a chance to stretch the legs and show off a bit of speed on the comfortable downhill section for about 2k before digging in again as we ran through marsh and over scree up to the top of the second hill around the 8k.

Then we came to the main downhill section, what the IMRA fiends called a “technical descent”…I can assure you, dear reader, the technique employed by my good self was simply award-winning.

Scrambling down the slope with the sure-footedness that a drunken three-legged blind hippo would be proud of, rueing the day Newton discovered gravity and cursing Eoin O’Brien and his suggestion that this would be a bit of fun and good preparation for Ballycotton, technique went out the window and survival instincts kicked in.

The IMRA website warns that this final descent has a -26% descent grade. Being more concerned with descending without shattered ankles, I did not have time en route to indulge in some amateur trigonometry and verify this angle. I shall take it as accurate.

Once at the bottom of this section, it was free running all the way to the end and the chance to gain a few places.

Results? Who cares – we all finished and without injuries. Fair play to my fellow mountain goats – Paul, Jakub, James, Colm, Eoin and Liam.

All aboard for the Wicklow Way Ultra 🙂

Classy Runner

Within the last 2 weeks Aoife Brady has proved to be a fantastic all-round athlete. First of on 8th February 2009. We had the Irish Indoor championships. Aoife ran in the 1500m but unfortunately just missed out on the medals and finish in fourth place. The following day Aoife ran the 3,000m and collected a Bronze medal. This is Sportsworld first indoor track medal and we are very proud of Aoife. The following week we all headed over to Tymon Park for the Cross County Championships. Aoife continued to put in a brilliant preformance when running the Intermediate 4,000m. Aoife took an early lead, she held the lead and finish very stongly winning herself a gold medal for individual section. Well Done Aoife.

Also in the Indoors we had Crona Brady who ran in the 800m and finish in a great time of 2.25.42. Well done Crona. Crona has improved greatly this year and seems to be following in her sister footsteps. So watch out for this name ha.

Sportsworld had a fantastic day out in Tymon park bringing medals home left right and centre. Check out the results below.

Woodies DIY Cross County Championships 15/02/09

Master Men 7,000m
Charlie O’Connell had a great run and finished in at time of 41.57.

Intermediate Men
Ed McEntee 44th place time of 36.03,Ronan Merrick 47th 36.06,Paul Duffy 57th place time 36.53,Michael Cunningham 72th place time 37.40, Kieran Lynch 87th place time of 38.59, Paul Mitchell place 97th time of 40.33. This race was highly competitive with the winner Sean Hehir Rathfarnham in a time of 32.14.

Master Women 4,000m
Lucy Darcy 7th place time of 15.27, Rachel Morgan place 9th time of 15.40, Helen White place 25th time 16.33, Kathleen Horgan (o/w o’Callaghan) place 32nd time 16.58, Aideen Downes (welcome back) place 43th time 17.24, Breda Browne place 70th time 19.04, Anna Delaney place 76 time 19.48, Kim Musada place 85th time of 20.49. Sportsworld won a gold medal in team section. Well done to Lucy who scored on the Meath team who won Bronze medal.

Intermediate Women 4,000m
Aoife Brady place 1st time 15.08, Crona Brady (huge improvement this year) place 11th time 16.18, Mary Finn place 15th time 16.21, Edel Madigan place 19th time 16.38, Stephanie Bergin place 20th time 16.39 (well done very close for medaling) Lorna Quinn place 23rd time 16.49, Louise Bruton place 50th time 16.49, Orla Jordan place 51th time 18.32, Orlagh Fleming place 54th time 19.13. Sportsworld won gold over all in the team section. Edel and Mary also were on the Dublin team and Dublin won gold so well done girls.

Well done to all, great running. Keep up all the hard training.