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.

I can thank Anne and Anne-Maria for this.   Dingle half regulars,  they sold it to me at the end of last September saying “it’s worth it for the nice tshirt”.  And because far away races look shorter and I have ridiculous FOMO,  we signed up.  So we find ourselves on the long road to Dingle on Friday afternoon.  Anne and Anne-Maria, alert to the no-singlet-equals-race-reporter rule, appear to have packed every piece of Sportsworld Merch they’ve ever owned.  Alongside this,  a lack of coordination has the boot loaded with 2 to 3 kilos of porridge (for just the 2 breakfasts) and a small suitcase of gels because some people are experimenting for the marathon.

Beyond food and fuel, there’s no real race plan between us.  For Anne this is a stepping stone to see where she is at on her marathon build up. For Anne Maria, veteran of every Dingle Half in since it’s inception in 2009, it’s just part of a weekend home in the Kingdom doing her bit for the  Kerry tourism board.  Myself and Mary are bringing the camera phones and resolving not to squander the privilege of running in such a scenic location by chasing any particular time.  That said, I’m using 2 hours as a guideline.   It’s my 3rd half marathon (kind of) and I’m feeling a bit short on mileage, having done just one 18km long run since April,  but I hope I can get around in one piece by breaking it into  5km blocks.

Race day dawns hotter than expected. 14 degrees forecast but in a singlet and shorts on the mile or so stroll to the start line it becomes apparent it’s more like 17 or 18 degrees and  windless (a scheduled sailing regatta is cancelled).   We gather on the sunny harbour, the brightly painted shopfronts of Dingle adding to the general good mood of the day.  Anne and Anne-Maria, regulars at this race, seem to know everyone and  are continually breaking off for warm exchanges with friends and acquaintances.  Irene – heading for her 80th marathon today –  emerges smiling from a Camper on the harbour and it’s all hugs and good lucks and photos.    Martin, Tom and Paul come meandering by , the 7 pints of the night before hidden behind their sunglasses.  Is anyone taking this thing seriously?  Gareth pops up moments later, 7 pints too but no sunglasses, bouncing around after a 10k warm up – of all things, on such a day!

We find our rightful places in the corrals (the 2 hour bracket for me) and after much noise,  and build-up it’s off we go, quickly out onto the fuschia laden ditches of the outskirts of town.  Maybe the sunshine is impacting, but the people of Dingle are giving what feels like a genuinely warm welcome at every junction and house front.  Its as if they don’t mind these nuisance runners closing their roads and tossing water containers and gel packets into their ditches.  The elevation map has shown that the 2nd half of the race the hills, already apparent, will lose the run of themselves, so we start at what feels like a fairly conservative pace.  We meet Irene again. I suppose she’s casual enough about the marathons at this stage because she has the time and generosity to suggest we sip from our water bottles every km or so in this heat.  Simple enough idea but something that’s easy to forget as the heat and effort melt the brain. I drift on, sometimes ahead, sometimes behind, the 2 hour pacers.  The course is busy but not congested.  At Ventry village they cheer us on “as gaelige” (I think they are cheering us on, they may be saying “get off our land”) .  One of the runners says “go raibh maith agat” back so that’s a good sign.   At random spots on the road we encounter box players, bongo drummers and darth vader (real, not just the heat on my brain saying that).  Welcome to Kerry.

I’ve run with a litre of water and am congratulating myself on my “leave no trace” efforts for the first 2 water stops but then  the enviro cred gets abandoned in favour of immediate self preservation and I’m taking the water cartons and pouring them onto my head to try and keep the temperature down.

By 16k the scenery is more rugged and more beautiful than before but my appreciation is dissolving in the waterfall of suncream and sweat.  There’ll be better photos on the internet anyhow.

Just before Slea Head I fall into running alongside a lady in blue tshirt.  I’m mad for a chat to distract from the effort and it emerges that we are both pleasantly surprised to find ourselves just ahead of the 2 hour pacers and now eager to hold onto that time.  We run alongside for a bit, appreciating the brief cooling respite of Slea head cut into rock and the open vista into the Atlantic and what must be the Blaskets.  Around 18k there’s a long and gruelling hill.  The memory of the Khyber pass in the Phoenix Park national 10k* (*8.5k ) earlier this year seems to have built some resilience on this front and I adopt the same approach  – gear down all you need to but don’t walk and don’t stop.  It’s not clear there’s any physcial gain from this approach but i’m sure it’s character building.  The newly built-character nonethless fails to withstand the tummy wobbles that take hold in the final 2km and a brief walk is required.  Even as my wheels are wobbling I can sense the gathering energy of blue-tshirt-lady into the final  push and I think, before my next half, I’ll deffo try and have the miles in my legs to be able to enjoy the last bit.    Still no sign of the finish gantry, nor any congregation of finishers but then thankfully, finally, the signs and bollards splitting us from the  mad yokes who have signed up for the full.  I pick it up and this final downhill and see the clock turning to 1.57.  I’m over the line and getting over a strong urge to throw up when Gareth and Tom emerge from the pub to say hi.  Then it’s tshirt collection, mind regathering.  I regroup with the quartet of Anne, AnneMaria and Mary.   There’s a festival vibe with DJ Big Jim pumping out the tunes in the warm sun.  Our cool down stretch routine includes enjoying a cider on ice on the grass and a bit of a boogie and a sing-along with Big Jim in the bus queue.

On the bus we grab the back seat so we can look out for Irene on the full marathon route.  As we pass the marathoneers there’s a fair bit of pain going on.  Many walkers and the rugged scenery has been replaced by more hills and high ditches.  So there’s a cheer of triumph when we see Irene slugging it out, looking strong and faster than she was going some 3.5  hours ago as we met starting the race.  I guess you know how to pace yourself by marathon 80, not to mention the Connemara 100 (MILES!) she completed less than 3 weeks ago.  We are dropped off in perfect time to cheer her in over the last 50 metres.  Considering the levels of my own head chatter I’ve had to endure on the half marathon my admiration for marathon runners  – physically and perhaps more so mentally, grows every year.    We hang around to soak up some reflected glory.

Within 10 minutes of finishing  she’s chatting to a fellow endurance athlete and we hear the words “so, what’s next?” .   Whatever response that prompts from an endurance athlete,  what’s next for us is to stroll off into the sunshine and find  ice-cream, our lovely blue tops on,(except Anne-Maria, who’s back in the red, not taking any chances on the race report front), fancy medals a-jangle, delighted to have been part of such a fabulous race on such a lovely day.  Where’s sign up for next year?

https://www.plotaroute.com/route/407625

https://www.goandrace.com/en/map/2013/dingle-marathon-half-marathon-2013-1025-course-map-2.php

https://www.myrunresults.com/events/dingle_half_marathon__full_marathon/4672/results

report by Fiona Leheny

The 2023 Irish Life Frank Duffy 10 miler took place last Saturday 19th August. I decided to sign up mainly because I have never raced 10 miles before and I need to get as much experience into my little legs before the 29th October (say no more about that yet!)

To prepare for the distance, I headed out on Friday night….. to Sprezzatura in Rathmines to get a good feed of pasta followed by a relaxing visit to the cinema to see Oppenheimer. The last time I wrote a race report, it seemed to be more of a weather report for a very good reason. I thought that this was going to be along the same lines going by the storm that was banging the roof of the Omniplex that night. Thankfully, I woke up to a pleasant, windy & warm Saturday morning.

I arrived at the Phoenix visitor centre in plenty of time and was delighted to see some familiar faces rock up shortly after me. Myself, Eileen and Mary chatted for a bit to kill some time and headed up towards the start line. 

I hadn’t thought much about pacing for the race but decided to place myself behind but in sight of the 80mins pacers. At this point, I had lost all fellow club members at the dreaded port aloo queues so I put my music on to get in the zone. I felt good starting off for the first 5km. I finally spotted a SW jersey beside me but not for long. It was Jean flying past me. There was, no way / Jose, that I was going to keep up with her.  She was in the zone but I still managed to get her attention and wave her off into the sunset!

I slowed down somewhat in the second 5km as it was a little hillier and lost sight of the 80min pacers but got back in the zone and felt good again in the final 5km. I suppose the giveaway that I am new enough to racing is that my brain still works in KMs for a 10mile race. I tend to break most races down into ‘5km parkrun chunks’ as that is what kick-started my joy of running.

With the lack of red and white SW jerseys, I found a couple of Brother Pearse runners (assuming no restrictions here on mentioning other clubs in these reports) doing a similar pace and keeping up with them was my goal which got me over the line in 1:23.

Once I caught my breath, I met up with the fellow club members, a small group evidenced in the pic below. Everyone was content with their performance & well done to Jean with a PB (missing from the pic). Myself, Eileen and Mary headed back for a well deserved coffee and some lovely chats which was the perfect end to the morning. Thanks, Ladies, for the company.

Full results available at: www.chiptimes.biz

Report by Gareth Murran (former club email writer)

The 2023 Galway Clinic Streets of Galway 8km, organised by local club Galway City Harriers, took place this year on Sat 12th August at 7pm. Since its inception in 1986, the event has grown into one of the most prestigious road races in the country yet remains true to its original motto of Sport for All, as many locals and visitors take on the event year in year out.

This event is a jewel in the crown of road races in the West and tours through the famous City of the Tribes. The race route takes in many of the sights of Galway City, including the Spanish Arch, Eyre Square, the landmark Galway Cathedral and the University of Galway, and routes out towards Salthill, past Pearse Stadium and then back in the ‘Prom’ along Galway Bay for a fast section into the finish at the historic Claddagh.

Having ran this with niggles on a beautiful summer evening in 2022 I was looking forward to going back with my Sportsworld crew and giving it another try in 2023. It’s a fabulous course, challenging in parts with more typical Galway weather often making it challenging.

A Saturday evening start at 7 PM was perfect, with time to drive from Dublin around noon, get some lunch, pick up the numbers (Thanks Mau) and watch the AAI stream whilst yelling at the TV for Gavin and Maria to win their respective races at the national Masters. Motivated by their success we strode down to the start line about 6.15 PM.

After a few less than stellar workouts over the past two weeks or so I had set my stall to start out slow and use the wind at my back in the last stretch to make up some ground on my competitors.

I had 3.22s in my head for the pace with a 3.25 to get me going. I started a decent bit back as I find many people go way too fast at the start of road races. Starting a bit further back and getting faster as the race goes seems to work well for me.

At 7 PM we were off and the first thing I noticed was that there was amazing support the whole way around the route. It really is a great experience to run through the middle of Galway city with the roads closed and crowds cheering.When someone shouts your name it gives you such a massive boost.

As we ran down Merchants Road I was questioning if my pace was too fast or too slow. It was at this point that I just decided to race. I wouldn’t look at the watch again until I crossed the finish line. I got into a good grove after Eyre Square and kept picking groups off, not wanting to get isolated I’d wait or push on depending on the terrain up ahead. My stregth is speed so I use the downhills to my advantage. I felt like I was going a little slower than I should have but was really enjoying the run.

Having ran the course last year I knew that I’d have the wind at my back in kilometers 7 and 8 and kilometer 6 was slightly downhill. This was in the back of my mind and the plan worked.  Looking back, I went through 5K very comfortable and could finished with a 3.15 and 3.10 for the last 2 kilometers. I was chasing down runners in the last part of the race. It such an enjoyable experience to still be feeling strong going into the last few minutes.

Karol was first home for the club in 26.58, 27.15 for myself.  I must appologise to the other Sportsworlders as full results are available on Red Tag Timing which sadly has crashed at the present time. Congrats to Gary, Adam, Maura and Deirdre on theur runs. Myself and Deirdre Picked up 2nd M40 prizes, Karol 1st M40 and Maura 6th overall. Special credit to Adam for just squeezing into the top 100 and making a new friend ‘Dave Mahon’ the whippet architect who finished 5th (pictured below with his blone streaks).

A fun night was had in Monroe’s with the 7 PM start being ideal for some craic afterwards. It was great to hang out with the GCH race comitee and compliment them on a job really well done. With the Sportsworld contingent having missed the prize giving sound local lady ‘race photographer’ Caoimhe Daniels stood in and made the presentation over pints of Connemara and shots of Tequila. Sadly no training will be done for the next week.

This is a genuinely great race with an atmosphere you just cant get in a Dublin race. Give it a go next year and stay the night. There was time for brunch at ArdBia at Nimmos and a quick plunge at Salthill before the tired trip home. Looking forward to the 10 mile next weekend already. The City of Tribes is my kinda town.

In Galway’s lively streets I stride, where culture and history coincide.
Cobbled lanes and vibrant hues, Echoes of tales from different views.
From Eyre Square to the waterside, Past ancient walls where stories reside.
With every step, a journey anew, Running the streets, a dream pursued.
Past Shop Street’s bustling, lively tide, I’d race, with dreams and hopes as my guide,
The Claddagh’s ring, a promise to confide, Love’s eternal dance, forever side by side.
Through Munroe’s charming grace, where buskers’ melodies interlace,
I run, a free spirit unconfined, In Galway’s heart, my tequila face aligned.
Galway’s energy ignites my feet, as laughter and music gently meet,
In this city where dreams take flight, I run the streets, with pure delight.