Cormac Garvey

This was my 11th year togging out for Dublin marathon 2023.Dublins annual health kamikaze event. RDS friday registration was cool as I learned a few things from a health nutrition speaker (Evan@southeastNutritionClinic). Who would have thought that the breakfast of endurance champions was…. Cocopops?!

Ger Enright

Gareth Murran

The Dublin Marathon 2023 didn’t meet my expectations, but I still had a blast. I was really looking forward to it, especially after a tough time at the Limerick Marathon earlier this year. After Limerick, I realised I hadn’t logged enough miles over the past year to excel in a marathon. But that setback rekindled my passion, which had dimmed due to injuries in 2022.

When you’re running week in and week out throughout the year, it’s as vital to take breaks as the running itself. In May and June, I had fun road trips across Italy, France, and Ireland, and even did a few 5K races. But when July rolled around, it was time to get serious and start training. I set my sights on a high 2.3X finish time in Dublin, a bit off my personal best but a solid starting point for 2024.

July was mostly about working on speed, as it was still too early for specific marathon training. I became well-acquainted with the new cycleway down from Tesco. I even participated in a series of races, with one of my favourites being the Streets of Galway 8K in 27.15 (3.22).

Late August brought the Kilcock 10-mile race, which was a bit slower than expected at 57.09 (3.33). As August and September rolled on, I realized I had been pushing myself too hard, with the club 1500M, Dingle Half Marathon, and Charleville Half Marathon all bunched together in September. Both of these halves were part of a 20-mile run.

At that point, I felt like I was getting into good, if not great, shape. My final race was the Athlone Half, where I finished 3rd with a time of 75.35 (3.35). However, the following week, my training took a nosedive. I couldn’t pinpoint the exact cause, age or sickness, regardless I was struggling to maintain the pace in my workouts and long runs. I got a bit freaked out in mid-October when my training wasn’t going as planned. I lowered my race day expectations to 2.40 – 2.42, every few seconds per kilometre makes that big difference. In hindsight, I was run down mentally and physically.

Deirdre McGing

Fiona Lehany

After 15 months in sportsworld and 18 weeks of marathon training, I find myself rocking up to the start line of my first marathon  – Dublin City Marathon 2023. How did this happen?

I signed up after reading all the inspiring race reports from last year. It just sounded like something I wanted to experience and thought why not do it before I turn 50 next year. The physical side of the training went okay, a few bouts of tendinitis on my hamstring but kept the tempo work to a minimum and took a few days off when I felt a twinge. The hardest part was the mental focus, always thinking about the training, fueling, trainers, routes, hills, stretches, toe nails, Vaseline, plasters, long runs, short runs … the list goes on!! But the support on the WhatsApp group and from fellow SW members was amazing especially leading up to the day. As a first timer, I was confused as to where to start, how to start and most importantly how to keep going to the end. But I got some great advice (special thank you to Eileen and Ellen) …. Forget about pacers, run my own race and most of all enjoy it! Also, look a the times from last year to work out your plan.

I knew the biggest first timer’s mistake was going out too fast so I was determined not to fall into that trap. I had my times and motivational words scribbled on my arm so was well prepared. I arrived solo, left my bag, toilet trip x 4, and headed for the wave 2 start line. I was delighted to meet Noel whilst I was waiting around to chat and pass the time and with a few fist bump and we were both off!

Everything in the early stages were going to plan. After getting over the excitement of the first 5km I settled in nicely and reached my 5k and 10k markers exactly at my planned times. Some wonderful support at the early stages and even had a chat with Nathan as he passed me out up chesterfield avenue. He was on fire! I knew Castleknock was a bit of a slog from training, but the support was so good I hardly felt it and before I knew it, I was back in phoenix park for the nice down hill part. This is where things went hairy.  I looked at my garmin and the time read 14mins only. Something must have flicked off my timer. For that second I PANICKED!!!  SHITE!!!! … how was I going to run another 29km without the time. There was a woman beside me and she just said not to worry and then i remembered what Grainne said to me about having a plan B. THEN a feeling of CALMNESS came over me. I still had the pace working on my watch so I knew what pace i needed to do. I realised that I would enjoy the race more not having to think about time. Once i got over that blip i headed to St. Lawrence’s hill in Ballyfermot where I knew a good friend of mine would be there. She ran a km with me checking in if I needed anything and she left me again in Inchicore. 

It was nice to celebrate with the club members that night in Birchalls and share each other’s war stories of the day. Everyone was on a high!

Finally, thanks to all the stewards/ supporters who came out in such bad conditions to cheer us on and all the support from my fellow marathoners, special mention to Lucy’s wonderful energy and wisdom.  I would highly recommend it to anyone thinking about it – JUST DO IT!

Arnold Diepman

The monkey, me, myself and I

It took me 3h:54m:13s to get rid of that monkey on my back. Even now, I do not know how it got there. At some stage I had to confront it. This Sunday a year ago all omens were pointing in one – and only one – direction: 2023 was going to be my ‘beat-the-monkey’ year. No escape possible. My lot was sealed when the congratulatory email arrived at the end of November 2022 notifying me that I’d been successful “in the 2nd round of the Lottery for the Irish Life Dublin Marathon 2023”. The race was on!

I used the first half of 2023 to build a foundation from which I could kick start the actual training for the marathon. I also used that time to read up left, right and centre the do’s and don’ts of running a marathon. That led quickly enough to the conclusion that there are too many “ways to Rome” to choose from. I set my own three principles: 3 training days a week, run no more than 50 – 60km per week and be guided by a training plan. For me that training plan became the one provided by Dublin Marathon.

When the actual training started I dutifully recorded my run kilometres on the plan to make sure that I met the weekly targets. I was not bothered by speed; the objective I’d set for myself was “to finish the marathon running”. Having said that, when the weeks progressed, I got to know my average speed. I ended up in forecasting that I should be able to finish the marathon within four hours.

The training never became a chore and I had the luck that I didn’t get any injuries. The Sunday long runs in the and around the Phoenix Park (including the hills within and around it) with club members were a welcome social affair in contrast to the lonely kilometres ran during the week. Allow me to digress here for a moment: It was on one of those Sunday mornings at the early stage of the ‘greater than 26km’ training runs that the time arrangement got all mixed up and I found myself and Gerard Enright as the only two gathered in the Phoenix Park at what we thought was the agreed time. We were not alone though; we were amongst runners from other groups in the similar situation. Ger, no better man, started to chat to David who found himself in a party of one (as the rest of his party showed up on the agreed time the day before). David was invited to run with us; and so he did. We quickly found out David’s passion is mountain running. He is a fervent IMRA racer and if he is not racing he is a … first aider for the race. It was David who came to my aid when I ‘sprained my ankle’ in the “Djouce -The Ayling Abyssrace” race back in July 2021. It’s a small small world.

When race day approached, I consulted various weather apps to look for the one app that would forecast ‘fair weather’ as that is – what I was made to believe – we would have. However, no such

app existed this year. So on race day I found myself in the pouring rain at the start line. How strange it might sound with 1,000s of people round me, it felt lonely. No club mate to chase the kilometres and share the experience with. I was on my own. For 42 kilometres me, myself and I, went through my personal set of milestones: the 10, 20, 30 and 40km points were rewarded by gels and the 15, 25 and 35 km points were my Jelly Baby moments. As you can imagine I was sugared out well before the end of the race. I also made it a sport – when not consuming my milestone treats – to overtake anyone slower than me. (The thrills associated with starting in Wave 4.) Especially around Heartbreak Hill it became very lucrative. After Fosters Avenue I became blinkered and focused only on one thing and that was “get to that finish line and step on it”. Despite the sugary rewards and the highs of overtaking so many runners, the legs were starting to speak up and making themselves heard for all the wrong reasons. So the “step on it” was only converted in breaking power. I arrived at the finish line after a materially slower last 10 km. It was the finish line though and I reached it running. Mission accomplished. In my stride, I’d finished in the time interval I’d hoped for. What is there not to be happy about? To be honest, nothing. I enjoyed each and every aspect of the marathon. And what is good about finishing the marathon, is having a guaranteed entry for next year, which I’ve taken.

Gavin Finlay

2:43 (36th M40, 135th OA)
26th M40 National Marathon Championship
On Fortfield Road at around 10:25am, my daughter on one side, my wife on the other, ran
alongside me to hand me a gel and a drink. This was around mile 17 of the route I know like the back of my hand and was probably the race highlight which had its equal share of
lowlights.

From Fortfield down Templeogue Road through Bushy and into Terenure Village was brilliant
and a section I’d been looking forward to from the start. The supportive atmosphere of the
“home crowd” and the sophisticated Sportsworld support (who know their running!) was such a welcome boost after the drearier drag of Crumlin Road and the subdued Cromwellsfort -Cromwell’s name alone enough to damage spirits.

Sadly, at racepace it’s not always possible to soak up the atmosphere and truly enjoy it, at least for me anyway! The horror of Clonskeagh-UCD and the grim N11 were only 4-5 miles ahead.

Lowlights included: being slightly rushed to the startline, running groupless mostly, fuelling
not great right from the off – I felt GI distress (tummy trouble!) for most of the race.
Honestly there were moments when thoughts of dropping out drifted in, and then thankfully, out of my mind. The “Terenure Tunnel” helped drive me on, dig deeper and persevere to the end.
DCM is largely a decent course and it’s so nice to run through Phoenix Park and leafy
Castleknock in Autumnal colours. The uphills and downhills do affect your rhythm and so it’s unlikely to be a PB race for anyone but the elites.

2:43 at 43 ain’t bad I suppose. A full 10 minutes slower than my last marathon 4 years ago in London and 12 slower than my PB. But that’s the nature of this brutal beast. I thought
2:38-39 was realistically achievable based on recent sessions but that was always going to
be contingent on near perfect fuelling.

Thank you so much for all those cheers of support. And well done to all club members who
ran.
Gavin Finlay

Kimberley Kennedy

Dublin Marathon was on my mind for most of 2023, but I only really admitted to myself I was going to give it a go in late summer. I’d pushed it out of my head until I could ignore it no longer. I decided I better do some training. I started joining the club on Sundays for long runs in August and built up to 21km. Then I had a few hiccups and disruptions and after the Cologne Half at the start of October didn’t really do any long runs. I bought a few gels but didn’t try one until the day before. I still used 5 of them over the marathon and was fine..they are great, must try them in a half next time I do one.

Crona Clohisey

First marathon and the words never again were a firm feature during Sunday’s race. As they say pain is only temporary and of course im signed up for next year. And I can’t wait!

The Cologne Half Marathon has been on my radar for a while. The company I work at has an office in Cologne and pre covid organised a group to represent it there each year. I remember being in awe of how they could run that distance and it always seemed like a fun trip.

In 2019 I decided to sign up to do it. I think it was sometime in the summer. The race is always early October. I was not a runner at the time but thought maybe I could walk it. Then I heard about the cut off time being 2 hours 45 minutes, and how they pick people outside the cut off up and bus them off the course. I imagined the embarrassment of that happening in front of my colleagues. I quietly withdraw from the race, but I had paid for the flights, so decided to make a weekend of it in Germany instead. Of course, at the airport I bumped into colleagues heading over for the race and I had to shamefully explain I had backed out. I decided I would have to do it in the future to redeem myself.

2021 came around and I started the couch to 5k in March, got the running bug, and signed up for Cologne. All was going well, but then the race was cancelled due to covid.

2022 came around and I was injured and couldn’t run a HM.

2023 was my year, a group was organised through work, some from Dublin, some from Cologne and other parts of Germany, and it was all systems go…. until I tripped going down steps to the expo! I thought I had twisted my right ankle, but a few hours later my ankle was fine, the top of my foot swollen, however. Would this be the end of my Cologne HM dreams before even getting to the start line? I tested it out. Walking was sore, but amazingly, running seemed ok.

On the Sunday the race was due to start at 9am. The forecast was for 25 or 26 degrees, but there was a chill in the air as we headed over the Rhein to Deutz over the Hohenzollern bridge. The conditions were perfect, and everyone was in great form, with music and motivational commentary blasting from speakers. Off we went, right on time and from the start I noticed the amount of people out in the streets cheering on runners. I have never seen support like it. The first 12km or 13km seemed to just fly by and I was happy enough with my pace, but then things got a bit tricky…every time I pushed off my right foot, I felt discomfort that got so bad I ended up having to stop and walk a bit every couple of kms. Not great, but I wasn’t too concerned about my time, I wanted to enjoy the experience and atmosphere. And what an atmosphere it was, 6km from the end and there were so many people out cheering us on it felt like we were near the end, and that continued for the rest of the race, we were showered with confetti and glitter and encouraged along all the way.

The temperature started to increase in the end stages of the race, and I was pitying the full marathon runners who started at 10.30am as Colognes amazing cathedral came into sight. The cathedral was our goal (Der Dom ist das Ziel – the race motto). Once past the cathedral we turned right and then we were onto the red mats and the finish line. One of the race sponsors was Rewe, the German supermarket chain, and they had supplied refreshments. I have never seen so much food and drinks at the end of a race – I grabbed a fizzy apple juice (I don’t know why Apfelschorle is not popular outside Germany and Austria, it’s delicious) and picked up my sustainable wooden medal. Then it was on to find my colleagues and sit in the sun for a few hours sipping Koelsch and respecting recovery.

It was a great weekend; I would definitely run the Cologne half again, next time paying a bit more attention going down steps the day before!

Schadenfreude

Noun

Pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune

Wait a minute? This sounds very familiar and feels somewhat like déjà vu. In the immortal words of Talking Head’s David Byrne “How did I get here?”. Having written a race report for the Berlin Marathon this time 12 months ago it seems somewhat unfair that the duty be thrust upon me once more. Yet here we are. One might ask, how? Well you have Aoife O’Leary to thank for this one. You see Aoife, facetiously, took advantage of my semi inebriated post-marathon condition, when I had all of 5 pints on board, managing to subterfuge her way out of the race report whilst in the process landing me with the honour. The subtlety in which the precocious track talent turned club record marathon holder turned the tables on me has me believing that I was gaslighted. You see Aoife’s identical twin, Crona, was also present. Like most people I struggle to tell them apart, even when sober. Could it be possible that they were in cahoots and were manipulating me the whole time by using the power of suggestion and tapping into my neural conscience? Or perhaps not.

In 2022 I finished the race report with an anecdote about Eliud Kipchoge breaking the men’s world record and how thrilling it was to compete alongside him. This year saw another world record being set so it seems appropriate to begin this report by commenting on Tigest Assefa. The Ethiopian obliterated the previous world record by over two minutes in a time of 2 hours 11 minutes and 53 seconds. This finishing time is incredible, especially given the hot conditions on the day. To put it in perspective, Eliud Kipchoge was over 90 seconds slower this year, than when setting his own world record 12 months ago, which evidences the tougher conditions. Another year, another Berlin world record, another story to tell the grandchildren.

It was manifestly obvious to everyone who knows me that I had some unfinished business in Berlin. Last year I didn’t enjoy the experience which left me with many regrets. I had travelled over solo and the entire weekend, including the marathon itself, seemed like a slog. The finish was an anti-climax with nobody to celebrate with. This year I was determined that things would be different so when convincing my wife Michelle to allow me to sign up again it was with the promise that my mindset would be a lot more positive and that I would enjoy the weekend, whatever the outcome. It was decided that not only would Michelle and our two children join me this year, but we also brought my parents along to give a helping hand. So on Friday morning the Mother, the Matriarch, a two year old, a four year, an OAP, and I began our voyage. I pitied those sitting near us on the plane.

Berlin is a wonderful city. So much has previously been written about the history and the culture of the place that I won’t bother going into any detail here. This was my 4^th time visiting the city so I am quite familiar with it at this stage. It is a very inspiring place. In fact it was in Berlin where Sportsworld’s own Timothy Morahan won two gold medals in the Special Olympics barely three months previously. How much more inspiration do you need?

So on Sunday morning I set off from the hotel with a smile on my face. I’m quite an organised person who doesn’t like leaving things to chance. So when packing for the weekend I brought a couple of packets of instant oats porridge & an Aeropress machine with some of my own favourite ground coffee. It meant all I needed was a kettle and I could have my usual breakfast in the hotel room. I’ll be honest and admit that initially I did pack a kettle before being talked out of it at the last minute.  After breakfast I dressed myself and set off for the Tiergarten which is where the race begins. I knew exactly how long it would take me to get there so I left precisely one hour before the race started. On the train to Potsdamer I enjoyed people watching and earwigging. There’s a nice 15 minute stroll then to  the start area in which you walk by one of the remaining pieces of the Berlin Wall and also the Brandenburg Gate. I soaked all of this in and was in my starting block bang on schedule with 15 minutes to spare. I don’t subscribe to the whole waiting around for an hour thing before a marathon. Especially on a warm day. Less is more. For me personally this is when the nerves really kick in and I just want the event to begin. My stomach was doing somersaults, my head was in a spin, and my resting heart rate was at 110bpm. Thankfully I didn’t have long to wait and after the introduction of the elites and (I probably shouldn’t write this but I believe in being in honest & transparent) a couple of very risky farts later we were off. It was the nerves.

This year I was in Block A so literally with the elites. The start line is split between two sides of the same road. I opted for the right hand side, out of habit mostly having chosen the same side last year when slightly further back in Block B. This year though the right hand side seemed to be way more congested than the left. You could see from over the barriers that the left side was moving whilst we on the right were stuttering. Those in Block B on the left actually reached the start line before a lot of Block A did on the right. As you went under the start gantry it was like a spontaneous combustion as the fireballs blasted off above your head. The pyro team clearly had a bigger budget this year but you could really feel the heat off the flames. Then about 200 metres into the race we ran through some fresh orange paint which had just been thrown on the road by protestors. After that we ran around the always impressive Grober Stern monument before the two sides of the road merge and it really feels like you have begun.

The first 15km were an absolute dream. Conditions were ideal and everything felt easy, as it should do. It was nice to see Maura Ginty, who was over supporting the tyrannical Aoife O’Leary, at the 12km mark. Ginty was sporting a tricolour and roaring support.

Fortunes changed literally the moment I went over the 15km timing mat. It was like there a parting in the clouds and the sun came out beating strong. I felt for those who were in later waves who hadn’t even begun yet. Anyway I still felt strong and the landmarks I had set in my head were ticking by nicely. I knew that my family were going to be just beyond the half way mark so I had that to look forward to. A successful bottle handover took place and from then on I was counting down the kilometres.

By that point I was fighting a losing battle with my heart rate monitor. I should have just jettisoned it, or even thrown it to Michelle, as it kept slipping down. When trying to adjust it I bust the top two safety pins on my race number. So my number flipped downwards and was back to front. This needed regular adjustment as it kept rubbing off my legs. A minor hindrance but one I could have done without. It also meant that from that point on there are no official race photos of me as my number was out of sight. The heart rate monitor ended up around my belly button giving some comically incorrect readings. An unintended consequence of this was that it gave more publicity to Sportsworld as the singlet was in full view and not being covered by a race number.

Every so often the sun would go behind some clouds, or you would be on a shaded street, and it was glorious. Other times the sun was beating down and it was necessary to try prevent yourself from overheating. Thankfully it wasn’t humid on the day. Every water station was spent throwing cups of water over me. I can’t drink from those hard plastic cups, I don’t know how anyone can. Out of nowhere Ginty magically reappeared at 32km and handed me an unexpected, but extremely welcome, bottle of water. I knew that Michelle and my travelling entourage would be at the 37km mark so my focus was trying to get to that point. Everything was on plan at 35km but then I started to cramp and everything got so much harder. By the time I reached the gang I was gasping. The bottle handover went smoothly though and I was also handed a facecloth which had been in a bag of ice. This was recommended to me by a friend and it was most welcome. I attempted to use the cloth to cool myself down around the head & neck areas, and I guzzled down the drink. It brought temporary relief however the effort was really taking its toll at this point. My right calf & hamstring had gone to cramp and I struggled to adjust my stride. I fought on to the finish even though the pace was dropping. I knew that I wasn’t going to pb but I was absolutely determined to keep going and to soak up the experience. Those last few kilometres seemed to last forever but I enjoyed every single  step.

My finish time in the end was 2 hours 44 minutes and 5 seconds. Just over 70 seconds slower than last year. I was delighted though. On another day the time could have different but you can’t control the weather. I was very satisfied that I had given my absolute all, both in the build up and on the day itself. There is no such thing as an easy marathon. Each one gets harder as you get both older and more ambitious. This is why it is so important to enjoy the experience and the process. I’m glad to report that this year was night & day to last year in that regard.

Runners are a funny breed. We operate somewhat in our own little bohemian world that non runners can’t, don’t & won’t ever understand. It was lovely this year to have my family over and have them witness this event. The BBC might tell you that London is the best marathon in the world. They are lying. The Americans might tell you that Boston is the greatest. They are misinformed. Absolutely do not listen to them if they claim that New York or Chicago is. For me Berlin is the Wimbledon or the Superbowl of marathons. My family now have a better understanding of why I keep putting myself through this ordeal. I think they are also beginning to realise that running isn’t just the superfluous hobby they may have once thought it to be.

After the dust had settled we all met up for some drinks. It was nice to share war stories with Aoife who ran a magnificent race in 2 hours 52 minutes 59 seconds, not too far off her own club record. This was even more impressive given the less than ideal preparation she had over the previous few weeks. A good gang of us gathered and celebrated in the sunshine. Berlin 2023 truly was a magical weekend.

Athlone Athletics Club, situated in the town of Athlone within County Westmeath, Ireland, primarily caters to athletes and runners from Athlone, its neighbouring regions in County Westmeath, and even further afield. Just this past Sunday, they successfully organised their inaugural 10K and Half Marathon races, with both events commencing at 10 AM from the TUS Athlone campus and following the scenic route along the famous Greenway.

The greenway, 42km in total, traces the historic Midlands Great Western Railway track past restored station houses and under stone arched bridges and overhanging trees. From the River Shannon in Athlone to the Royal Canal in Mullingar, it passes through many unique biodiversity and heritage areas. It also makes for a great space to run on as the surface is smooth and the trees on either side do a great job of blocking a lot of the wind.

Following the excitement of witnessing Ireland’s victory over South Africa on Saturday evening, I had a restless night’s sleep. Nevertheless, I managed to rise early on Sunday and hit the road by 7:30 AM. The journey from Dublin to Athlone takes approximately 80 minutes, but the sun was shining and I enjoyed playing music and having the open road all to myself as my sole company during the drive.

Anthony Gillen and I were the sole representatives from Sportsworld at the starting line, but with the multitude of GCH runners present, you might have assumed there were more of us. I selected this race as my final preparation for the Dublin Marathon in 2023. My initial goal was to complete it in 75.36 minutes, which translates to a pace of 3.35 per kilometre. Ideally, I had aimed to be in the 74-minute range at this point, but recent weeks have been hectic in life and at work, and I haven’t given my recovery the priority it deserves, something I intend to rectify in the remaining five weeks of my training. More early nights are the main priority. 5 weeks of fun to go.

As we began our journey, I found myself sharing laughter with the fellow guys, speculating on who might be the unfortunate soul to slip on the damp track and become the highlight of the Westmeath Independent. Can you imagine?

The race kicked off with two laps around the slippery track, followed by a dash up a brief incline and onto the scenic greenway, before circling back. As I approached the first turn, I was pleasantly surprised to encounter a familiar face – none other than the former Sportsworld sensation, Kate Kelly, affectionately known as ‘Kate the Great.’ She’s not only an exceptional runner herself but was also lending her expertise to her new club on this particular occasion.

A group of four of us commenced our run, covering the initial 3 kilometers together, accompanied by John Travers, who was participating in the 10K race and gradually disappearing into the distance ahead. It’s at this stage of the race you start to size up the competition. Upon reaching the first water station at 4.5 kilometers, I found myself running alongside Clive Glancy (Carrick on Shannon AC).

Our running abilities were well-matched, and we collaborated effectively. As we approached the 8K mark, some of the runners started to fall behind; whoever claimed that greenways were flat had clearly misled us. Nonetheless, we remained calm and continued our ocassional conversation, deciding not to panic. A slight incline caused our pace to drop slightly, but our experience assured us that we would regain it on the return journey.

Like in any race, I experienced moments of self-doubt and insecurity. At one point, I even convinced myself that I might be too old for this, but we persisted. I reminded myself that pain is fleeting, and usually, within two minutes, I would feel fantastic. My heart rate remained elevated throughout the race, but I monitored it closely, slowing down whenever it exceeded 180 beats per minute. I hop this wont  be an issue on marathon race day when my average pace should be 7-8 seconds per kilometer slower.

As we neared the turnaround point, Mick Fogarty (Ferbane AC), the eventual race winner, swiftly overtook us. We made the turn and began heading back along the route. There were only two water stations on the course, and the humidity made me wish for more hydration. By the time I started to feel the strain at 15K, we were maintaining a race pace of 3.36 per kilometer. I pushed myself harder, taking on more of the lead, finding pleasure in the pain.

Participating in the scenic Dingle and functional Charleille half marathons recently had acclimated me to the distance. However,  both of those races were conducted at training speeds. Therefore, I knew today’s race would present a greater challenge.

As we reached the 18th and 19th kilometer milestones, we eagerly anticipated the conclusion of this scenic pathway. While the extended straight path provided some relief for our run, it could be somewhat monotonous at moments. To offer a comparison for those familiar, it resembled the Berlin Marathon experience.

Cruelly, just when we thought we were back on the main road, we had to detour briefly along the greenway, followed by another 180-degree turn. I later learned this was necessary due to a busy road at the other end. It was hard to take at this point in the race. At this stage I was in 2nd with Clive just behind.

Soon, we were back on the main road, encouraging each other down the hill and back onto the track for two more laps. Those who have run with me before know of my fondness for the track, and I was able to increase my pace significantly, finishing the final kilometer in 3.20. It’s uisng different muscles so I was able to kick on. I secured 2nd place overall in the race, completing it in 75.35, one second below my target. I was thrilled with my performance, and the job was well done. The HR was a bit of a concern but I put it down to tiredness, inexpensive wine and companionship services.

Anthony was finishing by the time I got my breath back and ran 90.02. Yes I was shouting at him to get under the 90 minutes, he was unlucky not to. A good run from him going into Dublin and after some injuries. Good to see him also back running well.

Well done to Athlone AC on a great race and a fine spread afterwards. They also had a nice tshirt and medal for everyone. Its one race I would recommend next year. Thanks to Kate for a warm welcome. I retract my previous statements about the Midlands; Athlone, you’ve certainly awakened the thrill!

The drive home was altogether different in a thunderous downpur but I was smilling. Not exactly where I wanted to be 4 months ago, but a world away from this time last year when I was almsot quitting running.

Race Reporter: Sébastien Berlier

A couple of weeks ago I signed up for the St Oliver’s Hospital 5K in Dundalk, with all the enthusiasm of a kid in a candy store – well, minus the candy part. Here’s how it all went down:
The race was on Saturday morning, September 16th at 11am. But why was I even running this race? Well, picture this: I can’t make it to the Rathfarnham race on the 24th because I have a wedding to attend in France. But I couldn’t resist pinning a race number to my Sportsworld singlet. Priorities, right? Oh, and it was also the perfect way to kickstart my training for “La Rochelle Marathon” on November 26th.
I’d been checking the weather forecast because it had been raining all week. But miracles happen, on race day, the skies decided to give us a break. Hallelujah!

Dundalk holds a special place in my heart – it was the first city I lived in when I moved to Ireland back in 2012. So, racing there felt like a pilgrimage, complete with its own brand of motivation. And let’s not forget my enthusiasm of getting a medal and a T-shirt with “Dundalk” on it. Plus, I have friends there, so it’s always a great excuse for a little trip (yes, even to Dundalk).

I arrived an hour before the race with my good friend Sébastien – yes, another one. By the way, I’ve been trying to convince him to join Sportsworld, and I promise I won’t give up. Sébastien (the other one, in case you’ve lost track) didn’t run the race, but he was a massive support and a fantastic motivator.

Being possibly the only runner from Dublin, as I arrived early I was quick to grab my race number… and the T-shirt included for the first 100 that register online. But here’s the kicker, they ran out of size S. Well, the lovely volunteer convinced me that size M would fit like a glove. Let’s just say it didn’t. It’s officially my new sleep robe.

Just before the race, my trusty Polar watch decided it was update time – 30 seconds before the start, naturally. It froze for 25 long seconds. But 5 seconds before the gun, it magically came back to life.

I had a chuckle at the starting line when the organizer asked if we knew the route. “Take the 2nd left, then take the greenway, go to the left at the roundabout etc.” But to be fair, the race was actually well organized. Volunteers were posted at every corner of the route, and distance signs were posted at every kilometer. I even did a double-take when I spotted a water station at the halfway mark – pretty fancy for a 5K, right?

Not many spectators along the way, but I wasn’t bothered. I was laser-focused on keeping my pace consistent. Those grueling Tuesday 8 X 800 meters interval sessions were finally making sense.
As soon as I passed the halfway point, my legs started reminding me that I was venturing into unknown territory pace for a 5K. But hey, I couldn’t back down now. We’ve all been there, right? Convincing ourselves that the pain is all in our heads, just a tiny bit of torture before the glorious finish line. The 3rd place was too far ahead, and the 5th place was way behind.
With less than 1 kilometer to go now, my legs felt like they were encased in concrete, but there was nothing to chase but a good time.
I crossed the finish line utterly knackered. My time? 18’12”, just shy of the podium. I smashed my previous PB (18’59” two months ago) by a whopping 47 seconds!
After the race, I treated myself to some much-needed indulgences. I went all in with a couple of “Celebration” sweets, a cupcake, a black coffee (no milk, no sugar – I’m a purist, you know) and good sharing moments with my Dundalk mates.
So there you have it, a wild adventure in County Louth, filled with personal best, T-shirt size mishaps, friendship and a watch that couldn’t resist a last-minute update. Running always has its surprises, doesn’t it? Until next time, keep those feet pounding the pavement and the laughter flowing!

With the first week of real summer in 2023 it was perfect timing for this years track championship. 1500m, 200m and mixed 4x400m relay. For some it was an annual event of collecting their trophy and medals but for others it was their first time on track and their first time wondering where all the oxygen had gone.

First up was the women’s 1500m giving the men a few more minutes contemplate their life choices. Maria Jones took the lead and kept it for the 4 laps and paced herself to a 1500m PB. We had a number of new senior runners in the women’s race and hopefully that will lead to full teams in the final championship races of the year.

In the men’s 1500m Donal Brennan showed his improved form and lead the race with Karol, Wesley and Gareth but in the final lap Gareth finished strongly and retained the 1500m trophy again.

200m sounds easy, short enough that you can see the finish line from the start line but it is a few seconds of burning muscles and lungs which that leaves you barely able to stand at the finish line. It looks like we have some potential sprinters in the club who might enjoy giving the indoor track races a go in the winter.

Finally it was the mixed 400m relay. Everyone knows they are going to be picked for a team but are they going to be put on the good team, there is always a good team. The main thing about the mixed relay is finding out the new club member names for the first time.

Thanks again to Aileen, Emily and Myles and all the helpers for organising the track races and results.

Women’s 1500m

1st Maria Jones2nd Megan Walls3rd Veronica Burke

Men’s 1500m

1st Gareth Murran
2nd Karol Cronin
3rd Wesley Harrison

Women’s 200m

1st Veronica Burke
2nd Megan Walls
3rd Shauna O Callaghan

Men’s 200m

1st Stephen O Donnell
2nd Eoghan Gallagher
3rd Timothy Morahan

Charleville famous for its cheese is a historic town located in County Cork, Ireland. Its history dates back to the late 17th century when it was founded by Roger Boyle, the 1st Earl of Orrery, in 1661. The town was strategically situated on the banks of the River Blackwater, which made it an important trading hub and contributed to its growth over the centuries. Charleville played a significant role in the agricultural and industrial development of the region, with a strong focus on dairy farming and cheese production.

Enough of the history lesson, Charleville also hosts one of the more famous half marathons in the build-up to the DCM or Chicago Marathons. It’s a flat and fast course with a  good quality field to get those fast times, but despite the favourable system I’ve never run well here.

After running Dingle last weekend and a 1500M run on Saturday I had considered skipping this one but two friends were running and looking to run solid sub 90-minute times so I decided to do this with the group as part of my 2-hour long run.

Two hours after running the 1500M I was on the M7. I was lucky to be offered a spare room in Limerick the night before so it wasn’t an early start to get to the race. Limerick is only 30 minutes away if you stick to the speed limit. I was running with my speedy friend Shóna (Former Sportsworlder) and PB-seeking Padraig Looby.

Running with a group is an absolute blast! There’s something incredibly invigorating about pounding the pavement with a bunch of like-minded individuals. The camaraderie that forms during those sweaty, heart-pumping sessions is hard to beat. It’s a fantastic way to stay accountable and stick to the race plans. And let’s not forget the post-run high – the feeling of accomplishment and the shared endorphin rush is the perfect recipe for a great time. We all did a few strides and 3K of a warm-up before the race at 10 AM.

After the heat of Saturday, the race started in a cloud of fog but quickly got warm and sticky. The agreed pace was 4.10 kms and it was my job to block a little of the wind, carry a few water bottles etc. The loop starts in Charleville and runs out to Killmallock in Limerick before heading back to the start. The start was a bit bunched but we soon found ourselves running with a smaller group of 5-6.  The first 7K was chatty but then everyone got down to business.

As we got to Kilmallock we were on pace despite me being accused of running all over the road, instead of taking the racing line. Remember who the donkey carrying the water is people. As we reached the halfway mark in 44 there was a collective feeling that things were going well. This stretch back onto the main road has a bit of a bumpy surface and it’s where people who have gone out too fast start to struggle.

As we reached 17-18K we were catching so many other runners. At 19K I could sense that  Padraig was tiring a wee bit from the heat. Your job as the one setting the pace is to drive on and keep hitting the splits as we got to 19K there was some baying for blood and we hit the last mile well under 7 minutes.

The time on the clock was 1.27.10 (4.08s not bad pacing) as we crossed with Padraig just 20 seconds behind. A good job by the whole crew with neither Padraig nor Shóna having a full block of training behind them.

I  kept running through the finish and finished out 2 hours with a bit of marathon-pace running, a hard task given how warm it was out there.  Can the next 7 weeks be over already. Alo running for the club was Noreen Brouder who had a tough day but still ran a very respectable 1.26 on a warm day.

This is an excellent race that I can’t recommend enough. My tip would be to stay down the night before, There is a nice hotel in Charleville and it is very close to Limerick or Tipperary.  Killmallock also has a lovely 4 miler in May.