The John Treacy Dungarvan 10 mile took place on Sunday afternoon. With the dearly departed Ballycotton 10 no longer a fixture on the Irish running calendar, the Dungarvan 10 has soared in popularity as one of the “go to” Spring 10 mile races, along with the Mallow 10.
Any
lingering doubts about the appeal of Dungarvan surely vanished on the
day that entries opened last autumn – the entry website crashed and the
organisers had to resort
to a raffle for entries.
Assuredly,
the course is a PB course. A relatively flat loop that navigates
sheltered country roads. It’s a course that rewards patience in the
early miles – there are plenty
of opportunities to attack the downhill sections from the turn at
halfway. The race t-shirt is one of the best in the business and comes
with a decent goodie bag, and a spread of food in the sports hall
afterwards that could feed an army.
The
weather conditions on Sunday were surprisingly good – temperatures
rising to nearly 10 degrees by the start, albeit tempered somewhat by a
headwind for the first half
of the race.
A
small crew of Terenure’s red and white toed the line and put in some
admirable performances – Diarmuid O’Suilleabhain and Andrea McNamara
both snaring PBs. Recent Cork
exile Damien Geraghty, also ran a stunning PB. Martin Doyle thundered
around despite only being back running a couple of weeks. Tom Kinsella,
David Kennedy and myself also took part. Many thanks to Brian Byrne and
Lucy D’Arcy for the support en route.
In
the overall results, Kevin Maunsell of Clonmel took the spoils for the
second year in a row, while in the ladies, two runners with close
connections to Sportsworld, Laura
O’Shaughnessy and Siobhan O’Doherty finished second and third, behind
Grace Lynch of Iveragh AC.
Like
Raheny last week, Dungarvan serves as a great indicator of where the
fitness is coming into springtime and the drier sod. I heartily
recommend it for next year – just
be sure to set your alarm for the morning the entries open!
First one done in Tirmoghan, Co. Kildare with the East of Ireland Marathon group. Heavy rain from start to finish in this one. Relatively flat. Out and back for a mile and half then 5-mile loops. Disappointed not to get sub 4 but cramp set in on last lap. Finished in 4:17.
Meet the runner has been a great success over the past few years with club members of new and old standing getting to know each other better. Have you ever been reading meet the runner and, after a few moments, you’ve said to yourself,
‘This person and I think alike! We’re on the same wavelength!”’
This new column entitled ‘What’s in my running bag’ goes a bit more in-depth in the hope that it will share some good ideas, answer common questions and spark some debate etc. If you would like to contribute seee the links at the bottom on this email or on the club website.
My running bag is the Under Armour SC30 Backpack. It’s an expensive bag which I bought in the USA last year but well worth the investment. I love it because it’s waterproof, has a compartment for wet clothes and has a sleave nnfor a laptop or book when I’m traveling for work.
Under Armour Bag
My running shoes of choice always come from Adidas, particularly their Adizero range. Adizero running shoes tend to be lightweight, responsive, and low to the ground to maximize performance. They suit runners with high arches more as the shoes tend to run a bit narrow.
For track workouts and races up to a Marathon, I use the Adios or the Sub2 shoes. Sub2 is my favorite shoe lately. They are Adidas’s answer to the world’s fastest running shoe the Vapourfly 4% from Nike. They have bounce owing to the boost material in the sole. If you don’t like this bounce then I also recommend the Adizero Takumo or old Adios without the boost material and would recommend them for up to 5K.
For everyday or faster runs, use the Boston for a neutral foot motion or the Tempo for overpronation. I use the Boston for my everyday shoe for the past 7 years but do keep a pair of heavier shoes like the Ultra Boost for days when I’m feeling sore or sensing a possible oncoming injury.
If you are a new runner or have never got a gait analysis done you should. You can go to any specialty running store or most Elvery’s. Just don’t buy into them selling you the most expensive cushioned Asics shoes in stock.
Adizero Boston
The Boston is a fantastic shoe. They bring out new colors and upgrades twice a year. Very few shops in Dublin stock these but a few specialty running stores will have them.
Adizero Adios
The Adios was my racer of choice for 10K and up before the Sub2 was released. They are more rigid and a bit heavier than the Sub2. They are also around €50 cheaper at the time of writing. Neither are the lightest show available for I love the ride.
Adizero Sub 2
Shoes aside the next most important thing is good socks on race day. I’m aghast when people tell me they wore penny’s socks and wonder why they get blisters. My favorite socks are from new balance. They make fantastic clothes in general. The built-in arch offers support, with reinforced heels and toes and built-in cushioning in the front and rear tabs help to absorb impact wins me over. Never had problems racing in these.
When it comes to spikes I stick with Adidas and typically 9″ or 12″ spikes owing to my clumsiness running downhill.
New Balance Tab Socks
As the adage goes: the shorter the short, the faster the runner. Have yourself looking the part and chasing personal bests with the Nike Men’s 2″ Challenger Short for track and field, cross country and club road racing events. No, I haven’t gone to the dark side. I still think Nike is a somewhat dubious corporate giant that glosses over and possibly even encourages doping, but they make the best shorts on the market.
Nike Men’s 2″ Challenger Short
Having spent a good deal of time in America over the past few years for work I have picked up a more running tops than i know what to do with in outlet stores. The prices are far better than you would get in Ireland. If pushed I’d say Under Armour make the best tshirts and singlets when you take into account value, comfort, and style. I’m a fan of cotton type t-shirts as they can be worn casually also. My wish for 2019 is that race t-shirts go away and races are just cheaper or they think of something better to give away.
When it comes to winter running then I look to Ron Hill for their hats and gloves. During the wet winter nights, it helps to have a few pairs on hand and they are good value. They have a nice selection of jackets also.
Ron Hill Beanie (I love this hat)
For serious runners who like bopping along to music and want to have advanced information about their training. The Forerunner 645 Music has the latest Garmin look with a round watch case and face and replaceable 20mm silicon band. I have been using it for more than six months and I really like it. From a design standpoint, it’s really well designed: both functionally and aesthetically. There are some quirks to be ironed out still, but the amount of information you get about your runs, the extreme customization of the screens, battery life and the fact that it works as a great 24/7 activity tracker justify its price. If the high price is not an issue, buy this watch and a good pair of earphones like the Jaybird runs.
My watch is silver unfortunately
In my bag going to races, I’ll always carry a resistance band, lacrosse ball, small foam roller, and a yoga block if I think I will have space to loosen out before the race starts. These items are particularly important if driving to the race and sitting in the car. A lacrosse ball is a great buy for anyone with tight hips i.e. all runners.
Bag of torture tools
Nutrition is the next thing after your gear. If you haven’t already come across it, Maurten has been making waves in the world of sports nutrition for a little while with their energy drink mixes, which have been used by some of the fastest marathon runners in the world. Last year they brought out a new product – a gel. Maurten was designed to solve a problem that has dogged runners for many years – how to ingest enough carbohydrate to fuel effectively without suffering GI issues.
Murten Gels
For hydration adding a little something to your water goes a long way. Nuun Energy Electrolytes are easy to carry tablets that dissolve in water with caffeine and B Vitamins for a kick of energy, and electrolytes to help fight muscle cramps and keep you hydrated on-the-run.
Low sugar and 10 tabs per tube
Finally for that post race or pre-race snack I’m a fan of a fulfil bar. If I’m more organised I’ll have made my own with protein powder, dark chocolate and almond butter the night before.
The 35TH AXA Raheny 5 mile took place this past Sunday with over 4,600 runners and walkers signing up, making it one of Ireland’s biggest club races. The race marks the beginning of the season for most runners and attracts both elite runners along with fun runners, joggers and walkers. This is very much an event for everyone. Nobody wants to miss the Raheny 5 which has turned into a must do race at the start of the year. The event is noted for fast times, a fantastic atmosphere and the now famous goodie bag that other races struggle to match up to.
The weather on Sunday was good with cold and sunny conditions. The last time I ran this race was in 2016. The course route has changed somewhat since then. Despite the dreaded last mile on the old course I did prefer it in comparison to the course today, more on that later.
I have been running relativley well over the past month and was looking forward to this one. I set myself a target of 25.45 going into the race which equates to 3.12 per kilometer. Very achievable given recent training and races. The plan was to do the bulk of my running at the start of the week and taper down at the end. Best laid plans don’t always come to fruition. I ended up being sick after training on Tuesday, not running Wednesday and felt really sluggish on Thursdays doing the Terenure lap. Not an ideal build up week when attempting to run a PB.
Come race day I did around 5K to warm up and was on the start line with 10 minutes to spare. During the warm up I sensed I was a little tired as I wasn’t feeling any kind of a kick when doing strides. With a chill in the air I felt my hear beating a little too much.
At 3.00 PM we were off and 3000+ runners went hurtling down All Saints Road. I had a bad start to the race, almost walking off the line but pretty soon I was galloping around people, dodging cars and making up furlongs.
I felt sluggish even at this early start in proceedings, this should have been an early indicator that there wasn’t too much in the tank. The course looped back around Wade’s Avenue, well known as part of the beloved national road relays course. The 3rd kilometer was probably the toughest part of the course for me. I have it in my head for years that when you hit the top of All Saints Road in the relays that it’s all downhill. I really slowed to a crawl here and was running exposed at half marathon pace into the strong headwind.
Normally so early in the race I would have expected to have more drive, more tenacity so early on. I sensed a bigger group of runners gaining ground behind and the runners in front getting further away. I picture myself getting ever slower as the races progressed, not gathering myself for that final kick in the last mile as I’d visualized before the off.
It was clear after 3 kilometers that it was not going to be my day for a PB but I was never the less determined to keep pushing the pace for the next couple of miles. On Sybil Hill, the lead lady Anne Marie McGlynn of the cross country face was up running alongside. I pictured Myles telling me to hang up my spikes if she beat me so I kept pushing on. It was quite an enjoyable part of the course. Very flat, great support and some good surfaces. As we came into St Anne’s however I was starting to lose a few meters and then running onto the main avenue my legs weren’t having any of it, despite my breathing being comfortable. I’ll happily give up the cross country spikes after the Nationals next week. Fair play to Anne Marie she ran a super fast 25.59
In slow motion, almost exactly like a freeze-framed runner, I was falling behind. I really struggled in my last two kilometers. Not even with the wind at my back, Sportsworlds finest out supporting, and the finish line within smelling distance could I muster anything but the faintest of efforts to hold off the runners behind. Each made efforts to get ahead but were held off as I solemnly contemplated whether or not I should have lined up? All the time bearing in mind that your own resolution to keep going is more important than anything else.
In hindsight today I’m glad I ran but just didn’t have the energy to execute the plan.
A little bit about the course to finish. The support was amazing, the looping around Raheny not so great. The turns in the park were tight, particularity the one on the main avenue. This really broke my stride. I would have preferred there to have been a chicane, it would have required just a few more cones. On the old course, you had a tough hill but a good downhill section before it. As you are running up the main avenue in the park you can see the runners coming down the other side. It’s not really clear how far ahead they are. I didn’t like this part of the route. The long finish as always is fantastic. It seems so much wider than it did 26 minutes earlier. As always a great race, superb goodie bag and well recommended. It’s probably the second best 5-mile race in Dublin after the Terenure 5.
Well done to all ofthe Sportsworld runners who took part and thanks to our great supporters and their photos. Note the times below are from the gun. Which is all that was listed on the club results page. Many people ran great personal bests which are not fully reflected below. Check My Run Results for accurate chip times.
The race was won by the home town and extremely popular Mick Clohisey of Raheny Shamrock A.C. The women’s race was won by Anne Marie McGlynn of Letterkenny A.C. This was Anne Marie’s second successive title.
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to training without fear of being catapulted into a cross country race, Meet and Train is back! Meet and Train – for those who haven’t had the pleasure – is the starter drug for Cross Country. For the serious runner it’s a great training ground in cross country. For those of us who aren’t expecting to bring back a medal haul any time soon it’s a chance to compete at your own level, to get to know your clubmates and to be part of a team. And when it’s all over there’s always a friendly cup of tea afterwards from the host club.
A near 30 strong contingent of Sportsworlders rumble into the car park of the National Basketball Arena on Sunday morning. We gather round car boots, beating concreted mud off spikes and wrestling safety pins through the race numbers that Emily and Breda are handing out. Conditions aren’t ideal; “It’s Baltic” is the general comment and a thickening mist is inducing crisis levels of frizz. What else would have us out of bed and this sociable on a wet Sunday morning?For a good portion of the runners, this is their first XC experience, their first time to compete as part of a team and their first time to wear spikes. (On that point, there are some stylish if ultimately unhelpful ideas put forward. Thanks, Maria Waterhouse.)
These are not the spikes we are talking about, Maria, and stop giving people ideas.
Down to the field and the glamour continues. Bags hung on dripping trees, numb toes slipped into spikes, tense legs eased into a warm up lap and strides, the wet of the field instantly soaking through to our socks. (Another thing learned about spikes, no absorbent outer layers!)
And then we herd behind some ticker tape, smiles, shoulders hunched against the cold, last words of cheerful encouragement from Emily: “move up and stay with your team” and then the off. A congested but pacey start, pulling back from a full stride for the first 100 metres lest our shins are pierced by the high flying spikes ahead. Then there’s some opening out of the field and a settling to a (hopefully) more sustainable pace. Tymon feels like a nice course, not too uneven, grass not too long, hills short and sharp and relatively infrequent. Nonetheless, at just 1.5kms in I’m ready for a sit down. I gear down the pace again. Above all, I don’t want to have to stop. One small lap and two big laps is the starting instruction. Just 3 kilometres. One tesco lap. It should be easy. But it’s hard work.
The hard work is eased by having clubmates Mary, Claire, Val and Anne all in the general vicinity and having Michael, Carmel, Emily and Breda shouting encouragement from the sides. The watch clocks 3km. It came sooner than I’d expected in the end so enough left for an unnecessary but dramatic final sprint.
Katie Nugent, not having time to complain about the cold
We line through the finishing corral. It’s places rather than times that count. Then back to Tallaght AC for a warming and welcoming spread from Tallaght club and a post mortem on our experiences. Katie has steamed home 4th with Jess, Elaine and Margaret all getting in the top 20 and putting the Sportsworld A team at the top of the leaderboard. (Woohoo!)
February 10th is the next
one so keep your race numbers stuck on your singlets, pep talk your teammates, polish
the spikes and get your game face on.
As the Leinster Intermediate Cross Country came upon us, I was a
bundle of nerves! Still remembering the pain of the last XC race I ran
at Tymon Park, picking up my first injury and hobbling around for the
following week, I can’t say I was looking forward to this one, at all!
This was my third cross country race and I think I only get more nervous
each time. Poor Ronan & Padraig tried to calm me down on the way to
Gowran but, despite their best efforts, I still felt panicky &
apprehensive as we pulled into the car park.
Everyone I met
seemed as calm as can be so either they’re better at hiding it then I am
or they need to teach me their ways!! We were just in time for the
masters’ race and as it kicked off, we cheered on from the side-lines.
Both the ladies & men ran amazing races and both picked up team
& county gold! Huge congrats to Noreen & Karol as well for
winning individual silver & bronze and well done to Eileen & Ray
who both got bronze in their age category.
A quick warm up &
a few strides later and we were at the start line. The first line was
already full so we squeezed in behind. My pre- race jitters were in full
swing and I was already looking forward to being finished! The 4km
course consisted of 2 laps. After starting too fast in my last XC race
and struggling (a lot) for all of it, I vowed to learn my lesson and not
to get carried away this time. The front runner went off hard, and
seemed miles ahead, so the rest of us settled in behind. After the
initial mad dash, we settled into our stride. The course was generally
okay; a little wet, mucky and soft under foot in places, but apparently
that’s the norm at these things! There were a few more bends in the
course than I anticipated and, as Miles kindly reprimanded me at the
end, I went too wide on a couple of these! I think my over cautiousness
probably stemmed from falling a few months before hand at Phoenix Park
during my first XC race (and taking someone else out with me).
The
first lap was okay and I felt relatively comfortable, tucking in with a
little group, behind the leading three runners. As we neared the end
of the first lap, somehow or another, I realised I was in & around
third place. It genuinely hadn’t occurred to me before this that I was
in with any chance at all of placing in the top three, so I was as
surprised as anyone! From here on in, the whole race was a bit of a blur
for me to be honest. The second lap was harder, a lot harder, and it
was mind over matter towards the end to keep on going. The support was
incredible and I honestly don’t think I would have kept on going without
the cheers, screams & roars of support from the side lines. I think
I was around 600m out when I realised I was leading. With the end in
sight and hearing the enthusiastic screams of Emily, Miles and everyone
else from Sportsworld, I pushed on through the pain that was threatening
to take over at this point. I knew the next girl was right behind me
because I could hear her club mates screaming ‘She’s only a few yards
ahead of you, you can catch her!’ This made me all the more determined
to win and the feeling of elation as I crossed the finish line (a mere
second in front of her) overrode all of the pain I felt. The sense of
camaraderie that comes from running in a team is the best thing about
cross country; everyone is in it together, cheering each other on. The
rest of the girls all ran superbly and we just missed out on a bronze
team medal.
On this note also, thank you to Ruth for holding me
up & looking after me after I crossed the finish line! I think
anyone who saw me at the end would agree that I looked like I was in
danger of passing out! (Padraig later told me he was looking around for
the paramedics.) Thankfully, 10 minutes later I was all recovered (the
dizziness and wooziness had passed) and we set off to cheer on the men’s
intermediate race. I really can’t imagine running an extra lap, not to
mind 2, so well done to them for that alone!! They all ran great,
starting & finishing strong and narrowly missed out on team bronze.
Before I sign off, I would like to say a huge thank you to
everyone for all of the amazing support throughout the race and
especially at the end; it gave me the much needed push I needed to
finish.
Finally, any tips or magical solutions on how to overcome
the nerves before the next cross country race would be much
appreciated!
Mens report by Conor McCarthy
There must have been no such thing as Cross Country running in 1789 because if there were, Benjamin Franklin surely would have added “and acute suffering during cross country running” to his famous “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes” quote! Fed, watered and caffeinated at the nearby Apple Green, we arrived at the Gowran venue just after noon. There was a quiet sense of anticipation about what the club could achieve today, especially from Myles who had the glint in the eye! Sportsworld has enjoyed many a success in Gowran and today was no different. The Masters men’s team ran very well the week before in Raheny, winning team silver and placing two in the top ten individually, so it was plain for all to see that the club now possess the requisite strength in depth to compete for Gold.
The exact same applies to the women’s masters team as well, who got the day’s proceedings off to a flyer, led by Noreen Brouder, who for the second successive week, finished in second place individually, helping Sportsworld to win the team Gold in the process. Well done to Noreen and also to Catherine Bambrick and Ruth Kelly, who made up the team. The Masters men’s race was very competitive and all our lads put in serious performances to take the team Gold, spear-headed by Karol Cronin, who competed in a sprint finish with Portlaoise AC’s Tom Lupton for second and third place, respectively. Karol, Gareth, Andrew and Phil have all been in fine form of late and it was great to see them go one better this week. Two top six finishers is fantastic hurling by the lads. Then, during our warm up, we witnessed Lisa Madden win Gold in the Ladies Intermedate race to add more silverware to the day’s collection. So, no pressure boys!!
The Gods were kind to us weather-wise; memories/nightmares still linger like a bad smell from The Battle of Clarinbridge last year where it lashed out of the heavens all week and we had the privilege of taking to the mud after about 58 (slight exaggeration) races took place before ours. To my delight, there was no repeat situation today! The conditions in South Kilkenny were mild, which was a help to us in our 8K race. Given the expectation of hardship and as cross country courses go, today’s assignment of five miles was challenging without being overly tough. There were 4 x 2 km laps spanning two separate fields to get stuck. We all took on the steep incline in the back field pretty well and mentally, it was a huge lift to get up and over it on that last lap, before making the final dash to the finish line. At a personal level, I am still searching for full race fitness and found the race a great test of endurance and strength. Out a field of 42 runners, we fell just short of landing third place, which was disappointing. Stephen O’Donnell was the first man home on the team in 19th place. Rathfarnam AC’s Mitchell Byrne won the race at a canter, running masterfully. Cool downs, cups of tea and post mortems completed, we headed back to the Capital after what was collectively a great day of racing for the club. Roll on the Nationals.
Masters Men’s Results: Karol Cronin 20:06 Gareth Murran 20:35 Andrew Brett 21:04 Phil Kilgannon 21:22 Bruce Campbell 22:02 Kevin Curran 22:19 Michael Cunningham 22:35 Johnny Dwyer 24:25 Ed McEntee 24:26 Joe Byrne 24:35 Liam Lenehan 24:44 Anthony Gillen 25:04 Brian Conway 25:19 Declan Brady 25:33 Mark Heffernan 25:34 Jose Chapa 25:38 Noel Tobin 25:41 Jim Browne 25:58 Padraic Moran 26:23 Peter Knaggs 26:44 Ray Carpenter 28:26 Intermediate Men’s Results: Stephen O’Donnell 29:12 Conor McCarthy 29:26 Mark Hogan 29:52 Ronan Masterson 31:19 Conor Keating 31:52 David Kennedy 33:29 Padraig Looby 33:52
I could abbreviate my race report into a single sentence; I followed Shay!
For those of you who have moved on from primary school history, the race is based on three prisoners escaping Dublin Castle via the sewers into the night. Art and Henry O’Neill, along with Red Hugh O’Donnell escaped from Dublin Castle on the night of 6 January 1592 making for the safety of Glenmalure. Art succumbed to hypothermia during the escape, hence the race is held in commemoration. Madness..
Nevertheless, Friday night at ten, I find myself dragging a backpack through town towards Dublin Castle. Snag one, I can’t find the way in. How am I going to navigate to Glenmalure if I can’t even find the entrance?! About six more misfits are lurking, clearly in the same boat. We stand out like sore thumbs in high-vis loaded with gear. En masse, we skirt around to the side entrance and in I skip. Registration has a few steps: gear check; bag-drop; and tracker is taped on securely. All done and dusted quickly. Midnight rolls around at last. Out to the courtyard for the countdown. It’s a perfect night for running – cool and clear. I certainly didn’t think I’d be starting this race in a t-shirt!
The klaxon sounds and off we go. Round the corner and straight past Leo Burdocks. There’s a ripple of laughter, we’re all cracking the same jokes about stopping for a bag at this stage. It takes a few minutes to settle into a pace, but quickly Shay and I are jogging along taking it all in. We head along familiar roads – Clanbrassil Street, Harold’s Cross and we’re turning at the Blue Haven before I know it. We leave the security of streetlights and footpaths as the road begins to climb. And climb it does. We’ve agreed to make this 30k as easy as possible. We walk the hills and run the rest. It works well. We end up playing leap-frog with the same six or so runners who struggle up the hills for us to pass them again when it flattens out. I’m happy to save the legs thinking on what lies ahead. The mental checkpoints tick off. Stone Cross, Kilbride Camp, Shay’s pal’s house (the last landmark before THE TURN!) Shay has pointed this nondescript gate out to me every-time and it still looks like a gate into a field. There’s more of a hint tonight as the lights from head-torches bob as runners ahead jump it and start the slide downhill in the tractor-tracks. Back on road, the climb starts again in earnest. We look back at the stream of torches behind weaving along the roads and down the field. I wish I’d stopped for a photo.
In to checkpoint one before I know it. Well-warned to stay away from the heat of the camp-fires and the lure of the seats, I sit on the ground and swop running gear for heavier trail clothes. Head-torch finally goes on and I switch the GPS on. A quick coffee and off we go again. Later I look back and the timer says we were twelve minutes in CP 1! Twelve! And no wetsuits involved. We jog out of camp and I realise why we seemed to get there so quickly. It’s 2k closer to the road than usual. D’oh. We turn up out of Ballynultagh Woods and start hiking. A fog has rolled in and it’s raining heavily. Visibility has dropped to a couple of metres. We hit the same track we recce’d on Wednesday night, but it’s a different place. We hit the planned turn and jump the stream. More hiking to hit the ridge. On Wednesday, Blackhill, Mullaghcleevaun were obvious landmarks. Now we’re working off compasses and altitude. We end up veering slightly off-course closer to Blackhill than we should. We are descending sooner than we should and with no visibility, we backtrack. I shove the GPS into the bottom of my bag and follow ViewRanger on the phone. Back on track we descend into Billy Byrne’s gap, on the other side of the valley to plan, but this ground is good enough we can mostly run. We’re running at the same pace as another group so all stick together and can have the chats. The streams are bigger than on the recces but the head-torches light up the rocks enough to hop across safely. One last stream and through the gates at Sheep Pen i.e. back on fire-road. Yesss. The group breaks up at this stage as we can properly run at this stage. We fly down the track, cross the road, back onto the track before running into CP 2.
More coffee – I’m not obsessed, CP 1 was two hours ago! Two minutes later, we’re back on the track, albeit with cheeks full of chocolate in my case. I’m delighted with life, having put in fresh batteries in my head-torch. We hit the foot the steep climb I’ve been dreading and start making decisions. We had already decided bypassing Art’s cross was a given. It’s a slower route and in darkness it’s not so meaningful if you can’t see it. Randomly we land back into the same group. The girls who were slower on the fire roads seem to have skipped CP2 and hence we all catch the front guys who are slower fording a stream. They are keen to take a route we hadn’t planned on. Disclosure: I’ve done CP2 – Glenmalure once, and that was in darkness. All I know is there are endless peat hags which equate to leg-sapping misery and losing one’s sense of direction constantly. The security of a group is tempting, so we trudge on as a unit. My sense of time is sketchy here, but I suspect we hiked up water-logged bog for about an hour before there was even a chance of running again. We progressed from single file hiking to single file running. I wish I’d been wearing a Go-Pro, both to capture the fun of running freely with streams and rocks appearing with a split-seconds notice, but also the falls. Running fast on an uneven surface means you’ll probably fall, adding in wet rushes means you’ll slide. We all took a few spectacular tumbles. We hit Table-track without me ever being too sure of where we are. Sneaking a look at a phone or watch almost guarantees a fall and a few seconds on the ground means running a risk of getting separated.
As soon as we hit the rocky path of Table-track the three guys in front get a burst of speed. They look like they’re at 5k pace, strange for 50k into a race and on a slippy surface. One girl picks up a similar pace, which makes up my mind for me. The are three girls in our little group and we have made serious progress over the mountains section. I don’t fancy trying to outsprint anyone in the last 100m should be told we’re vying for places. I spend the next 50m or so trying to get by this girl on a narrow track. I get a few thorns to my face for my troubles but I squeeze by. Suddenly my tired sodden legs are forgotten and I try to chase down the lads. It’s easier to run in the stream of water where possible than on the track proper. The track is a cruel combination of smooth rock or loose shale. It’s like trying to sprint downhill on ice, making it the most unnerving 4k of all. I look back for Shay’s torch and promptly smash my ankle on a rock. Genius. Briefly light-headed with pain, I try to put my foot to ground but can’t put any weight on it. I have visions of not finishing which kicks me into action. I hop a few steps and start partial weight-bearing. I’m able to limp-run quickly enough. I can feel the sticky trickle of blood, but decide I’ll look when I’m done. As the ground flattens out, I look behind again.. There’s a head-torch about 100 metres behind. It’s the impetus I need. I pick up the pace with gritted teeth. I even manage to pass a man toughing it out on his own. Of course he then picks up the pace then so it’s hard to work out if the head-torches have also chased me down. I feel a light right behind me, then they draw level. I give a side-glance, to see that it’s Shay!
Perfect timing – we cross the final bend, barely notice the river and are at the finish! It probably takes us a minute to remember to cross with all the chat. I’m 3rd lady, which is a nice surprise. It’s such a surprise, I forget about my battered ankle(s) especially when I see the breakfast roll tent. I still don’t remember in the pub; helpfully open at 9 in the morning. DMRT know how to organise a race alright! In summary, everyone should stick their name in the lottery for an entry next November.
Results: 1st man Florian Reichert 4.51.06- new course record
There was a ladies 3K and men’s 6K for the Dublin masters. We have a race report first from Deirdre O’Connell and then Tom Kinsella.
For me, nothing beats cross country for getting to know your fellow club mates. Be that from the profile photos on the Ladies XC Whatsapp Group as I identified a few names to faces I’ve come to know (and chuckled at the unladylike of all questions being asked of said ladies, “Are you over 35 or 40, or 45?!”), to shouting in support of the Men’s race after our own slog was done. Naoise, standing beside me, would shout, Go Derrick, and I’d duly shout, Go Derrick, as if team-mates for years. I now know Derrick.
The day was smashing for a number of reasons. Many dry weeks beforehand, a few weeks ravaged with Christmas excess which would fuel the race, a surprisingly balmy day weather wise, a relatively short spin to St. Anne’s Raheny, and nearly 500 competitors in the biggest ever Dublin Masters field. I reckon each runner brought three more people too, as the crowds the entire way around our short 3K course were immense. And with a huge contingent of Sportsworlders, including many non-runners only there to support the rest of us, the mood was great.
22 of Sportsworld’s finest ladies slotted right into the massive field of 225 Dublin Masters. I’m too new to it to get involved in discussion on whether to have worn the spikes or not, I just put mine on, though I could have washed them since the mud carnage of Navan in mid December. Note to self.
Turns out 3K is a lovely short distance, my favourite, and though a little caged in at the beginning, the field spread out soon enough. It was my second time running this one, a huge benefit in hindsight. I found the run “okay to semi-enjoyable”, ground was hard enough and only two laps of the route is pleasing mentally. I’ve never run to such huge crowds and cheers from the side-lines either and that part felt great!
Ladies Team
The Sportsworld ladies did very well. A call out and welcome back to Crona Brady, back after some time. The dream team of Noreen Brouder, Catherine Bambrick and Ruth Kelly came in second, to Raheny. “Would Raheny do it so well off their home turf? Come to Bushy and we’ll see!” hollered a Mayo born / Ennis bound Sportsworlder.
Well done everyone. You can’t beat that craic. Roll on Kilkenny.
2
Noreen BROUDER
00:11:46
172
F (2)
8
Catherine BAMBRICK
00:12:10
170
F (8)
9
Ruth KELLY
00:12:17
182
F (9)
13
Mary FINN
00:12:36
178
F (13)
20
Maura GINTY
00:12:51
181
F (20)
29
Naoise WALDREN
00:13:02
189
F (29)
41
Patricia FITZMAURICE
00:13:25
180
F (41)
48
Deirdre O CONNELL
00:13:36
187
F (48)
58
Crona BRADY
00:13:50
185
F (58)
79
Eileen BUTLER
00:14:22
173
F (79)
86
Eileen ROWLAND
00:14:34
200
F (86)
99
Martina NOLAN JONES
00:14:44
186
F (99)
107
Rosie MULHERN
00:14:53
176
F (107)
110
Anne SWEENEY
00:14:55
201
F (110)
127
Siobhan CLARKE
00:15:03
195
F (127)
134
Ann HIGGINS
00:15:10
196
F (134)
148
Marie BRADLEY
00:15:24
184
F (148)
149
Maria FINNEGAN
00:15:27
179
F (149)
164
Ellen LAVIN
00:15:55
194
F (164)
172
Bronwyn MURPHY WHITE
00:16:18
192
F (172)
176
Sandra GOWRAN
00:16:26
191
F (176)
179
Aileen MELODY
00:16:37
197
F (179)
Mens Team
The first cross country race of the year in St.Annes Park, Raheny always has a great turnout and so it proved last Sunday with massive numbers from Sportsworld involved as well as some fantastic support from the younger runners in the club (your time will come).
The conditions were dry and the ground fairly firm so this was an ‘easy’ home run of a race by all accounts – rubbish. Cross country doesn’t do easy!
Just a decision on what length spikes to wear so the track spikes it was.
After the ladies blazing run which should be covered (above/below) it was over to the men.
The course is 6km (4 loops of 1,500m) with 5 turns, two concrete paths to cross(great for the spikes) and a log to hurdle.
There’s great banter at the start of the race when all age categories and levels are treated as equals but that ends as soon as the whistle is sounded and the elbows extended(the drone footage shows all).
As it was my second ever cross country race I decided to start conservatively, probably too much so which I was reminded of by Noreen on the first lap.
The aim was just to enjoy it as much as possible and acknowledge the ‘supportive’ comments from the familiar faces dotted all along the route. (high fives from Maria after the log jump an annual favourite!)
I stuck in behind Peter Knaggs for the majority of the race and overtaking a few runners along the way, thanks Peter!
After the team photos it was over to the clubhouse for tea/coffee and biscuits as the awards were presented.
There were some excellent individual running and the Sportsworld women and men first teams both got brilliant silvers!
Well done to everyone on the day and thanks to Emily and Myles for making it all possible.
For parking I’d recommend two places :
If you have to head after the race Watermill Lawn just off Watermill Road and right beside the start line has lots of parking.
To make it easier when leaving after the presentations, park near Raheny GAA which is a 10-15 minute walk from the start line.
The annual ‘Streets of Wicklow’ organised by Inbhear Dee AC, has been taking place in Wicklow Town on St. Stephens Day for over 10 years and has become quite the featured event, what better way to run off the Christmas Day indulgences than a festive family 5 km fun run, walk or crawl. with a 1 mile race for the younger athletes.
This year had over 500 participants with all ages, and abilities taking part making for a fun day out, whilst raising much needed funds for Inbhaer Dee Athletics Club. With good representation from a lot of the Wicklow clubs – Kilcoole, Parnell, Ashford and Greystones to name a few, and a wider presents from some Dublin clubs – Rathfarnham, Sportsworld, Crusaders and Bros Pearse; this was a well supported event. on a bright sunny Wednesday morning.
This was my 6th time to run the race and 2nd outing on the new course which was introduced in 2016. I have a good record in the race with a win in 2015, 2nd in 2017 and a few 4th place finishes.
This year I was in good company with Phil,Gavin and Conor Kenny running alongside. The course is not super fast with hills, twists and turns but I always seem to run well.
Tour of Wicklow from Gavin
It was clear standing on the start line this year that a top 3 was going to be challenging. To name but a few there was Hiko Tonosa, Thomas Fitzpatrick, Emmett Dunleavy and Sean Hehir standing on the startline. There was prizes for top men and women so I decided to go out hard and hang in for as long as possible.
Race start
The first kilometre of the race is up the main hill in Wicklow town. Its a tough climb but you hit a sharp downhill just as you are reaching breaking point. The next section is flat along the port. When I hit the 2K marker I was on 3.03 kilometres and starting to feel that pace was a bit too hot. I wasn’t going to last another 3K at this tempo.
At that point in the race I was in 8th. I decided to slow things down to a more manageable 3.10-3.12 pace and try to catch the lads in front running a more steady pace. The next section is quite picturesque along the sea front. The surfaces are good but I’m always left wondering what must the average beach goer be thinking as 500 grunting runners fly by.
Picturesque Wicklow Town
As luck would have it I was in 6th but seriously struggling as the 4K marker approached. I completely missed it during the race but I remembered roughly where it is from previous years. It comes at a point in the race where you have just 200 meters of small climb to go before a fast downhill finish. When I finally caught a glimpse of the finish with 500M to go (picture below) I could see the 5th place runner and clock in front and knew that I was going to have to sprint to get under 16 minutes and to stand a chance at that 5th place prize. I finished in 15.57 and from the finish line video just ran out of road, finishing in 6th place. It has been a while since I went sub 16 minutes and I was 15 seconds faster than last year. A good sign and nice to pick up an age group prize.
Chasing down 5th place
Gavin was fast finishing just behind with Phil a short bit further back. Conor Kenny was next home for Sportsworld. A superb race as always. My fastest 5K of the year. Looking forward to having a crack at a PB in 2019. A heavy month of training starting to pay dividends.
The mens race was won comfortably by Hiko and local international lady Emma O’BRIEN.
Gareth Murran 15.57 (2nd in age group) Gavin Finlay 16.17 (3rd in age group) Phil Kilgannon 16.59 (1st in age group) Conor Kenny 23.44 (4th in age group)
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!
