Ir june 2014

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HEALTH & FITNESS

TRIATHLON

FIXTURES

Profiles, tips & news p24

Features & news p56

10-page special p64 JUNE / JULY 2014 €4.75 / £4.20

DUBLIN MARATHON

22

WEEK TRAINING SCHEDULES

RAY D’ARCY INTERVIEW DOUBLE GOLD

WIN! FREE TRIP WITH ORBIS TO GREAT ETHIOPIAN RUN

PLUS! PRIZES 10 FROM PUMA

World Masters Champions Brian Lynch Joe Gough WATCH REVIEW: YOUR GUIDE TO GPS WATCHES

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editor’s letter

SUMMER AHEAD IT’S summertime again and there is much to look forward to on the running scene over the next few months.

It has been a busy time on the road-racing scene and since our last issue I have attended several splendid events: like the SPAR Great Ireland Run, the Samsung Run Dublin@Night 10k; the Ray D’Arcy Half-a-Million Half- Marathon in the Phoenix Park and the Barrington’s Hospital Great Limerick Run. I was up dark and early too for the annual Pieta House Darkness into Light 5k - an event that this year attracted a combined entry of over 80,000 across the country.

You could not but be touched by the Darkness into Light event in the Phoenix Park where an estimated 12,000 took part. I was there for the first Darkness into Light event five years ago, when less than 400 took part and it was wonderful to witness this year’s success story.

There was something so poignant, and hopeful, about watching thousands of walkers and runners resplendent in their bright yellow T-shirts advance up the Acres Road in the Phoenix Park, as dawn was breaking over the city. The event had the look and feel of a great pilgrimage of HOPE - a word that we all need to adopt as a mantra in these increasingly challenging times.

There was a great feeling of HOPE and achievement too at the Ray D’Arcy Half-a-Million Half Marathon in the Phoenix Park - the big fund-raiser for the Laura Lynn Hospice. Ray D’Arcy went up on the high wire without a safety net when he came up with the idea of organising this unique event, which has raised over €600,000 for the hospice.

It was a brave move by Ray to set such a massive fundraising challenge and a huge achievement to deliver on his vision for the event. I feel proud too that Athletics Ireland played a pivotal role in organising the event, which was a huge team effort all-round.

It was great to see the children’s events incorporated in the SPAR Great Ireland Run 10k; the Barrington’s Hospital Great Limerick Run; and the Western People West of Ireland Women’s Mini-Marathon.

It would be nice to see more mass participation promotions add on some appropriate events for children. Events like the annual Axa Raheny 5 Mile and the Dunboyne 4 Mile events have long been leaders in incorporating children’s events in their promotions. Children love to run and creating fun events for them to participate in can add an attractive dimension to a race. It’s a great way to also get parents connected with running events.

The Irish Runner 5 Mile Road Race - the first event in the SSE Airtricity Dublin Race Series - takes place in the Phoenix Park on Saturday, June 28th and I hope to welcome lots of our readers to this event.

As for my own running: it has stuttered a bit over the past three weeks due to a succession of lower calf injuries on both legs, which have just about cleared up. Although I have many years of running experience behind me, I am still capable of making some very basic mistakes, such as pushing on too soon with training while believing that I am 18 again.

I have missed running over the past three weeks and I am now looking forward to a good month of June when I have vowed to stay off hard road surfaces and re-connect with trail running. I also plan on paying a weekly visit over the next few months to the Team Carrie Dublin Marathon training group in Dunleer where I want to re-boot my training by joining with the complete beginners.

Although I have no marathon aspirations at the moment, I am curious to learn a little more about the inner workings of the Team Carrie group. I will report on progress in the next issue.

Frank Greally Managing Editor editor@irishrunner.ie

on the cover

STAYING POWER

38

Dublin Marathon Winner Sean Hehir tells Cathal Dennehy that his Irish band of brothers have a chance to medal in the European Marathon Cup in Zurich

WIN 10

See page 36

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MASTERS Cover

Sean Hehir in training for Zurich European Championships.

Photo: Stephen McCarthy, sportsfile.com Editor: Frank Greally. Associate Editor: Cathal Dennehy. Photography: Sportsfile, Tomás Greally, Dave Hudson, Mark Shearman, Donal Glackin. Magazine Design: www.outburstdesign.ie. Printed by: Boylan Print. Administration: Moira Aston. Accounts: John Holian.

Contributors: Asher Senyk, Claire McGlynn, John Walshe, Lindie Naughton, Joe Warne, Conor O’Hagan, Cathal Dennehy, Malcolm McCausland, Conor Greally, Rory Hafford, Roy Stevenson, Gavin McGuinness, Patricia Murphy, Ken Cowley and Hannah Nolan.

Advertising Sales Manager: Jason McChesney, email: jasonmcchesney@athleticsireland.ie Published by: Athletics Ireland, Unit 19 Northwood Court, Northwood, Business Campus, Santry, Dublin 9.

Telephone: (01) 886 9933. Email: editor@irishrunner.ie Irish Runner 3

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features

CARRIE’S CALL TO ACTION

40

The Tried & Tested Marathon Training Schedules that appear on pages 42 & 43 have again been set by David Carrie - Leader of Dunleer county Louth-based Team Carrie. Frank Greally talks to him about his hopes for this year’s event….

44

MAY 6TH, 1954

FOUR MINUTES IN HISTORY

A Galway Racer Nicola Duncan is a bright new prospect who came late to running but is quickly making up for lost time.

Subscribe to Irish Runner & receive a FREE GIFT of the new Fit4life Training Diary

30 Subscriptions Hotline: (01) 886 9933 or www.athleticsireland.ie

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HEAVENLY TRAILS Sligo offers some of the most dramatic trails the country has to offer and Glencar is no exception. The Bog Road, which runs along the cliffs above the lake, offers a wide view of the county, taking in Knocknarea and Sligo town as well as the lake itself.

Be careful not to venture too close to the edge though as the cliffs are extremely high. The Sionnach Relay in July takes place on a number of spectacular routes in the area.

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Location: Glencar, Sligo Runner: Liam Dwyer Photographer: D贸nal Glackin

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Irish Runner 7

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FIRST PERSON

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RAY OF SUNSHINE There is a philosophical element to Ray D’Arcy’s running. It helps him function better in the world, it allows him to do some good and it keeps his body and mind in great shape. He talks to Rory Hafford about the thought of turning 50, Laura Lynn and running barefoot in ‘the dewy grass’ on the morning of his wedding. PHOTO: RAMSEY CARDY / SPORTSFILE Congratulations on a hugely successful half-amillion half-marathon for Laura Lynn hospice.

It must have given you great satisfaction to achieve your fundraising target?

It did. Absolutely. One of the things I liked about the event was its uniqueness.

Normally, when people run in fundraising events, they pick from a number of different charities. With this one, everybody was running for Laura Lynn. So, there was a huge sense of cohesiveness and purpose about the event, which I felt worked really well.

Also, there were a lot of ‘goals’ achieved on the day: most of the people involved were running a half marathon for the first time; and we all realised our goal of making the €500,000 mark. But, we actually did better than that, because the figure is now at €600,000…and still rising!

Can you tell me a bit about the charity itself and what the event has meant to the people who operate it?

Well, the first thing to say about it is that it is Ireland’s only dedicated Childrens’ Hospice.

That, in itself, is pretty unique - and pretty special. It came into being through tragic circumstances, though. Jane’s (McKenna) two daughters, 4-year-old Laura and 13-yearold Lynn sadly passed away within two years of each other and she decided to do something to help families cope with a similar tragedy. Jane is such a special woman; every time I meet her, I cry. There is a huge energy about her. Obviously, you don’t want your children to be sick. But, if they are, you want a homely atmosphere in which to care for them. That’s what the Laura Lynn Hospice gives people…it allows you to stay close to your children while they are being treated. It’s a fantastic thing.

I believe that a ‘secret benefactor’ pledged an extra €25,000 if you made your time target in the run. Did you make that target? And, if you did, did he pay up on the bonus promise?

Indeed, a ‘secret benefactor’ pledged that amount. I did achieve the time target; in fact I came in in 1:44. And he did pay over the money to the charity!

Can you tell us a bit about your own running background?

I’ve been running for about 10 years now. I used to hate it. I thought it was a useless pursuit, for a load of different reasons.

But, through a strange twist of fate, I made the decision to learn how to swim by the age

of 40 and, following on from that, I set myself the goal of doing a triathlon, which obviously involves a bit of running! I finished that event and caught the running bug. Now, three marathons later, I can safely say that running is an important part of my life and I’m never too far away from a Half Marathon.

What stood out for you on the day of the Laura Lynn event?

The weather was just amazing on the day. I’m not religious at all; but Jane said that the angels were shining down on us, and it would be hard to argue against that. April 18th: it was the hottest day this year and this, obviously, added to the uniqueness of the event. Jane spoke at the beginning and set a very special tone. I, of course, cried. As did a few other people. There was a huge sense of togetherness among the runners, which translated to the people who lined the route to lend their support. The whole thing went by so quickly. It was just amazing.

“

There was a huge sense of togetherness among the (Laura Lynn) runners, which translated to the people who lined the route to lend their support’

You are turning 50 this year. What are your thoughts on reaching this milestone?

Well, I started doing yoga recently and – I know this is going to sound a bit clichéd – but it has changed my life! I was beginning to feel, coming up to the fiftieth, that I would have to give up running, as parts of me weren’t working as well as I would have liked.

I was going to my physio once a year and she would send me off with all these stretches to do. But, as you can imagine, I never really got around to doing them. The days just got busier and I found excuses not to stretch. I can’t blame the physio! Now, I work in one or two sessions of yoga a week at lunchtime and have found that the stretching is just working wonders for my body. I should have listened to the physio!

What part does running play in your life?

I love it. I get a bit tetchy if I don’t run. I go for my ‘long run’ at the weekends (between 8-10 miles). I’m also getting more interested in the

benefits of running and why we run. We had a guy called Chris McDougall on the programme recently. He wrote the book Born to Run. He says a lot of our running habits are unnatural because of the (running) shoes that we are wearing. They are designed in such a way as to make us land on our heels; which is not the right way to land, apparently.

He found a tribe in Mexico that run in their bare feet. This stayed with me. So much so that on the day of my wedding I decided to try it out. It was an early Saturday morning. I was running down a country road when I spotted a GAA pitch. I veered into it and took off my shoes. After a few minutes running barefoot on the dewy grass, I felt absolutely elated! Although, that could also have been something to do with the fact that I was getting married that day!!

What’s a typical day for you and how do you strike the balance to include your running/exercise?

I feel that it needs to be part of your routine.

If it’s not, then you will find some excuse not to do it. I have cut my running down to twice a week and then the long run at the weekend. I used to do a bit more than that, but I find it more manageable this way. I also run to and from work sometimes.

What is your diet?

It’s healthy enough, I have to say. I gave up sugar last year and the first few weeks without were very hard. I don’t think I’ve ever suffered from hallucinations, but going without sugar ran it pretty close. I remember I was running home – a few days into the sugar fast – and I honestly thought I was going to faint; my blood sugar had completely crashed. I would be used to eating the odd sugary thing in the office and, if you got a basket of muffins or scones into the studio, you’d munch on them as well. But, once you come off sugar, you can really feel the effects.

Do you have a favourite running route?

I used to run up The Dodder, as far as Clonskeagh Bridge and, if I felt like it or was training for a race, I’d run on up to Rathfarnham and into Bushy Park and do the mile loop there. Lately, I am very happy running around the grounds of UCD. Is there any other challenge in running that you want to achieve?

The next challenge I’m interested in is living as long as I can!

Irish Runner 9

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news

A Forest Feast of Little Athletics STEPHEN MCCARTHY / SPORTSFILE

Athletics Ireland and dried fruit and nut experts Forest Feast have announced a new partnership which will support the growth of grassroot athletics in Ireland through a major sponsorship of Little Athletics. Irish long jump record holder Kelly Proper, ambassador for the Forest Feast Little Athletics programme, was on hand to officially launch the partnership.

The Forest Feast Little Athletics programme introduces young children (5-10 years) to athletics in a fun, engaging and non-competitive environment. It focuses on the use of games to develop fitness whilst enhancing agility, co-ordination and balance; all fundamental to longer-term athletic physical development.

Kelly Proper said: “The Forest Feast Little Athletics programme is fantastic for young children to be a part of. It encourages them to get active, develop their athletic ability and, importantly, have fun while doing so.

Their involvement will help form a solid foundation for their future sporting life.”

The Forest Feast Little Athletics programme is delivered in athletic clubs nationwide by Athletics Ireland’s Regional Development Officers and Athletics Leaders; adults trained through the Athletic Leader coaching qualification courses. Throughout the year there will be four regional Jamborees which will see various clubs coming together for fun challenges and group activities.

Forest Feast Field Sales Manager Christine

Kelly Proper gets airborne.

Whelan said: “As part of the Forest Feast Little Athletics programme, children will be encouraged to tumble, run, throw, hop and jump using a whole range of equipment such as hurdles, medicine balls, foam javelins and hula hoops. As such, the programme creates a very positive association between fun and fitness for children.”

Speaking at the launch of the programme, John Foley, CEO of Athletics Ireland said,

“We are delighted at this valuable new partnership between Forest Feast and Athletics Ireland. The programme is all about participation and making athletics fun for kids and now, with the support of Forest Feast, we can work to increase awareness and involvement across the country.”

More information on the Forest Feast Little Athletics programme can be found at www.athleticsireland.ie

The National Half Marathon Championships will be run in conjunction with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Dublin Half Marathon, taking place on August 4 in Dublin’s City Centre. The 2014 National Championship offers clubs the opportunity to win a €1,000 cash prize.

Every affiliated Athletics Ireland Club in the country has a chance to win. For every 10 club members entering the National Half Marathon Championship the club will be automatically entered into the draw. The more members entered, the better your club’s chances of winning!

The winning club will win a €1,000 cash prize and a table for 10 club members at the prestigious 10 Irish Runner

National Athletics Awards held each year in November. The lucky club can utilise the generous prize fund for the future development of their club.

In order to be in with a chance of winning these prizes club athletes must enter before 5pm on June 30th. The entry fee for the national half marathon is €25 per athlete.

Last year’s National Championships attracted a record number of over 600 athletes with similar numbers expected for this year’s event. Mark Christie (Mullingar Harriers AC) and Lizzie Lee (Leevale AC) were the respective Senior Men’s and Women’s champions while Dublin club Clonliffe Harriers and Cork’s Leevale AC were victorious in the team competitions. The competition for the Men’s and Women’s Master individual and team titles will be as competitive as ever. All will be revealed in the battle for club supremacy come August 4.

TOMAS GREALLY / SPORTSFILE

National Half Marathon Rocks

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English Chasing Record PAUL MOHAN / SPORTSFILE

David Matthews’ national 800m record of 1:44.82 will be 19 years old this year, but the Kildare man’s longstanding mark may well be short-lived as Mark English gets set to begin his track season in the coming weeks.

Matthews was just 21 when he set the national record in Rieti in September 1995 and 19 years on, the memories of his record run are still clear. “It was a fast track,” he says. “I remember that it had rained all day before the race. The track was wet, but rock hard, and there wasn’t a breath of wind.

I went through 400m in about 50 seconds, but I didn’t look at the clock at all during the race. I just remember feeling really smooth all the way.”

Last season, Mark English narrowly missed Matthews’ record of 1:44.82 when running 1:44.84 at the London Diamond League meeting in July, but the ever-

improving 21-year-old from Donegal looks capable of going considerably faster this year.

In February English took his first national senior record, running 1:46.82 indoors at the Woodie’s DIY AAI Open Games in Athlone, and breaking Daniel Caulfield’s 13-year-old record of 1:47.21 in the process. A disappointing showing followed at the World Indoor Championships in Sopot, with English eliminated in his heat after finishing fourth in 1:47.60.

His main target for the outdoor season will be the European Championships in August and having been ranked ninth-fastest European over 800m last year, English will likely be in contention for a medal in Zurich. Another major goal this year, though, will be to become what many have long-predicted – the fastest Irish 800m runner of all time.

Paul Pollock will lead the Irish men’s team at the European Marathon Cup in Zurich later this summer and the Annadale Striders athlete has shown some good early-season form to indicate a big performance may be on the cards in Zurich.

The 27-year-old clocked a 10,000m time of 28:32.18 in the Payton Jordan Invitational in Stanford earlier this month, and will team up with fellow Ulster men Tomas Frazier (St Malachy’s) and Kevin Seaward (St Malachy’s) on the plane to Zurich. The men’s team is completed by Rathfarnam AC’s Seán Hehir, the reigning Dublin Marathon Champion.

The women’s team will be led

by Nicola Duncan (Galway City Harriers), who ran a big personal best at the London

Marathon earlier this year of 2:33:28. She will be joined by Maria McCambridge (Dundrum South Dublin), Barbara Sanchez (Clonliffe Harriers) and Claire McCarthy (Leevale AC).

National Endurance Coach Chris Jones said: “It is a big step forward for us to be sending teams to compete in Men’s and Women’s Marathon Team Cup competition at the European Championships. We have worked closely with the Marathon Mission squad to ensure that our eight athletes will be competitive in Zurich.”

Elsewhere, Amy Foster (City of Lisburn) equalled the Irish 100m record of 11.40 when finishing third at the Sprint Elite meet in Florida. Foster’s time also qualified her for the

European Championships in Zurich.

Leevale’s Ciarán Ó Lionáird made a welcome return to competition last month, finishing eighth in the Drake Relays mile in 4:03.64. Ó Lionáird showed muchimproved form in his next outing over 1500m in Kingston, Jamaica, where he finished second to American Will Leer in 3:41.74.

Meanwhile, a team of 15 athletes was recently named for the upcoming European Youth Olympic Trials in Baku, Azerbaijan, which begin on the 30th of May. Elizabeth Morland (Cushinstown AC) achieved the standard in three events (long jump, high jump, 100m hurdles).

The middle-distance charge will be led by Leevale’s Louise Shanahan, who will compete over 800m.

Irish Runner 11

JAMES VEALE / SPORTSFILE

Pollock in the Lead

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news

Stars to Shine in Cork City Sports Olympic bronze medallist Javier Culson is the latest headline star to be added to the line-up for the 63rd Cork City Sports, which will be held at the CIT Stadium in Bishopstown on Tuesday, 8th July.

Culson, from Puerto Rico, has a personal best of 47.72 for the 400m hurdles, and has also won two World Championships silver medals. His presence in Cork will undoubtedly inspire many of Ireland’s talented 400m hurdlers to also turn in a good performance on the road to the European Championships in Zurich. Reigning European 400m hurdles champion Rhys Williams has also expressed an interest in competing.

On the women’s side, a trio of world class sprinters are set to compete in the 100m, including former US champion Barbara Pierre, who boasts a personal best of 10.85 seconds for the distance. Other notable athletes include American Cleo VanBuren and Belgian Cynthia Bolingo.

World 50k Champion Robert Heffernan (126) in action at last year’s sports.

Other major entries could include American Lashinda Demus, who competed in a lowkey track meeting in CIT last July prior to winning the bronze medal at the 400m hurdles at the World Championships in Moscow. In the sprint hurdlers, seven-time French champion Reina-Flor Okori, with a personal best of 12.65 seconds, is slated to compete, and she

will likely face home hero Derval O’Rourke and rising star Sarah Lavin in what could be the race of the night.

For the third year in a row, LeisureWorld will sponsor the event.

For more information on the meeting or to book your tickets, log on to www.corkcitysports.ie or call 0862385842.

Winner Alright

We are delighted to announce Monica Stapleton from Blanchardstown as the Winner of our Samsung Gear Fit & Samsung Galaxy S5 Competition which featured in the last issue of Irish Runner.

The Samsung Gear Fit delivers real time fitness coaching that provides unique, personalised advice and workout recommendations. The Samsung Galaxy S5 combines a 16 Mexapixel camera, dedicated fitness tools including a built-in heart rate sensor, fast network connectivity and enhanced device protection features so that you can stay fit and connected in style.

Read our Full Test Review of both Samsung products in the next issue of Irish Runner on sale July 20th.

The Dublin Bay 10k is Back The dlr Bay 10K on August 4 (Bank Holiday Monday) will take runners and walkers on a course through some of the most the picturesque areas in South Dublin. The 10K is open to all over 16.

Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council will again host this annual 10K which starts at at 10:30 on August 4.

Runners and walkers are invited to register at www.dlrbay10k.ie Registration includes a finishers medal, chip time,

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technical T-shirt, goody bag and refreshments pre- and post-event.

“We’re excited about the 10K - and not just because the course is so different from other runs in the area,” said Race Director Richard Slevin.

“To date, almost 5,000 have run the dlr Bay 10K and they keep coming back! We have received so much positive feedback over the years.”

“What makes the race so

different is that it is one of the more interesting courses on the race calendar. All roads on the course are closed; we start and finish by Dun Laoghaire pier and we have a few hills in between as the participants run through Dun Laoghaire and the surrounding areas of Monkstown, Sallynoggin, Sandycove and Glenageary.

The local communities also get involved in the day, with many people out cheering on the participants

and even offering refreshments along the course.”

Early bird registration is open online up to May 31 for €20. After that, the entry fee will rise to €25. Limited lastminute registration will be available during registration and on race day at higher rates.

To find out more about the dlr Bay 10K, visit www.dlrbay10k.ie

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Sionnach Relay for Sligo

The Sionnach Relay, ‘Ireland’s First Overnight Team Relay Event’, is being supported by rugby greats Sean O’Brien and Leo Cullen, who are firmly behind the concept with Cullen saying that he believes it provides a significant but achievable challenge to runners of all abilities and fitness levels.

Inspired in part by relay series held in the USA, such as Hood to Coast, Reach the Beach and the Ragnar Relay Series, and based on a hub and spoke system, each team in the event runs four carefully selected loops. Open to teams of runners of all abilities, the challenge comprises an 8-person relay covering 274kms over a 24 + hour period. While the active team member is out running, the

rest of the team will enjoy the best of Irish live entertainment at the hub in Sligo Town.

Entertainment will include modern cover bands, traditional Irish music as well as poetry reading and other cultural activities.

In cooperation with JustGiving, the event supports the Irish Cancer Society as its official charity and runners raising over €100 will receive a special commemorative medal for their efforts with additional special prizes for the top individual and team fundraisers.

Go to www.sionnachrelay.com for an explanatory video and to register and follow the Sionnach on at www.facebook.com/sionnachrelay and Twitter @sionnachrelay

Braveheart Trail Race The annual Braveheart 5k Trail Race will take place in Porchfields in Trim on Friday evening, June 13th- starting at 8pm. This is an event with a unique atmosphere –organised to top standards by the local Trim Athletic Club.

There are also juvenile races for under 12 & 16 and these events start at 7pm. Cystic Fibrosis and Local Charities will benefit from race proceeds.

Entry is 15 euro on race night. Arrive early if looking for a late entry. Full details at: www.trimac.ie

ORDER TODAY: www.johnbuckleysports.com Email: johnbuckleysports@eircom.net

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BASICS

Playful Running Children’s running should be about enjoyment rather than training and competition, writes Catherina McKiernan PHOTO: DIARMUID GREENE, SPORTSFILE.COM

am often approached by parents looking for advice on what type of training their children should be doing for athletics.

My answer is always the same: forget about ‘training’ and competition, and just let them get out there and enjoy running for the sake of it.

The idea of 8 and 9 year old children ‘going training’ seems ridiculous to me. If children are interested in running, give them the freedom to find their feet in their own time. I would advise parents to back off a little and not be too pushy. If a child shows an interest and talent for athletics, by all means support and encourage them, but don’t pressurise them into competing or conforming to a regimented training schedule.

If children begin organised training and competition at seven or eight years of age, they will have a decade of serious running behind them when they aren’t even out of their teens so it’s little wonder that ‘burnout’ sets in and so many talented runners drift away from the sport.

The concept of ‘going training’ and competition was alien to me when I was growing up on the farm in Cavan.

My earliest memories of running go back to when I was seven or eight and just running around the fields at home without any expectation of ever racing or being a runner.

Our nearest neighbours were a good distance away, so my three brothers and three sisters and myself made our own fun and games. If Wimbledon was on we would play our own games of tennis against the gable wall. When the soccer World Cup was on we would make goalposts out of sticks and play away. We even raced over our own home made hurdles after watching the Olympics.

Learning how to swim was an adventure in itself and involved a fourmile cycle to and from the local lake for lessons. When we weren’t messing around with our own games, there were always jobs on the farm that needed doing.

I

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Running can be playful.

“

I enjoyed the start of my running career but as it got to be more and more a business, it got less enjoyable

Organised running and competition was years away, even after I went to secondary school where camogie was still my first love. I also played a lot with the club in Cornafean and I used to arrive at training 30 minutes early to do laps of the pitch by myself and I was usually the last to leave.

The point here isn’t that everything was rosier and better in the ‘good old days’; rather it’s that we were always active and doing some sort of exercise

without even being aware of what fitness was or the need to ‘go training’.

Unknown to ourselves, we were developing stamina and athletic skills while using our imaginations and having fun.

A lot of my running base came from the carefree games and activities of my childhood.

I didn’t run my first proper competitive race until I was 16 or 17 when I ran in the All-Ireland Schools Cross Country with the Loreto Cavan team and my career took off from there. I enjoyed the start of my running career but as it got to be more and more a business, it got less enjoyable.

Now I have come full circle. When I go out for a run I do it for the same sense of enjoyment and well being that running gave me when I was a child running around the fields at home without a care in the world.

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MOTIVATION

A Life Without Limits Patricia Murphy calls on the spirit of Ironman Chrissie Wellington to help a fellow runner in need...

HAD the pleasure of meeting Chrissie Wellington in October 2013 at London’s Triathlon World Championships.

The four-time World Ironman Champion and self-professed ‘muppet’ looked every bit a picture of confidence and composure as she happily mingled with athletes, fans, media and friends.

The spectacular weekend for Irish Triathletes will be remembered for its medal haul of gold by age-grouper Matt Molloy (40-44) in the aquathlon and silver for Deirdre Casey (30-34) in the sprint distance triathlon.

But it was Derry woman Aileen Reid who set the pulses racing in the grandstand as she raced her way into second position in the elite female standard distance event in a time of 2:01.57: the highest position achieved by any Irish triathlete to date.

I

Career Dilemmas It was only recently though that I sat down to read about Chrissie’s journey in her own words, A Life Without Limits. The story of her late arrival on the triathlon scene, an eating disorder, career dilemmas, hard slog and determination, all set to a backdrop of travel logs, world politics and diverse cultures. Her quest to come face-toface with the 2.4km swim, 112km cycle and 26.2 mile run is spared of heavy training logs and tips in favour of some deep character observations and personal soul searching of what it takes to make a champion – win, lose or draw.

She delights us with humorous accounts of Ironman Kona, Hawaii and other worldwide events. The family BBQ, race day preperation and the awe she felt waiting for the cannon to fire at dawn as she calmly skulled the water offshore, ready to smash another course or world record.

And then returning to the finish line at dusk of every event to welcome home the very last person. I can only imagine the sense of euphoria for those late finishers to have elite athlete Chrissie Wellington welcome you down the ganty to the sound of the conch shell and the customary lei 16 Irish Runner

and garlands that adorn the finishers...

It’s funny how things come back to you. It was at the Samsung Night Run in Dublin recently that Chrissie’s magic and message of camaraderie ran through the streets of Dublin’s docklands.

Clearly Upset As I waited for the race to end so I could free my car from a closed road parking space, I came across a lone, distressed lady at the 8km mark. It was dark and she was clearly upset.

She had reduced her pace to a walk and really had no desire to continue the race.

After a brief conversation through her tears, this is the result of our chance meeting on Hanover Quay:

“

The magic and message of camaraderie ran through the streets of Dublin...’

An Email To Frank Greally of Irish Runner: “I really hope that I am contacting the right address. Last night I participated in the Samsung 10 k in Dublin. As I hit about 8k I got a bit upset and rang my husband who had already finished and told him that I was dropping out. A lady with blonde curly hair, who I think said that she was working with your magazine, approached me.

She helped me get to the 9.5k up the quays, getting the ambulance and endcar to allow me through. She ran beside me in her normal clothes!

I really hope that you can pass my sincere gratitude on to the lady. She was right: the feeling of finishing dispelled all feelings of tiredness and failure!

If I am emailing the right magazine, please let me know.

Many thanks.”

- Caoimhe Culleton

Seeing her smiling husband come to join her at the 9.5km mark - and taking her over the finish line - was the winner’s medal for me; proof that a small gesture at the right time can have such a huge impact. That last kick over Talbot Bridge towards the Custom house and down the gantry through the finish line was surely up there with Chrissie Wellington’s victories on the world stage.

And though this is a one-off example of the inspiration that we find on and off the track at every race, the message from A Life Without Limits has resonnated with me in matters closer to home.

It has provided me with comfort and greater clarity on some of the many parenting dilemmas that we mums and dads face on a day to day basis. As a mum of two children - one already grown up - I often anguish over their life choices.

Life Changing With a junior cert looming in June, the pressure is on for our precious offspring to perfom, to make life changing decisions and to make us proud. Often they are trying to live up to an expectation of what we have for them.

But Chrissie has reminded me that it’s ok to take a step back from my parental higher ground and trust that the foundation has been set. My children have a strong sense of self and know their own minds, whether I agree or not with all of their life choices.

It’s ok to mess up, change direction and disagree with your coach on certain issues. Just like Chrissie and Caoimhe there will always be tough decisions, disasters and setbacks. But it is the will to do our best and the message of hope and resilience that relays from the front, to the middle, to the back of the pack that is surely the prize we are all searching for.

Patricia Murphy M Sc (Exercise & Nutrition) is a Dublin-based personal trainer and yoga instructor.

More info: www.nutrishon.blogspot.com

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AskHannah_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:35 Page 1

ASK HANNAH

Set Your Own Pace Hannah Nolan shares her experience with novice and aspiring runners, answering your questions and addressing common beginner concerns.

Overall Strength As you are well ahead of yourself, this is also an ideal time to work on your speed and really focus on improving your pace and overall strength in running; so throwing a mixture of short speed intervals and tempo runs into your training plan would be perfect and over the next 8 weeks you could really make a lot of improvement in building a really great base of both miles, speed and strength.

I would certainly keep your long run to a minimum of 10 – 13 miles going forward, since you have already built up to this distance and obviously maintained it following several half marathons. Then you can start to gradually increase this again. As you have a nice long training time frame until Dublin, you may also consider bumping up the miles slightly for the long run on one of the weeks, followed by a further week dropping it back down to your base of 10-13 miles.

This will give you an opportunity to start building up on the mileage slightly earlier, but with the added benefit of allowing your body more recovery time by dropping it back down again to your normal distance. Already being up to half marathon distance you are in GREAT shape, so you can really take your time to continue forward really strong and work on the “3 S’s” – Strength, Speed and Stamina!

18 Irish Runner

BARRY CREGG / SPORTSFILE

BUILDING UP THE 3 “S’s” Q: I Hope to do Dublin City Marathon this year (which will be my first marathon) and have just completed my third half marathon in Wexford. My question is: do I continue to increase my long run miles between now and October, or stick to around the 13 miles and possibly work on speed, until I begin the training programme for the marathon?

- Caroline Farrell, Carlow A: You are in a great place at the moment and have PLENTY of time to continue to build up the miles! There are several different options available which may or may not suit everyone, so the training plan will vary from person to person.

Some people work really well on long mileage, and others get injured more quickly when introducing longer miles; so whatever you choose, listen to your body!

As it is your first marathon, you have likely not built up huge long runs much beyond the half marathon distance, so some of it will be a test of time to see how your body reacts once the mileage increases. However, if you have not already got any kind of strength training in place, this would be an ideal opportunity to start adding some in, which will help to keep your body strong and less prone to injury when the mileage does start to increase.

THE BEST PACE IS YOUR OWN Q: I started jogging and walking earlier this year and I took the plunge and entered the Women’s Mini Marathon for the first time. I am wondering if you have any tips for the day, as I am quite nervous and don’t know what to expect as it is my first race! Martha P, Dublin A: Hi Martha! The great thing about the Women’s Mini Marathon is that there is an amazing and absolutely electric atmosphere, so whatever your level in running there is a space for you in this race.

There are all levels of runners, joggers and walkers…this is a PERFECT event for your first race, so try not to be nervous (easier said than done I know!)

Before the day itself I would recommend making sure you are going into the event well prepared and well fuelled. Eat a balanced diet and make sure you are drinking enough water in the days leading up to the event to make sure your energy reserves are topped up and you are well hydrated.

It is often warm weather on the day itself and there is also some waiting around due to the large numbers involved in the race, so make sure you have water (and possibly a small snack) with you too. Arrive in plenty of time so that you have time to drop your bag and find the toilets before making your way toward the starting areas.

Stay Focused If you are with a group of friends or have family cheering you on it is a good idea to arrange a meeting point for after the race in case you become separated. Once the race starts and you cross the start line, try to pace yourself; if you start to feel tired try picking somebody out ahead of you and keep focusing on them to keep your mind occupied. If you pass them out, pick out another person!

It can be easy to get carried away with the atmosphere. But remember to run your own race. The best pace to run is your OWN. Take it steady, make sure your breathing is in control and most of all ENJOY IT!

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nutritionQ&A_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:35 Page 1

ask the

nutritionist

Q&A Nutritionist Sharon Madigan answers some of the questions that have been bugging you since our last issue.

Sharon Madigan, RD, PhD, Performance Nutritionist, Irish Institute of Sport

Pre-training foods can include soup, yoghurts, fruit salad, oats, toast, crackers or a 1/2 portion of a pasta salad.

THE ‘LATE’ DEBATE Q.1 I have been led to believe that I shouldn’t eat in the evening time as it may lead to weight gain and I am currently trying to reduce my weight slightly. At the moment, due to work, most of my training is after work. - Mary W Carlow.

YOU are not on your own asking this question!

The eating late in the evening message is one that possibly applies to the general population, but not to you training in the evening.

Post-training recovery with food and fluid is essential to allow you to maintain good consistency with training. It is this consistency and being able to maintain intensity - which is going to help you achieve your body composition targets. Some athletes make the mistake of avoiding eating after they have trained and they then fall into the trap of exhaustion and fatigue that affects progress.

If you don’t like having your ‘big’ meal late at night, or just before you go training, then try and have your bigger meal of the day at lunch time.

Then, split food intake to pre and post this evening session. This will involve a little planning ahead, as being tired after a session can lead you to the biscuit tin or grazing on foods which may slow down the success you have at reducing your weight slightly.

Pre-training foods can include soup, yoghurts, fruit salad, oats, toast, crackers or a ½ portion of a pasta salad. Similar foods can be eaten after the session, along with foods such as baked beans, eggs, cold meats or fish. It is crucial that you don’t cut back on calories on training days. On days where you are not training, watch the ‘extras’ such as biscuits and scones at work, or alcohol at weekends.

MODERATION IS KEY Q.2. I have been doing a lot of reading about what my nutrition needs are for running. The problem is there is so much information out there and I am not really sure what I need to do or avoid. I am planning on doing my first marathon later in the year, with some 10k runs before the summer. Sarah J, Dublin.

YOU have hit the nail on the head. If you believe everything that you read at the minute then there is probably little or nothing that you can or should eat. Of late, the words ‘toxic’, ‘sugar’, ‘fructose’, ‘fat’, ‘carbohydrates’ have been widely used together, which gives us the impression that, on their own or together, they can add up to major problems. We have been told for years that fat is “bad” for us; but, recently, it appears that what we replace it with could be more of a problem.

We think that carbohydrate foods may be excessively high in calories and no one in their right mind should eat sugar! So what do we eat and how will it make you run well without some of the negative side effects that poor nutritional prep can have on training and competition?

For a start, you need to remember that you are unlike most of the general population who are not doing much exercise, let alone training for a marathon or 10k runs. They eat for nourishment and you are eating for nourishment and for fuel.

20 Irish Runner

Although most of the ‘general’ principles of eating apply to you, there are a number which - if not followed - can cause as much harm as too much of perceived ‘unhealthy’ food. This is where it is almost like a puzzle; the first couple of times you do it can be difficult, but after repeated times you will be able to put it together quite quickly.

The foods that will give you the energy that you need pre-training will also be similar to those needed to replenish your stores.

The general public may consume more carbohydrate rich foods than they need, but when training for endurance this is the foundation of your nutritional plan. The text books range from 612g per kg of body weight per day. Use some of the online apps to gauge what you are eating now and try and increase it if necessary.

It may be necessary to look at a mid-range of about 7g/kg of body weight. So, if you are 55kg this would be about 385g - and if you are 70kg this would be 490g per day. Carbs should be eaten regularly over the course of the day, consuming 1–2 servings with each meal or snack, especially around pre and post-training times.

Fruits are also a good source of carbs and will add to the minimum of 5-a-day. Easy for work or on the move; but remember to keep to 1-2 portions at a time. If you do need to consume larger quantities of carbohydrates then looking at lower fiber sources is necessary.

Spread your protein intake through the day rather than one major meal source during the day.

It appears that this is best for maintaining muscle and will also aid recovery and repair if it is added into some carbohydrate and taken after training.

Red meats will also be a good source of Iron, but if you don’t eat meat then make sure you get Iron from other sources. Fortified cereals, eggs and green veg are alternatives.

We do need fats and, as an endurance runner, you will need and use more than most. Fish oils, nuts and seeds, olives or olive oil and avocados are all good sources of ‘healthy’ fats and, as well as being an energy source, may also have antiinflammatory properties.

If you don’t eat dairy foods, then you need to think about where your calcium is coming from.

Dairy is the main source of calcium, but so long as you are well prepared and choose other calciumenriched foods, then this is not a problem. Many other milks and yoghurts are available such as rice, soya and almond milk which are fortified with calcium.

Finally, make sure that your calorie or energy intake is adequate. If you are short of time on days when you have longer runs, select foods that are quicker to eat and prepare and eat little and often on those days. The following day you might need to continue with the recovery intake of food, so that your fuel take is replenished.

Often, athletes spend time worrying about what they should and should not eat. You can use your training to ‘allow’ yourself the flexibility to enjoy a wide range of foods.

There is nothing like indulging in some of your favourites after a long run, so long as the basic recovery plans have been done. Everything in moderation!

GeathEthiopian_Layout 1 21/05/2014 09:42 Page 1

IRELANDS MOST CHALLENGING HALF MARATHON AND MOST SCENIC 10K

www.achillmarathon.com Half Marathon starts 10.30am. 10K starts 11am.

Our chosen charity partner for 2014 is

Saturday 5th July 2014 www.achillmarathon.com

Tel: 098 20400

22_SSC_Phsyio_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:36 Page 1

TRAINING

Warm Up and RUNNING DRILLS

A thorough warm up for running is often overlooked but remarkably important for improving performance and decreasing the chance of injury. Whether you are a track specialist or road runner the drills in this article will help to promote a more efficient running technique, improve range of motion and muscular function, whilst providing the appropriate intensity for your intended training session, writes Nick Richardson – Strength & Conditioning Coach SSC

Marching

Part 1) General Warm up At this stage you are probably feeling cold, tight, sore and not ready to perform. The aim is to loosen the muscles and joints here and start to warm the body system. The following movements can be incorporated into the general warm up; the aim here is active preparation.

• Light to Moderate Jog 400m • Leg Swings – Lunges – Squats • Grapevine – Side to Side Skip – Backwards Run

Skips

Butt Flicks

Marching:

Part 3) Running Specific Intensity The final stage of the warm up should involve working your running efforts towards the intensity required for your specific run. This will be extremely individual depending on the distance and speed of the session. The golden rule here is basic, you must get up to your race or planned session speed prior to competing or participating.

For endurance-based athletes you should take your body close to or above session pace for a short duration. It takes time for your body to start delivering oxygen to your muscles at it’s most efficient rate, thus its important to prime the system by ramping up intensity to the desired level. This will improve the start of your session substantially.

• 2-6 minutes of near lactate threshold (beyond talking pace) running or of similar rate to the planned session

Purpose: Promotes correct leg action and active foot plant Description: Hands on hips - Drive heel to butt – Stomp on forefoot under hips Cues: Front of shoe points in the direction of travel - Heel of shoe pulls up to butt Sets & Reps: 3 sets x 15m

Knee Drives (skips)

Note: Static stretching is not specifically included in the ‘active warm-up’ however if you have any defined areas that require specific stretching in order to improve range of movement (flexibility) this can be added here.

Purpose: Promotes recoil (bounce from ground), switches on key muscles and is an active progression from the marching drill (drill 1) Description: Similar to the march (drill 1) with a skipping action (small air time) included Cues: Skip and actively plant foot back under hips Sets & Reps: 3 sets x 15m

Part 2) Drilling

Butt Flicks

The aim at this stage is to improve running efficiency and technique, enhance energy recoil from the ground and to promote a positive running gait (stride). E.g. running on the forefoot.

22 Irish Runner

Purpose: Promotes correct leg action in the swing leg - Builds towards running specific action and tempo Description: Running action with heel coming to butt - Slowly transitioning forward Cues: Pretend there is a hurdle in front of each step – Fast leg recovery Sets & Reps: 3 sets x 15m

For track-based athletes the aim is to take your body to the speed at which you will run the session or competition.

• 4-6 efforts of 60-100m building intensity from 80-100% • Maintain rest periods of 2-3 minutes between repetitions as the intensity increases

SSC_Layout 1 21/05/2014 08:30 Page 1

health&fitness_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:36 Page 1

health+fitness WITH RORY HAFFORD

RUNNING A RISK!

Fiona Dunne was diagnosed with a condition that literally throws her heart rhythm into chaos when she runs. Now she has had to find a new way to train and a new way to live.

Rory Hafford reports. Photo: Donal Glackin.

DETERMINATION. That’s one of the first words that you would associate with Fiona Dunne. You can see it in the way she approaches life. You can hear it in her voice. You can feel it from the way she looks at you.

For this fitness fanatic has always been determined to make her way in the world on her terms. She had put everything in place: her education, her work and her training schedules.

She secured a position with the radio station Q102 as a researcher and did some guest slots with the hit programme The Last Word. On top of this, she had started training for a half-marathon, determined to build to full marathon level.

There’s that word again.

All was good. All was on track. And then…bang!

“I was diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome,” she says, as she looks out onto the Bay of her home town in Malahide, the expression changing on her face.

“You’ve probably never heard of it before. Neither had I…” Cardiac Event Long QT Syndrome (or LQTS, for short) is in the same medical family as Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, or SADS – a condition most people in the fitness fraternity will (sadly) have heard of!

The thing about LQTS is that every time you exercise to the point where you break sweat, you are putting yourself at risk of a cardiac event which could, in theory, result in a fatality.

LONG QT SYNDROME – The Facts: • Basically speaking, Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) is a disturbance in the heart’s electrical system. It’s one of those conditions that you only find out about after suffering a dramatic event, like palpitations, fainting, or dizziness.

• However, an attack can also be brought on by something seemingly innocuous like a door-bell ringing, or a loud noise!

• Current estimates tell us that 1 person in every 5,000 has LQTS. It’s an inherited 24 Irish Runner

condition; so, if you have it, your mother or father will also have it – that’s why it’s important to have family members tested as well.

• An attack often happens during or immediately after some form of physical or emotional exertion. Unfortunately, sometimes the first symptom of LQTS is cardiac arrest, when the heart stops beating.

• People with LQTS should avoid sports

that are competitive in nature. Walking and biking are ok, but only in moderation and you should check with a healthcare professional before you embark on any form of physical activity.

• Coffee and drinks that contain caffeine can act as a trigger for LQTS and are therefore banned from the diet of people with the condition.

Source: Irish Heart Foundation

health&fitness_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:36 Page 2

The diagnosis came on a day in September of 2013. It was one of those seminal days; the kind that burns into your consciousness for ever. She remembers what she was wearing; she remembers that it was raining; she also remembers feeling that life would never be the same again…

“When I learned what I wouldn’t be able to do, I was devastated,” the stoic 24-year-old tells Irish Runner. “Running was important to me. It made me feel good. It was almost an addiction. And then, to be told that you couldn’t do it anymore…well, it was just devastating.”

“

It starts to hit home when you are told that you are going on Beta Blockers every day for the rest of your life

A place of triumph suddenly turned into a place of terror. What had brought untold joy into Fiona’s life now meant that every time she pulled on a pair of trainers she was, quite literally, running a risk!

“I had to change my regime. I had to do less cardio and more strength. I got myself a personal trainer because I was determined not to let this beat me. I’m not built that way.”

Everything Changed It was a seemingly innocuous thing, at first. She felt a bit light-headed when she was doing burpees. She put it down to low blood pressure, thought nothing more of it – and quickly brought her focus back to her full-on training schedule, which included running, boxing and Pilates.

But the signs wouldn’t go away and she eventually found herself face-to-face with her GP. She was sent for an ECG and the tell-tale Long QT rhythm showed up on the monitor. With one beep, everything changed.

“It starts to hit home when you are told that you are going to be on BetaBlockers every day for the rest of your life,” says Fiona.

This was hard to take for a young woman who, up to that point, knew

nothing other than to push forward. Now, she was being made to slow down.

When she was given the BetaBlockers (tablets designed to reduce heart rate), she left the container on her desk for two weeks. She didn’t even want to look at them.

“For me, it represented a label…and I didn’t want to be labelled.”

Forced Changes It’s not easy for a young woman, dedicated to her fitness, to be told that she is now invalided in some way. The change in status is utterly devastating.

And there are other changes forced on people as a result of this condition…

“Your diet has to be modified and things that you took for granted have to be gotten rid of. Stuff like coffee and some sugary drinks,” she says, glancing down at the herbal tea in front of her and making a little distasteful face that suggests the brew is not sitting well with her.

She can still run, but certainly not anywhere near the pace she would like: “I am still able to run and still do. But I’ve been told to only do short distance running (5/10k) and at a speed where I can still hold a conversation”.

As far as a full diagnosis is concerned, she’s still not out of the woods.

“Well, we still need to find out exactly what kind of Long QT Syndrome it is, because there are different types. But there is a very long waiting list to be negotiated before we get to that point. It will probably be the end of the year before I’m seen,” says Fiona.

There is a group called The Family Heartscreen Clinic that was set up to help people deal with this condition.

They are part of the Mater Foundation and – like most healthcare organisations – they need to raise a lot of money just to keep going. To know more, you can contact them on 01-8303482. There is also a support group set up for Long QT Syndrome that you can contact on 016685001.

Fiona’s advice to people diagnosed with this condition: learn all about it.

“One of the first things I did was log onto Google. In hindsight, I don’t think this was the best move, because you can get all sorts of stuff on-line that just ends up scaring you.

“Seek out the experts. Follow their advice. And do the best you can to work and train with your new circumstances.

That’s what I’m doing…”

And there’s that determination again!

MasterChef David Gillick SURF’S UP! This time out we are looking at a dish that is guaranteed to get the mouth watering while, at the same time, doing you a power of good. It’s Salmon with feta and spinach quinoa. Easy to prepare. And goes down easy as well. Here’s what you need: Ingredients per serving: • Teaspoon coconut oil • 1/2 small onion • 1 garlic clove, crushed • 5 asparagus spears, cut into inches • 50g quinoa • 30g crumbled feta cheese • 10g slivered almonds • Small handful fresh spinach leaves • 2 tablespoon diced parsley • 1 lemon, cut in half • Teaspoon olive oil • Salt and pepper to taste • 1 darn of skinned salmon • Pinch of cayenne pepper What you will need: 1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.

2. Place salmon on sheet and sprinkle top of salmon with cayenne pepper and squeeze ½ of lemon over top. Let sit.

3. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt coconut oil. Add diced onions and cook stirring for 5 minutes.

4. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds to heat.

5. Add asparagus and cook 3-5 minutes stirring to cook.

6. Dump ingredients into large bowl.

7. Place salmon in oven for 15 minutes on rack in middle of oven.

8. Add quinoa to small saucepan of boiling water and a pinch of salt or stock if you prefer, cover and turn down to simmer for 12 minutes.

9. When quinoa is done, remove from heat and add spinach to top of quinoa put lid back on and let steam for 3-5 minutes, or until spinach starts to wilt.

10. Add spinach and quinoa to asparagus and toss.

11. Add ½ lemon juice, olive oil, almonds, feta cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper to bowl of asparagus.

12. Toss to coat ingredients.

13. Place a portion of quinoa in large bowl or plate and top with a salmon fillet.

Irish Runner 25

health&fitness_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:36 Page 3

health+fitness WITH RORY HAFFORD

A LIFE-SAVING RACE Wicklow running legend Mick Byrne recalls his ‘cardiac event’ and the lessons that we can all learn from it. Photo: Donal Glackin.

IRONICALLY, it was a Fit For Life race!

Wicklow running legend Mick Byrne was putting in his usual hard pace, pushing a field of much younger runners that were massed around him.

The evening of Wednesday 19th June, 2013 was pleasant, but slightly cool. And Roundwood had on its best bib ‘n tucker.

Perfect conditions to post a good time in this challenging 2-miler.

Seventy-five runners took part; the 53year-old Mick Byrne finished in 5th place, with an impressive time of 11:27.

“I remember I had just finished the race and was feeling a bit dizzy. I decided to sit down – and that was the last thing I remember,” Mick tells Irish Runner.

When Mick hit the ground people immediately rushed to help. The man is much loved among the county’s running fraternity. Initial thoughts were that he had fainted, but helpers quickly realised that something more serious had happened.

The situation quickly became real critical real quick.

“I woke up with people all around me. I was on the ground. My first thought was that my blood sugar had dropped. But then somebody started giving me CPR.” Blocked Arteries The CPR – administered by a First Responder at the race – wasn’t working. So a call went out for a defibrillator … and that’s what saved his life!

“I was rushed to Loughlinstown Hospital by ambulance and kept in overnight. The next day they told me that I had suffered a heart attack.”

An angiogram revealed that Mick had blockages in his cardiac arteries and he had two stents put in.

To this day, Mick thanks his lucky stars that there was medical cover at the race that evening; and also that he wasn’t off on one of his solo runs in his favourite training patch of Avondale.

The episode has taught Mick Byrne a number of crucial things and it also serves as a reminder to all runners who are getting on a bit in years.

“I have learned not to take anything for granted and to have regular check-ups to keep my cholesterol in order,” says Mick.

He is now a big believer in making sure 26 Irish Runner

Getting Back He’s also looking forward to the Gerry Farnan Cross Country in October and to getting back on the Irish team for the Five Nations Cross Country. He has May 2015 marked in his diary for the European Masters Road Championships.

“I would love to do another marathon; if the doctors let me.”

Mick has proved to be one of the most successful athletes in Co Wicklow, taking six Senior Cross-Country titles and six Road Race Championships. Mick’s first success at European level came at the 10th European Veterans’ Athletic Championships in Regensburg, Germany, in May 2007. He took the M45 Gold Medal in the 10-K Road Race in 32:16, in a field of 57 athletes from 11 countries.

Mick’s full recovery from his cardiac event was evidenced by his 1st place finish through the Street of Wicklow 5-K on Stephens Day. Every athlete in that race was delighted to see ‘Lazarus’ (as he is fondly known in his area) back and doing what he does best: winning well and winning with ease.

And long may that continue.

that all race events have the proper medical equipment on hand…just in case: “There definitely should be a defibrillator at all training sessions and races. We need to get more people trained to use them. It saved my life”.

He’s back running now. Sure, it’s in the blood!

“I’m in good form now and back doing 50 miles a week. I recently won the national 50 Cross Country (in February). So, everything is going well for me.”

THE STORY WITH STENTS We are reading more and more about stenting and how runners are availing of the medical benefits of the procedure. Here’s a (very) brief guide to what it is and how it works.

■ A coronary stent is a small stainless steel mesh tube. It works like a scaffold by keeping the artery open ■ It is pushed into the artery on the back of what is called a balloon catheter and positioned at the site of the narrowing in the artery ■ Once it is place, the balloon tip is inflated and the stent expands to the size of the artery, which is now held in the open position ■ The balloon is then deflated and removed and the stent stays in place permanently ■ The stent will then do its job of holding open the artery which in turn will improve blood flow to the heart Source: Croi

health&fitness_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:36 Page 4

Winning Solution for Pelvic Muscle Problems

A BRIGHT NEW MORNING

Hannah Nolan examines the health and exercise benefits of an innovative new product that allows women to tackle the problem of bladder weakness and get back running fast…

PHOTO: DONAL GLACKIN

HANDS up if you love running…

Hands up if you like getting in shape…

Hands up if you have a weak bladder?!

Question Number 3 might not be one that we are all jumping up and down with excitement to stick our hands in the air for but, for many women, it is a reality that is hard to escape and causes embarrassment and discomfort while trying to exercise.

The current evidence suggests that 1-in-4 women suffer from some degree of ‘leakage’ when exercising, or even when they are just going about their daily business.

But, in reality, the percentage points closer to a figure of 1-in-3 (and certainly in my own studio many of my members have had experience of bladder weakness/leakage. In certain cases it’s so bad that some women are scared to run or even try to exercise because of the problem).

Common Problem One of the main issues around this is one of embarrassment. Often women will feel alone and keep it to themselves, assuming that nobody else has the same issue. But, in reality, many women (especially those who have had children) will be susceptible to weak pelvic floor muscles, which can lead to leaking urine.

It may seem like a difficult topic to approach, but one lady who has taken this common problem by the horns and tackled it head-on is Yvonne Brady of EVB Sport.

If you watch Dragons Den you may recall her pitch back in April, when she secured investment from two of the Dragons who also

believed in the strength of her innovative product. Here’s how it works…

The Shorts EVB shorts are specifically designed to provide firm support to the pelvic girdle, lower abdomen and the lower back, giving a lifting effect. This, in turn, optimizes muscle activation in the body’s core. All of these claims have been verified by BodyRight Chartered Physiotherapists.

It’s also been found that the shorts act as a preventative measure against pelvic organ prolapse in the long term.

The high level of support offered by the shorts helps to stabilise the joints and can even ease certain types of lower back pain! For new mums, the benefits are also fantastic and, for many, it will mean that they can return to exercise sooner rather than later.

Hard Subject Maria McCambridge has come on board as the new Ambassador for EVB sports and is delighted to be associated with EVB Sports Shorts. Over the years, she has seen so many women quit sport because they are unable to access the support that something like EVB shorts provide.

As a mum herself, she knows how important it is to take care of your core muscles.

Although it can be a hard subject to discuss, remember…you are not alone. It is completely normal to suffer from weak muscles at some point in your life; but it is a problem that can be addressed, allowing you to exercise in confidence again.

THE thousands of Irish people who gathered in the Phoenix Park for the Pieta House Darkness into Light run found, in some strange and wonderful way, that the darkness bound them together.

The event, which is held in the month of April at venues around the country every year, is designed to highlight the twin tragedies of depression and suicide…unwelcome scourges that have affected our nation deeply.

It has also turned into a way for people to publicly air their grief and – through the might of their number – join together to push for change.

The run itself is rich in symbolism. The yellow T-shirts worn by the runners and walkers lift the mood and illuminate the early morning murk; candles are burned brightly in memory of loved ones lost; people gather in little pockets and surround themselves with pictures of those who are no longer with us…

The act of running is transcended: instead it is a healing journey that takes people from the darkness of night into a bright new morning; from a place of despair into a new land of hope; from tears to laughter.

Show of Strength It also does one other crucial thing: it says you are not alone!

Depression can be a horribly desolate place. It’s a condition that can isolate and separate.

What the good folk at Pieta House have done is chip away at the barren façade of depression and sent a message loud and clear… ‘We are in this together’.

And the 80,000 people who took part in the event at venues up and down the country will testify to that.

Running is the vehicle, sure.

Running is the forum. It enables people to band together in a show of strength and unity and support.

As I looked at the faces that surrounded me on this cold, damp April morning, I was struck by something else, something fundamental…we can still care for one another.

Rory Hafford

Irish Runner 27

Gear_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:37 Page 1

PRODUCTS

Watch and Learn TEXT: ASHER SENYK

If you follow the evolution of sport equipment, you will have noticed the surge of development in ‘smart’ GPS watches in recent years. In fact, the development of GPS watches has moved much faster than new technologies in running shoes. Incredible new functions include running cadence sensors, fitness and health monitors and even WiFi and Bluetooth connection to your computer and smart phones.

How does GPS work?

The Global Positioning System (GPS) was developed by the U.S. Department of Defence in the late 1970s as a navigation system. At any given time there are 24 to 32 GPS satellites in orbit, relaying a signal back to earth which is received by GPS-enabled devices.

Most of the latest GPS watches rely on a signal from up to four satellites in order to perform calculations of speed, pace, distance and elevation. So good are the new versions of these watches that they can pre-load with the positions of the satellites in the sky for up to two weeks ahead, making them extremely fast to secure a signal.

Garmin Forerunner 620 From €399 garmin.com This version of the Forerunner is packed with features and if used with the ‘Garmin Run’ heart-rate strap gives you data entirely new to the sports watch market. It’s easy to see that this watch has been developed by serious runners, with an emphasis on longer battery life, technical information like running form (through vertical oscillation measurements in the HR strap), VO2 max estimates, and a coaching element within the watch to tell you how long you should rest before your next session. All this comes within a small colour touch screen and

intuitive GPS sports watch. The 620 also sees the inclusion of WiFi connection so your watch uploads your data whenever it comes into contact with a registered signal.

Connect wirelessly with your smartphone and activate the LiveTrack feature so your friends, fans and family can watch your movement in real time.

Published battery life: 10 hours in GPS mode/ 6 weeks standby.

Garmin Forerunner 15 (simplest, easy to use).

Suunto Ambit 2R (GPS for Runners)

From €149 garmin.com

From €250 suunto.com

At the other end of the sports watch spectrum, the entry-level Forerunner 15 is not only simple to use, but accessible to the masses, costing about the same as a pair of running shoes. The Garmin Forerunner 15 gives you live speed, pace and distance using GPS, with the option of adding a foot pod to track your movement indoors. Download your run to Garmin Connect™ after your run and see exactly where you’ve been, how fast and second-by-second information on your speed, pace and distance. You can also add an ANT+ heart rate strap to give you intensity measurement. This is a smart addition to the Garmin family, well suited to the fitness and entry level runner.

Adopting the watch body and mechanics of the Ambit2, Suunto has taken a stride into the running sportswatch market with the Ambit 2R. At this price there is some excellent technology in this watch, with a magnetic compass, preloaded satellite positioning for faster connection and a range of running programmes. The online programme that uploads your data and allows you to generate running specific plans is called Movescount. Surprises in this watch include ANT+ device additions like heart rate monitors, running cadence in an attractive wrist unit in black or white models. Mapping is useful for ultra runners.

Published battery life: 8 hours GPS/ 5 weeks standby

28 Irish Runner

Published battery life: 12 hours GPS

Gear_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:37 Page 2

Polar V800

Timex Run Trainer 2.0

Soleus GPS Vibe

From €399 polar.fi

From €230 timex.com

From €160 irishfit.ie

Polar has a long history in heart rate monitoring and fitness, but has only recently been producing GPS watches. The V800 combines the brand’s fitness pedigree with a new approach to GPS watches. A key element is the full-time monitoring capability, giving accurate understanding of your effective training time and recovery time. Internally, you get a barometer for accurate altitude measurements, temperature and a host of other gadgets for recording and monitoring your training. The appeal of this watch is far-reaching - I could imagine triathletes, ultra runners and adventure racers among the users.

Bluetooth compatible and expandable to work with all sorts of Polar products.

The Timex is one of the smallest GPS sports watches, setting it apart from the others. The functions in this watch remain basic, with the option of adding heart rate monitoring through the use of an ANT+ heart rate strap. Some of the functions include interval training, nutritional alerts and hands-free auto lap (Timex’s version of auto-lap or mile alerts). Button configuration is cramped and the menu a bit hard to follow.

The emphasis from Soleus has been on making good value-for-money GPS watches. The Vibe includes a ‘vibration’ alert mechanism which activates to give you feedback on things like your splits. It’s simple to use with four buttons and to-thepoint functions like six interval timers, autolaps and a nice option which allows a ‘night light’ mode in the dark.

Published battery life: 14 hours GPS, 50 hrs low GPS and 30 days in standby.

Published battery life: 8 hours GPS

New Concept Mio Alpha - Heart rate only.

From €199 mioglobal.com/alpha As fitness products and smartphone exercise apps become mainstream, several brands have focused their technologies on heart rate monitoring. The Mio Alpha sports heart rate watch is one of the first commercial non-chest strap heart rate watches on the market. This technology uses LED lights and an electro-optical chip to take measurements of blood flow from underneath the watch. In fact, this form of heart rate measurement has been used in the medical profession for many years. This unit requires a reasonably firm fit to effectively work and is Smart Bluetooth-enabled to communicate with mobile phones and compatible devices.

Trusox Sport socks From €29.99 trusox.ie The patented design provides grip through the use of small little tabs on the sock which give you traction within the shoe. The design concept was born in football and is showing signs of interest in the running community, especially in trail running where its needed.

Perhaps its something worth considering for your next cross country run or mountain running race.

Published battery life: 8 hours GPS

New to the Market Saucony Kinvara 5 From €120 saucony.ie One of the most anticipated running shoes of 2014 is the Kinvara 5. The popular dynamics of the shoe haven't changed much, with 4mm heel-to-toe offset, powergrid cushioning and a host of new colours.

The main changes have come in the upper with a new flexible and increased durability.

Salomon X Scream From €120 salomon.com The X Scream is both suitable for running on pavement and also on the trails. There is some really clever technologies in this shoe which include a protective toe cap, a tongue cover to stop unwanted grass/rocks and a sturdy quick lacing system. The fit is snug enough on the width, but very comfortable with stretch panels across the toe joints. Released in July.

Irish Runner 29

Nicola Duncan_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:38 Page 1

PROFILE

The Galway Racer Nicola Duncan is a bright new distance prospect who came late to running but is quickly making up for lost time, writes Frank Greally. Photos: Bob Thomas.

Galway native Nicola Duncan bounced back well from the disappointment of having to drop out of the World Half Marathon Championships in Copenhagen on March 29 because of a hamstring injury when she posted a personal best time of 2:33:28 in the London Marathon on April 13 - inside the qualifying standard (2:38) for the European Championships in Zurich in August. It was a remarkable turnaround for Duncan and her London time places her fifth on the all-time Irish women's marathon ranking list.

"It really was not a difficult decision that I had to make when I dropped out of the World Half Marathon Championships in Copenhagen," Duncan said. "My hamstring cramped up badly from the start. I tried to run for a minute to see if it would ease but it didn't at all and I was forced to stop. I was absolutely inconsolable, as this was my international debut in the Irish singlet.

However, I just knew that I could not continue as I had strained the hamstring and it required an intensive week of physiotherapy and massage to get it fixed."

Her London Marathon performance, however, gave Duncan a great sense of redemption and this newest face on the Irish international athletics scene is now looking forward to competing in the Irish singlet in Zurich. "The marathon route in Zurich is not a 30 Irish Runner

fast one," Duncan said. "It consists of four laps, taking in a big hill on each lap. If you combine that with the hot conditions that should be there in mid-August, I don't think that it will be a fast race. I will be focussing on it as a race and aiming for a good placing."

The thirty-year-old Galway woman has been resident for a decade in Edinburgh, where she works as an actuary - a demanding profession that often sees her working twelvehour days or beyond. When I called her in Edinburgh at 7.30am one morning she had already completed a demanding British Military Fitness Class and she was about to embark on another busy day at the office.

Nicola only discovered her talent for distance running five years ago when a friend offered her a race number for a 10K that she herself was unable to attend. That first entry into a mass-participation event ignited a spark for Nicola that has since lit a flame of success for the 5ft 1in, teak-tough Galway woman who grew up in the Taylor's Hill area of the city.

Before she took to distance running, Nicola had enjoyed a measure of success as an inter-provincial tennis player. She grew up close to the local tennis club and from an early age she was competitive on the court.

She very soon brought her competitive nature to bear on her running performances, completing her first marathon in Edinburgh in

2009 in 2:58 and four years later making light of that time when posting a personal best of 2:36:44 in Amsterdam in October of last yeara time that earned her qualification for this summer's European Track & Field Championships in Zurich. Of course, she then made another big improvement in London which will have greatly boosted her morale.

Nicola is coached by Nick Anderson and she has also, through her short career to date, received sound training advice from wellknown Galway City Harriers stalwart PJ Coyle, Nicola is a niece of P.J's wife, Susan, and the GCH man has played a quiet but very supportive role in her running development to date.

Nicola may be small in stature (5ft 1�), but she has speed and stamina in great abundance and a fresh and breezy approach to her training and racing. Her day starts early, always around the 6.30am mark. On Mondays she will have completed 10 miles before she starts work and she follows this first training session of the week with an evening class in Hot Vinyasa Yoga. By midweek on Wednesday, Nicola will take in an early morning British Military Fitness Class and in the evening she runs a steady 10 miles to complete the day's training. Also in the training mix during the week will be a lunchtime tempo run on Thursday followed by

Nicola Duncan_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:38 Page 2

Nicola Duncan with her partner, Dave Flynn, and the couples dog – Senna.

“

I enjoy racing and feel it is an integral part of my training regime.

an evening spin class. On Saturday she usually completes a long run of anything from 16 to 22 miles followed by Hot Vinyasa Yoga in the evening. She takes a rest from running on Fridays but still completes a spin class before work and more Hot Vinyasa Yoga after work.

It is this type of consistency and dedication to purpose that has honed the Galway woman into an elite athlete. In February of this year, Nicola finished second in the Barcelona Half Marathon in 1:12:12; a race won in a world record time of 1:05:12 by Kenyan runner Florence Kiplagat. In early March she finished ninth overall and first women in the Global Energy Inverness Half Marathon, finishing in 1:13:28; just seven seconds outside the course record set by Kenya's Cathy Mutwa in 2007.

Nicola competes in Edinburgh with Portobello AC and she is also an affiliated

member of Galway City Harriers. She was out of running for a while early in 2013 due to a fractured pelvis but she still continued to cross-train and do pilates and yoga to help maintain her fitness during that difficult period when she learned a lot about overtraining, rest and recovery.

It was only when she joined Portobello AC that Nicola fully realised she had a lot of potential to offer as a distance runner. "I learned a lot when I joined the club as I was pretty clueless about training up to that point," she said.

Nicola has a few more races listed in her diary as she continues with her training buildup to the World Championships. "I plan on running in the Irish Runner 5 Mile event in the Phoenix Park on June 28th and I also have some good local races listed in my diary," she said. "I enjoy racing and feel it is an integral part of my training regime. I don't fully ‘race’ every event and I often treat races as training runs. However, I don't have nearly as many races planned as I did earlier in the year before I got injured."

Nicola Duncan has arrived like a fresh breeze on the Irish distance running scene.

She looks set to make a big impact that should more than make up for her late start in the sport.

Irish Runner 31

Bostom 2pp_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:40 Page 1

RUNNING STRONG! This year’s Boston Marathon was different from every other year since John J McDermott won the first edition in 1897. Martin Joyce was there and found it an unforgettable experience PHOTOS BY LIZ CARDOSO, GLOBAL CLICK PHOTOGRAPHY.

ON 21st April, 2014 Boston showed the world that it would not be intimidated by terrorism, in the most emotional and heart-warming marathon of its glorious 118 year history.

The mantra: Boston: We are Strong was everywhere, drawing almost 36,000 runners and a million supporters on the streets into a tight communal bond.

The united city went a long way towards healing the wounds caused by the atrocity of 2013. It was inspiring to witness.

Fantastic Buzz Starting the Marathon Expo in the Hynes Convention Centre, the special atmosphere of the weekend immediately became apparent.

There was a fantastic buzz which flowed into the neighbouring streets, including the finish line just outside. There were queues for everything, especially the Boston Strong shirts and the large number of talks and shows were well attended.

The remarkable Hoyts – father Dick and quadriplegic son Rick – were given a hero’s welcome at the Expo on the eve of their 32nd and last Boston Marathon.

The 73-year-old Dick moved many to tears when he described how doctors told him to 32 Irish Runner

put his baby son in an institution as he was only a ‘vegetable’.

To laughter, he declared that after 52 years and having completed over 1,000 gruelling events together (Dick pushing Rick in a chair), he still doesn’t know what kind of vegetable his son is! It was no surprise to learn that the pair coined the expression ‘Yes You Can’ long before Barack Obama popularised it.

This is the unquenchable spirit of Boston.

The tour of the marathon course on Sunday morning was an eye-opener. The village of Hopkinton, where the race starts, was beautiful and its central green glistened in the mid-morning sunshine.

As we wound through the village back to Boston, our guide Hal offered a quirky and informative commentary on the landmarks and many incidents over more than 100 years of marathons. What surprised me most was the sheer amount of downhill on the course. Forget the infamous Heartbreak Hill, it’s the downhills that are the real challenge!

Running Family Our group numbered 75 runners and supporters from all corners of Ireland, with a small UK group. The numbers were a mixture

“

Every vest name was called out and every hint of a stagger was greeted by encouragement

of qualifiers and invitationals and all blended into one happy running family for our 5 days in Boston.

There were 5 runners on an emotional return from 2013 – Bob and Maria Hilliard from Clonakilty; Hugh Carolan from Shankill, Co Dublin; Pat Purcell from Kilkenny and Humphrey Moynihan from Hackettstown in Carlow.

They were all delighted to be among the 31,805 finishers, the second highest number ever to finish Boston.

On the morning of the marathon, we headed over Beacon Hill to historic Boston Common, from where the buses departed to the start in Hopkinton.

Bostom 2pp_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:40 Page 2

Out on the course, vast crowds gathered early. The day had started cool, but gradually warmed to around 20 degrees centigrade. Most of the Irish runners were in wave 4, with a start time of 11.25, which meant they felt the high temperatures more than those who started earlier.

But they also felt the extraordinary

“

The united city went a long way towards healing the wounds caused by the atrocity in 2013

warmth of the people.

At Woodland, Mile 16, just before the beginning of the three hills that constitute Heartbreak, I saw a spiritual connection between runner and spectator that I have rarely seen.

The crowds were as tireless as the runners. No one passed by uncheered. Every vest name was called out and every hint of a stagger was greeted by a word of encouragement.

No one does encouragement as well as the Americans!

The 2,000 girls of Wellesley College Girls’ School in Newton, close to the half-way mark, also played their part.

They screamed their support in a tunnel of sound, competing with each other to hold up the most daring sign.

A popular one with the male runners was ‘Kiss me if you’ve got the energy – I’m cute!’ In this age of equality some female runners asked where the male cheerleaders were…!

Eileen Jack was returning to her native city with her Belfast husband Daniel and they came down Boylston Street hand-in-hand to thunderous cheers as they crossed the finish line together in 4:43.

Chris Gibbons was the life and soul of the party at the Tokyo Marathon in February and continued in the same vein in Boston, as he made it his quest to complete the fastest-ever set of six World Marathon Majors.

(Main Photo) Kevin Clancy from Drogheda in high spirits; (from top right) Martin Joyce, rear 2nd left, with photographer Liz Cardoso (left) and the runners who returned to Boston a year after participating in the 2013 race; Tallaght AC Three: Chris Gibbons, Jack Tyrrell, Niall Campbell; Irish group on Boylston St near the Finish Line; (right) Eileen Jack, Stuart Kennedy, Daniel Jack and Peter White, all from Belfast.

The Dream Three of the Dublin Marathon organising committee – Joan McTernan, Jean Carr and Austin Mooney – completed the distance despite a variety of injuries. They epitomised the never-say-die spirit of Boston 2014 – nobody wanted to pull out on a unique day.

John Courell from Ballina in Co Mayo, had a dream and the ability to run 2:45. A late leg injury should have ruled him out. Instead, he decided to run, very carefully, and told me that he thought he could complete the distance in 3:30, while keeping the leg in check.

With his proud parents Claire and Michael (himself a veteran of ten marathons) there to support him, he finished in exactly 3:30.

On a memorable day for all Bostonians, it was fitting that Meb Keflezighi became the first American since Greg Meyer in 1983 to win at Boston, leading from gun to tape and winning in 2:08.

First home in the Irish group was Dessie McShane from Strabane in 3:03, followed by Philip Culbert from Churchtown, Dublin in 3:08. First woman was Sarah Wallace from Sandymount in Dublin, who ran a fine 3:47 on her 32nd birthday. Magic!

There is a quiet graveyard in Hopkinton which the elite runners walk through on their way to the start.

Usually unnoticed, the fading and gloomy epitaph on one headstone reads: ‘Death is a debt to nature due.

As I have paid it so must you’.

But the message which resounded around the world from the runners in Boston, like the famous shot there over 200 years ago which started the American revolution, was ‘No, not yet!

We have a whole lot of living still to do’ Martin Joyce is Tour Director of Sports Travel International.

2014 Boston Fact File: ■ ■ ■ ■

35,755 entrants 32,408 starters 31,805 finishers Female runners 45% highest ever. It was 2% in 1975 and zero in the first 69 years of the marathon ■ Average finishing time – 4:02 ■ The 2013 edition was suspended after 17,580 had finished ■ The 2014 event allowed for an additional 9,000 runners to include those who did not finish the previous year and also to cater for the ‘first responders’, the medical and security personnel who performed heroically after the tragedy occurred

Irish Runner 33

Juju2pp_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:40 Page 1

MUD SWEAT & RUNNERS

The JuJu Jay Story

There is a new running group that makes the hills and trails of the Wicklow mountains its home. If you are looking for something different, then Mud Sweat & Runners is the group and JuJu Jay is definitely the way. Ken Cowley reports…

WE have all, at some point in our lives, questioned our place in the world. We have all searched in different places for meaning; for that special something that says ‘this is me!’

The wonderful character known as JuJu Jay, after a long search, eventually found that meaning in something that is close to all our hearts…he found it in running!

I first met JuJu Jay on a mountain a couple of years ago. It’s now where he feels most at home. And, as founder of the wonderful Mud Sweat & Runners group, it’s where you’ll find him most of the time.

The spiritual bedrock that is Glendalough is where JuJu Jay (formerly known as Jason Handyside) has now settled, after a journey of the soul that brought him far and wide.

And, as you get to know the man, you can see the fit between him, his alternative lifestyle and this beautiful part of the world.

To say he’s had an interesting life would be the least of it. It all kicked off with a sometimes difficult childhood when he grew up in Deansgrange and Blackrock in the 34 Irish Runner

1970s/80s. He speaks highly of his parents, and to this day has a very strong relationship with his mother.

Tough Experiences What started to lead him into trouble was a combination of dyslexia (which was not well understood in those days), some tough school experiences and getting involved with some robust characters.

He looked around for an escape and it came in many forms: BMX biking, skating, surfing, the punk culture and tattooing.

But, these influences, in some part, made him the person he is today and his journey has had its fair share of shade as well as light. Not all of his friends from those days made it through; and JuJu feels lucky to be where he is now. Indeed, he gives a lot of credit to his healthy running lifestyle for the current peace and happiness he enjoys.

One of the first things you notice about this unique man are his tattoos.

“I got my first tattoo at 14 and just kept going from there. Eventually, it became my

job, as a professional tattoo artist. These days I’m not really involved in the tattooing culture at all, but I still love my own tattoos; they remind me of my journey and where not to go.”

The early years led to some teenage depression. Drugs, alcohol and cigarettes were to play their part in subsequent years, but always in the background was a vision of a path to a healthier, happy life. One big step along this path was when JuJu returned to Ireland in 2010 after several years in the UK. He had been gradually cleaning up his lifestyle and losing weight. His plan was to do some long cycling-touring in Europe, but a spin on the bike around Glendalough got him thinking of settling back in Ireland. And if he had to pick anywhere, this most spiritual of settings was top of the list.

Around the same time, he met his lovely Polish girlfriend Eva. JuJu is not shy to say it was love at first sight, meeting as they did on the beach at Seapoint in Dublin, and as he says: “It was soon clear that she was me and I was her”.

Juju2pp_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:40 Page 2

So, what is the group all about?

Well, mainly JuJu and his friends lead different groups of people into the mountains for sociable training runs. He is keen to impress upon me that it is a casual running group (at your own risk), with varying levels: everything from guided beginner runs to ‘every man for himself’ night-time winter expeditions with head torches.

What he mainly wants to do is to encourage people to get running and try out their local mountains and trails. After all, there is more to running than roads and parks and many of the people who have come out with JuJu have now started doing IMRA (Irish Mountain Running Association) races and some have even progressed to mountain-ultras (an ultra being anything significantly longer than a marathon).

But Mud Sweat & Runners is also a community and JuJu hopes to build it up to become a bigger organisation, as things progress.

All of the runs, advice and use of the web tools are completely free, but the group also offers events such as Navigation courses at very reasonable prices.

JuJu also hopes to offer group runs in other parts of the country beyond Wicklow/Dublin, as well as bus tours and walking trips.

With friends in the hills.

In at the deep end.

This ultimately led to the two of them setting up home in Glendalough and adopting their almost ‘off-the-grid’ lifestyle.

Both are vegetarian and their lives are full of yoga, biking, running, growing their own food, living close to nature and drinking herbal tea…lots of herbal tea!

Plus, there would be bad vibes if we failed to give a mention to Patch, their canine friend, who can be seen most days with JuJu running across the hills.

Big Character It took them a little while to settle in to Glendalough, but now they are very much a part of the local community. Plus, of course, JuJu has become a big character in the Wicklow running community. Perhaps its most colourful part!

“I’d always been into exercise and fitness, even in my more chaotic early days.

When I moved to Glendalough, running took hold of me and became a big source of mental strength for me. I built it up from short runs to ultra distances, despite some lingering injuries from my biking and skating days.”

I ask JuJu where he got the idea for his Mud Sweat & Runners running group:

“

I got to know some of my neighbours and learned more and more about the mountain trails around the area

“Mountain running seemed like a natural next step, as I got fitter and healthier living in Glendalough. I got to know some of my running neighbours and learned more and more about the mountains and trails around the area.

“Plus, I loved the sociability of running with people - all sorts of people - but mainly like-minded people from a running point of view. So, from there, I began to use Facebook to invite others to join us and the group was born.”

At the time of going to press, the group has more than 1000 members.

Running Boom It’s fair to say that there are many reasons why the group has grown so quickly.

As we know, there is a general running boom in Ireland since the recession and people enjoy escaping in to our amazing landscape.

But a huge part of the attraction is down to the pull of this unique character. You’ll see this when you meet JuJu; there are aspects of hippy, athlete and animal lover.

He is also a social creature who likes nothing more than to escape to the solitude of the hills.

He is a very casual and relaxed, yet with a subtle inner focus and all washed down with a healthy dose of humour. This is definitely not a man who takes himself too seriously. He is a charming contradiction in many ways and the running scene would be a much duller place without him.

So, if you are a bit nervous about hitting the hills or the trails, Mud Sweat & Runners may be just the thing to get you going. Just check out the website, or Facebook group and see when the next run is on.

And, if you see an unlikely looking athlete with tattoos and dreadlocks charging across a Wicklow peak, that’s your man!

Check out JuJu Jay’s group on: www.facebook.com/mudsweatandrunners and http://mudsweatandrunners.weebly.com/ Irish Runner 35

Masters2pp_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:44 Page 1

REPORT

GRAND MASTERS Irish Masters athletes excelled once again at the World Championships in Budapest, writes Joe Conway. Photos: Donal Glackin & Tomas Greally.

A trip to the World Masters Athletics Championships is a pilgrimage of sorts, as more than 2,500 athletes from 70-plus countries descend on the annual event which alternates between indoor and outdoor meets.

Transportation, accommodation and the cuisine may vary for athletes, but for the Irish team, the one constant is an impressive medal haul. The World Masters Championships Indoors (WMACi) Budapest 2014 was no exception.

Ireland won ten medals, including two golds. Waterford's Joe Gough won the M60 800 in 2:15.08, but it was Brian Lynch (North East Runners) who stole the

Brian Lynch 36 Irish Runner

show with a world record of 4:26.62 in the Over 60 1500m.

On the World Masters Athletics agegraded calculator, Lynch's time is the equivalent of 3:34.4 for an athlete in open competition. The North East Athletic Club runner was one of 53 athletes to set world best marks in Budapest.

"It was one of the biggest things I've ever done in my life," Brian Lynch said "It was brilliant. I couldn't believe it when I won; everything went one hundred percent percent for me that day. I had great coaching and support from Robbie Maher, a runner from Drogheda District Athletic Club. We planned how I'd run it.

Every 200m Robbie was telling me how the race was evolving behind me and calling the time of the splits. The whole experience was just amazing."

Budapest was as impressive as the venue. The centre of Budapest is cosmopolitan; a gem of a location for any tourist. The food is affordable, accommodation options are ample and the public transport system allows for easy access to most parts of the city.

Between them, Irish athletes brought home a total of 10 medals from these prestigious World Championships. Cathal McLoughlin (City of Derry AC) won bronze in the Over 45 1500m and Ann Woodlock

Joe Gough

Masters2pp_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:44 Page 2

(Donore Harriers) also excelled when taking silver in the Women O75 3,000m and achieved another medal success when winning bronze in the 1500m. John McDermott (Sligo) won bronze in the Pentathlon and Geraldine Finnegan (Dunleer AC) also took home bronze in the same event. Mick Traynor (Raheny Shamrock AC) brought the Irish medal tally to 10 when he won silver in the cross-country event over eight kilometres.

Brian Lynch is a hardy Over 60 athlete who had already posted 4:27.27 for 1500m before travelling to Budapest, a time that beat the then existing world Over 60 record by a full eight seconds.

The performances by Joe Gough and Brian Lynch were both exceptional for their age groups – fastest in the world – it doesn’t get much better than that. These are two athletes who are still capable of training at a consistently high level and the race times they are still achieving would seriously challenge athletes much younger than either runner.

Ann Woodlock

Joe Gough has enjoyed an extraordinary level of success in his sport, winning a total of 75 national titles, as well as six european gold medals and before last weekend, two world silver medals. The gold and bronze medals he won in Budapest are surely the icing on the cake for the still youthful Gough who works as a Youth Officer in Waterford City.

Brian Lynch was a class apart, too, in the men's Over 60 1500m final, finishing comfortably clear of silver medallist Martinus Van Der Hoorn of the Netherlands, who posted 4:28.15. Joe Gough then clinched bronze with 4:33.68 - another super performance. And what about Ann Woodlock from Donore Harriers who is still bubbling with vitality at over 75 years of age. Ann won silver and bronze in Budapest – a real inspiration.

Competition in Masters events is intense at both national and international level. There is a huge and sustained interest in Masters athletics globally.

Athletics Ireland has seen a big increase in recent years in Master Athlete memberships.

The Irish Masters again demonstrated that they can compete with best on the planet and in Budapest Joe Gough, Brian Lynch and their team-mates were continuing in the great tradition set down Irish Master athletes of yesteryear; names like Jim McNamara and John Buckley; former Irish greats who also won Masters gold on the world stage. We will publish in-depth profiles of our star Masters in the next issue of Irish Runner.

ON THE WEB: Follow more on Masters track and field on Twitter @joeaconway or at joeconway.us Irish Masters Athletic Association: www.irishmastersathletics.com

WMA age-graded calculator: http://tinyurl.com/wmacalculator

Mick Traynor Irish Runner 37

HEHIR_Layout 1 21/05/2014 15:02 Page 1

STAYING POWER!

Dublin Marathon Winner Sean Hehir tells Cathal Dennehy that his Irish band of brothers have a chance to medal in the European Marathon Cup in Zurich. Photo: Stephen McCarthy, Sportsfile.com WITH his eyes firmly fixed on the European Championships in Zurich later this summer, the current Dublin Marathon champion Seán Hehir is attacking his training with renewed vigour.

For him, 100-plus-mile-weeks have become the norm and four weeks into a 16-week training block that will take him all the way to the big race on August 17th, he’s come to know exhaustion as a constant companion.

“I’m tired, I won’t lie,” he says, just a couple of days before toeing the line in a five-mile road race to cap off a 105-mile week.

“I ran the Rotterdam Marathon in April and it was bad, woeful. I was on schedule for 2:16 up until four miles to go, but I literally wobbled home. I ran 2:17:45, which wasn’t bad considering my last four miles.”

After some post-Rotterdam down-time, Hehir and his coach Dick Hooper sat down and laid out the plan that will take him to the European Marathon Cup in Zurich, where he will compete on the Irish team alongside Paul Pollock, Tom Frazier, and Kevin Seaward.

Good Performance It’s a team that Hehir believes can challenge for a medal and he’s doing all he can to hold up his end of the deal and turn in a good performance.

“There’s no reason we can’t go in there and believe we can get a medal,” he says.

“The British team got a medal the last time with a similar-strength team to what we have now.

“It’s a challenging course. There’s a climb for a kilometre on every 10k lap which spikes for 50 metres. It’ll be a strong man’s course. I hope the hill will be a great leveller.”

To get to Zurich in the best shape possible, Hehir is planning two altitude training trips in the coming months. He’ll finish his primary teaching work for the summer in late June, then go to Font Romeu in the French Pyrenees for three weeks. After that, he’ll compete in the 38 Irish Runner

10,000m at the National Senior Championships, spend two weeks back in Ireland and then return to altitude for the final lead-in to the Europeans.

Trips like this are made possible through Hehir’s involvement with Marathon Mission, which has provided valuable support to elite Irish marathoners over the last number of years.

“I’m not good enough to be carded,” he says, “so the support I get from Dublin Marathon and Marathon Mission has been fantastic.”

“

These opportunities don’t come around too often and I’m going to do everything I can to get myself there in the best shape possible’

The effect of the Marathon Mission initiative is clearly visible in the improving depth of Irish marathoners and Hehir hopes the progress will continue.

“Five years ago, you’d struggle to name one Irishman breaking 2:20 consistently,” he says. “Now, between the AAI and Marathon Mission, you can pick four or five athletes year in, year out, and it’s fantastic to think marathon running has stepped on.

It’d be great to keep it that way.”

The men’s team will go to Zurich with an outside shot at a medal. It’s unlikely they’ll win one, but to think that an Irish team would have any shot at all would have been inconceivable just a few short years ago.

Wrong Attitude “If we can pack three guys in the top 30, we’ll get a good result,” says Hehir. “I’m shooting for top 20. It’s competitive, but if

I’m just going in to make up the numbers, that’s the wrong attitude. You never know; championship marathon running is different.

“These opportunities don’t come around too often, and I’m going to do everything I can to get myself there in the best shape possible. I want to come away with my head held high.”

Looking beyond Zurich, Hehir hopes to again be on the start-line for the Dublin Marathon in October, where he will go in as defending champion and will face international competition, an ingredient that was missing from last year’s race. He’s relishing the challenge.

“Whenever you’ve got good company in a race, you can push on and run well,” he says. “Who knows when the opportunity will present itself again for an Irishman to win it? It was great last year, but it will be good to have the international athletes to run against again. It gets us out of our comfort zone.”

In fairness to Hehir, though, the comfort zone is one place in which he could never be accused of spending much time.

Typical Training Week Monday: AM 5 miles easy. PM 10-12 miles easy with hill strides (6:106:30min/mile).

Tuesday: AM 5 miles easy. PM 12 miles (6:00min pace).

Wednesday: PM [Session] 4 miles Warm up/down. 600m hill reps or 20 x 400mts in 65-68sec (short recovery) on the track (5 miles total in session).

Thursday: AM 5 miles easy. PM 14 miles (5:45 pace).

Friday: AM 5 miles easy. PM 10 miles easy with hill strides (6:10-6:30 pace).

Saturday: AM [Session] 4 miles warm up/down. 6/7 x 1mile (4:404:50mins). PM 4/5 miles easy.

Sunday: 20-28miles (5:30-5:45 pace)

HEHIR_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:43 Page 2

Irish Runner 39

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DUBLIN MARATHON TRAINING

CARRIE’S CALL TO ACTION The Tried & Tested Marathon Training Schedules that appear on the following pages have again been set by David Carrie - Leader of Dunleer county Louth-based Team Carrie. Frank Greally talks to him about his hopes for this year’s event….

THIS IS the fifth year that members of Team Carrie will be running in Dublin and it looks like there could be an even bigger group coming to the capital than the 133 who all successfully completed last year's event.

Last year, 58 men and 65 women from Team Carrie completed the marathon and there were 78 first-time marathoners in the group.

Team leader David Carrie - the local postman in his native Dunleer - is a seasoned marathon runner and an acknowledged expert in mapping out training schedules suitable for both the novice and more experienced runners. Over the past four years, every member of Team Carrie who has taken part in the Dublin Marathon has completed the course…ample testimony to the reliability of the 22-week training schedules that their leader has devised.

Since the marathon training group was formed in 2010, Team Carrie members have also raised over €150,000 for charity - a large portion of the money for their adopted Gary Kelly Cancer Support Centre in nearby Drogheda.

“Raising funds for a worthy cause acts as a great spur to keep you going with training and having money pledged to your performance is also another source of motivation and inspiration on Marathon Monday when the chips are down,” says Carrie.

BEING COMPETITIVE He explains how the Team Carrie idea originated: "In 2009 I was still in relatively good shape. Eugene Coppinger called me and asked me would I pace the three-hour group in the Dublin Marathon. That was the first time I ran the marathon where I wasn't being competitive. I got a great buzz out of helping people break three hours and I decided then, in 2010, to set up my own marathon training group in Dunleer.

"A lot of people over the years would say: ‘I would love to run a marathon’. And, next thing they would say was: 'Oh, I wouldn't know how to go about it’. That's why I designed my own training schedules, taking in the Dublin Race Series events as stepping stone events - the perfect build-up races to the marathon. If my training group can make 40 Irish Runner

it all the way to the marathon, then every community in the country can take a lead from us."

The SSE Airtricity Dublin Race Series serves as a vital component in David Carrie's training schedules. The first road race test for this year's Team Carrie members will be the Irish Runner 5 Mile in the Phoenix Park on Saturday, June 28th, followed by the Fingal 10k in Swords on Sunday, July 20th.

Team Carrie members will then progress to the Frank Duffy 10-mile in the Phoenix Park on Saturday, August 23rd, before taking part in the Dublin Half-Marathon, also in the Park on Saturday, September 20th. Such preparation will have Carrie's team in perfect condition to tackle the Classic Distance in Dublin on the October Bank Holiday Monday.

David Carrie has a marathon personal best time of 2:27 and he ran a very respectable 2:42 in Dublin two years ago when he was presented with the Lord Mayor's Gold Medal for his contribution to the race.

"I think it's important as a coach, to lead by example," Carrie says. "I run every year with the team and I enjoy it. We get fantastic support and encouragement from Dublin Marathon Race Director Jim Aughney and his team of hard-working volunteers and that means a lot to us."

There were just 38 members in the inaugural Team Carrie in 2010. The second year that number had grown to 54 and the third year 78 runners took part in and finished the Dublin Marathon.

Then, last year, there was an explosion of interest in the marathon as the local community in Dunleer became enthralled by the personal success stories of relatives and friends who had fulfilled their marathon dream.

SIGNED UP The end result was 133 members of the team - each with their own story - who all successfully completed the Dublin event.

Team Carrie members have included the local newsagent, butcher, baker, pharmacist, florist and even the local councillor.

This year, the staff of the local Post Office where Carrie works, have signed up for the marathon challenge and it looks like they will further expand as interest in running is reaching an all- time high in the area around Dunleer.

"I would love if other small communities like ours adopted my Marathon Training Schedules,” says Carrie. "There is no secret to training for the marathon. You just need a structured approach and training increases of small increments. The biggest problem many aspiring marathoners have is trying to do too much too soon and not giving adequate time for the body to adjust to training."

Carrie also emphasises the need for runners training for the marathon to stay well hydrated.

“Your running performance deteriorates when you are dehydrated, so it is crucial to drink enough water during the day and at regular intervals,” he says. "Try keeping a full water bottle with you at work, as this will constantly remind you to keep your levels topped up. If you are drinking tea or coffee during the day, be sure to counteract their diuretic effect by drinking an extra glass or two or water.”

David Carrie's wife, Aileen has also converted to running. Not long ago, she was a chain-smoker and overweight; but, having turned to the sport five years ago, she is now very proud of her marathon personal best time of 3:49.

"She is the real athlete in the house now completely hooked," says David of Aileen.

Last year the couple ran together in Dublin to celebrate 26 years of marriage and they finished together in 3 hours and fifty minutes.

"We start everyone out very slowly and progress gradually over the 22 weeks,” Carrie says. “The Dublin Race Series events will be our vital stepping stones to measure progress and those first-time runners who complete a mile tonight may find it hard to believe that, within five weeks, they will be capable of finishing the Irish Runner 5 mile event.

“I insist that before anyone joins our group they must have a thorough medical check-up before embarking on the training plan. I look forward now to training another big group of my friends and helping them achieve their own marathon dream in 2014."

• Entry for the SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon and the Dublin Race Series events is now open at: www.dublinmarathon.ie

40_MarathonSchedules_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:45 Page 2

Carrie’s Training Tips The 22-week training plan over the next two-pages is tailor-made to incorporate the Dublin Race Series events as stepping-stones in the build-up to the Dublin Marathon. The Race Series is ideal for runners to find the proper pace that suits them as individuals.

REMEMBER:

YOU ARE TRAINING FOR A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT! Here are some tips to help you in your marathon training: ■ Get a full medical and regular check-up from your local GP ■ Stick to a regular running routine ■ Eat a well-balanced diet and keep well hydrated ■ Find a training partner or group ■ Stick to a comfortable pace for longer runs ■ Find the correct running shoes and gear to suit you ■ Get a regular massage to help aid and prevent injuries ■ Stick to the training plan as best you can ■ If you're feeling tired or injured, take adequate rest and treatment ■ Look forward to the Dublin Race Series events as shortterm goals ■ Discover the love of running and the feeling of well-being ■ Believe 'YOU CAN DO IT' ■ And remember - if you are first, in the middle or last when you cross that finish line, you are

The Winner Enjoy your sport and good luck to you all.

Irish Runner 41

40_MarathonSchedules_Layout 1 21/05/2014 15:05 Page 3

MARATHON SCHEDULES

www.dublinmarathon.ie

SCHEDULE 1 Suitable for beginners / walkers / inexperienced joggers.

Full 22-week training programme starting Monday, May 26

STARTING MAY 26 2014 Week 1 Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

1 mile Rest 1 mile 1 mile Rest 1 mile 2 mile

1 mile Rest 2 mile 1 mile Rest 2 mile 2 mile

JUNE 9 Week 3 Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

2 mile Rest 3 mile 2 mile Rest 3 mile 3 mile

JUNE 16 Week 4 Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

2 mile Rest 3 mile 3 mile Rest 3 mile 4 mile

JUNE 23 Week 5 Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat 28th Sun

AUGUST 11

SEPTEMBER 22

Week 6 Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

Week 12 Mon Rest Tue 3 mile Wed 6 mile Thurs 4 mile Fri Rest Sat 4 mile Sun 12 / 14 mile

Week 18 starting 22nd of September Mon Rest Tue Rest or easy 4 miles Wed 6 / 8 miles Thurs 4 miles Fri Rest Sat Rest Sun 16 / 18 miles

Rest 3 mile 4 mile 3 mile Rest 3 mile 5 mile

AUGUST 18

JUNE 2 Week 2 Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

JUNE 30

3 Mile Rest 4 mile 2 mile Rest Race 1 Irish Runner 5 Mile (Phoenix Park) Rest or 2 mile recovery

42 Irish Runner

JULY 7 Week 7 Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

Rest 3 mile 4 mile 3 / 4 mile Rest 3 / 4 mile 13th Dunleer 4 mile

JULY 14 Week 8 Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun 20th

AUGUST 25 Rest 3 / 4 mile 4 mile Rest 3 mile Rest Race 2 Fingal 10km (Swords)

JULY 21 Week 9 Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

Week 13 Mon Rest Tue Rest or 4 mile Wed 6 mile Thurs 4 mile Fri Rest Sat 23rd Race 3 Frank Duffy 10 mile (Phoenix Park) Sun Rest or 3 mile easy recovery

Rest 3 / 4 mile 4 mile 3 / 4 mile Rest 3 / 4 mile 8 / 10 mile

JULY 28 Week 10 Mon Rest Tue 4 mile Wed 6 mile Thurs 3 mile Fri Rest Sat 3 / 4 mile Sun 10 / 12 mile

AUGUST 4 Week 11 Mon Rest Tue 4 mile Wed 6 mile Thurs 4 mile Fri Rest Sat 3/4 mile Sun 10/12 mile

Week 14 Mon Rest Tue Rest or easy 4 mile Wed 4 mile Thurs 4 mile Fri 4 mile Sat Rest Sun 14 mile

SEPTEMBER 1 WEEK 15 Mon Rest Tue 4 mile Wed 4 mile Time Trial Thurs 4 mile Fri Rest Sat 1 mile easy 1 mile steady 1 mile easy Sun 14 / 16 mile

SEPTEMBER 8 Week 16 Mon Rest Tue 4 mile Wed 6 mile Thurs 4 mile Fri Rest Sat 1 mile easy 2 mile steady 1 mile easy Sun 16 miles

SEPTEMBER 15 Week 17 starting 15th of September Mon Rest Tue Rest or easy 4 mile Wed 6/ 8 mile Thurs 4 miles Fri Rest Sat 20th Race 4 Dublin Half Marathon Phoenix Park Sun Rest

SEPTEMBER 29 Week 19 starting 29th of September Mon Rest Tue Rest or easy 4 miles Wed 6 / 8 miles Thurs 1 mile easy 2 mile steady 1 mile easy Fri Rest Sat Rest Sun 18 / 20 miles

OCTOBER 6 Week 20 starting 6th of October Mon Rest Tue 4 miles Wed 6 / 8 miles Thurs 4 miles Fri Rest Sat Rest Sun 18 / 20 miles “THINK AND PREPARE LIKE THIS IS MARATHON DAY”

OCTOBER 13 Week 21 starting 13th of October Mon Rest Tue 6 miles Wed 4 mile Thurs 4 miles Fri Rest Sat 4 mile time trial Sun 8 / 10 miles

OCTOBER 20 Week 22 starting 20th of October (home straight) Mon Rest Tue Rest Wed 4 miles Thurs 3 miles Fri 2 miles Sat Rest (marathon expo R.D.S) Sun Rest (marathon expo R.D.S) Mon 2014 DUBLIN MARATHON 28TH OF OCTOBER 26.2 MILES

40_MarathonSchedules_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:45 Page 4

IRISH RUNNER 5-MILE, JUNE 28 – FINGAL 10K, JULY 20 – FRANK DUFFY 10, AUG. 23 – DUBLIN HALF MARATHON, SEPT. 20

SCHEDULE 2 Suitable for more experienced Joggers/Runners

Sat Sun

Full 22-week training programme starting Monday, May 26

MAY 26 Week 1 Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

3 mile Rest 3 mile 3 mile Rest 3 mile 4 mile

JUNE 2 Week 2 Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

3 mile Rest 3 mile 3 mile Rest 3 mile 4 mile

JUNE 9 Week 3 Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

3 mile Rest 4 mile 4 mile Rest 1 mile slow, 1 mile fast, 1 mile slow 6 mile

JUNE 16 Week 4 Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

3 mile Rest 4 mile 4 mile Rest 1 mile slow, 1 mile fast, 1 mile slow 6 mile

JUNE 23 Week 5 Mon Rest Tue 4 / 6 mile Wed 4 / 6 mile include 5 x 50m strides Thurs 4 / 6 mile Fri Rest Sat 28th Race 1 Irish Runner 5 mile (Phoenix Park) Sun Rest or 6 mile easy recovery

JUNE 30 Week 6 Mon Rest Tue 4 / 6 mile Wed 4 /6 mile include 5 x 50m strides Thurs 4 / 6 mile Fri Rest

1 mile slow 2 mile fast 1 mile slow 8 / 10 mile

JULY 7 Week 7 Mon Rest Tue 4 / 6 mile Wed 6 mile include 5 x 50m strides Thurs 4 / 6 mile Fri Rest Sat 3/4 mile easy Sun 13th Dunleer 4 mile

JULY 14 Week 8 Mon Rest Tue 4 / 6 by 400mts by 2 min recovery Wed 6 / 8 mile Thurs 4 / 6 mile Fri 3 mile Sat Rest Sun 20th Race 2 Fingal 10km (Swords)

JULY 21 Week 9 Mon Rest Tue 4 / 6 x 400m x 1min 45sec recovery between each Wed 6 mile Thurs 6 mile Fri Rest Sat 1 mile easy 2 mile hard 1 mile easy Sun 12 / 14 mile

JULY 28 Week 10 Mon Rest Tue 6 / 8 x 400m x 1min 45sec recovery between each Wed 6 mile Thurs 4 /6 miles Fri Rest Sat 1 mile slow 2 mile fast 1 mile slow Sun 12 /14 mile

AUGUST 4 Week 11 Mon Rest Tue 6 / 8 x 400m x 90sec recovery between each Wed 6 mile Thurs Rest Fri 4 mile include 5 x 50m strides Sat 1 mile slow 2 mile fast 1 mile slow Sun 14 miles

AUGUST 11 Week 12 Mon Rest 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)

AUGUST 18 Week 13 Mon Rest Tue 4 mile include 5 x 50m strides Wed 8 mile Thurs 4 mile Fri Rest Sat 23rd Race 3 Frank Duffy 10mile (Phoenix Park) Sun 4 / 6 mile easy recovery or rest

AUGUST 25 Week 14 Mon Rest Tue 4 mile include 5 x 75m strides Wed 8 mile Thurs 4 mile Fri Rest Sat 1 mile easy 3 mile steady 1 mile easy Sun 16 mile

SEPTEMBER 1 Week 15 Mon Rest Tue 4 / 6 mile Wed 4 Mile Time Trial Thurs 4 / 6 mile Fri Rest Sat 4 / 6 mile Sun 16 /18 include 8 at marathon pace

SEPTEMBER 8 Week 16 Mon Rest Tue 6 / 8 x 400m x 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

SEPTEMBER 15 Week 17 Mon Rest Tue Rest or easy jog Wed 8 / 10 miles Thurs 4 / 6 miles Fri Rest

Sat 20th Race 4 Dublin Half Marathon Phoenix Park Sun Rest or 4 mile recovery easy

SEPTEMBER 22 Week 18 Mon Rest Tue 8 x 400m x 90sec 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

SEPTEMBER 29 Week 19 Mon Rest Tue 4 / 6 5 x 50 strides Wed 10 mile 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)

OCTOBER 6 Week 20 Mon Rest 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”

OCTOBER 13 Week 21 Mon Rest Tue 6 miles Wed 4 mile Thurs 4 miles Fri Rest Sat 29th 4 mile time trial Sun 10 / 12 miles

OCTOBER 20 Week 22 (home straight) Mon Rest Tue Rest Wed 4 miles Thurs 3 miles Fri 2 miles Sat Rest (marathon expo R.D.S) Sun Rest (marathon expo R.D.S) Mon 2014 DUBLIN MARATHON 27TH OF OCTOBER 26.2 MILES Irish Runner 43

Bannister_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:47 Page 1

MEMORIES

Magic Moment – First sub-4-minute mile.

Four Minutes in History Roger Bannister’s historic sub 4-minute mile achievement still resonates, sixty years on, writes Frank Greally.

A milestone of athletics was celebrated across the world on May 6th with the 60th anniversary of Sir Roger Bannister's sub-four minute mile on May 6th, 1954 at Iffley Road in London.

44 Irish Runner

ON THAT famous day long ago Bannister, helped by his friends Chris Brasher and Chris Chataway, shattered an historic barrier that many people of that era thought could never be broken.

A decade ago I had the privilege of hosting An Evening with Sir Roger Bannister in Dublin to mark the 50th anniversary of his historic achievement.

That was a wonderful weekend in June, when Bannister also attended the AllIreland Schools Track and Field Championships in Tullamore.

In a book entitled Twin Tracks, just published, Sir Roger Bannister vividly

describes that evening at Iffley Road six decades ago; a description that is worth sharing. Bannister writes: “At one-and-a-half laps I was still worrying about the pace. A voice shouting “relax” penetrated to me above the noise of the crowd. I learnt afterwards it was (Franz) Stampfl’s . Unconsciously, I obeyed.

I barely noticed the half-mile, passed in 1:58. At three-quarters of a mile my effort was still barely perceptible; the time was 3:01 and the crowd was roaring. Then I pounced past Chataway, 300 yards from the finish.

Bannister_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:47 Page 2

The Magic of the Mile There was a moment of mixed excitement and anguish when my mind took over. There was no pain, only a great unity of movement and aim. Time seemed to stand still. My body must have exhausted its energy, but it still went on running just the same.

The physical overdraft came only from greater willpower.

With five yards to go, the finishing line seemed almost to recede. Those last few seconds seemed an eternity. The faint line of the finishing tape stood ahead as a haven of peace after the struggle. The arms of the world were waiting to receive me only if I reached the tape without slackening my speed. I leapt at the tape like a man taking his last desperate spring to save himself from a chasm that threatens to engulf him.

Then my effort was over and I collapsed almost unconscious, with an arm on either side of me.

It was only then that real pain overtook me. I felt like an exploded flashbulb.

The stopwatches held the answer. The announcement came from Norris McWhirter, delivered with a slow, clear diction: “Result of Event Eight: One mile. First, R. G. Bannister of Exeter and Merton Colleges, in a time which, subject to ratification, is a new Track Record, British Native Record, British All-Comers Record, European Record, Commonwealth Record and World Record…

Three minutes…”

The rest was lost in the roar of excitement. I grabbed Brasher and Chataway and together we scampered round the track in a burst of happiness. We had done it, the three of us!”

In June of the same year Australian athlete John Landy ran a mile in 3:58.0 in Turku, Finland and on August 6th 1958 another Australian runner, the legendary Herb Elliott, broke the thenexisting world mile record when he sped to victory in an international event at the Morton Stadium in Santry in 3:54.5.

Eamonn Coghlan set a world indoor mile record of 3:49.78 in

Madison Square Garden in 1983 and twenty years ago also became the first Master runner (over 40) to run a mile in under four minutes when he ran 3:58:15 at age 41 at an indoor meeting at Harvard University. The current world mile record held by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco is 3:43.13, but it was Sir Roger Bannister who broke the big psychological barrier that long surrounded the mile and catapulted the event into a new

Since the International Amateur Athletic Association (IAAF) was founded in 1912 there have been 23 world record holders for the men mile.

American athlete John Paul Jones was the first holder of the mile world record in the IAAF era; he posted 4:14.4 in Allston, Massachusetts in May 1913.

“

I leapt at the tape like a man taking his last desperate spring to save himself from a chasm that threatens to engulf him.

era six decades ago this month.

Bannister became the first man to break four minutes when running on a gravel track estimated to be one second a lap slower than the high specification surfaces of today. Sixty years on from that famous day at Iffley in Oxford, Bannister believes that runners are nowhere near the limits of their capabilities. “I’ve said that three and a half minutes is physiologically achievable but that I thought it would take a long time to do,“ he said. “We have now got to 3:43, so there has been a slowing up as I would expect until someone gets close to three and a half minutes. There is no absolute point at which the world record will be static – that’s my view.”

Sadly, Sir Roger Bannister has been diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease which confines him to a wheelchair. But he remains as cheerful and engaging as ever in this, his special year of celebration.

Legends of the Mile – Sir Roger Bannister and Eamonn Coghlan.

Top 20 Irish Milers 1. Ray Flynn, 3:49.77. Oslo, 7 July 1982 2. Eamonn Coghlan, 3:49.78 (indoor). East Rutherford, NJ. 27 February 1983.

3. Mark Carroll, 3:50.62.

Oslo. 28 July 2000.

4. Marcus O’Sullivan, 3:50.94 (indoor). East Rutherford, NJ. 13 February 1988.

5. Frank O’Mara, 3:51.06.

Rome. 10 September 1986.

6. Ciarán Ó Lionáird, 3:52.10 (indoor). New York. 16 February 2013.

7. Niall Bruton, 3:53.93.

Oslo. 5 July 1996.

8. Dave Taylor, 3:54.48.

Cork. 13 July 1983.

9. James Nolan, 3:54.62.

Rieti. 7 September 2003.

10. Tom Moloney, 3:54.68.

Cork. 8 July 1986.

11. John Hartnett, 3:54.7.

Eugene. 20 June 1973.

12. Alistair Cragg, 3:55.04 (indoor). Fayetteville, AR. 21 January 2006.

13. Niall O’Shaughnessy, 3:55.40 (indoor). New York. 28 January 1977.

14. David McCarthy, 3:55.75 (indoor). Boston, MA. 28 January 2012.

15. Paul Donovan, 3:55.82.

Cork. 2 July 1984.

16. Paul Robinson, 3:56.18.

Cork. 2 July 2013.

17. Enda Fitzpatrick, 3:56.36. Cork. 9 July 1985.

18. Frank Conway, 3:56.78 (indoor). Boston, MA. 22 January 1989.

19. Ronnie Delany, 3:57.5.

Dublin. 6 August 1958.

20. Gareth Turnbull, 3:57.61.

Philadelphia, PA. 27 April 2002.

Women’s Mile Irish all-time top 10 1. Sonia O’Sullivan, 4:17.25.

Oslo, 22 July 1994.

2. Geraldine Hendricken, 4:25.44. NaimetteXhovement, 27 August 2002.

3. Sinéad Evans, 4:27.38.

Nice, 16 July 1997.

4. Aisling Molloy, 4:27.90.

Cork, 5 July 1991.

5. Roisín McGettigan, 4:30.06 (indoor). Boston, MA. 7 February 2009.

6. Mary Purcell, 4:30.37.

London, 13 July 1980.

7. Monica Joyce, 4:30.40.

Berkeley, CA. 12 June 1982.

8. Elaine Fitzgerald, 4:32.17. Hechtel. 7 August 1999.

9. Mary Cullen, 4:32.29 (indoor). New York, NY. 20 January 2007.

10. Una English, 4:33.01.

Sheffield, 14 August 1992.

Irish Runner 45

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MEMORIES

NIGHT OF THE FLYING

It’s over three decades since Ray Flynn’s unforgettable mile race at the Bislett Games in Oslo, with both national records he set that night still standing today. He told Cathal Dennehy the story of that special race and also gave his opinion on whether or not any of today’s crop have what it takes to finally beat his marks.

PHOTOS: MARK SHEARMAN AND BRENDAN MORAN, TOMÁS GREALLY / SPORTSFILE.COM WHEN the bell sounded and Ray Flynn saw a time of 2:51, he knew right there and then that something special was about to happen.

The crowd in the Bislett Stadium knew it too, and responded by creating a deafening atmosphere – every bit as aware as the athletes that history was unfolding out on the track.

It was July, 1982, and a 25-year-old from Longford was hanging onto the heals of two of the greatest milers in history, moving at a vicious pace – already in a miserable world of hurt. So what did Ray Flynn do? He attacked, passing New Zealand’s John Walker and setting off in pursuit of American Steve Scott with 300 metres to run. It was a risky move and he knew it.

“I was trying to take advantage of how quickly we were running and go for it,” he says now, scouring his mind to recall a race that is almost 32 years old, yet forever embedded deep in his memory.

“I didn’t know what was going to happen when I made that move. I wasn’t fearing when I would die; I knew I was dying. I was flat out, going as hard as I could and I just kept thinking: ‘Get there, get there, go as hard as you can. Don’t let up’. The only thing in my mind was to hold it together and run under 3:50 for the mile.”

Could he do it? As he rounded the home turn, passing the 1500m mark in 3:33.5 (an Irish record that still stands today) it looked a foregone conclusion that Flynn would dip below the illustrious 3:50 barrier. But he was right. He was dying. His head was tilting further back and that natural side-to-side sway in his stride was becoming more pronounced as he waged war with the overwhelming fatigue.

Scott began to draw away. Walker too swept past on the outside, which left Flynn alone with the longest home stretch of his life in front of him.

A Special Time It’s hard for athletes nowadays to get their head around the aura of the mile back in the ’80s, specifically that of the Dream Mile – held annually at the Bislett Games in Oslo.

The mile was, as they said, the perfect distance, and Oslo’s showpiece race was the ultimate exhibition of its beauty.

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FLYNN! “What was so special about it?” I ask.

Flynn takes a moment, gathering his thoughts.

“The mile resonates with people,” he says. “If you’re a runner and you talk about your 5,000m time, or your 1500m time, it doesn’t resonate like the distance of a mile.

The sub-four-minute barrier is one of the most identifiable barriers in sport. Whether you walk a 20-minute-mile or run one in eight minutes, people can put it in perspective.

“That era was also very special: an incredible group of runners. It was fun times. We travelled a lot, raced each other everywhere, but that was what it was about.

Some people don’t race often and I don’t get that. Your career is short and you have to optimise what you train for.”

Flynn raced a lot that year and signs were ominous that something special was afoot when he ran a 3:50.54 mile, also in Oslo, just two weeks before the Dream Mile.

He’d spent the winter at his usual base in Tennessee, where he lived and trained under coach Dave Walker – the man who guided Flynn since his days at a freshman at East Tennessee State University. Flynn’s training was largely strength-based – up to a 100 miles a week for much of the year, lots of long intervals with short recovery, which progressed in pace throughout the season until, at peak form, he was able to manage 8x800m in under two minutes, with just two minutes recovery.

That training, and the regular racing against the world’s best – toeing the line almost weekly with guys like Walker, Scott, Seb Coe, Steve Ovett, and Eamonn Coghlan – made Flynn a strong, durable, and wellprimed athlete by the time he went to Oslo for the Dream Mile on July 7th, 1982.

A Night to Remember “We knew the race was going to be good,” he says. “I went to Oslo with high expectations. It was a goal of mine to break 3:50 that night, but I didn’t express it beforehand because that was a pretty bold goal. The race was quite late at night, around 11pm, which was not unusual back then. In Oslo you don’t notice because it’s daylight at that time of year.

“It’s a great place to run. It’s a six-lane track, so it’s in an intimate setting and has a nice feel to it. The crowd were great. There was a lot of energy in the stadium; people would be pounding on the walls and advertising hoardings, cheering the entire way when the gun went, so there was a lot

Paul Robinson Age: 23 Club: St. Coca’s AC Coach: Robert Denmead PB’s: 800m: 1:45.86, 1500m: 3:35.22, Mile: 3:56.18 What are your major goals for the track season?

This is an important season for me.

It's my first year as a fully-fledged senior, so I have put expectations on myself, the most important being the European Championships in August.

It's a very tough championship, but having run 3.35 last year - and hopefully going quicker this year making the final is my main target.

You have to be there to have any chance of getting a medal.

Do you have a time goal in mind?

I'd like to improve my 800m, 1500m and mile PB's, but I won't worry about trying to chase these times until after the championship.

Obviously, I hope to be in good shape early on in the season, so I won't say no if they come before it.

Is Ray Flynn's 1500m/mile record (3:33.5/3:49.77) something you think you can threaten this year?

Ray's times are great records and have stood for a long time, so to break one of those would take a huge run and would be a great achievement. We have a deep tradition in the mile with so many great milers down through the years.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to be the fastest of them all, so I

definitely have my eyes on it. I will get some good opportunities to try and break them this year, so I will be having a crack and getting after them.

In your opinion, who was the greatest miler in history?

My favourite milers were John Walker and Eamonn Coghlan. John Walker was an incredible athlete and some of the stuff he achieved is phenomenal – the first man to break 3:50 for the mile and the first to reach 100 sub-4's says it all, really; and he backed it all up with the pinnacle of every athlete’s career with that Olympic gold medal.

I’m not being biased because he's Irish, but Eamonn Coghlan is definitely up there. His 3:49 indoor mile is an outrageous run, with the only man to better it being Hicham El Guerrouj. I always love looking back through his races, not only because there were so many great performances, but he summed up what track and field was about back then. He had the charisma every miler should have and backed it up with world-class performances. I also love bumping into Eamonn at the track as he always has that buzz about him when giving tips and encouraging us.

Training week (May 2014) Monday: AM: 60min PM: 30min easy Tuesday: Track session: 1200 at 72secs/lap, 1min rest, 1200 at 67s/lap, 1min rest, 1200 at 72s/lap, 500m jog, then 9x300m off 1min rest, alternating pace going 46,44,42 times 3.

PM: 30min easy Wednesday: AM: 60min PM: Gym Thursday: AM: 11km threshold run PM: 30min easy Friday: AM: very easy run PM: Gym Saturday: AM: 10min threshold, 6x30secs hills very fast, 10min threshold Sunday: 70min run Irish Runner 47

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MEMORIES of atmosphere. The pace was set for the world record.

“I went through 800m in 1:53 and 1200m in 2:51, up with the leaders. At that pace, you want to get into a good rhythm – not wanting to red line, but just to run at optimal pace. I realised at halfway I was on for a good time. I felt really good. I was really homed into exactly what was going on. Down the back straight, I went up to second place and, at that stage, I was flat out. It was the opportune time and I really thought I could break 3:50.”

Moments later, Flynn crossed the line and was informed he had just gained access to a highly exclusive club: he was now a sub-3:50 miler. A new Irish record - one which still stands today - was set at 3:49.77. Ahead of him, Scott just missed the world record, having to settle for an American record of 3:47.69, while John Walker also set a national record for New Zealand of 3:49:08. It was a special night, a special race; and Flynn can still vividly remember the toll his exertions took in the immediate aftermath.

“I was pretty distressed,” he says. “I remember throwing up on the side of the track and, as I was trying to recover, someone said to me that David Moorcroft was on world record pace in the 5,000m.

He became the first man ever to break 13 minutes in that race. It was a pretty special night.”

Still Unmatched After the race, Flynn jogged back to his hotel at 1am still in broad daylight - and had a few beers to celebrate. He couldn’t have known it then, but the Irish records he set earlier that night would still be unmatched over three decades on.

Flynn remains good friends with Steve Scott and John Walker and whenever he meets them, that memorable night in Oslo is the one topic guaranteed to spring up in conversation.

“Old guys talk about these things all the time,” he says with a laugh. “How could you not? We remember those times well – they’re emblazoned on your mind.”

These days, Flynn lives in Tennessee, where he is married with three children. Back home in Longford, they have named a one-mile trail along the Royal Canal in his honour.

“It’s to bring attention to the fact that a local person was holding the national record and to help people understand how long a mile is,” he says. “People can time themselves along that trail and see how they compare. It’s a nice little touch.”

Since 1989, Flynn has worked as an athletics agent and is currently CEO of Flynn Sports Management, which has 50 of the world’s best athletes on its books. Because of his work, he is still heavily embedded in the sport and, so, the obvious question to ask is whether he thinks those Irish records might go any time soon?

“I don’t know if anyone will break the records,” he says. “Ciarán Ó Lionáird and Paul Robinson are two very good athletes who have run very quick; but there have been a lot of people I thought could have done it, but they didn’t. It’s not going to be easy. Sub-3:50 for a mile is a very special effort.”

With each passing year, as that night in Oslo moves further into the past, Flynn is starting to realise more and more just how special it was.

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Ciarán Ó Lionáird Age: 26 Club: Leevale AC Coach: Mark Rowland PBs: 1500m: 3:34.46, Mile: 3:52.10, 5000m: 13:33 What are your major goals for the track season?

The major goal is to keep building consistent training. I've been able to train largely uninterrupted since February now, which has been my longest spell since 2011 being injuryfree. If I can continue that into the summer, get back into competing hard, I think good things will come, but I have to stay healthy as the starting point.

Do you have a time goal in mind?

I don't have a time goal as such, but I think setting PB's at 800/1500/5k is not unrealistic given it's a long season. It all depends on how my body continues to re-build itself after surgery and respond to the training stimulus laid down.

Is Ray Flynn's 1500m/mile record (3:33.5/3:49.77) something you think you can threaten this year?

Ray's 1500 record has to be thrown in the conversation if I talk about PB'ing because I'm only .9 off right now. We'll see;

it's not something that's in my mind directly, but it definitely could happen as a by-product of me getting in the right race at the right time and competing well. In terms of the mile, I really want to have a crack off Eamonn's Irish indoor mile record (3:49.78) on home soil in Athlone next year. I've mentioned it to my PR group briefly and I'm hoping we can rally some support around an attempt there, get good pacers, music blaring, make it a festivaltype atmosphere, pin our ears back and just go. It's something that needs to happen: a really fast mile in Ireland. We are a miling nation. I want to make it happen.

In your opinion, who was the greatest miler in history?

Has to be Jim Ryun; so far ahead of his time. He raced on cinder tracks, running amazing times. It was the pre-EPO era, so it's a lot easier to give credibility to his times. He could close a race like none other.

Training Week (May 2014) Monday: AM: 45mins plus lifting PM: 30mins Tuesday: 8x1k on trail, short rest Wednesday: AM: 45mins plus lifting PM: 30mins Thursday: 5-7 mile threshold run Friday: recovery/off Saturday: Mixture of long/short reps on track. E.G. 8x600 at mile pace off short rest Sunday: Long run with progression

longford_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:06 Page 1

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This limited edition print (22”x 19”) was created in 2004 to mark the 50th anniversary of the first sub four minute mile. Only 50 prints were numbered and signed by Bannister and Coghlan.

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To order email: mastermilers@gmail.com

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50 Irish Runner

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The summer of 1994 was a special time in the career of our greatest athlete.

One balmy evening in Oslo that year, she took her shot at the mile world record, while a nation held its breath. She told Cathal Dennehy the story of that race and explained why she’d like to see the magic of the mile rekindled.

PHOTOS: BRENDAN MORAN, MATT BROWNE, SPORTSFILE.COM IT WAS July 1994, and Sonia O’Sullivan was in the shape of her life – the kind of form athletes spend a lifetime working towards, dreaming about, but only truly appreciate once it has passed.

As she strode up the back straight in the Bislett Stadium on the first lap of the women’s mile that night, however, one panicky thought began to flood her mind: faster, faster, faster!

The American pacemaker had dawdled through the opening 200 metres and O’Sullivan realised that the pace was far too pedestrian. She quickly blew past, which sparked the secondary pacemaker into life who, in turn, overtook O’Sullivan and towed the field through 400 metres in 63 seconds.

The time to beat was 4:15.61, set six years earlier by Romanian Paula Ivan; and given O’Sullivan had, a few weeks before, just run a world record of 5:25.36 for 2,000m and a European record of 8:21.64 for 3,000m, few were betting against her.

Perfect Conditions She had also run two mile races in Gateshead and Cork in the month previous, managing 4:25 and 4:22. But Oslo was the one she’d targeted.

Oslo…where magic always happened in the mile.

“It had a bit of mystique about the place that made athletes believe more in themselves and dig a little deeper,” she says. “The racing conditions were always perfect there; the air was always cool and still and the crowds were always noisy.

“It was an electric atmosphere and there was great energy in the stadium that night.

I knew that race would be my best chance to get the mile world record. I had discussed it with my friends and training partners – Frank O'Mara and Marcus O'Sullivan – in the days beforehand.”

Her preparations even extended to calculating exactly how long it would take her to cover the extra 9.3 metres once she had completed four laps of the track. It was relatively simple: four laps, covered in a

Sonia O’Sullivan – still encouraging young talents.

“

Athletes have too many exact checks and monitoring of their training and often the run-how-you-feel factor is taken away shade outside 63 seconds and the record would be hers.

Less than a lap into the race, though, O’Sullivan was already fretting at the botched pace-making job. “We were going way too slow over the first 200m and I panicked. I knew the chance of a record was gone at that stage; even so, I pushed on.”

They passed 800m in 2:08, O’Sullivan stalking the Russian pacemaker, with Yvonne Murray in her slipstream. For the next 200 metres, O’Sullivan was visibly caught in two minds, waiting and drafting and concerned about the slowing pace but, at the same time, not wanting to commit to a solo run for home from so far out.

With 600 metres to run, her patience broke and she duly swept past, opening up that famous flowing stride of hers and passing 1200 metres in 3:12.

“I just knew I had to keep pushing each lap and cover the first 3 laps at a good pace. I never worried about the last lap; I just believed - no matter what - I would run around 60 seconds.”

Agonised Grimace Alas, on that night, it was not to be.

O’Sullivan dug as deep as she could over the final lap, coming home alone – as she usually did – and crossing the line with a look on her face that was a mixture between a relieved smile and an agonised grimace.

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Vivid Memory It was a distance O’Sullivan always loved racing, going back to her days on the NCAA circuit at Villanova University, even though she’ll readily admit her internal clock was always better able to process splits in a 1500m. One of her favourite memories of the mile occurred in Cork – where else – a race which took place just a few weeks before the Oslo mile and in which she ran a surprisingly swift 4:22.

It was a place O’Sullivan always loved to run – the Mardyke – and she still vividly remembers that race 20 years on.

“In Cork, I just had to get to the final back straight and then the turbo engines just switched on,” she says. “That last 200m at the Mardyke…it just feels like the track moves with you. It’s still the fastest track in Ireland.”

As it turns out, the track in the Mardyke that she was so fond of was recently renamed in O’Sullivan’s honour. And who could argue with that? After all, of the many great athletes Ireland has produced – Cork has produced – there can be little dispute about who, above all, was the greatest.

She was less than two seconds outside the world record, but established a new Irish record of 4:17.26. It’s a record that still stands today and will undoubtedly stand for years to come.

“My immediate reaction was disappointment,” she says. “I knew deep down what could have been and these opportunities don’t come along too often. I never got the chance to run so fast again over a mile. I came close; 4:17 was an amazing time, but I was still disappointed.”

That Oslo race was the closest O’Sullivan would come to the mile record in her glittering career and, despite her Irish record it is a memory that will always linger with the remorseful pang of what-if.

A year previously, the Chinese duo of Qu Yunxia and Wang Yunxia had carved up the world record books, posting absurdly fast

times in most of the other women’s middledistance events.

However, O’Sullivan managed to set a 2,000m world record of 5:25.36 in July 1994, a record which also still stands today.

Back then, though, the mile was the distance with the magical mystique – a dramatic aura that just wasn’t present in the other middle-distance events and never quite the same in its uglier, metric sibling: the 1500m.

These days, the mile is all but extinct at most major meets on the circuit; but it’s a distance O’Sullivan would love to see rekindled.

“There is a lot of history and tradition associated with the mile,” she says. “It is run often enough that it is not forgotten, but it would be good to see it run a bit more in these anniversary years.”

Training week (May 1994) Monday: AM: 10 miles PM: 5 miles Tuesday: AM: 6 miles PM: 5x1k (3:00-3:03) + 1x500m (59 seconds through 400) Wednesday: AM: 10miles PM: 5 miles Thursday: AM: 20x200 (32-33secs) PM: 6 miles Friday: AM: 10 miles PM: 5 miles Saturday: 4.4-mile progressive tempo run (5:20/mile-5:10/mile) Sunday: 15 miles

Sonia’s advice to Irish athletes: “Athletes need to take risks and opportunities. Too many athletes operate on a very conservative work rate. I know a lot of this is because we know so much more now than we did 30 years ago; but athletes have too many exact checks and monitoring of their training and often the run-how-you-feel factor is taken away.

“Athletes need to listen to their bodies. Don't expect to always feel good because hard training wears you down and you can't always be fresh for sessions if you are running 100 miles a week, but realise that you are training the body to be ready at the end of a race when you may be exhausted.

“Don't worry about the last 400m in races, just get there; then believe and have confidence that the adrenaline and competitiveness will kick in when you need it.”

52 Irish Runner

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cusack_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:50 Page 1

REPORT

Lessons from a Legend

Forty years ago, Neil Cusack joined the greats; last month he shared his experiences in an evening to remember, writes David O’Dwyer.

Photo: Caleb Purcell Photography.

In the run-up to the 40th anniversary of Neil Cusack’s Boston Marathon victory, a great night of reminiscing on that special day with Neil himself, hosted by Frank Greally, was held in Dublin on Friday April 20, attended by around 200 people. This was followed by a similar night in Limerick on the eve of the Barrington’s Hospital Great Limerick Run. Neil Cusack’s victory in the Boston Marathon is probably one of the most underrated and least celebrated events in Irish sport and in particular in Irish athletics history.

Those who came to celebrate with Neil in Limerick included world famous Physical Therapist Gerard Hartmann and Jimmy Deenihan, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht both of whom added greatly to the night with their contributions.

One of the many questions posed to Neil on both nights was the issue of the times being run by Irish athletes today versus the times of previous generations. “Without knowing what guys are doing in training it is a difficult question to answer. I can only recall what I did and how I trained. I found what worked for me and just stuck to it,” he said.

The experience of going on scholarship to the US was of course pivitol to Cusack blossoming into a world-class athlete. It would hardly be a stretch to say that he would not have achieved what he did by staying at home. This is another possible reason as to why some middle- and longdistance Irish athletes of today are not performing at a comparable level. Fewer of our top athletes are taking up the option of going on scholarship to the US. There are far more options now available at home, from an academic point of few at least.

Gerard Hartmann, who not only trained with but also coached Neil for a period, spoke about how on the regular 20 mile Sunday runs in Cratloe Woods they would rarely be too far off 1 hour 56 minutes, churning out the miles in an average 5.30 each. It was hard training but it paid off handsomely.

Hard training was a hallmark of Neil Cusack’s career, as well as supreme confidence in his own ability. This selfconfidence was surely fostered by spending those formative years in the US. This confidence and belief in his own ability was epitomised by his recollection of his conversation with Irish Olympian Pat McMahon just prior to the start of the Boston 54 Irish Runner

Left to right: Gerard Hartmann, Neil Cusack and Jimmy Deenihan.

“

Hard training was a hallmark of Neil’s career, as was supreme confidence in his own ability

Marathon in ’74. When McMahon asked how Cusack thought he would do, he was totally suprised when Neil said that he believed that he was going to win. There were many other occasions too when his confidence shone through and victory followed.

On the night in Limerick the then-reigning Great Limerick Run Champion Gary O’Hanlon was asked for his opinion on the topic of times today versus those of a generation ago. Interestingly, Gary feels that the African dominance that has gradually taken hold over the past 40 years is a contributing factor. In 1974 a 2:13 marathon put you in world-class territory. To get the same level of recognition today you would need to knock a chunk off that time. There is also the fact that there are far more athletes runnning super-fast times.

Two years after Boston, Cusack trailed

home in 55th place in a time of 2:35 in the Olympic Marathon in Montreal - a direct result of over-training.

Further disappointment was to follow when he did not make the Irish team for the World Cross Country Championships, staged in his native Limerick in 1979. This was even more disappointing for him when Ireland finished second team and the silver medals led by John Treacy who retained his world cross country title. Lesser athletes than Cusack would not have recovered from such a crushing experience, but he bounced back and returned to win the Dublin Marathon in 1981.

The discussion in Limerick again turned back to the question of times; Cusack touched on a point that is as practical as it is philosophical. The running boom of today has a whole industry attached to it; from GPS watches to water belts and technical T-shirts.

It is a mark of how far things have progressed - or not, depending on your point of view - in the 40 years since that victory in Boston.

Cusack’s one interaction with ‘technology’ in that race was wearing a St Bernard string vest from Dunnes Stores, on which he famously stitched a shamrock taken from an old Irish racing singlet. The feeling that one gets from just running free, without frills, is what stands out most about Neil Cusack. He let his running do the talking and he has the results to show for it.

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Triathlon Ireland News Vodafone Extends Triathlon Deal Triathlon participation grows by 120% in past five years Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar, TD, emphasised the benefits of personal fitness and healthy activity as he announced Vodafone Ireland’s renewal of its sponsorship of Triathlon Ireland for a new three-year term.

A keen triathlete, Minister Varadkar encouraged companies to promote wellness programmes amongst their staff as it will lead to a healthier workforce and greater productivity. He also commended organisations such as Triathlon Ireland for doing a service greater than just promoting their sport by ultimately encouraging participation in healthy activity.

Vodafone Ireland has sponsored Triathlon Ireland since 2009, became its main sponsor in 2011 and is set to continue in this role for a further three years. In addition, Vodafone will have the naming rights of Triathlon Ireland’s national series, now called The Vodafone National Series. This is the top tier of Triathlon racing in Ireland consisting of 20 of the most competitive and prestigious races in the country.

“I want to recognise Vodafone for their sponsorship of sport in recent years and to encourage others to follow their leadership,” said Minister Varadkar.

“Triathlon Ireland is doing a really good job in promoting the sport and this announcement today should persuade more people to take up this great activity.”

Triathlon Ireland has seen its membership and, by association, participation in the sport grow by 120% since 2009. Last year membership grew

by 15% alone and the organisation already has 1,000 more members than it had this time last year. Performance-wise, its elite athletes are also making an impression internationally, with 55 Top 10 finishes at Continental Cup, World Cup & World Triathlon Series Races between 2010 and 2013.

AUCKLAND TRIO MAKE TOP 25 ITU WORLD TRIATHLON SERIES, AUCKLAND – APRIL 6 The Irish trio of Bryan Keane, Ben Shaw and Conor Murphy impressed at the opening leg of the World Triathlon Series in Auckland on April 6 as all three men were among the top 25 finishers.

The 1500m swim, 40 kilometre bike and 10K run took its toll of the elite men as 19 of the 65 starters DNF’ed.

It was Ben Shaw who got off to the best start of the Irish athletes as he rounded the first swim buoy after 350 metres inside the top 10. He took a tight line and managed to avoid much of the scramble setting him up for a great swim.

Behind, the field was six and seven athletes wide as they attempted to make the 90-degree right hand turn. Bryan Keane and Conor Murphy were in the middle of it and were forced to scramble over bodies left and right and avoid the inevitable underwater dunking as 65 men fought for their position.

56 Irish Runner

Murphy and Keane were some 30 seconds back at T1 but flew through transition and onto the bike. Shaw had to go well into the red zone in order to claw his way back into the leading group of 14, but once there he looked comfortable and was never going to be dropped.

Into transition 2 and Shaw and 13 others were onto the run with a 1:45 advantage.

He toughed it out picking off some of his first pack companions but was caught by some of triathlon’s fastest runners from behind. Among them was Bryan Keane who clocked 32:08 for the 10 kilometres, running himself into 17th place.

Bryan’s cycling pedigree clearly stood to him as the savage bike pace and nasty hills did little to affect him and he posted the 11th fastest run split. Conor Murphy in his World Triathlon Series debut ran under 33 minutes from the chase group to move up to 22nd position. The result will be a

Conor Murphy battles it out with Mario Mola in Auckland.

welcome boost for the Armagh man and should see his world ranking jump up considerably. Ben Shaw dropped some places over the final kilometres of the run but will be pleased with his 21st place finish.

Triathlon Ireland’s Technical Director Tommy Evans was out on course providing split times and feedback to the team.

“There were good results all round. To have three in the top 25 at the toughest course on the World Triathlon Series circuit is great to see.”

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www.triathlonireland.com SPRINT CHAMPS BRING OUT THE BEST The field of 500 takes to the water for the 2013 Crooked Lake Triathlon.

Crooked Lake is set to stage one of the biggest races on the triathlon calendar this year as it hosts the Sprint Distance National Championships on June 7th.

The 750m swim, 20km bike and 5K run will take place at Camlough Lake and through the winding roads and villages of South Armagh and the Ring of Gullion.

The race is now in its 11th year and has gained a reputation as one of the top events in the country. “The first race had 100 registered participants but it has grown in popularity and reputation since then. Race places are limited to 600 and this year we sold out in a record 44 minutes,” said Race Organiser Catherine Murphy On the start line will be top contenders including last year’s Sprint Champion Katie Cooke from Cork in the women’s race and men’s 2013 silver medallist Rory Sexton.

With the Championships taking place in the early part of the season, Cooke’s current form is an unknown; however Sexton has shown some blistering pace already this season.

The 20-year-old won the Joey Hannon triathlon in style against some top opposition in April and impressed at an elite duathlon in

Spain with a 16th place finish in February.

His swim, bike and run times have been impressing Irish selectors and the Fermoy native will be hoping to get the nod for some elite British Super Series or ITU-style racing over the coming years.

Sexton won’t have it all his own way though with Irish Junior Squad member Harry Speers (18) looking to make an impact. Speers will be targeting an advantage out of the water but with 20km of biking and 5K of running remaining it will be all to play for. Experienced triathletes Brian Harris, Trevor Mahoney, Kristofer Muldoon, Aidan Callaghan and Paddy Quinn will all be in the hunt for the win and podium positions.

On the women’s side a new recruit to the Irish Junior Squad, Jemma Speers (16) will be hoping to mix it with the best. Speers, a superb swimmer and member of Invictus Triathlon Club is likely to lead out the ladies from the water, however will have to dig deep with such a talented field which contains some powerful cyclists and quick runners.

Some names aiming to the top spot include Katie Fitzgerald, Louise Keane, Rachel Glendon and Judith Lowry, though like the men’s field it’s wide open.

Early-season results have been encouraging for Ireland’s elite triathletes Ben Shaw Break Away New Plymouth World Cup March 23

The New Plymouth World Cup on March 23 included two Irish triathletes in a field containing six of the world’s top ten men.

Ben Shaw was in the top third out of the water in 9:04 while Conor Murphy followed shortly after in 9:29. Conor needed a quick transition and a fast opening kilometre on the bike to ensure he was into the main bunch and he did just that.

An aggressive racer, Ben Shaw wasn't content with sitting in the bunch and launched an attack off the front with Australia’s Dan Wilson for company. With one lap remaining the pair had a 28seconds advantage and Shaw would clock the fastest bike split of the day.

Ben Shaw clocked 15:40 for the run to finish in a very respectable 16th place. He later commented that it was “the best I’ve ever run off a bike break.”

Conor Murphy started the final leg with the main bunch and clocked 15:49 to finish in 35th position. In an indication of the depth in quality, Murphy was a mere 50 seconds off a top 10 finish, showing that the smallest margins matter at this level.

Shaw Wins Again Zhenjiang Asian Cup April 26

Meanwhile Ben Shaw, at just 22 years old, notched up his 2nd Senior international victory at the Zhenjiang Asian Cup in a time of 1:48:37.

Shaw went into the race as the number one ranked athlete and did not disappoint as he exited the water just seconds off the leader and in 3rd place. Always an aggressive racer the Brisbane-born triathlete pushed on during the 40km bike leg, stormed through Transition 2 in just 22 seconds and went on to clock a 31:04 10K run to take the win.

EIMEAR EQUAL TO ITALIAN CHALLENGE Eimear Mullan from Portstewart claimed victory at Challenge Rimini in Italy on May 11 in a time of 4:33:09 for the 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1K run.

Eimear came into the race

on strong form after a 2nd place finish at Challenge Fuerteventura in late April.

She put in a great swim (normally her Achilles heel) in Rimini and remained well in contention out of the water.

Once on dry land she pulled back and passed all but one of her competitors.

Belgian triathlete Tine Deckers was the only one up the road with just the half marathon run remaining and held a two

minute lead. Eimear set about chasing down the leader, clocking 1:22:58 for the run allowing her to pass the Belgium and pull out an almost 3 minute lead by the finish.

Irish Runner 57

BrianKeane_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:51 Page 1

Triathlon: Interview

Bryan Keane is Ireland’s No.1 triathlete, and one of the sport’s most fluent and experienced advocates.

Currently ranked 16th in the world, he is competing in the ITU World Triathlon Series

How has the season gone so far?

The season so far has started OK - 16th on the World Series ranking. I feel I underperformed a little in the first two races; just a few stupid mistakes that cost me a few places. The margins in racing are very tight and mistakes can’t be made. That said, I’m in a position to use the second half of my season to build on these results.

What are your targets for the year?

Consistency! And a few World Cup podiums.

And a top ten finish in an ITU World Series race; it’s something I know I’m capable of doing. It was there for me in the first race in Auckland and I let it go. Results like that, once they come, can almost become a habit. The Olympic ranking process starts this year and I want to make sure I stay inside the top 20 in that and always be in control of my ranking.

Qualification for the Games is over two years, so you have to be very consistent and make sure you don’t get injured, as missing races will cost you a huge amount.

Crucial events this year?

I guess the biggest races for us are the ITU World Series races. There are eight in the series from April to September and from New Zealand to Canada and everywhere in between. They all count as part of the Olympic 58 Irish Runner

BrianKeane_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:52 Page 2

www.triathlonireland.com ranking, so it comes back to consistency again. The World Championships are in Canada this year and on a course that suits me. I would also look at targetting Stockholm in August, as one that might just go my way.

What's it like living the life of an itinerant triathlete?

Life on the road is both good and bad; it can be a pain living out of a bag. Sure, we get to travel the world, but sometimes it’s like being on a bus tour where you’re just looking out the window and you can’t get off to smell the flowers. I’m very privileged to be able to call triathlon my job - I have no concept of days of the week as days don’t matter, it’s just all training. When you can do that with your friends it’s even better. It’s not really reality and yes it is a selfish existence; one in which you are very dependent on Triathlon Ireland and the Sports Council for support to keep the show on the road.

You came to triathlon from athletics - where will you go next?

Well, I originally came from swimming to athletics in 1996, as I wanted to start triathlon but got side-tracked into crosscountry. Twelve years later and after a stint of two years in Belgium on the bike I found triathlon. I think my sporting days will be numbered when I finish triathlon. I would love to bash out a good marathon but then again, who wouldn’t?

How do you see the current state of triathlon in Ireland - and the prospects for the future?

Triathlon is on the up, numbers are up. We have a great junior development and talent identification programme run by Triathlon Ireland and it’s about getting kids into the sport young. No longer will triathletes come across from different sports; they have to have the skill-set from a young age especially the swim. There are a massive number of races happening across the country that are really well supported. The club scene is thriving and it’s a very nice, friendly sport to be involved in. This can only grow and get better.

How long can you keep this up?

How long is a piece of string? As long as I can run a quick 10K and stay injury-free, I’ll keep racing – as long as it pays the bills too, perhaps. It’s usually in the mid-to-late 30s that most guys leave ITU (Olympic-distance racing) and go to Ironman and other non-

Silver Lining: Bryan Keane is all smiles on the podium after finishing second at the World Cup in Ishigaki last year.

draft racing. It’s only getting faster in triathlon and right now the quickest guy and girl in triathlon would beat any pure runner in Ireland. Alistair Brownlee has gone 28:32 for 10K; that’s the top end of my sport, very fast. Right now there are three really quick guys and the rest of us, but the rest of us are closing the gap and the margin in racing is so tight between a good race and bad race Is it all worth it?

Yes it is worth it. It’s an honour and privilege

to race for my country, to represent Ireland around the world. To be in Cape Town and hear somebody shout "Come on Ireland!" is a special feeling; I am so lucky to be able to do this. All the energy, effort, time and support that goes into getting me to the start line is incredible. The career of any athlete in sport is relatively short; you don't get many chances. So this chance that I have been given, I'm going to grab it with both hands and make sure it’s worth it.

INTERVIEW BY CONOR O’HAGAN

Irish Runner 59

TriCLUB_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:52 Page 1

Triathlon: Club Focus

PROUD CLUB, BIG HEART Patricia Murphy profiles Limerick Triathlon Club, which was founded in 1984 PHOTOS: GORDON THOMPSON (CLUB MEMBER AND TI MEDIA) As triathlon fever swept across Ireland in the early 1980s, the need arose for new clubs that were well-organised and committed to developing the sport to the high standards seen today. Limerick Triathlon Club began as one such small group, quick to jump in and which this year celebrates 30 glorious years of multi-sport history, the oldest such club in Ireland. The close community of over 250 members grew from a handful of triathlon enthusiasts to embrace the diverse range of ages and abilities now joining up each year. Second and third generation athletes get to race and train alongside the veterans who have been such an integral part of the growth and success of the sport countrywide.

“It’s more than just a badge to be a member of this club,” commented PRO Rachel Clancy, a former pro basketball player. “I had no background in swimming or cycling, so to swim with elites like Aaron 60 Irish Runner

O’Brien and countless others is such a huge bonus.” Training takes place seven days a week with over 25 different sessions to choose from. The world-class facilities at UL are the location for coached swim sessions with open water sessions being added as temperatures improve.

And with a wealth of experience and goodwill behind them, they have fine-tuned their key races into sell-out National Series events: The Joey Hannon race takes place at UL in April in memory of a team-mate who was killed in a cycling accident. The pool swim and flat cycle and run route make it accessible to all levels of competitor; meanwhile, over 60 clubs from around the country flock to the shores of Kilkee in late June to put their mettle to the test in the aptly titled ‘Hell of The West’, Horseshoe Bay lending itself to a day out for the whole family, including a children’s fun race along the shore, ankle deep through the surf.

Limerick Triathlon Club Established 1984 Committee: Chairperson Treasurer Secretary PRO Membership Training Youth Officer

Mark Kennedy Nigel O’Brien Sinead Walsh Rachel Clancy Janet Ward Mick Lane Niamh Yelverton

Full Membership €40 Junior Membership €1 www.limericktriathlon.com

TheEdge_Layout 1 21/05/2014 08:33 Page 1

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Farrelly_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:53 Page 1

Triathlon: Interview

OUT OF THE ORDINARY

John Farrelly has big plans for the summer

Not so long ago, the marathon was a paradigm of fitness; the ultimate aspiration for anyone seeking an epic challenge, a life-affirming achievement. But for some the classic distance is no more than a component in their dream; times have moved on, and so have the benchmarks.

Since its birth in the 1970s the Ironman triathlon has slowly elevated its profile from lunatic fringe to somewhere just outside the mainstream. You may not have contemplated one yourself, but you know someone who has, and he (or she) is a reasonably normal person.

John Farrelly is an eminently normal guy, and his horizons extend far beyond 26.2 miles; to what was once the height of ambition for the ultra-fit. The Ironman, all 3.86/180.25/26.2km of it, is his target, and he hopes to reach it in Zurich this summer.

When he crosses the line in Switzerland, it will have been one hell of a journey for the 50-year-old Kildare man; just five years ago he weighed in at a stately 18 stone (which according to my calculator entails a BMI of over 36!) A mid-life crisis that many would resolve with a gradual immersion in walking, then running, eventually capped off with a 62 Irish Runner

10K, job done.

It was a holiday snap that provided John’s moment of epiphany. “We were on holiday in Italy and the photos of me playing in the pool with my grandchild weren’t exactly flattering,” he recalls. “I had given up smoking the year before,” he says, by way of explanation.

“So I started walking to lose weight, then gradually replaced it with running. The weight came off pretty quickly; I lost four stone in 18 months, though I never progressed much past 5K.” Like so many, John had “no particular background” in sport - a little jogging, a little squash - but had always been fascinated by triathlon, though never imagining he would not only take it on, but eventually go for The Big One. An early dabble with the sport came in 2010 with a Try-a-Tri. “I knew I could swim, so there was no problem, so it wasn’t a huge deal.

“Since then it has been a gradual progression; I’ve done two or three triathlons every year, including triAthlone. In 2011 I took part in the European Duathlon Championships in Limerick as an O45; this year I’ve moved into O50 competition.

“I’m taking on the Ironman for the Laura Lynn Foundation. Aisling Coppinger at Wheelworx, where I work, has been coaching me. Needless to say, it’s been pretty relentless. Most of it has been straightforward fitness; not much technical coaching. In total I’m putting in around 15 hours a week, consisting of three swims up to 3km, five cycles with a longest ride of 130km so far and three or four runs, with a long run of 19K. Aisling has been putting me through speed work to build up the running side. In addition to that I have been doing specific transition training. I’m not sure I have a strongest event, but my weakest is definitely the bike.”

For a regular guy with a regular life, ambition like this requires support, and John gets it in spades at home and at work. “My whole family - my wife Mary, son Aidan and daughter Niamh - will be there in Zurich, so it’s going to be a major family event.

“It was Gerry Duffy who originally introduced me to Wheelworx, and I’ve been working there since last December. It’s the perfect job for me, combining my personal obsession with making a living, surrounded by people who share the same outlook.”

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Fixtures_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:54 Page 1

FIXTURES

14

Compiled by Lindie Naughton All information correct when going to press but may be subject to change.

Always check with race organisers and websites for any changes Corrections/additions to lindie.naughton@gmail.com.

64 Irish Runner

* ALL FIXTURES ON THIS LIST ARE LICENSED BY ATHLETICS IRELAND OR ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS.

Darkness into Light in the Phoenix Park SATURDAY MORNINGS Parkrun 5K Entry free.

Republic (reg at www.parkrun.ie) Leinster: Dublin (4) Malahide Park, Marlay Park Rathfarnham, St Anne’s Park Raheny, Griffeen Park, Lucan, Ardgillan, Co Dublin, Naas Racecourse. Munster: Castle Demesne, Macroom, Co Cork; Clonakilty. Connacht: Westport; Castlebar.

NI (reg at www. parkrun.co.uk) - Belfast (5)– Waterworks Park, Victoria Park, Falls Road, Ormeau Park, Queen’s.

Others: Loughshore Park, Antrim; Palace Demesne, Armagh; Citypark Craigavon; Derry City Centre; Ecos Ballymena; Fermanagh Lakeland Forum, Enniskillen; MUSA Cookstown; East Strand Beach, Portrush; Wallace Park, Lisburn.

MAY MAY 24-25 European Clubs T-F C’ships, Slovakia.

SATURDAY MAY 24 Leinster Relay and Junior TF C’ships, Greystones, Co Wicklow. leinsterathletics.org.

Trail: Wicklow Trail Relay, Kilmashogue to Shillelagh, 7am. Also Wicklow ‘127K’. www.imra.ie Knock NS Parents’ Association 5K, Co Mayo, 11am. AI Permit.

C: Joe Neylon 086 2938216.

Mayfly 10K Challenge, Oughterard, Co Galway, 1.30pm. AI Permit. C: Cliodhna Ruane 086 8795940.

Killyclogher GAA 10K, 11am. ANI Permit. C: Niall McKenna 07881950055; www.killycloghergaa.com SUNDAY MAY 25 Woodie’s DIY AAI Games, Santry. www.athleticsireland.ie South Dublin Sports Partnership Ramble Aid Series 7.5K, Griffeen Park, Lucan, 11am. AI Permit.

C: Thomas McDermott 01 4149000.

Arden View Community and Family Resource Centre R/R, 11am. AI Permit.

C: Margaret Murphy 057 9320598.

Cork “B” T-F C’ships and relays. corkathletics.org

IMRA Munster Championships Rd 1, Templehill out of Limerick (6km, 400m), 1pm. imra.ie Newry City Marathon, 9am.

Also half marathon, 10.30am and 10-mile walk, 10am. newrycitymarathon.com TUESDAY MAY 27 Dunboyne BHAA 5-Mile, 8pm. Entry €15 reg/€10 non-reg. www.bhaa.ie Cork BHAA John Buckley Sports 5K, Lee RC, Marina, 8pm. Entry €5/8. C: John Buckley 021 4508830; www.corkbhaa.com www.corkbhaa.com Minnie’s Fit for Life Summer League, Friary College, Dungarvan, 7pm.

Entry €2. AI Permit. C: Ann Dunford 086 0619711 Galway 5K Series Rd 5, Galway City, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Mick Rice 087 2896989.

Donegal Creameries Charity 5K, Castlefinn, 7.30pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €7.

C: Deirdre 086 2103717.

10th Series Summer Trail Races Rd 2, Woodburn Forest (Newline Carrickfergus), 7.30pm.

ANI Permit. Entry £5 per race; £15 all four races. C: Eddie Blayney 07528252854; eastantrimharriersac.co.uk WEDNESDAY MAY 28 Dublin Graded League Rd 3 Irishtown, 7pm. 400M, mile, 3000m women, 5000m men, TJ, discus, javelin.Entry €8; reg www.dublinathletics.com Brooks Pat Finnerty Memorial 5K Series Race 4 (final rd), Belvedere House, Mullingar, 8pm. AI Permit. Entry €30 for 4race series. C: Greg Duggan 087 2838329.

Meath Inter Club T-F League Day 3.www.meathathletics.ie IMRA Leinster Evening League Rd 6, Glasnamullen (8km, 410m), Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. www.imra.ie John Buckley Sports Cork Graded T-F League Rd 2 CIT Bishopstown, 7.30pm.

(100m, 200m, 800m, 3000m, HJ, JT, HT, 4x100m)

Fixtures_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:54 Page 2

RACE FIXTURES

All the races on this list have permits from Athletics Ireland, Athletics Northern Ireland either national or at county board/club level; or are organised by associated organisations - the Business Houses Athletic Association, the Irish Mountain Running Association, Triathlon Ireland, local sports partnerships, and charities.

Useful info...

ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND Unit 19, Northwood Court, Northwood Business Campus, Santry, Dublin 9 01 886 9933 admin@athleticssireland.ie www.athleticsireland.ie

NORTHERN IRELAND ATHLETIC FEDERATION Athletics House, Old Coach Road, Belfast BT9 5PR 028 9060 2707 info@niathletics.org www.niathletics.org

IRISH MASTER ATHLETES ASSOCIATION PRO: Anne Gormley 087 956 3134 www.irishmastersathletics.com IMRA Munster Wednesday League League Rd 2, Murroe (9km, 270m), Co Kerry, 8pm. www.imra.ie Furey Insurance Series Buncrana 5K, 7.30pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €10.

C: Eoghan 087 9474883.

Thursday May 29 Old Abbey AC 4-Mile, Goggin’s Hill, Ballinahassig, Co Cork, 7pm. AI Permit. C: Maria Terry 087 2972324.

FRIDAY MAY 30 Simon Cumbers 10th Anniversary and Paddy Hyland 6K, Navan, 8pm. AI Permit. Entry €15. Special 10th anniversary medal all finishers. C: 086 3147450.

Na Fianna Minor GAA 10K, Ballinagar, Co Offaly, 7pm.

AI Permit. C: David Gorry 086 8946764.

Grange Fermoy T-F, Ballymacoda, Co Cork, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Finbar Kinston 024 98220.

BMOH AC 10K, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare, 6.45pm. AI Permit. Entry €10. Also 5K fun run, €5.

C: Katherine Flynn 087 4184051.

Dan Byrne Memorial 5K, Doneraile Park, 8pm. Race 2 Ballyhoura Cork Series.

Entry €4. visitballyhoura.com Donegal Town 5K, 7.30pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Eamon 087 2797548.

Ards Lions 5-Mile Challenge, 7pm. ANI Permit. C: John Neil McCormack 028 91466743.

Touraneena 5K, Co Waterford, 8pm. AI Permit.

Ger Wyley Sports/Skins Summer Series Rd 5. C: James Veale 086 8184762

SATURDAY MAY 31 Aviva All Ireland Schools TF, Tullamore, 9am. athleticsirelanie

Kilcredan NS/Youghal AC 5K, Fr O’Neill Sportsfield, Ballymacoda, 8pm. AI Permit. Entry €8. C: Finbar Kingston 024 98220. www.corkathletics.com

Tullaroan AC Marathon, 10K, 5K, Tullaroan, Kilkenny, 9am. AI Permit.

Also half mar, 10Kand 5K. Vincent Guthrie 087 9478821.

Dublin Juvenile T-F Championships Day 1 (team, relay), Tallaght, 11am. www.dublinathletics.com IMRA Irish Championships Rd 2, Carrauntoohill (13km, 1137m), Brida Valley, Co Kerry, 12noon. www.imra.ie Fintown Festival 5K, 2pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €7. C: Joe 087 6994381.

Jengana 10K, Station House, Shane’s Castle, Co Antrim, 2pm. ANI Permit.

C: Julie Steen 07834789424; www.jengana10k.co.uk International Intervarsity TF Meet, Grangemouth, Scotland

JUNE SUNDAY JUNE 1 Leinster Sen/Masters T-F C’ships, Tullamore. www.athleticsleinster.org Mullingar Shamrocks GAA 5K, AI Permit tbc.

Foynes Irish Coffee Festival 10K, Co Limerick, 1pm. AI Permit. Entry €12. C: Mark Walsh 087 6622301.

Ulster/ANI Children’s Games, Shercock. www.athleticsni.org SSE Renewables/Airtricity Walled City Marathon, Derry, 8.30am. Entry €42; limit 1, 500. ANI Permit. C: Gerry Lynch 07702006667; thewalledcitymarathon.com MONDAY JUNE 2 Flora Women’s Mini Marathon 10K, Dublin, 2pm. AI Permit. Entry closed. florawomensminimarathon.ie Ballon/Rathoe T-F, Carlow, 1pm. AI Permit. C: Jane Flood 086 8161381.

Cork Marathon Half Marathon and Team Relay, 9am. AI Permit. www.corkcitymarathon.ie Moyne 10K Mini Marathon, Co Tipperary, 12 noon. AI Permit. Entry €12. C: Rosie Cleere 086 1010783.

Ballinamallard Festival 10K/5K, 7.30pm. ANI Permit. C: David Bleakley 07775856573; www.ballinamallard.org

BUSINESS HOUSES ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION 01 626 3746 news@bhaa.ie www.bhaa.ie Cork branch: www.corkbhaa.com

IRISH MOUNTAIN RUNNING ASSOCIATION President: Richard Nunan C: richard.nunan@imra.ie. www.imra.ie IRISH ORIENTEERING ASSOCIATION www.orienteering.ie

FLORA WOMEN’S MINI MARATHON 27 Sandyford Office Park, Sandyford Ind Est, Dublin 18 01 293 0984 womensminimarathon@eircom.net info@womensminimarathon.ie

TUESDAY JUNE 3 Minnie’s Fit for Life Summer League, Friary College, Irish Runner 65

Fixtures_Layout 1 21/05/2014 11:54 Page 3

RACE FIXTURES

Dungarvan, 7pm. Entry €2.

AI Permit. C: Ann Dunford 086 0619711

Club, Rahoon, Co Galway, 6.30pm. AI Permit. Entry €20; €5 jun. C: Lisa Regan 085 1534764; www.rahoonnewcastle.com.

Galway 5K Series Rd 6, Tuam, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Mick Rice 087 2896989.

Ulster/ANI Sen/U18, 19, 20 T-F C’ships, Mary Peters, Belfast. www.athleticsni.org

Wednesday June 4 Multy 5K, Multyfarnham, 8pm. AI Permit. Entry €10.

C: Enda Finnerty 086 8038066.

SUNDAY JUNE 8 Slaney Olympic Strawberry Fair Half Marathon, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, 10am. AI Permit. Entry €25.

Also 5-Mile fun run and 15K walk; both €15. www.slaneyolympic.com

Ballyroan Abbeyleix & District 10K, Ballyroan CRR, Portlaoise, 7.30pm. AI Permit. C: Martin McDonald 087 2068969.

IMRA Leinster Evening League Rd 7, Scarr (8km, 367m), Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. www.imra.ie Donegal Motor Club Letterkenny 5K, 7.30pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €8. C: James 087 2526089.

Fairhill 5-Mile, Braid Centre, Ballymena, 7pm. ANI Permit. C: James Turtle 07813123979; www.ballymenarunners.org Craigavon Lakes 10K, 7.10pm. Also 5K fun run.

ANI Permit. C: Daryn Greene 028 3811692; www.craigavon.gov.uk THURSDAY JUNE 5 Ballincollig Hurling and Football Club Belle of Ballincollig 5K, Co Cork, 8pm. AI Permit. Entry €10.

C: Richard Hickey 086 2536553.

Little South Run, Kilmacow, Co Kilkenny, 2pm. AI Permit.

C: James Aylward 086 1087030.

Samsung Night Run Dublin. Photo: Tomas Greally.

Cappry Rovers FC Ballybofey 5K, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Cora 087 2653833.

FRIDAY JUNE 6 Dublin Juvenile T-F Championships Day 2 (500, 600, 800m), Santry, 7pm. www.dublinathletics.com Deadman’s 5-Mile, Carrickon-Suir, Co Tipperary, 7.30pm. AI Permit. Entry €8.

Race 3 Carrick-on-Suir Outfield Sports 3-County Series. C: Mark Connolly 086 1608165.

Dooneen AC 6K, Raheen, Limerick, 7.30pm. AI Permit. Race 3 Ballyhoura Limerick Series. C: Joe Chawke 087 7533526.

Active Antrim R-R, Antrim Stadium, 7.30pm. ANI Permit. Entry £10/12. Also 1-mile fun run (8-16 years), 7pm; entry £2/4. C: Anna Boyle 028 94463113; www.antrim.gov.uk

Tallaght, 10am. www.dublinathletics.com Leinster Juvenile U9-13 T-F. www.athleticsleinster.org Twomey’s Memorial 4-Mile, Meelin, Co Cork, 6.30pm. AI Permit. Entry €10. C: Jerry Twomey 029 58086.

Munster Juvenile U9-13 T-F C’ships Day 1, 11am

SATURDAY JUNE 7 Patrick Bell Memorial 5K, Bohermeen, Co Meath, 2.30pm. AI Permit. C: Stephen Ball 086 0792580.

Ballindine 4-Mile, Co Mayo, 7pm (walkers 6.30pm). AI Permit. Entry €15. Guess your own time! No watches or headphones. Spot prizes.

C: David 087 9272242.

Dublin Juvenile T-F Championships Day 3,

Tonabrucky 6K Challenge, Rahoon Newcastle Hurling

St Mary’s NS 5K, Pullough, Co Offaly, 12 noon. AI Permit. C: Gerry Dunican 087 7911589.

Dublin Juvenile T-F Championships Day 4, Tallaght, 10am. www.dublinathletics.com IMRA Leinster Championships Rd 3, Fraughan Rock Glen (10km, 770m), Co Wicklow, 12 noon. www.imra.ie Munster Juvenile U9-13 T-F C’ships Day 2, 11am. www.munsterathletics.com Clonakilty 4-Mile, Castlefreke Woods, Rathbarry, Co Cork, 10am.

AI Permit. C: Paul Deane 087 2780225.

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Dublinmarathon_Layout 1 21/05/2014 08:45 Page 1

Fixtures_Layout 1 21/05/2014 12:30 Page 4

RACE FIXTURES

Want us to feature your race? Email Lindie at: lindie.naughton@gmail.com Cappawhite AC 10K, Co Tipperary, 1pm. AI Permit.

Entry €15. Also 6K fun run, €10. C: Diana Kelly 089 4521268.

Tobin 086 3445903; www.trimac.ie.

Clashmore 5-Mile, Co Waterford, 8pm. AI Permit.

Ger Wyley Sports/Skins Summer Series Rd 6. C: James Veale 086 8184762

Newcastle West Rovers 10K, The Demesne, 1pm. www.athleticslimerick.com

Ger Mullane Bilboa 10K, Bilboa Sports Centre, Co Limerick, 8pm. AI Permit.

Race 4 Ballyhoura Limerick Series. C: Nora Ryan 061 380315.

IMRA Munster Championships Rd 2, KnocKealdowns (8.5K, 635m), The Vee, Clogheen, Co. Tipperary, 1pm. www.imra.ie

Inniscarra Community Centre 4-Mile, Co Cork, 7pm. AI Permit. C: Maire Connolly 087 2333099.

Monivea Half Marathon and 10K, Ryehill Demesne, Co Galway, 11am. Entry €30. C: 087 7948777.

Castle Lake 10K, Bailieborough, Co Cavan, 12 noon. AI Permit. Entry €15.

Elaine Smith C: 087 7691876.

Ulster/ANI Sen/U14, 15 T-F C’ships, Mary Peters, Belfast. www.athleticsni.org TUESDAY JUNE 10 Lord Mayor of Raheny 2-Mile Series, Raheny, Dublin, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Pat Hooper 086 8158052 Minnie’s Fit for Life Summer League, Friary College, Dungarvan, 7pm. Entry €2.

AI Permit. C: Ann Dunford 086 0619711.

Illistrin NC Letterkenny 5K, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Liam 087 6175275.

68 Irish Runner

6 April 2014; Team SPAR, with Ruby Clohisey, aged two and a half, before the start of the SPAR Great Ireland Run 2014. Photo: Tomás Greally / SPORTSFILE.COM

10th Series Summer Trail Races, Rd 3, Woodburn, 7.30pm. ANI Permit. Entry £5 per race; £15 all four races. C: Eddie Blayney 07528252854; eastantrimharriersac.co.uk WEDNESDAY JUNE 11 Dublin Graded League Rd 4, Santry 7pm. Incorp Dublin C’ships. 100m, 400m, 800m, LJ, HJ, PV, hammer.Entry €8 ; reg www.dublinathletics.com BHAA Trinity Track Meet, College Park, Dublin 6pm. www.bhaa.ie

It’s Good to Talk Suicide Awareness 5K, Rathowen, Co Westmeath, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Martin Connaughton 087 9285655.

IMRA Leinster Evening League Rd 8, Sorrell Hill (9km, 392m), Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. www.imra.ie IMRA Munster Wednesday League Rd 3, Slievenamuck (9km, 170m), Co Tipperary, 8pm. www.imra.ie Dunree Buncrana 5K, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €10. Also juvenile mile, 7.15pm. C: Niall 086 3426698.

THURSDAY JUNE 12 John Buckley Sports Cork Graded T-F League Rd 3, CIT Bishopstown, 7.30pm.

100M, 400m, 1500m, HJ, SP, DT, 56lb dist. www.corkathletics.org Clare Athletics Summer Road Race Series Rd 4, 4-Miles, Kilnaboy, 7pm. Entry €10 or €30 for 5-race series. Spot prizes, refreshments. C: Clare Sports Partnership 065 6965434; Clare Athletics PRO James Sexton 087 2472623.

FRIDAY JUNE 13 Braveheart 5K, Porchfields, Trim Co Meath, 7.30pm. AI Permit. Entry €15. C: Ciaran

Michael Cahill 5K, Ballingarry, Co Tipperary, 8pm. Permit tbc Lifford 5K, 7.15pm. Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Brendan 086 6007847.

Active Antrim Road Race, Antrim Forum, 7pm. ANI Permit. Entry £10 reg; £12 unreg. Also mile children’s fun run; reg £2/4. C: Anna Boyle 028 94463113; www.antrim.gov.uk SATURDAY JUNE 14 Crusaders AC T-F, Irishtown, Dublin, 5pm. AI Permit. C: Michael McGovern 085 7391766.

10th Mick Murphy 4-Mile, Ferns, Co Wexford, 5pm. AI Permit. Entry €15. Prizes sen, masters, teams M&F; refreshments. C: Louise Kehoe 086-8276661; www.sbrclub.com.

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RACE FIXTURES

Glenmore AC 10-Mile, Co Louth. AI Permit. C: Irene Brady 087 2325615.

Naomh Mhuire AC, Daingean, Co Offaly, 12 noon. AI Permit. C: Brendan Donagher 086 820995.

Ballyclough Festival 5K, Mallow, Co Cork, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Denis Sheahan 087 2461515.

Limerick Co Board 5-Mile, Newcastle West, 2pm. AI Permit. C: Tom Ruddle 086 2304901.

Munster Inter Club Relays (juv, jun, U23, sen, masters), CIT. www.munsterathletics.com

IMRA Munster Championships Rd 3, Slievenamon (8km, 570m), Kilcash, Co Tipperary, 1pm. www.imra.ie

Run for Ollie 10K, Milltown, Tuam, Co Galway, 3pm. AI Permit. Entry €30. T-shirt all entrants. Health West Pharmacy care pack first 300 to enter. www.runireland.com

Cliffomey Celtic FC, Co Sligo 3pm. AI Permit. C: Jim Kilmartin 071 9176650.

Rocks ‘n’ Rollin’ Half, Full and Ultra Marathon, Redcastle, Inishowen, Co Donegal, 8am. Entry €35, € 55, €70. C: 086 2374644; extremenorthevents.com

Ulster/ANI Sen/U16, 17 T-F C’ships, Antrim Forum. www.athleticsni.org Enniskillen 10K, Lakeland Forum, 2pm. ANI Permit. C: Keith Collen 028 66325050; www.enniskillen10k.com Stunnerz N Runnerz Ladies 5Mile Fun Run and Walk, ParKore Rd, Magherafelt, 12 noon. ANI Permit. C: Glenn Donnelly 077366258; www.sperrinharriers.co.uk SUNDAY JUNE 15 Raheny Mid-Summer 5-Mile, St Anne’s Park, Raheny, Dublin 11am. AI Permit. C: Pat Hooper 086 8158052.

Doheny 10K, Dunmanway, 11am. AI Permit. C: Paudie Cronin 086 2675361.

Munster Senior/Masters T-F C’ships. munsterathletics.com The Sligo Champion Street of Sligo 5K. 1.15pm. AI Permit.

Entry €15. European Town of Sport medal all finishers.

Prizes; course record bonus. www.sligoathleticclub.com TUESDAY JUNE 17 Kilbride GFC 5K/10K, Clonee, Co Meath, 8pm. Entry €13 online or €15 on day. €5 juveniles on day. C: Denis O’Leary 087 2559219.

Mayo AC Summer Series Race 1, Castlebar, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Michael McGrath 086 8534729; www.mayac.com Convoy Running Club 5K, 7.30m. Donegal GP. Entry €7. C: John 086 6634476.

WEDNESDAY JUNE 18 Women’s Meet and Train Summer League Rd 4 (final rd), 70 Irish Runner

1998 London Marathon winner and 1997 Berlin Marathon winner Catherina McKiernan, second left, with her daughter Deirbhile, far left, who placed third in the Junior Great Ireland Run, beside Former World Champion, European Champion and World Cross Country Champion Sonia O’Sullivan with her daughter Sophie who won the Junior Great Ireland Run, during the SPAR Great Ireland Run 2014. Photo: Tomás Greally / SPORTSFILE.COM

Cherryfield Park 5K, Dublin, 7.30pm. Entry €7 . C: Sue Lynch 086-2327570, womensmeetandtrain.blogsp ot.com IMRA Leinster Evening League Rd 9, Maulin-Tonduff (10km, 500m), Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. www.imra.ie IMRA Munster Wednesday League League Rd 4, Corrin Hill (8km, 200m), Co Cork, 8pm. www.imra.ie Scoil Mhuire Ramelton 5K, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €8. C: Frances 086 6000466.

Coca Cola Lisburn Half Marathon, 10K and Fun Run, Lagan Valley Leisureplex, 6.30pm. ANI Permit. C: Adrian Baron 02892509556; lisburnhalfmarathon.com THURSDAY JUNE 19 Pulse Aquathlon Series Race 1, North Bull Wall, Clontarf, Dublin 7pm. C: Anthony Gillen 087 2309066; www.pulsetri.com Cork BHAA Mount Oval 6Mile, 8pm. C: Greg Moore 087 6243245; www.corkbhaa.com Cork Junior T-F C’ships, 6.30pm. corkathletics.org.

Dave Fogarty 4-Mile, Thurles, 7.30pm. AI Permit.

Entry €10. C: Madeline Loughnane 087 9948576.

St Nicholas AC 5K, Collagown, Castlelyons, Co Cork, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Pat O’Sullivan 087 8188612.

FRIDAY JUNE 20 Dublin Pride Run, Acres Rd, Phoenix Park, 7.30pm. AI Permit. Entry €20. C: 0879112858; www.dublinfrontrunners.ie Emo Rath AC 7K, Co Laois, 7.30pm. AI Permit. C: Grace Balfe 085 7267769.

Dromana 5-Mile, Villierstown, Co Waterford, 8pm. AI Permit. Ger Wyley Sports/SkinsSummer Series Rd 7. C: James Veale 086 8184762.

Kilfinane 5-Mile, Co Limerick, 7.30pm. AI Permit. Entry €10. Race 5 Ballyhoura Limerick Series.

C: Michael Halpin 087 6426743; visitballyhoura.com.

Finn Valley Aghyaran 5K, Co Tyrone, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Neil 086 6030616.

JUNE 21-22 European Team Championships (Irish team), Tallin, Estonia

SATURDAY JUNE 21 Dunshaughlin 10K, Co Meath, 7.30pm. AI Permit.

C: Paddy Mangan 087 2597731.

Aviva Tailteann Games Interprovincial Schools T-F, Santry 11am-4pm. www.athleticsireland.ie Woodie’s DIY AAI Juvenile Games, Tullamore. www.athleticsireland.ie IMRA Leinster Championships Rd 4, Fox’s Rock (16km, 800m), Carlingford, Co Louth, 12 noon. www.imra.ie Buncrana Charity 10K Fun Run and Walk, 6.30pm (walkers 6pm). Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Eunan 087 1266317.

Lisnaskea 10K Fun run, Castle Park Centre, 12 noon.

ANI Permit. C: Jane Hetherington 07751877622.

Sunday June 22 Woodie’s DIY AAI National TF League Rd 2, Santry/Athlone. www.athleticsireland.ie Pink Rock 10K, Rosbercon, near New Ross, Co Wexford, 12 noon. AI Permit. Prizes sen, masters, team. C: Michael Power 086 3636126

Aidan McAleen 10K Memorial Run, Warrenpoint Docks, 11am. ANI Permit.

C: Paul Coulter 07766517044.

Youth Sport Omagh 10K, Killyclogher Rd, 12 noon.

ANI Permit. C: Sean Curneen 028 82247171.

TUESDAY JUNE 24 Irish Prison Services BHAA Trail Race, Phoenix Park, 7.30pm. www.bhaa.ie Hallahan’s Pharmacy Fit for Life Running League, Friary College, Dungarvan, 7pm. AI Permit. C: Ann Dunford 086 0619711 Mayo AC 5K Series Rd 2, Ballyhaunis 8pm. AI Permit.

C: Michael McGrath 086 8534729.

10th Series Summer Trail Races, Rd 4 (final rd), Woodburn Forest (beside Presbyterian church), 7.30pm. ANI Permit. Entry £5 per race; £15 all four races. C: Eddie Blayney 07528252854; eastantrimharriersac.co.uk WEDNESDAY JUNE 25 Dublin Graded League Rd 5, Tallaght, 7pm. Incorp Dublin C’ships. 200m, 1500m, TJ, shot, discus, jav).Entry €8 or €50 for series. Reg www.dublinathletics.com Fore Village R-R. Castlepollard, 8pm. AI Premit. Entry €15. C: Ray Farrelly 087 3307885.

The Downs GAA 5K, Mullingar 8pm, AI Permit tbc.

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RACE FIXTURES

IMRA Leinster Evening League Rd 10, Trooperstown Hill (9km, 430m), Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. www.imra.ie

Coillte 10K, Dundrum, Co Tipperary, 8pm. AI Permit tbc. Entry €15. Embroidered towel all finishers. Also Junior 5K. C: 087 8501683.

Rivestick/Kinsale Juv and Sen T-F, Co Cork, 6pm. AI Permit. C: Joan Allen 086 6003141.

Cork BHAA EMC 5K, Ovens, 8pm. C: Seamus Casey 0214281845; www.corkbhaa.com

IMRA Munster Wednesday League League Rd 5, Ballyhoura Summer (8km, 330m), Ardpatrick, Co Limerick, 8pm. www.imra.ie

IMRA Munster Wednesday League League Rd 7, Knockarour Trail (10km, 200m), Co Cork, 8pm. www.imra.ie

Glenswilly 5K, Letterkenny, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €8. C: Lee 086 6059117.

Northern Ireland T-F International, Belfast. www.athleticsni.org.

Loughinisland 5.05 Mile Race, Teconnaught Rd, Downpatrick, 7.30pm. ANI Permit. C: Joe Quinn 07933214894; www.eastdownac.co.uk Tom Cairns Memorial R-R, Drumlough Church Hall, 7.30pm. ANI Permit. C: Heather Cairns 028 92689345.

THURSDAY JUNE 26 Shanagarry ‘5’, Co Cork, 8pm. AI Permit. Race 2 Ballycotton Summer Series. www.ballycottonrunning.com Jude Gallagher Memorial Round the Bridges 10-Mile, Rathmore Rd, Limavady, 7.30pm. ANI Permit. C: Columb Knowles 028 77722751; springwellrunners.com Firmus Energy Super 5 Meeting 3, Mary Peters Track, Belfast 6pm. www.athleticsni.org FRIDAY JUNE 27-SUNDAY JUNE 29 British Athletics Championships.

FRIDAY JUNE 27 St Coca’s 5K, Kilcock, Co Kildare, 8pm. AI Permit.

Entry €12; €15 on night.

Walkers €5. Prizes sen, masters, jun, local. C: Precision Timing or 086 1650971.

Le Cheile International T-F, Leixlip, Co Kildare, 6pm. AI Permit. Official opening of new track. In assoc with IMC. C: David McCarthy 085 7327662; www.lecheile.com.

John Buckley Sports Cork Graded T-F League Rd 4, CIT Bishopstown, 7.30pm.

200M, 800m, 3000mSC, LJ, TJ, JT, HT, 4x400m. www.corkathletics.org 72 Irish Runner

THURSDAY JULY 3 Corkbeg 4-Mile, Whitegate, Co Cork, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Liam O’Brien 021-4633686.

The Woodie’s DIY Road Relay Championships of Ireland at Raheny, Sligo A.C., winners of the Senior Men’s event, from left, Alberto Sanchez, Emmet Dunleavy, Dermot McDermott and David Harper. Photo: Tomás Greally / SPORTSFILE.COM

Willie Neenan Memorial Millstreet 10K, Co Cork. AI Permit. Race 3 Ballyhoura Cork Series. C: Maeve O’Sullivan 087 2617001.

The Champion Kiely 5K, 7.30pm. AI Permit. C: Niall O’Sullivan 086 1660888 Irish Wheelchair Association 5K, Carrigart, 7.30pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €8. C: Helen 086 0877630 Ards Half Marathon and Walk, Ards LC, William St, 6.30pm. ANI Permit. Entry until May 30 £14/16; until Jun 20 £19/21; until Jun 27 £25. Walkers £15. C; emma.hingston@ardscouncil.gov.uk; www.ardshalfmarathon, info.

SATURDAY JUNE 28 Irish Runner 5-Mile, Phoenix Park, Dublin, 10am. AI Permit. Race 1 Airtricity Dublin 4-Race Series. Entry €20; or €35 two races, €50 three races, €65 four races. www.dublinmarathon.ie Leinster Juvenile U13-19 T-F C’ships, Tullamore. www.athleticsleinster.org Waterford Viking Marathon and Relay, 9.14am. AI Permit. Online entry €69.55.

Also half marathon; €42.80, and quarter marathon €26.75. Medal, goodie bag, T-shirt. C: Brid Golden 087 6889330.

Munster Juvenile U14-19 T-F C’ships. www.munsterathletics.com Ransboro 10K, Co Sligo, 6.30pm. AI Permit. Entry €12/15. C: Trevor Hunter 086 8299335; Facebook Ballycastle 10K, Co Mayo, 2pm. AI Permit. C: Michael Kelly 087 9145551.

WMRA International Youth Cup, Arco di Trento, Italy MONDAY JUNE 30 IMRA Munster Wednesday League League Rd 6, Kilworth Woods (6km, 200m), Co Cork, 8pm. www.imra.ie

JULY

Dromore 10K, Main St, Dromore, Co Tyrone, 2pm.

Also 5K. ANI Permit. C: Dermot Montague 02882898213; www.dromore10k.com

TUESDAY JULY 1 Lord Mayor of Raheny 2-Mile Road Race Series, Raheny, Dublin, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Pat Hooper 086 8158052.

Tullysaran 10K and 5K, Armagh, 12 noon. ANI Permit. C: fiona_kearney@sky.com

Hallahan’s Pharmacy Fit for Life Running League, Friary College, Dungarvan, 7pm. C: Ann Dunford 086 0619711

Lake O’Flynn 10km, Ballinlough, Co Roscommon,, 2pm, AI Permit. C: Breege Comer 086 0851 371

Mayo AC 5K Summer Series Race 3, Ballinrobe, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Michael McGrath 086 8534729.

SUNDAY JUNE 29 South Dublin Sports Partnership Ramble Aid Series, Corkagh Park, 11am.

AI Permit. C: Thomas McDermott 086 0441071.

Manorcunningham 5K, Letterkenny, 7.30pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: John 086 8245899

Irishtown 8K, Co Mayo, 12 noon. AI Permit. Race 2 Mayo AC Room 2 Improve Series. C: Michael 086 8534729 (after 7pm). www.mayoac.com BK10K, Ballykinlar GFC, 12 noon. ANI Permit. C: Joe Quinn 028 44164235; www.bk10k.co.uk

WEDNESDAY JULY 2 South O’Hanlon 5K, Senechalstown, Navan, Co Meath, 8pm. AI Permit.

Entry €15/18 adults; €6/8 jun. C: 087 6240974; www.southohanlon.com IMRA Leinster Evening League Rd 11, Seefingen (12km, 550m) Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. www.imra.ie

Cork Senior T-F C’ships, CIT, Bishopstown. www.corkathletics.org.

Clare Athletics Summer Road Race Series Rd 5 (final rd), 5K, Lees Rd, Ennis, 7pm.

Entry €10 or €30 for 5-race series. Spot prizes, refreshments. C: Clare Sports Partnership 065 6965434; Clare Athletics PRO James Sexton 087 2472623.

Termon GAA 5K, 7.30pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €8. C: Joe 0876778744.

FRIDAY JULY 4 Ras na Rinne 6m, Co Waterford, 8pm. Ger Wyley Sports/Skins Summer Series Rd 8. C: James Veale 086 8184762 Ballinascarthy Festival 10K, Clonakility, Co Cork. AI Permit. Entry €10 C: Liam Fleming 023 8839327 Tipperary Town 10K, Canon Hayes RC, 7pm. AI Permit.

C: Breeda Christie 087 6304144.

Bruff 5-Mile, Co Limerick, 8pm. Race 6 (final rd) Ballyhoura Limerick Series.

C: Seamus Hourigan 087 7707792; www.visitballyhoura.com.

JG Memorial 5K, Cranford, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €8. C: Kevin 086 0620332 Greyabbey 10K/5K, 7.40pm.

ANI Permit. C: Raymond Murray 028 42788600; www.nics-ac.com

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RACE FIXTURES

Raphoe 5K, 7.30pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Tony 086 8765289.

SATURDAY JULY 5 Clontarf Half Marathon and 5 Mile, Dublin, 10am. AI Permit. Entry €30 half, €20 10K. C: Eoin Ryan 086 3060890; www.runclontarf.com

Portaferry 10-Mile, 7.30pm.

ANI Permit. C: Raymond Murray 028 42788600; www.nics-ac.com

WAR – Wicklow Adventure Race, Lough Dan; three distances. wicklowadventurerace.com

WEDNESDAY JULY 16 Dublin City Council BHAA 5K, Irishtown, Dublin, 7.30pm.

Entry €10 members, €15 guests. www.bhaa.ie

Headford 8K, 7pm. Entry €20. C: 085 1041663; www.headford8k.com

Oldcastle 5K, Co Meath, 8pm. AI Permit. Entry €15.

C: Martin Heery 086 8564160; stbridgidsathleticclub.com

Achill Half Marathon and 10K, Keel, Achill Island, Co Mayo, 4.30pm. Early entry €40 and €25. C: Mary B 098 20403; achillmarathon.com.

IMRA Leinster Evening League Rd 13 (final rd), Sugar Bowl BBQ (6km, 376m) Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. www.imra.ie

Woodie’s DIY AAI Juvenile Track Relay C’ships, Tullamore. www.athleticsireland.ie SUNDAY JULY 6 Woodie’s DIY AAI Jun/U23 T-F C’ships, CIT, Cork. www.athleticsireland.ie Louth Athletics Juvenile Sports Day, Bush, 12 noon.

AI Permit. C: Ciaran Doyle 086 8512039.

IMRA Leinster Championships Rd 5 (final rd), West Dublin Peaks, (24km, 1000m), 12 noon. www.imra.ie Clonakilty 4-Mile, Castlefreke Woods, Rathbarry, Co Cork, 10am.

AI Permit. C: Paul Deane 087 2780225.

Newtowncunningham 5K, 2pm. Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Paula 086 3904192.

MONDAY JULY 7 Ballineen Fit for Life 10K, Co Cork, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Liam Bradfield 087 2165645.

TUESDAY JULY 8 63rd Cork City Sports, CIT. C: 086 2385842; www.corkcitysports.ie Lord Mayor of Raheny 2-Mile Road Race Series, Raheny, Dublin, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Pat Hooper 086 8158052.

Hallahan’s Pharmacy Fit for Life Running League, Friary College, Dungarvan, 7pm. C: Ann Dunford 086 0619711 Mayo AC 5K Summer Series Race 4, Brickens, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Michael McGrath 086 8534729.

74 Irish Runner

East Cork 5K, Barryscourt Castle, Carrigtwohill, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Liam O’Brien 021-4633686.

Sean MacSeoin and David Grange, sprint finish in Dunboyne

St Johnston 5K, 7.30pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Brendan 086 6007847.

North Down Open Meeting, Bangor, 6pm. ANI Permit. C: clubweir@aoil.com WEDNESDAY JULY 9 Dublin Graded League Rd 6, Irishtown, 7pm. 400M, 800m, LJ, HJ, discus. Entry €8; reg. dublinathletics.com IMRA Leinster Evening League Rd 12, Ballinastoe (12km, 490m) Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. www.imra.ie Cork BHAA Maher’s Sports IPS-Garda 5K, Lee RC, Marina, 8pm. C: Mick Dooley 087 9790806; www.corkbhaa.com IMRA Munster Wednesday League League Rd 8, Ballina Tountinna(8.50km, 500m), Co Clare, 8pm. www.imra.ie THURSDAY JULY 10 Youghal 4-Mile, Co Cork, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Maurice Cahill 087 9349147.

John Buckley Sports Cork Graded T-F League Rd 5 CIT Bishopstown, 7.30pm.100m400m, 1500m, HJ, SP, DT. www.corkathletics.org FRIDAY JULY 11-SATURDAY JULY 12 British Athletics/Diamond

League Grand Prix, Hampden, Glasgow.

FRIDAY JULY 11 Morton Games, Santry, Dublin, 7pm. AI Permit. C: Noel Guiden 087 9599888. www.mortongames.ie.

AutoPower Rathgormack 5Mile, Co Waterford, 7.30pm.

AI Permit. Entry €8. Race 4 Outfield Sports Carrick-onSuir 3-County Series. C: 087-2931430.

Rathmullen Festival 5K, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Margaret 0749158360.

SATURDAY JULY 12 Woodie’s DIY AAI Juvenile Development Events, Tullamore. www.athleticsireland.ie Marathon des Escargots, Portarlington, Co Laois. AI Permit. Also half mar and 10K. C: Wesley Reilly 085 1252352; marathondesescargots.com Bere Island Midsummer Run 5K/10K, Co Cork, 1pm. AI Permit. Entry €20. www.bereisland.net IMRA Irish Championships Rd 3, Mweelrea (10.7km, 776m), Silver Strand, Co Mayo, 1.30pm. www.imra.ie

European Mountain Running Championships, Gap, France (up-down). www.imra.ie SUNDAY JULY 13 Woodie’s DIY AAI Juvenile T-F C’ships Day 1, Tullamore. www.athleticsireland.ie Dunleer Road Race, Co Louth, 3pm. AI Permit. C: Eugene Burns 0879847106.

Nenagh Olympic 5K, 10K, 10-Mile, 12 noon. AI Permit.

C: Gary Scully 086 3165642.

IMRA Munster Championships Rd 4, Mautherclay (8km, 330m), Kilcommon, Co. Tipperary, 1pm. www.imra.ie Letterkenny AC Sub-4 Minute Mile Challenge T-F Meet. AI Permit. C: daraghmcdaid@yahoo.com TUESDAY JULY 15 Lord Mayor of Raheny 2-Mile Road Race Series, Raheny, Dublin, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Pat Hooper 086 8158052.

Hallahan’s Pharmacy Fit for Life Running League, Friary College, Dungarvan, 7pm. C: Ann Dunford 086 0619711 Mayo AC 5K Summer Series Race 4, Claremorris, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Michael McGrath 086 8534729.

IMRA Munster Wednesday League League Rd 9, Curragh Woods, (8km, 300m), Midleton, Co Cork, 8pm. www.imra.ie JULY 18-19 Energia 24-Hour Ultra and Irish C’ships, Mary Peters Track, Belfast, 5.45pm.

AI/ANI Permit.C: Ed Smith 00447740818389 or ed_n_smith@hotmail.com.

FRIDAY JULY 18 Donoughmore 7-Mile, Co Cork, 8pm. AI Permit. Race 4 Ballyhoura Cork Series. C: Annette Golden 086 3021050.

Fanahan McSweeney Open Sports, Araglin, Co Cork, 6.45pm. corkathletics.org Clerihen 8K, Co Tipperary, 7.30pm. AI Permit. C: Niall O’Sullivan 086 1660888 Churchill Fair 5K, 7.30pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €8. C: Grace 086 8032954.

Sea to Sky, Newcastle promenade, 7.30pm (walkers 6.30pm). ANI Permit. Entry £18. C: Jane Rowe 07855586438; www.born2runevents.com SATURDAY JULY 19 Woodie’s DIY National T-F C’ships Day 1, Santry, Dublin. athleticsireland.ie Keith Whyte Waterfront Ultra Marathon 36-mile, 18-mile, 10K, Courtmacsharry, Co

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RACE FIXTURES

Cork, 9am. AI Permit. C: Bob Hilliard 086 6484811; www.runclon.ie

Quick Picks

Aran Mor Island 5K, 1pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €25 to include ferry. C: Seanmus 086 8525011.

Kennedy McArthur Festival of Running Half Marathon and 10K, Dervock, 10.45am. ANI Permit. Quality T-shirt, medal all finishers. Prizes sen, masters, locals.

C: Kenneth Bacon 028 70124483; springwellrunners.com SIAB Schools T-F International, Cardiff, Wales. www.athleticsireland.ie SUNDAY JULY 20 Woodie’s DIY National T-F C’ships Day 2, Santry, Dublin. athleticsireland.ie Airtricity Dublin Race Series Fingal 10K, Swords, 10am.

AI Permit. Entry €20. C: 087 6219074; dublinmarathon.ie JULY 22-27 IAAF World Junior Championships, Eugene, USA TUESDAY JULY 22 Lord Mayor of Raheny 2-Mile Road Race Series, Raheny, Dublin, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Pat Hooper 086 8158052.

Hallahan’s Pharmacy Fit for Life Running League, Friary College, Dungarvan, 7pm. C: Ann Dunford 086 0619711 WEDNESDAY JULY 23 Dublin Graded League Rd 7 Santry, 7pm. 100M, sponsored 3000m women and 5000m men; PV, hammer, shot. Entry €8; reg www.dublinathletics.com IMRA End of Leinster Evening League Handicap, Brockagh (10km, 424m), Laragh, Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. www.imra.ie IMRA Munster Wednesday League League Rd 10, Killaloe (8.8km, 330m), Co Clare, 8pm. www.imra.ie Burtonport Festival 5K, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €8. Also juvenile mile. C: Owen 086 9725243.

Downpatrick RGU 10K and Relay, 7.30pm. ANI Permit.

C: Joe Quinn 07933214894; www.eastdownac.co.uk THURSDAY JULY 24 Churchtown South ‘5’, Co Cork, 8pm. Race 3

The Woodie’s DIY Road Relay Championships of Ireland, Raheny, Leevale A.C., winners of the Senior Womens event, from left, Carol Finn, Clare McSweeney and Sinéad O'Connor.

Picture Credit: Tomás Greally / SPORTSFILE.COM

Ballycotton Summer Series. www.ballycottonrunning.com JULY 26-AUG 2 Commonwealth Games, Glasgow.

FRIDAY JULY 25 Donadea 5K, Donadea Forest, Co Kildare, 7.340pm.

North Kildare 5K League Race. C: Anthony Lee 085 1088474.

Charleville Estate Forest 5K, Tullamore, 7pm. AI Permit.

Entry €10.C: 086 1906747.

Ballymacarby 5-Mile, Co Waterford, 8pm. AI Permit.

Ger Wyley Sports/Skins Summer Series Rd 9. C: James Veale 086 8184762 Shannonvale Community 10K, tbd. AI Permit. C: Denis Kiely 086 8064724.

Ballyshannon 5K, Co Donegal, tbc. AI Permit. C: Brendan McDaid 086 8035335.

Drumhalla Rathmullen 5K, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Dan 086 8306880.

SATURDAY JULY 26 – SUNDAY JULY 27 Sionnach Overnight Relay (8 runners; 274K) IT Sligo, starts between 11am-6pm; finishes Sun 10am-6pm.

Men, women and mixed teams; entry €70 per person. Medals, T-shirts, goodie bags. C: 012548338; www.sionnachrelay.com

SATURDAY JULY 26 Woodie’s DIY AAI Juvenile T-F C’ships Day 2, Tullamore. www.athleticsireland.ie Run for Life 5K, Navan, Co Meath, 11am. AI Permit. C: Bernie Gallagher 086 8315377.

IMRA Irish Championships Rd 4, Lugnaquilla (10.46km, 718m), Fenton’s, Glen of Imaal, Co Wicklow, 1pm. www.imra.ie Balla 10K, Co Mayo, 7pm. AI Permit. Race 3 Mayo AC Room 2 Improve Series. C: Brendan 087 2941227; www.mayoac.com SUNDAY JULY 27 Woodie’s DIY AAI Juvenile T-F C’ships Day 3, Tullamore. www.athleticsireland.ie

Divis 10K, Divis Mountain car park, 11am. ANI Permit.

C: Nuala Muldoon 028 90239619; actonhearingloss.org.uk Cookstown Half Marathon, Garden World, 12 noon. ANI Permit. C: Robert Davison 07974006513; www.trilimits.co.uk Mourne and Newry Women’s Mini Marathon, Rostrevor, 12 noon. ANI Permit tbc. Entry £22. T-shirt or buff all finishers; goodie bag. www.26extreme.com TUESDAY JULY 29 Lord Mayor of Raheny 2-Mile Road Race Series, Raheny, Dublin, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Pat Hooper 086 8158052.

Ballynonty 10-Mile, Co Tipperary, 11am. Entry €10.

C: 086 8611325.

Hallahan’s Pharmacy Fit for Life Running League, Friary College, Dungarvan, 7pm.

C: Ann Dunford 086 0619711

John Buckley Sports Cork Graded T-F League Rd 6 (final rd) CIT Bishopstown, 7.30pm. 200M, 800m, 3000m, LJ, JT, HT, medley relay.

Dungloe Festival 5K, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €8.

C: Owen 086 9725243

IMRA Munster Championships Rd 5, Mangerton (9.6km, 700m), Killarney, Co Kerry, 1pm. www.imra.ie

WEDNESDAY JULY 30 IMRA Leinster Trail League Rd 1, Earl’s Drive (8km, 120m), Djouce Woods, Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. www.imra.ie

Malin Town 5K, 11am.

Donegal GP. Entry €10. Also senior and juvenile miles. C: Colin 087 1239734.

Cork BHAA Novartis 5K, Ringaskiddy, 8pm. C: Michael Murphy 021 4862004; corkbhaa.com

TUESDAY MAY 27 CORK BHAA JOHN BUCKLEY 5KM, MARINA One of the most popular races of the year in Cork remains the John Buckley Sports 5K, organised by Cork BHAA. The race welcomes runners of all standards and offers typical BHAA value at €5 for BHAA members and €8 for guests.

Located near Pairc Ui Chaoimh, the course around the Marina circuit is fast and flat; registration is at Lee Rowing Club, where there is plenty of space for parking.

All finishers will get a 20% discount voucher for John Buckley Sports – which alone is worth the price of admission.

WEDNESDAY MAY 28 DUBLIN GRADED LEAGUE RD 3 JOHN BUCKLEY SPORTS CORK GRADED LEAGUE RD 2 Record numbers are turning out for this year's Dublin Graded League, with the third round scheduled for Irishtown on Wednesday May 28. Highlight of the night is the Men's 5,000m; there are also 400m and Mile races, as well as triple jump, discus and javelin. Entry is €8; register at www.dublinathletics.com before 12 noon on the day.

In Cork, the CIT track is the venue for the second Cork Graded League, sponsored by John Buckley.

On offer are runs from 100m to 3,000m, high jump, javelin and hammer plus a 4x100m relay.

SATURDAY JUNE 7 PATRICK BELL AND NICKY PHILIPS MEMORIAL 5K BOHERMEEN, 7.30PM. For runners of all standards, the annual Patrick Bell & Nicky Phillips Memorial 5K in Bohermeen, just outside Navan is more than just a race, it's a great night out.

Now in its 29th year, the race has evolved its own distinctive style, with turf fires, live music and a BBQ for all after the hard work is done.

The course is a fast one; last year David McCarthy ran a time of 14:20 to win the race. He led home over 800 also-rans, who then settled down to enjoy the night.

Entry is €15, €10 walkers and €5 juniors. See www.precisiontiming.net

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RACE FIXTURES

IMRA Leinster Trail League Rd 2, Glen of the Downs (8km, 285m), Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. www.imra.ie IMRA Munster Wednesday League League Rd 11, Keeper Hill (13.2km, 500m), Killoscully, Co. Tipperary, 8pm. www.imra.ie Clonmany Festival Juvenile Mile and Senior 5K, 7.30pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Owen 086 3360636.

THURSDAY AUGUST 7 Charles McGuinness 10K, Glenties, Co Donegal, 12.30pm. Entry €10.C: 086 3530537.

Creeslough Festival 5K, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €8. C: Danny 087 9291033.

Firmus Energy Super 5 Meeting 4, Mary Peters Track, Belfast, 6pm. C: laganvalleyac@gmail.com DereckBarron (Dad), Finn Barron (3) and Yvonne Beauchamp (Godmother) cross the finish line together at the Dunboyne 4 Mile event. Photo: Donal Glackin

Crawfordsburn 5K Trail Race, 7.15pm. ANI Permit. C: Gillian Weir 028 91852450; www.northdownac.co.uk THURSDAY JULY 31 Clogheen 5K, Co Tipperary, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Niall O’Sullivan 086 1660888.

St Catherine’s 5K, Conna, Co Cork, 7.30pm. AI Permit. C: Frank Hayes 087 619270.

AUGUST Friday August 1 Daingean 5K, Tullamore, Co Offaly, 7.30pm. AI Permit tbc. C: Liam Dunne 086 3800074.

Michael Fearon/Kevin Marron R-R, Carlingford, Co Louth 8pm. AI Permit. Entry €15.

C: 087 6803076; www.glenmoreac.com Morris Oil Piltown 10K, Co Kilkenny, 7.30pm. AI Permit.

Entry €8. Outfield Sports Carrick-on-Suir 3-County Series (final race). C: 0871608165.

Kinsale Regatta 5-Mile, 7.30pm. AI Permit. Entry €10. C: 086 8411193.

Castlefin 5K, 7.30pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €8. C: Dermot 087 2682856 76 Irish Runner

Sperrin Harriers 5-Mile Classic, Loughry Campus, Cookstown, 7.30pm. ANI Permit. C: Glenn Donnelly 07736641524; www.sperrinharriers.co.uk SATURDAY AUGUST 2 Woodie’s DIY AAI Combined Events C’ships, Tullamore Day 1. athleticsireland.ie Jamie Boyle Memorial Games (paralympics), Templemore. www.athleticsireland.ie Tralee 100K Ultra Marathon, 6am. AI Permit. Entry €70.

C: Marcus Howlett 087 9282683.

Cranford Tommy McBride Juvenile Races and Senior 5K, 5.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €8. C: Geraldine 0876320703.

Tandragee 10K, Cargan’s Rd, 10am. ANI Permit. C: Lee Glover 07825134472.

SUNDAY AUGUST 3 Woodie’s DIY AAI National Inter-Club League Finals, Tullamore. athleticsireland.ie Woodie’s DIY Combined Events C’ships Day 2, Tullamore. athleticsireland.ie Danny McDaid 15K, Letterkenny, 11.30am.

Donegal GP. Entry €20.

C: Brendan 086 8113947.

MONDAY AUGUST 4 Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, Dublin, 8.30am. AI Permit.

Entry €42 to Oct 31; €46 to Apr 30; €49 to Jul 27; €55 expo (if available). T-shirt, swag bag, medal. Incorp AAI National Half Marathon Championships.

The Bay 10K, Dun Laoghaire, 10.30am. AI Permit. Entry €20 until May 31; €25 after.

C: Frank Slevin 087 2571899; www.dlrbay10k.ie Rising Sun T-F, CIT Bishopstown, Co Cork, 1pm.

AI Permit. C: Jimmy Murray 086 3320461.

The Gathering Donegal 5K, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Eamon 087 2797548 TUESDAY AUGUST 5 Lord Mayor of Raheny 2-Mile Road Race Series, Raheny, Dublin, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Pat Hooper 086 8158052.

Hallahan’s Pharmacy Fit for Life Running League, Friary College, Dungarvan, 7pm. C: Ann Dunford 086 0619711 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 6 Dublin Graded League Rd 8 (final rd), Tallaght, 7pm.

200m, 1500m, LJ, javelin.

Entry €8; reg dublinathletics.com

FRIDAY AUGUST 8 Fr Murphy 5K, Athboy Co Meath, 8pm. AI Permit.

Entry €15. C: Philip Cogavin 087 2930058.

GR8K, Mitchelstown, Co Cork, 7.30pm. AI Permit.

Race 5 Ballyhoura Cork Series. Entry €10. C: 086 2759248; galteeruners26@gmail.com Marine Climb 6m, Co Waterford, 7.30pm. Ger Wyley Sports/Skins Summer Series Rd 10. AI Permit. C: James Veale 086 8184762 Gleniff Horseshoe 8-Mile, Benwisken Centre, Streedagh, Grange, Co Sligo, 7pm. Sligo Road Race League. C: 086 8169126.

SATURDAY AUGUST 9SUNDAY AUGUST 10 British Masters T-F Championships, Birmingham SATURDAY AUGUST 9 Celtic Games, Ireland.

Sherkin Island 6K, Co Cork, tbc NI YDL Rd 3 plus Senior Competition, Mary Peters Track, 10am. www.athleticsni.org.

Liscarroll Open Sports, Co Cork, 1pm. AI Permit. Adults €4, child €3. C: C: 087 9042593; www.liscarroll athletics.com Clonakilty 4-Mile, Castlefreke Woods, Rathbarry, Co Cork, 10am.

AI Permit. C: Paul Deane 087 2780225.

IMRA Irish Championships Rd 4/Munster Championships Rd 6, Galtymore (12.6km, 1340m), Glen of Aherlow, Co Tipperary, 1pm. wwww.imra.ie Riverine 10K, Lifford, 2pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Brendan 086 6007847.

MONDAY AUGUST 11 Doochary Festival 5K, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €8. C: Caroline 087 7920661.

AUG 12 - 17 European T-F C’ships, Zurich TUESDAY AUGUST 12 Lord Mayor of Raheny 2-Mile Road Race Series, Raheny, Dublin, 8pm. AI Permit. C: Pat Hooper 086 8158052.

Hallahan’s Pharmacy Fit for Life Running League, Friary College, Dungarvan, 7pm. C: Ann Dunford 086 0619711 Convoy GAA 5K, 7.30pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €7. C: Laurence 087 6134968 WEDNESDAY AUGUST 13 Castlepollard 5K, 8pm. AI Permit. Entry €13. C: 087 2061081.

IMRA Leinster Trail League Rd 3, Devil’s Glen (9km, 283m), Co Wicklow, 7.30pm. www.imra.ie Cork BHAA Army/Navy 5Mile, Haulbowline, 7.30pm.

C: Mark Bullman 087 6778713; www.corkbhaa.com IMRA Wednesday League Rd 12, Killeagh Woods (6km, 200m), 8pm. www.imra.ie

SUNDAY AUGUST 10 Woodie’s DIY AAI National Masters T-F C’ships, Tullamore

Ballinamore Festival 10K and 5K, 7.30pm. Co Leitrim. AI Permit tbc. Entry €15. C: Patricia Griffin 071 9644207.

Boyne AC T-F, Lourdes Stadium, Drogheda, Co Louth, 1.30pm. AI Permit.

C:Austin 087 9307541.

Letterkenny Boxing Club 5K, Port Road, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €8. C: James 087 2526089.

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RACE FIXTURES

FRIDAY AUGUST 15 Ballyare Charity 10K Fun Run and Walk, Letterkenny, 7pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Pat 0749151639 AUGUST 16-28 Youth Olympic Games, China AUGUST 16-17 Scottish Senior Championships NI Multi-Events Mary Peters Track, Belfast. www.athleticsni.org SATURDAY AUGUST 16 Connemara 100-mile, Clifden, Co Galway, 6am.

Entry €90. C: 091 709640; www.connemara100.com Gaelforce West (76K, Glassilaun beach to Westport). Pre-entry €85 plus €3 processing fee. www.gaelforceevents.com The Point 10K Charity Fun Run /Walk, Dunkineely, 11am. Donegal GP. Entry €10. C:Pauric 087 9704648.

WMRA Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge, Manitou Springs, USA NI 10K track c’ships and team trophy, Mary Peters Track, Belfast. www.athleticsni.org SUNDAY AUGUST 17 Duleek 10K, Co Louth, 10am. AI Permit. Entry €20.

C: Ruairi Nestor 086 8282938; www.duleekac.ie

St Paul’s Church 5K, Ramelton, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €8. C:Helen 086 8421889.

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 20 IMRA Mountain Rescue Benefit Race, Ticknock (5K, 200m), Co Dublin 7.30pm. www.imra.ie IMRA Munster Wednesday League Rd 13 (final rd), Cratloe Woods (8K, 200m), Co Clare 8pm. www.imra.ie Endurance Challenge 2068 (incl 4 marathons), Monaghan Marathon 2pm.

Entry €80. Also half (€50), 10K (€25) and 5K (€20). All funds to Breakthrough Cancer Research. www.endurancechallenge.ie.

THURSDAY AUGUST 21 Endurance Challenge 2068 (incl 4 marathons), Westport Marathon 2pm. Entry €80.

Also half (€50), 10K (€25) and 5K (€20). All funds to Breakthrough Cancer Research. endurancechallenge.ie.

FRIDAY AUGUST 22-SUNDAY AUGUST 31 European Masters’ T-F, Izmir, Turkey FRIDAY AUGUST 22 GSK 5m, Co Waterford, 7.30pm. AI Permit. Ger Wyley Sports/Skins Summer Series Rd 11 (final rd).

C: James Veale 086 8184762

Half Million - Half Marathon – Ray D’Arcy with, from left, Jane McKenna from LauraLynn Children's Hospice, Jenny Kelly and Mairead Farrell after completing The Today FM Ray D’Arcy Show Half Million Half Marathon for LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.

Photo: Tomás Greally / SPORTSFILE.COM Endurance Challenge 2068 (incl 4 marathons), Leinster Marathon, Dublin 2pm.

Entry €80. Also half (€50), 10K (€25) and 5K (€20). All funds to Breakthrough Cancer Research. www.endurancechallenge.ie Clare River Harriers 10K, Co Clare, 6pm. AI Permit. C: Tom Kilgarriff 091-797016.

Achill Half, Full and Ultra Marathon, Co Mayo, 8am. www.achillultra.com

Moycarkey Coolcroo R-R, Twomileborris, Co Tipperary, 7.30pm, tbc

Athletics NI Relay Championships, Templemore Complex, Derry. ANI Permit.

C: Chris Powerchris@ukydl.org.uk

Rathkenny AC 5K, 7.30pm, tbc. AI Permit. C: Brendan White 046 9053980.

AUGUST 24-25 British Athletics Birmingham GP and Birmingham IPC GP.

Curraghchase 10K, Curraghchase Wood, 11.30am. www.athleticslimerick.com

Brockagh Festival 4-Mile, 7.30pm. Donegal GP. Entry €10. C: Neil 086 6030616.

Monaghan Town Runners 10mile and 5-Mile, 12.30pm. AI Permit.

C: James Campbell 086 8127670.

Strangford Festival 10K, The Square, 7.30pm. ANI Permit. C: Joe Quinn 07933214894; www.eastdownac.co.uk

SUNDAY AUGUST 24 Longford Half, Full and Ultra Marathon, 10am. Entry €50 marathon. C: 043-3349682; www.longfordmarathon.com

Tuesday August 19 Lord Mayor of Raheny 2-Mile Road Race Series, Raheny, Dublin, 8pm. AI Permit.

C: Pat Hooper 086 8158052.

SATURDAY AUGUST 23 Airtricity Dublin Race Series Frank Duffy ‘10’, Pheonix Park, 10am. AI Permit. Entry €20.C: 087 6219074; www.dublinmarathon.ie

Boston Scientific Half Marathon, Clonmel, 11am.

AI Permit. C: Niall O’Sullivan 086 1660888.

Rose of Tralee International 10K, Co Kerry, 11am. Entry €25. C: 087 9282683.

Pulse Aquathlon Series Race 3, North Bull Wall, Clontarf, Dublin 8.15pm. C: Anthony Gillen 087 2309066; www.pulsetri.com

Terrarath 5-Mile, New Ross, Co Wexford, 7pm. AI Permit.

C: Catherine Ronan 087 7651143.

Celbridge 5K, Castletown House, Co Kildare, 10.30am. AI Permit. C: Rebecca Gannon 086 8813046.

Colour Dash 5K, Punchestown, Dublin, 12 noon. Entry €25 (first 500 to reg;limit 2, 000). www.colour5k.ie Bandon AC T-F, Co Cork, 12 noon. AI Permit. C: Teresa O’Donovan 087-7865868

Moyglass 4-Mile, Co Tipperary, 4pm.

Endurance Challenge 2068 (incl 4 marathons), Midleton Marathon, Co Cork, 2pm.

Entry €80. Also half (€50), 10K (€25) and 5K (€20). All funds to Breakthrough Cancer Research. www.endurancechallenge.ie Letterkenny Half and Full Marathon, 11am. T-shirt, medal, goodie bag. C: Brendan McDaid 085 8113947.

TUESDAY AUGUST 26 Drumoghill FC 5K, 7.30pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €8. C: Kevin 0868551559.

Dessie’s Run tbc WEDNESDAY AUGUST 27 Cork BHAA Leisureworld 5Mile, Ballincollig, 7.30pm.

Entry €5 reg. €8 non-reg. C: Shane Simcox 087 6112178; www.corkbhaa.com THURSDAY AUGUST 28 Ballycotton ‘5’, Co Cork, 7.30pm. AI Permit. Race 4 (final race) Ballycotton Summer Series. www.ballycottonrunning.com Firmus Energy Super 5 Meting 5, Mary Peters Track, Belfast, 6pm. C: laganvalleyac@gmail.com FRIDAY AUGUST 29 Tara 5K, Skryne, Co Meath, 7.30pm. AI Permit. C: Lisa O’Dowd 085 1416041.

Liscarroll 10K, Mallow, Co Cork, 7pm. AI Permit. Entry €10. C: Esther Fitzpatrick 087 6888591; www.liscarroll athletics.com Milford John Kilmartin Memorial 5K, 7.30pm.

Donegal GP. Entry €8. C: Hugo 0749153391 SATURDAY AUGUST 30 Rockford Roof Tiles Tinryland 4-Mile, Co Carlow, 5pm. AI Permit. C: Denis Shannon 086 8926218.

Tullamore Half Marathon, 12 noon. AI Permit. Entry €25.

C: 086 1906747.

World and European 100K Ultra C’ships, Latvia.

O’Brien Challenge, Davagh Forest, Cookstown, 11am.

ANI Permit. C: davidobrien28@btinternet.co m Dambusters Half Marathon and 10K, Silent Valley Mountain Park, Kilkeel, 10.30am. C: Gwerard Rowe 07855586438; www.born2runevents.com NI Masters T-F, Mary Peters Track, Belfast SUNDAY AUGUST 31 West Limerick Open CrossCountry, the Demesnse, Newcastle West, 11.30am. www.limerickathletics.com Tipperary 10-Mile Road C’ships, Ballynonty, 11am.

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HOME STRAIGHT Frank Greally

A Running Legend Remembered The sad passing of Derrydonnell Athletic Club legend Tommy Madden on Friday, April 18 took me back to the late 1960s when I was embarking on my own athletic career in the west of Ireland.

Tommy Madden and his Derrydonnell AC team-mates had already achieved legendary status in athletics at that time and I learned a lot in those early days as a distance runner from the men of Derrydonnell; hardy annuals like Tommy Madden, Willie Morris and Kevin Ryan, who put their own unique stamp on the Irish distance running landscape of that time.

You could always smell the wintergreen in the dressing room on those summer evenings in the late 1960s. The smell came wafting through the door as you entered and inside, runners would be applying liberal amounts of the 'Magic Rub' to hamstrings, calves and even elbows. There was always a great air of expectation and excitement in those dressing rooms; a male-only domain in an era long before women became part of the rich fabric that is now the Irish road running circuit.

A group from Ballyhaunis would arrive in some town in the west of Ireland where a festival was taking place - a week-long celebration of music, song and dance and the mid-week Festival Road Race. This was the era of The Home Town Festival- a time when emigrants came home for a couple of weeks' respite from the building sites in England to mingle with family and friends, drink porter in the local pubs and regale all with tales of rough and rowdy days working with McAlpine's Fusiliers, Murphy or Wimpey.

Our team from Ballyhaunis Athletic Club always wondered if the Derrydonnell minibus would show up at our race. It was one thing to see individual runners like Sean Reilly from Hollymount or Brendan Mooney from Sligo arriving late in the dressing room, but when word filtered through that the Derrydonnell minibus was parking outside, it could be quickly determined where the top team prize would be going on that particular evening.

The Derrydonnell men were tough, rugged but friendly characters who never failed to encourage our own young team members.

We looked on them as professionals; teaktough men who gave no quarter and who always arrived at a race looking wonderfully fit and self-assured. The fact that they had their own transport added to the mystique that surrounded them.

78 Irish Runner

Glory Days – The late Tommy Madden (17) flanked by fellow athletes: Left to Right: Willie Morris, Harry Gorman and Bernie Rohan – at the 1959 All-Ireland Cross Country Championships in Dunleer, County Louth.

By that time, Tommy Madden was already a household name in Irish athletics. He started his sports career as a hurler and cyclist, winning the National Junior cycling title in the early 1950s. But it was running that became his first love, especially after he founded Derrydonnell Athletic Club in 1954 a club that would dominate distance running in Connacht for over two decades, as well as leaving an indelible mark on the sport at national level.

TEAM LEADER Tommy Madden was the quintessential team runner and despite his high standing as an individual athlete, the overall team performance was always foremost in his mind. Tommy was known for his great versatility and runners from that era still speak in awe of his legendary performances, like the day he won the mile, two mile and three mile events at the then-famous Shanaglish Sports. He finished a close second to Joe Cunningham in the Irish Mile Championship in the Iveagh Grounds in Dublin in 1956 and shortly afterwards Cunningham set an Irish mile record of 4:13.

In those beautifully innocent days of the late '60s, stories circulated about the savage training that the Derrydonnell men completed every week out in Connemara.

We wondered too what they ate, the brand of running shoes they wore and the exact distance they covered in their longest training run of the week.

And then there came a day when I was

able to match strides with and sometimes beat the men from Derrydonnell in some road events around the West. One of my sweetest memories in athletics is the day that I led the way home in our local Ballyhaunis Festival Road Race, a few strides ahead of Tommy Madden, who was by then coming to the end of his illustrious career. That was a big moment for me and I still remember Tommy's kindness and encouragement that day long ago in my home town.

The last time I met Tommy Madden was at the launch in Athenry in 2011 of that wonderful book by Mick Rice entitled In Their Bare Feet - a brilliant history of Derrydonnell Athletic Club in words and pictures. Tommy Madden was the inspiration for this book and he played a pivotal role in helping Mick Rice get this rare gem into print.

That was a lovely night in Athenry, a night when Tommy regaled me with great stories from the glory days of Derrydonnell. That same night I met Willie Morris and Kevin Ryan, Tommy Madden's wing-men on those famous Derrrydonnell teams of long ago.

Tommy, Willie and Kevin will always feature among the special heroes of my youth and I was deeply saddened to hear of Tommy Madden's passing.

My deepest sympathy goes to Tommy's wife Rosaleen , sons Aidan, Fergal, Darragh and Ronan and daughters Sinead, Neasa and Caoimhe, his brothers, Alfie, Michael and P.J. and sisters Betty and Gretta.

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