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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR As we go to press with this issue of Irish Runner we are in the final planning stages for the Irish Runner 5 Mile and Family 2.7K events that take place in the Phoenix Park on Saturday, June 17th. The months are flying by and it seems like only a few weeks ago that it was New Year's Day.
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Super Mum Claire Gibbons McCarthy. Shoes and Apparel courtesy of Skechers Photo: Eóin Noonan
thon.ie
ricity Dublin Race Series and Marathon
OUR TEAM
Editor: Frank Greally/ email: editor@irishrunner.ie Sub Editor: Conor O’Hagan Editorial Assistant: Nick Moloney Photography: Sportsfile.com, Tomas Greally, Donal Glackin, Mark Shearman Contributors: Cathal Dennehy, Feidhlim Kelly, Catherina McKiernan, Gerry Duffy, Jen Feighery, Hannah Nolan, Lindie Naughton, Joe Warne, Asher Senyk, Steven Macklin, John Walshe, Gary O’Hanlon, Nick Moloney Fixtures Listings: Robbie Woodcock Advertising Sales Manager: Jason McChesney, email: jasonmcchesney@ athleticsireland.ie Administration: Roisin Horgan and Robbie Woodcock. Accounts: John Holian and Roisin Horgan Published by: Athletics Ireland Enterprises Ltd, Unit 19 Northwood Business Campus, Santry, Dublin 9. Telephone: (01) 886 99 33 Designed by: 360 Design Printed by: Boylan Print
contributors. Feidhlim Kelly Assistant Editor
Steven Macklin Training Consultant
Hannah Nolan Training Advice for Beginners
Catherina McKiernan Columnist
Cathal Dennehy Features writer
Nick Moloney Feature Writer
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We are looking forward to a great day in the Phoenix Park on June 17th and it is time to make one final Big Request to Irish Runner readers to support this year's event. This is the 15th Anniversary of the Irish Runner 5 Mile and we aim to make it special. The addition of the 2.7K Family Event should also give parents and grandparents an opportunity to walk, jog or run with the younger generation. We are now entering the high season for road racing and there is an abundance of events listed in our fixtures which take you through to the end of August. We would like to encourage runners to support events that have an Athletics Ireland Permit and also offer good value for the entry fee. It's also time for training preparation to begin for the SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon and this issue includes David Carrie tried and trusted 22-week marathon training schedules for this year's Dublin event, which is expected to quickly sell out. Of course, not every runner wants to run a marathon and also included in the issue is a Merits Of The Mile feature by Sierra Willis. We felt this this feature was thought-provoking and it ties in well with the Irish Runner Paced Miles Promotions that have been ongoing every month this year. The Irish Runner Paced Miles Promotions have now moved from the track at ALSAA, Dublin Airport to the Phoenix Park and Irish Runner, Athletics Ireland and the OPW will be hosting FREE to Enter Paced Miles on Chesterfield Avenue in June, (25th) July (16th) and August (6th) It's thirty-five years this summer since Ray Flynn set that sub-3:50 Irish Record in the Dream Mile in Oslo and it looks like his record will not be beaten anytime soon. In the year that he celebrates his 60th birthday, it is appropriate that we include a feature on the Longford native in this issue. There is the promise of some great running days ahead over the summer and there is no better way to celebrate our Gift of Days and Joy of Living than to lace up the trainers and go for a run. See you all at the Irish Runner 5 Mile in the Phoenix Park on Saturday, June 17th! Frank Greally Editor editor@irishrunner.ie
IRISH RUNNER MAGAZINE
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Contents
KEEP UP TO SPEED WITH ALL THE RUNNING NEWS - www.irishrunner.com
4. Heavenly Trails
30. Half Marathon Training
58. Ray's Enduring Mile Record
Glenbarrow, Slieve Bloom, Co Laois. Photo: Donal Glackin
The smart way to train for the half the Classic Distance
6. Startlines
32. Coach In Focus
Frank Greally profiles Ray Flynn, whose Irish Mile record still stands after 35 years
News, nutrition, tips and facts from the world of running
James Nolan brings a wealth of experience to the athletes he coaches
12. Up and Running News roundup from the Running Community 18. Catherina McKiernan Tips for safe running in the sun 20. Motivation Make running a family affair, writes Killian Byrne 22. Fitness Q & A Hannah Nolan answers a variety of reader's questions 24. Wellness Jen Feighery on how to spice up your training 26. Nutrition Resident Nutritionist Sharon Madigan on why right and wrong nutrition is hard to define 28. Physio Clinic Chartered Physiotherapist Orla Crosse on overuse injuries
34. Training Coach Steve Macklin shares lessons he has learned in his coaching career 36. Juniors Jodie McCann of Dundrum South Dublin AC is the young athlete in focus 40. Cover Story Mother of All Marathons Cathal Dennehy meets Super Mum Claire Gibbons McCarthy, who will soon run in the Marathon at the World Championships in London 44. Marathon Schedules David Carrie outlines his tried and trusted 22 week marathon training programme leading up to Dublin in October 50. Challenge Of The Mile Cathal Dennehy introduces a 12 Page Focus on The Mile as the perfect racing distance
64. Records Cathal Dennehy casts a cold eye on the recent sub-two hour marathon attempt 66. Day In The Life Marathon runner, school teacher and coach Sean Hehir tells us how he fills his days 68. Trails Ju Ju Jay reports from the Transvulcania 74km Trail Run 70. Faces From The Races The Streets of Dublin 5K is the race in focus 72. Fixtures Complete fixtures listings for the summer months 80. Home Straight A trip to the Boston Marathon triggers memories for Frank Greally
HEAVENLY TRAILS
GLENBARROW SLIEVE BLOOM CO LAOIS
This 5K loop in the Slieve Bloom is spectacular, bringing you through ancient woodlands along the river flowing through the Glenbarrow Valley. The woodland trail offers a beautiful trail for runners at all levels, although it can become quite slippy following rain; appropriate footwear is advised.
PHOTO: DONAL GLACKIN
Startlines EXERCISE IN A PILL? Scientists at California’s Salk Institute
FEET FIRST INTO SUMMER By Peter Winner, runnerpitstop.com
In running, the most used part of our body is our feet; we can’t run without them. In almost 30 years experience of looking after feet I’ve observed that most injuries are caused by neglected and ignored feet – neglected feet are not functioning as they should, causing other body injuries and pain. The most common foot injuries are: Blisters, Corns and Ingrown Nails All those injuries play a major rule in other injuries, such as: plantar fasciitis, calf and IT band injuries, knee and hip pain, lower back, shoulders and neck pain, head ache and disk injuries (caused by bad posture, leaning to one side to protect the injured side). Treating the problem requires finding the cause, not just treating the symptoms. Blisters and Corns are caused by poorly-fitting socks and footwear (also wearing footwear without socks or tights, creating more sweat and friction inside the footwear, leading to a risk 06
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of ankle injury because inside the footwear it’s slippery), also creating a breeding environment for bacteria, germs and fungus. Ingrown Nails are caused by cutting toenails too short or too straight, wearing narrow, too small, too big or poor-fitting shoes. To avoid and reduce these injuries, pay more attention to your feet; give them more care – it will pay you back several times over. More attention and care means on a daily basis, not just washing your feet, but also exfoliating, removing excess callus with a pumice stone or the other tools available on the market, adjusting nail length weekly by filing or trimming (using scissors, not clippers), moisturising every day (using wherever possible natural products – not Vaseline, which creates a barrier around the skin), sanitising your shoes every time you take them off. Walk barefoot regularly on grass or sand, rotate your footwear during the day – especially if you wear high heels or safety boots. Visit a foot clinic regularly (between 4 and 6 week intervals), for a proper foot treatment. www.runnerpitstop.com Tel: 089 967 8596
appear to have mimicked the beneficial effects of exercise, including increased fat burning and stamina. in sedentary mice with a chemical compound, offering people with heart conditions, pulmonary disease, type 2 diabetes or other health limitations the hope of achieving those benefits pharmacologically. "It's well known that people can improve their aerobic endurance through training," says senior author Ronald Evans, "The question for us was: how does endurance work? And if we really understand the science, can we replace training with a drug?" By activating a gene called PPAR delta (PPARD) with a chemical compound called GW1516, genetically engineered mice became long-distance runners resistant to weight gain and highly responsive to insulin – qualities associated with physical fitness. Mice in the control group could run about 160 minutes before exhaustion. Mice on the drug, however, could run about 270 minutes -- about 70 percent longer. "Exercise activates PPARD, but we're showing that you can do the same thing without mechanical training. It means you can improve endurance to the equivalent level as someone in training, without all of the physical effort," said Weiwei Fan, a Salk research associate.
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STARTLINES
WORK HARD, PLAY HARD, LIVE LONG DESPITE THE BEST EFFORTS of science and commerce, a cure for ageing remains firmly in the realm of the future. But in the meantime, research at Brigham Young University suggests that high levels of physical activity may significantly slow ageing at the cellular level. The study, published in the medical journal Preventive Medicine, finds that people who have consistently high levels of physical activity have significantly longer telomeres than those who have sedentary lifestyles, as well as those who are moderately active. Telomeres are a component of chromosomes that shorten each time a cell replicates. The older we get, the shorter our telomeres. The Brigham Young study found that adults with high physical activity levels have telomeres with a biological aging advantage of nine years over those who are sedentary, and a seven-year advantage compared to those who are moderately active. High activity was defined as 30 minutes of jogging per day for women and 40 minutes for men, five days a week. Surprisingly, there was no significant difference in telomere length between those with low or moderate physical activity and sedentary people.
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Latin Lesson
Achilles Tendinitis Achilles Tendinitis (aka tendonitis) is a term that commonly refers to an inflammation of the Achilles tendon or its covering. It is an overuse injury common especially to runners and jumpers, due to repetitive action. The term Achilles tendinopathy is also commonly used to include both inflammation and micro-tears. Tendons are the tough fibres that connect muscle to bone. Most tendon injuries occur near joints, such as the shoulder, elbow, knee, and ankle, usually the result of many tiny tears to the tendon that have happened over time.
The Achilles tendon connects the two major calf muscles to the back of the heel. Under too much stress, the tendon tightens and becomes irritated (tendinitis). It accounts for an estimated 11 percent of all running injuries.
Beetroot is Back IT NEVER REALLY WENT AWAY, but beetroot is back in the nutrition headlines; a new study finds that beetrootderived dietary nitrate – a compound that dilates blood vessels to decrease blood pressure – may reduce overstimulation of the sympathetic nervous system that occurs with heart disease. The research team looked specifically at beetroot juice, a source of dietary nitrate, to explore its use as a future targeted treatment option for people with cardiovascular disease. The study, published in the American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology, found that muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) burst rate, denoting the frequency of nerve activity, was lower when volunteers drank beetroot juice compared to when they drank a placebo. Sympathetic nerve activity increases with some forms of cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure and heart failure. IRISH RUNNER MAGAZINE
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STARTLINES
DAVID GILLICK'S RECIPE Beetroot, Avocado and Quinoa Salad
SUMMER IS APPROACHING, which means sunny lunches and long, bright evenings. With plenty of events on the horizon for all levels including over 35,000 women pounding the streets of Dublin in the VHI Women's Mini Marathon on June 5th, it’s important to compliment good training with good food. So if getting your training done at lunch time is an option, why not make this quick and easy salad to recharge the batteries for the afternoon ahead. Make it fresh or pop it in a lunch box and have it to hand as you change from running kit to office attire. This salad is packed with plenty of colourful vegetables to boost your immune system and keep you on track to achieving your running goals! Serves 2 Ingredients 100 grams of quinoa 2 medium cooked beetroots, sliced into thin strips 1 small handful of roughly chopped fresh coriander 400g tin no-added-salt chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 spring onions, sliced into thin strips Handful of chopped mint 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds 1 small ripe avocado, sliced into thin strips Juice of 1 lemon 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp. olive oil Tip – increase the protein content by adding some sliced freshly cooked chicken or turkey breast to the dish. Method Place the quinoa in a saucepan and cover with boiling water; you will need about twice as much water as quinoa. Put a lid on the saucepan and bring to boil and allow to simmer. The quinoa is ready when all the water has been absorbed. Set aside and allow to cool. In a bowl, combine the coriander, chickpeas, spring onions, beetroot, avocado and pumpkin seeds along with the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Add the quinoa and gently mix. Transfer to serving plates and top with chopped mint.
FISH OIL FACTS FATS have been given a bad rap but the thing to remember is that this nutrient is an important part of a balanced diet. There are three main types of fats coming from saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated sources. The advice would be to keep the first category of fats to a minimum as they are the fat’s that have been linked with chronic diseases such as heart disease. The polyunsaturated fats can be further categorised into omega-3 and omega-6 fats. In terms of omega-6 the main sources are foods such as vegetable oils which tend to be present in many foods particularly those that are processed so we need to not be in short supply of those. Omega 3 fats on the other hand are present in foods such as oily fish, nuts and seeds, avocado and we tend not to eat as much of these types of foods. As well as being linked to good health through its potential effects on reducing inflammation, omega 3 foods and supplementation have reached the world of sport nutrition, where the majority of athletes rely on nutrition strategies to improve their training and performance. A number of research studies have assessed the effects of omega-3 PUFA supplementation on muscle damage, inflammation, and metabolism during exercise, only a few have evaluated the impact of omega-3 PUFA supplementation on exercise performance. It has been suggested that for most athletes, ingesting approximately 1–2 g/day of EPA and DHA at a ratio of EPA to DHA of 2:1 would be beneficial in counteracting exercise-induced inflammation and for the overall health of an athlete.
Tips Try and include oily fish once to twice a week. Mackerel, salmon, trout, sardines are all good examples that can be incorporated into meals and snacks. Include other foods such as nuts, seeds and avocados to increase amounts and add variety. If you are not fond of fish or eat it infrequently the addition of an omega-3 supplement may be of benefit.
Sharon Madigan 08
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*When compared to standard concentrates. +EPA and DHA contribute to maintenance of normal brain and heart function and normal vision, beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250mg of EPA and DHA. Food supplements should not be used instead of a varied balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. SolgarÂŽ is a registered trademark.
STARTLINES
Handmade by Robots – just for you SHOE MANUFACTURER Salomon has announced a new method of manufacturing that will allow the brand to make fully customised running shoes for the general public. Salomon says that the S/LAB ME:sh footwear will require just 30 mechanical and manual operations to build, compared to the approximately 180 it currently takes to create a running shoe using normal production methods. It also uses fewer components: 12, against the current average of 50, reducing the waste associated with
production and the carbon footprint imposed by the distribution process, Salomon claims. From June 1, the custom shoes will be available in one of eight retailers across France, and one in Belgium. Consumers can visit the shops to be fitted for and choose the design. Salomon will build the S/LAB ME:sh footwear robotically in a nearby facility. The first manufacturing site for the S/LAB ME:sh is in Annecy, France, and Salomon plans to offer the shoes in the U.S. and other markets in the near future. Construction begins with the upper. Made from a socklike knit in 3D, the ‘Twinskin’ takes the shape of a shoe upper. It is then placed in a “fusion machine” and heated. One of the threads in the Twinskin then melts and fuses all three layers, turning the Twinskin into an upper. Then, based on the runner’s biomechanical preferences, Salomon fashions bespoke mid- and outsoles. Upper and lower parts of the shoe are then combined in a manual pairing process.
WHICH SHOE FOR YOU?
What runners should I wear to reduce injury risk? A question I’m asked regularly. IN SHORT, the answer is that the legs are more important than the runners! Putting time and money into buying a great pair of runners is wasted if you haven’t optimised your running technique. Consider lowering your injury risk from the inside out, keeping in mind that the much-talked-about pronation is normal; there is no evidence that over-pronation causes injury, but the rate at which you pronate may be important. There are many different ways to run but there are simple cues that can help you reduce overload and minimise injury. Many of these cues are general, but an experienced Sports Physiotherapist with a special interest in movement efficiency in runners will try to find more subtle training cues that are specific to you.
What can you do at home? Runners need as much symmetry across their body as possible. If you notice you have a tighter calf or a weaker hip flexor on one side, try doing some exercises to stretch or strengthen this area. Better still, see a specialist Physiotherapist who will work with you to identify why that asymmetry is present and treat the root cause. A strengthening program is a valuable addition to your training program. Strengthening appropriate areas will help you to hold good technique when fatigued, increase force production and improve muscle economy. After all that, I do advise patients who simply needed a new pair of runners to go for a neutral support structure and last season’s stock (they’re usually much cheaper!). Orla Crosse
NEW MARATHON RECORD FOR KEITANY KENYA’S MARY KEITANY blasted through the first half of the 37th Virgin Money London Marathon in a scorching 1:06:54, and held on to finish alone on The Mall in 2:17:01 – now the pending IAAF world record for an all-women’s marathon. Her performance broke Paula Radcliffe’s previous all-women’s
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mark of 2:17:42 set in 2005 by 41 seconds, though Radcliffe’s 2:15:25 time set in 2003 still stands as the women’s world record in the marathon in a mixed gender race. Keitany’s time is also the second fastest women’s marathon of all-time in a mixed gender race.
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UpRUNNING and OLD BUT GOLD Is Liam Fenelon the oldest Road Race Organiser in Ireland? If he’s not, we suspect that he is probably the fittest Race Director for his age and he is quick out of the traps again promoting this year’s Pat The Baker Longford Marathon, which takes place on Sunday, August 27. This is the year that the popular Longford Festival of Running turns sweet 16 – a special reason for celebration. And there will be another reason to celebrate for Liam and his family when the popular Longford man receives a Special Award on June 15th in recognition of his running and fundraising efforts over many years. At age 75, Liam is still a bundle of energy as he showed recently when completing two marathons; Belfast and Omagh – in the space of five days. His hopes to complete marathon number 309 in Cork on the June Bank Holiday weekend and he has several more marathons at home and abroad on his to-do list. Liam has a marathon personal best time of 3:09, set in Dublin during the early days of his running career at age 42. When he launched the inaugural Longford Marathon sixteen years ago, Liam scarcely thought that the event would become as popular and so well supported. The Pat The Baker Longford Marathon has its own special atmosphere and in Longford the runner always comes first. Over the years the Longford Marathon has raised well over €200,000 for the local St Christopher’s School and over €100,000 for the kidney dialysis unit at Cavan Hospital. “It’s nice to be able to give something back to your community and a bit further afield too,“ Liam said. Entries are already flowing in for all events in the Pat The Baker Longford Marathon promotion. Happy Sweet Sixteen in advance to Liam and all the crew.
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MONDELLO’S
WINNING FORMULA Mondello Marathon, Half-Marathon and 10K – September 3rd – Mondello Park
After the success of last year’s Half Marathon and 10K run, Mondello Park are delighted to be running both again – as well as a full marathon on the Mondello Park track. John Coghlan was on hand to launch this year’s event after he took home first prize in the Half Marathon in 2016. The circuit, which is 3.5km long, will act as the route for all taking part, which will be ideal for those looking to pace themselves, set personal bests or prepare for the Dublin Marathon, which is seven weeks later. In fact, the feedback from the event in 2016 is that it’s an ideal venue for long distance running as it’s on a closed road, with a smooth running surface, on-site parking and facilities as well as having the unique benefit of allowing friends and family cheer you on and follow your progress.
The circuit may seem like an easy run, but it’s only when you get out and see the various dips, climbs and hills on the track that the challenge truly presents itself. But, if you come home in first place, you have the bragging rights, to say you and famous race car driver Ayrton Senna have something in common – winning a race on the famous Mondello Park track. Last year, runners also received inspiration from The Stig, as he helped to keep runners hydrated. Water stations are provided throughout the run as well as T-shirts, goodie bags and medals for all taking part. There will be prizes, including cash for 1st, 2nd & 3rd in both the Male and Female categories of the Full and Half Marathon, with the first home in the Male and Female categories of the 10K receiving prizes. Stay tuned for more information. The number of participants across all events is restricted to 600 and with early bird entry available, people are advised to sign up early to avoid disappointment
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UpRUNNING and WALKERS STRIKE GOLD Pic Caption: The Ireland Race Walking Team, including from second left, Robert Heffernan, Alex Wright and Cian McManamon who won bronze in the men's team 20km at The European Race Walking Cup in Podebrady, Czech Republic. Photo by Seb Daly/ Sportsfile
YOUNG TALENT MASTERCLASS
Some of Ireland’s brightest young talent converged upon the Sport Ireland National Sports Campus last month for the Bank of Ireland Talent ID Programme Masterclass.
The nationwide search to identify talented students with athletic potential in secondary schools started earlier this year. Development Officers from Athletics Ireland visited secondary schools around the country, where approximately 1,000 students participated, undergoing a matrix of specialised tests to determine untapped athletic ability with the top 10 students from each school going on to attend the Masterclass in the state-of-the-art National Indoor Arena at the National Sports Campus. The Irish men created history at the European Race Walking Cup by winning team bronze medals over 20km in Podebrady, Czech Republic on May 21. Ireland landed bronze behind Spain and Germany who won gold and silver respectively. The race was won by Germany’s Christopher Limk in 1:19:28. Alex Wright (Leevale) led the team home in 6th in 1:21:48 with Robert Heffernan (Togher) 13th in 1:22:40 and Cian McManamon (Westport) 26th in 1:24:03. Earlier in the day Brendan Boyce (Finn Valley) was an agonising fourth in the 50km race walk in 3:49:49; the race was won by Ukraine’s Ivan Banzeruk in 3:38:15. Boyce had been in the
bronze medal position in the final 10km but was unfortunately passed by Italy’s Michele Antonelli for bronze with 3:49:07. In the Junior Women’s 10km Orla O'Connor finished (Waterford) 21st in 51:39 and Niamh O'Connor (Celbridge) finished 27th in 53:29 which saw the team finish ninth. Team manager Patsy McGonagle said: “Irish walkers acquitted themselves admirably here in Podebrady with an historic return from the 20km men digging out a gutsy spirited response. Add a fourth for Brendan Boyce in a medal position and I’m proud of this dedicated bunch. I’m looking forward to the World Championships in London with enthusiasm.
Have Fun, Be Active, Try Athletics!
Entering their fourth year, the Athletics Ireland Summer Camps give children the chance to try a whole range of fun athletics activities such as: sprinting, javelin, hurdles, shot put, long jump, walks, relays and much more. It’s a chance for children to sprint like Phil Healy and jump like Adam McMullen - the camps provide boys and girls with an exciting week of athletics activities! As well as learning new skills, making new friends whilst having lots of fun each child will go home with a T-shirt, spike bag, water bottle, medal and participation certificate. 14
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The programme, which aims to encourage greater participation amongst students in athletics culminated with a masterclass where the 200 top students selected received coaching, advice and tips from sports psychologists, nutritionists and athletes including former European Indoor Championship gold medallist David Gillick, Kerry O’Flaherty, Brian Gregan and Molly Scott. There were 5 iPads for the winners of each category: best boy, best girl, best girls school, best boys school and best mixed school.
The winners were: Best Girl: Ajirioghene Otobo, The High School, Dublin Best Boy: Andrew Burke, St. Michaels College, Dublin Best Girls School: Muckross Park School, Dublin Best Boys School: St. Michaels College, Dubli Best Mixed School: Presentation College Athenry, Galway
Camp Details
Camps are open to children aged 6 - 12 and are priced at €50 for one week with a €10 discount for a second child, each camp begins on a Monday and runs right through to Friday. The Athletics Ireland Summer Camps will be run nationwide, to find out more information about the summer camps log onto
www.athleticsireland.ie/clubs/summercamps
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UpRUNNING and REACHING THEIR PEAKS
REMEMBERING
MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM On Saturday May 20th the running community lost one a lively and much-loved stalwart. Michael Cunningham, known to most as Curley, passed away in Milford Care Centre following illness, writes Tricia Ryan
Karl Henry, Sinead Desmond and a team of brave trekkers take on the Four Peaks Challenge in aid of the Irish Alzheimer Society. The group will climb the four highest peaks in Ireland from the 16th to the 18th June in aid of the Irish Alzheimer Society supported by Allianz
local communities by providing dementia specific services and to continue to advocate for the rights and needs of all people living with dementia.
Operation Transformation’s health and fitness expert, Karl Henry, Ireland AM’s Sinead Desmond and a group of brave employees will take on the Four Peaks Challenge this June (16th to the 18th) in order to raise vital funds for the Irish Alzheimer Society. The team are aiming to raise €50,000 in much needed funds in order to help the charity to continue to support
Commenting on the upcoming Four Peaks Challenge, Karl said “This really is the challenge of a lifetime and one that I am so happy to be involved in supporting the Alzheimer Society with Allianz. We’ve begun our training for taking on the four highest peaks in Ireland and already the dedication by everyone, helping and driving each other is incredible.”
Climbing over 3,559 metres in three days may seem like a daunting task at first but will soon become achievable as the team trains through hard work and dedication with Karl, one of Ireland’s leading Personal Trainers.
There has been a huge outpouring of grief for the Mooreabbey Milers AC athlete who was recognised wherever he went, with his trademark curly locks and green and white headband. Curley, as he was known far and wide, loved to run, loved to race and loved to chat about all things running related. He performed at a consistently high level, often completing three to four races in a week and ending up on the podium for most. What was unique about his achievements was that the distance didn't matter, he could race in a 5K on a Friday, half-marathon on a Saturday and a mountain race on a Sunday, frustrating the life out of those he beat! For the last number of years he was completing over 100 races per year, inspiring others to follow in his stride. Michael Curley was recognised for his contribution to athletics, with a Munster Star Award which he received in 2015. He won numerous international medals in mountain running, most recently a bronze team medal at the World Masters Mountain Running Championships in Wales in 2015. He will be greatly missed by all who were fortunate to know him.
US Fireman Tackles Cork Marathon Watch out for US Fireman Greg MacCurtain at the Cork City Marathon on June 4th. He will be pushing his six-year-old daughter Abby in a specially designed chair and he and Abby will be wearing T-shirts emblazoned with both the American flag and the Irish harp. Six-year-old Abby suffers from Leigh’s disease, a rare, life-limiting, neuro-metabolic disorder that affects the central nervous system, leaving her unable to walk, talk or eat; she must be fed using a feeding tube. Abby’s father Greg’s grand-uncle was Tomas MacCurtain, former Lord Mayor of Cork, so Greg and his wife Heidi, daughter Abby and son Tomas (4) should get a warm welcome in Cork. You can connect with the family through Abby’s Facebook page: friendsofabbymac
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INSPIRATION
Here Comes the Sun Summer is a great time to run. More daylight before and after work means more time to get outside. The exposure to sunlight makes it easy to get your daily dose of vitamin D; we have more energy and the brightness and heat makes running more appealing.
The warmer the weather the more challenging it becomes to adequately cool your body. Whether it is the odd hot day we get here or if you are abroad on holidays you have to change so that you get the most out of yourself when running in hot temperatures. When you run, you get warm because your muscles increase body temperature. As bloodflow is redirected to the surface of your skin, it means less blood is available to your working muscles. The heart is forced to work harder; that's why running feels more uncomfortable and difficult in warm, humid weather. It is not sweating that cools you, but rather the evaporation of the sweat from our skin. As sweat evaporates, we are cooled. Along with higher temperatures, summer weather usually means high humidity. The higher the humidity the harder it is to cool off because the sweat can't evaporate as easily. I remember stepping off the plane in Atlanta for the Olympic Games in 1996 and the heat and humidity hit me in the face. It is lovely to go for an easy run with the sun on your back, but it is another story trying to race in heat and humidity. I ran the 10,000m in the Atlanta Olympics. There were heats and five days later the final took place, so that 18
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Three-time major marathon winner and World No.1.
Catherina McKiernan
meant running 50 laps of the track in total. I went to Atlanta two weeks before the games commenced and this allowed my body to acclimatise to a certain extent but I found it difficult racing in hot and humid conditions. I was more used to the wind and rain beating against my face as I ran up and down the hills at home in Cavan. You become more easily dehydrated in hot and humid conditions, when your fluid levels drop. Hot conditions mean there is less blood available to transport oxygen to the working muscles. This means you can't run as fast or as hard and the effort to maintain or increase your pace increases drastically.
Here are some tips for making your running more comfortable on those hot, sunny days. 1. Avoid running during the hottest time of the day. If this is not possible, plan a shady route like a forest. 2. Wear loose fitting light coloured clothing, like a technical t-shirt. Dark colours attract the heat. Also it is a good idea to wear a breathable hat to keep the sun off your head and face. 3. Consume adequate amounts of water. You want to hydrate effectively. You also want to be careful that you don't over-drink. The more dehydrated you are at the beginning of your training session the more likely you are to experience stomach stress. Try different strategies before your easy runs and a harder long run. Your own experience is your best teacher. 4. Avoid getting sunburned, because injured skin makes it more difficult to sweat, making cooling less efficient. 5. Recovery: Running in hot conditions also hamper recovery as your body needs to spend more
energy on cooling itself, rather than delivering nutrients to tired muscles. You need to know how much more effort a session is taking in hot and humid conditions so you can better monitor fitness and progression. Before and during exercise, rehydration should be your main priority in order to maintain fluid balance. 6. Pre-cooling: some of you more serious runners can get some hand towels and wet them. Place them in the freezer over-night and put them on your head neck and back for 1015 minutes before a race or training session. 7. Blisters: Annoying and painful blisters caused by friction are a result of your shoes or socks rubbing against your skin. Heat and moisture intensify friction by making your feet swell. Rubbing Vaseline on your feet can prevent the friction. Make sure to try this out on a training run first. Know your body's tolerances and adjust running accordingly by shortening your distance. Be realistic and slow your pace. Don't expect to run as fast in the heat as you would in cooler conditions. If you are racing in hot conditions, focus on the elements you can control. You can't change the weather. What you can have an effect on is how you prepare. Eat right, get mentally prepared, strategise your hydration plan and implement some of the above tips. Let's hope these are tips you will be employing both at home and abroad during the summer months.
“It’s lovely to go for an easy run with the sun on your back, but it is another story trying to race in heat and humidity.� JUNE - JULY 2017
For all your HEALTH & WELLNESS NEEDS At SuperValu we have a fantastic range in our Health & Wellness aisles ranging from Free From, Benefit Foods, Vitamins & Supplements to Sports Nutrition. Call in-store and talk to one of our Health & Wellness advisors or visit online for some great Health & Wellness recipes and tips from our ambassador David Gillick.
Healthy Snack PROTEIN BALLS by David Gillick Enjoying healthy snacks on the go can be tricky, so why not spend a few minutes making a batch of protein balls to enjoy out on the road or before you go training. TIP lace To m ix p ients d re g all in ower p in h igh blender.
Makes roughly 8-10 balls Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: none required INGREDIENTS:
METHOD:
50g porridge oats
1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.
30g shredded desiccated coconut, plus extra for coating 10g chocolate or vanillaflavoured whey protein 4 tbsp. good-quality low-sugar peanut butter 2 tbsp honey 1 tbsp cocoa powder
SHOP IN-STORE | ONLINE | MOBILE www.SuperValu.ie
2. Divide into eight equal portions and roll into balls between the palms of your hands. 3. Sprinkle some extra coconut in a shallow bowl and roll the balls in it. Chill until ready to eat. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
MOTIVATION
Killian Byrne
A Family Affair
The active children of today are the healthy adults of tomorrow Before my time on Operation Transformation I could have described my family as a fairly typical Irish family unit. Two adults working, two children in primary school and all of us with no more than a passing interest in any sporting activity. We watched others play, we supported professional teams but the weekends were more likely spent in shopping centres than on the playing field. Things are different five years on, but without Operation Transformation, this change never would have happened – because one of the things I learned on the programme was that the benefits weren’t all about me. I’ve written previously that finding the motivation to exercise is made immeasurably easier when it happens within a group and for many of us there is no better ready-made fitness group than our own family.
Why should we run with our children? The mental and physical benefits of youth sport participation are well known:
It reduces stress and anxiety It improves and builds confidence It boosts brain power It benefits heart health It improves sleep, blood flow and memory It reduces obesity It builds strength and stamina But most importantly, you should do it because it’s fun for both parent and child. I’m on the record as believing the 20
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Saturday morning parkrun with the kids is my most enjoyable run of the week. There is no pressure on times, watches, placings or pace. Just get up, get out and run. Let the kids set the pace and distance; if they want to walk then let them walk, if they want to stop then let them stop – they’ll be more likely to return and try again if there is no pressure. There is no ideal age to start or suitable distance to aim for, but ideally it should be an activity rather than a task and fun rather than a chore. Our school has introduced what they call the ‘K a day’ – taken from the UK ‘Daily Mile’ initiative, where each class is encouraged to get out and walk, jog or run around the school grounds for 15 minutes at any time the teacher decides is appropriate, regardless of the weather. There is no equipment or setup required and the children just get up and go in their uniform, with no changing into tracksuits or gym gear. It is noncompetitive and the teachers have found that children return to the classroom invigorated and ready to learn. The short period in the fresh air every day has seen the children’s fitness levels increase; it supports classroom learning rather than interrupting it and improves confidence, concentration and behaviour. That’s just 15 minutes of activity. But it is regular activity and it is now a routine in the children’s day. The K-a-day is great but we can’t always expect our schools to take on another challenge that should really be a family responsibility. So how do you get today’s children, who are becoming more and more welded to television and computer games, out in the fresh air? Letting them take ownership of the activity is a good start. “Will we jog or cycle to the
park?” “Will we play football or tennis today?” “Will we bring the dog for a walk before or after dinner?” – this allows them to choose an activity of their liking. Sometimes reward is the way to go – “Will we make lunch or get something in the market after parkrun tomorrow?” Rewards don’t have to be calorie-filled treats though. Many established races this summer will offer a family run on the same day; the opportunity to emulate parents in collecting medals and showing them off is a huge incentive for children. They see the numbers, medals
“There is no better readymade fitness group than your own family.”
and rewards you get when running; why not allow them to collect their own? This year’s Irish Runner 5 Mile race has a family fun run on the same day, as does the Great Limerick Run and the Rock & Roll series in the Phoenix Park. Children get to run with their parents and peers in a fun and friendly environment. Of course, there is junior parkrun too, with a course measuring 2K, junior parkrun offers children the opportunity to match their parents in clocking up their own weekly timed runs. Running is good, but any activity is better than none. Roller skates, frisbee, hide and seek in the local forest are just a few things we can look at to introduce activity to our lives. A tennis racquet and ball makes a hitting, catching and throwing game even more fun. Whatever you choose, don’t underestimate your children’s desire to succeed at whatever they do. JUNE - JULY 2017
Finalist in Ireland’s ‘10 Mile of the Year’ Running in Ireland Awards
Roscommon Harriers 4th Annual
10 MILE
ROAD RACE CHIP TIMED Fast flat course
JULY 8TH 2017 RACE STARTS AT 11.30AM
REGISTRATION: Online Entry www.runireland.com www.athleticsireland.ie
ENTRY €25 OVER 18s ONLY. EARLY BIRD €20 Exp May 1st, 2017. FREE technical t-shirt for all participants FREE Medal & Goodie Bag for all participants
NEW FOR 2017 New Improved Course Club Team Event with Prizes
CASH PRIZES
* Male & Female 1st €200 2nd €100 3rd €50
*Other category prizes available on the day
Registration on the day from 9.30 - 11.00 at Hannon’s Hotel, Roscommon PARKING AVAILABLE
Follow us on Facebook Roscommon Harriers 10 Mile Road Race
• AAI Approved • Refreshments Afterwards
QA &
FITNESS
Hannah Nolan answers your training questions I started running last year with a Couch to 5K plan and have been steadily building ever since. Now that the better weather and longer days are coming I’m really focused on building up towards the summer and perhaps doing longer runs; maybe the Race Series (or possibly even the Dublin Marathon!) My problem is that I always seem to struggle early on in my runs, I still nearly always have to walk after a few minutes as my legs feel so heavy and I find it hard to breathe! Once I get going again I am usually fine but the bad starts are knocking me a bit – is there anything I am doing wrong? This is a common problem and one that I find many of my clients also struggle with! The main issue, from both my own clients and also my own point of view, is actually surprisingly simple – and that is simply starting too quickly! Even if your starting pace is the same as your regular pace or even a little slower it is vital to remember that you have gone from a much more rested state to a more exertive one in a matter of seconds. If you have ever used heart rate monitoring you
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Founder & Owner of Why Weight Ireland®, Athletics Ireland Fit4Life Ambassador, hannah@whyweightireland.ie
Hannah Nolan
may notice the trend that as you start any workout you get a sharp increase in heart rate followed by a drop and then an evening out. When you start off, if your heartrate jumps up slightly too quickly it can lead to breathlessness, lactic acid build-up and heaviness in the legs, making it more difficult to bring the rate back down to a more manageable aerobic level. This means that you are being forced to walk a little bit to recover and when you start moving again your heart is able to reach its steady state and allow you to continue. The solution to this simple – start slower! You may even start at a brisk walking pace for one or two minutes, building up into a slow jog for the first kilometre to get the blood pumping and body ready before starting on your run section and tracking your pace.
I have always carried water with me when I’m running, as I know it is important to hydrate. However, now that my pace is improving I find it a little cumbersome to be carrying the bottle around all the time when I am trying to focus on running! I am currently running 5–10K about four times a week, plus one longer run of 8-10 miles. I will be training for a few half marathons over the summer, too. Do I need to be carrying water for all my runs? It is important to remain hydrated, especially during the summer months, but for distances around
the 5 – 10K mark, it shouldn’t usually be necessary. Every day you should aim to stay nicely hydrated, so that going into your usual training runs this pre-hydration will carry you through the run. After the run itself you can then take on board fluid to rehydrate and replace any lost through sweat. For longer runs, again I don’t rely too heavily on lots of fluids unless I am planning to go out for longer than an hour and a half; putting a heavier emphasis on going into the run fully hydrated and on rehydrating after. If you find that you sweat a lot during your runs then you may consider taking on an electrolyte drink rather than plain water, as this will help maintain the balance by replacing any salt lost through sweat. You can get some great tasting tablets now that are calorie-free and just pop into water for your longer runs. With the warmer weather, do make sure you are replacing the fluid lost during your runs. I have mentioned this in a previous Q+A, but a good tip is to weigh yourself before and after your runs. Every pound lost through sweat during exercise = 1 pint of fluid to replace.
I recently completed a 10K race but had barely run half a mile before I was hit by an awful side stitch. I had to walk, which I would never usually do, and even when I got going again I couldn’t shake it for the rest of the run, which left for a fairly unpleasant race and needless to say not a personal best either! I thought I had done everything
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right for this one by eating porridge for breakfast and drinking plenty of water up to the run so I’d be on top form – so it was disappointing when this happened and definitely want to avoid it in future! Do you know of any reason for this happening? It is always disappointing when this happens, as it did to me in a recent duathlon. The pain can be very nasty and really makes moving and breathing very difficult! The most common reason for side stitch is down to nutrition, either food or drinks before running. Cast your mind back; did you do anything different in this race compared to your usual training runs? Sometimes, in being so super-prepared and trying to do everything ‘right’ you may have inadvertently done something unusual. For me, eating too close to my run causes side stitch, and if I drink water or liquid of any kind (even a drop!) in the two hours before a race it happens! It could
be that when you go out for your regular runs you don’t pay as much, or any, thought to being so well fed and hydrated, whereas this time, focusing on those aspects threw a curve ball for your body which reacted by giving you the side stitch! In terms of hydration, for the next event try increasing your fluid intake in the days before the race rather than race day itself. The body takes time to become hydrated, so if you are not well enough hydrated in the hours immediately before the race, lashing a bit of water in at the last minute is unlikely to have any effect (other than sloshing around and causing you trouble). Once you have hydrated nicely in the days prior to the race you can be rest assured you are ready to go. Eat at least 1½ to 2 hours before you run, to ensure adequate time for digestion – and ensure it is more of a filling, carbohydrate-rich snack rather than a large meal.
One of Ireland's leading Fitness Experts.
WELLNESS
Breaking New Ground
By nature we runners are creatures of habit. Everything related to our running; from the shoes we wear to the food we eat and the drinks we drink is regulated by routine. For most runners, routine rules and where we run is no exception. Chances are you are tied to your terrain of choice like a dog on a leash and run the same routes on the same roads every session.
“Running on the road isn't the only way to work on improving race rhythm and speed.” It’s time to break up the boredom and start breaking new ground. Getting off the roads for some of your runs will give your body a much-needed respite from the pounding of the pavement – and the scenery you'll witness along the way will be a great stimulant for your mind. While roads are the most convenient and readily available terrain to run on, they are not the best thing for your body. If possible, find softer surfaces 24
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Jen Feighery
to run on at least once a week. These surfaces will help keep everyday aches and pains to a minimum. You'll recover quicker, strengthen your ankles and develop your lower leg muscles more rapidly. Trail, beach and treadmill running are my favourite soft-surface terrains to train on.
Soft Options
Trail running is fantastic because it makes you use a lot of little stabiliser muscles that you may not necessarily use while running on the road. Trails are also a great way to escape from what can be an otherwise hectic day. They distract your mind and eliminate the sounds of cars and other city noises. Your mind is focused entirely on your surroundings; the trees rustling, the birds singing and beautiful nature going about its business. Trail running takes away a lot of stress from the impact that you normally experience running on harder surfaces. It’s more beneficial for preventing shin splints and ITB syndrome and improves your balance and proprioception (your body’s ability to know where it is in space) – a benefit that carries over into all the other sports and activities you do. Beach running can also have positive effects on your training. This terrain can be a little more challenging on your body in the beginning, so I always recommend to clients who are new to beach running that they start out
running on wet sand close to the shoreline in shoes before transitioning to barefoot sand running. Running on sand without shoes forces the smaller stabiliser muscles in your knees, ankles and feet to work harder. Sand running gives your calves a great workout and can also reduce the risk of shin splints. With each stride on the sand your feet sink a little, forcing your body to expend more energy. Running barefoot on the beach enhances your ability to become a faster and more co-ordinated runner. Not only do barefoot beach runs contribute to a better posture, but they also help to make you more aware of your surroundings. With every step, you feel both your feet and the ground. This type of running allows you to be present with yourself and your environment
Hard Miles
Training on soft surfaces doesn't always make most sense, especially if you’re preparing for a marathon on the road. You will need to get your legs used to harder surfaces and the best way to go about that is to pound the pavements every once in a while. However, running on the road isn't the only way to work on improving race rhythm and speed. Taking your training to the treadmill every so often will do the trick as well. Apart from the impacts being easier on your body, training on the treadmill from time to time allows you to control your pace, increase the incline when necessary and monitor your effort continuously. So regardless of where you normally run, take a break from your regular routine, switch surfaces every so often and take your running where you've never taken it before. As the miles add up, not only will your risk of injury be lower but the fun factor will be that much higher.
Jen Feighery Fitness & Wellness Expert www.jenfeighery.ie
JUNE - JULY 2017
What is ChiRunning? ChiRunning is the world’s leader in teaching safe and efficient, natural running technique to reduce injury and improve personal performance. Our mission is to help you love running forever. Find out more about Catherina’s Chi Running courses
www.catherinamckiernan.com
NUTRITION
CONTEXT IS KING Sharon Madigan, RD, MSc, PhD, RSEN explains that in nutrition, right and wrong can be hard to define
I was reading an article in one of the newspapers last week; the topic was breakfast and whether people should train with or without it. For me there is not a right or a wrong answer to this question, as it’s all about applying the question to an individual and a set of circumstances. That’s why all pieces of nutrition information and research must have context in relation to the individual athlete – even as far as the specific day or phase of training. So if we take the article on breakfast, there is quite a bit of research suggesting that training in a fasted state may help endurance athletes, as it can train your body to use fat as a fuel source, therefore preserving carbohydrate – of which there is significantly less reserve. This can be an advantage in a race situation, leaving you with greater carbohydrate stocks later in the race. There may also be some merit in doing this for those just taking up running, where the primary aim is to lose weight and the session is neither going to be long or very hard. When training at a low intensity, fat is used as a fuel and with no or low circulating levels of carbohydrates this can help with 26
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weight loss. If you only train once or twice a week then this may be less of a problem than if you are doing backto-back sessions on consecutive days. However, a large body of scientific evidence would suggest that proper fuelling pre- any race or long run will ultimately end in better performances for athletes. It reduces the risk of sickness and allows you to train more consistently, which should ensure better performances. It is also important to remember that timing is crucial as it takes time for the muscle fuel stores to be refilled and if you have less than 12 hours between sessions then this can be a problem.
So for me, answering the question of what’s right should always start with: 1. What are you trying to achieve? 2. What is your training week looking like? 3. If I skip breakfast what is the potential benefit or should I start with some other adaptation first? 4. Will the potential return be worth the risk?
And bearing in mind: 1. One size does not fit all. 2. The need to adapt your food and fluid intake to suit either the training day or the training phase. 3. Considering the requirements of your lifestyle that you cannot measure (work, school, college, family life) which also change; you need to fuel these. 4. Whether you train on consecutive days or, on some days, twice a day. In ensuring that you have personalised the information then you can take the information and make it work for you as an athlete and the returns not only will be greater but also much faster.
More can be less! When we think of weight loss we always think cutting down (or completely out) in terms of food and increasing our training or activity. In the main, this will tip the scales towards a reduction, but restricting calories too much – especially when you are training – can backfire in that it can lead to no weight loss and poor training results. Your body needs
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“Small changes are more doable and you will be less likely to feel deprived.” calories (energy) to burn calories or to fuel your metabolism. If you restrict too much or train beyond what you are consuming, then the body clicks into starvation mode. This is when we start to see loss of muscle mass as the body will use this to fuel the necessary day-to-day functions. This will then have a knock-on effect, as muscle is more metabolically active and if you drop muscle mass you drop the ability to lose weight. So the key aim will be to try to achieve a sensible intake. This will make it easier to stick with the changes in the longer term, which is actually what you are looking for. By being overly restrictive it is unlikely that you will be able to maintain these changes in the longer term. Small changes are more doable and you will be less likely to feel deprived. Feelings of deprivation are not good in the long run and will derail even those who are extremely motivated. Review your eating habits and drinking habits (fancy coffee, alcohol, smoothies, juices and soft drinks can all be significant sources of extra calories). Pick the areas where you
think you are happy to compromise and leave in those where you think you would find it harder to change. When you start to see success, you can go back and review these at a later stage. Remember that weight loss on the scales, especially if you have started exercise at the same time, can be slow as you will change your body composition. What you might notice is that your body shape is changing. So don’t get frustrated with the scales not moving immediately. Also remember that as your fitness improves and exercise increases, you may need to increase the amount that you are eating. Be careful, though, that you don’t get carried away and start opting for smoothies or juices that can contain significant numbers of calories. Review your plan every couple of months and if 80% of the time you are doing a good job, then well done! Biscuits, crisps and alcohol just because you have done a good session is not the answer either. Stick with sensible choices such as bagels, oats, greek yoghurt with fruit, and maybe small amounts of the foods that are your go-to treats.
“FOR YEARS I’VE STRUGGLED WITH ARTHRITIS IN MY FOOT. THEN I DISCOVERED JOINT COMPLEX. NOW THERE’S A LOT LESS STIFFNESS IN THE MORNING AND A LOT LESS SWELLING AT THE END OF THE DAY.” PAULA RADCLIFFE
World Record Holder of Women’s Marathon
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PHYSIO
Clinic TROUBLE WITH TENDONS
Orla Crosse is an experienced Chartered Physiotherapist based in Clonmel and Limerick. She has a keen interest in the biomechanics of running and movement efficiency in athletes. Orla’s Sports Performance Yoga classes offer a unique service to athletes with an interest in movement efficiency, resilience and injury prevention. Having recently completed a Masters in Sports and Exercise Medicine in UCC, Orla is passionate about helping people optimise their physical activity levels.
Summer brings about a desire to be outside in the nice weather. What better way to tap into our own natural energy reserve than with some outdoor exercise? Everyone feels better after getting away from the daily grind and out into the daylight, whether it’s a walk, jog, or training session. The evidence is mounting for the positive effects of physical activity on so many aspects of our health and wellbeing. "We know of no single intervention with greater promise than physical exercise to reduce the risk of virtually all chronic diseases simultaneously" - Booth et al 2000 If there was a tablet with this claim attached, would you take it!? Without question, yes! So where’s the catch!? Too much exercise too soon after a period of relative rest and we can get overuse injuries very quickly. But there’s a big difference between feeling delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after a run, and a true overuse injury through overload.
OVERUSE INJURIES ARE COMMON IN THE ATHLETIC POPULATION. THREE OF THE MOST COMMON OVERLOAD AREAS FOR RUNNERS ARE: T he Tendonopathies: Achilles, gluteal, patellar (AKA runner’s knee) and peroneal tendonopathy. Anterior shin pain (AKA shin splints) or worse, stress fractures. Lower back strain 28
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Recognising an overuse injury or the start of an overload is relatively easy. In runners DOMS is generalised in their lower body muscles, e.g. calves, glutes, quads. DOMS will worsen 24-48 hours after exercise but then gradually recede. An overuse injury is in a specific area and may be on one side or both and is related to activity or specific movements.
a few days to let the overuse injury settle) and a graded strengthening exercise for the tendon. Chartered Physiotherapists can identify what exercises will work for you and also help you figure out if any other muscles in the leg such as the hamstrings and gluts need to be strengthened too to help take the overload away from the injured area!
More often than not, tendons rather than muscles develop overuse wear and tear due to a dysfunctional movement pattern, so you would normally feel it closer to the joints. Tendons are strong cords of fibrous collagen tissue attaching a muscle to a bone.
IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE AN OVERUSE INJURY:
AN EXAMPLE OF AN ACHILLES TENDON OVERUSE SCENARIO: Your pain is at the back of your ankle, behind the heel or at the sole of your heel. Recently you’ve increased your hill repeats or speed work or perhaps you’re getting out more than you normally would do. You might notice the pain during the run but more frequently patients tell us they feel their symptoms for the first 5-10 minutes of their exercise and then it eases off and they can continue with activity. It might be achy that night and it’s always stiff and sore getting out of bed the next morning. Easing off with movement throughout the morning. The first reaction is usually to stretch the area, but WAIT, stretching a tendon is not the answer. The treatment is unique for each person but the general rule of thumb is active rest (avoid the aggravating activity (running perhaps) for
Active rest is the initial treatment. This means keep active but take out the sport or activity that is creating your pain. If it’s running, jump on the bike or get in the pool to offload the sore area. If your issue persists despite a few days off, identify the movements that aggravate your pain, whether it’s walking uphill, running 5K or simply getting out of bed in the morning. Write this down and along with a thorough history a Chartered Physiotherapist will be able to work with you to diagnose and manage the issue. To give yourself the best chance of preventing an overuse injury follow a graded exercise programme and always warm up and cool down appropriate to your exercise.
Orla has posted runners’ warm-up and cool-down videos which can be found on YouTube by searching for PERFORMANCE YOGA. Lots more coming over the summer. Get out there and get those endorphins flowing!
JUNE - JULY 2017
Padraig
Keane
Memorial
Race Ballinlough
July 1st
Co. Roscommon
Saturday At 3pm*
Over €1000
10K 5K Lake Loop Route
Village Loop Route
Adults
Adults Under 16s
€ 20
in prize money
€ 15 €5 Ballinlough
facebook / Padraig Keane Memorial Race ballinlough10k@gmail.com *Registration from 12 at Michael Glaveys Community Centre
Start
In aid of: Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust
Finish Glaveys
Ballinlough Village
Lough O’Flynn
N60
& the Ballinlough / Granlahan defibrillator group
10k Lake Loop 5k Village Loop
TRAINING
TrainSmartfora
FasterHalf By MarioFraioli,Competitor.com
You’re in luck: the half is one of the longest race distances that’s also approachable and relatively easy to run fast. Yes, it will take work. Yes, it will be difficult! But it’s manageable—and you can do it. Unlike a marathon, which requires more fuel than your body can store in its muscles, a half marathon is short enough that you don’t have to worry about “hitting the wall” in the final miles. But at 13.1 miles, you can’t fake your way through a half like you can with a shorter race like the 5K distance. Let’s cover three of the “bread and butter” ingredients to every successful half marathon training program. We’ll start with more general guidelines and move to specific workouts. Ingredient #1: The Almighty Long Run Every runner should be doing a weekly long run—no matter what distance you’re training to complete. Long runs build your general endurance so you can run further, complete longer and more intense workouts, and help you maintain faster paces for a longer period of time.
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If you’re a beginner, long runs are even more critical as endurance is the top limiting factor for new runners. During a 12-20 week half-marathon training period, add a mile to your long run every 1-2 weeks but take a ‘recovery week’ every 4-6 weeks where the long run distance dips slightly. Run at least 11 miles during training to ensure you can complete the half marathon comfortably. Advanced runners will want to run significantly more than 13.1 miles during their peak long run – even up to 20 miles. The benefits of long runs are undeniable and the longer you can safely run, the more you can focus on running fast on race day. Ingredient #2: All Hail the Tempo Tempo runs are classic, “bread and butter” workouts for any distance runner. You’ll see runners doing tempos who are training for 5K races and even ultramarathons – they’re that useful! This is because they help push your endurance to new levels. More specifically, they increase your body’s ability to clear lactate from your blood stream, which is a byproduct of hard exercise.
There are quite a few definitions of “tempo”: The pace that you can hold for about an hour (10K to 10-mile race pace for most runners) A “comfortably hard” pace (for those who like to run by perceived effort) The pace that causes your heart rate to reach 85-90 percent of maximum (if you prefer heart-rate monitor training) Beginners can start with tempo intervals which are simply 2-5 minutes at tempo pace with 1-2 minutes of easy running as recovery in between. Aim to complete roughly 15-20 minutes at tempo pace. Advanced runners can skip the recovery running and instead run 3-5 miles, or 20-30 minutes, at tempo pace with no rest. And of course, you’ll want to run a few easy miles before and after any tempo workout to ensure you have a proper warmup and cooldown. Ingredient #3: Specific Workouts Specificity is the golden rule in running: your training must be specific to your goal race. If you’re advanced and want to go after a big half-marathon personal best, racespecific workouts can take your fitness to new levels and help you accomplish more on race day. A half marathon-specific workout closely resembles the race. In its most basic form, you’ll run at half marathon pace for 6-8 miles. Here are two more examples: Two repetitions of 5K at target half marathon pace, with two minutes of easy running as recovery. Finish a long run of 13-18 miles with 3-5 miles at goal half marathon pace (this workout makes you run fast on tired legs, making it even more specific to the race itself).
Workouts like these should be done in the final 4-6 weeks before the goal race. Implement these halfmarathon training sessions into your next program and you’ll reap the rewards: more endurance, higher fitness levels, and most importantly, a faster half marathon! JUNE - JULY 2017
HALF MARATHON | 10K | 5K | FAMILY FUN RUN AAI NATIONAL HALF MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIPS
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FINISH FESTIVAL & CONCERT FEATURING THE RIPTIDE MOVEMENT
RunRocknRollDublin.com
Coachinfocus James Nolan From Junior star to top coach via the Olympics, James Nolan brings a wealth of learning and experience to his multiple roles in the sport Interview by Feidhlim Kelly, Photo: Tomas Greally As one of Ireland’s leading middledistance runners in the nineties and early noughties, James Nolan was flamboyant and colourful, with passionate displays that brought international medals and two Olympic Games. In his professional and coaching career as Head of Paralympic Athletics Ireland and athletics co-ordinator for UCD, Nolan has caught the eye for his attention to detail and no-nonsense approach. "Ireland can be quite conservative in relation to the training, singlemindedness, ruthlessness and dedication that's needed to be an elite athlete. "With good talent, 1:53 for 800m at 15, it took me 10 years of training to make my first Olympic Games. Some athletes I feel want instant results, switching coaches every few months, looking for the magic formula. “The magic formula is sticking with and believing in the training system you are in – training smart and consistently alongside making decisions that prioritise running over family, friends, partners and socialising – and giving feedback to your coach. “Even when you have all these things right, things won’t always go perfectly, because track and field is not an exact science and we are all still learning. “All coaches have different methods. I have been lucky in working with and learning from many coaches over the
years and my philosophy takes bits from all those who have assisted me in the past. “Hugo Smyth was my first proper coach and he instilled the importance of seeing the big picture from a young age; being the best in Ireland is fine but what’s the next step? “A special mention must go to the late Noel Carroll, who provided the opportunity to get involved in elite level athletics and put me on my current path in life. He was like a second father to me and to many other athletes at UCD. “Noel provided opportunity, guidance, daily monitoring and brought me from a good athlete to a World Juniors final, taking my 800m time from 1:53 to 1:47. “Brendan Hackett took over the reins and educated me as to his coaching philosophy. His commitment was exceptional, going to extraordinary lengths to assist me and maximise performance, and personally involving me in the coaching process. “He educated me in how to train, identified my strengths and weaknesses and brought me from good national class runner to a major championship medallist and Olympian. “Jean Verster (one of South Africa’s leading coaches) had a very similar approach to Brendan Hackett, but I now had a group and an environment to excel in. David Burke showed me the importance of testing and a scientific approach to training. “My approach is somewhat scientific
but mainly drawn from experience of working under quality coaches for 25 years and training and racing with some of the best athletes in the world for 13 years. “I would prescribe two or three key sessions per week in a six to seven-day programme, coupled with two strength and conditioning sessions. The effort is hard on session days and very easy on other days, operating off a model of three weeks on and one week recovery at 50% load. “The progression tempo run, running the curve as identified by individual physiological testing, is a cornerstone session year-round. For other sessions, the effort is determined by the time of year and Frank Horwill’s 4-5 second rule, where the pace per 400m will increase as you go up the race distances. So for a two-minute 800m runner the pace is 60 seconds per lap, moving up to the 1500m would be 64, etc. “It’s important to train on grass and trail regularly. Running form is important above all else. If form breaks down, stop, recover and go again; don’t reinforce bad mechanics. “I feel the more sessions the coach can see the better; as much as is possible in Ireland. “In my many athletics roles, Paralympics Ireland, UCD and coach to individuals, I am very focused on seeing a plan through. If a performance target is agreed and set, I will go over and above to assist the athletes in achieving the target.
BACKGROUND: I started running from the age of five, joining the local athletics club in Offaly. I used to travel the two-mile distance to training by foot with my sister, running and walking from one lamppost to the next. It progressed from there to an international career and a lifelong passion. CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: There have been a lot, with multiple international medallists at Paralympic events while also coaching Ciara Everard to a European Indoors final. Helping athletes develop and massively improve has also proved very rewarding. PHILOSOPHY: I would focus on two or three quality sessions per week and the mileage is just filler/recovery runs. As Nic Bideau says, "In Ireland and UK, most do their easy runs too hard and their sessions too easy." It’s important to keep in touch with speed at all times (real speed, acceleration runs and flying 30ms).
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“If form breaks down, stop, recover and go again; don’t reinforce bad mechanics.”
TRAINING
National Junior Endurance Coach and endurance coach education lead for Athletics Ireland.
Steve Macklin
LESSONS LEARNED In the first of a two-part series, National Endurance Coach Steve Macklin looks at some Lessons Learned from an 18-year coaching career thus far. In this issue Steve shares what he’s learned with athletes.
RELATIONSHIPS Connect with your coach, be open and honest, show them a great work ethic, commit to the plan and watch the benefits unfold
ENJOY Enjoy what you do! It is sport and the central tenet of success is enjoying it, being passionate and loving what you do, which is running.
SUCCESS Success in endurance sport is reliant on patience, consistency in training/racing and staying injury/illness free. Do everything you can to make these things happen.
ENDURE Athletes must be prepared for doing the basics right
over and over again and enduring the mundane for long periods of time. Sometimes improvement as
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an endurance runner is not sexy, having the ability to endure the mundane and the repetitive nature of running is fundamental to long term success.
ACCOUNTABILITY Athletes must be accountable for the training/race performances also and especially for their lifestyle choices (Accountability is like rain; we need it but nobody likes getting wet). Normalise excellence and bring your best self to each and every day.
FAILURE Don’t be afraid to fail; this is where we learn. Sometimes a poor workout or race is not always a negative; it's what keeps us grounded. It provides a platform to get better at what we do.
CHAOS Get comfortable with being uncomfortable, get out of your comfort zone. Live on the edge of chaos, this is where the magic happens!
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ATTITUDE
so different types of training work for some and not for others.
It’s about being organised & prepared, punctual, displaying positive body language, resilience, belief, work ethic and bringing your best self to each and every day.
FOUNDATIONS
ADAPT Adaptability is key for athletes; the capacity to adapt to any situation during training or racing. Cultivate this by keeping yourself uncomfortable at times during training.
REFLECT Self-reflection is key for athletes both to foster learning and make improvements going forward. Reflect on your lifestyle choices, your training/racing, your motivation, drive, etc. and make changes where needed.
CHANGE If as an athlete you are not responding positively to a certain type of training, then change it. All athletes have different physiological and psychological make ups,
NEXT ISSUE: LESSONS LEARNED FOR COACHES
Do not neglect the foundations of athletic development at a young age i.e stability, mobility, balance, coordination, agility, speed, strength, skill of running, quality of movement etc. This will put you in a better place to handle a certain amount of volume & intensity at a later stage.
SHORT CUTS There aren’t any for athletes. There will be many road blocks and highs and lows along the journey, but if you are willing to continue on the road to be the best you can be, there are big performances always around the corner with the right dedication and hard work.
BELIEVE Believe in yourself, believe in the plan you have set, believe in your coach, and believe that anything is possible with the right mindset. Take risks and go allin!
JUNIORS
The Real McCann Dundrum South Dublin's Jodie McCann maintained her rise through the ranks with a classy win over 1500m at the Irish Life Health Leinster Schools Track and Field Championships in May. The free-flowing schoolgirl, studying at the Institute of Education, has a qualifying time for the European U20 Championships, while also being more than adept at the piano. Here she tells Feidhlim Kelly how she's kept the rhythm up to this point. Photo: Stephen McCarthy / Sportsfile.com Do you play other sports? In previous years I have played hockey, basketball and gymnastics, but have given them up because of my commitment to running.
Have you any role models? Genevieve Lacaze from Australia, who is a two-time Olympic finalist and Australian record holder and Síofra Clérigh Buttner, who I have known
How did you get involved in athletics? It all started by chance, really. I was doing competitive gymnastics at the time, but at our schools sports day I was entered into about five track events and won them all. The PE teacher suggested that I take up running instead. I was nine years old at the time and have never looked back.
What are your goals for the season and long term? My immediate goal for the season is to make the Irish team for the Under 20s European Championships in Italy. I would also like to win the 1500m in the Schools All Irelands in June. Like many other young athletes, my longterm goal is to represent Ireland in the Olympic Games, but I would also love to represent Ireland in European and World Championships.
What interests do you have outside athletics? Obviously, athletics is my passion, but I also love playing the piano and have just completed my Grade 8 exam. 36
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“Being an athlete gives me amazing opportunities to travel, compete and train with some of the best.”
and admired since I started running at age nine. She is currently running at Villanova University.
What are your favourite things about being an athlete? Being an athlete gives me amazing opportunities to travel, compete and train with some of the best athletes in the country – and at the same time making many great friends.
What’s the hardest thing about being an athlete? Being a competitive athlete has its sacrifices because of the constant juggling of school, study, training and competing, which leaves very little
time for socialising.
What’s your best memory in athletics? I will never forget my first major success in winning the Under 12 All Ireland Cross Country Championships in Sligo in 2011. However, my best memory is qualifying for the Under 20 Euro Cross Team in November last year when I was 16 years old.
What do you think you need to do to progress from a good Junior to a Senior athlete? I expect to be able to increase the volume of my training sessions which would include strength and conditioning workouts, but most importantly train in such a way as to avoid injuries.
What’s your favourite training session? My favourite training session is when I’m training with a group of athletes who are at roughly the same speed/ level as myself.
What’s your hardest session? My hardest session is when I am working 400s on the track at race pace.
Can you give us a typical week of training? I would normally have one rest day every week and two days of easy long running. The other four days are a mixture of tempo, speed work and interval training.
Coach: Clark McCann PBs: 1500m: 4:26.83
JUNE - JULY 2017
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PROMOTION
ADayofSpecial Celebration
Photo by David Conachy. Courtesy of Sunday Independent.
I’mlookingforwardtoagreatdayofcelebrationinthePhoenix ParkonSaturday,June17th whenwehosttheIrishRunner5Mile andFamily2.7KRun,writesFrankGreally This will be the 15th Anniversary running of the Irish Runner 5 Mile and the first year that the event has also featured a Family Run. I hope to meet as many of our readers as is possible on Race Day and to all greet some of the Legends of the Irish Road Running Scene – familiar faces like John Treacy, Jerry Kiernan, Dick Hooper, Catherina McKiernan – just a few of the Olympians who will attend the event as special guests. Noel Berkeley, winner of the inaugural Irish Runner 5 Mile, will also be there and Pauline Curley, who won the women’s race on the same day will also be attendance. There are lots of invites going out to a host of famous Road
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Warriors - many of whom have graced the front covers of Irish Runner. I’m looking myself to the Family 2.7K that will give me a chance to take part in a running event with my grandchildren – Hayleigh Bone and Thomas and Luke Branigan Greally. This event is a great opportunity to participate with the young folks and show them that there is still a lot of energy and passion in this old body. I have one Big Request to make and that is for as many Irish Runner readers as possible to support this year’s Irish Runner 5 Mile & Family 2.7K Promotion in the Phoenix Park. June (June 1st) is
also the month of my birthday, but I will be putting celebrations on hold until race day – a day to express gratitude for my Gift of Days, fulness of health, family and good friends. So let’s all make this a Day Out in the Phoenix Park – a day when we walk, jog or run together and have fun on what I hope will be a bright, sunny day.
There’s still TIME to enter the Irish Runner 5 Mile or the 2.7K Family Run. But don’t delay. Log on to : www.irishrunner.ie/irishrunner-5-mile/ It’s going to be Fun – so just Come and Run!
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save the date!
Souvenir Medal for ALL Finishers in 2.7k Fun Family Run
Souvenir T Shirt for ALL Irish Runner 5 Mile Finishers
IrIshrunner 5 MIle and 2.7K FaMIly Fun run
when: saturday 17th June 2017 @ 10aM For More InFo: www.IrIshrunner.Ie/IrIsh-runner-5-MIle/
PROFILE
Mother
ofall Marathons
Claire McCarthy’s selection for this year’s World Championships is a triumph for talent, persistence – and love of the sport, writes Cathal
Dennehy, Photos by Eóin Noonan and Diarmuid Greene - Sportsfile
It was the news she’d been waiting an eternity to hear. Late last month, Claire McCarthy was at her home in Ballinhassig, Co. Cork, when her husband Martin came through the door. 40
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He’d just received a text which sent his wife scurrying to her laptop to confirm. A facebook message from a friend offered her congratulations, and then she found it, proof there in front of her: she had been picked to represent Ireland at the IAAF World Championships in London. Along with Fionnuala McCormack, McCarthy would be toeing the line in the marathon at the biggest sporting event in the world in 2017. The calls started to arrive; aunts and uncles and friends reaching out to offer their support, the magnitude of her achievement and the event itself slowly starting to sink in for the 40-year-old. “The fear of it all!” she says with a laugh, a few weeks on from that day. “The crowds will be on top of us in London, and that intensity builds your heart rate so I’ll have to start focusing. I’m a bit more mature now, so I like to think I’ll be able to handle it, unlike if this had happened 10 years ago.” McCarthy qualified by clocking a personal best of 2:38:00 at the Berlin Marathon last September; a race, she says, where “everything worked out on the day.”
Stateside In the early days, however, none of this was in her plans – not so much due to a lack of desire on her part as to an apparent lack of talent. “I wouldn’t have even called myself a runner,” she says of her teenage years.
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Nevertheless, she lined up eager and often in underage club races for Leevale AC, going to every corner of Ireland for cross-country races with her older brothers, who she says had far more ability then her. “I had no talent,” she says. “I never got on any Irish teams. My older brother Stephen won a scholarship to Western Kentucky and I was always asked would I want to go, but I thought I wouldn’t be good enough.” While that was true in her school years, enrolling in a post-leaving cert course at North Monastery allowed her ability to develop, and in January 1996 she set off for Kentucky; a new life burgeoning stateside for the next four years. “The first year and a half was tough because it was very hard to settle in,” she recalls, “but I was mollycoddled back in Cork. I went for a summer to Boulder, Colorado to work and train and
was running around with the top American marathoners. That’s when I decided this is what I want. I loved it.” She moved back to Ireland in 2000, a combination of injuries and her mother’s health problems convincing her that it was time to return home. It was there, a year later, that she met the man who would play a pivotal role not only in her running career over the next decade, but also in her life. Martin McCarthy was an international distance runner and fellow member of Leevale AC, and, as Claire recalls, they “clicked straight away.” Though he is now retired from competitive running, he indulges his passion for the sport through coaching, along with being there for his wife at every turn. “He’s been my biggest support,” says Claire, “and he’s taught me everything about running.”
Family McCarthy, like most long-time distance runners, lost her way in the sport for a while, injuries making her fall out of love with the daily grind, but in 2003 she found it again when she went to South Africa for a period of warmweather training with Martin. There they mixed with a host of elites like Mo Farah and Gabriela Szabo. “We got to hang out with all these stars and I just loved that lifestyle,” says McCarthy. In 2004 she had her first child, Hayden and today the McCarthys are a party of six, with the addition of Jordan, 10, Adam, 6, and Alex, 2. Starting a family, with all the demands it placed on her time and energy, proved to be another kick-start to her running routine. “It was that thing where because you can’t have something, you want it more,” she says.
“It’s about having a good relationship with running.” JUNE - JULY 2017
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PROFILE
“I wanted an Irish vest my whole life and when I got my first it was amazing.”
Martin and Claire McCarthy with Children (L to R) Alex, Jordan, Adam and Hayden.
In 2008 McCarthy drifted away from her staple of cross-country to explore her options at longer distances, deciding just five weeks out that she would tackle her first marathon in Barcelona. “I was working hard and with the kids, I had no free time,” she recalls. “I did it off very little training and ran 2:55, not even realising it was an OK time.” The following year she lowered that to 2:48:58 in Dublin and in 2011 fulfilled a lifelong ambition when representing her country for the first time – finishing 43rd at the European Cross Country in Velenje, Slovenia. “I wanted an Irish vest my whole life and when I got my first it was amazing,” she says. “Then everything is worth it – all the bad races and the hard side of running – because there’s a load of people who struggle and it’s hard to take this sport when you’re not getting results or you’re injured.” Approaching 2016, McCarthy rightly believed a tilt at the Olympic standard of 2:45 for the marathon was within her scope, so she targeted London last April, throwing herself into training like never before, despite the obvious difficulties of balancing it with family life. “It’s hard,” she admits. “When you’re out training and you hear
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people will be going for their naps, I don’t have that option, but it’s just a case of getting on with it. It’s not about ‘poor me’. I made the decision that I want to do it.” McCarthy notes that her dedication wouldn’t be possible without the support of her husband and many others, like Martin’s mother, who is always quick to volunteer for babysitting duties, or Jim Aughney, whose support through the Marathon Mission project is credited by McCarthy as the reason she’s still running. Sometimes her biggest challenge is to eke out the time – and the energy – to get in the miles. “The boys are training every night –
running, soccer, GAA – so it’s often hard to squeeze in runs but I’ve a treadmill in the house, which helps,” she says. “The younger boys still wake up in the night, so you could be sleeping four or six hours a night. You’re used to being tired, and maybe that’s good for the marathon. “It can be very hard, and sometimes it’s hard to find the energy, but that’s what I signed up for and at the end of the day, I need my running.”
Silver Lining In the end, McCarthy never made it to Rio, the wheels falling off her qualifying attempt in London last April. “I went out at a ridiculous pace,” she recalls. “I ran at 2:30 pace for the first 10K and got caught
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up in the whole thing. The moment got to me and I lost the plot.”
Berlin was a real shot in the dark – but it suited me.”
McCarthy passed halfway in 78 minutes but by then, she knew her race was run and she eventually stepped off the course just after 20 miles, saving her energy for one last crack a few weeks later in Prague.
This year she has raced sparingly, a second-place finish in the national 10K championships in April being her standout performance, but McCarthy is now settling into the hard training that will take her all the way to the big stage in London in early August.
There, unfortunately, high temperatures derailed her attempt, with McCarthy coming home in 2:42:04 – inside the standard but not quick enough to get among the top three Irish qualifiers. There was a silver lining, however, as she was picked to run for Ireland at the European Championships in Amsterdam, where she revelled in the experience to finish 48th in the half-marathon with 1:16:02. “I loved every minute of it,” she says. Two months on from that, McCarthy toed the line for her third marathon in just five months, and got everything right in Berlin to run 2:38:00. “I would have hoped to run that time in London, but it’s hard to get it right on the day,” she says. “I didn’t have a massive build-up, so
“It’s time now to enjoy it and hopefully run a PB,” she says. “That’s something I’d love to do there – run 2:35 or 2:36. It’ll be head down for the next couple of months, with maybe a halfmarathon at the end of June, but that’ll be it until London.” She will be 41 by the time that rolls around, and though her times indicate that she’s only getting faster, it’s natural to wonder whether she sees many more years of competitive running ahead. “If anyone had told me I would be in this position when I was 35, I’d have laughed,” she says. “Life is so unpredictable, so I can only run for the day that I’m in, but I like to think I’ll be around for another while. Why not?”
“If anyone had told me I would be in this position when I was 35, I’d have laughed.” ClaireMcCarthyon: Running well at 40 It’s about having a good relationship with running. Learning your body is key. You have to know when to stop, when to back off. Those people that do end up running well in their 40s, they’ve learned the way to train that suits them best, along with everything else that goes with it. Nutrition, sleep – it all counts.
Training
Shoes and Apparel courtesy of Skechers
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I’d aim for 80-100 miles a week leading up to a marathon, but I wouldn’t be able to hold 100 for more than 2 weeks. It all depends on my body. I run whatever pace I feel like on the day and if I can’t run on a certain day, then I’m not going to start crying about it. As my coach, Donie Walsh, says: as long as you get the session and long run in each week, you’re grand. It’s old school training and it suits me. IRISH RUNNER MAGAZINE
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MARATHON TRAINING
RUN RELAX ENJOY
THE COUNTDOWN TO THE 2017 SSE AIRTRICITY DUBLIN MARATHON IS UPON US AND IT'S GOING TO BE SPECIAL, WRITES DAVID CARRIE. WHY NOT MAKE THIS YOUR SPECIAL YEAR? Last year’s SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon took place on the Sunday for the first time in its history and proved to be a big hit with all runners and spectators alike. The Friendly Marathon will take place again on a Sunday 29th October Bank Holiday weekend. I made my marathon debut in Dublin 1987, clocking 2:29:53 and have always been associated with the event, either competing or as a volunteer. In fact it’s something I look forward to every year. In 2009 Eugene Coppinger asked me to pace the three-hour group and it was my first time not being competitive, but running to help others achieve their goals. The following year I set up my own Marathon Training Group, Team Carrie, with my wife Aileen in Dunleer in Mid-Louth. The Team has grown exponentially; from 38 runners in 2010 to 54 in 2011, 78 in 2012, 123 in 2013, 154 in 2014, 134 in 2015 and 138 in 2016. To date, everyone has finished the marathon 26.2 miles. For good measure we’ve raised over €320,000 for worthy charities –primarily the Gary Kelly Cancer Support Centre in Drogheda. The runners train specifically every year for the Dublin Marathon and include the SSE Dublin Race series as a vital component in the plan. Although the Irish Runner 5 Mile in the Phoenix Park on June 17th is not part of the Race Series, we
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will still include it as part of our build-up, followed by the Fingal 10K in Swords on July 23rd, the Frank Duffy 10 Mile in Phoenix Park on August 26th and the Dublin Half Marathon on September 23rd at its new venue in Newbridge Demesne, North County Dublin. These races are ideal for short- term goals, building confidence and motivation and also helping to find the pace that will suit best in tackling the classic 26.2 mile distance. When training for a marathon you have to be smart and prepared for what life in general can throw at you. Support from family and friends is vital. To be successful in anything, remember “Preparation is the key element.”. The 22-week schedules that I have designed are suitable for all levels of ability, simple to follow and straight talking. The emphasis is on building gradually, so relax and enjoy. In the last couple of years I have had the privilege of running marathons in London, Berlin, Rotterdam and Boston. I enjoyed every single one and was grateful for the opportunity to travel. But there is no place like home and with Dublin Marathon 2017 marking my 30th anniversary in marathon running, I will enjoy every single second. To all Irish Runner readers and anyone preparing for the 2017 SSE Dublin Marathon, I wish you the very best in your preparation and look forward to joining you on the start line.
“Keep On Running” JUNE - JULY 2017
TriedandTestedMarathonSchedules
The 22 Week Marathon Training Schedules specially tailored by David Carrie have been tried and tested with great success over the past several years by Team Carrie members. There is a Training Schedule to suit runners of all abilities; the key to success is to stick as closely as possible to the schedules and enter the recommended races-using them as stepping stones to the big event in October. We asked some members of Team Carrie who have successfully followed these schedules for some nuggets of advice based on their marathon experience.
Pat Dunne PB 3:16:01 Stick to the schedule that suits you best. The best advice I received from David Carrie was to Train Slow and Race Fast. That might seem to be a simple suggestion but lots of people train too hard at the start of their marathon preparation and pay the price by getting injured. It’s amazing how small things you learn about running can make a big difference.
David Conachy PB 3:48:53 Consistency and a bit of luck were the main factors in my success in getting around the marathon last year. I followed David Carrie’s Training Plan to the letter. It was a great road map and helped to put some discipline on me with my training. The Wednesday night group training with Team Carrie in Dunleer was also very helpful and I would recommend this type of group training at least once a week. Don’t be too hard on yourself. We all live busy lives. You will miss the odd day but don’t beat yourself up about that.
Michelle Campbell PB 4:16:15 My advice is to take it one training run at a time as you follow David Carrie’s Training Plan - a plan that works very well if you stick with it. Follow the schedule as best you can and take heed of the advice. Never fear the training miles: always think that each mile you run is a step closer to achieving your marathon target. My target for 2017 is to complete the Dublin Marathon in under 4 hours. My first marathon in 2011 took me 5 hours and 56 minutes to complete and last year I improved on my personal best to finish in 4:16 in Dublin- following the David Carrie Training Plan all the way.
Pauline Dunne PB 4:18:53 Joining a dedicated marathon training group was a key factor in my success in last year’s Dublin Marathon. By following David Carrie’s well thought-out training schedules I found that I was gradually getting fitter. It takes a lot of patience to follow a specific schedule and you have to believe that the schedule works. The great thing about the David Carrie training schedules is that they have been well tried and tested by members of Team Carrie.
Natalie Kelly PB 4:28:23 The two key factors for me last year were the great support I enjoyed within Team Carrie and also the fact that I ran for a charity that was close to my heart. Running for a charity gave me a reason to keep fighting on the rough days. There will be tough days and there will be pain and tears, when it all seems impossible. But there will be many more days of pride, joy, achievement and amazement at what your body can achieve in 22 weeks. Your body will ache but your heart will swell with pride and it will be well worth it - I promise.
Bernard Harmon PB 4:18 Being part of a lively training group has been very important for me. There is great support in a group and we help to keep each other going - especially on the hard days or when you are injured. It’s all about consistency and making sure not to do too much training, too soon. There can be a great temptation to add on extra training miles when you start to get fitter but the training schedules are there for a purpose. They have been well thought out and tested and if you follow them faithfully, they will deliver.
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CARRIE’S MARATHON TRAINING ADVICE The ultimate Goal in a Marathon 26.2 Miles is to Finish The 22-Week Training plan is tailor-made to incorporate the Irish Runner 5 Mile and Dublin Race Series as stepping stones in the build-up to the Dublin Marathon. 1. Get a full medical check-up from your GP before starting any strenuous exercise. 2. Sign up for the Irish Runner 5 Mile, the SSE Race Series and the Dublin Marathon.
2017 SSE AIRTRICITY DUBLIN RACE SERIES TEAM CARRIE TRAINING PLAN SCHEDULE 1
JOGGERS AND RUNNERS Week 3
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
Mon
Mon
Mon
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Tue
Rest or 4 mile
Tue
Rest or easy 4 mile
Tue
4 mile
Tue
4 mile
Wed
6 mile
Wed
4 mile
Wed
4 mile Time Trial
Wed
6 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Fri Rest
Fri
4 mile
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Sat
Sat
Rest
Sat 1 mile easy 1 mile
Sat 1 mile easy 2 mile
Sun
14 mile
Sun
Sun
1 mile
STARTING 5TH OF JUNE
1 mile
STARTING 12TH OF JUNE
2 mile
Tue Rest
Tue Rest
Tue Rest
Wed
1 mile
Wed
2 mile
Wed
3 mile
Thurs
1 mile
Thurs
1 mile
Thurs
2 mile
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Sat
1 mile
Sat
2 mile
Sat
2.7K
Sun
2 mile
Sun
2 mile
Sun
2 Mile
Saturday 17th June Irish Runner 2.7K Family Fun Run
Week 4
STARTING 19TH OF JUNE
Mon
2 mile
Week 5
STARTING 26TH OF JUNE
Mon
3 Mile
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
3. Remember you are training for a marathon, not a sprint.
Thurs
3 mile
Thurs
2 mile
Thurs
3 mile
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
4. Try out gait analysis and select your correct running shoes.
Sat
3 mile
Sat
3 Mile
Sat
3 mile
Sun
4 mile
Sun Rest or 2 mile recovery
Sun
5 mile
12. Discover the love of running and the feeling of well-being.
Frank Duffy 10 Mile Pheonix Park
Mon Rest
4 mile
STARTING 18TH OF SEPT.
Rest
STARTING 25TH OF SEPT.
Tue
Rest or easy 4 miles
Tue
Rest or easy 4 miles
Tue
4 miles
Wed
6/ 8 mile
Wed
6/8 miles
Wed
6/8 miles
Wed
6/8 miles
Thurs
4 miles
Thurs
4 miles
Thurs 1 mile easy 2 mile
Thurs
4 miles
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Sat
Sat Rest
Half Marathon
Sun Rest
Sun
16 mile
Week 8
Week 9
Week 21
Week 22
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon
Rest
Mon Rest
Tue
3 mile
Tue
3/4 mile
Tue
3/4 mile
Tue
6 miles
Tue Rest
Wed
4 mile
Wed
4 mile
Wed
4 mile
Wed
4 mile
Thurs
3/4 mile
Thurs Rest
Thurs
3/4 mile
Thurs
4 miles
Fri Rest
Fri
Fri Rest
Sat
3/4 mile
Sat Rest
Sat
3/4 mile
Sun
4 mile
Sun
Sun
8/10 mile
Sunday 16th Dunleer 4 mile Road Race
Fri Rest Sat
4 mile time trial
Sun
8/10 miles
Fri Rest Sat Rest Sun
18/20 miles
Fri Rest Sat Rest Sun
18/20 miles
STARTING 23RD OF OCT
Wed
4 miles
Thurs
3 miles
Fri Rest (Dublin
Marathon Expo)
Sat Rest (Dublin
Marathon Expo)
(Dublin Marathon Expo)
Sunday 29th October 2017 SSE AIRTRICITY DUBLIN MARATHON
26.2 MILES
“YOUR LAP OF HONOR”
Sunday 23rd of July Fingal 10km (Swords)
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Tue
4 mile
Tue
4 mile
Tue
3 mile
Wed
6 mile
Wed
6 mile
Wed
6 mile
Thurs
3 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Thurs
4 mile
STARTING 31ST OF JULY
STARTING 16TH OF OCT.
steady 1 mile easy
“THINK AND PREPARE LIKE THIS IS MARATHON DAY”
Week 7
10 km
STARTING 9TH OF OCT.
Rest or easy 4 mile
23rd September
STARTING 24TH OF JULY
STARTING 2ND OF OCT.
Tue
Dublin Half Marathon Donabate
3 mile
16 miles
Mon Rest
Wed
STARTING 17TH OF JULY
steady 1 mile easy
Mon
4 mile
STARTING 10TH 0F JULY
14/16 mile
Week 20
Wed
11. Find a training partner or group to keep you motivated.
Saturday 26th August
steady 1 mile easy
STARTING 11TH OF SEPT.
Week 19
3 mile
10. It’s always good to treat yourself. Get a regular massage to help aid and prevent injuries.
Sun Rest
STARTING 4TH SEPTEMBER
Week 18
STARTING 3RD JULY
Wed
9. Stick to a regular running routine and to the training plan – but don’t panic if you miss days.
10 mile
STARTING 28TH OF AUGUST
Week 6
3 mile
8. If you’re feeling tired, injured or sick, seek proper treatment and rest.
STARTING 21ST OF AUGUST
Week 17
Tue
7. Vary your running terrain, including off-road, grass and trails.
JOGGERS AND RUNNERS
Week 2
STARTING 29TH OF MAY 2017
Tue Rest
6. Follow a balanced diet and keep hydrated: “You are what you eat”
SCHEDULE 1
Week 1
Tue Rest
5. Include stretching in your warm-up and cool-down.
MARATHON TRAINING
STARTING 7TH OF AUGUST
STARTING 14TH OF AUGUST
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Sat
3/4 mile
Sat
3/4 mile
Sat
4 mile
Sun
10/12 mile
Sun
10/12 mile
Sun
12/14 mile
“There is no place like home and with Dublin Marathon 2017 marking my 30th Anniversary in marathon running, I will enjoy every single second.”
CAN YOU DO IT? YES YOU CAN! 46
IRISH RUNNER MAGAZINE
JUNE - JULY 2017
JUNE - JULY 2017
IRISH RUNNER MAGAZINE
47
CARRIE’S MARATHON TRAINING ADVICE The ultimate Goal in a Marathon 26.2 Miles is to Finish The 22-Week Training plan is tailor-made to incorporate the Irish Runner 5 Mile and Dublin Race Series as stepping stones in the build-up to the Dublin Marathon. 1. Get a full medical check-up from your GP before starting any strenuous exercise. 2. Sign up for the Irish Runner 5 Mile, the SSE Race Series and the Dublin Marathon.
2017 SSE AIRTRICITY DUBLIN RACE SERIES TEAM CARRIE TRAINING PLAN SCHEDULE 1
JOGGERS AND RUNNERS Week 3
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
Mon
Mon
Mon
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Tue
Rest or 4 mile
Tue
Rest or easy 4 mile
Tue
4 mile
Tue
4 mile
Wed
6 mile
Wed
4 mile
Wed
4 mile Time Trial
Wed
6 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Fri Rest
Fri
4 mile
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Sat
Sat
Rest
Sat 1 mile easy 1 mile
Sat 1 mile easy 2 mile
Sun
14 mile
Sun
Sun
1 mile
STARTING 5TH OF JUNE
1 mile
STARTING 12TH OF JUNE
2 mile
Tue Rest
Tue Rest
Tue Rest
Wed
1 mile
Wed
2 mile
Wed
3 mile
Thurs
1 mile
Thurs
1 mile
Thurs
2 mile
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Sat
1 mile
Sat
2 mile
Sat
2.7K
Sun
2 mile
Sun
2 mile
Sun
2 Mile
Saturday 17th June Irish Runner 2.7K Family Fun Run
Week 4
STARTING 19TH OF JUNE
Mon
2 mile
Week 5
STARTING 26TH OF JUNE
Mon
3 Mile
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
3. Remember you are training for a marathon, not a sprint.
Thurs
3 mile
Thurs
2 mile
Thurs
3 mile
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
4. Try out gait analysis and select your correct running shoes.
Sat
3 mile
Sat
3 Mile
Sat
3 mile
Sun
4 mile
Sun Rest or 2 mile recovery
Sun
5 mile
12. Discover the love of running and the feeling of well-being.
Frank Duffy 10 Mile Pheonix Park
Mon Rest
4 mile
STARTING 18TH OF SEPT.
Rest
STARTING 25TH OF SEPT.
Tue
Rest or easy 4 miles
Tue
Rest or easy 4 miles
Tue
4 miles
Wed
6/ 8 mile
Wed
6/8 miles
Wed
6/8 miles
Wed
6/8 miles
Thurs
4 miles
Thurs
4 miles
Thurs 1 mile easy 2 mile
Thurs
4 miles
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Sat
Sat Rest
Half Marathon
Sun Rest
Sun
16 mile
Week 8
Week 9
Week 21
Week 22
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon
Rest
Mon Rest
Tue
3 mile
Tue
3/4 mile
Tue
3/4 mile
Tue
6 miles
Tue Rest
Wed
4 mile
Wed
4 mile
Wed
4 mile
Wed
4 mile
Thurs
3/4 mile
Thurs Rest
Thurs
3/4 mile
Thurs
4 miles
Fri Rest
Fri
Fri Rest
Sat
3/4 mile
Sat Rest
Sat
3/4 mile
Sun
4 mile
Sun
Sun
8/10 mile
Sunday 16th Dunleer 4 mile Road Race
Fri Rest Sat
4 mile time trial
Sun
8/10 miles
Fri Rest Sat Rest Sun
18/20 miles
Fri Rest Sat Rest Sun
18/20 miles
STARTING 23RD OF OCT
Wed
4 miles
Thurs
3 miles
Fri Rest (Dublin
Marathon Expo)
Sat Rest (Dublin
Marathon Expo)
(Dublin Marathon Expo)
Sunday 29th October 2017 SSE AIRTRICITY DUBLIN MARATHON
26.2 MILES
“YOUR LAP OF HONOR”
Sunday 23rd of July Fingal 10km (Swords)
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Tue
4 mile
Tue
4 mile
Tue
3 mile
Wed
6 mile
Wed
6 mile
Wed
6 mile
Thurs
3 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Thurs
4 mile
STARTING 31ST OF JULY
STARTING 16TH OF OCT.
steady 1 mile easy
“THINK AND PREPARE LIKE THIS IS MARATHON DAY”
Week 7
10 km
STARTING 9TH OF OCT.
Rest or easy 4 mile
23rd September
STARTING 24TH OF JULY
STARTING 2ND OF OCT.
Tue
Dublin Half Marathon Donabate
3 mile
16 miles
Mon Rest
Wed
STARTING 17TH OF JULY
steady 1 mile easy
Mon
4 mile
STARTING 10TH 0F JULY
14/16 mile
Week 20
Wed
11. Find a training partner or group to keep you motivated.
Saturday 26th August
steady 1 mile easy
STARTING 11TH OF SEPT.
Week 19
3 mile
10. It’s always good to treat yourself. Get a regular massage to help aid and prevent injuries.
Sun Rest
STARTING 4TH SEPTEMBER
Week 18
STARTING 3RD JULY
Wed
9. Stick to a regular running routine and to the training plan – but don’t panic if you miss days.
10 mile
STARTING 28TH OF AUGUST
Week 6
3 mile
8. If you’re feeling tired, injured or sick, seek proper treatment and rest.
STARTING 21ST OF AUGUST
Week 17
Tue
7. Vary your running terrain, including off-road, grass and trails.
JOGGERS AND RUNNERS
Week 2
STARTING 29TH OF MAY 2017
Tue Rest
6. Follow a balanced diet and keep hydrated: “You are what you eat”
SCHEDULE 1
Week 1
Tue Rest
5. Include stretching in your warm-up and cool-down.
MARATHON TRAINING
STARTING 7TH OF AUGUST
STARTING 14TH OF AUGUST
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Sat
3/4 mile
Sat
3/4 mile
Sat
4 mile
Sun
10/12 mile
Sun
10/12 mile
Sun
12/14 mile
“There is no place like home and with Dublin Marathon 2017 marking my 30th Anniversary in marathon running, I will enjoy every single second.”
CAN YOU DO IT? YES YOU CAN! 46
IRISH RUNNER MAGAZINE
JUNE - JULY 2017
JUNE - JULY 2017
IRISH RUNNER MAGAZINE
47
2017 SSE AIRTRICITY DUBLIN RACE SERIES
2017 SSE AIRTRICITY DUBLIN RACE SERIES
TEAM CARRIE TRAINING PLAN
TEAM CARRIE TRAINING PLAN
SCHEDULE 2
SCHEDULE 2
Week 1
STARTING 29TH OF MAY
Mon
3 mile
Tue Rest
RUNNERS Week 2
STARTING 5TH OF JUNE
Mon
3 mile
Tue Rest
Week 3
STARTING 12TH OF JUNE
Mon
3 mile
Week 4
STARTING 19TH OF JUNE
Mon
Tue Rest
Wed
4 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Wed
3 mile
Wed
3 mile
Wed
4 mile
Thurs
3 mile
Thurs
3 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Sat
3 mile
Sat
3 mile
Sat
5 Mile
Sun
4 mile
Sun
4 mile
Sun
5 mile
Sat 1 mile slow 1 mile 6 mile
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon
Rest
Mon Rest
Tue
Tue
Tue
4/6 mile
4/6 mile
Wed 4/6 mile include 5 x 50m strides
Thurs
4/6 mile
STARTING 3RD JULY
4/6 mile
Wed 4 /6 mile include 5 x 50m strides
Thurs
4/6 mile
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Sat 1 mile slow 2 mile
Sat 1 mile slow 2 mile
Sun Rest or 6 mile
Sun
fast 1 mile slow easy recovery
STARTING 10TH OF JULY
Wed 6 mile include 5 x 50m strides
Thurs
4/6 mile
Fri Rest
fast 1 mile slow
Sat
3/4 mile easy
8/10 mile
Sun
4 mile
STARTING 17TH OF JULY
2 min recovery
6/8 mile
Thurs
4/6 mile
Fri
3 mile
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Tue 4/6 x 400m x 1min
Tue 6/8 x 400m x 1min
Sun 10km Sunday 23rd of July Fingal 10km (Swords)
STARTING 31ST OF JULY
45sec recovery between each
Wed
6 mile
Wed
6 mile
Thurs
6 mile
Thurs
4 /6 miles
STARTING 7TH OF AUGUST
Tue 6/8 x 400m x
90sec recovery between each
Wed
6 mile
Thurs Rest
Fri Rest
Fri 4 mile include 5 x
Sat 1 mile easy 2 mile
Sat 1 mile slow 2 mile
Sat 1 mile slow 2 mile
Sun
Sun
12/14 mile
fast 1 mile slow
12 /14 mile
50m strides
fast 1 mile slow
Sun
14 miles
STARTING 14TH OF AUGUST
Tue 4/6 mile include 5 x 50m strides
Wed
8/10 mile
Thurs
4 /6 mile
Fri Rest Sat
4/6 mile
Sun 14/16 mile (include 6 at
Marathon pace)
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Tue 4 mile include 5 x
Tue 4 mile include 5 x
Tue
4/6 mile
Tue 6/8 x 400m x
Wed
4 Mile Time Trial
Thurs
4/6 mile
50m strides
Sat Rest
Sunday 16th Dunleer 4 mile Road Race
Mon Rest
STARTING 21ST OF AUGUST
Tue 4/6 by 400mts by Wed
Week 12
hard 1 mile easy
Saturday 17th June Irish Runner 5 Mile Pheonix Park STARTING 26TH OF JUNE
Week 11
Fri Rest
fast 1 mile slow
Week 5
Week 10
45 sec recovery between each
Fri Rest
Sun
Week 9
STARTING 24TH OF JULY
3 mile
Tue Rest
RUNNERS
STARTING 28TH OF AUGUST
75m strides
Wed
8 mile
Wed
8 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Sat
Sat 1 mile easy 3 mile
10 Mile
Sun 4/6 mile easy
recovery or rest
steady 1 mile easy
Sun
STARTING 4TH OF SEPT
Fri Rest Sat
4/6 mile
Sun 16 /18 include 8 at marathon pace
16 mile
STARTING 11TH OF SEPT
90sec recovery
Wed
8 mile
Thurs
4/6 mile
Fri Rest Sat 1 mile easy 3 mile
steady 1 mile easy
Sun 18 miles 10 at
marathon pace
Saturday 26th August
Frank Duffy 10 Mile Pheonix Park
Week 17
Week 18
Week 19
Week 20
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Tue
Rest or easy jog
Tue 8 x 400m x 90sec
Tue
4/6 5 x 50 strides
Wed
8/10 miles
Wed
10 mile
Thurs
4/6 miles
STARTING 18TH OF SEPT
Fri Rest Sat
Half Marathon
Sun Rest or 4 mile
recovery easy
STARTING 25TH OF SEPT
recovery
Wed
8/10 miles
Thurs
4 /6 miles
Fri Rest Sat 1 mile slow 3 mile
tempo 1 mile slow
Sun
18/20 miles
23rd September
Dublin Half Marathon Donabate
Week 21
Week 22
Mon
Rest
Mon Rest
Tue
6 miles
Tue Rest
Wed
4 mile
Wed
4 miles
Thurs
4 miles
Thurs
3 miles
STARTING 16TH OF OCTOBER
Fri Rest Sat 4 mile time trial Sun 48
IRISH RUNNER MAGAZINE
JUNE - JULY 2017
JUNE - JULY 2017
8/10 miles
STARTING 23RD OF OCT
Fri Rest (Dublin
Marathon Expo )
Sat Rest (Dublin
Marathon Expo )
STARTING 2ND OF OCTOBER
Thurs 1 mile warm up 3
mile tempo 1 mile cool down
Fri Rest Sat Rest Sun
20/22 mile (last 12
at marathon pace)
STARTING 9TH OF OCTOBER
Tue 4/6 mile include 5 x 50m strides
Wed
8/10 mile
Thurs 1 mile warm up 4
mile tempo 1 mile cool down
Fri Rest Sat
4 mile
Sun
18/20 miles “THINK AND PREPARE LIKE THIS IS MARATHON DAY”
(Dublin Marathon Expo)
Sunday 29th October 2017 SSE AIRTRICITY DUBLIN MARATHON
26.2 MILES
“YOUR LAP OF HONOR” IRISH RUNNER MAGAZINE
49
2017 SSE AIRTRICITY DUBLIN RACE SERIES
2017 SSE AIRTRICITY DUBLIN RACE SERIES
TEAM CARRIE TRAINING PLAN
TEAM CARRIE TRAINING PLAN
SCHEDULE 2
SCHEDULE 2
Week 1
STARTING 29TH OF MAY
Mon
3 mile
Tue Rest
RUNNERS Week 2
STARTING 5TH OF JUNE
Mon
3 mile
Tue Rest
Week 3
STARTING 12TH OF JUNE
Mon
3 mile
Week 4
STARTING 19TH OF JUNE
Mon
Tue Rest
Wed
4 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Wed
3 mile
Wed
3 mile
Wed
4 mile
Thurs
3 mile
Thurs
3 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Sat
3 mile
Sat
3 mile
Sat
5 Mile
Sun
4 mile
Sun
4 mile
Sun
5 mile
Sat 1 mile slow 1 mile 6 mile
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon
Rest
Mon Rest
Tue
Tue
Tue
4/6 mile
4/6 mile
Wed 4/6 mile include 5 x 50m strides
Thurs
4/6 mile
STARTING 3RD JULY
4/6 mile
Wed 4 /6 mile include 5 x 50m strides
Thurs
4/6 mile
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Sat 1 mile slow 2 mile
Sat 1 mile slow 2 mile
Sun Rest or 6 mile
Sun
fast 1 mile slow easy recovery
STARTING 10TH OF JULY
Wed 6 mile include 5 x 50m strides
Thurs
4/6 mile
Fri Rest
fast 1 mile slow
Sat
3/4 mile easy
8/10 mile
Sun
4 mile
STARTING 17TH OF JULY
2 min recovery
6/8 mile
Thurs
4/6 mile
Fri
3 mile
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Tue 4/6 x 400m x 1min
Tue 6/8 x 400m x 1min
Sun 10km Sunday 23rd of July Fingal 10km (Swords)
STARTING 31ST OF JULY
45sec recovery between each
Wed
6 mile
Wed
6 mile
Thurs
6 mile
Thurs
4 /6 miles
STARTING 7TH OF AUGUST
Tue 6/8 x 400m x
90sec recovery between each
Wed
6 mile
Thurs Rest
Fri Rest
Fri 4 mile include 5 x
Sat 1 mile easy 2 mile
Sat 1 mile slow 2 mile
Sat 1 mile slow 2 mile
Sun
Sun
12/14 mile
fast 1 mile slow
12 /14 mile
50m strides
fast 1 mile slow
Sun
14 miles
STARTING 14TH OF AUGUST
Tue 4/6 mile include 5 x 50m strides
Wed
8/10 mile
Thurs
4 /6 mile
Fri Rest Sat
4/6 mile
Sun 14/16 mile (include 6 at
Marathon pace)
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Tue 4 mile include 5 x
Tue 4 mile include 5 x
Tue
4/6 mile
Tue 6/8 x 400m x
Wed
4 Mile Time Trial
Thurs
4/6 mile
50m strides
Sat Rest
Sunday 16th Dunleer 4 mile Road Race
Mon Rest
STARTING 21ST OF AUGUST
Tue 4/6 by 400mts by Wed
Week 12
hard 1 mile easy
Saturday 17th June Irish Runner 5 Mile Pheonix Park STARTING 26TH OF JUNE
Week 11
Fri Rest
fast 1 mile slow
Week 5
Week 10
45 sec recovery between each
Fri Rest
Sun
Week 9
STARTING 24TH OF JULY
3 mile
Tue Rest
RUNNERS
STARTING 28TH OF AUGUST
75m strides
Wed
8 mile
Wed
8 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Thurs
4 mile
Fri Rest
Fri Rest
Sat
Sat 1 mile easy 3 mile
10 Mile
Sun 4/6 mile easy
recovery or rest
steady 1 mile easy
Sun
STARTING 4TH OF SEPT
Fri Rest Sat
4/6 mile
Sun 16 /18 include 8 at marathon pace
16 mile
STARTING 11TH OF SEPT
90sec recovery
Wed
8 mile
Thurs
4/6 mile
Fri Rest Sat 1 mile easy 3 mile
steady 1 mile easy
Sun 18 miles 10 at
marathon pace
Saturday 26th August
Frank Duffy 10 Mile Pheonix Park
Week 17
Week 18
Week 19
Week 20
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Mon Rest
Tue
Rest or easy jog
Tue 8 x 400m x 90sec
Tue
4/6 5 x 50 strides
Wed
8/10 miles
Wed
10 mile
Thurs
4/6 miles
STARTING 18TH OF SEPT
Fri Rest Sat
Half Marathon
Sun Rest or 4 mile
recovery easy
STARTING 25TH OF SEPT
recovery
Wed
8/10 miles
Thurs
4 /6 miles
Fri Rest Sat 1 mile slow 3 mile
tempo 1 mile slow
Sun
18/20 miles
23rd September
Dublin Half Marathon Donabate
Week 21
Week 22
Mon
Rest
Mon Rest
Tue
6 miles
Tue Rest
Wed
4 mile
Wed
4 miles
Thurs
4 miles
Thurs
3 miles
STARTING 16TH OF OCTOBER
Fri Rest Sat 4 mile time trial Sun 48
IRISH RUNNER MAGAZINE
JUNE - JULY 2017
JUNE - JULY 2017
8/10 miles
STARTING 23RD OF OCT
Fri Rest (Dublin
Marathon Expo )
Sat Rest (Dublin
Marathon Expo )
STARTING 2ND OF OCTOBER
Thurs 1 mile warm up 3
mile tempo 1 mile cool down
Fri Rest Sat Rest Sun
20/22 mile (last 12
at marathon pace)
STARTING 9TH OF OCTOBER
Tue 4/6 mile include 5 x 50m strides
Wed
8/10 mile
Thurs 1 mile warm up 4
mile tempo 1 mile cool down
Fri Rest Sat
4 mile
Sun
18/20 miles “THINK AND PREPARE LIKE THIS IS MARATHON DAY”
(Dublin Marathon Expo)
Sunday 29th October 2017 SSE AIRTRICITY DUBLIN MARATHON
26.2 MILES
“YOUR LAP OF HONOR” IRISH RUNNER MAGAZINE
49
MILE MAGIC
Challenge of the Mile Cathal Dennehy introduces our 12-page celebration of what is ‘probably the best racing distance’ for runners of all abilities What is the ultimate racing distance? It’s a question that draws a varied response, but the consensus these days seems to be that it’s the marathon. It is, after all, the race that draws tens of thousands to the streets on those mild Sunday mornings in autumn and spring, all toeing the line to be part of a big-city festival that both tests and celebrates the human spirit’s capacity to endure. However, there was a time when it was different; when the athletes most admired, most loved and most envied by the masses were not marathoners, but milers. The best exponents of the event exhibited a rare balance of skills – the acceleration of a sprinter, the power of a high jumper, the pain threshold of a marathoner, and the tactical nous of a chess player. “Blink and you miss a sprint,” said former mile world record holder Sebastian Coe. “The 10,000m is lap after lap of waiting. Theatrically, the mile is just the right length –
beginning, middle, end: a story unfolding.” While Coe may have been referring to the attractiveness of the race as a spectacle, his words could easily refer to those who engage with the distance themselves: eight furlongs, 1760 yards, 1609.34 metres – one mile. In the following pages, we celebrate the beauty of the forgotten distance, that unit which we all measure our daily runs by, but which so few of us ever consider racing. In a brutally honest piece, Sierra Willis, wife of two-time Olympic 1500m medallist Nick Willis, charts her journey from the marathon to the mile, explaining why we shouldn’t all feel compelled to tackle 26.2 miles when so many of our bodies – and indeed our minds – are better suited to the challenge of a mile. More and more, runners are starting to expand their horizons, willing to measure themselves not only by their endurance but also by their speed. This year, hundreds of runners have toed the line for the Irish Runner
Paced Miles, a series of races for runners of all abilities to break their own personal barriers. To be present at those is to realise that it doesn’t take three, four, five or six hours to achieve something extremely fulfilling – it can be done in a matter of minutes, with all the camaraderie and a lot less cost than you face in a marathon. Throughout the summer, our Paced Miles will take place in the Phoenix Park, and in July we will be hosting a special evening with Irish record holder Ray Flynn, whose mark of 3:49.77 will be 35 yards old this year. In the following pages, we catch up with him, along with offering training tips for those tempted to make the mile their measure this summer. The tide is turning, and the distance so often seen as only for elites is being embraced by the masses. Whether it’s a four-minute mile or a 14-minute mile you think you can manage, hopefully you’ll join us to try what many believe is the perfect distance.
“THEATRICALLY, THE MILE IS JUST THE RIGHT LENGTH – BEGINNING, MIDDLE, END: A STORY UNFOLDING.” SEBASTIAN COE 50
IRISH RUNNER MAGAZINE
JUNE - JULY 2017
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Irish Runner Magazine And they’re on!
Special Subscription Offer Available Now at: www.irishrunner.com Three great races, one terrific series and the perfect build-up to the 2017 SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon
FINGAL 10k
Sunday July 23, Swords
FRANK DUFFY 10 MILE
Saturday August 26, Phoenix Park
Makes an Ideal Gift
DUBLIN HALF MARATHON Saturday September 23, Newbridge House, Donabate
Register online: www.sseairtricitydublinmarathon.ie We are proud to sponsor the SSE Airtricity Dublin Race Series and Marathon
We are proud to sponsor the SSE Airtricity Dublin Race Series and Marathon
www.sseairtricitydublinmarathon.ie Register online:
Newbridge House, Donabate Saturday September 23,
ultimate tactel®
MILE MAGIC
Merits of the Mile FOR SIERRA WILLIS, CO-FOUNDER OF
MILER METHOD, 26.2 MILES IS NO LONGER
THE ULTIMATE DISTANCE. THE 31-YEAR-OLD
RUNNER, WIFE OF TWO-TIME OLYMPIC MEDALLIST NICK WILLIS,
EXPLAINS WHY SHE TURNED HER BACK ON THE MARATHON FOR A FAR MORE FULFILLING CHALLENGE. PHOTOS BY ANDREW KITTO
I RUN ONE MILE. YOU READ THAT RIGHT: ONE MILE. THE REASON? IT'S A LONG STORY, BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH LOVING MYSELF, MY BODY, AND DISCOVERING THE BEAUTY OF STRENGTH. I ran my first and only marathon six years ago, assuming, like many others, that it was the ultimate challenge I could undertake as a runner. I diligently logged miles and long runs for months beforehand, and when race day rolled around, I felt fresh and ready to experience the big life-changing event so many runners love. And while I enjoyed the race (well, up to mile 20 at least), I didn't finish feeling euphoric — just really, really tired. “Why do people do that to themselves?” were my first words, amid sobs of relief, across the finish line. I couldn't walk to our car, but had to be wheeled, wrapped in my little tinfoil blanket, on my husband's bike. After we drove home I tried to fall asleep, only to be awakened by intermittent waves of nausea and cramps. I couldn't make it up or down stairs for several days, and I couldn't run again for a week. I ran my marathon in 4:00:10, averaging 9:10 per mile, a time that put me in the 56th percentile for my age. Sure, I felt some achievement in covering 26.2 miles, a heck of a long way, and that's the achievement of the marathon, right? But — call me crazy — I didn't feel the life change. I didn't catch the marathon bug. And while I understand and applaud the people who come away with a euphoric, life-changing feeling of accomplishment, that's not how it felt. I ran a marathon because I thought, as a runner, I was supposed to. So why didn't it feel like the ultimate achievement? Over the years, I've thought a lot about that marathon, especially when people ask me if I'm going to
do another. But I've come to realise that just because popular opinion has labelled it as the ultimate runner's goal, it doesn't have to be mine.
SHAPE, SIZE AND SPEED Part of the reason I've felt free to break up with the marathon is because I live in a unique world. I'm married to a professional runner, a two-time Olympic medallist in the 1500m. We spend a lot of our time traveling to his races all over the world and are constantly surrounded by professional track and field athletes — who specialise in distances from the 100m to the marathon. I am frequently in awe of the amazing, fast, beautiful bodies of the world's fastest people. I try not to stare — but let's be honest here — sometimes it's hard. At meets and in hotel lobbies, I'm regularly the only non-athlete in the room, the least-toned person. Now, before you say “Girl, you're not fat!”, hear me out: I don't think I'm overweight. I'm happy with my body. I love me. But, I'm also going to be honest about what it's like to be a 5'9", 128lb woman who lives in a world where I occasionally feel...well, big. (And by the way, this is not because women who are professional runners are unhealthy anorexics. My friendships with women who run professionally have shown me that in order to run consistently well at a professional level, athletes must look after their bodies and live healthy lifestyles. At the professional level, you find very, very few women with eating disorders.) Because I've spent 10 years living in this world, I've realised a refreshing fact. It's pretty simple, but for some reason it hasn't caught on yet in the recreational running world: runners specialise in different events. They don't all measure themselves over the same distance because different
"I entertained ideas of stopping halfway through. Maybe I should fake a pulled hamstring. But I didn't." JUNE - JULY 2017
athletes’ bodies are suited to different events. In very general terms, the longer the race, the smaller the body. I know that's a huge generalisation, and you can find anomalies, but for the most part sprinters tend to be taller, more muscular, with broader bone structures. Marathoners tend to be smaller, with petite builds and less muscle, while middle distance runners like my husband are right in the middle of the spectrum. It didn't take me long travelling on the professional running circuit to realise I don't look anything like the women who run the marathon. I'm much taller, my shoulders and hips a lot wider, my everything a whole lot squishier. This is, of course, because I'm not a professional runner. I don't run 100+ miles a week, but also, because I was born with zero Olympic talent. My body doesn't look much like the women who run middle distances either, but if we're playing the lumpme-into-the-nearest-category game, it’s a lot closer to the build of a middle distance runner (or a long jumper or pole vaulter). We women come in a lot of different shapes and sizes. Strong, small, tall, short, light, heavy, wide, narrow. Why in the world are we all measuring ourselves over the same distance? Olympians sure don't. So, in the recreational running world, why is the marathon routinely used as the measure of success for all hobby runners? It shouldn't be. And using the marathon this way is especially disadvantageous to women who weigh more. I believe ANY woman who wants to call herself a runner should have more than one option. I've looked around, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only runner who feels pigeon-holed into the marathon. And I'm very sure I'm not alone when I say there are women who find strength in speed, in pushing themselves in a different kind of way. I've had 31 years in this body, and though admittedly I've sometimes struggled with body confidence, I love my body. It's seen me through great times — the pregnancy and birth of
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“I powered on through my doubts and exhaustion. Through the raw, ugly effort of running a mile to utter exhaustion. It's a pain like no other. But it's my kind of pain.”
my son at the very top of that list. For me, loving and accepting my body has also meant athletically challenging myself — to become a stronger, faster runner, and not necessarily a better endurance runner.
MAKING PEACE WITH THE MILE
I decided to time myself over one mile, just to see what it felt like. My best friend and I mapped out a little loop along the roads, hoping to run about 7:30. As we crossed our halfmile mark, I glanced down at my watch and saw 3:20 flick across the screen. Crap, we've gone out too fast. Can we keep this going? It was terribly uncomfortable. My breathing was already so laboured. I wasn't used to feeling pain like that after only three minutes of running! Well, what's another three minutes, I thought. We powered 54
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through to a 6:40 mile, and collapsed on the grass panting. But two minutes later, we were fully recovered, high-fiving and laughing about the experience. We surprised ourselves and exceeded our expectations, the first time that ever happened to me in running. After that I was hooked, and started training like my husband did. Over 10 years of marriage, I had picked up a pretty good understanding of mile training. You build endurance with some long slow running, but challenge yourself with some speed — hill sprints, tempo-paced runs and interval workouts. As someone who played a lot of team sports in high school, this sort of running felt right up my alley. I discovered it was a discomfort I could handle, and it left me energised and buzzing after a workout. I set my goal as a sub-six-minute mile. I wasn't sure if I could do it, but it
sounded awesome. A five-something mile. Oddly enough, training like a miler kept me so preoccupied that I regularly logged more mileage than usual. By the time I warmed up and cooled down for a session of hill repeats, I'd inadvertently run seven miles. My body started changing too, my abs showing more definition. My legs started developing more muscle. Weight loss wasn't my goal, but I found it difficult NOT to lose weight, even when eating often. I dropped down to 125lbs, but with more muscle definition than ever before. My husband Nick and I worked together to develop a six-week mile training plan (which became the inspiration for our milermethod. com online boot camp business) which combined his expertise as a mile specialist and my expertise as someone living in a mortal body. Trial JUNE - JULY 2017
FIVE TIPS FOR RACING UNDER 5K A good warm-up: The shorter the distance, the longer the warm-up. Jog lightly for 10-15 minutes, do some high knee and butt-kick drills, some dynamic stretching, and 3-5 strides of 70-100m at goal race pace. Pace judgement: Know your goal splits and have a plan. Don’t let adrenaline take over at the start. Patience and preparation are key for good pace judgement. Pre-race shake-out: Most pros will do a light 10-15-minute jog 4-10 hours before a race to get their body and mind into race zone. If it’s a morning race, do your shakeout the night before followed by some gentle stretching. Rest up: Try to get your legs elevated as much as possible in the final few days to reduce blood pooling and taper down your training. Every little bit of saved energy helps. Activation strides: The day before the race, do 3-5x100m strides at around your goal race pace to wake your muscles up from their taper.
and error, human and superhuman. After the six weeks, I raced a mile in Honolulu in 6:09, where I was shocked to see I was the third fastest woman. I knew I could keep improving so I jumped into a festive local track club race — my first ever on a track – where I blew past Santa in the third lap and ran a 6:02 in the process. This sub-6 is happening.
It was painful and — full disclosure — I entertained ideas of stopping halfway through. Maybe I should fake a pulled hamstring. But I didn't. I powered on through my doubts and exhaustion. Through the raw, ugly effort of running a mile to utter exhaustion. It's a pain like no other. But it's my kind of pain. The kind that's over in six minutes, or less.
And one morning a few weeks later, with the course plotted out online and pre-measured with our car, I lined up for my final attempt. With our threeyear old son in his car seat screaming “Go Mommy!” and my brother-in-law filming from the wide-open trunk of a van, I did it. I ran a mile in 5:56.
Do you know what a 5:56 mile performance supposedly equates to in a marathon? The online running calculators tell me it's the equivalent of a 3:13 marathon. But I can safely say, with full confidence in my strengths and in my body, there's no way I’d ever be able to do that. What’s more — and
to my surprise— I've realised that even if I could own that incredible time, I'd still choose the feeling of strength, energy, and power I've discovered while training for the mile.
Sierra Willis is the cofounder of Miler Method, which offers tailored training programmes for runners of all levels. For more information check out www.milermethod. com
“We women come in a lot of different shapes and sizes. Why in the world are we all measuring ourselves over the same distance?” JUNE - JULY 2017
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MILE MAGIC
Makethe MileYour Measure
You don’t have to be elite, ultra-competitive or even fast to take on the Mile, says Frank Greally You have tried the 5K, l0K and even the marathon, so why not the mile? The mile is, after all, shorter, quicker, easier to measure and a more immediate challenge. The classic nature of the mile run has all the glamour a runner could ask for, so why not make running a faster mile one of your targets for the remainder of 2017. Why don't runners run the mile more often? I can understand why marathons and long distance races have become more popular. For one thing, they are easier to organise and it is also easier for the runner to get lost in the crowd. On the other hand, the mile is usually run on a standard running track in a stadium with a more charged atmosphere. The mile therefore seems somewhat out of reach. But is it really? I'm not suggesting every runner in the country should enter the National Mile or 1500m Championships. However, there is nothing preventing any runner from running a mile.
of fitness and there will be Free-to-Enter Irish Runner Paced Miles in the Phoenix Park in June, July and August. See www.irishrunner.com for details. The interesting thing is that when you find your mile time improving you will also find your times improving over much longer distance as well. Survey after survey proves that the very best marathon runners are also better at distances like 1500m and 5k than marathon runners who focus solely on the longer distances. The mile provides a base from which to build a new structure of performances over a variety of distances. A faster mile could well lead to a faster 10k, a fast half marathon or a fast marathon. For one thing, it will bring a freshness to your approach, an added variety to your training and an added boost to your tempo. So how do we start this mile business? No revolution is called for - just the effort to get yourself a mile to run. Measure the distance, get a few of your training mates to join you on a Saturday or Sunday morning and time yourselves for the race.
Even if there is no regular running track close by, it is relatively easy to step out 1,760 yards on a road, in a park or around a playing pitch. Furthermore, unlike a long hard endurance race, you can give the mile a lash quite regularly and see how you improve or even see how much better you are than others who might outrun you over a much longer distance.
You don't have to change your training, just try the journey. Have a go at your mile, then try again for the following three or four weeks, about once a week. This will establish just how good a miler you are. More often that not the first one or two tries will be approached too fast or too slow, so you need a settling phase to get it about right - i.e. as even-paced and as fast as you can.
The Irish Runner Paced Miles Promotions at ALSAA, Dublin Airport, the Morton Stadium, Santry and on the road at Chesterfield Avenue in the Phoenix Park have over the past year proved to be hugely popular with runners at all levels
The problem with giving this kind of advice to your average runner is that they are hooked into a pattern of training or racing and they feel this new adventure will upset their routine. Of course it will upset the routine and that is
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HOWTOPACEYOURSELF Proper pacing is an essential part of good mile running and these are guides to optimum splits from 5-minute through to 10-minute miles. The splits are based on 1600m training runs of 4x400m laps on the track. The mile is actually 1609 metres, but the extra 9 metres is only really a consideration for elite runners.
5 Minutes: 75 seconds per lap 5:30 Minutes: You need to lap in 82.5 seconds per lap; most athletes would round down and run 82s 6 Minutes: 90 seconds per lap 6:30 Minutes: You need to lap in 97.5 seconds or again round·down to 97 second laps
7 Minutes: 1:45 sec per lap 7.30 Minutes: 1:52.5 per lap or again round down to 1 :52 second laps
8 Minutes: 2 minutes per lap 8:30 Minutes 2.07.5 per lap or round down to 2.07 per lap 9 Minutes: 2:15 seconds per lap 9 Minutes: 2:22.5 per lap or round down to 2min 22 seconds 10 Minutes: 2:30 seconds per lap precisely what it is intended to do. People take up running out of a sense of adventure. Once they get into a habitual way of behaving they find it traumatic to change the routine. In fact, some runners would probably find it easier to give up running than make dramatic changes in their training programmes. However, this is not about traumas or dramatics. It's just about runners rediscovering the freshness of running. It's about coming at it from a new angle and establishing a new yardstick of measurement. The exciting thing about the mile is that it can be talked about with the same awe as the marathon. It offers ample targets and barriers to tackle, whether it's the 7-minute mile or the 5 minute mile. The mile run is just sitting there waiting to be conquered by all of us who run. Dare I say it, the challenge is sticking out a mile! It is a most logical step in the world of everyman's and everywoman's athletics. It is no big deal, yet is capable of giving us all the returns, all the run rewards, all the
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satisfaction and all the fulfillment of triathlons, biathlons or ultramarathons. Every runner should have to produce a best mile time as part of their athletic CV. Why not set yourself a new challenge: a good mile, the best mile you can run, the fastest mile you can run. The magic of the mile is there to be grasped. Once you decide you want to do it and exert yourself with a bit of fast training, the world of the mile is at your feet.
Training Tip: For 1-mile intervals on the track, check your 100m splits as every 100m is marked on a 400m running track. For example, if I was doing 6-minute mile repeats I would check my watch at the first 100m and would need to go through that marker in 22.5 seconds. I would also recheck at 200m and make sure I am at 45seconds and so on. Once you get into flow of mile running you should find that your pace is spot on at every 100m check point. By DERMOT McDERMOTT
MILE BASICS Very sophisticated training schedules are available for those runners who wish to pursue the mile seriously, but a few broad guidelines are all the beginner needs. Start with one session of 6, 8 or 10 x 400m per week. Running a series of 400m laps at a 'demanding pace' is excellent mile training. Keep the pace steady. Steady does not mean too easy or to slow. It means setting a pace which will see you through the workout and leave you quite tired at the finish A good warm-up and good stretching are essential for faster running. So loosen up before you tackle a strenuous pace. Above all, don't go charging into new or different training with too much vigour. Nothing is gained by too energetic a start. Miling can be a new, exciting and invigorating aspect of running. Be enthusiastic, not mindless! IRISH RUNNER MAGAZINE
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MILE MAGIC
RAY’S ENDURING
MILE RECORD Ray Flynn’s legacy endures in numbers and memories, writes Frank Greally
Photos by Mark Shearman, Steve Sutton. in Oslo on that July night of 1982 thirty-five years ago. “It was like, don’t let up,“ he said. “Just push, push, push the whole way. You know it’s on. You believe in the track. You believe in the place: Oslo is magical. You’re tying up, but you know you have such a good thing going, you just can’t let up. Your body is giving out, but your mind is carrying you. Don’t let up……” Moments after he crossed the finish line in third place behind Steve Scott (USA) and John Walker, (New Zealand), Ray Flynn collapsed onto the infield of the famous old Bislett Stadium, but somehow found the energy to look up at the big screen to see the result that gladdened his heart and greatly helped his recovery from an heroic effort. The result of that Dream Mile was: 1 Steve Scott, (USA), 3:47.69, 2 John Walker, (New Zealand), 3:49.08, 3 Ray Flynn (Ireland), 3:49.77.
The Boss: Millrose Games, February 2017
Ray Flynn had good reason to smile when on the morning of his 60th birthday on January 23rd this year he was reminded that as well as reaching this three-score milestone, his Irish mile and 1,500 metres records set in Oslo back in
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1982 are both still at the top of the All-Time Irish Ranking List. The Longford native, who now lives with his family in Johnson City, Tennessee, remembers well the Dream Mile at the Bislett Games
For ten or fifteen minutes after the race Flynn felt physically sick and worryingly incoherent. That was hard, he thought. Very hard. But he thought too of how he had achieved his goal of becoming the first Irish athlete to run a sub 3:50 mile and that meant a whole lot to him- well worth the effort and the pain.
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“There were days during those early months in Tennessee when Ray Flynn felt like quitting, but he persevered and what did not break him down made him stronger." It took a while, but soon he was able to jog a little and savour the moment as he warmed down in the cool Scandinavian air. It was one of these rare nights when everything came together in the right sequence. Flynn would have many more brilliant performances in a star-studded middle distance career, but nothing would ever surpass this night when he ran out of his skin in Oslo – or the deep feeling of satisfaction that followed his effort.
Diligent Trainer Ray smiles when he remembers the time, not long after setting this longlasting record, when he came home on a visit to his native Longford and in the local shop a local well-wisher enquired: ‘Are you still doing a bit of the auld running?” At no stage that night in Oslo did Ray Flynn ever think that his mile and 1500m record would endure for 35 years. In addition to his brilliant mile time, Flynn had also been clocked at 3:33.5 as he passed through 1500m and that too qualified as an Irish record – which still stands. And this was not a once off, flash-inthe-pan performance by Flynn. This was just another example of him delivering on an exceptional talent, which he coupled with diligent training under the watchful eye of his coach Dave Walker at East Tennessee State University, to where Flynn was awarded an athletic scholarship in 1974. He arrived in Johnson City that autumn looking pale and white after a wet summer in Ireland. His new team mates on the cross-country
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team known as the Irish Brigade quickly christened him ‘The Great White Hope’. It took several months for him to adjust to the hard training regime set by Coach Walker and Neil Cusack, who had earlier that year coasted to victory in the Boston Marathon. One of Cusack’s favourite training sessions was a lively 11-mile run on an extremely hilly course in the Tennessee Mountains, followed immediately by 10 x 400m intervals on the track in 64/65 seconds, with the final few in the 60 second or below zone. It was a tough regime and only the strongest survived. There were days during those early months in Tennessee when Ray Flynn felt like quitting, but he persevered and what did not break him down made him stronger.
the then World Record of 3:47.33 which Seb Coe had run in Brussels the previous year. Walker passed Flynn for second and after crossing the finish line all three athletes embraced, knowing they had given their all.
Two weeks prior to his historic run in Oslo, Flynn had run 3:50.54. Then in Oslo, when Steve Scott raced to the front, Flynn knew he had to stay with him if he was to have any hope of dipping under that 3:50 time. Four years earlier he had chased Scott to the line in the NCAA 1500 metres final in Eugene, Oregon. He had developed a friendship with the equally committed American runner, and if Scott was going to run sub3:50 on the night, then for sure Flynn was going to do it too.
Chasing Hard After some standard pace-making Walker, Scott and Flynn broke clear of the field. They passed through 800 metres in 1:52.7 and hit the bell in 2:51.4, when Scott raced ahead. Flynn chased hard and Scott, Flynn and Walker came into the home straight in line. Scott just missed
Los Angeles Olympics, 1984
Flynn had wanted the record. It meant a lot to him and he knew the one other Irishman capable of taking it from him was Eamonn Coghlan. The following February, 1983, under the bright lights of the Meadowlands Arena in New Jersey, Coghlan went after the record alright – but it was
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MILE MAGIC Athens, 1982: (l to r) Steve Cram, Ray Flynn, Pierre Deleze
“Your body is giving out, but your mind is carrying you. Don’t let up……” the World Indoor Mile Record and he was equally determined to take it under the 3:50 barrier. That night in Meadowlands, Coghlan ran brilliantly to clock 3:49.78. Coghlan knew he had the indoor record but the athlete chasing him home in second place was Flynn, who on seeing the time was the only man in the arena to sigh with relief. He was still the fastest Irish miler in history – even if it was only by the slimmest of margins. That Golden Era of athletics wasn’t just about the world record falling with such remarkable frequency. It was also about the number of great milers who were around at the time; athletes like John Walker of New Zealand, the Americans Steve Scott and Craig Masback, Mike Boit of Kenya, Thomas Wessinghage of Germany and of course the Irish pair of Ray Flynn and Eamonn Coghlan. Week after week these great milers went to the line, constantly testing each other and extending each other’s limits. It was a unique period in world athletics history and young Irish athletes today can only dream about what it must have been like to be the stars of that great mile tradition. Ray Flynn and Eamonn Coghlan lived the dream. When Sebastian Coe ran his 3:49.0 world record in Oslo in 1979, Eamonn Coghlan finished fourth. When Coe again lowered that record to 3:48.53 in Zurich in 3:48.53 in 1981, Flynn finished seventh in that race. And when Coe lowered it for the third time in Brussels just nine days later – posting 3:47.33 –
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Coghlan finished eighth and Flynn tenth.
Legacy Both Flynn and Coghlan left a great mile legacy of their own. Coghlan is regarded as the greatest indoor mile runner ever, but Flynn did not always get the credit he deserved. It was as if he never fully stepped out of Coghlan’s shadow, despite his record-breaking feats on the outdoor track. And yet no Irish man has since run a sub 3:50 mile. Mark Carroll came closest with 3:50.62 in Oslo in 2000. And going by present standards, it looks certain that Ray Flynn’s Irish Mile and 1500m records will remain at the top of the ranking lists for some years to come. Ray Flynn was a prolific racer and between the start of 1981 and the end of 1983 he ran a total of 44 sub-four minute miles. By the indoor season of 1990 he had increased that tally to 89, before injury finally grounded him. “Of course I’m surprised that my record still stands 35 years later,“ Flynn said when I met him in Boston last April. “One of the main reasons I ran so fast was from racing so often at that high level. And that’s what it’s all about – getting into the high-
quality races and giving it your best shot. The reality is that we just don’t have Irish milers or 1500m runners competing at that level anymore and you have to reach a very high standard now before you can get into the big races.” “If you go back to that era, we had so many great milers going up against each other, and that encouraged us to go faster. The more races you get at that level, the faster you start believing you can go. I always thought – even if it was secretly at the time – that I was going to break 3:50 for the mile that night in Oslo. “I do think Mark Carroll should have broken my record. He had the talent too, but then he was so talented in other events as well that he probably didn’t concentrate on the mile the way he would have needed to if he was going to break the record. Ray Flynn was a hard and diligent trainer for all of his illustrious career. “I did train hard,“ he said. “I often ran 100 miles a week. That included three quality sessions on the track and doing weights as well. I remember coming home to Longford at Christmas back then and sometimes running three times a day; doing nothing except training and sleeping.
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Need to Succeed “It was a harder lifestyle then. I remember leaving Longford for Tennessee at just 17 and not having a return ticket until the following June. There was a real sense of having to make this work. The attitude now is that if you don’t like it you can come home in a few months. “If you look at the way distance running has gone now, one of the reasons why the Africans are so successful is that they want to succeed, need to succeed, so badly. Maybe that factor has been lost a bit from the Irish side of the sport, as it has in most European countries. Flynn is still a big fan of the American athletic scholarship system. His attitude to it is simple: athletes go there with talent and if they’re hard enough and determined to survive, they’ve a very good chance of going on to make it on the world stage in athletics. They won’t, he feels, get a better grounding in competition anywhere else – but you need to be very tough and resilient to make it to the top. As for the ones who go to America on scholarship and don’t make it, Flynn believes they were never going to make it anyway. “If you’ve survived the American collegiate system you are ready to push on to the next level,“ he said. “The problem of course is making the jump from being a good college athlete to becoming a world-class runner. I still think that if you really want to give your running career your best shot, the American athletic scholarship route is still the best way to hone
your talent. My view on that has never changed.” “You just have to look at the stats, and the success of Irish athletes who went down the US scholarship route over the years. It’s quite simple; when you are around other good people, you get better, and in America there is a consistently high level of competition always available.” In hindsight, Flynn believes that had he raced less, his major championships record might be a little more impressive. “Coach Walker let me do what I wanted, and back then we raced to survive, because that was the only financial support system we had. Coach Walker was not what you might call a scientific coach, but he prepared you well and was always there for
“If you look at the way distance running has gone now, one of the reasons why the Africans are so successful is that they want to succeed, need to succeed, so badly.” JUNE - JULY 2017
you. His philosophy on training was ‘you don’t know until you try.’ I believe I could have had a better championship scorecard, had I not been so busy racing.” As for his 3:49.77 mile record, Flynn it seems, gets more satisfaction from it with each passing year. "It’s something I am quite proud of,“ he said. “But I don’t think about how long it has lasted until someone says it to me. It also means that there still aren’t that many athletes running under 3:50. “But I don’t feel in any way that I didn’t get all the respect I should have for running that time, because I got so much out of the sport. I have no regrets and I have done very well out of the sport in my successful business career; managing some of the world’s best athletes at my Flynn Sports Management company.” Ray has also in recent years been appointed Meet Director of the famous Millrose Games, which hosts the legendary Wanamaker Mile and now takes place annually at The Armory, having moved from its traditional home in Madison Square
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MILE MAGIC Record Breakers, August 1985: Frank O'Mara, Marcus O'Sullivan, Ray Flynn and Eamonn Coghlan at Belfield. Sportsfile.com
Flynn ran the anchor leg at Belfield – a solo effort in 3:56.96, after Eamonn Coghlan (4:00.2), Marcus O’Sullivan (3:55.3) and Frank O’Mara (3:55.6) had played their part in what was a massive team effort. Flynn’s solo run for home in 3:56.96 drove the huge crowd delirious on what was one of Iriish athletics’ greatest nights. “You have to give great credit to John O’Shea for bringing the four of us together to set the record – which still stands,” Flynn said. “It was a special night for all of us and is a treasured memory.”
Gardens, New York City. Irish athletes that his management company represents include Ciara Mageean and Fionnuala McCormack. “Looking forward, in two, three, five or ten years, I’m sure my record will be broken and it is possible that it may be broken by someone who has not been born in Ireland but who is now an Irish citizen. We have become a multicultural country now and there is bound to be a lot of new
talent coming through. It’s just a matter of identifying the talent at a young age and nurturing it.” In addition to his Irish Mile and 1500m records, Ray also remains hugely proud of the 4 x 1 mile relay world record set by himself and team-mates Eamonn Coghlan, Marcus O’Sullivan and Frank O’Mara at Belfield Track in 1985 in John O’Shea’s famous GOAL Mile promotion.
Irish All-Time Mile Rankings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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3:49.77 3:49.78 3:50.62 3:50.94 3:51.06 3:52.10 3:53.93 3:54.48 3:54.62 3:54.63
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Ray Flynn
22 Jan 57
7 Jul 1982
Eamonn Coghlan
21 Nov 52
27 Feb 1983
Mark Carroll
15 Jan 72
28 Jul 2000
Marcus O'Sullivan
22 Dec 61
13 Feb 1988
17 Jul 60
10 Sep 1986
Ciarán Ó Lionáird
11 Apr 88
16 Feb 2013
Niall Bruton
27 Oct 71
5 Jul 1996
Dave Taylor
7 Mar 59
13 Jul 1983
James Nolan
27 Jan 77
7 Sep 2003
Jerry O'Reilly
01 Jul 64
08 Jun 1986
Frank O'Mara
Ray Flynn has lived for most of his life in his adopted home in Johnson City, Tennessee and he and his wife Jan have three children; Kiera, Patrick, and Kate. “I feel blessed with the life that I have enjoyed on the track and in an associated business and I feel lucky to have had the support of family all through my sporting and business career,“ he said. He is proud, too, of the Mile Trail named after him in his native Longford. “I go for a run there when I am home and I still try to keep fit and run three or four times a week,“ he said. “I feel I have been lucky in life and it’s nice to still have those two Irish records with my name on them.” And Ray has just two words of advice for Paul McNamara, Athletics Ireland’s newly-appointed Director of High Performance: “Think Big!”
“The Goal Mile was a special night for all of us and is a treasured memory.” JUNE - JULY 2017
PACED MILES
FREE TO ENTER!
 Athletics Ireland / Irish Runner Paced Miles in Association with OPW
Venue: Phoenix Park- Chesterfield Avenue Dates: Sunday, June 25th, Sunday, July, Sunday, August 6th. Start Times: 10am
Entry FREE online at: www.irishrunner.ie
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RECORDS
WhatJust Happened? The hunt for sub-two was fun, but what about the sport? By Cathal Dennehy
It was entertaining, for sure; inspirational even, but when Eliud Kipchoge sprinted to the line on a near-deserted Formula One track in Monza, Italy, you couldn’t help but ask: what are we watching? In athletics, that’s usually a roundabout way of casting suspicion on an athlete, but Kipchoge, through his 14 years at the top of the sport, has never given a reason for people to think he is doping – other than by running fast, which should never be enough for us to blindly sling accusations of impropriety. No, the doubts lingered around this event as a whole: the phalanx of Nike-branded athletes dotted around the racetrack offering support in return for a pay cheque; the handful of carefully selected journalists who, if this was a legitimate sporting event, should have been joined 64
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by dozens of their colleagues; the absence of fans, that forgotten entity in the sport, who have already been sold a lie for so long in so many ways. The Breaking2 project was packaged by Nike as a ‘moonshot’, and few would argue with that moniker. To think a man could run 1:59:59 when the greatest distance athletes in history have only managed three minutes off that was always going to prove delusional, at least without some trickery involved. And as we watched Eliud Kipchoge power his way to an outstanding 2:00:25, you had to wonder how they had done it – or perhaps more importantly, why? It was, no doubt, marketing genius. The attempt garnered worldwide attention, with most articles highlighting the innovative shoe
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“Maybe it’s time we stopped sport’s head-first dive towards becoming a science experiment.” Kipchoge wore, featuring a carbon-fibre blade embedded in its midsole. A different version of the shoe will go on sale to the public next month, and no doubt the massmarket will gobble it up as they try to carve a few minutes off their marathon times. But was it legal?
PERFORMANCE BENEFITS In an excellent column in The Guardian last month, Roger Pielke Jr, a respected voice on sports governance,
best athletes – seeking to do achieve something historic in the sport – the least you can do is allow the key stakeholders and commentators in athletics to attend and ask a few questions. Questions such as, for all of the millions ploughed into the project, why did Nike never announce any details of drug testing? Kipchoge continues to be tested regularly by the IAAF and World Marathon Majors out of competition, but wouldn’t it have been a nice move – and good for the sport – if they said they would pay for a dozen outof-competition tests for each of the competitors in the months leading up to it?
2:00:25? explained how the shoe, according to current IAAF rules, should be banned. He highlighted two cases; those of Oscar Pistorius and Markus Rehm, two Paralympic athletes who wished to compete against able-bodied counterparts despite potentially receiving a performance benefit from their prosthetics. “If we apply the same standards to Nike’s fancy new shoes that the IAAF applies to prosthetic limbs, then the shoes are clearly illegal under IAAF rules,” writes Pielke Jr. “They provide an overall competitive advantage over athletes not using the shoes. For the shoes to be allowed, proof would have to be provided that they do not provide an advantage.” And why would Nike want to do something like that, when their shoes are already in use for select elite athletes and are clearly shown to offer an advantage? Call me cynical, but something grated about Nike athletes expounding the wonders of the shoe while, just a few weeks earlier, the same athletes cried foul over rivals’ doping. While there’s admittedly a world of difference between injecting EPO and using a shoe not yet banned by the authorities, these same athletes must be aware that they have an advantage not only over rivals not sponsored by Nike, but also over Nike athletes who weren’t among the chosen few to receive the shoes. The old saying goes that no publicity is bad publicity, but that didn’t seem to apply to the PR team at Nike, who ignored applications from highly respected athletics journalists like Sean Ingle of the Guardian to attend the event at Monza.
PERSPECTIVE Maybe that’s because objectivity has no place in advertising, but if you create an event with the world’s
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There’s no denying it was exceptionally cool to see an athlete – the greatest marathoner in history – run at that pace for that long, and no doubt it will have inspired legions of others to reconsider their own perceived limitations, but the hope now is that this doesn’t start a trend. “Competition needs to drive sport,” wrote elite coach Steve Magness on Twitter shortly after the attempt. “Our quest for fastest times should be kept in perspective. World record [attempts] every time is not a healthy way to grow and develop sport or retain fans. They should happen in special cases, but competition is key.”
“Nike ignored applications from highly respected athletics journalists to attend the event at Monza.”
Maybe it’s time we stopped our obsession with the clock. Maybe it’s time we have a thorough review into whether athletes have won medals and run times with a shoe that broke the rules. Maybe it’s time we stopped sport’s headfirst dive towards becoming a science experiment, and acknowledge that 99 per cent of what Kipchoge has achieved is because of the talent he was born with and what he has done with it, and maybe it’s time we stopped guzzling down the other one per cent as the elixir of high-performance. Unfortunately, nothing we saw in Italy suggests that’s likely to happen.
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SUPERCOMMUTER A DAY IN THE LIFE OF SEAN HEHIR, 32, LEADING IRISH FINISHER AT THE 2017 LONDON MARATHON
LAST MONTH I ran 2:16:18 at the London Marathon, which got me selected to run at the World Championships in August. There were some difficulties as I wasn’t part of the elite race, so I had to get myself to the front of the mass start and didn’t do much of a warm-up. I RAN with Kevin Seaward for the first half, and he was great. He shared his drinks and when I passed him with a mile to go, he said: “You’re flying it, keep it going.” Though I was running against him and Mick Clohisey, the Irish lads were looking out for each other. There’s camaraderie. SCHOOL FINISHES at 2:30pm, but three days a week I’ll have activities after, like coaching. I try to leave by 4pm, then drive to the gym ahead of my second run. I often meet Eoin Callaghan, Gary O’Hanlon or Conor Healy in the Phoenix Park, or if our schedules fit I’ll join Mick Clohisey for a session. We get on great. To be able to train with one of the best guys on the road scene is a huge asset. I’LL FINISH about 6pm, have a cereal bar and chocolate milk, then drive into town to collect Olive and we’re typically back in Wexford for 8pm. The beauty of living near her family is that her mother cooks for us a lot, which saves us time. Her parents are incredibly supportive.
“To wear the Irish vest on the streets of London is a massive honour and I want to do it justice.”
ON A WEEKDAY, my alarm goes at 5:45am and together with my girlfriend Olive, I’ll be on the road by 6am. I live with her in a small farmhouse in Wexford and we both work in Dublin, so she drives in the mornings, I drive in the evenings. Since December we’ve already burnt out one car. I’LL HAVE A COFFEE on the road, but I save my breakfast until after my first run. In January we had a Marathon Mission session with [coach] Andy Hobdell and he spoke about the importance of doing that first run of the day before breakfast – it gets your body used to burning fat instead of burning sugars. I ARRIVE AT THE GYM at the Hilton, Kilmainham by 7:15am and do my first run of the day – an easy five miles. I work as a teacher at Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál, and will have breakfast there at 8:15am – a bowl of porridge with honey – before school starts at 8:50. AT ELEVEN I’ll have a half-sandwich, then a full sandwich at 12:30 – wholegrain bread, ham or turkey, spinach and cheese. I eat relatively healthy but if I’m craving sugar, I don’t beat myself up over having a chocolate bar.
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DINNER will usually be meat with either pasta or potatoes, and I’m sure to include broccoli, asparagus, spinach, or salad, but I don’t overthink my diet. I don’t take protein shakes or anything like that, but since discovering my iron levels were low last year, I’ve taken a multivitamin and iron tonic every second day. AFTER DINNER it’s about getting ready for the next day – packing my bags with two sets of running gear – and we’ll be in bed by 10pm. Some people might say it’s a tough routine, but as my coach Dick Hooper, says, you just get on with it. Days like the London Marathon, that feeling when you cross the line in a lifetime best, make it all worth it. IT’S FANTASTIC that Athletics Ireland are sending marathon squads to London. It’s the closest we’ll get to a home World Championships. To wear the Irish vest on the streets of London is a massive honour and I want to do the vest, the occasion and myself justice.
Interview by Cathal Dennehy Photo: Sam Barnes, Sportsfile.com JUNE - JULY 2017
IN AID OF ST JAMES'S HOSPITAL
RACE T D A O R E 4 MILE U Q I N U "A
DUBLIN" D L O F EART O H E H T HROUGH
THURSDAY, 20TH JULY @ 7:45PM
ROYAL HOSPITAL KILMAINHAM
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TRAIL TALK
Sun,SandandScree
JUJU JAY REPORTS FROM THE 9TH TRANSVULCANIA ULTRA 74KM RACE ON LA PALMA IN THE CANARY ISLANDS
La Palma is a beautiful little island, and this race had it all, with incredible mountains and a lovely backdrop of nearby island peaks. Mountains, volcanos, beaches, forests; this is a tropical island just like Madeira, which I've run before. That helped with the training for Transvulcania, but nothing prepared me for the heat! This race had very technical tracks; tough and brutal-but-fun hills that never seemed to end, which I loved – jagged rocks for miles, slippery downhill sandy paths that ripped our feet, as well as little stones and the sand – lots of sand! A few runners wore gaiters, but I went against using them on the basis of "less is more". I kind of like the feeling of little stones in my shoes, anyhow! There was so much scree and it’s hard on your eyes; you really needed sunglasses on this course. We had to scramble up long, tough hills, but like all hills, once up there's always nicer descents and I ripped down all of them. I started using my running poles at about 25km and used them till the end; they came in handy – strong but light in my hands. They also helped me stay upright when I hit that wall due to the heat! That heat was the hardest aspect of this race; it really did kill me. I had passed out from it and think I was like a zombie for 2-5mins, stopping to rest from the beating sun every now and then. Not a good feeling at all, as I wanted to get sick! Lots of people were helping me and I got up trying to find any shade from that sun!!! I just couldn't breathe! Others on our team love the heat, but not me – I’m more a rain, snow and fog man. Once I made it into the woods I recovered my mojo, just as I was about to give up at about 50km in. 68
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Playground The Mountain Rescue helpers came over to me at one point, gave me a full testing and told me I wasn’t fit to carry on. I said NO WAY was I about to give in. I think they tried to stop me, but I ran off, hoping they wouldn’t have taken my number down and given me a DNF at the finish. So, knowing there was only 24km left, my race began in earnest; I had to push on. I was super-happy with myself at this stage, as I was running like I always do – ripper on the super-technical rocky downhills… I’m joking – I can't describe how tough that track was, but it was fun passing out lots of runners as they walked downhill. Most were walking down, due to the steep, slippy and very sharp rocks, but to me it was Juju’s playground and I loved it all; seeing the shock on the faces of people who thought I was well gone. That was the steepest hill I ever ran down in my life; very dangerous and I did see many hurt themselves on it. I was very lucky. Soon we gained a view of sea and WOW; that super-rocky, zig-zag path all the way down, I think about 15km; I’m not sure but I loved it, the best fun of the day. Juju was back and feeling stronger than ever. And then, when you think it's all over, it’s not – there’s another 5km UPHILL and it was SUPER TOUGH! But I pushed on, despite the pain. My body had hit its max, but I knew if I stopped I would never start again! People on the streets had water for us, but I couldn't drink it and had it dropped over my head to cool me off.
people outside the cafes, pushing us on. At this stage I was crying with the pain of what had been a very tough adventure in that damn heat, then seeing that lovely finish mat and giving it socks – push, push, push. I was delighted that I could push at all, on my forefeet, staying nice and light to the end of the race.
www.facebook.com/ mudsweatandrunners
Transvulcania 74km Vertical climb: 4,350m* Highest point: 2,422m The Transvulcania is one of the toughest trail running races in the world, at 74.33 km, 4,350m of positive climb and 4,057m downhill. Starting before dawn at the Fuencaliente lighthouses on La Palma’s ocean front, the course follows in part the “Gran Recorrido” trail GR 131, ascending over the black slippery volcanic sand, through Los Canarios to El Pilar. From here, the race opens out to climb along the crest outlining the skyline to the highest point on the island, the Roque de los Muchachos, at 2,421m. A steep descent to Tazacorte beach is followed by a last climb along a canyon and through banana plantations to the finish line in Los Llanos de Aridane.
It worked, too. The last 3km or so was flat, so time to give it all. I pushed on, passing lots of people, all in so much pain. I felt the same, and tried to help a few people too, as they fell. But I needed to keep moving and soon came to the final kilometre to see thousands of JUNE - JULY 2017
Photos by Valerie O'Sullivan
“Others on our team love the heat, but not me – I’m more a rain, snow and fog man.”
faces FROM THE RACES
Photos from the Streets of Dublin 5K on May 21 at the CHQ Building in North Wall, Dublin, organised by Athletics Ireland in Partnership with Dublin City Council. Photos by Sam Barnes/SportsfileÂ
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1. James Kelly 2. Estelle Bruchet 3. Liam Mycroft, right, and Katie Maher 4. Aidan and Matthew Nolan 5. Leo Varadkar, T.D. Minister for Social Protection, leads the charge JUNE - JULY 2017
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6 6. Mary Phelan 7. Katja Rademacher and Conor Moriarty 8. Nicola Kelly, left, and Gwen Harris 9. Mass warm-up before the Start
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Fixtures Race
Lindie Naughton
*DATES AND TIMES OF RACES CAN CHANGE. PLEASE CHECK BEFORE TRAVELLING.
Note: Events are listed by province in the following order: Leinster, Munster, Connacht, Ulster.
May
Thursday May 25 PWC Staff Relay 5K, Phoenix Park, 6pm. Entry €159.00 team (of five) before May 19. C:093 58899/42896; W:www. staffrelayseries.com Ballyandreen '5', 8pm. Race 1 Ballycotton Summer Series. Entry €5. T-shirt to the first 50 men and first 20 women overall; souvenir plaque to all completing the 4-race league. Plus rpizes in usual categories. W:www.ballycottonrunning. com Kilbonane NS/Ballincollig AC 5K Trail Race, Farran Woods, 7.30pm.W:www. corkathletics.org Letterkenny AC Relay for Life 5K, 7.30pm. C:marieboyl@gmail.com Friday May 26 Louth Beach Race, 7pm. C:Fintan Reilly 086 4134482
Kilcock Colour Run, 12 noon. W:wwwpopupraces.ie
Clare Burren Marathon Challenge, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare, 9am. Marathon, half marathon, mini marathon. Entry (by post) - €45 marathon, €35 half, €20 10K; €10 U16 10K (wheelchair friendly). CD May 20. C:087 7779714; W:www. clareburrenmarathonchallenge.com West Muskerry Sports, Castle Grounds, Macroom, 2pm. Entry €5 adult, €4 child, €15 family. W:www.corkathletics.org Ridge Ultra Challenge 112 mile, Gortin to Buglas, Co Donegal. Self sufficient races for solo runners or 2 and 4 person teams. C:086 1785625; W:www.ridgeultra.com County Antrim Harriers May Fair 10K/5K, Ballyclare RFC, 10am. Entry £15 reg; £18 unreg. C:Christine Murray 07889721471; W:www.countryantrimharriers.co.uk 5 Mile More, Ballywatertown, 10am. C:Martin McKenna 07707699074 NI YDL Rd 2 and Senior Open Championships, Antrim Forum, 10am. C:Chris@ukydl.org.uk
Touraneena 5 K (Race 5 Intersport/ Elverys/Asics Summer Series) Touraneena, Co Waterford, 7.30pm. C:Ann Dunford 086 0619711/ James Veale 086-8184762;W:www. westwaterfordathletics.org
Universities International
John Hartnett 10K, Ballyhooly, Co Cork, 7.15pm. Entry €10 on day; cash prizes sen/masters, C:Oliver Murphy 085 7364363; Facebook
Irish Life Health National Combined Events (all ages; hep/dec) Day 2, venue tbc.W:www.athleticsireland.ie
Carmen Runners 4x1 Mile Road Relay, Patrician Hall, CarricKore, Co Tyrone 7pm. Entry £40 per team. T-shirts first 50 teams to enter. Prizes men, women, mixed, O45, sports clubs, corporate, family, friends. Also fastest mile award. C:Michael Kerr 02880760557. RunHer Coastal 5K/10K, Crawfordsburn, 6.30 and 7pm. C:Michael Jenkins 07904950520; W:www.runher.co.uk Saturday May 27- Sunday May 28 Lough Cutra Castle Triathlon, Gort, Co Galway. C:info@castletriathlonseries. co.uk European Clubs T-F, Gp 1 Mersin, Turkey, Gp B tba
Sunday May 28 Irish Life Health AI Games, venue tbc.W:www.athleticsireland.ie
Dublin Juvenile T-F League Day 4, Tallaght, 10.30am. W:www. dublinathletics.com Strawberry Half Marathon and 5-Mile, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, 11am. C:Kate 087 7421097 Tullamore Family Resource Centre 5K Family Fun Run/Walk, 11am. C:057 9320598. Kenagh GAA 5K/10K, Co Longford, 12 noon. C:James Rowan 087 9870560. Newbridge Musical Society and Marie Keating Foundation 5K/10K, DFTC Sports Ground, the Curragh, 12 noon. W:www. popupraces.ie Hills: Ticknock Tick Tock (63.6K, 3600m) 7am. W:www.imra.ie
Saturday May 27
Cork Athletics Juvenile B, Relays and Junior T-F, CIT, 11am. W:www. corkathletics.org
Irish Life Health National Combined Events (all ages) Day 1, NavanW:www. athleticsireland.ie
Irish Cancer Society 5K Colour Dash, Dooly Park, Sligo, 12 noon. W:www. cancer.ie
Dublin U9-11 Team Championships, Irishtown, 10am. W:www.dublinathletics. com
Newry City Marathon, McGrath Centre, 8am. Also half marathon, 9.30am. C:Paddy Duffy 07714855290.
Lap of the Gap Marathon and Glen to Glen Half-Marathon, Glendalough, Co Wicklow, 9am. Online entry €46.65 marathon; €36.28 half marathon. C:Niall Corrigan 086 8154814.
Glenone 5K, St Mary's Greenlough Primary School Clady, 12.30pm. C:Orla Donnelly 07843632330
Bertie Quinn Open T-F, Tullamore, Co Offaly, 11am. In association with IMC. C:Liam Hennessy 086 8384410
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Monday May 29 John Buckley Sports Cork Graded Leagues Rd 2, CIT, 7.45. 110m H (EYOF
Qualifier), 200m,800m,3000m, HJ, HT, JT, PV. Entry €5. W:www.corkathletics.org
3, Deadman's 5-Mile, 7.30pm. C:Mark Connolly 086 1608165.
Tuesday May 30
Mallow AC Dan Byrne Memorial 5K Trail/ Road, Doneraile Park, 7pm. W:www. corkathletics.org
Star of the Sea 5K, Stamullen, Co Meath, 8pm. Online entry €16.04; 20% reduction for groups of 10 or more. T-shirt first 200 to reg. Cash prizes senior, Masters O4060; club teams. Also juvenile races 7pm; €2 on the day. Race HQ St. Patrick’s GFC Centre. C:Brendan Meade 087 2533113. Government Services/BHAA 5-Mile, Dunboyne, Co Meath, 8pm. Entry €10 members; €15 guests online or €20 on day. Race HQ Dunboyne AC. C:Paul Gorey 087 6181206; Tom Fagan 087 0626065; W:www.bhaa.ie John Buckley Sports Cork BHAA 5K, Cork, 8pm. C:John Buckley 021-4508830; W:www.corkbhaa.com. Ballyhaunis 5K, Co Mayo, 8pm. Race 2 Vodafone Mayo AC Summer Series. Entry €30 for 5-race series; €25 for 3 races or €10 per race. Star prize - weekend away, Alcock and Brown Hotel, Clifden. C:Martin 087 2455989. Galway 5K Series Rd 6 (final rd), athenry, 8pm. W:www.5K.ie
Cliffooney Celtic 8K, Co Sligo, 7.30pm. C:Dessie O'Connor 0719166226. Albertville Harriers 4-Mile, The Portside Inn, 7.30pm. Entry £8 reg, £10 unreg. C:Jenny Hamilton 07769748979; W:www. albertvilleharriers.org. TATTS 5, Tattyreagh GAC, 7pm. C:Martin McLaughlin 07786164431. Saturday June 3 Irish Life Health 101st All Ireland Schools T-F, Tullamore, 9am. W:www. athleticsireland.ie Tullaroan Ultra 63K, Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Co Kilkenny, from 7am. Entry €50, €40, €25, €20, €10. Team event (four races); entry €95. C:Vincent Guthrie 087 9478821. Run the Rock 11K, Macreddin Rock (Cushbawn), Co Wicklow.11am. Also 3.5K walk.Rcae HQ Brooklodge Hotel. W:www. aughrimgaa.ie
Super Valu Women's 5K Series Sligo Rd 3, Grange, 7.30pm. Entry €5. C:SSRP 071 9161511 or shane@ sligosportandrecreation.ie
Donadea 50K/100K, Donadea Forest, Co Kildare, 9am. W:www.popupraces.ie
Wednesday May 31 Hills: Leinster Evening League, Trooperstown Hill (9K, 430m), 7.30pm. W:www.imra.ie Hills: Munster League, Lisvarrinane (9K, 275K) 8pm. W:www.imra.ie
Munster Juvenile Games and U12-13 T-F Championships Day 1, Lee’s Rd, Ennis, 11am. W:www.munsterathletics.com
June Thursday June 1 Drogheda and District Graded Meets Rd 3, 7pm. 100/400/1500/LJ. Entry €5. C:Ciaran Doyle 086 8512039. Born2Run 10K/5K Series Race 1, Malahide Castle.Entry €25. Medal all finishers. W:www.born2runevents.com Balbriggan Summerfest 5K, Co Dublin, 8pm. W:www.balbriggansummerfest.com Ruan NS 6K, Co Clare, 7pm. C:065 6837301. Firmus Energy Super 6 Series, Mary Peters Track, Belfast, 6.15pm. C:laganvalleyac@gmailcom Friday June 2 Dublin Juvenile T-F C'ships, Day 1, Santry, 6.30pm. W:www.dublinathletics.com Ballyskenach 5K (Offaly Road Race Series Rd 5), Roscrea Rugby Club, 8pm. Cash prizes senior, junior, O40,50,60,70. C:Carmel Ormond 087 7947603; W:www. offalyathletics.ie. Carrick-on-Suir AC Summer Series Race
Super Milk Wild Air Run, Malahide Castle, 10am. Inflatable obstacle course run. W:www.wildairrun.com
Lough Derg 10K/5K, Tuamgraney, Co Clare, 11am. Entry €15/€10. Reg Scarriff Community College. C:Orla Hogan 087 1249819. Hills: Carrauntoohill (12.5K, 1137m) 1pm. Irish Championships race. W:www.imra.ie Blessed Patrick O'Loughran PS Castlecaulfield 10K, 11am. C:Cathy Moylan cmoylan236@c2kni.net Fields of Life Stormont 10kK/15K, Stormont Estate, Belfast, 11am Entry £15 reg, £17 unreg. lso family 1K, 12 noon. Entry £6 or £15 family team. W:www. fieldsoflife.org. Great Derrynoose 5K/10K, 6pm. Entry £10. C:Gary Farrell 07720844826; W:www. derrynooseps.co.uk Remembering Andy, O'Cahan Park GAA Club, Dungiven, Co Derry, 11.30pm. C:Conor Lavery 02877741324 Sunday June 4 Leinster Masters/Seniors/U23 T-F Championships, Tullamore, 10am. W:www.athleticsleinster.org. Dublin Juvenile T-F C'ships, Day 2, Tallaght, 11am. W:www.dublinathletics. com Ballon Rathoe T-F, Co Carlow, 12 noon. C:Olive O'Byrne 087 9009421. Cork City Marathon, 9am. Entry €85 or €117 relay teams. Also half marathon;
JUNE-JULY 2017
entry €62. C:Gina Johnson 086 3347835W:www.corkcitymarathon.ie Munster Juvenile Games and U12-13 T-F Championships Day 2, Lee’s Rd, Ennis, 11am. W:www.munsterathletics.com Knocknagnee GAA 5K, Co Kerry, 2pm. C:Tom Joe O'Donoghue 064 7756309 NI and Ulster Children's Games and U11 and 12 C'ships, PeaceLink, Clones, Co Monaghan, 10.30am. W:wwww. athleticsireland.ie SSE Airtricity Walled City Marathon, Everglades Hotel, Derry, 8.30am. Entry closed. Also10k and 10-Mile Challenges. W:www.thewalledcitymarathon.com. Hazelbank 5-Mile, Shore Rd, Belfast, 11am. Entry £15. Also one mile fun run; entry £5. C:Nuala Muldoon 07575851679; email legiteventsni@gmail.com. Monday June 5 VHI Women's 10K Mini Marathon, Dublin, 2pm. C:Stephen Judge 086 1260387. Moyne 10K Mini Marathon, Co Tipperary, 12 noon. Entry €12. Cash prizes first 3 men and women; €50 course record bonus. Refreshments.C:Mark King 087 2838918. Leinster U9-15 Teams, Tullamore, 10am. W:www.athleticsleinster.org. West Muskerry AC T-F, Co Cork, 2pm. C:Colette O'Riordan 086 3517204. Maree 8K, Oranmore, Co Galway, 1pm. Entry €15. C:Gearoid Moloney 086 1578536; W:www.popupraces.ie. Tuesday June 6 Castlebar 5K, Co Mayo 8pm. Race 3 Vodafone Mayo AC Summer Series. Entry €30 for 5-race series; €25 for 3 races or €10 per race. Star prize - weekend away, Alcock and Brown Hotel, Clifden. Reg St Gerald's School Hall. C:Ann 086 8635534 North Down T-F Meet 3, Bangor Sportsplex, 7pm. 100m,400m, 1500m,3000m, LJ, TJ, DT,JT,SP. £3 per event or £5 two or more events; reg from 6pm. C:northdownac@gmail,com Wednesday June 7 Dublin Graded T-F No 4, Santry 7pm. 100,400, 1500m, HJ, PV, SP, HT.Entry €8/€5 juv/jun/student; EOD €12/€9. W:www.dublinathletics.com. Phoenix Park Duathlon (2.5K run, 12K cycle, 2.5K run), Papal Cross, 6pm. W:www.triathlonireland.com Hills: Leinster Evening League, Sorrell Hill (9.45m, 392m), 7.30pm. W:www. imra.ie Belle of Ballincollig Town Run GAA 5K, Ballincollig, Co Cork, 8pm. C:086 8125278 Hills: Munster League, Kilworth Woods (6K, 100m),8pm. W:www.imra.ie Fairhill 5-Mile, Seven Towers Leisure Centre, 7pm. Entry £10 reg, £12 unreg. Also fun run; entry £5. Mugs first 300 to reg; medals all finishers. C:James Turtle 07813123979; W:www. ballymenarunners.org. Craigavon Lakes 10K/5K/1K, 7pm. Entry £10, £5, £1 (£3 family team). C:Daryn Greene 02838311692 Thursday June 8 Born2Run 10K/5K Series Race 2, St Anne’s Park, Raheny, Dublin.Entry €25 online or €30 on day. Medal all finishers. W:www.born2runevents.com Merck Millipore Cork BHAA 6K, Fota Rd, 8pm. C:Michael Cremin 087-7995499; W:www.corkbhaa.com. Boom 10K, UU Coleraine, 7.30pm. Entry £10 reg, @12 unreg. Also 2 x 5K relay, entry £14. C:Alison Rankin 08904361337; W:www.springwellrunners.com Friday June 9 Dublin Juvenile T-F Championships
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Day 3 (uneven relays), Santry 6.30pm. W:www.dublinathletics.com Old Still Bar Clashmore 5 (Race 6 Intersport/Elverys/Asics Summer Series), Clashmore, Co Waterford 7.30 pm. C:Ann Dunford 086 0619711/James Veale 086-8184762; W:www.westwaterfordathletics.org Kilfinane 4 Mile, Co Limerick, 8pm. Ballyhoura Active Series Rd 4. Entry €12. C:Michael Halpin 087 6426743. East Ferry 5-Mile, Saleen, Midleton, 8pm. W:www.corkathletics.org Saturday June 10 Irish Wheelchair Association National T-F Championships, Santry. W:www. iwasport.com Patrick Bell Memorial 5K, Bohermeen, Co Meath, 7.30pm. Online entry €16.05 adult; €6.42 U20. Prizes senior, masters, junior; BBQ, music. C:Stephen Ball 086 0792580. Mick Murphy 4-Mile, Ferns, Co Wexford, 5.30pm. Online entry €15, or €20 on day. T-shirt first 200 to reg. Cash prizes sen, masters, jun. C" Louise Kehoe 086 8276661; W:www.sbrclub.com Glenmore 10-Mile, Mullaghbouy Community Centre, Cooley Peninsula, Co Louth, 11am. Online entry €15; late entry €25. Prizes sen, masters, teams. C:Rose White 087 2325615; W:www. glenmoreac.com. Moylagh JFK 50-Mile Charity Challenge, Co Meath, 6am. C:Kathryn Cooke 086 4057540; W:www.50milechallenge.com. Dublin Juvenile T-F C'ships Day 4, Irishtown, 10.30am. W:www. dublinathletics.com Leinster Pairs T-F, Tullamore, 10am. W:www.athleticsleinster.org. GV Ryan T-F Meet, Santry, 2pm. In association with Crusaders AC and IMC. C:Michael McGovern 085 7391799 The Relay, Avondale House, Rathdrum, 7am. Distance 70K; 5 legs (13K, 13.5K, 10K, 15K, 18K). Teams to include one woman and one master (O40); entry €100. Solo entry €75. C:086 1962830; W:www.therelay.ie. Hills/Ultra: Wicklow Way Solo (127K, 3000m), 12 midnight. W:www.imra.ie New Inn Festival 5K, Co Tipperary, 7.30pm. C:Niall O'Sullivan 086 1660888. Run for Ollie Milltown 10K, Milltown, Co Galway, 3pm. Online entry €25. Prizes sen, masters, juniors. C:Ger Bowens 086 3884005; W:www.friendsofollie.com. Forest Marathon, Half marathon, 5K,10K; also 100K, 50K. Entry - €60 100K, €50 50K, €45 marathon, €40 half marathon, €20 10K, €15 5K; reg forestmarathon. wordpress.com. C:Seb Locteau 085 7350850. Connacht Juvenile Pairs and U12 C'ships. W:www.athletcsireland.ie NI and Ulster Senior and U18-20 T-F Championships, Mary Peters Track, Belfast, 10am. W:www.athleticsni.org. Pete's Alternative Triathlon Charity 10K (run, sail,cycle), Hazelbank Park, Carrickfergus, 9am. C:Peter Lock 07919907846. Stunnerz 'n Runners, Meadowbank Sports Arena, Magherafelt, 12 noon. Entry £12 reg, £13 unreg. Women only. Prizes usual categories; postrace buffet; t-shirts. C:Tanya Quinn 07873848493; W:www.sperrinharriers. co.uk.
Pratagila, Tuscany, Italy Sunday June 11 Dublin Juvenile T-F C'ships, Day 4, Irishtown.W:www.dublinathletics.com Irish Cancer Society 5K Colour Dash,Phoenix Park, 10am. W:www. cancer.ie
Abbeyshrule 5K/10K, Co Longford, 11.30am. Entry €10; €20 family. C:James Byrne 087 9979140. Wexford Marathon, 10am. Entry €50. C:Dee Boland 089 4824892; W:www. runwexford.com Munster Senior/Masters T-F Championships, Cork IT, 10am. W:www. munsterathletics.com Twomey Memorial Meelin 6K, Co Cork, 2pm. C:Jerry Twomey 086 8050821. Clifton Lifeboat 10K, 2pm. Entry €20. Medals all finishers; prizes senior, masters, teams. C:Laurence 087 6271288. The Fitness Habit 5K/10K, Monaghan, 12.30pm. C:047 77943; W:www. thefitnesshabit.com Tuesday June 13 Raheny 2-Mile Summer Series Rd 1, 8pm. Entry €7 (€2 unwaged) or €30 for 14-race series. Overall prizes; best eight results to count. C:Pat Hooper 086 8158052 VMWare Cork BHAA 5K, GAA Grounds, Ballincollig, 8pm. C:087 6787647; W:www.corkbhaa.com. Claremorris 5K, Co Mayo, 8pm. Race 4 Vodafone Mayo AC Summer Series. Entry €30 for 5-race series; €25 for 3 races or €10 per race. Star prize - weekend away, Alcock and Brown Hotel, Clifden. Reg Claremorris track. C:John 087 9099910. Super Valu Women's 5K Series Sligo Rd 4, Tireragh, 7.30pm. Entry €5. C:SSRP 071 9161511 or shane@ sligosportandrecreation.ie
Patrick Downey started his running career during the 2008/2009 season when he was training as a Fitness Instructor. “The tutor on the course insisted that we all get fit and he would not pass us unless we could complete a 15K run around the lakes in Blessington, “Patrick said. A couple of his favourite events have been the Derry Marathon where he posted 4:10 and the Half -Marathon in Carlingford where he finished in 1:45. But the SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon is still the event Patrick refers to as the ‘Holy Grail ‘ running event. He gets great support from members of the Runners Support Page and has made friends with many runners through the page.
June 13-18 CSIT World Games, Riga, Latvia. Leinster team competing. W:www.csit.tv/en/ world-sports-games Wednesday June 14 Trinity BHAA Track Races, College Park, Dublin. Entry €10 members; €15 guests online or €20 on day.W:www.bhaa.ie Hills: Leinster Evening League, Djouce (new route) (9.8m, 580m), 7.30pm. W:www.imra.ie Grant Thornton Corporate Challenge, the Mall, Cork, 7.30. Teams of four; men, women, mixed. Entry €110 before May 26; €120 before June 9. W:www. grantthorntoncorporatechallenge.ie Hills: Munster League, Killaloe(Ballycuggaran) (8.2K, 300m),8pm. W:www.imra.ie Centra Run Together Pairs Event, Derry, 7pm. Entry free; donations to Action Cancer welcome. T-shirts, medals. C:Johnny Davis 07768103968. Annaghmore 5K/10K, Co Armagh, 7.30pm. W:www.athleticsni.org. Dromara 5K, Co Down, 7.30pm. C:Pauline Crompton 07962112426
Mourne Way Marathon, Ultra, Half and 10K, Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor, Start times from 6am (ultra) to 3pm (10K). Entry fees from £25 (10K) to £55 (ultra) before Mar 31. W:www.26extreme.com
Drogheda and District Graded Meets Rd 4, 7pm. 200/800/3K/SP. Entry €5. C:Ciaran Doyle 086 8512039
ITRA Trail World Championships, Bada
Support Page
Little South Run 4-Mile, Kilmacow, Co Kilkenny, 2pm. C:Colum Sheridan 087 2364125. Oran's Foundation 5-Mile, Stabannon, Co Louth, 12 noon. Entry €15. C:Clodagh Culligan 086 8477915.
Enniskillen 10K, Fermanagh Lakeland Forum, 2pm. Novosco 10k Grand Prix race. Prizes senior, junior, masters. C:Chris Elliott 07872419087; W:www. enniskillen10k.com
European 10,000m, Minsk, Belarus.
Runners
Thursday June 15
Born2Run 10K/5K Series Race 3, Newbridge House, Co Dublin. Entry €25 online or €30 on day. Medal all finishers. W:www.born2runevents.com Coolagown 5K, Co Cork, 8pm. C:Patrick
Pam O’Rourke is a dedicated member of the Runners Support Page and she also recently signed up as a member of Navan Athletic Club. Pam started her running a couple of years ago when she joined the Learn to Run group in Navan that was organised by the Meath Sports Partnership. A mother of three girls, Pam’s husband Colin is also very active at hurling and golf. Pam completed her first marathon in Dublin last year in 4:21 and hopes to break 4 hours in the same event in October. She trains four times a week on average. “I love the social aspect of Runners Support Page and I love to run, “ Pam said.
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Kerry Constant from Bishopstown in Cork received a warm welcome from the members of Waterstown Warriors when he took part in the Streets of Dublin 5k. Kerry is a prolific racer and he hopes to complete his 700th race when he takes part in the Irish Runner 5 Mile in the Phoenix Park on June 17th. Photo: Sam Barnes sportsfile.com Morrison 025 36322. Lyre 5K, Banteer, 7.15pm. W:www. corkathletics.org Killeeneen NS Back to School 5K, Co Galway, 7pm. Entry €15; t-shirt first 100 to reg. C:Mark Campbell 086 3322540 Keep 'er Lit Newell 10K, Coalisland, Co Tyrone, 7.15pm. Entry £13 reg, £15 unreg; £50 team. Also 5K, 7.45pm; entry free;donations welcome. C:Cathal O’Hagan 07766076581 Friday June 16 Braveheart 5K, Porchfields, Trim, Co Meath, 8pm. Entry €15 (plus booking fee) online; €18 in day. Prizes usual categories. T-shirt first 400 to enter. Also kids' race 7pm. C:086 3445903; W:www. braveheart5krun.com Dublin Juvenile T-F C'ships, Day 5, Tallaght, 7pm.W:www.dublinathletics. com Dublin Pride Run 5K, Acres Road, Phoenix Park, 7.30pm. Online entry €21.40; all proceeds to charity. . C:Andrew Chambers 083 3591237; W:www. dublinfrontrunners.ie Summer Malahide Castle 10k, 10am. Entry €24 (incl tech t-shirt) ; €40 for two races. W:www.summerparkseries.com Dungarvan Leader Dromana 5 (Race 7 Intersport/Elverys/Asics Summer Series), Villierstown, Co Waterford 7.30 pm. C:Ann Dunford 086 0619711/ James Veale 086-8184762;W:www. westwaterfordathletics.org Bilboa Ger Mullane Memorial 10K/5K, Cappamore, Co Limerick, 8pm. Ballyhoura Active Series Rd 5. Entry - 10kk: €15; 5K: €10 Walkers €5. Prizes usual categories. C:Nora Ryan 061 380315. Michael Cahill 5K, Ballingarry, Co Tipperary, 8pm. Entry €15 on night.. C:Edie Smyth 086 0781422. Inniscarra 4-Mile, Co Cork, 8pm. C:Maire Ui Chonghaile; muic@eircom.net. Comber 10K, 7.30pm. Enatry £13 reg, £15 unreg. C:Mark Earney 07926731140; W:www.ballydrainharriers.co.uk Saturday June 17- Sunday June 18 England U20/U13 Championships, Bedford. Saturday June 17 15th Irish Runner 5-Mile, Phoenix Park, Dublin 10am. Online entry €21.04 adult.
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Also family 2.7K; entry €8.35 individual or €26.75 family. T-shirt; refreshements; prizes. W:www.irishrunner.ie/5mile Leinster U12-19 Day 1, Tullamore. W:www. athleticsleinster.org. Superhero Wicklow 5K/10K (run/walk) and Half Marathon, the Beehive, 1pm. Entry €12 5K; €17 10K and €25 half marathon; €55 family. Enter online @ popupraces. C:Wayne Driscoll 086 2005652 Stone Mad Barrow Valley 60K, Marathon and Half Marathon, Carlow town to Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny 9.30am. Entry €75, €55, €35. W:www. stonemadrace.com. Hills: Mount Leinster (13.8K, 635m) Leinster Championships race. W:www. imra.ie Munster U14-19 T-F Championships Day 1, Cork IT, 9.30am. W:www. munsterathletics.com Half on the Head Kerryhead Half Marathon and 10K, Ballyheigue, Co Kerry, 11am. Entry €43/€27. T-shirt, goodie bag, medall, BBQ. C:info@ballyheigue.ie St Mary's Ladies FC 5K, Doneraile Park, Co Cork, 11am. W:www.corkathletics.org SSE Airtricty Tournafulla 5K/10K, Co Limerick, 10am. Entry: 10k - €15; 5k €10 (or €20 family) C:Sean Carter 087 1342385. Connacht U13-19 T-F. W:www. athleticsireland.ie Strokestown 10K, Co Roscommon, 11am. Entry €15. Also 5K; entry €10 or €15 family. C:Patrick Tighe 087 7958143; W:www.popupraces.ie Bullaun NS Fun Run, Co Galway, 7pm. C:Laurent le Provost 086 8062609. Ballyhaunis Fit for Life, 5.30pm. C:Martin Fitzmaurice 087 2455989 NI and Ulster U14-17 T-F, Mary Peters Track, Belfast, 10am. W:www.athleticsni. org Lisnaskea 10K, Castle Park Centre, Lisnaskea, 12 noon. C:Brian Corgrove 07743330834. Loup GAC 10K/5K, 11am. Entry - 10K: £12 reg, £14 unreg; 5K - £7 reg, £9 unreg. C:Brian McAlynn 07855108508 Sunday June 18 Raheny 2-Mile Summer Series Rd 2, 11am. Tommy Lynam Cup. Entry €7or €2 unwaged. C:Pat Hooper 086 8158052
Castleknock 5K, Castleknock College, Co Dublin, 10am. Online entry €20.73 adult; €10.37 U16. C:castleknock5K@gmail.com Leinster U12-19 Day 2, Tullamore. W:www. athleticsleinster.org. Kenagh GAA 10K, Co Longford,12 noon. Entry €15. C:Colm Murray 086 3986245; W:www.runireland.com Kildare Thoroughbred 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, 8pm. Online entry €16.05, €24.61, €32.10, €53.50. Post-race hot food. C:Michael Barber 086 6777364; Facebook. Munster U14-19 T-F Championships Day 2, Cork IT, 9.30am. W:www. munsterathletics.com Dunmanway 10K, Co Cork,11am. C:Bill Allen 087 2594017. Castleconnell NS 10K, Co Limerick, 12 noon. C:Ivan Coughlan 061 303311. Connacht U13-19 T-F. W:www. athleticsireland.ie Allihies Community Centre 8K, Co Cork, 2pm. C:John O'Sullivan 086 2360737. Irish Cancer Society 5K Colour Dash, NUI Galway, 11am. W:www.cancer.ie Annaghdown NS 10K, Co Galway, 5pm. C:Derek Walsh 087 7976254. Connacht U13-19 T-F. W:www. athleticsireland.ie Centra Run Together Pairs Event, Parkanaur Forest, 10.30am. Entry free; donations to Action Cancer welcome. T-shirts, medals. C:Johnny Davis 077768103968.
Born2Run 10K/5K Series Race 4, Bohernabreena, Co Dublin. Entry €25. Medal all finishers. W:www. born2runevents.com Hills: Leinster Evening League, Brockagh (11m, 443m), 7.30pm. W:www.imra.ie Riverstick Kinsale Open T-F, Co Cork, 6pm. C:Joan Allen 086 6003141 Hills: Munster League, Mt Hillary (7.7K, 280m),8pm. W:www.imra.ie Sligo City Sports. W:www.sligocitysports. com Coca Cola Lisburn Half Marathon, 10K and Fun Run, Lagan Valley Lesiureplex, Lisburn, 6.30pm. Incorp NI Half Marathon C'ships. C:Adrian Baron 07866264434; W:www.lisburnhalfmarathon.com St Joseph's 5K, U3A Foyle Gransha, 7pm. C:Emmett McGinty 07840023813 Thursday June 22 Shanagarry '5', 8pm. Race 2 Ballycotton Summer Series. Entry €5. T-shirt first 50 men and 20 women overall; souvenir plaque all completing the 4-race league. Plus prizes in usual categories. W:www. ballycottonrunning.com Firmus Energy Super 6 Series, Mary Peters Track, Belfast, 6.15pm. C:laganvalleyac@ gmailcom Grant Thornton Corporate Challenge, Belfast City Airport, 11am. Teams of four; men, women, mixed. Entry £95 before May 26; £105 before June 15. W:www. grantthorntoncorporatechallenge.ie
Tuesday June 20 Raheny 2-Mile Summer Series Rd 3, 8pm. Entry €7 or €2 unwaged. C:Pat Hooper 086 8158052 Ballinrobe 5K, 8pm. Race 5 (final round) Vodafone Mayo AC Summer Series. Entry €30 for 5-race series; €25 for 3 races or €10 per race. Star prize - weekend away, Alcock and Brown Hotel, Clifden. Followed by prize-giving party Ballinrobe Soccer Club. C:Joan 087 6726029 Super Valu Women's 5K Series Sligo Rd 5, Ballymote, 7.30pm. Entry €5. C:SSRP 071 9161511 or shane@ sligosportandrecreation.ie Wednesday June 21 Dublin Graded T-F No 5, Tallaght 7pm. 200,800, 3000m, LJ, PV, JT.Entry €8/€5 juv/jun/student; EOD €12/€9. W:www. dublinathletics.com
Friday June 23 Leinster Junior T-F Championships, Le Cheile Track, Leixlip,7pm. W:www. athleticsleinster.org. Drogheda and District AC 5K Midsummer Run, 8pm. Quality, no frills race; online entry €15 or €20 on day. Postrace BBQ. Category and team prizes. C:Ciaran Doyle 086 8512039; W:www. droghedaanddistrictac.com. Newtownshandrum 5 Mile, Co Cork, 7.30pm. Ballyhoura Active Series Rd 6. C:nobrien2009@yahoo.ie Killyleagh '5', Bridge Centre, Killyleagh, Co Down, 7.15pm. C:Joe Quinn 07933214894. Saturday June 24- Sunday June 25 European Athletics Team Championships, Lille, France.
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British Masters T-F Championships, Birmingham Extreme North Rock 'n' Rollin Ultra, Marathon, Half Marathon, 7-mile, Inishowen Peninsula, Co Donegal. Entry fees from €25.90 (7-mile) to €55.90 (ultra). W:www.extremenorthevents. com Saturday June 24 Tailteann Schools Interpro Games, Santry. W:www.athleticsireland.ie AI Juvenile Games, Tullamore, 11am. W:www.athleticsireland.ie Willis Towers Watson Dunshaughlin 10K, Co Meath, 7.30pm. Cash prizes sen, jun, masters, teams; €300 first M&F; €500 course record bonus (men 29:21; women 33.13). C:Paddy Mangan 087 2597731; W:www. dunshaughlinac.com. WLRfm Waterford Viking Marathon, 9am. Marathon, Half Marathon, Quarter Marathon and 3-person Relay/ Corporate Relay. New route. Early bird online entry €53.50 (mar), €37.45 (half), €26.75 (quarter). C:Laura Holmes 051 846131; W:www. waterfordvikingmarathon.com Ballyhoura Active Duathlon (Run 4K-Cycle 6K-Run 2K), Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Park Ardpatrick, Co Limerick, 10am. Entry €25. Info: ballyhouraactive@gmail.com Athenry Half Marathon, Monivea, Co Galway,11am. Entry €25 (plus fee); T-shirt all finishers. Also 5K; entry €15 (plus fee); hat all finishers. Prizes usual categories; refreshments. W:www. athenryachalfmarathon.ie The Belfast Irish Milers International with Beechmount Harriers, Mary Peters Track, Belfast, 1pm. C:Eamonn Christie 02890605346; W:www. belfastirishmilersmeet.com Dromore Community 10K, Co Down, 12 noon. Entry £12. Also 5K run/walk, 12.10; entry £6. C:Dermot Montague 028 82898213; W:www.dromore10k.com St Ciaran's College 50th Anniversary 10K, Ballygawley, Co Tyrone, 11am. C:Barry McManus 02885568640. Hard as Oak 10K Obstacle Race, Faughan Valley, Co Derry, 9am. Entry £44.14. Also Mini-Oak C:info@hardasoak. com Hills: International Youth Cup (4.7K, 580m), Cagliano del Capo, Italy. W:www.imra.ie Sunday June 25 Irish Life Health National T-F League Day 1,Tallaght and Athlone, 11am.. W:www.athleticsireland.ie Irish Runner Paced Miles, Phoenix Park. Entry €5. W:www.myrunresults.com Malahide Castle 10K (Race 2 Summer 10K Park Series), 10am. Online entry €24 plus fees, or €40 plus fees for two races. Limit 500 starters. C:malahidecastlers@gmail.com Naomh Mhuire Daingean 5K, 12 noon. Offaly Road Race Series Rd 6. C:Brendan Danaher brenden.kpc@ hotmail.com. Irish Cancer Society 5K Colour Dash, Old Railway Line, Mahon, Cork, 12 noon. Entry €30. W:www.cancer.ie Hills: KnocKealdowns (12K, 700m), 1pm. Munster Championships race. W:www. imra.ie Hell for Leather 2017, Moneyglass Community Cetnre, 1pm. C:Neil Duffin 07719475816 Tuesday June 27 Run Logic/BHAA Trail 5K, Phoenix Park, Dublin, 7.30pm. Entry €10 members; €15 guests online or €20 on day.W:www.bhaa.ie Raheny 2-Mile Summer Series Rd 4, 8pm. Entry €7 or €2 unwaged. C:Pat Hooper 086 8158052 Borrisoleigh 5K, Co Tipperary, 8pm. : Paddy Ryan 087 9959831
JUNE-JULY 2017
Super Valu Women's 5K Series Sligo Rd 6 (final rd), Tubbercurry, 7.30pm. Entry €5. C:SSRP 071 9161511 or shane@ sligosportandrecreation.ie
10am. Medal and top all finishers. W:www.rundublin.com
Wednesday June 28
Hills: Fraughan Rock Glen (10.1K, 770m), 12 noon. Leinster Championships race. W:www.imra.ie
Hills: Leinster Evening League, Tibradden/Sliabh Thigh Brodan (11.23m, 365m), 7.30pm. W:www.imra.ie Inch Festival 5K, Mount Uniacke, Killeagh, 7.30pm. Entry €8 (€5 walkers). €100 first M/F; prizes senior, masters, juniors. W:www.corkathletics.org Hills: Munster League, 12 O’Clock Hills (5.6K, 250m),8pm. W:www.imra.ie
Geraldine O'Hanrahan's GAA Club 5K, New Ross, Co Wexford, 7pm. C:Emmett Malone 087 7472500
Liscarroll AC 'A Home For Kate' 5K Trail Run, Doneraile Park, 11am. Esther Fiztpatrick 087 6888591. Packie Ryan 5K, 10K, 10-Mile, Co Clare, 11am. C:Richie O'Donnell 086 2320807
Loughinisland GAC 5.05 Miles, Co Down, 7.30pm. C:Joe Quinn 07734942380
Padraig Keane Memorial 5K/10K, Lake O'Flynn, Ballinlough, Co Roscommon, 3pm. Entry - 10K: €20;5K: €15 (€5 U16).C:Breege Comer 086 0851371.
Drumlough 2.5/5 Mile, Hillsborough, 7.15pm. C:Heather Cairns on 02892689345
Western Way 50 Mile, Westport, Co Mayo. C:086 1785625; W:www.rawultra. com
Thursday June 29 Clonee 10K, Co Meath, 7pm. Online entry €16.05 Prizes usual categories; refreshments. C:Keith Eglington 086 8144102; W:www.dunboyneac.com. Cork Varsity 5K, Blarney, Co Cork, 8pm. C:Claire Murphy 087 6329681.
Achill 10k and Half Marathon, Co Mayo, 10.30am. Entry €50 half marathon. €400 to half marathon winners; ; €200 vouchers 10K winners. Leave No Trace event. C:Mary 098 20402 NI YDL Final and Age Group Relay Championships, Mary Peters Track, Belfast. C:Chris@ukydl.org.uk
John Buckley Sports Cork Graded League Rd 3, CIT, 7.45. 100m,400,1500m, LJ, SP, DT, 56lb dist. Entry €5. W:www. corkathletics.org
Lisbellew United 5-Mile, Co Fermanagh, 12 noon. C:Kyle McCleery 078355672429.
Jude Gallagher 'Round the Bridges' 10-mile, Limavady United FC, Co Derry, 7.30pm. Entry £10 reg, £12 unreg. C:Thomas Moore 07824617035.
Sunday July 2
Hills: Galtee Crossing (32K, 1500m), 9am. W:www.imra.ie
Friday June 30 -Sunday July 2 British Athletics T-F Championships, Birmingham Friday June 30 St Coca's 5K, Kilcock, Co Kildare, 8pm. Entry €14.06 online, €15 on night; €5 juniors/walkers. €3,000 prize fund; seniors, masters, juniors, teams. C:Larry Kelly 087 2379760; W:www. myrunresults.com. Rosenallis 5K, Co Offaly, 7pm. C:Nessa McEvoy 086 3940451. 25th Ras Na Rinne 4 (Race 8 Intersport/ Elverys/Asics Summer Series), Dungarvan, Co Waterford, 7.30 pm. C:Ann Dunford 086 0619711/ James Veale 086-8184762; W:www. westwaterfordathletics.org. Willie Neenan Memorial 5-Mile, Millstreet, Co Cork, 8.15pm (walkers 7.30pm). Entry €15 (€5 walkers). Prizes senior,masters, juniors, teams; €200 first M/F. C:Maeve O'Sullivan 087 2617001;W:www.corkathletics.org. 10th Courtmacsharry-Timoleague 10K, Co Cork, 8pm. Entry €15; cash prizes plus €100 course record bonus; prizes also masters, wheelchair. C:Shane Robinson 087 9972811. An Bru AC Bruff 5 Mile, Co Limerick, 8pm. Entry €12. Ballyhoura Active Series Rd 7. W:www. ballyhouraactive. com Western Way 100 Mile, Westport, Co Mayo. C:086 1785625; W:www.rawultra. com Ards Half Marathon and Walk, Co Down, 6.30pm. C:Emma Hingston 02891824018; W:www. ardshalfmarathon.info Ballyhegan Park 'n' Stride 5K/10K, Kilmore, Co Armagh, 7.30pm. Entry £10/£5. C:Shane O’Hanlon 07748677210
July July 1-2, 2017 European Combined Events Team C’ships Saturday July 1
No.1 in Ireland for Sports Nutrition and Health Foods.
Irish Life Health AI Masters' T-F Championships, Tullamore, 11am. W:www.athleticsireland.ie
Monday July 3 Drumcollogher Carnival 4-Mile, Co Limerick, 7.30pm. C:Gene Noonan 087 7568503 Tuesday July 4 Raheny 2-Mile Summer Series Rd 5, 8pm. Entry €7or €2 unwaged. C:Pat Hooper 086 8158052 Wednesday July 5 Dublin Graded T-F No 6, Irishtown 7pm. 100,800, 5000m, TJ, DT, JT. Entry €8/€5 juv/jun/student; EOD €12/€9. W:www. dublinathletics.com Leinster Junior Championships (javelin and discus), Irishtown, 7pm. W:www. athleticsleinster.org. Hills: Leinster Evening League, Ballinastoe (12K, 490m), 7.30pm. W:www.imra.ie Cork Prison Officers BHAA 5K, Venue TBC, 8pm. C:Michael Dooley 087 9790806; W:www.corkbhaa.com. 32nd Dundrum 10K, Co Tipperary, 8pm. Also junior 5K. C:John Moore 062 71723. Hills: Munster League, Curragh Woods (5.5K, 150m),8pm. W:www.imra.ie Belfast International T-F, Mary Peters Track. W:www.athleticsni.org. Thursday July 6 Docklands 5K, Dublin, 7.30pm. Online entry (before Jul 3) €21.40 or €64.20 teams of 3. Prizes usual categories. W:www.docklands5k.com/ Robbie Steele Memorial Corkbeg 4-Mile, Whitegate, Co Cork, 8pm. Entry €5; prizes sen, masters. C:Liam O’Brien 086-3111598; W:www.corkathletics.org Friday July 7 Carrick-on-Suir Summer Series Race 4 Rathgormack Open 5-Mile, Co Waterford, 7.30pm. C:Mark Connolly 086 1608165.
Irish Life Health Jun/U23 T-F, Tullamore, 10am. W:www.athleticsireland.ie
Ballinascarthy Festival 10K, Ballinascarthy, Clonakilty, Co Cork, 8pm. W:www.corkathletics.org
Clontarf Half Marathon or 5 mile, Dublin,
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IRISH RUNNER MAGAZINE
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Mile T-F Meeting, Co Donegal, 7pm. Men's 100m, 200m, 400m, mile, 3000m SC, 3000m, javelin, high jump; women's 200m, 400m H, 800m, 3000m SC, shot putt, high jump. C:Facebook.com/ LeterkennySub4Mile Greyabbey 10K/5K, Co Down, 7.30pm. C:Ray Murray 07432533515. Saturday July 8 Irish Life Health AI Juvenile T-F Day 1, Tullamore, 10am. W:www. athleticsireland.ie Kilmore 5K, Co Wexford, 7pm. C:Mary Kehoe 087 7564888. Bere Island Midsummer 5K/10K, 1pm. Entry €20 adults. Also family walk and unerage fun run; entry €5. W:www. bereisland.net
imra.ie
Tuesday July 18
Tuesday July 25
Dell Cork BHAA 4-Mile, Ovens, 8pm. C:Bob McCarthy 087 9790806; W:www. corkbhaa.com.
66th Cork City Sports, CIT, 5pm. W:www. corkathletics.org
Raheny 2-Mile Summer Series Rd 8, 8pm. Entry €7 or €2 unwaged. C:Pat Hooper 086 8158052
Hills: Munster League, Keeper Hill (13K, 550m), Silvermines, Co Tipperary, 8pm. W:www.imra.ie July 13-16
Raheny 2-Mile Summer Series Rd 7, 8pm. Entry €7 or €2 unwaged. C:Pat Hooper 086 8158052
European Athletics U23 Championships, Bydgoszcz, Poland
Portaferry 10-Mile, Co Down, 7.30pm. C:Margaret Mathieson on 07402785109
Thursday July 13
Wednesday July 19
Drogheda and District Graded Meets Rd 5, 7pm. 100/1500/400/LJ. Entry €5. C:Ciaran Doyle 086 8512039.
Dublin Graded T-F No 7, Santry 7pm. 200,150, DM relay, HJ, PV, SP, HT. Entry €8/€5 juv/jun/student; EOD €12/€9. W:www.dublinathletics.com
Youghal 5K, Co Cork, 8pm. C:Celia O'Regan 087 7769279.
Roscommon 10-Mile, 11.30am. Entry €20 (before May 1); €25 after. Cash prizes; €200 first M/F; also category and team prizes. Tech t-shirt, goodie bag,medal all participants. Race HQ Hannon's Hotel.
Coachford Autumn Festival 5-Mile, Co Cork, 7pm. Prizes usual categories; first family. C:Jeremiah O'Sullivan 086 8329322.
Hills: Croagh Patrick (7K, 826m) 12 noon. Irish Championship race; Connacht Championship race. W:www.imra.ie
Friday July 14
NI Masters' T-F, Mary Peters Track, Belfast, 11am Also 10,000m championships. W:www.athleticsni.org. Stairway to Heaven 7K, Marble Arch Caves, UNESCO Global Geopark, 12 noon. Entry £20; limit 70. Time trial system; 1 minute intervals. Reg Cuilcagh Mountain car park, Enniskillen. Leave No Trace event. C:Adrian Daye 07876560015. European Mountain Running Championships, Kamnik, Slovenia. W:www.imra.ie Sunday July 9 Irish Life Health AI Juvenile T-F Day 2, Tullamore, 10am.W:www.athleticsireland. ie Cahir Half Marathon, Co Tipperary, 10am. Entry €30. Medal, goody bag, fresh fruit, physio, showers. Top 3 prize money €300, €200, €100 male & female. Category prizes O40, 50, 60, 70. Lots of spots. C:Tom Blackburn 087 6994976. Rathmore Ladies' GAA 4-Mile, Co Kerry, 2pm. .C:Tom Joe O'Donoghue 064 7756309. Hills: Nephin (5.2K, 736m), Co Mayo, 12 noon. Connacht Championship race. W:www.imra.ie The Great Rossa Run Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Ardboe, Co Tyrone, 10am. Pre-entry £19/£14/£9. T-shirt all pre-entries. £1,000 prize fund. C: Shane Mallon 07557447436. London Anniversary Games. Olympic Stadium, London.
B-5 Bettystown 5 Mile, Bettystown, Co Meath, 7.30pm. C:087 6993335; W:www. cillesac.ie
Leinster junior Championships ( PB, hammer, shot), Santry, 6.45pm. W:www. athleticsleinster.org.
Clerihen 8K, Co Tipperary, 7.30pm. C:Niall O'Sullivan 086 1660888.
Hills: Munster League, Rochestown Woods (5K, 200m),8pm. W:www.imra.ie
Tipperary Town 5K/10K, 7pm. C:Breda Christie 087 6034144
July 20-23
Shannonvale 10K, Clonakilty, 7.30pm. C:Denis Kiely 086 8064724
European Athletics U20 Championships, Grosseto, Italy
Churchtown South '5', 8pm. 8pm. Race 3 Ballycotton Summer Series. Entry €5. T-shirt first 50 men and first 20 women overall; souvenir plaque all completing 4-race league. Plus prizes in usual categories. W:www.ballycottonrunning. com
Tireragh 5K, Co Sligo, 7pm. C:Deirdre Johnston 086 0876253.
Thursday July 20
Friday July 28
Ballina AC 10K, Co Mayo, 7pm. Day 1 Ballina Running Festival. C:Elizabeth Murphy 087 2419309.
St James's Hospital Liberties Fun Run, Royal Hospital, Kilmainham. W:www. supportstjames.ie
Carrick-on- Suir Summer Series Race 5, Piltown 10K, Co Kilkenny, 7.30pm. C:Mark Connolly 086 1608165,
Sea 2 Sky 10K/5K, Donard Park, Newcastle, 7.30 (walkers 6.30). C:Gerard Rowe 07855586436; W:www. born2runevents.com
Menapians 5K, Wexford, 7.30pm. C:Helene Sinnott 087 6283422.
John Buckley Sports Cork Graded League Rd 4, CIT, 7.45. 200,800m,3000m,HJ,HT,JT. Entry €5. W:www.corkathletics.org
Friday July 14- Sunday July 23 IPC World Para Athletics Championships, Olympic Stadium, London Saturday July 15 SIAB Schools T-F International, Santry, Dublin.W:www.athleticsireland.ie AI Juvenile B C'ships/relays, Tullamore.W:www.athleticsireland.ie Le Cheile International T-F, Leixlip, Co Kildare, 2pm. C:Lisa Dixon 087 6326693; W:www.lecheileac.com Spar Fitlive Series 5K/10K, Phoenix Park, 10am. Entry 5K €20, 10K €25, family €60. W:www.myrunresults.com
Castlemagner 5K, Co Cork, 8pm. W:www. corkathletics.org. Friday July 21 Donoughmore 7-Mile, Co Cork, 8pm. C:Sheila Cafferky 086 3196085; W:www. dm7.ie Doocey's Bar Ballymacarbry 5 (Race 9 Intersport/Elverys/Asics Summer Series), Ballymacarbry, Co Waterford 7.30 pm. C:Ann Dunford 086 0619711/ James Veale 086-8184762;W:www. westwaterfordathletics.org Garryvoe 5K, Co Cork, 7pm. C:Rob Stapleton 087 7502397; robstapleton@ garryvoehotel.com July 22-30
Tuesday July 11
Sunday July 16
Raheny 2-Mile Summer Series Rd 6, 8pm. Entry €7 or €2 unwaged. C:Pat Hooper 086 8158052.
Irish Life Health AI Juvenile T-F Day 3, Tullamore, 10am.W:www.athleticsireland. ie
The Shore Killough 10K, Co Down, 7.30pm. C:Joe Quinn 07734942380
Dunleer 4-Mile, Co Meath, 3pm. Entry €20; T-shirts first 400 to reg; medals all finishers. C:Pat Cheshire 085 1742711.
Wednesday July 12
Celbridge 5K, Co Kildare, 11an. C:Tracey Minnock 0833265877.
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IRISH RUNNER MAGAZINE
July 27-August 7
Edenderry 5K, Co Offaly, 7.30pm (Offaly Road Race Series Rd 7). C:Josephine McCann 085 8172679
IAAF World Youth Championships, Nairobi, Kenya
Hills: Leinster Evening League, Bray Head BBQ (6K, 290m), 7.30pm. Incorp British and Irish U17 and U20 trials. W:www.
Hills: Munster League Cratloe Woods (8K, 200m) Co Clare, 8pm. W:www.imra.ie RGU 10K and Relay, Downpatrick, Co Down, 7.30pm.C:Joe Quinn 07734942380
Thursday July 27
Saturday July 22
Oldcastle 5K, Co Meath, 8pm. Junior race 7.30pm. C:Ann Lynch 087 1934194; W:www.stbrigidsathleticclub.com.
Trail: Earl’s Drive, Djouce Woods (8K, 102m), Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. W:www. imra.ie
European Masters' T-F, Aarhus, Denmark
Snowdon International Mountain Race (16.10K; 1.000m climb), Betws-y-Coed, Wales, 12 noon. W:wwww.imra.ie
Dublin City Council/BHAA 5K, Irishtown Park, Ringsend, Dublin. 7.30pm. Entry €10 members; €15 guests online or €20 on day.W:www.bhaa.ie
Wednesday July 26
Carrigtwohill 5K, Co Cork, 8pm. Entry €10 (€5 walkers); prizes including spots; refreshments in Barryscourt Castle grounds. C:Dermot Cashman 087 9979075.
European Youth Olympic Festival, Gyor, Hungary
Morton Games, Santry, 7pm. Men's 100m, 400m, 800m, Morton Mile, Albie Thomas 3000m, 400H, Pole Vault, High Jump; women's 100m, 800m, mile. Entry at gate €10. C:Noel Guiden 087 9599888; W:www.mortongames.ie.
£3 per event or £5 two or more events; reg from 6pm. C:northdownac@gmail.com
Hills: Kippure Handicap (9.27K, 305m), 7.30pm. W:www.imra.ie
Ballina AC Back-to-Back Marathon, Co Mayo, 9am. Day 2 Ballina Running Festival. C:Elizabeth Murphy 087 2419309.
July 12-16
North Down T-F Meet, Bangor 4, 7pm. 100m, 400m, 1500m,3000m, LJ, TJ, DT,JT,SP.
Irish Runner Paced Miles, Phoenix Park. Entry €5. W:www.myrunresults.com Hills: Carrauntoohill East (15K, 1100m), Co Kerry, 1pm. Munster Championship race. W:www.imra.ie Ballina Back-to-Back Marathons, Co Mayo 9am. Day 3 Ballina Running Festival. C:Elizabeth Murphy 087 2419309. Ballindine Guess Your Own Time 4-Mile, Co Mayo, 12 noon. Entry €15. @300 cash prize fund. C:David Huane 087 9272242. Tuesday July 18 - Sunday July 23 Commonwealth Youth Games, Bahamas.
Irish Life Health National T-F Day 1, Santry.W:www.athleticsireland.ie Kennedy Kane McArthur Festival of Running, Dervock. The Dark Hedges Half Marathon, 11am. Entry £20 reg, £22 unreg. Also Centra 10K, 10.45am. Entry £12 reg, £14 unreg. C:Kenneth Bacon 02827666925; W:www.springwellrunners. com Sunday July 23 Irish Life Health National T-F Day 2, Santry.W:www.athleticsireland.ie SSE Airtricity Dublin Races Series Fingal 10K, Swords, 10am. W:www. ssairtricitydublinmarathon.ie Pink Rock 10K, Glenmore, Kilkenny, 12 noon. Entry €20; t-shirt pre-entries first 250 only. Post-race prizegiving and BBQ Rosbercon Parish Centre. C:Mags O'Connor 087 6242017; W:www. totaltiming.ie. Active Financial Newry and Mourne Women’s Mini Marathon, Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor, Co Down, 12 noon. Entry £25; t-shirt, medal all who reg before July 7. W:www.26extreme.com
Carton Trail Race 6K, Carton House, Maynooth, Co Kildare, 7.30pm. C: Keith Eglington 086 8144012.
Fanahan McSweeney Open Sports, Araglin GAA Club, Co Cork, 6.45pm. Entry €3 juveniles, €5 adults. Bring the picnic basket! C:087 3589734; Facebook. Bawnboy Festival 7K, Co Cavan, 7.30pm. Entry €10 single, €15 adult. All proceeds to local charities and St Luke's Hospital Dublin. C:Paul Fahy 087 3150729. Giants’ Trail Race, Dub Pavilion, Malone Sports Facilities, Belfast 7pm. Entry £12 reg, £14 unreg. C:Brian Grimes 07876756173; W:www.dubrunners.club/ race. Crossgar 10K, The Square, Crossgar, Co Down, 7pm. C:Adrian Daye 07876560015 Saturday July 29-Sunday July30 CAU and England Senior Championships, Bedford Saturday July 29 5-Mile Stride, Terrerath Community Centre, New Ross, Co Wexford, 7pm. Entry €15 or €20 on day. T-shirts, goodie bags all finishers. Prizes senior, O35,40,45,50,55; spots. Aslo 3-mile fun walk; entry €10. BBQ after. C:Catherine Ronan 087 1651143; W:www.unitedstriders.com Hills: Lugnaquilla (10.46K, 718m), Co Wicklow, 1pm. Irish Championship, Leinster Championships race. W:www. imra.ie Munster Juvenile “B”Championships, Templemore, Co Tipperary, 11am. W:www.munsterathletics.com 25th Balla 10K 7pm. Also U16 boys and girls' 2K. C:Brendan Conwell 087 2941227 Sunday July 30 Irish Life Health National T-F League Day 2, Templemore and Mary Peters Track. W:www.athleticsireland.ie Dublin Fire Brigade/BHAA 5K, Marino, Dublin, 11am. Entry €10 members; €15 guests online or €20 on day www.bhaa.ie Ballynonty AC Sean Healy Memorial 10Mile, Co Tipperary, 11am. C:Owen Fanning 086 8754161
APRIL - MAY 2017
Hills: The Paps (10K, 580m), Co Kerry, 1pm. Munster Championships race. W:www.imra.ie Danny McDaid 15K, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, 11.30am. C:marieboyl@gmail. com Divis 10K, Divis Road, Hannahstown, near Belfast, Co Down11am. Entry £15. Also mile run; entry £5. C:Nuala Muldoon 07578521679; W:www.sientries.co.uk. Sunrise Run 5K, Dixon Hill, Drains Bay, Co Antrim, 7am. C:Ryan Maxwell 07754718760; W:www. eastcoastathleticclub.co.uk. World Mountain Running Championships, Premana, Italy Monday July 31 Broughshane 5K/10K, Co Antrim, 7pm. Entry - 10K: £14 reg, £16 unreg; 5K £8 reg, £10 unreg. C:Stephen Brown 07885649135; W:www.ballymenarunners. org.
August Tuesday August 1 Raheny 2-Mile Summer Series Rd 9, 8pm. Entry €7 or €2 unwaged. C:Pat Hooper 086 8158052. Liscarroll AC “A Home for Kate" 5K Trail/ Road Race, Doneraile Park, Co Cork, 11am. W:www,corkathletics.org Wednesday August 2 Dublin Graded T-F No 8, Tallaght 7pm. 400m, 3000m, LJ, PV, DT, SP.Entry €8/€5 juv/jun/student; EOD €12/€9. W:www. dublinathletics.com Trail: Devil’s Glen (8.5K, 283m), Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. W:www.imra.ie Novartis Cork BHAA 5K, Ringaskiddy, 8pm. C:Michael Murphy 021-4862004; W:www.corkbhaa.com. Hills: Munster League, Tountinna (6.5K, 250m) 8pm. W:www.imra.ie Crawfordsburn 5K Trail Race, Crawfordsburn Country Park, 7.15pm. Entry £8 reg, £9 unreg. C:Clare Russell 07901823349; W:www.northdownac. co.uk. Thursday August 3
C:John Neil McCormack 07720304667. Sperrin Harriers Stanley Reid Memorial 5-Mile Classic, Loughry Campus Cookstown, 7.30pm. Entry £11 reg, £13 unreg. Also family mile fun run. C:Mark Reid 07899002644; W:www. sperrinharriers.co.uk Saturday August 5 Celtic Games T-F, Santry, 11am.W:www. athleticsireland.ie Michael Fearon and Kevin Marron 5K, Carlingford, Co Louth, 7pm. Online entry €15.55. Race HQ Mullaghbouy Community Centre. Medals all finishers. Prizes senior, teams; spots. Juvenile races 7pm. C:kinga.slabkowska@gmail.com Oakland Insurance More than a Marathon Causeway Coast Challenge 26.9 Miles, Ballycastle to Portrush, 8.30am. Entry £25 ( marathon), £20 (half marathon), £36 (relay team). All proceeds to Headway Ballymena. Shuttle bues from East StrandC:Lynette Coomber 07880388164; W:www.oaklandinsurance.co.uk Delamont Trail 10K, Delamont Country Park, Strangford Lough, Co Down, 12 noon. Entry £14 reg, £16 unreg.Trophies first three; medals all finishers. C:Adrian Daye 07876560015; W:www.atlasrunning. co.uk Sunday August 6 Irish Runner Paced Miles, Phoenix Park. Entry €5. W:www.myrunresults.com Indaver Duleek and District 10K, Co Meath, 11am. Goody bag all finishers; free massage. C:Mechelle Clarke 086 8071269; W:www.duleekac.ie. World Long Distance Mountain Running Championships. Premana, Italy Monday August 7 The DLR Bay 10K, Dun Laoghaire, 10.30am. Early bird entry €20 before May 31. Draw for two entries to NY Marathon, plus flights and accommodation. Also family fun run. W:www.dlrbay10k.
Slieve Croob Challenge, Dromara GAC, Co Down, 10am. C:Declan McCann 07885736638. Lecale Way 10K, Cable Bar, Ballyhornan, Co Down, 7pm. Entry £14 reg, £16 unreg.Trophies first three; medals all finishers. C:Adrian Daye 07876560015; W:www.atlasrunning.co.uk Adrian Daye 07876560015; W:www.atlasrunning.co.uk
Rock 'n' Roll Dublin Half Marathon, 10K, fun run, Docklands to Phoenix Park. Early entry €30 (half mar), €19 (10K), €8 indiv, €30 family fun run). Tech t-shirts in half marathon and 10K. Incorp National Championships. W:www.rocknrollDublin. com Boston Scientific Clonmel Half Marathon, 10am. Online entry €26.95 before Jul 1; €36.95 before Aug 11; €41.95 after. T-shirt, medal all finishers, prizes senior, masters. Pacers; sandwiches, hot drinks buns, biscuits, etc. Massages, DJ at finish, bouncy castle. C:Niall O'Sullivan 086 1660888; W:www.clonmelac.com Boyne AC T-F Sports Day, Drogheda, Co Louth, 1.30pm C:Deirdre McTeggart 087 6875944 Liscarroll Open Sports, Co Cork, 1pm. C:Esther Fitzpatrick 087 6888591; W:www.liscarrollathletics.org Hills: Galtymore (12K, 1340m), Co Tipperary, 1pm. Irish Championships, Munster Championships race. W:www. imra.ie Tuesday August 15 Raheny 2-Mile Summer Series Rd 11, 8pm. Entry €7 or €2 unwaged. C:Pat Hooper 086 8158052 North Down T-F Meet, Bangor 5, 7pm. 200m,400m,800m,3000m,HT, JT,SP, HJ,LJ. £3 per event or £5 two or more events; reg from 6pm.C:northdownac@gmail.com Wednesday August 16 North Westmeath 5K, Castlepollard, 8pm. C:Andy McEoin 087 2061081.
Raheny 2-Mile Summer Series Rd 10, 8pm. Entry €7 or €2 unwaged. C:Pat Hooper 086 8158052
Trail: Downhill Trail Race (10.13K, 340m) Killickabawn, Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. W:www.imra.ie
Wednesday August 9
August 4-13
Trail: Glen of the Downs (8K, 285m), Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. W:www.imra.ie
World Athletics Championships, Olympic Stadium, London
Army/Navy Cork BHAA 5-Mile, Naval Base, Hawlbowline, 8pm. C:Mark Bullman 087 6778713; W:www.corkbhaa.com.
Friday August 4
Hills: Munster League, Comeraghs (6K, 300m), 8pm. W:www.imra.ie Edwin May Nissan Coleraine 5-Mile Classic, Coleraine LC, 7.30pm. Entry £10 reg, £12 unreg. C:Brian Tohill 02870347202
Musgrave S-S Club Cork BHAA 5K, Shandon Boat Club, 8pm. C:Joe O’Loughlin 086 6072893; W:www. corkbhaa.com. Purple Ladies 5K, Joey Dunlop Centre, Ballymoney, Co Antrim, 7.30pm. Entry £9 reg, £11 unreg. C:Kenneth Bacon 02827666925; W:www.springwellrunners. com August 17-20
Friday August 11
Inishowen Quadrathon Marathon Challenge, Inishowen Peninsula, Co Donegal.W:www.extremenorthevents. com
Athboy 5K, Co Meath, 8pm. C:087 2930058; philip.cogavin@gmail.com
Thursday August 17
Kinsale Regatta 5-Mile, 7.30. Entry €10. Prizes Senior, master, junior, wheelchair. Sponsored by Buckley Kiely Chartered Accountants. C:John 086 1713500; Elaine 087 4135796.
GR8 8K, Mitchelstown, Co Cork, 7.30pm. Entry €10. Prizes usual categories. C:Denis Davern 086 8175968.
Lombardstown 5-Mile, near Mallow, Co Cork, 8pm. C:Jerry Twohig 087 6251027; W:www.corkathletics.org
Saturday August 12
St Catherine's AC Conna 5K, 8pm. Entry €10. Prizes senior, masters, junior, wheelchair; spots. Also one mile junvenile races. C:Frank Hayes 087 6192070; W:www.stcatherinesac.org
Rock 'n' Roll Dublin 5K. Entry €13. W:www.rocknrollDublin.com
Firmus Energy Super 6 Series, Mary Peters Track, Belfast, 6.15pm. C:laganvalleyac@gmailcom
Marine Climb (Race 10 Intersport/ Elverys/Asics Summer Series), Dungarvan, Co Waterford, 7.30 pm. C:Ann Dunford 086 0619711/ James Veale 086-8184762;W:www. westwaterfordathletics.org
Ards Lions Five Mile Challenge, Londonderry Park, Portaferry Rd, Newtownards, 7pm. Entry £10 adulrs, £6 U15-17. Cash prizes first senior, junior, O45.
JUNE-JULY 2017
Aghada GAA East Cork Harbour Marathon, Half Marathon 10K, 9am. C:Brendan Crowley 087 9413505'W:www. eastcorKarathon.com 32nd Galway Clinic Streets of Galway 8K, Fr Griffin Rd, 7pm. Online entry €20; late entry €25. Prizes usual categories;
GlaxoSmithkline 5 (Race 11 Intersport/Elverys/Asics Summer Series), Dungarvan, 7 pm.C:Ann Dunford 086 0619711/James Veale 086-8184762;W:www. westwaterfordathletics.org Centra Run Together Pairs Event Parkanaur, Parkanaur Forest, 10am. Entry free; donations to Action Cancer welcome. T-shirts, medals. C:Johnny Davis 07768193968.
Sunday August 13
Tuesday August 8
Clogheen 5K, Co Tipperary, 8pm. C:Niall O'Sullivan 086 1660888.
Birr 5K (Offaly Road Race Series Rd 8; final rd), 7.30pm. C:Andy Masterson 087 9173830.
refreshments. Race HQ Claddagh Hall. W:www.galwaycityharriers.com
Friday August 18 Rathkenny 5K, Navan, Co Meath, 7.30pm. C:Brendan White 086 0724911 Tom Fitzpatrick Memorial 10K, Liscarroll, Co Cork, 7.30pm. C:Esther Fitzpatrick 087 6888591; W:www.liscarrollathletics.org.
Saturday August 19 Dambusters, Silent Valley, Kilkeen, Co Down, time tbc. C:Gerard Rowe 07855586438; W:www.born2runevents. com Last One Standing, Florencecourt, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh12 noon. Run 4.2 mile loop inside an hour; repeat until exhaustion. Last man standing the winner. Goodie bag, t-shirt all participants. C:Adrian Daye 07876560015; W:www.atlasrunning.co.uk Sunday August 20 Irish Life Health AI T-F League Final, Tullamore, 11am.W:www.athleticsireland. ie Hills: Nav Challenge 1 (19K, 500m), Co Wicklow, 10.30am. W:www.imra.ie Noreen McCarthy Memorial Skibbereen 10K, 1pm. Large prize fund. Also juvenile mile. C:John 087 9671238; W:www. skibbac.ie Curraghchase 10K, Co Limerick, 12 noon. C:James O'Shaughnessy 087 9066095. Kerry’s Eye Rose of Tralee International 10K, 11.30am. Online entry €26.75. C:Grace Creedon 087 9274620; W:www. traleemarathon.com Donegal Marathon/Half Marathon, Aura Leisure Centre, Letterkenny, 9:15am. Entry @45 marathon, €30 half marathon; €100 teams. W:www.donegalmarathon.ie/ Eugene Campbell Memorial 10K, Aylesford Newry Road, 11am. C:Patrick Coulter 07712870198. Conns Water 5K/10K, CS Lewis Square, Belfast, 10am. Entry - 10K: £13 reg, £15 unreg; £48 relat team of 4; 5K- £8 reg, £10 unreg. Also Kid's 1K fun run, 9.30am. Entry free. C:Mel Boyle 07841496098 August 23-26 World University Games (Athletics), Taipei, Taiwan Tuesday August 22 Raheny 2-Mile Summer Series Rd 12, 8pm. Entry €7 or €2 unwaged. C:Pat Hooper 086 8158052 Wednesday August 23 Hills: Mountain Rescue Benefit Race, Ticknock (8K, 250m), Co Dublin, 7.30pm. W:www.imra.ie Dessie's 10K Run, U3A Foyle Gransha Park, 7pm. C:Gerry Lynch 07702006667. Thursday August 24 Ballycotton '5', 7.30pm.Race 4 Ballycotton Summer Series (final round).Entry €6. (€1 to nomintaed charity) T-shirt to the first 50 men and first 20 women overall; souvenir plaque all completing 4-race league. Plus prizes in usual categories. W:www.ballycottonrunning.com Friday August 25 Tara 5K, Skryne, Co Meath, 7.30pm.C:085 1416041.
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Churchtown Roadrunners AC 5 Mile, 7pm. Ballyhoura Active Series Rd 8 (final rd). C:Brian Murphy 087 2730185 Portrush 5-Mile Dunluce Road, Co Antrim, 7.30pm. Entry £10 reg, £12 unreg. C:Mervyn Thompson portrush5@gmail.com Strangford Festival 10K, Stella Maris Community, Strangford, Co Down, 7.30pm. C:Joe Quinn 07734942380 Saturday August 26 SSE Airtricity Dublin Races Series Frank Duffy 10, Phoenix Park, Dublin, 10am. C:Brid Ryan 086 8534412; W:www. ssairtricitydublinmarathon.ie . Tullamore Half Marathon, 11am. Quinlan Cup to winning team Onlien entry €37.45; €48.15 teams of 2. Cut-off time 3.5 hours. C:Liam Hennessy 086 8384410; info@ tullamoreharriers.com.
Ballina 10-Mile, Co Mayo, 10am. C:Elizabeth Murphy 087 2419309. Great East Run Half Marathon, The Bridge Centre, Killyleagh, Co Down, 11am. Entry £15 reg, £17 unreg; £21/£24 teams. C:Joe Quinn 07933214894; www.eastdownac.uk Team Trophy, Mary Peters Track, Belfast,W:www.athleticsni.org Rathlin Run 10-Mile Challenge, Rathin Island, 1pm. Entry £25. Also 5K; entry £15. Limit 400; please book ferry before entering.W:www.rathlinrun.co.uk
Saturday August 26-Sunday August 27 English U15-U17 T-F Championships, Bedford. Scottish Senior T-F Championships
Saturday mornings - Parkrun 5K. Entry free. Also Junior Parkrun 2Ks, Sundays. Parkrun 5K, Saturday mornings; entry free. Republic (reg at W:www.parkrun.ie; 56 venues) PARKRUNS Dublin: Malahide Castle, Marlay Park Rathfarnham, St Anne’s Park Raheny, Griffeen Park Lucan, Ardgillan Skerries, Tymon Park, Waterstown Park Palmerstown, Poppintree, Hartstown Clonsilla, Cabinteely Park, Shanganagh Park, Fr Collins Park, Donabate, Porterstown, Castletown Celbridge, Donabate, Bushy Park Terenure. Leinster: Naas Racecourse, Oldbridge Drogheda, Kilkenny Castle, Vicarstown, Co Laois; Johnstown, Co Wexford; Athlone, Navan, Mullingar, Longford, Dundalk, New Ross. Munster: Castle Demesne, Macroom, Co Cork, Ballincollig, Co Cork; Bere Island, Clonakilty, Clarisford Killaloe; Tralee, Co Kerry; Lees Road, Ennis; University of Limerick; Glengarriff; Tramore; Castlehaven; Vandeleur Kilrush; Newcastle West; Templemore, Killarney.
Sunday August 27 Pat the Baker Longford Marathon, Half Marathon, Ultra and Relay. Entry €50(marathon), €30 (half marathon), €60 (ultra) before August 1;€120 relay, €16 (Streets of Longford 5K). C:043 3349682; 087 3662761; www.longfordmarathon.com Rossin Rovers Heritage Run 5K, Newgrange, Co Meath, 12 noon. Online entry €16.05 adult, €11 child and walkers, €37.45 family. C:https://5kheritage.run/ Sumo Run Ireland Charity 5K, Bray Seafront, Co Wicklow. Entry €40. W:www. sumorun.ie Clonakilty 10-Mile, 10am. Online entry €20 (plus fee)Also 5K fun run; entry €10. T-shirt all pre-entries. Prizes usual categories; course record bonus. W:www. clonakilityroadrunners.com.
Sport a Smile Fun Run, Claemorris, Co Mayo, time tbc. C:Mairead Nestor 087 9150026. Storming the Castle 10K, Carrickfergus, 2pm. Entry £15 reg, £17 unreg; £20 after Aug 27. Goodie bag, medals; family fun activities, refreshments. Prizes seniors, masters. C:Andrew Smyth 07969031570. Moneymore 5K/10K, tbc Tuesday August 29 Raheny 2-Mile Summer Series Rd 13 (final rd), 8pm. Entry €7 or €2 unwaged. C:Pat Hooper 086 8158052 Thursday August 31 Firmus Energy Super 6 Series, Mary Peters Track, Belfast, 6.15pm. C:laganvalleyac@gmailcom
Connacht: Westport; Castlebar, Knocknacarra Galway, Ballina, Sligo, Oranmore. Erris Belmellet; Lough Key. Ulster: Cootehill; Castleblayney; Falcarragh, Co Donegal; Letterkenny, Dungloe. Also: Junior Parkrun 2K, Sundays, 9.30am - Rush, Co Dublin; Albert Park, Dublin; Bray, Co Wicklow; Ballina, Co Mayo; Tralee, Co Kerry. NI (reg at W:www.parkrun.co.uk; 24 venues) - Belfast:Waterworks Park, Victoria Park, Falls Road, Ormeau Park, Queen’s, Stormont, Colin Glen. Others: Wallace Park, Lisburn; Loughshore Park, Antrim; Carrickfergus; Valley LC Newtownabbey; Ecos Ballymena; Carnfunnock Park, Larne; Ward Park Bangor; East Strand Beach, Portrush; Parkway, Comber; Palace Demesne, Armagh; Citypark Craigavon; Derry City Centre; Fermanagh Lakeland Forum, Enniskillen; MUSA Cookstown; Blackburn Park, Limavady; Omagh, Rostrevor. Also: Junior Parkrun 2K, Sundays, 9.30am - Bangor, Larne, Moire, Ormeau, Portrush, Tommy Patton Waterworks.
parkrun Ireland, in partnership with Vhi, added their 62nd event on Saturday, April 22, with the introduction of the Listowel parkrun in the beautiful Listowel Town Park. Photo by Domnick Walsh/Sportsfile
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JUNE-JULY 2017
NA RÁSAÍ Sraith Rásaí sna Ceantair Ghaeltachta. Bí linn agus bain úsáid as pé Gaeilge atá agat!
A series of road races in the Gaeltacht, in some of the most scenic parts of the country!
Duaiseanna - 1ú/2ú Bean agus Fear, 1ú Bean agus Fear os cionn 40, 1ú Bean agus Fear os cionn 50
Prizes at every race: 1st/2nd M/F, 1st M/F over 40, 1st M/F over 50
Clárú ar runireland.com
Register at runireland.com
LE BUNMHAOINIÚ Ó
RÁS
CONTAE
AM
LÁ
DÁTA
5k Rás Ghaoth Dobhair
Dún na nGall
12:30pm
Dé Domhnaigh
25 Meitheamh
6m Rás na Rinne
Port Láirge
Dé hAoine
25 Meitheamh
5k Rás Mhúscraí
Corcaigh
Dé Sathairn
8 Iúil
5k Rás an Chairn
Doire
Dé Céadaoin
12 Iúil
10k Rás an Bhuailtin
Ciarraí
Dé Sathairn
19 Lúnasa
10k Rás Chonamara
Gaillimh
Dé Sathairn
30 Meán Fomhair
10k Rás an Oireachtais
Ciarraí
Dé Sathairn
4 Samhain
postaer-2017.indd 1
Donegal
Waterford
Cork
Derry
Kerry
Galway
Kerry
7:30pm
9:30am
11:00am
11:00am
3:00pm
9:30am
Sunday
Friday
Saturday
Wednesday
Saturday
Saturday
Saturday
25 June
25 June
8 July
12 July
19 August
30 September
4 November
09/05/2017 16:08:37
HOME STRAIGHT BOSTON TRIP JOGS MEMORY
Frank Greally I have been to Boston and back since the last issue of Irish Runner and that trip Stateside helped put a new pep into my step.
company of Bob and Ia Hilliard of Clonakilty Waterfront Marathon fame and Ronan Wogan of myrunresults.ie who not only came to Boston, but also posted a highly respectable time of 2:42:35 on his maiden voyage from Hopkinton to the finish in Copley Square.
It had been a good many years – too many, I feel – since I had been in Boston for Marathon Weekend and it was lovely to mingle and meet with many old friends while soaking up the atmosphere that is unique to this very special event. I met two Boston Marathon legends; Bill Rodgers and Amby Burfoot – both former Boston Marathon winners, Rodgers on three occasions and their first greeting to was to enquire about Neil Cusack, who I assured them is very much alive and well in his native Limerick and logging a few easy miles most mornings.
And there was a big group of Irish Runners on the Sports Travel International trip to Boston – all upbeat and great company. Sean Callan, the most dedicated of Irish athletics fans, was also in Boston, but we only caught up on the bus to New York, where I spent a few more pleasant days to complete the memorable trip.
I met Adrianne Haslet too, and she was delighted to have been featured on the cover of the last issue of Irish Runner. The very mention of Neil's It was a privilege to have this name brought a flashback to brave woman featured in that a Monday morning in April of issue. Adrianne is already 1974 when my friend Benny making plans to return to Patrick called me from the the Clonakilty Waterfront Johnson City Press Chronicle Frank Greally with (l to r) Ronan Wogan, Bob Hilliard and Ia Hilliard in Boston Marathon in December and in East Tennessee to tell me hopes to complete the halfthat Neil had coasted to victory after much fumbling with door locks a marathon on her visit. Amby Burfoot, in Boston; the first and still the only Irish diminutive figure dressed in a long robe who edited Runner's World USA for runner to achieve this rare success. and wearing wire-rimmed glasses and almost as many years as I have edited a bright red headband held his door And I remembered how I had screamed Irish Runner, talked in glowing terms slightly ajar and peered out at me. and shouted with unrestrained joy when of his visit to Clonakilty last year, as did I heard the news and then went sprinting As I looked over his shoulder I could Dick Hoyt of Team Hoyt, who will visit up and down the hall of the dormitory see an apparatus that seemed to our shores again at year's end. in Cooper Hall where I was living at the be bubbling away on the desk behind Bob Hilliard and his wife Ia are time – knocking on doors and shouting Mike Goolsby – for that was his name – wonderful ambassadors for Ireland out the great news of Cusack's victory. and the unmistakable smell of marijuana and Clonakilty and they forge instant enveloped me in the hallway. It was mid-morning on the campus of friendships wherever they travel. Bob East Tennessee State University when “Goolsby,” I screamed, right into his is a real runner’s runner and breathes a I received the news and most diligent face. “Do you know that Neil Cusack is special kind of passion on his Clonakilty students had already gone to their after winning the Boston Marathon this event each year – the reason why classes across the campus. I was bursting morning?” runners keep coming back to the event – to tell even one person the great news see runclon.ie My friend looked me up and down, from Boston, but every door I hammered smiled a dreamy smile and swayed a I will write more about my Boston on remained firmly shut. little before giving his response: "That's experience in the next issue of Irish It was from behind the last door that I far out man, far out," he replied, then Runner – on sale July 25th. The trip was pounded on that I heard a slight sound promptly shut the door in my face. so good that I am still trying to put it all and a sign of life inside. "Hold on, in some kind of mental order. I had a few lovely days in Boston in the I'm coming," was the response, and
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"That's far out man, far out," he replied, then promptly shut the door in my face.
APRIL - MAY 2017
6 11:56
And they’re on! Three great races, one terrific series and the perfect build-up to the 2017 SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon
FINGAL 10k Sunday July 23, Swords
FRANK DUFFY 10 MILE Saturday August 26, Phoenix Park
DUBLIN HALF MARATHON Saturday September 23, Newbridge House, Donabate
Register online: www.sseairtricitydublinmarathon.ie We are proud to sponsor the SSE Airtricity Dublin Race Series and Marathon