Conor Keating was in Clonmel for the annual 4 mile and follows that report up with a run down of his year in racing.
On Saint Stephen’s Day I headed down to Clonmel for the 30th edition of the MSB Clonmel 4 mile road race. Clonmel is the largest town in Tipperary and on the sporting front is a particularly noted for soccer and athletics. The town has two teams in the Tipperary south premier south soccer league – Clonmel Town whose grounds we passed on the way to race (cannot remember if we lost that U18 game 6 or 7 Nil?) and Clonmel Celtic (random fact of the day is that there pitch is opposite the Bulmers factory). Ahh the memories from my soccer days – Clonmel was one of the main reasons that convinced me that I had a better chance in athletics, than soccer, to getting capped for Ireland. I’ve having second thoughts now though – which is easier? – Being able to string 3 passes together or running a 100 miles a week?(Must try that sometime).
Anyway back to the running, I was wondering how this would go as I had been roped into doing a GOAL mile on Christmas day. My official time was 5:23 but my mile time per Strava was a bit quicker as swerving & shouts of ‘Four’ were required on a few occasions…Sorry I mean ‘Track’ (i’m not that good/don’t want to bore you with another failed sporting adventure – I’m good at pitch and putt though). If I ran into someone in my soccer days it would have been more Karl Chattenonnn style rather than taking a step to the side.
Clonmel A.C took bronze in this year’s National Senior XC and would have won gold if they had a strong fourth member to back up Sean Tobin (2nd), Kevin Maunsell (3rd) and William Maunsell (13th)..
Conor Mid-Pack
This year’s race was conspicuous by the absence of the 3 aforementioned runners which significantly boosted my chances of…not being over a minute a kilometer behind the winner. There was just over 500 in the race and, having also done the race last year, I knew that the first mile was a bit downhill, miles 2-3 relatively flat and then a slight incline to the finish line. I ended getting caught into doing the first mile too fast and then the Xmas mile (and the festivities) kicked in at around half way. However I stuck with a decent group of about half dozen others most of the way and I eventually finished in 24mins 18 secs. (if I was a minute a km faster I would have had enough time to do about 4 knee slides/slide tackles over the line and still won) A bit disappointed with this but mainly trying to maintain fitness and try to put in decent effort into the remaining XC’s races in the new year.
Conor flying up the hills
2018 was a better year for me than 2017 which was not great with some more sobering Clonmel sporting memories being:
Being out injured after having to have an operation in Clonmel hospital on my toe which had been bitten in a ‘playful’ manner by the family dog.
Arriving late to the start line for the 2017 MSB Clonmel 4 mile and having to try to navigate my way past a few hundred runners (I can neither confirm or deny that elbows and pushing were involved).
Anyway I’ve just checked Strava and apparently this was my 33rd race of 2018. My attention span is waning so here’s a short list of the races (with a few grouped together) with a one line description (without getting into times – They are not nothing to write home about)
Jan:
Leinster Intermediate XC: I didn’t getting lapped nor finished last! (moral victory)
Indoor 3k in National Sports Arena: Perfect preparation for…
Feb
National Intermediate XC: (That field in) Clarinbridge will never be the same again.
Resorted back to shelter with another 3k in National Sports Arena.
Mar
-John Kelly 7.5k memorial race in Loughmore in Tipperary:He represented Ire in the 1968 olympics in the 50km race walking event.
Apr
Local 5k: Even if it’s raining it’s still best to do a w/up #cramp.
Raheny 1 mile road race: This was the Wednesday before the national road relays and a good blowout around the same 1 mile route.
National Road Relays (4th leg – 2 miles): I got to see what real Olympian’s look like. A great experience to take part even though out of my depth.
7 Graded Track races [1 x 800m, 2x1500m, 3x3000m, 1 x5000): It was great to see so many new people trying track races this year and I would encourage more people to give them a go as the grading of the races make them suitable for all and it’s great for increasing speed. (Apr-Aug)
May
Leinster Novice Road race: It’s best to taper before a race rather than following the training schedule during the week and expecting to run a good race on the bank holiday Monday.
BHAA 5km beach race: Me and Noel Tobin were neck and neck the whole race but I just pipped him with a sprint finish (honed through the track).
BHAA Dunboyne 5 mile: I went out at 6 min mile pace…
June
Tullaroan 1/2 marathon: The t-shirt says ‘I got some thrills in the Tullaroan hills’…sure.
Docklands 5k: Great night for (racing) drinking.
July
Irish runner 10 mile: I was going to Killarney for a few days so doing this on Saturday morning would allow for a few ‘recovery’ days in Kerry.
September
Rathfarnham 5k: Forgot my watch and ran a PB.
October
Dublin Novice XC: Finished half way up the field in a XC race (first time for everything)
November
Leinster Novice XC: On the same course I ran over a minute faster than 2017 (when I finished 91st out of 100) and I finished 91st (out of 115 so relative improvement)
Leinster Senior XC (7 laps-10k): I ran a consistent pace and was happy enough and accepted that more people would lap me than finish behind me.
Clontarf 5 mile: The ad should read ‘Ireland’s flattest and windiest races’
Lanzarote International Running challenge (10k on road, 13k ridge run, 5k on beach and ‘Half marathon’ on trials/road). My best races were the ridge run and the ‘half marathon’ when I didn’t drink the night before #lame. The only reason you’d complain that a half marathon was short is if it denied you a PB.
December
Dublin Intermediate XC: I got back after 12 last night and should still be in bed.
National Novice XC: A tough race and with over 250 in it – Let’s just say I wasn’t in the top 200. On the plus side I managed stayed on my feet in slippery conditions.
Clonmel 4 mile road race: See a few pages up.
I’ve managed to get a few photos from the race from the Tipperary athletics facebook page and also a picture of me at the finish line with the tea holder given to all participants. Competition Time: There’s a familiar face, in the background, in one of the photos which you can look for if you’re not too fed up already. Please post your answers in the comments below (liking and sharing is optional). Prize is a complimentary entry to the 2019 Clonmel 4 mile race on me. Terms and Conditions: Travel not included. Organiser reserves the right to retain any race entry goodies unless it’s a t-shirt in which case you can have mine as well. Winner drawn at random at Sportsworld Cake Sale December 2019.
Conor post race
I definitely plan to do less races in 2019. This is not a new year’s resolution as this will only kick in in February as I plan to do the remaining 2 XCs races (Leinster and National Intermediate) and at least one of the indoor races in the National Sports Arena. I did a 21k training run today – would have been easier just to do the 10k races in the Tullaroan hills. This race report nearly took as long as the 21k so new year’s resolution is to write shorter race reports in 2019. Happy New Year and all the best with your running, and other subsidiary goals, in 2019!
Katie Nugent ran an impressive tally of 5K races over the Christmas period. well done on her 3rd place finish in Ardagh.
It is inevitable that the social calendar and the kitchen cupboards fill up in the lead up to and during the festive period. This may make it more difficult to stay on track when it comes to running. However, there are plenty of festive Christmas runs/walks around to help burn off the mince pies and roses and help keep us all somewhat on track.
More recently when busy at work or otherwise, I try to keep up with some sessions or fit in at least one quick run a week just to keep myself in check. Christmas is no different so there are a number of local races that I will always support.
On St. Stephen’s day in Newtownforbes in Longford, the Shane Brennan 5k takes place. It is a very fast relatively flat 5k which is becoming more popular every year with a great number of club runners in attendance. There are usually a few familiar Sportsworld faces there and this year was no different with a great run by Wesley Harrison to finish in the top pack of runners with a fantastic time of 17.35. Barry Sheil of Longford AC was the first male in a time of 16.08 and Catherina McKiernan was first lady in a time of 17.33 which shows what a fast 5k it was especially for the day after Christmas Day! I was happy with my run for the day completing the course in 21.11.
Wesley and a smiling Catherina McKiernan
I absolutely adore Parkruns and everything that they offer. They are free, offer a great distance in 5k and are so sociable. I always try to take part in one on a Saturday morning if I have no other plans or races on. There is a relatively new Parkrun in Strokestown in Co. Roscommon which is close enough to where I am from and anytime I am home I try to do it.
Strokestown has got enough press over the last few weeks so I probably don’t need to explain where it is???? In any case it is a lovely Parkrun if anyone ever finds themselves in the Midlands/heading west and are looking for a run. I had already signed up to the Ardagh Challenge 5k in Longford for Saturday 29th December but decided I would take on the ‘double trouble’ challenge and do both. At least it would keep my hand out of the roses tin for a few hours???? I ran a good steady run at the Parkrun and was happy to keep my time within the 21 minute bracket which had been my goal for 2018. I was also 1st female finisher and happy to stay on the first finisher list for another week????
Stroketown Parkrun champ Katie Nugent
I went home for a couple of hours and had a snack and then went to my second run of the day in Ardagh. I have taken part in the Ardagh Challenge four times now. I previously ran the 10 mile race which offers a very challenging course with a lot of hills???? The weather can also be hit and miss for this event but thankfully on Saturday last it was a perfect day for running. There is a 10 mile race and a 5k race so there is something for everyone. It is organised by Ardagh Moydow Glen Community Games and is a chip timed event with prizes in many age categories. The race has grown in popularity over the last few years and saw the largest attendance this year which saw many entrants having travelled far and wide to attend the event. This year the 10 mile race was won by Sportsworld’s own Gareth Murran who saw off some very tough competition from previous winners to claim first place in a fantastic time of 55.35. I took part in the 5k event and was happy to claim 3rd place in a time of 21.21. Ardagh is a beautiful, historic village and is certainly worth a visit. I would definitely recommend the challenge to anyone who is looking for a good testing run before the end of the year.
Ardagh a great spot for a race in late December
As we come to the end of a fantastic running year for the club, I would like to wish all club members, families and friends a wonderful 2019. I hope you all achieve what you set your minds to for 2019 and more importantly enjoy the journey as you strive to get there.
If you read the end of year message from club chairperson Michael Cunningham last week you will have heard how Sportsworld Running Club continued to go from strength to strength in 2018. Where else could you go four days a week and meet such a friendly and passionate bunch?
We now have almost 250 paid members and a succession of hard working committees throughout the year. The amount of race reports from 2018 alone is testament to the great sense of community that exists in the club. There was so many great moment training and racing during the year that we felt a short recap was in order.
If you have finished reading this weeks email, already been running and are looking for something to watch over Christmas. The Barkley Marathons documentaryon Netflix, should provide some running inspiration, featuring Eoin Keith from the club. It’s a great watch.
January
2018 arrived with the Tom Brennan 5k kicking off the New Year in a windy Phoenix Park. Over 700 participants signed up for this well regarded race. The race always attracts a solid field looking to start the year off on the right foot. We had almost 20 runners taking part. They all look like they had a good time, apart from Gareth.
Tom Brennan 5K
Next up was the Dublin Masters in Raheny. A tough ask after all the December excesses. The Club put in a fantastic effort with male athlete of the year Karol Cronin finishing a magnificent third place overall. There was also team gold for the O35 ladies, silver for the O50 and a bunch of individual medals.
Leading Ladies
Only a week later was the cross country in Dunboyne. Not an easy race, in a muddy farmers field with many holes which made it even more difficult. Moreover, the cold weather and wind made it more challenging! Travelling with Michael means you get to put up the Gazebo and a few rookies were caught out on this occasion. We had quite the medal haul to weigh us down on the way home with Enda Kerin and Kate Kelly being the standouts. Too many medals to mention everyone, so read the race report.
One of the best road races in the calendar the Raheny 5 closed out the month. The massive Sportsworld crew of nearly 50 runners seemed to have had a successful day out. By my count we had 7 men coming home under 30 minutes, led by Michael in 28.21. In the women’s race, Maria Jones, Catherine Bambrick and Ciara Brady finished in 18th, 20th & 26th places respectively. Lots of happy faces afterwards seemed to confirm that we had lots of runners pleased with their times and their chocolate haul.
February
A few less races in February but one that will surely go down in infamy. February 11th was D-Day, the last cross country race of the year. The National Intermediate Cross Country Championships in Clarinbridge, County Galway, West of Ireland. Kate Kelly in her race report spoke of the snow, sleet and freezing temperatures with a heavy heart and dread in her veins. It was the most gruelling course imaginable with hills and muck up to the shins.
Actual course photo from a dry portion
A lot of things were going through the mind of the runners, not leastof which was “what am I doing in here in the middle of a freezing cold quagmire on a Sunday afternoon in East Galway”. With encouragement from the sideline and pure determination our Intermediate and Masters women managed to secure National silver despite loosing a shoe or two. They surely set the bar high for the class of 2019. The counselling sessions after Clarinbridge set the club coffers back a few years.
Spot Catherine on the podium
The next race was Leinster Indoor Championships. It was held in the National Indoor Arena in Abbottstown which is just a fantastic facility to have on our doorstep. Catherine Mulleady (who is actually 26 Nigel tells me) secured a silver in F35 category and Derek Saville ran a blisteringly fast 56 seconds over two laps to take gold in the M40. Michael Cunningham and Maria Jones also put in a good showing and narrowly missed out on the medals. For those that want to try indoors check out the indoor series.
March
Did somebody say the cross country season was over?
Michael and Catherine were back in the National Masters in March. Unfortunately Derek Saville and Martin Keenan who have a lot of indoor track experience were out injured and Gareth was thinking of filing his emigration papers in America. So it was left to Catherine Eliott Mulleady and Michael to fly the flag for Sportsworld. Neither of them had ran in Athlone or done the National Masters before but there was nothing to loose. They both gave it all they had and finished just outside the medals.
Michael a great man to always try something new summed up the Indoors in his race report. Indoor track is similar to outdoor track but it has it differences. Its definitely different to marathon training or cross country so if you like running you should give it a go. There are loads of masters runners in the club who have a real shot at getting National medals.
Thanks again to Sports Psychologist Colm Murphy for a really interesting talk in March which was attended by over 60 club members in Bushy Park.
April
With many still attending therapy after their exploits in Clarinbridge 7 weeks earlier it was time for the now annual Dublin 10 mile road race incorporating the Leinster Championships in St Annes Park Raheny. Excellent performances from Sinead Tangey, Eileen Rowland and Karol Cronin yielded individual medals in their respective categories. Our overall strength in depth however resulted in 3 teams winning medals. Karol was already building up the medal count.
Eoin O’Brien took on the 2018 Rome Marathon to mark the 10th anniversary of his first ever marathon in Rome. Travel George had his own hashtag blowing up on social, and Michael Cunningham was sending Eoin advice on how to complete a race you haven’t trained for. He ran 4.01.
Adelie, Emmet, Gerard and Paul Hamilton took to the streets of Paris for the 26.2 miles and Adelie showed the lads a thing or two running 3.23. Emmet has a seemingly love / hate relationship with the distance but I’m sure we will toe the line at some stage in 2019 again.
White or Red?
Andrea and Margaret aka the Cork contingent were in Madrid to get langers, I mean run the Movistar Madrid Half Marathon. Although the race report didn’t contain any evidence of them actually running they evidently enjoyed the Spanish wines, and did run well. Later in the month there was a strong Sportsworld group for the Rock and Roll Madrid Marathon and Half. Race writer Enda nails it when he says that planning to run a marathon is like life, ‘anything can happen’. Enda ran a good 2.57. In the Half Marathon Packie became the first Sportsworld runner to ever officially get lost in a well marshalled half marathon. Mr Enright managed to take a wrong turn and complete most of the full Marathon before realising his wrongs.
The rain was still pouring for National 10k in the Phoenix park. First home for the women was Sinead Tagney in a brilliant time of 38:46, followed by Ciara Brady and Maria Jones. Together they claimed the bronze medal in the Senior Womens behind DSD and Galway City Harriers. First home for the men was Karol Cronin, followed by Phil Kilgannon and Karl Chatterton resulting in them winning bronze in the M35 category. Eileen Rowland also ran brilliantly to win bronze medal in her age category
The Boston Marathon is famous for many reasons. It’s the oldest annual marathon in the world. It was set up due to the success of the marathon event in the first modern Olympics in 1896. The day is called ‘Marathon Monday’ by the locals. Running legend Katherine Switzer of course who secretly entered and completed the race in 1967 demonstrating that women could in fact physically run the marathon. Then there is infamous heartbreak hill. This year the conditions were bad, biblical level bad. It was the coldest running of the marathon on record and the slowest winning times since the 70s. A huge number of the Elites had dropped out and many people were treated for hypothermia and hospitalised. Gavin, Kevin and Diarmuid ran themselves and the club proud in horrendous conditions. Gavin ran 2.45 and was first home.
How cold does Kevin look?
With all the marathons and trips to Madrid their were weaker teams than usual for the national road relays. The road relays took place on April 23rd in their regular home around the roads of Raheny in Dublin. The sun peered in and out throughout the day with gusty winds curtailing fast times but that didn’t prevent some really great racing. The course is 50 meters beyond a mile in Raheny and involves tapping your teammate’s hand. No medals this year but some great running.
Michael on the charge
May
The Terenure 5 mile was the highlight of the month and possibly the year. A demonstration in race organisation perfection. So many individual stories in the race report so take another read of the race report and all the pics.
Battle between clubmates
On a bank holiday in May you have two choices. Go to Tallaght for the 5K or go to Gowran for the 6K. Up in Tallaght Conor Mcarthy lead the teams home in an impressive 17.09 whilst in Gowran Maria Jones lead the ladies team to gold. Maria also took the silver medal herself in the women’s race. Also in Gowran, trump supporter Gavin Finley finished a superb 5th place in the Masters men.
Trying to line the lads up for a photo
Barretstown is a charity does not need a huge introduction – the work they do with sick children and for bereaved families is well known. Top lad Emmet Wardell ran a 40K to raise funds in May. At the same time the graded track races were gettting underway with some top debuts in the summer sun. Val, Irene, Carmel, Bronwyn and Olive represented!
Only one word can adequately describe the Great Limerick Run of 2018. Hot. Maybe two words… very hot! Temperatures hit 20 degrees on the streets of Limerick on Sunday 6th May 2018. Granted not quite Marathon Des Sables…but it felt pretty close! ‘Strategy’ quickly evaporated in the heat… There was good group from the club but the star of the day was former Sporstworld superstar Shona Keane who came home first in the women’s race in 3 hours, on the button.
To finish out the month was the ever popular Wicklow relay. I don’t think anyone got lost this year but there is meant to be 8 on a team?
June
In June we had a glut of meet the runner articles Olive Fogarty, Maria Jones , Eoin Keithand Noel Tobin. You have plenty of time to read up on a few people over Christmas. We also had the fastest 10K road race going and a huge amount of personal bests in Dunsaughlin.
Dunsaughlin 10k
Maria Jones has her 5 minutes of fame selling out every copy of the Irish Runner as June / July cover star after a chance encounter with legend Frank Greally after her victory at the Irish Runner 5k. It was pure right class, which in Tipp speak means it was really really good meeting Frank.
June Bank Holiday can only mean one thing. Forty-odd thousand women descend on the streets of Dublin to take part in the world’s largest female-only sporting event of its kind-The VHI Women’s Mini Marathon. It was this event some 35 years ago that prompted Emily to start Sportsworld running club so obviously the club holds a strong tradition of taking part in this amazing day out year after year. Yes this is a big race day but more importantly it’s a day when charities are the big winner. So with this in mind, this year the ladies in the club got together to run for charity swapping their usual red and white for the PWSAI logo singlet’s. Sinead was first home in a super speedy 37 minutes. Well done to all.
Katie rockin the PWSAI singlet
In the same month Eoin and Conor ran in Tullaroan, somewhere outside Dublin on a tough half marathon course. Meanwhile in Cork a massive bunch ran the half marathon and marathon relays. One race I need to add on my bucket list. Ever improving Mark Hogan was the first Sportsworld man home in a time of 1.19. He was followed closely by Martin Doyle in 1.20, who not only managed a PB for his half but within that also achieved a PB for his 10k. I think we all need to start eating more Mars bars! After the race the clouds lifted to make way for a beautiful sunny afternoon…perfect weather for a beer garden some might say!
Jim hunts down Eoin
The Trinity track races took place and Eoin O’Brien did not regain his grade D 1200M title despite the presence of his rival big Jim. In the Leinster Masters track Gareth and Martin were collecting medals like magpies.
July
Trail racing high in The Alps, beneath Mont Blanc looks awesome. Liam Lenehan spoke about his appreciation for the support of Myles and Emily and all at bushy park for getting him to the start for the Marathon (23km Cross) du Mont Blanc, Chamonix in France. Special mention for the Sportsworld IMRA gang who run up and down the Wicklow hills and Mount Leinster in training. Liam finished in a very respectable 4h:04.
Other races over the month included Naoise and Sibéal running impressively in the beautiful Snowdonia half. The Liberties fun run where Gareth beat Karol for the first time eve on the roads and the three musketeers Johny, Jose and Mark went to the majestic Bere island. Put that one on your bucket list folks. Finally a load of Sportsworld’s finest ran the Irish runner 10 mile on a touch hilly course.
On Sunday, the 6th annual ‘Rock and Roll’ Dublin half marathon took place. It also doubled as the AAI national half marathon championships. This year saw a change to the regular route to allow the Phoenix Park be prepared for the visit of Pope Francis at the end of the month. There were mixed feelings about the changes, mostly due to the inclusion of some of the steepest hills in Dublin! Runners really enjoyed the day and whilst the course was one of the tougher half marathons, it was scenic at times and having the new start finish are at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham was a plus.
Happy gang
As the bell rang to signify the last lap of the 1500M in Tullamore there was a great atmosphere around the place. Gareth ended up disappointed not be the national champion but he was gold medal or bust, a silver is a nice perk. Michael and Martin also put in great performances in their respective races. Michael has a new lease of life on the track these days.
#trackisback
September
Oh the Green and Red of Mayo I can see it still It’s soft and craggy bogland It’s tall majestic hills Where the ocean kisses Ireland And the waves carress it’s shore Oh the feeling that came over Maura Ginty as she ran 69:19 for 10 miles To stay forever more in the record books Forever more
Maura also ran the Chareleville Half with the best race report writer in the club Deirdre O’Connell. Deirdre loved Maura’s attitude on race day, her goodwill and her drive to improve, boosted everyone enjoyment of the day. Here they are, seemingly joined at the hip, with even Rob Heffernan unable to come between them. Gareth ran but was unable to keep up with Ginty.
Rob Heffernan
Next up were the Sportsworld track championships. This normally marks the end of the track season. The honours for the Sportsworld Track Championships 2018 in the 400m team relay event were:
1st Place: Andrew Brett, Jessica Kennedy, Liam Lenehan, Andrew Brett (ran two legs)
2nd Place: Gareth Murran, Noel Lyneham, Stephanie Bergin, Mark Heffernan.
3rd Place: Will Martin Smith, Donal Brennan, Ian Harrison, Val Power.
In the individual 1500m Maria Jones return from injury to claim victory and Gareth just held of Karol to claim his 3rd title.
top team. where is their 4th runner? hmmm
Last but not least in September was the Berlin marathon. The first big marathon of the season, and all that hard work. Tom, Paul, Diarmuid and Martin all wrote about their experiences in the heat of Berlin. They all ran really well on a very warm day. Martin first home in a new PB of 2.51. Amazingly Martin and tom went on to run Dublin also. This was Paul’s second marathon of the year.
Paul touristing in Berlin
It was a fantastic night at The Alex Hotel for the club 35th! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the music, delicious food and the preparation put in by the four organisers. Trojan work done by the organising committee, Catherine Mulleady, Gemma White Maria Jones and Sinead Tangney. Best dance moves of the night went to Paul O’Connell for his unforgettable rendition of Riverdance. There is a video doing the rounds. The amazing cake was baked by Sibeal and Naoise Waldron.
Everyone looking glam
October
About 20 Sportsworlders travelled to Poland in October for the Krakow half marathon. Brainchild of Ellen Lavin, the trip pulled together a fairly diverse group of runners ranging from those completing their first ever half marathon, to those casually slotting it into their preparations for the Dublin City Marathon and a few who were just along for the cheering.
Krakow is a gem
October means a number of things in Sportsworld. It hearlds the start of the winter sessions for all. It’s the culmination of marathon training for some. And it also means Cross Country. A large group ran the season opener which was the Dublin Novice race in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on Sunday, October 7. The women’s team were 3rd and men 5th.
6 of Sportsworld finest ran the Galway Bay Half and as Van Morrison said in that fabulous voice; “There’ll be days like this” First home was Andrea in a solid 1.32 along the prom. It was cold and dry for the Rathfarnham 5K. The perfect morning for a race and we even saw the return of fan favourite Denis McCaul. First home for the guys for Karol and Noreen for the gals.
Later in the month Helen Brouder and Karol Cronin ran impressively in the Autumn Open. Top master Phil ran well to come in second on the team.
Male athlete of the year in action in Abbotstown
The course at the Navan Sports and Adventure Centre for the Leinster Novice was fast considering the hills and hairpins. The surface is on the fairways of a golf course which make for a lovely forgiving smooth run. The dry weather of recent months meant the going was nice and firm. The route of the Leinster Novice happened to be the same as the National Novice on the 16th of December so those who ran had a distinct advantage going to Nationals.
The finale to a hard summers training and coaching for many was the DCM 2018. on a perfect day for running there was great performances all round. The support from club members and friends was such a rush around Terenue. It made the running seem effortless. As we turned onto Templeogue road the shouts for Sportsworld rang out on both sides of the road. At Terenure cross roads it seemed as though the whole of the club had come out to watch. A great day and night was had to celebrate. Why is it I can never remember going to the black door the next day?
Race numbers on the ready
November
The highlights in November were the National senior cross country which had reduced numbers due to the massive contingent in Lanzarote. Our teams ran well against very tough competition. Now people know why I go to Lanzarote every year, to avoid this race. The Leinster Senior was a more approachable affair in Adamstown
For those that like a nice clean road like myself, Run the line seemed like as much craic as being electrocuted, but each to their own and a big group from the club ran the tough race. Run the line is an annual event organised by Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue. It is a fundraising event and all the entry fee goes towards the great work that the organisation does.
Lanzarote rounded out the month with 4 days of running, eating, lounging and living ones best life. It was great getting to know some people better this year including most improved athlete Stephen O’Donnell and silent disco maestro Mark Hogan. We had the craic all week.
What happened next we’ll never tell!
December
We all love a bit of cake and no so than on December 4th when the annual bake sales raised over €1100 for Alzimers Ireland.
The Christmas party was a superb night that ended in the early hours for many. Good fun was had as can be seen from the smiles.
Other highlights of the month were the Dublin Intermediate which was won in style by most improved female of the year Lisa Madden, with young gun Ciara Brady finishing an impressive 3rd. The ladies took the gold home and look chuffed with their medal haul. Great running by the lads also who took 4th team and came just short of the medals.
A very happy looking team. Pure class!
December all ended back in Navan on a very wet and windy day. The teams did well against some top competition at the National Novice and you can read the report in this weeks email.
News also broke that the Dublin marathon is sold out and one Karol Cronin has thrown his name into the ring, lovely jubbly.
Despite the best endeavours of Met Éireann to prevent us from leaving the house all weekend, a large contingent of Sportsworld women and men put on their singlets and bravely ventured out the front door in the howling wind and lashing rain and made their way down to the, appropriately named in the conditions, “Adventure Sports” centre in Navan to compete in the Novice Cross Country Championships. I’d been reliably informed that Alcatraz was easier to escape from than having your name on the list for cross country events and if an Orange weather warning wasn’t going to be sufficiently reasonable grounds for enjoying the seasonal festivities on a Friday evening and having a relaxing Saturday afternoon’s recovery, to my mind nothing would! The talk on the journey down was about how the course would hold up, especially following a series of underage races throughout the day and there were some nervous whispers as to whether we were in for a repeat of the treacherous conditions faced in Clarinbridge earlier in the year. Thankfully David Kennedy was thoughtful enough to put our minds at ease and let us all know he was making his way safely home after his Friday night out, so that was one less thing to worry about on race day…cheers pet J
Womens team
We got to the course in plenty of time and, after twenty minutes of psyching ourselves up to get out of the car, made our way down to the track to survey the conditions. First impressions were worrying. The walk from the car park to the course was like a mud bath and with each squelching step, the fear was that Storm Deidre had won out and we were in for an uncomfortable afternoon. However, having collected our race numbers and tentatively heading out for a (in the conditions, futile) warm up, the general consensus was that the course had held up remarkably well. All of a sudden it was time for the women’s race to start. Two laps of the course for a total of 4km was the challenge and there were great performances from all participants who had superb races in very testing conditions. Congratulations to Ciara who was the first Sportsworld lady home in a very impressive 39th position of an extremely strong field.
Mens team
Next up were the men who were tasked with three laps of the 2km course. This being only my second cross country, I was hoping for a far more enjoyable experience than my first venture in Tymon Park for the 8km Intermediate earlier in the month. I was completely unprepared for such a harrowing experience but I was willing to convince myself that was still due to the after effects of a big night out on the last day in Lanza! These negative thoughts were thrown abruptly from my mind by the sound of the gun and we were underway.
Conor and Karl on the chase for places
The pace of the field was worryingly quick and as I struggled to keep pace with the group of runners towards the back, I feared that my initial positivity regarding the conditions were misguided. Thankfully, I managed to establish something resembling a rhythm, settled into the race and even, whisper it quietly, started to enjoy it. The course was difficult in parts and trying to overtake was proving tricky with plenty of tight corners and pockets of terrain with a similar consistency to quicksand. The support from the Sportsworld contingent around the track from coaches, supporters and the ladies who’d completed their race was fantastic and was definitely a vital factor in getting some of us up the large incline at the end of the lap one final time and over the finish line.
There were some great individual performances on the day as well as a great sense of achievement having come out and raced in such difficult conditions. Well done to all of the many runners who represented the club so well. Special mention to Andrew Brett who broke into the top 100 by finishing in a very commendable 84th place which to me, only emphasises how much of a unique skill cross country running is and the high calibre of athletes competing on the day.
Ciara leading lady
As the spikes came off and we began making our way to our cars for the journey home, there was time for some club members to show that we’re not just egotistical, prima donna high-performance athletes, only concerned with PBs and personal glory, and show some festive spirit. An ambulance which had made its way down to the course for the duration of the event was having a tricky time trying to get off the field and back onto the road. Feeling invincible after getting through the race, we rushed down to the driver’s aid and began to push. After some slipping and sliding and a lot of endeavour (I’m chalking this up as fulfilling my entire strength training requirements for 2018), the wheels began to turn and the ambulance was back on its way. The only hiccup was that yours truly had unwisely made the decision to push from the very right hand side of the ambulance and soon found himself covered head to toe in mud once the wheels began to spin again! I suppose no good deed goes unpunished.
Only in Navan
Finally, as this was the last cross country event for the (calendar) year, I’d just like to take the opportunity to say a special word of thanks to Emily, Myles and Paul for all the effort and dedication they have put into the events this year. I get the impression that cross country isn’t the most popular event among some of the runners in the club so it’s a great testament to them that Sportsworld has been represented at these events in such large numbers. The support and encouragement provided both during and outside of races doesn’t go unappreciated!
Wishing all club members a very Merry Christmas and looking forward to seeing you all in January as we try to atone for any over-indulgences over the festive season!
Ann Marie, race reporter Maria and Mary coming back to themselves after a feed of chocolate
A few of us from the Club decided it would be a good idea to sign up for a run before the Christmas. The Aware Christmas run is in its 13th year and promised to be suitably festive to get us in the Christmas spirit and with the Sportworld Christmas party on that evening, that extra mince pie would be well earned! There was a 5km or a 10km option but as I had been doing a lot of Parkruns, I decided it was time to start doing some longer runs, so the 10km it was.
The morning started out promising as the weather was fine and crisp, but by the time we had parked and found the “village” at the start line,the rain had arrived. The bag drop was more like a people drop but with 10 minutes to go, we decided it was time we at least attempt a warm-up and brave the cold and rain. As luck would have it the rain cleared and we made our way to the start. After what seemed to be ages hanging around, we started. Ann-Marie and I decided to stick together for a while and despite getting swept away initially and starting out with a bit of a sprint, we settled into our race pace. Alison found us at the 1km mark. There was a nice buzz, with lots of Santa costumes, jingle bells and of course purple Santa hats. Cadbury’s who were one of the main sponsors were handing them out along with lots of chocolate bars and hot chocolate. I was afraid I’d have to ditch mine halfway around but it managed to stay on my head for the whole race. It provided just the right amount of warmth.
The race consisted of 2 laps, beginning on Chesterfield Avenue between Furze Road and the Phoenix Monument. The finish line was on Furze Road.We got around the first 5km pretty easily making light work of the hill. We were worried about the next lap when the 5km runners would have just started.We had to negotiate a lot of walkers at the start of the next lap, but by the 7km mark we felt energised by the fresh legs of the 5km runners around us and we were beginning to look forward to the hot chocolate at the end, despite round 2 of the hill to come. At the top of the hill, we had 8km done and were on the home sketch. Allison decided to stretch her legs and made a move for home. I decided to wait until 1km to start my sprint for home. I found my target in an army cadet in full military uniform and rucksack and set off in pursuit. Having made light work of catching him, the finish line still seemed along way off. Had I gone too soon! As I crossed the finish line, Ann Marie had timed her sprint finish better and caught me.
We made our way towards the hot chocolate to see who we could find for a photo. We meet Mary and Maria in the queue. Mary was delighted with her run. She was agonising outside of the 50 minute mark, but with a flatter course and no wind, we all felt she would easily be breaking that time soon. Helen,who had booked an early appointment in the hairdresser for the Christmas party had zoomed around the course. Clearly a tip for future races – added time pressure. There was the usual chatter of who else from the club was there and of course excitement was beginning to build about the Christmas party.
Mary, Ann-Marie and I enjoyed our Coffee and scone at the visitors centre, happy to have gotten up and out on a Saturday morning and looking forward to that extra hard earned mince pie.
Sportsworld participants:
Karl Shevlin
Eoin O’Brien
Mary Colclough
Maria Finnegan
Helen McGrath
Alison Mackey
Ann-Marie Clyne
Meadbh Keane
Maria Varley
Well done to Naoise Waldron and Katie Nugent on their excellent times and places in the 5k.
Decided later in the year to enter this one, seemed like a good challenge to finish the year. Drove down in the camper early friday, its a 4hrs trip and was busy as the hotel car park was the start/finish line. Just about got parking had dinner and an early night weather forecast was good little windy not too cold. Opted for the 9am start there was a great easy going atmosphere, many wheelchair athletes, even santa and his elves pouching there chair. Fair play lots of charity runners and a minute silence held, Frank Greally got us under way, I met Will Murphy from sportworld, also present Catherina mac Kiernan , think she did the 10k so she never got to meet me ???? .
The course was one of the most challenging I’ve done hills, hills and more hills, plenty of aid stations , bottled water and sweets, breath taking scenery over the coast , bit of chat with 2 lads who’s mates were in lanzaorte marathon also today oh the contrast ha????.
I was moving well but slowly and walked the big hills like most others, on 23 miles it lashed rain and the wind nearly knocked me over. Kept going and eventually crossed the line with a chap i met, slowest yet but delighted 4Hr 27, welcome tea, biscuits and soup at at the finish . Bit disappointed the pudding and sausage stall had just packed up. ???? Didnt delay as we needed to hit the road back for the xmas party , as i thanked lucy and my run results for a great job i got the added bonus of first 0/50 . First man Freddy Stuck, 2Hr 39.20, woman Charlotte Kearns 3Hr 18. Time to plan 2019 have a good one folks stay healthy and injury free
Having somehow made it to December with outracing in any of the cross country events I finally ran out of excuses and put my name down for the Dublin Intermediate in Tymon Park. “It’s only 8km, you’ll be grand”, “it’s a handy course, flat as they come”, and “your marathon training will really stand to you” were a sample of the words of wisdom which were gifted to me by the likes of Paul & Myles.
The week beforehand was spent living my life vicariously through those who were in Lanza. The constant stream of photos and the stories of Looby throwing out his back whilst twerking were enough to make any make any man, woman or beast jealous. As it happened I ended up having the week off work myself which helped ease the suffering so a few days away were in order to recharge the batteries and regain some motivation. An almighty session, the drinking variety as opposed to the running, on the Friday night put an end to that!
Come Sunday it appeared the weather Gods were in our favour. Maybe this might not be as bad as I feared! After a losing battle with my spikes (first I just couldn’t find them and then I humiliated myself with my feeble effort at taking out the track spikes that ran a combined total of 800m last summer) I decided to jog up to Tymon as a warm up. It was like a Sportsworld conference up there such were the numbers between runners and our adoring fans. A few of us decided to do a lap of the course to get our bearings and this was around the same time the women’s race started. We did a quick lap and got in position to cheer on our club mates who brilliantly won team gold and also individual gold & bronze through Lisa & Ciara.Bravo!
Then the men were off! It was four laps of the2km course which meandered around three different fields. As is the way with cross country there is a wide start which quickly narrows into a tight space and a sharp first corner. There were nearly as many elbows here as there wereat the cake sale although to be fair Diarmuid was a lot more civilised in Tymon Park and there were no reports of him biting anyone. The course itself is actually very fair. There are no proper hills and the ground itself was in fairly good condition for the most part.
The enjoyable thing about cross country is that the field settles very quickly and you then spend the race battling people for places. I decided to sit on the shoulder of a runner from Raheny and let him pace me. There was another Raheny guy in front of him and a Brothers Pearse guy on my tail. The 4 of us had a bit of a see saw battle over laps 2 & 3before we dropped the Brothers Pearse guy. When we got into the 2nd field ofthe last lap I said I’d make a move on the Raheny guy who was in front of me.The other Raheny guy was behind me at this stage and I felt that if I pushed on he wouldn’t follow. I was wrong. The plan worked to an extent that when I overtook the guy in front he didn’t push to keep up, but the guy behind me followed and overtook his teammate. There was going to be no gentle saunter to the finish. My new plan was to stay in front of him and then make a strong push for the finish as soon as I saw the roof of the National Basketball Arena which was roughly 300 metres from the finish line. To be fair to him he didn’t give up and he pushed me all the way but thankfully i pipped him. Then only a few places back was Stephen who was followed closely by Mark and then Karl. Great efforts all around especially considering Stephen & Mark had the 4 Lanza races in their legs!
Unfortunately we were the bridesmaids once more with a 4th place team finish, but nonetheless it was an enjoyable day outwith the Sportsworld army in full flow. Roll on the National Novice in a couple of weeks ……
With the lanzarote trip, injuries and runners ineligible due to previous race wins new runners had to come through to make their mark. The first lap was set at a blistering pace with the top 10 places changing each lap and the top 4 girls on the Sportsworld team changing each lap too.
The Team race looked like it was going to be a close result but in the end the girls had a large 20 point lead with great individual 1st and 3rd medals with 3 runners in the top 10. So the next push for the girls team is for 3 team golds in a row at the national novice cross country in a couple of weeks
National Sports Campus’s Cross Country Track, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
Sunday 25th of November.
By Diarmuid Ó Súilleabháin
The specially designed and maintained Cross Country Track was developed in consultation with Athletics Ireland to provide Ireland’s first dedicated permanent cross country track for both training and competition purposes. Sited on the grounds of the old Abbotstown House and Demesne it is only recently completed and is a great athletics amenity.
The course was designed in accordance with the IAAF’s publication Competition Rules 2014-2015 Section IX (I’ve read this so you don’t have to) which specifies such things as;
-The course must be designed on an open or woodland area, covered as far as possible with grass, with natural obstacles which can be used by the course designer to build a challenging and interesting race course,
– Apart from the start and finish areas, the course should be 5-6 metres wide, including the obstacle areas, and
– Apart from the start and finish areas, the course must not contain any other long straight. A ‘natural’, undulating course with smooth curves and short straights, is the most suitable.
Despite the La Santa Exodus (I’m not jealous at all, not even of constant stream of picture messages of sunsets and smiling faces.) and a few injuries, we managed to field a team in the ladies and mens senior races. The start and finish straights are sited adjacent to Abbotstown House which creates a natural assembly place and informal centre to the event. This is where we meet Paul Duffy handing out numbers. We have a bit of craic with Phil about that famous photograph of him that went viral after the Leinster Senior Cross Country.
(Above: Viral image of Phil Kilgannon)
The junior races are underway and the is great excitement and noise about. A quick look around and we can see that the barriers on the finishing straight are packed. The weather is cool but dry. The ground is in great condition.
(The above image was kindly supplied by Adrian Lanigan)
The senior and junior races take place on the 2,000 metre hour glass shaped loop. This allows for people to move between the two sides of the course which adds to the drama of the event as the loud crowd seems to be following you around. It’s a great watch as if you find the right bit of ground you can see several parts of the course with people emerging and disappearing behind hills and trees, and you can hear big roars from far off on the course, and then another loud chorus somewhere else.
(Above: Map of the National Cross Country Track)
The ladies race is up first and the girls shoot out along the downhill start straight at a ferocious pace. Both the senior races are stacked deep. I do my warm up as close to the ladies race as I can to watch. They must run 4 big laps. The speed of them is very impressive with our ladies running in a group working together. I make my way to the finish line to watch a great sprint finish for the title. Letterkenny’s Annmarie McGlynn goes deep into the well and fights all the way to the end by can’t out sprint County Down’s Ciara Mageean.
(Above: Photography of the ladies senior race. Note the rolling landscape)
I watch another few crossing the line, but I tear myself away after a time to make way to the start line to the start corral. In the start pen I realise that there are a huge number of Olympians and Dublin Marathon winners doing their strides with us. This could be a humbling experience. We are called to the line. Lucy calls to us and takes our photo as she says she is happy to see we are entering our first team in this event in years.
(Above: Toeing the line of the mens senior race)
The race starts and the leaders take the race out at an improbable speed. I wind into a comfortably uncomfortable pace and wait till I get a lap done before deciding what to do next. I can see ahead that Wesley is running very well. The course is great to run, it challenging but varied enough that you don’t get bored. We have to run 5 laps and in the second half of my 3rd lap I’m passed by Kevin Dooney and Paul Tobin who are dueling it out on each shoulders and the crowd is going wild shouting and cheering. Their pace is phenomenal. Raheny’s Dooney eventually holds off Clonmel’s Tobin on the final straight.
(Here i am looking a lot better than I feel)
I finish out the race. Baet out. What an event. I’d love to do it again, but if I do, I’d like to be a good bit fitter. Being designed with cross country in mind it is definitely as nice a grass surface as you will run on. We have a few warm words with the ladies team, and then do a warm down together and have a nice chat. Then we grab a welcome cup of tea and hit the road.
(Above: Our gents team, note just how totally unworred Phil is about his immersion)
The Nations Cross Country Track will host the European Cross Country Championships in December of 2020. That’s one event for the calendar.
As many will know I was away for almost 6 months on a work assignment in Moscow returning late September. Before I left Emily asked me to keep up the running and to look out for a club that I could join whilst I was away. This was a difficult task – firstly when you don’t have the language it is difficult to find your way around but also it became evident very quickly that no one runs on the streets in Moscow. This is mainly because the city is a concrete jungle and it really would be a start / stop type of run. Myles might refer to it as ‘junk mileage’! J The only way I was keeping up the runs was doing a parkrun in Gorky Park as many Saturdays as I could.
Shortly after I got home, I was off to Krakow to support the club members running the half marathon. I was really inspired by my close knit group of ‘beginners’ as we call ourselves from time to time and when we can get away with it!. I was delighted to support Alison, Michelle & Helen completing their first half marathon and I could only think of what I missed when I was away.
Completely motivated, I decided to sign up for the Clontarf 5 mile. It coincided with my birthday week so I thought what a better way to mark the occasion. Up to now, 5k’s is about as far as I have gone for any fun run/race. Mary Colclough also signed up, it’s great to have club colleagues for the support and motivation leading up to the event. Mary is also another Krakow half marathoner so this was well within her reach.
Mary and I car pooled across to Clontarf in what turned out to be super morning weather wise – 11 degrees in mid-November with the sun shining. I always get nervous before any run, even park runs and this was no different. Mary was fantastic with the encouragement, she suggested we do a few strides and before I knew it we were off the start line and running along the coast of Clontarf.
The conditions for running were perfect – slight breeze with the sun shining. I found the start a little challenging as the course is very narrow so finding your pace was hard amongst the many runners. Eventually we started to spread out and I could start to take in the views, the wind started to pick up but it is really motivating to run on new route and I didn’t notice the wind or the kilometres ticking by too much. Coming towards the turn point on the Wooden Bridge I spotted Conor Keating, great to see him up amongst the leaders (and with his runners still on his feet #clarinbridgeflashback).
I got to the 5 km mark, I was surprising delighted to reach this point and still feel I had something to give. The course is super flat which is a bit different to many runs we do, there is nothing like a bit of downhill to get the breath back. Heading back towards the finish line on the last mile I did start to struggle but tried not to let distance get between me and some other runners I had marked earlier. I was delighted that I was able to pass them out on a sprint finish to the line.
For me this was about achieving a goal of completing a 5 mile race, I’m considering a 10k before the year is out but I’m not sure yet. I would highly recommend this run which is very well organized. There is also a half marathon option for those that prefer the longer distances but for me a half marathon is a long way off yet. I met Mary at the finish line – she had a great run, after a few photo opportunities with our medals* we headed off for post-race breakfast. (Pickle in Sundrive highly recommended!).
*Surprising fact: we discovered later that the medals also serve as a handy bottle opener!
Run the line is an annual event organised by Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue. It is a fundraising event and all the entry fee goes towards the great work that the organisation does. There is also the added comfort (if like the writer you have a poor sense of direction !) of knowing that you are in the most capable of hands should something unexpectedly happen to you out there on the mountains.
Run the
Line has two course options, a 13k and a 26k route both taking the
runner over mountainous terrain. The races starts from and finishes at
Glencullen Adventure Park where plenty of parking is available and a
nice coffee shop serving warm soup, burgers, sandwiches and cake exists
at the finish line – really useful when you have run through and over
the mountains in the month of November !!
Last Saturday was my
7th year participating in the event. In 2012 just over 60 runners took
part and year on year it has grown in popularity. This year over 700
runners took part over both courses. It rained all morning making an
already challenging route that bit more slippy and difficult which
really just adds to the out in the Wilds of Wicklow experience !
Bronwyn
Murphy-White and I ran the 13 k course. Starting at Glencullen
Adventure park we set off with the early start people who were intent on
doing the longer 26k course. The course starts in the field behind the
Adverture park and is flat initially, within 1k you are starting the
climb up to Fairy Castle. The terrain is mostly trail and some of the
path is very narrow and it is near impossible to run part of this
section as the crowd backs up, so there is a bit of walking early into
the run ! After reaching Fairy Castle there is downhill section of
about 2k which is split between fire road and trail road. You are also
running along river beds though thankfully water levels were low this
weekend. The scenery is spectacular. The timing of the run in November
brings with it the beauty of the changing landscape and truly the
colours that greet you as you follow the trail are magnificent. There
are Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue personnel at all junctions indicating
the correct turns and the route itself is well marked with red/white
taping. When you are passing the junctions you are greeted with shouts
of thanks for running by the marshalls as they stand in the rain
ensuring no one gets lost ! I
It is my favourite race of the year – great course, great scenery, great organisation and great satisfaction on completion along with a lovely t-shirt and for the first time year, a medal !
Long Course Report by Noel Lynam
Run The Line consists of a 13km & 26kmrace across the Dublin Mountains. It is organisedas a fund raiser by the Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team , a very worthycause. A very well run event with routeclearly marked and with water and jelly stops along the way.
Having listened to Eileen’s exploits in the
event over the years and having run my first IMRA event earlier in the year I
decided it was time for me to take up the 26km challenge. And just like the
rest of my year preparation was hit and miss. There was a good scattering of
Sportsworld runners taking part including Martin who was using it as a “leg
loosener”, as you do after running 2 marathons in the past 8 weeks!
Base camp was in Glencullen Adventure Park
and the route took in areas of the Dublin mountains including Fairy Castle,
Cruagh, Tirbadden and Three Rock. A great way to explore the Dublin Mountains
and not be too worried about finding your way back.
It is a tough event from start to finish
with a cycle of climbing and downhill repeated approx. 4 times. Got my pep talk from Eileen before we set
off, she reminded me I could always opt into the 13km route while out on the
mountain. I think she was a little concerned for me. You can look at it in more details at https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28571395
A few things I loved about the event, the
feeling of being out on the mountains,
the mix of terrain, the variety of pace,
the comradery of the competitors and the fact that you feel you have nothing
more to give when you reach the summit and then gravity takes over, the body
recovers and off we go again.
The biggest challenge after the hills is
the footing, you have to keep concentration levels high at all times as you
pick your route through the landscape, this can be a challenge as the legs get
tired.
Luckily the weather was reasonably good,
this can be a major factor as you are very exposed. Not the clear morning promised, just mild and
damp.
I will admit I wasn’t the most elegant of mountain
runners but maybe a bit of practice will help. As I discovered on my earlier
IMRA outing some people are like wild goats the way they bound down the
mountain, quite a number of SportsWorlders fit into that category.
Overall it was a fantastic event, despite the fact that on the last hill I had to figure out how to get one leg in front of the other (flashbacks to the last few km of the Dublin Marathon) . Great atmosphere, great organisers, great cause. Well worth a go!!
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