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Meet The Runner Darina Hynes

Full Name

Darina Hynes

When did you join Sportsworld?

26 Feb 2020!

Where do you work?

Work for a Contract Research Organisation (XenoTech LLC). My role involves managing preclinical drug development projects.

What is your favourite club session?

Hills and sprints

What is your favourite race distance?

5km.

What is your favourite meal before a big race?

Porridge with kiwi, peanut butter and raspberries plus lots of coffee!!

My favourite place to train –

Bushy park.

What’s your favourite race?

10km mini marathon.

What is your target for the next year?

Sub 50 mins for the mini marathon.

What international events have you ran?

None unfortunately but my dream is to run the Berlin marathon.

Where’s the most interesting place you have run?

Running along Lake Constance on the German side.

Where’s the most interesting place you’ve been? (Doesn’t have to be running related)

I lived in Japan for nearly 4 years and my favourite place to visit was Sapporo for the annual snow festival, the massive ice sculptures were amazing especially all lit up at night.

 

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

(hobbies/past times) Baking especially for the Sportsworld cake sale!!!

How/When did you start your adventure with running?

After my twin daughters were born, I initially did a few running classes before joining Sportsworld in 2020.

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

Rathfarnham 5K PB was 00:23:36.

150 parkruns, mainly at Tymon parkrun.

What is your biggest non-running related achievement?

Having my twin daughters.

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

I run 3-4 times a week. 2 club sessions, parkrun or track in the summer and maybe a Monday run. Weekly mileage: 30km.

What motivates you?

Running or otherwise. To keep fit and healthy.

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

Running with and meeting inspiring people from all generations.

What made you join a Running Club?

Clare Finnegan persuaded me to join and I haven’t looked back since. Thank you Clare, I don’t know what I would have done without you giving me that friendly encouragement.

Why is running important to you?

Screen free time and having races to aim for.

Is there anything you would like to see more of or less of at the Club?

More stretching and cake sales!!

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

Emily’s passion for XC really inspires me and the Raheny XC was definitely a highlight in my running year to date. Myles really encourages you at the sessions and always remembers your name. Thank you both for all your dedication and encouragement to the club. I always remember Ann-Marie was one of the first people I met and really explained things to me at my first session including don’t forget your Hi-Vis!

Do you do any cross training / other sports on a regular basis?

Pilates and cycling my twins to school

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

On my first weekend in Japan, I had to sing “My Heart Will Go On” from the Titanic by Celine Dion, I wasn’t asked again!!!!

Women’s Cross Country League: Race 2– Tymon Park 22nd January 2023

by Tara Burke

Race 2 of the Meet & Train league was held last Sunday hosted by our own Sportsworld along with Brothers Pearse in Tymon Park. There were some mixed emotions pre-race with some runners still scarred from Avondale the previous week while others were enthused with their new spikes to test run, (myself included). The race was run over 2 miles with 2 laps of 3 fields making up the course.  There were some slight inclines, a few mucky patches, and some mats covering the pathway along the way, to keep things interesting.

Sportsworld had 24 ladies making up 5 of the 29 teams competing with all runners pulling out a great performance. Aoife Carroll again going for gold and completing the course in a brilliant time of 12:15, leading the A team to the top of the leader board with just 2 races left to run. A referee was needed at the finish line on one or two occasions but the pro-marshals of Sportsworld kept things under control.

Post-Race Faces : Aoife, Amanda and race reporter Tara (no wonder there were referrees needed)

It was great to have so much support on the course with all of the Sportsworld marshals cheering us on and taking some great action shots. All of the support spurred on great results from each of the runners. The post- race analysis was enjoyed alongside some lovely refreshments supplied by Brother Pearse in Faughs GAA club, where Amanda and Browyn were each awarded one of the elusive spot prizes.

A special mention to everyone that was involved in organizing the event, setting out the course, and filling the very many rabbit holes (a first for Meet & Train!), it was a great event enjoyed by everyone that took part which wouldn’t have been made possible without that effort. Looking forward to seeing how the next 2 races unfold!

 

Meet The Runner Stephan de Vries

Full Name

Stephan Johannes Herman de Vries (second and third name after my grandfathers, give the pronunciation a go!)

When did you join Sportsworld?

I believe it was August 2021

Where do you work?

I work for Compass Ireland, overseeing and managing the food programme within Google. Very good fun and fast paced environment!

What is your favourite club session?

Great question, I do love the Tuesday evening intervals although I should do more of the Thursdays and Sunday long runs.

What is your favourite race distance?

Any race that you do well in. I do like a good 5k or 10k course, probably just because they don’t take that many Sunday long runs to be able to finish them. Really enjoyed the track meets over the summers too.

What is your favourite meal before a big race?

Pasta the night before (I’m told I am half Italian as a result of the big amounts of pasta I consume), porridge with honey, banana and crunchy peanut butter in the morning.

My Favourite place to train is Bushy park and the winter variety with Mt. Carmel, along the dodder or the old bank lap are great.

What’s your favourite race?

Tough question, I feel I haven’t done enough races to have an outright winner here. Any race that is flat(ish) is great.

What is your target for the next year?

Sub 40 min 10k, sub 90 half and around 3.15 marathon would be awesome.

What international events have you ran?

Do runs in The Netherlands count..? I ran the Paris Marathon last year.

Where’s the most interesting place you have run?

I used to love adventure races, running up and down Croak Patrick or Mount Errigal is an amazing experience for which you don’t have to travel far. Oh and running down Mt. Kilimanjaro (to descent as fast as possible for more oxygen) was great fun too.

Where’s the most interesting place you’ve been? (Doesn’t have to be running related)

I have been lucky in the sense that I have lived and traveled a good bit. South-Africa has to be one of the absolute highlights. The nature, views, wildness and animals are out of this world. Throw in their history and it is just admiring how happy and hospitable everyone is. Regrettably there are still many issues to resolve in the country. One thing that has always stuck with me is how disadvantaged people celebrate life, birthdays or occasions, just like anyone else and how open they were to share their traditions.

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

Nothing out of the ordinary, catching up with friends, traveling or going to a music gig. Oh and I love food, so anything involving food will do it for me. A good thriller book, sailing or skiing magazine before going to sleep. Unfortunately Ireland isn’t great for skiing and combining sailing with running and everything else is too much to do it regularly.

How/When did you start your adventure with running?

I started after I graduated and started working in a hotel. At that point I realised that years of partying and eating left me with 0 fitness. I did a 2k lap and it took me a long, long time to recover, sprawled out across the floor. Slowly built it up and increased frequency a lot when I moved to Ireland before relapsing for a few years until I joined Sportsworld.

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

5k – 18.56 (BHAA Pfizer 2022), 10k – 41.40 (field of Athenry 2022), Bohermeen Half Marathon 1.36.20, Paris marathon 3.48.08.

What is your biggest non-running related achievement?

Marrying an Irish woman.

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

About 4 times a week, in the end of 2022 probably average around 30km a week so I would like to bring this up to a steady 40 to 50km.

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

What made you join a Running Club? The accountability that you feel that you should go to at least one or two sessions a week, no matter the weather. You always feel better though after the session. And of course in Sportsworld the camaraderie and chats around the sessions with like minded people.

Why is running important to you?

Last year I read ‘What I talk about when I talk about Running’, a pocket size book that summed it up nicely for me; It clears the head and eases the mind and although you may run with others but in the end you only compete against yourself and your own body’s limitations.

Is there anything you would like to see more of or less of at the Club?

The return of ‘meet the runner is great’, I always enjoy reading them and we have so many new people in the club.

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

Emily & Myles who make every session seem like it’s their first time coaching. The amount of passion, joy and dedication is unbelievable. Everyone turning up at every session is inspiring and is what is so great about Sportsworld; it’s so inclusive for all pace levels. I hope to still be running like Trevor is now.

Do you do any cross training / other sports on a regular basis?

Some strength at home but not enough! On a recent ‘calm’ post xc run Michael and Lorna mentioned they are planking daily to increase core strength. So maybe this is something we should incorporate into a session and part of warm up we do a minute plank challenge building up over time. We’ll have to deduct points for Michael’s and Lorna’s headstart

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

I used to work at a lot of weddings as a waiter. This one time the train on the dress was quite long and I stepped on it while at the same time the bride took a step in the other direction… The dress ripped around the waist and all I’ll say, my boss had to call in a good few favours from local tailors who were all off over the weekend to get it fixed!

Leinster Intermediate and Masters Cross County Avondale

We had 4 races in Avondale at the weekend and we have 3 writers covering their races. We had a few first time cross country runners, a number of team and individual cross country medals and some getting their first ever cross country medal.

Yes the hill was that big

Katie Nugent

After a very successful outing for all in the Dublin masters, there was a great buzz in the camp ahead of the Leinster masters and intermediate championships on Sunday last.  Avondale was the venue and a good number of us knew that this meant there would be some hills involved.
We all arrived in good time in Avondale and Lorna, Michael, Amanda and myself went for a walk of the course to see how it looked. Pretty tough!
Masters ladies were up first and another incredible performance by this group coming out with team silver and some individual medals. We then watched some of the masters mens race while doing our strides and trying to stay warm. The guys all ran fantastically well in a fast field and packed well as a team.
We were up next in the intermediate race and with a very small number lining up. However, the race was just as competitive as any other. All teams were from Dublin and there were a number of individuals also entered. Aoife lead us out in another top class and determined display. Her efforts were rewarded with a gold medal on the Dublin team which was a serious achievement given the strong Dublin showing. Lorna ran an excellent race and kept as close to the top of the pack as possible. It is so great to have Lorna back running so well on these teams and her positivity shines through on every team. I followed Lorna and tried to keep her in sight as I made my way around. I took on board Emily’s advice to get out fast and chase. I actually really enjoyed the run despite how tough it was. The course had a bit of everything with plenty of twists and turns, a slippy downhill, level ground and that hill!! There was so much support which really lifted us all especially in those tough parts. Deirdre and Amanda worked well together putting their marathon fitness to work. Deirdre is probably one of the most consistent sportsworlders and produced another fine run. This was Amanda’s first cross country race and she ran a solid and well paced race. I told her that if she could run that course, she can run any course.
I had a feeling we were in with a shot of a medal. We had packed pretty well and a little later Emily arrived over with our leinster bronze medals!! We had just missed out on silver by one point but I didn’t care. I was just so delighted. This was my first championship medal to win for cross country and probably one that I will cherish the most given how tough cross country can be.
The last race of the day was the intermediate guys. The ground was probably pretty well cut up by this stage. We cheered the guys on while we did our cooldown. Great running by all involved.
A lovely Sunday afternoon was topped off by a trip to Avoca where we fuelled up on good food and sweet treats.
We now have nationals in a few weeks time. I understand the venue for that will be Gowran which is pretty well known to most of us and certainly doesn’t have anything like the hill in Avondale but I’m sure it will still be tough. I really enjoy training around this time of year. There is a real buzz especially at the Saturday morning sessions. Hopefully everyone will stay well and healthy and that we can all put on a good show in Gowran on 12 February.
Paul MacGabhann

Have to admit, I was dreading this race – not helped by much talk of mud and ‘brutal’ hills. With no sign of a hurricane/cancellation and no creative get-out clause, it was all systems go on Sunday morning.

Liam, Anthony and myself travelled together, arriving at the stunning Avondale House venue just as the under-age relays were finishing. Joined by Noel and Bruce, we did a recce of the course. This was a great idea, as it highlighted a few trouble spots, notably the slippery surface at the bottom of the steep downhill stretch. It also allowed us to enjoy the scenery, pain free. A few tactics were discussed along the way, boiling down to ‘just run through the pain’ (source: Anthony). Right, anyone just fancy climbing the viewing tower instead?

Unlike the Dublin XC, the Masters and O50s ran together over 6k ( 2 laps of 3k). The course is a real challenge with a mix of hills and several flat-ish stretches. Mud featured in spots, however, not too bad and helped by the ideal weather conditions. The race started at a fair gallop uphill towards the finish line. My initial thought was, ‘whatever you do, don’t fall here, there are plenty of opportunities out on the course where nobody will see you’. Over the brow of the hill and down into the valley, with 2 short diversions down side sections. The route loops back up towards the starting line for the second lap. My aim was to stay with Anthony and Liam and hang on with them as long as possible. The first lap was straightforward enough and I still felt ok at the 4k mark. From here, I concentrated on my breathing and maintaining a consistent cadence (Liam’s very sound advice). I managed to push on for the next 1.5k…until…the home stretch. Brutal doesn’t do justice to the final 500m of the course – a very steep hill (1st cousin of cliff), followed by a deceptive uphill drag, a short flat stretch and the final mind-bending, leg-wobbling uphill finishing surge. And finish I did, my post-race prone position resembling the course layout (see below).

Well done to all our runners. There were some great performances from the Sportsworld Masters team, especially, Paul O’Beirne, Bruce Campbell, Adam Furlong and Liam Lenehan (Bronze O60s).

Despite my not-well-disguised aversion to XC, I was delighted to complete this race and it was a bonus to run a faster time than the Dublin Masters. Thanks to Anthony and Liam for keeping me going and the good advice, before and during the race. The support from the Sportsworld crew was fantastic (as usual) and really makes a difference when the pressure is on. Thanks also to Myles, Paul and Emily for the pep talks and organising the teams.

Richard McKeon

I have many happy childhood memories from traveling down to Avondale for picnics with my family so I jumped at the opportunity to run in the Men’s Intermediate race. Memory is a funny thing though because I always thought Avondale was flat! Thankfully, I was forewarned this wasn’t the case beforehand. With this knowledge in mind and buoyed by the success of the club in the earlier races Conor, Ben, Timothy, Stephan and I headed down to the start line.

The men’s race was 8km and involved two relatively flat 1km loops, followed by two hilly 3km loops with one particularly steep climb. The flat start encouraged a quick pace and the field spread out before we got onto the longer loops.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect the ground to be like but it was not too soggy in most places. It was definitely much firmer than Tymon was for the Dublin Intermediate race last month which is the only other cross country race I have done. We were told beforehand that some people slipped in one spot during one of the earlier races but there were no repeats in our race.

The race was won in just over 27 minutes by an athlete from Mullingar Harriers. Conor lead home the Sportsworld troops in 24th place with a time of 31:13. He was followed by Ben in 26th place, Timothy in 28th, me in 29th and Stephan in 33rd.

This was the last race of the day so many thanks to Emily, Myles, Paul and everyone else from the club who stayed back and offered words of encouragement to the five of us! It was a big help, especially towards the end. A common refrain was that I should pump my arms so I’ll have to bear this in mind in the future!

Full results from Avondale can be found here

Meet The Runner Amanda Hassett

Full Name

Amanda Hassett

When did you join Sportsworld?

September 2019

Where do you work?

Crumlin Children’s Hospital

What is your favourite club session?

I love a chat so probably the longer runs on Sunday but if I’m looking for a bit of a kick with speed work then maybe the Tuesday sprints.

What is your favourite race distance?

I don’t know if I’ve found my favourite. I’ve been trying them all out over the past year and maybe leaning towards middle distance – 10 mile?

What is your favourite meal before a big race?

I like a morning race so I tend to stick with the reliable oats, banana, and some extra protein.

My Favourite place to train

No specific favourite but definitely like a coastal run. It’s calming if I’m having one of ‘those’ days.

What’s your favourite race?

I was a first timer to the Women’s Mini Marathon last year and the atmosphere there trumps all of the rest.

What is your target for the next year?

To get a little bit faster and hopefully beat some of my times from this year.

What international events have you ran?

I’m a newbie to this but have signed up for Florence half marathon in April!

Where’s the most interesting place you have run?

Probably early morning along the Cliffs of Moher.

Where’s the most interesting place you’ve been? (Doesn’t have to be running related)

Most recently I visited Krakow – between the obvious history in Auschwitz, it had lots of quirky underground restaurants and bars, and Salt Mines which I didn’t know existed!

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

I’m trying to read more, I used to be so good for a few pages at nighttime. I spend most of my free time though catching up with friends and maybe having a cocktail or two.

How/When did you start your adventure with running?

I’ve always played some type of sport so have always been a runner in some shape or form. I ventured in to running a bit more seriously when I joined Ennis Track A.C. when I was 16.

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

Without a doubt it’s Dublin Marathon 2022.

What is your biggest non-running related achievement?

I’m finding this to be such a tough question. It’s hard to trump my running experiences over the past 12 months. However, I’m quite proud of my career as a Speech and Language Therapist and supporting children and their families in the hospital.

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

January is not a good time to answer this question… mileage is low but I will be aiming to get back to minimum 30km per week.

What motivates you? Running or otherwise

My friends are probably my biggest motivators. My friends are quite driven but seem to take it all in their stride. This definitely reflects the mentality of SW too which makes it easy to be part of the club.

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

The comradery when running and accountability to go for a run!

What made you join a Running Club?

I attended a wellness event in 2019 and we filled in diagram of how fulfilled we were in each area of our lives. A very obvious low rating for me – no hobbies! I joined SW the following week.

Why is running important to you?

It helps me to clear my head when stress starts to set in and it’s a good excuse to socialise too.

Is there anything you would like to see more of or less of at the Club?

Nothing major comes to mind. Maybe more bake sales? I missed the one recently and wouldn’t mind a cupcake after training!

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

No one particular person. The marathon runners definitely were an inspirational bunch and for sure helped me to cross the finish line! I also think following Sportsworlders on Strava helps push me to run more and set new targets – hello to all of you who got a new follower after my recent XC endeavours!

Do you do any cross training / other sports on a regular basis?

I give a good attempt at Reformer Pilates but I don’t know if you could count my attendance as regular.

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

Ideally, this time next year I’ll be heading off either to travel or live abroad!

 

Dublin Masters 2023

The 2023 masters cross country championships was held in St. Anne’s Park Raheny on Sunday 8th January 2023 and was hosted by Raheny Shamrocks AC.
There were four separate races starting at 12.30 including over F50/F65/M65, M50, F35 and M35.

A crisp, clear morning greeted all the runners – conditions were optimal. Spikes were still a requirement to give confidence in some mucky patches!
As usual, there was an amazing atmosphere with everyone warming up together and trying out the course ground before the starting line. The course was 4km this year for the F35 ladies with a new layout of one small loop and two larger loops.
Emily gave the F35 ladies some amazing tips and encouragement beforehand; my favourite being “make sure to beat the person in front of you as every person matters for the overall team performance”.

This was my second time running in the Raheny cross country race. I felt more confident this year knowing what to expect.

I was part of the F35 team and ran a steady race playing cat and mouse with “Orla” from Raheny Shamrocks. I was delighted to pass her on the sprint to the finish line always keeping Emily’s tip in the back of my mind.

It was amazing to have all the cheering voices from Sportsworld supporters along the route – it really gave you the extra push to perform better. Myles had his new red jacket on, he just needs to get a Sportsworld crest on it!! Thank you to Ellen and Maria for fueling me with coffee before and after the race

Congratulations to Sportsworld on winning the gold medals for the over 35 ladies team. They are Maria JONES, Nicola LENEHAN, Maura GINTY and Lorna QUINN, the GOLDEN Girls of Sportsworld Such an inspiration to us all and Emily was so proud.

Raheny Shamrocks Kate Purcell won the race overall but Sportsworld did extremely well finishing 4th, 6th, 8th,and 11th positions to take the title away from the host club Raheny Shamrocks.

Raheny Shamrocks were deemed the overall winner as they were the Club that won the most points across all categories and were thus awarded the Pat Hooper Perpetual Cup.

Thank you to Raheny for hosting a great event and looking forward to 2024 already!!!

 

Meet The Runner Adam Furlong

Full Name
Adam Paul Furlong

When did you join Sportsworld?
My current girlfriend, knowing I liked to run, encouraged me to join her at a training session in Bushy during the first summer of Covid when restrictions had eased & you could train in pods at different times. I recall thinking I was a great lad & smashing out sprints (which Martin Doyle is still teaching me to temper) & Coach Emily berating me that I’d gas out. Needless to say, she was right.

Where do you work?
I work in property management, it’s incredibly exciting.

What is your favourite club session?
Summers sessions in Bushy, even though they can be tough, you’re always buzzing after.

What is your favourite race distance?

100m you barely have to breathe & the pain is over quickly. Having said that I’m starting to half enjoy 5ks.

What is your favourite meal before a big race?
It’s an oldie but yoghurt, berries & granola with a slice of toast & of course a coffee.

My Favourite place to train
Probably still Bushy but I’ve only done the 10 miles in the park a handful of times but loved it, I need to just get up early on a Sunday & go.

What’s your favourite race?
Even though I performed horribly, I really enjoyed xc last year purely for the camaraderie & the support on the sidelines but I’d highly recommend the NIA in Abbotstown. It’s a championship track & as a complete amateur, I got such a kick warming up with Mark English & Nick Griggs.

What is your target for the next year?
I know it’s going to be tough but desperate to get sub 40 mins for 10k

What international events have you run?
Well, I completed my first international running challenge in La Santa last November. The running did get in the way a touch but I loved it, 99% sure I’m going this year.

Where’s the most interesting place you have run?
Again it was last year I ran the grand prix circuit in Singapore (it’s a street circuit with the garages & grid a permanent fixture in Marina Bay).

Where’s the most interesting place you’ve been? (Doesn’t have to be running-related)
I’ve been lucky enough to do a bit of travelling & one of the places that stands out for me is Hoi An in Vietnam, the people, the food and the architecture, are stunning. Only last year on the same trip I was in Singapore I went to Borneo & into the Rainforests & up the Kinabatangan River which was mind blowing.

What do you like doing when you don’t run? (hobbies/past times)
I’m fanatical about sport particularly running, obvs, Horse Racing, Rugby & Football. I love live sports so again I’ve been lucky enough to have attended Old Trafford, Elland Road, Villa Park, Wembley, Twickenham, Murrayfield, Millennium Stadium, Aintree & Cheltenham. I also love Music & live gigs & am mad about film.

How/When did you start your adventure with running?
I was a fan of athletics in school but never kept it up until a good pal of mine Andy Maher from Wexford encouraged me about 10 years ago to run the Wexford half with him. I’d say I managed a long run of 12k max beforehand, I hadn’t a clue what I was doing. Halfway through the race (which was about as far as I’d ever ran) I was in absolute bits & ready to pull out but if anyone is familiar with the course after Johnstown Castle you’re in the middle of nowhere so I plugged on with all the hazard lights flashing until Andy came out of nowhere alongside me & coaxed me home. We crossed the line together in 1hr 55mins & the elation I felt after lasted for a week (even though I couldn’t walk) & I was hooked.

Tell us about your PB’s / What is your biggest achievement?
5k 19.32 (Naas Parkrun Dec 2022)
Half Marathon 1.32.02 (Dublin Half Phoenix Park 2022)
Marathon 3.21.13 (Dublin 2022)

My first ever Marathon in Dublin this year is by far & away my biggest running achievement, it was a goal of mine for a long time even having entered & not got a number in previous years.

I can categorically say that a bit like my first half I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but I simply couldn’t have done it without Sportsworld & the support & advice I received.It almost made the 5 months of training & those excruciating last 6 miles worth it.

What is your biggest non-running related achievement?
Convincing Deirdre O’Connell to go out with me

How often do you run / What is your typical weekly mileage?
I hit 90k pw during Marathon training but I’m back down to a sensible for me anyway 50k pw

What would you say is the best thing about being in a Running Club?
It has to be the encouragement, motivation, competition you get from running with likeminded half-crazy masochists.

What made you join a Running Club?
First & foremost it was to complete my goal of running a marathon but I just fell off a cliff running solo & I love running with clubmates.

Why is running important to you?
As Gareth Murran has told me, it’s nearly mental health over physical health although I appreciate the effects of the latter. Regardless of how you’re feeling & how little you want to lace up I have never come in from a run regretting it or not feeling better.

Who is the person in the club who inspires/drives to run better?
It goes without saying Emily & Myles for their dedication, support, advice & devotion but I’d also like to mention Mikey Cunningham & Paul Duffy who carry the same traits. Last year in my first & last intermediate cross country in Meath I was the only runner left on the course & poor old Mikey in an icy wind came out to the far reaches of the course to encourage me home, much respect. I’d also like to mention & she won’t like this but Maura Ginty who whilst living in the wilds of Mayo travels the length & breadth of the country to represent the club.

Do you do any cross training / other sports on a regular basis?
I like to swim & recently joined the gym in UCD for access to their 50m pool.

Tell us something that no one in the club knows about you!?
I’m originally from Kildare & as everyone knows, ahem, we invented the horse & as I grew up within a throwing distance of Naas racecourse, Punchestown & the Curragh the writing was pretty much on the wall. A couple of years ago a very good friend who had been working in Hong Kong set up a syndicate of which I’m a member. The horse’s name I hear you ask, Yafordadoe….which is Cantonese for One for the Road. On his first win in the Curragh Jerry Hannon the commentator exclaimed “Yafordadoe is up for the dough”. We’ve had a few great days out but unfortunately, he’s quite seriously laid up with a ligament issue.

Dublin Intermediate Cross Country Tymon 2022

The 11th of December saw the final race of 2022 for Sportsworld (except for the few who are crazy enough to race over the Christmas holidays…). It was a bitterly cold weekend as Ireland saw its first glimpse of winter snow, but there was nothing that would stop the Dublin Intermediate Championships from going ahead, after all that’s what real cross country is about. I’m sure Teresa Mannion would have urged us not to make any “unnecessary journeys” but, nevertheless, we donned our singlets and ploughed our way through the ice and snow to Tymon Park.

I was hopeful the -3° weather we were having would freeze the ground solid, but unfortunately, my dreams were shattered. As I warmed up with Olive and Katie, I soon realized the snow and mud made for a nice and sludgy course. The women’s 5000m race was up first, which consisted of 3.75 loops of our usual training route.

The ladies took off strong, all keeping tight within the group for the first lap. The second lap saw the group spread out slightly as I tried my best to keep up with leaders of the race. It was a tough pace but the screams from the side-lines was great motivation to keep going, so thanks to all who cheered us on. I managed to keep my position, coming home in 3rd place, receiving my first ever individual medal. Katie, Niamh and Olive also ran a fantastic race with our team finishing in 4th place overall in what was a very tough race.

The men’s race began shortly after. As I cosied up in my winter layers and enjoyed my Squares bar, I watched on as they endured a gruelling 8000m or 6 laps!! There was a lot of talent out on the course, but our men’s team really put it up to them. Paul O’Beirne ran a strong race, placing 10th overall to be the first Sportsworlder across the line in 29:52. Following Paul was Trevor in 16th, Timothy 32nd and Stephen 33rd, which was enough to win the bronze medal for the team. A huge congratulations to the men’s team and also to Richard, John, Brian, Karl, Stephan and Tim who all ran brilliantly.

Finally, I just want to give a special mention to Emily and everyone else who took the time to come out and support, even in the freezing conditions (thanks Gareth for the fab pics too!!). The support was really felt along the course, and I can’t say how much of a difference it makes. Congratulations to all athletes who raced on Sunday, and as this may be the final race report of 2022, well done to everyone on a great year of running. I’m looking forward to seeing what Sportsworld can achieve in 2023!!!

See full list of results below: –

https://www.myrunresults.com/events/dublin_intermediate_xc_championships/4659/results

National Novice XC, Coona, Cork, 2022

Some people think Cork is the true capital of Ireland, the best county in the world and home of pretty much everything that is perfect with Ireland. What it is not is close to Dublin. So on Sunday morning the long trek to Cork began on a freezing cold morning to the National Novice Cross Country in Coona Cork. If your not sure where Coona is, your not alone.(Its beside Fermoy.)

After a quick stop for food on the way down we arrived to a busy field with one Liffey Valley stowaway on board. Luckily unlike Dublin there was no rain or hailstones but the course was ‘soft’ in places.

The ladies race was up first with 4km , 2laps. The top field was a simple sweeping circle but the bottom field had a number of twists and turns leading you to the bottom of the field. You then had to run a 400m climb back up to the top field through the water feature and a thick mucky section before staring the lap again. There was a full girls team for the race and strong race performances but like a lot of ‘Novice’ races the standard in the National Novice is high.

The men’s race was 6km, 3 laps, and like the ladies race there was no slow build up to the race it was a sprint from the start. Paul O Berine is getting getting stronger with each race and with Trevor Sweeney they both made it in to the top 100 which is great going in the National Novice. Olympian gold medalist rower Paul O Donovan only just made it in the top 100 as well just ahead of Trevor. We had enough for 2 teams for the race and I think everyone got something out of the race. A tough course, large running field, high standard and fighting for your position for 6km.

With the races over we cleaned off as best we could and got back on the bus for the trip home. Thanks to Paul and Myles for taking the entire Sunday to go to Cork and back.

Full race results below

https://www.myrunresults.com/events/123ie_national_novice_xc_champs/4699/results

 

La Santa 2022

Dispatch from La Santa – the view from the sideline of the road.

This is a small taster from someone who didn’t actually manage to run the races (i.e. Garrett) intersected with some juicier inside track perspective from one of the runners (i.e… Gareth). As is tradition the latter part is written on the flight home. It sure beats feeling sorry for yourself.

With one or two days left to go in La Santa, the trip can already be deemed another triumph. As always Emily is central to everything and is rightly seen as royalty by the natives here, who honour her by sacrificing their goats (‘ milk) and entertain her with great feats of running four races in four days.

Some highlights that come to mind, are bulleted below.

For those who aren’t familiar with the concept of the La Santa trip, it’s basically a 10ish km road race, a 13ish km running up-and-down volcano race, a 5ish km beach race and a 20kmish “half marathon” in four consecutive days.

Lanzarote is incredibly windy. When added to the warm weather and terrain the races can be challenging. Rivalries build up over the years so the series can be as much about your place as accumulated time.

Each race is preceded and followed by a cocktail of cycling, swimming (lagoon and pool), watersports, scuba-diving (Martina), aqua-jogging (me), stretch-and-relaxing, gym sessions, record-beating plunge pool dips, beer, great food and cocktails! Run hard play hard is certainly the mantra here. Anyway, those highlights…

The ladies’ team won the overall competition, featuring  Shona (who was also 3rd overall lady), Maura “If you come at the king, you best not miss” McGinty (winner of her age category), Ruth and Dee.

The men’s team came third (behind Crusaders in second and the Milton Buzzards), with Conor Keating (age-category winner), Conor Cavanagh, Gareth and the ever-elite Paul Fleming.

Anthony, spurred on by brother and special-guest Sportsworlder Martin, dominated his age-category from start to finish, earning himself the illustrious €15 voucher for the sports shop, which should cover at least one sock.

Garrett (2-TS ) won the inaugural La Santa Go-Karting Grand Prix, surviving a steward’s enquiry for what was deemed a “strong but fair” overtaking manoevre on lap 5 that resulted in Ruth being spun off), and holding off strong challenges from Dave Saunders and Ruth, who could otherwise console themselves with logging the fastest and second-fastest lap times of the day.

Paul O’Beirne had a delightful cameo in the two races he was here for, finishing top-10 in both. Despite pulling out of the Ridge Race with arch issues, Conor Keating underwent a miraculous recovery (with the help of Emily’s wonder-taping and a cocktail of hard-boiled eggs) to finish first Sportsworlder in the next two races (including banging out a 5-minute mile finish on the quicksand of Puerto del Carmen in the 5-ish k).

Most nights on the trip the group will eat together. It’s always a great experience to chat about what’s going on in people’s lives.  A table with  Emily is always a great laugh down memory lane of trips down memory lane.

I’ve missed loads here, so it’s over to Gareth to deliver the main course and just desserts.

Some people may have been having a tough time before coming  due to injury, work or other stresses but  there’s no tonic like a November week in the sun to refresh the batteries.

Like the cross country season, the Lanzarote week helps bring a sense of togetherness to the club.  Great friendships are forged, that last.

2009 was my first challenge at the age of 28. This year it was great to see the younger duo (Conor C and Conor K) pulling hard and leading the way in every race. Neil, Adam and Martin taking up the challenge for the first time was also an impressive sight.  Jose and  Garrett whilst not able to run were incredible support.

As mentioned by double T, the ladies cleaned up.  A strong team lead by the Limerick Marathon flier Shona Keane lit the stage at the Wednesday night awards. The only thing better than their style being their running. Well done Ruth, Deirde, Shona and Ginty.

Having met Ruth at Lanza 2009 and Maura / Shona in 2012  it’s great to see them now outperforming their younger running selves. Trip newbies Martha, Kimbereley and Olive  were great craic and able dancers in the nightclub.

If you can get away (sorry teachers) this is one of the best holidays you’ll have all year. The time slips away like a fine bottle of wine (Lanzarote Sauvignon Blanc).

I ahven’t mentioned much about the running but if you want the low down you can read my 2019 report link below. This year was all about enjoying the experience, recharging the body for a strong season in 2023.

Personally I wanted to thanks Emily for being the best person year in year out. Ronan was a gent with his car service saving me when my bike pedal broke, Dee for fund raising, Elaine Kennedy for her annual 20K pep talk (WhatsApp) and Padraig Looby for keeping in touch a lot (any scandal yet ?). Michael Cunningham was missed, particularly for the ice cream rounds. Most thanks to of all my house mates Adamskey, DeeDee, Keanos and Ginty. You couldn’t ask for a better bunch.

My advice would be to chat with Emily and get your name down for next year, places fill up fast.  I’ll keep going until I’ve done 15 in a row and then asses the situation. Hope to see you there.

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