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Leinster Cross Country Masters and Intermediate 2025: Faithful Fields Edition

 

Leinster Cross Country Report: Faithful Fields, Kilcormac, Co. Offaly

Saturday, January 18th, saw the Leinster Cross Country Championships take place in the picturesque Faithful Fields GAA grounds in Kilcormac, County Offaly. The course was everything you’d expect from a proper Leinster cross-country: twisty paths, firm ground underfoot, and plenty of challenging climbs. Every participant left feeling the trademark soreness of a great cross-country race.

A New Venue and Scenic Route

It was a delight to race at this new venue, which offered a warm welcome and a good walk from the car park to warm up. Sportsworld AC had an outstanding turnout, and a big thanks is due to our dedicated coaches for their support in preparing the teams and getting everyone out on the day.

For me, this race marked a special milestone as it was my first cross-country outing since moving to Limerick. The scenic drive to Kilcormac was a highlight in itself, passing through towns like Borrisokane in Tipperary, known for its historical link to Irish independence, and Birr in County Offaly, home to the magnificent Birr Castle and its world-famous telescope. On the way home I even managed a stop at picturesque Lough Boora.

Results and Highlights

Sportsworld AC had another fantastic day with several strong performances and medals to celebrate:

  • Liam continued his winning streak, showing incredible form as he stormed to victory. All eyes are now on Mayo for February 9th—at this rate, even Siri will know who he is by then!
  • Our women’s teams shone brightly, with both the Masters and Intermediate squads taking home well-deserved gold club medals, with some county thrown in for good measure. Standouts were Noreen Brouder and Aoife Carroll both taking individual Silver and County Team Gold and Club Team Gold,but everyone excelled with huge performances from Lorna Quinn and Elaine Kennedy. Kudos to all our new runners.
  • For the men’s Masters team, standout performances included:
    • Gareth Murran (16th, 25:03), Trevor Sweeney (20th, County Team Gold).
    • Derek Saville, Adam Furlong, and Paul O’Connell all putting in strong runs.
  • The Intermediate men finished the day with fine runs from Donagh and Ian and newcomer Souvik toughing it out to the finish. Most of the lads are new to cross country. It takes few goes beore you ever like it.

Congratulations to everyone who raced—the hard work and determination paid off on a tough course. It was full of twists, turns and solid gradients. The races all went over different distances wit the youngsters running longer.

The future is bright with a really strong national contender Intermediate  womens team and always improving mens team.

Looking Ahead

As we prepare for the next big race in Mayo, it’s great to see the camaraderie and team spirit that define Sportsworld AC. Remember: showing up and putting in the effort are the keys to progress. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Here’s to more adventures, more climbs, and more victories. See you all on February 9th! I’ll be there to catch up on the goss I miss every Tuesday.

5 Aoife O’LEARY 4K F40 Club Team Gold
10 Lorna QUINN 4K F40
15 Crona CLOHISEY 4K F40
18 Deirdre O’CONNELL 4K F40
36 Anna DELANEY 4K F50
39 Lucy DARCY 4K F55
60 Martina NOLAN-JONES 4K F45
64 Valerie POWER 4K F50
71 Carmel BREEN 4K F40
1 Liam LENEHAN 4K M65 Individual Gold
16 Gareth MURRAN 7K M40
20 Trevor SWEENEY 7K M50 County Team Gold
47 Derek SAVILLE 7K M45
55 Adam FURLONG 7K M45
65 Paul O’CONNELL 7K M45
72 Gavin FINLAY 7K M40
75 Paul MACGABHANN 7K M60
104 Michael CUNNINGHAM 7K M45
112 Brian CONWAY 7K M45
114 Karl SHEVLIN 7K M50
2 Aoife CARROLL 5K Inter Individual Silver  and County Team Gold  and  Club Team Gold
4 Elaine KENNEDY 5K Inter County Team Gold  and  Club Team Gold
10 Lorna SHEEHAN 5K Inter County Team Gold  and  Club Team Gold
12 Rachel CALVEY 5K Inter Club Team Gold
17 Kate BURKE 5K Inter
18 Veronica BURKE 5K Inter
24 Megan WALLS 5K Inter
36 Shauna O’CALLAGHAN 5K Inter
20 Donagh EGAN 8K Inter
28 Ian COMERFORD 8K Inter
38 Niall MAGENNIS 8K Inter
52 Stephen O’DONNELL 8K Inter
53 Garrett BANAHAN 8K Inter
56 Donal BRENNAN 8K Inter
58 Andrew MURPHY 8K Inter
61 Souvik GHOSH 8K Inter

Meet The Runner Roisin McMahon

Full Name: Róisín McMahon

When did you join Sportsworld? June 2024

Where do you work? I’m a secondary school teacher in St. Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School

What is your favourite club session? It has to be the Tuesday session in the winter along the Dodder as otherwise I would not be motivated to run intervals whatsoever!

What is your favourite race distance? I love half marathons as the longer distance means you have to really think about how you’re going to pace yourself and when to push hard. I really enjoy the training as it’s a good mix of speed sessions as well as longer slower runs.

What is your favourite meal before a big race? Almost always overnight oats with peanut butter, frozen berries and a banana about half an hour before the race starts.

My Favourite place to train: The canal is great for working on speed as you can get a good interval distance going on the flat. Bushy in the summer is lovely and being able to run on the grass is something my knees are very grateful for!

What’s your favourite race? Without a doubt the VHI mini marathon is my favourite race – the atmosphere is so supportive and being surrounded by so many women is so empowering. I always find I can push myself to the limit during the race because of the incredible vibes!

What is your target for the next year? I would really like to improve my 10K time as this is a distance where I seem have plateaued in terms of progress, so I’ll be booking a few road races for 2025. I have recently gotten really into parkrun, and I’d like to try as many different ones as I can to see which is best for a PB!

What international events have you ran? I have never run an international event, but it is something I would like to do at some stage. I lived in Seville for a year a few years ago and I’d love to do the half marathon there.

Where’s the most interesting place you have run? I visited Montenegro in June this year and went running around the Bay of Kotor which is just beautiful – particularly in the early morning with the mist clearing from the mountains either side of the bay.

Where’s the most interesting place you’ve been? (Doesn’t have to be running related). I travelled around the Western Balkans earlier this year and thought it was one of the most fascinating places both historically and geographically. Mostar in Bosnia was probably the highlight of the trip as it was so interesting to see the impact of the war in the 1990s still has on the place to this day.

What do you like doing when you don’t run? (hobbies/past times) I am running a lot at the moment! I love reading also and I try to read about 100 books a year. I love pub quizzes with pals as they are a great way of bringing different groups of friends together and Dublin has a wide range of quizzes for every night of the week.

How/When did you start your adventure with running? I never ran before the first lockdown in March 2020 but since then I have never stopped or looked back. I was living in Terenure at the time and I started off running around Bushy very slowly. I was never sporty growing up as I wasn’t into GAA so it was a surprise to discover that running was something that I enjoyed and was relatively good at!

Tell us about your PB’s / What is your biggest achievement?

5K: 18:29 (Rathfarnham 5K 2024)

5 Mile: 31:58 (Terenure 5 Mile 2023)

10K: 39:21 (Women’s Mini Marathon 2024)

10 Mile: 1:10 (Frank Duffy 10 Mile 2023)

Half Marathon: 1:26:51 (Longford 2024)

What is your biggest non-running related achievement? Probably becoming (mostly) fluent in French and Spanish during my undergraduate degree by working and studying in both countries.

How often do you run / What is your typical weekly mileage? My mileage is a little inconsistent at the minute as work is busy at this time of year, but I aim for between 40 – 50km a week.

What motivates you? Running or otherwise. I am a pretty disciplined person and that’s where my motivation comes from. I enjoy the challenge that running brings because you can choose to work on improving a particular time and then focus your training around that which I find helpful in terms of motivating me to tackle a particularly tricky sessions such as hill and sprints.

What would you say is the best thing about being in a Running Club? I really enjoy the social side of the club as before I joined, I was falling a little out of love with running as I was running quite a lot with no company. It’s nice being surrounded by like-minded people who push you to run faster without you even realising it. I recently competed in my first cross country event, and I loved working as part of a team with the other girls as well as the experience of racing outside of a road race.

What made you join a Running Club? I was doing a lot of road races, and I would see the support and the fun that people who were part of a club would have which inspired me to try out Sportsworld. I’ve never had pals who were into running so it’s great to do a race and see familiar faces along the route!

Why is running important to you? Work can be very demanding and as a teacher you’re giving a lot of yourself to help the students. Running is something that I do for myself, and it helps me to leave the school day behind and get out of my head which I think actually helps me to be a better teacher!

Is there anything you would like to see more of or less of at the Club? More stretching because I always forget to do it myself and then wonder why I’m so stiff…

Who is the person in the club who inspires/drives to run better? Emily and Myles are so encouraging, and I really push myself when I see them around the corner during a training session! There are so many amazing runners and the buzz of running with everyone during a session definitely drives to me to run better.

Do you do any cross training / other sports on a regular basis? I cycle to work every day which is a about 10K there and back although it is uphill on the way home and I usually switch the battery on my electric bike on when I’m about halfway home

Meet The Runner Deirdre Steadman

Full Name

Deirdre Steadman (nee Wall)

When did you join Sportsworld?

I joined Sportsworld for the first 10km Women’s Mini Marathon which I believe was in 1983, the same year when Eamonn Coghlan won the 5,000-metre gold medal at the World Championships in Helsinki.  There was an ad in the Evening Press newspaper inviting women to join groups in local parks with a view to training for the 10km the following June.  Emily was to lead the group with a lady called Carol.  I’d say about 50 women of all ages turned up on the first evening most of whom had never run before. Me included.

Where do you work?

I am retired now which thankfully allows me to do so many different things that I love, including running of course. I was a Civil Servant and worked my whole career in the Department of Agriculture.

What is your favourite club session?

The session I particularly look forward to is the long run on a Sunday morning, though nowadays it does somewhat curtail my social activities on a Saturday evening!  I know it’s not really a major session now but it used to be a big deal in previous years. I’m lucky to still meet up with a group of friends on Sundays and we generally run 8 to 10 miles.

What is your favourite race distance?

I suppose 10km is the distance that still resonates most with me, partly because that’s all we ever did back in the day.

My favourite place to train

We are lucky in this part of South Dublin to have so many lovely parks on our doorsteps. But of course, Bushy is the club home and will always be my favourite.

What is your target for next year?

Targets shift over time, my target now is simply to keep running!

What international events have you ran?

I have only run in one race abroad and that was in the Salzburg half marathon in 2022.

What’s the most interesting place you have run?

I once had a lovely run along Bondi Beach in Australia, followed by a very satisfying and thankfully uneventful swim, a day after I very nearly drowned in the nearby town of Port Macquarie.

What’s the most interesting place you have been?

I have been lucky enough to travel quite a bit, particularly in recent years, and India is such a wonderfully different and colourful country with such a fabulous cuisine culture.  Definitely worth a trip.

What do you like doing when you don’t run?

I have always tended to be an active person and nowadays I enjoy hill walking, golf and bridge.

Tell us about your PBs/what is your biggest achievement?

I ran the Dublin City Marathon in 1986 in 3.55.

How often do you run/what is your typical weekly mileage?

At least twice a week  Distance varies.

 What motivates you, running or otherwise?

Having run for so long it will always be a part of my life.  Generally speaking if I commit to something I like to give it my best shot and I tend to look on the positive aspects of what an activity can do for me.

What would you say is the best thing about being in a running club?

The camaraderie and the people you meet.

What made you join a running club?

To get fit.

Why is running important to you?

In the early days when I started it was all about getting fit.  Then it became a movement for women generally and that gave many of us a great confidence boost back in the 80s at a time when there was little or no encouragement for women to get involved in any kind of sport.  Of course being part of a club, sharing its successes and commiserating about the bad days, is always so rewarding on a personal and social level.  Also, we are far more aware now of the importance activity plays in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Who is the person in the club who inspires you/ drives you to run better?

Emily of course.  I think we might be the last two standing!

Tell us something that no-one in the club knows about you?

I did a sky dive for my 50th birthday.

 

Dublin Marathon 2024

9.05am at the start line and right on time the start gun is fired and away we go. The first few miles are lovely, and it is not long before we enter the Phoenix Park. Myles is at the entrance gate providing encouragement and is followed shortly by John Blake who has supported me many times in the marathons, many thanks to you both.

The route then takes us through Castleknock, Chapelizod, Islandbridge, Rialto, Walkinstown and onwards towards Crumlin. So far so good. We then head for the KCR as we make our way towards the KCR and onwards to Terenure and Rathgar. As always there is great support here and this year is no different. From Patrica, Thomas, Tom, Aine, Padraig, my wife Eileen, Joe and many friends and Sportsworlders sincere thanks to you all for the support on the day.

Onwards to Dartry, Milltown, Clonskeagh and thankfully no problems so far with just over 4 miles to go. Starting to tire a little at this stage, but soon we pass the mile 23 marker. The crowd support is always good for the last few miles in the Dublin marathon, but this year is better than ever. The 24- and 25-mile markers are passed and there is just over a mile to go. The atmosphere is electric and suddenly the 800 metres to go sign comes into view.

Around the corner, across the finish line, somehow, I have finished in 3 hours 47 minutes, a new personal best. Thrilled and relieved, again my sincere thanks to all who helped and supported on the day and throughout the year. It is very much appreciated and here is hoping for another run in 2025.

Cheers,

Gerard

Meet The Runner Megan Walls

Full Name: Megan Walls

When did you join Sportsworld? June 2023

Where do you work? I work as an Occupational Therapist in palliative care at Our Lady’s Hospice, Harolds Cross, part-time currently, as my main ‘job’ is my PhD research that I’m doing with the Motor Neurone Disease research team in Trinity College.

What is your favourite club session? I enjoy the fartlek sessions in bushy park.

What is your favourite race distance? I ran my first 10 mile race in phoenix park over the summer and really enjoyed this distance. I tend to prefer longer distances.

What is your favourite meal before a big race? I usually keep it very simple toast, peanut butter and jam is my current go to and lots of coffee.

My favourite place to train:  I really enjoy training on the track around my local football pitch in Killygarry when I’m at home in Cavan. In Dublin, probably bushy or phoenix park.

What’s your favourite race? I’m not sure that I have a favourite. I always enjoy the VHI mini marathon and buzz around town after. I also really enjoyed the Killarney half marathon earlier this year, the views were incredible and there was a great atmosphere at it too.

What international events have you ran? I’ve never ran a race outside of Ireland, but it’s definitely on the list, hopefully for 2025!

Where’s the most interesting place you have run?

I ran 10k on the Formula 1 track when visiting friends in Abu Dhabi the year before last. Running in the desert heat was also an interesting experience! Running on Tulum beach in Mexico last year was also very memorable.

Where’s the most interesting place you’ve been? (Doesn’t have to be running related). Again, probably Mexico or Banff in Canada was very cool.

What do you like doing when you don’t run? (hobbies/past times)

With life feeling a little bit hectic at the moment, most of my time outside of work, study and running is spent with family and friends. I love a night out, meeting friends for walks, coffee, that kind of thing and spending time at home in Cavan when I can.

How/When did you start your adventure with running?

I’ve always been very active; my family would say that I don’t know how to sit still and never did.  My parents had us involved in every sport there was growing up, but I particularly took to gymnastics and the GAA, so sport/running in some form has always been such a huge part of my life.  I decided to hang up my football boots after the pandemic lifted, so that’s probably when running became my main thing.

Tell us about your PB’s / What is your biggest achievement?

10K: 40:57

10 Mile: 1:08.20

Half Marathon: 1:32:20

What is your target for the next year?

My main goals are to improve my 10k and half marathon times. I also need to start doing a couple of shorter races to improve my speed.  As I said I definitely prefer the longer distances so tend to avoid anything 5k or shorter.  I haven’t raced a 5k yet, so need to put that on the list for next year.  I also just want to keep enjoying my running and training, avoid injuries at all costs and continue training consistently for the year.

What is your biggest non-running related achievement? It would probably have to be getting the scholarship to do my PhD!

How often do you run / What is your typical weekly mileage? Typically, 5-6 days a week and probably hitting between 60-70k.

What motivates you? Running or otherwise.

I’m typically quite a motivated person, so it doesn’t take much but I think running is such a massive part of my routine and I enjoy it so much that I don’t often depend on motivation to get me out the door. Outside of running I’m very passionate about the area I work in and feel fortunate to really enjoy my job.

 

What would you say is the best thing about being in a Running Club?

For me the structure and variety in training has been massive, before I joined the club my running had no structure at all.  I just went out and typically ran at the same pace for however many kilometres I decided to run on that day and every run was the same.  I love the sessions on a Tuesday and Thursday evening and having a plan for my easy runs, steady runs, or long runs around them.  The variety makes it so much more sustainable and enjoyable.

And of course, running with other people pushes you beyond what you think you are capable of.  It’s been great to meet so many other like-minded people! Working from home a lot has been such a new thing for me over the past two years, so I’ve really enjoyed the social side of the club.

What made you join a Running Club?

When I stopped playing Gaelic football it was the first time in my life that I hadn’t been involved in a sports club and I really missed everything that comes along with being part of a club.  I’d thought about joining a club but never really knew where to pitch myself or what to expect from a running club. After the VHI mini marathon in June last year, I ended up sitting beside Maria and a group of girls from Sportsworld in Toners on Baggot street.  We got talking about the club and I had only recently moved to Terenure, so it was perfect timing. I went down about two weeks later and I’m so delighted I did!

Why is running important to you? It is probably one of the most important things in my life at the minute. Juggling a full time PhD and working part time over the last two years hasn’t always been easy, and running has been my biggest outlet.  Getting out for my run whether with the club or on my own is often my favourite part of the day, I never don’t feel better for it.

Is there anything you would like to see more of or less of at the Club? Less hills and sprints…

Who is the person in the club who inspires/drives to run better?  Emily of course, number one! Always so encouraging and knows when to push you on when you need it! There’s are so many fantastic runners and coaches in the club, too many to name everyone but the group really drives me on and helps me to keep improving.

Do you do any cross training / other sports on a regular basis? I try to get two gym sessions in a week, but usually doing well if I get one.

 

 

Leinster Novice Cross Country 2024

It was a golden day at Dunboyne for Sportsworld with a great haul of medals coming home with both the male and female teams.

I was quite apprehensive ahead of the race with storm Ashley breezing its way across the country. With gusts of up to 90km/hr, we were in for some tough racing conditions. Luckily, when we arrived at Cowpark, the ground was nice and firm, compared to the usual mud bath we are usually treated to on this course.

The novice ladies were up first. With a field of almost 80 athletes, we were going to be in for a competitive race. Sportsworld had a strong contingent of ladies competing and after their medals at Dublin Novice, they were hungry for more. The gun fired and off we went, with the usual sprinting start to jostle for position. All the ladies got out strong and performed brilliantly throughout. I managed to get a leading position and remained in the lead pack for the first lap. Then, coming in to the second lap, I found myself in second place. I felt extremely strong at this point and planned my attack on first position. I managed to pull away and create a gap with the wind as a slight aid. (shoutout to Paul O’Beirne for the mid race pep talk).I was delighted to come away with first place, earning my first Leinster (or any?) gold medal. I was very swiftly followed home by the rest of the Sportsworld ladies who all smashed it out of the park. So much so that we won team gold, as well as two more county gold medals. Congrats to the medal winners Veronica Burke 10th, Lorna Sheehan 11th and Rachel Calvey 15th and to the rest of the team Roisin, Michelle, Kate, Katie and Megan.

Next up we had the Novice men’s race and again had a great number of runners competing. The men had the privilege of doing an extra 2km than the women, which I couldn’t even imagine given the weather conditions.  The men all ran brilliant races, with Paul O’Beirne leading them home in a fantastic 12th place which won him yet another county gold medal to add to the haul. Following him home was Donagh Egan in 21st , Andrew Finan in 29th and Karl Chatterton 51st , winning them all team bronze medals. Adam, Liam, Stephan Anthony and Brian also put in fantastic performances.

It’s days like last Sunday that show what all the hard work is for, and it was brilliant to see such strong teams fielded for Sportsworld. It has been an exciting start to the 2024/25 cross country season and I am so excited to see what both the ladies and mens teams can achieve.

Dublin Novice Cross Country 2024

Race Report – Dublin Novice Cross Country – Sunday, 6th October 2024

The day of my first cross country started like most firsts: a glorious blend of excitement and naivety but also nerves and anxious panic. Naturally, it led me to frantically googling ‘how to run a cross country race.’ in the hours before. Thanks to Wikihow,How to Run a Cross Country Race (with Pictures) – wikiHow, I became an expert on the subject in only a few minutes!

‘Preparation is crucial’ was the first wise piece of advice. I had a decent breakfast and dressed for the typical Irish rain, which definitely made me question my life choices. When we arrived, Veronica and Michelle whipped out the resistance bands and started doing ‘activation exercises ‘ and I followed in their footsteps. Emily sent the six of us on a jog and we then did some strides. At that stage, I would lie if I said we weren’t all second-guessing our fitness levels, murmuring to each other that we can’t imagine how we could hold a similar pace for 100 metres let alone 4km.

In the minutes before the race, I tried the visualisation technique, envisioning myself having a great race! The gun went off and, unsure of what to expect, I set off like it was a 400m race, very quickly realising that everyone else was pacing themselves… like sensible people!

I soon set into my own race, with Rachel by my side, remembering the advice to get a good position early in the pack, cause if not “it’ll be psychologically tough to catch up later in the race”.


By the second lap, the lactate in my legs was building and my body was sending me SOS signals. Luckily I remembered the next piece of advice, ‘If your legs start to hurt, don’t slow down. (As this will make them hurt more seemingly.  If you run, you actually can’t feel them anymore…) Great! Thanks to the many Sportsworld supporters hyping us on, everyone was having a great race.


Up above, I heard Emily yell ‘she’s not looking strong at all’ about the runner in front of me. The poor woman had a good 25 metre lead on me and was probably just dying inside as much as the next person, but Emily’s words gave me hope, and I eventually caught up with her.

On the final stretch, I was running solely in fear as multiple screams warned me to speed up, as the girl behind was catching up. Luckily I held on and crossed the finish line in third.

After finishing, I found my team and we were delighted to finish second.

After our race, we sat back to watch the men’s race… a gruelling 6 km. Everyone put in a great effort with Paul O’Beirne leading the team home, finishing tenth team overall.We finished the afternoon off with free sandwiches which the food truck was handing out at the end of the day. They were delicious!

Although I’ve only been a member of Sportsworld since the start of Summer, I’ve learned a lot about the power of teamwork. Before, I’d say I viewed running as an individual sport. But, there’s a unique feeling of camaraderie within the club. Everyone is genuinely so friendly and inviting. Emily and Michael are just great! I don’t know how they do it but although the club is so big, they make everyone feel like they’re worth it and a part of something bigger. People are there for you through your small and big wins (and the losses too). This cross country has also shown me what the power of belief can do. By both having self-belief and when others believe in you, you can achieve great things!

Written by Lorna Sheehan

Berlin Marathon 2024

The 50th Berlin Marathon 29th September 2024

As if the marathon majors were not hard enough to get into already, on a nice round anniversary year it seems almost impossible. I say ‘almost’ as some of the 6 members of the club managed to wiggle their way into the event in a variety of creative ways. Eoin (with later notice than most to book flights etc.) got in on the second round of offers. Kim got straight in with the ballot first time, but I can’t shake the feeling that her local expertise and knowledge may have given her some sort of immeasurable advantage… 😉. Siobhán and Padraic very creatively entered as a ‘team’ (minimum 2 members needed). This way if 1 person on the team gets in through the ballot, then all other team members automatically get an entry too -well played guys! -I will be joining their team for the ballots for Tokyo, Boston, London and New York and any other new ‘team’ members are also welcome. Eileen played a little bit more ‘hard to get’ -she got her offer, but decided to ignore it for a few months and when she was debited the race fee she promptly cancelled her card and had the transaction refunded! Luckily once she checked her junk mail folder, she found her successful ballot email and no doubt the cause of such a large debit on her account. As it turns out, this situation happens all the time and she got everything resolved quite quickly. I didn’t get in via the ballot so managed to get a charity place with Childline by the ISPCC. I spent the last few months as, if not more worried about raising the money than I was about doing the training.

As I reflect on the Expo there seems to be a lot of mixed reviews. On one hand you had the fantastic setting; the old Templehof Airport which is a sight to behold in itself, with old war planes parked next to the modern BMW Timer Cars. I found the local team who work at the expo a pleasure to deal with, and as always when in Germany nearly everyone was impressively multi lingual. However on the other hand there were reports of huge delays getting in on the Thursday, Friday and early Saturday with participants having to queue outdoors for a long time before even gaining entry into the building. Also I believe the merchandise area was equally as busy at those times, but I missed a lot of that as I arrived an hour and a half before closing on Saturday evening. On the event page this was actually one of the recommended times to arrive, but they had run out of the marathon bags an hour earlier so all I got was my number handed to me and any pre-ordered merchandise. A kind volunteer gave me his own copy of the map of the start area/race route which my family needed. I assumed there would have been enough bags for all marathon participants -the Germans were perhaps not prepared as well as one would have thought…🤔

By the time Sunday arrived I think everyone had been to Vapianos at least once. I had to queue to get into one on Saturday evening, but it was worth it. They provide the perfect pre-marathon meal and all in the surroundings of plenty of fellow runners creates a real sense of pre-race excitement. The official start time was 9:15am and the marathon entry allowed everyone taking part to travel on public transport for free from Thursday to Sunday. I have to admit that I love this, as I feel like the atmosphere starts to build as you start to see fellow runners on the S Bahn/U Bahn/Bus/Tram en route to the start line.  It was a cold but dry morning in Berlin for the race, ideal conditions. If anyone is running Berlin in future, it may be good to know that you must pay for the bag drop separately. And if you decline to pay up front you only have a certain amount of time to book it, as they withdraw it as an option a few weeks before the race. I entered the race area using my number and a fabric wristband which they give you at the expo. Once they put it on, this wristband has to stay on your wrist until the end of the race. So, if you go to the expo on Thursday you will end up with a wristband on for 4 days potentially. -Not that it bothers me, I still have mine on now (Thursday).

When I entered the start area one thing that became apparent was the sheer volume of runners. The queues for the Portaloos were huge and I barely had space to do a warm up run. I know a few of the Sportsworld team could not get near the start at their allocated times as the queues to the start were backed up. There were just queues of waiting runners filling up the paths in the forested areas of the Tiergarten. Also a word on the Portaloos, always a less glamorous part of running, I had used one in both Hamburg and at the start line. The German versions are definitely a tad more ‘primitive’ than what we are used to in Ireland -not for the faint of heart….

 

Anyway, back to the running. The MCs at the start did a great job of animating everyone in the crowd (anyone that wasn’t still stuck queueing in the forest). There seemed to be very little enforcement of the corral areas, I was in corral C but was surrounded by people with D, A, C, E and B on their numbers. We got a nice introduction to some of the elite runners on the big screen and then there was a blast of ‘Sirius’ and we were off. The huge volume of runners starting the marathon were split into 2 sides of an avenue for the first few kilometres. Then when everyone comes together, it starts to feel a bit tight. I have never bumped elbows or shoulders with fellow runners as often as during this marathon. 2 separate runners also stepped on my heel from behind, both very apologetic but I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were a bit overcrowded.

The route winds clockwise around the City Centre until you finish just beyond the Brandenburg Gate. It is surreal to run around a city which has had such a rich history and it is impossible not to think of how things would have been here during World War II and the Cold War. The sun started to shine early on and was quite strong by the time I was finishing. We ducked in and out of shaded areas along the route and shade was definitely something I tried to maximise running in. There was a variety of musical acts along the route with even a Native American Pipe Band playing at one stage. Along with the standard water stations and 1 tea station (hot) there were also several informal ‘rehydrating stations’ with a variety of different homemade-looking drinks in different sized and coloured unmarked bottles. These were manned by friendly local people who seemed to just want to help the runners between water stops. I thought this was great and very typical of Berlin, although I didn’t touch any of them…but that probably says more about me and my trust issues to be fair. The whole race went by in a blur for me as I focused on trying to chase down the 3-hour pacers. The route really is very fast and very flat, but ‘not totally flat’ as Siobhán correctly pointed out later that night. The Brandenburg Gate really appears quite quickly and as soon as you pass it you still have 400 meters to go. I knew this in advance thankfully, and I am sure it would have broken a few runners who were not expecting it. Crossing the finish line was a great feeling. All of the Sportsworld team had a positive result in some way, shape or form on what was otherwise a tough day’s running in the sun within such a huge field. Kim and I both ran PBs, Eoin took 2 minutes off his time from his first Berlin Marathon 9 years ago, Padraic who has been injured most of the year opted to do the race at the 11th hour and managed to finish comfortably and earn his medal and Eileen and Siobhán displayed true teamwork as they took on the challenge together and finished almost alongside one another with very respectable times. The medal is definitely one of the nicest I have ever received.

The next day it was revealed that there were 54,280 finishers: making the 50th Berlin Marathon the largest marathon in history to date. It was a spectacular event to take part in and a very quick course which I would recommend, but there are a few organisational things that need to be looked it. Particularly a more staggered start and better enforcement of the starting waves/corrals. I am sure the organisers will listen to the feedback provided by runners, and this will serve to make the event even better next September.

 

 

Rathfarnham 5km 2024

The annual Rathfarnham 5k is high on the priority list for many Club runners both Dublin and nationally I think because 1)  it sort of officially brings the Summer/Autumn road race season to a close before Cross Country season kicks in;  and 2) its got that reputation of being a fast course to achieve a PB (I got that myself there back in 2019 – remember that Knaggsie where we battled each other to the line in that last 250m !!).   And yes they always have a nice shirt to boot which helps. Sportsworlders nearly always turn out in force for this local race and this year was no exception with a full 48 runners lining up on the startline at the 9.30 kick off on Sunday – and a sea of red/white vests unmissable along the route. They had over 1200 finishers this year.  The race is always well run and organised and conditions were ok on the morning, it was cool and slightly breezy but not wet (the ´orange weather alert´ kicked in a few hours later).  The gun fired and everyone was off – the first km is always fast as everyone barrels down Dodder View Road before turning left at the bridge and the slightly slower climb up to Terenure village. Then there’s the long drag up Templeogue Road before turning the corner down in to Springfield Avenue and the 1.2km trek for home along Dodder Park Road again.  We Sportsworlders know every inch of this course as its part of our regular winter training session Tues or Thurs evenings so no surprises for us really.

As expected the race was fast – the Mens was won by Juan Ignacio Pena from Raheny Shamrocks in a speedy 14.34 followed a few seconds later by Colm Rooney from Clonliffe Harriers.  In fact the first 6 were all under 15 mins.  First lady home was Cheryl Nolan from St. Abbans in 16.02 with Ide Ni Domhnaill from West Limerick AC just one second behind in 16.03.

First sportsworlder back was Karol in a very impressive 15.52 with Paul Byrne second in 16.24 and coming back in to great form.   First sportsworlder lady was Aoife Carroll in 18.16 and who just keeps getting better and better, she was followed by Roisin McMahon in 18.29.  But there were some very impressive times across the whole Club – everyone just laid it out there on the day and gave their best and Myles had already set out all the times and categories by afternoon.   A fantastic silver medal too for the Sportsworlder Mens 35+ Dublin team – Karol, Paul, Richard and Eoin.  And the ladies 35+ Dublin team put in a very credible 6th place too – made up of Lorna, Caroline, Niamh and Jean. Likewise the ladies 50+ Dublin team in 5th – made up of Fiona, Noelle and Sandra.

Everyone thinks 5k is just a walk in the park as the distance is so short really, but the fact that youŕe pushing it so hard and can´t afford to let up at any point especially if youŕe chasing a decent time means its a pressure race with the burn factor evident at the end.  There was a great atmosphere as always, fantastic support along the route at every point,  and thanks to Myles, Emily, Tom, Val and others for all the shout-outs and encouragement along the way – it really helps and picks you up a when you’re flagging a bit.

For myself I hadn’t run the race last year as I was dealing with major health challenges then, but I was delighted to be able to do it this year, especially after Val offered me her bib last thursday after having to cry off with injury (thanks Val, a quick change by Lucy on the system and I was good to go).  I got a dispensation from Myles in not having to wear my SW vest this time as I was running the race partly to fundraise and raise awareness for Multiple Myeloma (a rare form of blood cancer that impacts the bones).  I have been doing the Ḿiles for Myeloma’ campaign through the month of September so the Rathfarnham 5K was the perfect chance to bookend my fund-raiser,  as well as getting a little normality  back into my life with running again with SW comrades and friends and experiencing that addictive atmosphere that I´d really missed.  I would like to sincerely thank everyone who’s contributed to the campaign to date and if anyone else would like to do so I’m including the link with grateful appreciation www.multiplemyelomaireland.org   If you scan down the page you’ll see my name Declan B  (to distinguish from another Declan who’s also fundraising).  And thanks Michael also for giving me this opportunity in writing the Report.

Meet The Runner Noelle Brown

Full Name: Noelle Brown

When did you join Sportsworld?May 2023.

Where do you work? I’m a Freelance Actor and Writer, so I work wherever the jobs are. I mainly work in Ireland but get to tour around the world with theatre productions and artist exchange programmes a bit. It’s a completely bonkers, stressful life sometimes, but it’s rarely boring. As a writer, my work is focused on using theatre as a platform to amplify marginalised voices and provoke political change.

What is your favourite club session? Preferably the ones that involve coffee afterwards.:-) I like the Saturday morning track sessions. Tuesday night sessions, though they can be hard as hell, are always  satisfying.

What is your favourite race distance? I’m still trying to figure that out, so I’ll say 5k for the moment. The most I’ve run is 10k, so there’s not a huge amount to choose from yet.

What is your favourite meal before a big race? Porridge with Granola, banana, blueberries, and mixed seeds. A strong cup of coffee is also required.

My Favourite place to train Would have to be Phoenix Park. There are so many different routes to run that it never gets dull, and the sense of space is fantastic.

What’s your favourite race? I’ll say Terenure 5mile because it was my first race, apart from the Evening Echo mini marathon in Cork in 1983! I did also enjoy, though it was tough at times, the Dublin Masters Cross Country in St Anne’s Park this year.

What is your target for the next year? I want to see at least one race photograph of myself that doesn’t look like I’m out for a stroll with both feet on the ground. (See photo included with this piece). I mean look at the state of me! I would also love to train for and run a half marathon at some point.

What international events have you run? None, yet. I have booked a 10k in San Sebastian for next year, though.

Where’s the most interesting place you have run? I love running at beautiful Curracloe Beach in Wexford. With the woods nearby you get two different runs in the one session and a dip in the sea afterwards. Bliss.

Where’s the most interesting place you’ve been? It has to be the Domus Aurea, or Nero’s Golden House, as it’s called. It’s in Rome and is still being excavated, like much of ancient Rome. Ephesus in Turkey is pretty incredible as well. I love ancient sights and ruins. They always make me think about the people and the lives they lived there.

What do you like doing when you don’t run? (hobbies/past times)I read a lot and go to theatre, cinema and exhibitions. It’s not really a hobby but I do devote a fair bit of time to activism around social justice issues, particularly in relation to survivors of Mother and Baby Institutions.

How/When did you start your adventure with running? Menopause expert Catherine O’Keeffe (Wellness Warrior) was part of a panel of speakers at a menopause unmasked event I co-produced at the Sugar Club in  2019. Talking on the night, I mentioned that in relation to my body, I was suddenly no longer in charge of the ship anymore due to menopause. She suggested running as she had been running for a couple of years and found it beneficial for menopause symptoms. I started by doing a running course in the Phoenix Park in 2019, which I loved. I kept running, well jogging, really, during lockdown, and it not only helped with menopause but also kept my head together during the bizarre lockdown experiences and maintained a level of fitness.

Tell us about your PB’s / What is your biggest achievement? What is your biggest non-running related achievement? Right. I have sweaty palms now typing this first bit. So, the best time was 25.28 in Rathfarnham 5k last year. I am determined to do better in that race this month. Fingers crossed. Being part of the team that took Bronze in the Meet and Train this year. I didn’t have any experience of Cross Country, so I had no idea how much of a peculiar, enjoyable hell it could be. To be part of a winning team the first time out was incredible. Non-running related achievements would be co-writing and performing in my first theatre play, ‘Postscript’, which highlighted the barriers created by Church and State to prevent an adopted person’s access to knowing the circumstances of their birth, their family medical history and the right to a birth certificate. Also, I completed an Open University Degree during my forties, which resulted in a BA (Hons) in English Literature.

How often do you run / What is your typical weekly mileage? I try to run three times a week, but currently, it’s two. Roughly 13k a week.

What motivates you? Running or otherwise The phrase: Get up, Dress up and Show up.

What would you say is the best thing about being in a Running Club? The sense of Community and the inspiration and support you get from other runners of all levels. Having a training structure and the goals of different races helps you achieve things you had no idea you could do. The downside is my friends tell me I’m a running bore.

What made you join a Running Club?I had been looking online at Sportsworld for about two years and didn’t feel I was running club material, but I was getting bored of puffing around parks either alone or with one other person. I signed up for the Terenure 5mile to try a race at least, and when I went to collect my number and t-shirt, I met Lorna Quinn, who I knew from working in theatre. She suggested I try the Tuesday and Thursday training. Despite my self-conscious mumbling and trying to gently leg it before I committed to anything, Lorna introduced me to some of the coaches. Because Lorna has always been someone I respect and admire, I thought, Jesus, if I don’t give it a try, at least, I won’t be able to look her in the face the next time I bump into her. Which was just as well because she was cheering me on at the Terenure 5mile. After the race, she suggested I sign up for the VHI Women’s mini marathon, which I did! Lorna, you could definitely do a side hustle on recruiting for all sorts of organisations. FBI, CIA, whatever 🙂 Sincere thanks. I literally wouldn’t have had the courage to join if it wasn’t for you.

Why is running important to you? It literally grounds me, taking me out of my head for a bit, and it is brilliant for stress relief. The endorphins are amazing, and I feel a real sense of empowerment as a 58-year-old menopausal woman. I chose drama over sports at school and missed out on what it’s like to be part of a team, to train as part of a group of like-minded people. I ran the VHI Women’s mini marathon on my own and felt I missed out on celebrating with other people. A random woman took a photo for me, and then I just got on my bike and went home, which felt a bit meh. Turning up for the first time in my Sportsworld singlet at the Rathfarnham 5k last year was a game changer. Seeing and running with other club members made it a completely different and hugely enjoyable experience.

Is there anything you would like to see more of or less of at the Club? More of Emily on her bike. She looked soooooooooo happy.

Who is the person in the club who inspires/drives to run better?Emily, on her bike or otherwise. She strikes that lovely balance between enjoy the running but don’t forget to surprise me with how much better you can be. Myles also drives me to run better mainly doing Cross Country. He always shouts something encouraging, just when I feel like my legs are about to stop working altogether.  There’s also one club member, you know who you are, who has been a constant positive affirmer of what I can do and how to do it as well. Lots of tips and even tied my shoelaces before a cross-country race when my hands were shaking so much from nerves that I thought I was going to cry.

Do you do any cross training / other sports on a regular basis? I do strength and conditioning classes at the gym. Yoga with Adriene and Benji (the dog) at home. I also mostly commute by bike.

Tell us something that no one in the club knows about you!? I’m not sure there’s a lot left after the ‘Stolen’ documentary. And just to say, heartfelt thanks to everyone who took the time to watch it.

On a lighter note, I did get chatted up by an Australian Prime Minister backstage in the Sydney Opera House after performing in a show there. It didn’t work out for him, and there were four other women in the cast who were annoyed that it wasn’t one of them.

 

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