Roy In Ireland

The End

2009-12-14T10:18:00.003Z

So that's the end of my little Irish adventure. Almost two years after arriving in Ireland I flew out of Cork yesterday (Thursday 10th Dec) to spend some brief time in Birmingham with Mum before heading off back to Jersey where I landed today (Friday 11th Dec).

I had every intention of staying in Ireland permanently but the combined effect of the wretched economy and personal financial circumstances mean that I am returning to the Channel Islands where I lived for over 30 years and where there is always a need for accountant-type people. I hope.

In due course I'll maybe write a proper retrospective. But for now, things I'll miss about Ireland.

• My many friends at Crusaders AC in Dublin - I just can't believe that I'll never see many of them again
• The Irish people
• Ringsend and Sandymount Strand
• The Athletics/Running/Triathlon forum on Boards.ie - I will still contribute I suppose but now as a bit of an outsider
• Waterford, despite a short and ultimately painful spell there
• My friends and relatives in Cork, especially my beautiful cousin Mary, her sister Ann, husband Henry and their impressive daughter Eibhlin together with my great and longtime friends Deirdre and Joan
• Guinness
• Setanta Ireland and RTE2 for their sports coverage

But I won't miss

• The circumstances that led to the birth of the so-called Celtic Tiger that ultimately handed us the present basket-case economy
• The lack of runnable footpaths and rights of way across private land that are taken for granted in the UK (and Jersey)
• Not being able to listen to Radio 5Live

I guess I'll start a new blog shortly (check profile) but for Roy In Ireland this is a wrap.

PLEASE VISIT www.backontherock.wordpress.com

Bat Out Of Cork

2009-12-08T14:06:00.001Z

The present lousy weather isn't, of course, confined to Cork. However yesterday (Saturday) in the city centre was one of the gloomiest, wettest and windiest days it is possible to have. Happily the city has places like the excellent English Market and the Crawford Art Gallery to dry out in whilst hoping that the River Lee remains where it is on the spring tide. The recent flooding was most unwelcome with the Mardyke, including the first class UCC sports complex, being particularly badly damaged.

Today (Sunday) was a distinct improvement with only a couple of drenchings as I made my way from Togher up Spur Hill and into the countryside beyond. At three miles I hit a nice rhythm and, with a little right and left, found myself on a proper country lane - the type with grass growing down the middle. It is not so easy to find these in modern Ireland - lanes which lead pretty much nowhere and where the only traffic consists of those who occupy farms or properties along the road in question. The sun even came out on a couple of occasions and showcased many of Ireland's forty shades of green.

Turning around at six miles my iPod selected Meat Loaf's quite brilliant live version of Bat Out Of Hell - he certainly sounds better on that than he did at the Marquee in Cork last year. I was on the third repeat of the 11-minute track when one side of my earphones decided to pack up. Why is it that those things have a working life of only about 12 months? But it was no bad thing as, for the last few miles, I was able to fully appreciated the sights and sounds of the Cork countryside.

12 miles in 2:08 for just 22.5 miles on the week. And, if as seems likely, this was one of my last runs in Ireland, it was a nice one to go out on.

1,000 Miles

2009-12-01T14:18:00.003Z

I had resolved to do the final seven miles this morning and the weather gods weren't going to stop me. It was lashing down and the wind was howling as I set off from Togher up Spur Hill. Truly it was a day when the general populace is proved correct in regarding us runners as slightly insane.

Within 48 hours the wind had come around 180 degrees and was now blowing a gale from the south. I was instantly soaked through and quickly at that excellent point where I couldn't get any wetter. Glasses into pocket as being of little use in the circumstances I splashed through the puddles and streams and finally turned around at 3.5 miles.

At least it wasn't too cold. My thoughts turned back to the Jersey Half Marathon back in November 2007, the 9th and last that I organised. The conditions were similar to today but with a much lower chill factor. Three runners were hospitalised and many others treated by St John Ambulance for hypothermia. I consider that we were fortunate and still wonder if we ought to have cancelled the whole thing. A difficult decision as so many had travelled to Jersey especially for the race.

Whatever, I turned around today and with the contours and conditions now very much in my favour I scooted back at a fair old trot and fairly flew (for me) the last couple of miles in sub-8s.

In a year in which my running has been fairly aimless (since Connemara in the spring anyway) the 1,000 mile thread on boards.ie has given me a bit of focus anyway and has got me on the road when I otherwise might not have laced up. So thanks guys.

Caution, Bowling In Progress

2009-11-30T12:26:00.002Z

A sure sign that one is in the Rebel County is coming across a road bowling match. Peculiar to Cork, Armagh and very few other places, the contestants take turns in hurling a small iron ball along a country road. He (or indeed she) who completes the distance agreed upon in the least number of throws is declared the winner. Thought to have been brought to Armagh by the mill workers of the north of England, the game was in turn brought to Cork by those workers engaged in the linen industry. It was extremely popular for much of the 20c with hundreds of people turning out to cheer on their local heroes, and heavy betting would took place.

Today's match was a pretty low-key affair though with only a dozen or so spectators. I stopped to allow one chap to take his turn which proved a weak, off-target effort and I proceeded on my way.

I find myself in the Togher district of Cork City, about three miles to the south of the city centre. Heading further south into the country lanes one cannot escape the inevitability of hill climbs. Today I set off from Togher Cross up past the City Bounds pub along a road that appears to have no name on the OS map. It rises quite steeply for maybe 1.5 miles before levelling out, and you find yourself at the perimeter fence of Cork Airport, and indeed passing by the end of the western runway. Running along here the other night was a risky business what with being blinded by car headlights, but today it was fine. A little further on, leaving the airport behind, the road drops away steeply again and I found myself coming out onto the main Kinsale Road at the Five Mile Inn. Happily it was not necessary to follow the main road and I was able to hang a right in the direction of west Cork. At the outskirts of Ballinhassig the Garmin bleeped six miles, time for me to turn around.

Today for the first time I activated the Garmin's 'Return to Start' facility, which is quite neat. It shows the route you have travelled and you can follow this line home if you're lost. Although I didn't have to fall back on it today it would certainly come in useful under certain circumstances, as would the little compass pointer showing magnetic north.

Not for the first time I was struck by the consideration of Irish drivers towards pedestrians where no footpath exists. They always give a wide berth, or slow down/stop if traffic is coming in the opposite direction. In addition the indicator is often used and, if so, is acknowledged by me with a wave (as I hope it is by all walkers/runners, but maybe not). Compare with Jersey where drivers inevitably treat pedestrians with careless disregard, if indeed they happen to see them at all.

I'm running nicely today and I manage to negotiate the steep climb back up to airport level. But it's only now I fully realise that there is a damp and brisk northerly blowing that means I have to dig in along this flat section. Compensation for the climbs come in the form of the views to west and south. In the dark the city lights are quite stunning from this viewpoint. Through the bowling match and down the drop to Togher, now pretty tired and cold and ready for a hot shower.

So 12 miles in 2:07 making 27 on the week and 993 for the year to date. All things being equal I'll try to wrap up the 1,000 on Tuesday.

I feel guilty about leaving my Couch to 5k ladies group in Waterford. We were onto Week 5 and I think they were surprising themselves with their good progress. I left them the schedule for the remaining weeks and hope that they stick together as a group and complete the programme.

Congratulations...

2009-11-22T18:34:00.002Z

...to Bill Dowis, author of The Road to Philadelphia blog who completed his first ever marathon today at - of course, Philadelphia. Well done mate.

Still pretty aimless really

2009-11-22T17:10:00.001Z

An interesting LSR today. After two SSRs during the week in which my legs were very heavy I again struggled initially today. Although the gales had abated somewhat it was still hard going as I set off uphill and westward around the city of Waterford. A couple of walk breaks were required as I gained the high ground and then descended to the Old Kilmeaden Road along a very watery Knockhouse Road. The country is basically under water at present though Waterford has escaped relatively lightly.

Battling into the wind and turning onto the ORR (Outer Ring Road) I was tempted to cut it short and hang a left along the Cork Road and a couple of miles back into town. But I persevered and was rewarded with a revival as the Garmin ticked through five miles. This isn't unknown for me by any means. Often in Dublin I'd struggle the four miles up the Royal Canal to Ashtown before finding some rhythm as I headed into the Phoenix Park. So today I perked up and speeded up a tad with the wind now behind, or side-on at worst. So much so that, coming to the Farranshoneen roundabout I resolved to add 3.5 miles by turning right and looping via Knockboy Village and the Dunmore Road.

A little way down towards Knockboy I passed the house bought as a newbuild 20 years or so ago by my friends Eleanor and Dave. Why not, I thought, and paused the Garmin and invited myself in for a coffee and a chat. Poor Elly has contracted successive exotic bugs from visits to Istanbul and Thailand and is a bit fragile at present. But we had a nice chat and I set off again refreshed.

That nice drop past Ballygunner Church with the Suir estuary in the background. Listen to Steve Runner, on his knees, begging us all to start producing running podcasts. Up a last testing little rise to Ardkeen and from there it's a nice drop of 1.5 miles down into town.

13.46 miles in 2:21 for 27.6 on the week and 966 for 2009 to date.

Birmingham Pub Bombings 1974

2009-11-22T11:19:00.000Z

I was a trainee accountant in 1974, working for a small firm of Chartered Accountants in Birmingham city centre. Us articled clerks - four or five of us, would work away either in the office in Cornwall Street, or else out on site at a client's premises. We were all studying for exams at the time. And whereas the large auditing firms would send their trainees away on residential courses, at Ernest T Kerr & Co it was correspondence courses all the way. You'd be sent the course work, buy the recommended text books, send away the test papers and somehow get yourself in shape for Intermediate, Final Part 1 and Final Part 2.

Thirty five years ago today was a Thursday, a pretty ordinary day I guess. All that week I'd left work and gone with my fellow trainee Pete to the Reference Library with our papers and books. We'd work away for a couple of hours, often testing each other on case law and stuff. At closing time, 8 o'clock, we'd head off for a few pints. Quite often that meant the Tavern In The Town, a lively cellar bar in New Street, next door to the Odeon. But that Thursday I was knackered and we agreed that, with the weekend in sight, that an early night was a sensible idea.

Sure enough, once home in the city's eastern suburbs, I crashed out straight away. Only next morning did I find out as Mum pointed silently to the TV screen. The previous evening 21 people had been killed and 182 injured, many of them horrifically. Bombs had detonated without adequate warning at the Tavern In The Town and at the Mulberry Bush, just around the corner. Most of the victims were young.

The actuality was awful. The aftermath was chilling. For days people, myself included, avoided the bombing scenes and tried to deny what had happened. For a time there was a strong anti-Irish feeling in the city which faded with time. The Birmingham Six were arrested, charged, convicted and later released on appeal. The perpetrators, whoever they may be, are still amongst us today - living, working, socialising.

On the 35th anniversary of the bombings it is still chilling to flick through the photographs of the young victims, none of whom I knew personally but many of whom I would have regularly bumped into making my way to and from the bar of the Tavern. Their lives were too short.

The Run Net Community

2009-11-19T21:19:00.002Z

The Run Net Community. This is a concept that is being talked about by a small but growing group of running enthusiasts and podcasters. At the nucleus is Steve Runner of the podcast Phedippidations. Already there is a Facebook group and a Google group. I think that the rather fuzzy concept is to encourage more potential bloggers, podcasters and videocasters to join in the quest to get even more people to join us on the road. You can find the embryonic website devoted to this by clicking on the title.

I suppose I should be all in favour, as I appear to be part of this social network. (As are you, by reading this sorry blog). I enjoy everything to do with running - as well as having a wider interest in track & field and the coaching thereof. I fell upon my Athletics Weekly and Runner's World like an alchoholic seizes a can of strong cider, until the deliveries dried up here in the sunny south-east. I enjoy talking about the sport. I enjoy introducing others, young and old, to running and athletics. I enjoy reading running blogs and listening to running podcasts.

Some of them.

Those blogs listed on the left have a bit of quality about them and I enjoy reading the updates. There are others which I will make it my business to add. But there are many others that are very, very average, this one amongst them. And that is OK because most bloggers blog for their own enjoyment and are reasonably indifferent whether or not they get an audience. Some are outstanding and deserve a large readership.

Podcasts are different. No doubt podcasters enjoy producing their works but they are certainly unlikely to do so unless they think that they can attract listeners. I have listened with great enjoyment to virtually every episode of Phedippidations which rarely disappoints and then only where the producer drifts into areas in which I have no interest. A Mile With Me is a good English equivalent, laid back in delivery and usually holding the interest. But, in an effort to expand my listening habits I recently subscribed to another well regarded podcast. This consisted solely of spoken 'submissions' from miscellaneous runners - no editing, no pattern, no quality. I suppose one or two of the speakers were entertaining enough, but on the whole I'd heard enough to immediately unsubscribe.

So I am all for people blogging and podcasting about whatever they wish. But inviting everyone to do so is to inevitably drag the overall standards down. Or am I wrong, will it drive the standards up as more people learn how to use the new media? Overall I applaud the initiative and I'll do my bit by highlighting quality productions that I come across. Because by definition there will be those that are good, many that are average and those that are of marginal interest at best.

Darkness Into Light

2009-11-15T14:11:00.002Z

The lack of any semblance of planning in my running is summed up in this last week - only two runs for a total of 22.8 miles. One of these fine days I'll target a race and set myself a programme based on some sort of logic. At the moment it's a case of setting off around the city when the fancy takes me.

Thursday was slightly unusual though as I headed out in the early evening after darkness had fallen. This involved a couple of miles of unlit country lanes in the early stages. Not kitted out with any sort of torch it became a bit of an adventure, taking my chances with conditions underfoot. However I made it out to the Old Kilmeaden Road unscathed. On the Outer Ring the darkness continued though with the streetlights out all the way along to the Tramore Road. Not a major problem though on the wide, light-coloured concrete sidewalk and with the passing car headlights. I trotted along quickly enough to Ardkeen at the hospital end of the road.

At which point I broke the run to take my Couch to 5k group - we are now on Week 3 and most of the ladies are doing very nicely. Week 4 will be a bit of a step up though and the mantra will be, more than ever, SLOWLY does it. Speed means nothing at all at the moment. If these new runners carry on beyond this programme then they will have a base from which they can consider speed as an element of their running if they so wish.

This morning was another circumnavigation of Waterford, this time more laboured. However I have reached 938.4 miles for the year and only if I do a Devon Loch can I fail to reach the 1,000 for 2009.

On other, personal levels things have gone somewhat pear-shaped and I need to hang on to some running metaphors and to remind myself that there is always light after darkness.

Ancient and Modern

2009-11-08T12:53:00.001Z

Two hours plodding through rural Kilkenny this morning was thought provoking. I have a fascination with local history, the micro picture of how things change over the years and centuries at an individual and community level. And Ireland presents the runner with unending echoes of the past as well as strange happenings in the present.

Until recently - the early 80s, Ireland remained an insular, agrarian society. Contact with the outside world was limited and resources were few. There was little by way of industry and it was commonplace for its young people to leave the country to seek employment elsewhere. Agriculture was the mainstay of the economy. Outside the main population centres life was quiet, livings were made from the land, pubs were the social centres.

All that changed when Ireland entered the European Community, and also started attracting inward investment by offering generous grants and tax breaks to foreign companies. The Celtic Tiger was born and the economy boomed, but all that came to a shuddering halt a year or so back.

Today I passed by once more the mothballed Ross Abbey shopping centre, mocked across the road by a convenience store supplying all that the local population needs and can afford on a Sunday morning. Further on I came to a road junction. To the right was ostentatiously signposted a technology park. It was a lovely looking road, beautifully maintained with seemingly managed marshland off to the side. Off I set to explore. Eventually I came to barred gates which announced a construction site. Other than a few huts there seemed little construction going on. A lonely flag read Servier. I now read that this French pharmaceuticals concern announced in November 2006 an investment at this Belview site. To be fair they said that production will commence in 2010 but I'm not holding my breath.

Further on again and, in the corner of a field, an old tower and a tumbledown stone cottage, redolent of ancient Ireland. There are times and places in this country that one can almost see, feel and hear the ghosts of Ireland's past. A misty day on the Dingle Peninsula, Slievemore on Achill Island, Connemara (not on race weekend), the Beara Peninsula are examples.

But onto Belview Port, downriver from Waterford. I am almost surprised to see signs of life - this is an actual working port with boats and stuff. So many new or incomplete developments but the river trade is an ancient one, harking back down the mists of time. Nearby however a modern glassy office development, Marine Point, looks unoccupied. Another couple of exploratory detours before I headed back. As I neared home I wondered how many of these modern developments will become the ghosts of the future? At present Ireland is on its knees financially with a savage Budget coming up, without which the IMF would probably march in and make today seem like partytime.

Back to Waterford and 11.67 miles on the clock at a reasonable lick. But I was aiming for 13+ today and thought I was on course for that. Where did those two miles go? And thinking about it, I don't recall passing the road to the Servier site on the way back. Now that's spooky.

Jennifer Alice in Wonderland

2009-11-05T13:44:00.002Z

I commend to you this blog - link on the left. Nothing to do with running though. It's written by a Waterford lass living at present in Italy. One or two commentators say that she displays 'typical Waterford humour', whatever that is.

Whatever, Jennie has sharp observation for the mundane in life and - most importantly, has the gift for putting it in writing in a very humorous manner. If she cops on she may have a future as a very original novelist.

Give her a read.

Into Cats Country

2009-11-01T12:40:00.001Z

On a bit of a wild Sunday morning I struck out across The Bridge for Kilkenny. In a country which is routinely scattered with the colours of the local GAA county team, Kilkenny has a profusion of yellow-and-black chequered flags mostly everywhere. With unprecedented recent hurling success the Cats pretty much lord it over their blue-and-white Waterford neighbours, who are no mugs themselves.

On beyond the point that I reached a few weeks ago and - here be quiet country lanes! A pleasant surprise to be able to trot along the roads without having to deal with traffic continually flying along, a feature of modern Ireland. But just before the lanes proper, another stark symbol of the times that we're in. Ross Abbey Shopping Centre - a modern, spacious mall in mothballs and fenced off, though still showing a list of shops and apparently 'opening early 2009'. A little further on the road was flooded for about 50 metres ahead necessitating a retreat and a diversion up another pleasant lane. Over a long-disused railway bridge - it would be nice to see these disused railway lines opened up, as in many places in England.

But I was not running well and I decided to turn around about five miles in. A shame as it was otherwise a pleasant outing despite the howling wind. Back into town with only 9.2 miles on the clock and 27 on the week.

I listened to a very good Fighting Talk episode, broadcast live from Hull. Three big hitters in John Rawling, Greg Brady and Martin Kellner, with local legend Dean Windass who could do no wrong. Canadian Brady won by audience acclaim. But a less than memorable Phedippidations for a change.

Earlier in the week I took a group of ladies from Energie Fitness out on Week 1 of a Couch to 5k programme. Happily most turned out on both Tuesday and Thursday and hopefully they will have done a third session over the weekend ahead of Week 2 when we step it up very slightly.

Dog Bites Runner

2009-10-26T14:51:00.002Z

Back in the not-so-sunny south east I eventually levered myself off the couch for my long run on this Irish Bank Holiday Monday. Back up the road the Dublin Marathon is taking place right now - last year I did my bit by stewarding and helping tidy up the start area afterwards. The weather will be OK with the high winds of the last two days having blown through.

Today I followed my familiar long run route - almost by default as I've yet to find a decent alternative. Maybe I'll soon explore one or two of those roads that seem to be dead ends, though there is something dispiriting about having to retrace ones steps.

I take back all I've said about the friendly nature of Irish dogs. Today as I turned onto Knockhouse Road a little brute took a bite out of my leg and drew blood. I yelled at a nearby bloke assuming the dog belonged to him, but he (the dog) scuttled off in the opposite direction leaving me to humbly apologise to the bloke I had shouted at.

After this the run was uneventful enough. Without feeling entirely comfortable I found I was dealing with the (minor) hills rather better and was holding a reasonable pace. Once again I played around with my running style - hips higher, land mid or forefoot, lift up don't push off, slightly quicker leg turnover. No other runners around - maybe they're all up the road racing. Will I train for another marathon next year? We'll see.

Certainly I am running better than for some time and I was pleased to see my average speed had significantly improved once again as I came back into town. Though I had to extrapolate for the 2.5 miles during which my Garmin was stopped. I'd stopped it after the dog incident and forgot to restart it.

Not good mileage last week. I need a target. Maybe the Waterford Half in mid-December is a good one to train for. And it would be nice to think I could have a pop at a PB at my advanced age.

Fleetwood Mac at the O2 Dublin

2009-10-26T00:00:00.004Z

My first exposure to Fleetwood Mac was in the 6th Form Centre at St Philip's GS. A schoolmate was gamely plucking away at Albatross, the bluesy, dreamy instrumental that charted for the band in 1969.

Last night (Saturday) at the O2 in Dublin two of the original members of that band, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie were still laying down the rhythm for the band forty years later. It's gobsmacking isn't it?

Not so for some of those in the audience, each of whom had paid upwards of €80 to see these legends, arguably the greatest band still on the road. Quite probably never to tour again. A steady stream of punters only intent on travelling to and from the bars for a steady supply of fizzy shite lager. Like it was being discontinued tomorrow. And resulting in further disruption as this resulted in the drinkers having to regularly leave their seats for a piss. Turning their backs on some of the most sublime music ever made. Truly it is very sad, the need to have an alchoholic drink before it is considered that one has a night out. Now, I'm no stranger to alchohol but last night made me ashamed.

But that spoilt my evening only slightly. The gig will remain memorable for howevermuch time I have left. The O2 Arena is a magnificent venue and the atmosphere was electric - the audience comprising younger ones who were only stars in the sky in 1969 as well as us greybeards.

They could have performed anything and we would have been pleased. Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham said that, with no album to promote, they had decided just to have fun on this tour and play what the audience wanted. Early on they sung The Chain, long adopted by the BBC for their Formula 1 coverage and happily reinstated now that they have bought back the rights from ITV.

Listen to the wind blow, watch the sun rise
Run in the shadows, damn your love damn your lies

The first of many from the mega-selling Rumours album. Was it just me or did Buckingham appear to falter and compose himself briefly as he spoke about the personal turmoil that the band members were going through at the time and which resulted in such a creative body of work? Go Insane was the first opportunity for Buckingham to really get into the gig and he took it.

Lindsey Buckingham is the focal point of the band. The solid rhythm section of Mick Fleetwood and John McVie has been the cornerstone of the band for over forty years. But Buckingham is the elemental force and the band would be nowhere without him. His vocals are raw, his guitar work falls short of virtuoso, but by God does he give it his every ounce of energy. And tonight he carried the audience with him and it was fantastic.

Next up was Rhiannon, one from way back and the unutterably lovely Stevie Nicks started to come into her own. Along with Elkie Brooks and Carol Decker, Nicks has long given me the shivers with her voice. Quite incredibly she is now 61 and she still takes the breath away. She has never had a powerful voice (unlike Brooks and Decker) and her contralto now lacks the edge of old. But she is wonderful and no one was going to nitpick on a night such as this.

Nicks performed Sara beautifully, before Buckingham launched into Big Love. Mercifully there was no attempt to replicate the male/female grunting and gasping fadeaway of the original recording - it was all one-sided!

Never Going Back Again, Storms and Say You Love Me followed. Then Nicks picked up Gold Dust Woman from the Rumours album and gave it the full treatment, with a lovely, drawn out ending led by Mick with Nicks bathed in a golden glow from the lights. And immediately followed on by Oh Well - back to the Green/Kirwan days and a faithful rendition by Buckingham.

Now when I talked to God I knew he'd understand
He said 'stick by me and I'll be your guiding hand'
But don't ask me what I think of you
I might not give the answer that you want me to

Now, the Mac are not a band that necessarily have the audience on their feet. They produce well-crafted work and don't go in for rabble-rousing. But as they closed their set everyone was up singing, dancing and rocking along to Go Your Own Way.

You can go your own way
You can call it another lonely day (+ brilliant Buckingham guitar break).

And then a surprise. For an encore, rather than belt out another favourite as the audience expected, Mick Fleetwood suddenly took the limelight. The drum solo is a lost art but during World Turning Mick involved us, the rabble, and had us on our feet again. Then a sign-off with another singalong Don't Stop

Don't stop thinking about tomorrow
Don't stop it'll soon be here
It'll be here better than before
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone (+ brilliant Buckingham guitar break)

At which point the O2 audience, totally wrecked, headed for the exits. But amazingly there was a second encore as the set approached three hours in length and Silver Springs was played to a half-empty auditorium.

Truly the formers lovers and clearly still soulmates Buckingham and Nicks, and the rocks that are Fleetwood and McVie, comprise one of the best blues/rock bands of all time. Their Dublin gig will never be forgotten and the Mac put in a huge effort as if they suspected that they are on borrowed time. We, the audience, had much more than our money's worth. Just a nagging regret that Christine McVie wasn't around with her old mates.

Return to the Capital

2009-10-23T19:34:00.004+01:00

Running has taken a bit of a back seat this week. However, what I have run I have run well. There's a nice enough 4-mile loop from the Club, coming back along the last stretch of my old friend the Outer Ring.

Last night I was trotting along very well when I caught up with the slowest of a group who were out in front. It transpired from the lady in question that they were from Waterford AC and were out for a 5-miler out and back to the Regional Sports Centre - this being where both Waterford and Ferrybank train. We had a nice chat, and I wondered why one or two of her clubmates could not maybe double back to the slower ones in the group occasionally - maybe show a bit of bonding. But as we neared Ardkeen I bade my farewell and showed my new pal a clean pair of heels. Not often I'm able to say that.

My forced monastic lifestyle is undoubtedly resulting in weight loss, though I never actually weigh myself. As long as I keep eating sufficiently and properly this might show up in my running performances, which have drifted between good and dreadful this year.

But it's the long weekend! After a morning stint at the Club I'm up the road to the O2 to see Fleetwood Mac tomorrow night, accompanied by my old and dear pal Deirdre from Cork City. I absolutely can't wait.

Cobwebs

2009-10-18T13:34:00.001+01:00

That blew the cobwebs away. Waterford dawned rather chillier and damper than of late. I plodded up through the old town, Lady Lane and Patrick Street to Ballybricken Green, scene of last night's revelries. On along Gracedieu Road and left onto Knockhouse Road, climbing gradually all the time. John Rawling on Fighting Talk in unbeatable form as usual - it's no contest when this bloke is on and he actually seems to enjoy the winning whereas most of the panellists are just happy with the knockabout of the show.

Onto the Outer Ring which is now becoming familiar. The early climbs have sorted out a little leg stiffness left over from the fast tready sessions earlier in the week. If I was in specific training mode I'd probably slip in some faster miles but today I remain in lazy mode and I'm happy enough just to progress along well within my comfort zone. Waterford is a quiet place of a Sunday and even along the dual carriageway it's a peaceful run. As I'm comfortable I decide to put in an extra few miles. Turning right I run towards Knockboy Village. I remember years ago that the properties down this way were new, bleak and somewhat isolated from Waterford proper. They now form a rather select suburb well served by new roads. A left at the village school and a nice drop down to the Dunmore Road with the river forming a pretty backdrop. Finally turning towards town and past Ardkeen and the Hospital into familiar territory. By now there are race marshals everywhere - there's apparently a Race For Life on today though I've not noticed any build up to it.

Back home in 2:18 and 13.4 miles for 25.2 miles on the week. And 860.9 for the year so far. This leaves me still on target for 1,000 miles for 2009. There is a mega-thread on Boards.ie where people are logging their miles up to 1,000. Bazman completed his 1,000 on 29th March and is probably on his fourth 1,000 by now. A further 33 runners have also reached this mark and currently I am in 40th place.

Raving Fan

2009-10-17T22:38:00.004+01:00

Late in life I'm being convinced of the desirability of winning Raving Fans if you're in the business of attracting paying customers. This is an ethos within Energie Fitness where we try to go the extra mile and exceed expectation.

Tonight I set off on a little bar crawl around Waterford, which ultimately consisted of just two pubs. Both had been recommended to me by one of my fitness club trainers.

First up was Katty Barry's, about three minutes stroll from my flat. What a gem - a real blokey pub with a darts board, open fire, discrete juke box, sport on the telly, a cheap (€3.95) pint and regular OK guys sat up at the bar. No frills, just a straightforward Irish boozer, very much in the country tradition.

Then a climb up to Alfie Hale's on Ballybricken Green. This may be where I want to spend the rest of my days. On entering, the bar is warm and welcoming. It is (as are many Irish bars) much bigger than would appear from the exterior. Subdued lighting, dark furniture and fittings, it nevertheless is obvious that the proprietor has tricked it out at some expense. Everything about it is quality, but at once giving a relaxing ambience.

I order my pint and a packet of Dry Roasted Nuts. The little barmaid says she'll check in the back for the Dry Roasted but I say Salted will be fine. Five minutes later a complimentary packet of Dry Roasted is plonked on my table. The walls of this first section of the bar are covered with classy black-and-white photos of film stars - Judy Garland, Shirley Temple, James Stewart, John Wayne, Micky Rooney and dozens of others. There is seating suitable for both large groups and lone drinkers in this well-designed bar. The gents is uber-hygienic and fresh-smelling and has framed posters publicising long-ago films. The far end of the bar is devoted to sporting photos and memorabilia, harking back to Alfie's professional soccer playing days.

As I leave the place is filling up - I'm not surprised.

Put me down as a Raving Fan.

Set your sights high

2009-10-16T23:17:00.002+01:00

These 69-hour weeks are proving interesting. One consequence is that - to get any running at all in, I've been heading for the treadmill at 8pm when my fitness club closes. The last two evenings I've bashed out four miles in 30 minutes, with the tready on a 2% incline. Which to me is a rate of knots I can tell you.

Maybe this is the forced opportunity I need to get my legs turning over and get back to something like the form I am capable of on my good days. But my lifestyle change has had other effects. Gone are the lazy office days with coffee and sandwiches at lunchtime and pints and/or a bottle of wine in the evening - not always but reasonably often. Now it's a cereal breakfast, a natural juice and something healthy to eat in mid-afternoon, and simple carbs (pasta, spuds, veg etc) in the evening. Though there are a couple of nice takeaways nearby so I occasionally falter.

Weirdest of all are my dream patterns. I've always had odd dreams but...last night I reached the Olympic 400m final! I had easy draws into the final. There I was due to run against Asafa Powell (yes I know) and others. I harboured some optimism in that I would have home crowd support on my side (I guess the Olympics were in Ireland) though I still figured that a medal might be out of reach.

Fortunately, I suppose, I woke up before the race.

Never Too Old to Learn

2009-10-11T13:11:00.002+01:00

Being your own boss is great. Arrive at Energie Fitness for Women, Dunmore Road at 7am on my first day (Friday). Leave at 8pm having seemingly accomplished little apart from meeting and greeting the members, curious about the new guy who has taken over from Sandra. Chaos on Saturday morning as my trainer Kersty calls in sick leaving me to cope. I can't get the music machine to go; I can't open the windows; the man arrives with my two new cardio machines; a prospective member arrives for her 9am appointment with Kersty and I wing the paperwork and club tour, pretending I've been doing this for ever. Close the club at 1pm and spend an hour hoovering and wiping down machines and places where dirt and dust has been quietly accumulating. And get the feeling that again I've done little but fire fight. But there's a new week and much better things ahead.

Today (Sunday) dawns and I need to run. Not feeling particularly up for it after last night. I met my old friends Dave & Eleanor at the Three Shippes and shipped many pints of Guinness. The place goes mad as St Ledger puts Ireland 2-1 up against Italy in the 87th minute, only for familiar gloom to descend as the visitors nick an equaliser after sloppy defending. It's gone midnight as I lurch home. I decide to replicate last Sunday's run anti-clockwise around the city. The first three miles are gradually uphill but as I hit the ring road my running settles down. Today I make a special effort with my 'form', making a conscious effort to run taller, to land on the front part of my feet and to lift straight up off the ground rather than toe-off. Strangely I find that I have no trouble landing on my right forefoot but the best I can do consistently with my left is flatfoot. As to the 'lean forward from the ankles' promoted by Chi, Pose and Alexandre teachers, I can't get that. I don't think my core is strong enough.

Whatever, I spin along the ring road nicely enough and, whether or not it's all in the mind, I do feel as if I'm running more easily and efficiently today. Back into town a good few minutes quicker than last Sunday as well. My problem now is going to be finding time for running in the week. In the short term at least I will be working 13-hour days. I will possibly be starting a little running club out of Energie Fitness so that will give me some miles, though maybe not of the quality that I would want. We'll see.

And a shout out for the new Fighting Talk series, every bit as good as ever. And in Phedippidations #208 Steve made a good, intelligent programme about the remarkable similarities between the people of all nations. He and other podcasters are promoting the Worldwide Festival of Races to celebrate the running brotherhood while simultaneously ripping the piss out of the Nike's appalling and self-promoting Human Race.

Checking out the roads

2009-10-06T14:41:00.002+01:00

The best part of 11 miles on Sunday, following the outer ring road. Heading anti-clockwise I avoided the deathtrap for pedestrians that is Grattan Quay/Bilberry Road and instead climbed up to Ballybricken Green and out along Gracedieu Road, turning left along Knockhouse Road. As this road doesn't go anywhere much it was quiet and by far the nicest part of my run.

But soon enough you have to come out onto the Old Kilmeaden Road and then turn east along the outer ring. This is effectively the city bypass with frequent roundabouts at which you can either turn in towards town or turn right and head off to Tramore and points beyond. Although primarily a fast dual carriageway to hurry along the traffic it is good to see that ample provision has been made along its length for walkers, runners, cyclists etc. A good, wide surface with plenty of separation from the traffic.

Not my best run ever but I plodded on steadily until I hit the Dunmore Road which, hanging a left, took me back to town in just shy of two hours - my first Waterford LSR.

This morning we had rain for the first time in weeks, and plenty of it. I decided on a four-miler but stepping up the pace on miles two and four. This time I headed straight up the busy Cork Road, past Waterford Crystal and WIT. Actually not too bad for running though you need to be careful at the many road junctions. My Garmin showed my 'tempo' miles at 9.16 and 8.49 which, recalling how I struggled to hold back my cruising pace to 8.45 at Connemara in the spring, just shows how much I need to work on speed.

Last Day at Crusaders

2009-10-03T18:12:00.003+01:00

With Rosin McGuill, Clodagh Ferry, Laura Ferry, Niamh Ferry, Grainne McGuill, Alix Hughes and Lorna Groves

Waterford - Early Days

2009-10-03T17:49:00.001+01:00

So here I am in the sunny south-east. During brief visits in years gone by I've always considered Waterford as a bit of a grim, grey place. With Waterford Crystal the only reason to visit, why would anyone bother now that production has ceased leaving only the Visitors' Centre?

How wrong I was. I'm loving it after only a few short days. I'm holed up in the old part of the city at the east end of the quays. I can almost reach out and touch the old city walls. I am two doors away from The Munster, an historical old bar with tons of character. Though my first few pints have been in a basic, friendly place on the quays (Jordan's) that shows the footy. The town is much more like the Ireland I know and love. You try in vain to buy a coffee before 8am and after 6pm the town centre is virtually deserted. But in between times it is a bustling little place with modernity (John Roberts Square) muscling in alongside the older town. There is a definite lack of the big-name retailers with a pleasant emphasis on the smaller shop which enables the town to retain its character. Plenty of nice-looking restaurants await exploring in due course.

Up a bit of a hill just above the town there is a gem of a village green, Ballybricken, which served as a market place in former times. On one side I spot Alfie Hale's Bar. Alfie Hale was a former soccer professional and often featured in those collections of footballer cards that you got way back then. I will no doubt be checking this place out in due course and also the sports shop of the same name downtown.

My first runs have been along the quay and over The Bridge. There is no mistaking The Bridge, unlike in Dublin where you might be referring to any one of 20-plus. With all traffic from east and north-east to south being funnelled through here it is a very busy affair as well. Once across to the Ferrybank side of the River Suir I turn right to face the heavy goods traffic either barrelling or crawling down towards The Bridge, depending on the time of day. Fortunately it is then possible to hang a right and get off down a comparatively quiet road towards the quaintly named district of Christendom. A 4-miler and a 5-miler so far with a longer one planned for tomorrow (Sunday).

And then next week the final in-house training and preparation prior to me stepping into my gym on Friday, my first day as owner.

Finishing on a good note

2009-09-27T16:03:00.001+01:00

With all the travelling and general disruption my running has been non-existent this week. This morning, my last day in Dublin, I was disinclined once again to lace up my runners. Eventually I told myself that I'd just trot down to Ringsend to deliver something, and after that I'd see. So without firing up the Garmin amd iPod I set off for my last Dublin run on yet another gorgeous morning.

At Ringsend I felt good and decided to press on for a bit. And rather than follow my familiar route along Sandymount Strand I took a dogleg inland and picked up Tritonville Road and Merrion Road. Busy roads usually but nice and peaceful early-ish on a Sunday. The district of Merrion is typical D4 country - nice big properties within a 20-30 minute walk of Dublin city centre. And a pleasant diversion it was until I eventually picked up the coast again at the level crossing between Sydney Parade and Booterstown. Once at that point I decided to continue on to the far end of Blackrock Park.

This was turning in to one of those rare, enjoyable runs where the legs and body feel under no stress and the mind can drift away. This morning I found myself, inevitably, thinking about the days and weeks to come in my new business venture. I am taking over ownership of a gym - part of a franchise, in Waterford. This represents a considered risk for me and, though I fully expect to make a success of it, the downside of the risk is pretty scary. Especially in the first, vital few weeks I will be depending on my running to act as a de-stressor.

Touching the barrier at the station end of Blackrock Park I turned for home and this time turned onto the sand for the last time. Up along the strand, through Sean Moore Park, along Pigeon House Road, over the East Link. Picking my heels up along the north quay I actually felt like a proper runner for the first time in a while. Over the Sean O'Casey footbridge and home in 1:53 for, let's say, 10 miles. A great last memory of my running in Dublin.

So I'm packed, the hire car sits outside waiting to go. Tomorrow morning I hit the road for Waterford. I'll catch up with this blog once I'm all wired up down the country. Up the Deise!

Irish Pubs

2009-09-25T09:48:00.004+01:00

One of the joys of Ireland is their pubs. I confess here and now that I have a weakness for pubs and I have to ruthlessly ration my visits on the grounds of health and expense. Not all pubs though - there are those whose doorsteps I darken only at the point of a gun, or under duress because of a leaving party or suchlike. But show me a good pub and I am in my element.

In Britain and the Channel Islands it is getting more and more difficult to seek out a good pub. Times past each community, urban or rural, had a good selection of bars. These all had their own character, and variety. Many were urban 'locals' catering for the working man, others were larger roadhouses with a passing trade and perhaps offering food. The gems were often to be found in rural villages. Fast forward to 2009 and so many are gone and continue to go. With de-industrialisation and changing lifestyles many of the smaller 'locals' have disappeared. Others have been gutted and opened up to cater for a younger crowd and boast loud music and large screens for the football - the 'superpub'. The large roadhouses, where they remain, have become 'community' pubs or semi-restaurants. The rural pubs are fast disappearing where they are not able to reinvent themselves in the face of draconian drink-driving laws. Yes a good pub can still be found but it is getting harder. But strangely the variety of beers and ales on offer has never been wider.

Irish pubs have always been different and intriguing. They all used to be dark and smoky, nooks and crannies. Often a bar was run in conjunction with another business, especially in the smaller towns. There were many of them strung along a town street and they sold red lemonade! They were inhabited by men dressed in dark clothing and flat caps who smoked and who often used to offer the small boy with his Dad a sixpence. Late at night the outer doors might be closed and the lights dimmed - perhaps the clientele were moved to a back room. This was the 'lock-in', and the Guards would know full well what was going on but would turn a blind eye. Often, and for no apparent reason, some old fella in the corner would start crooning a traditional song or playing a mouth organ. And maybe others would join in.

Times of course move on, but in Ireland they move more slowly. There are less pubs around, but a huge amount thankfully remain. They have had to smarten up thanks to modern health, safety and hygiene regulations. The smoking ban has removed much of the element of intrigue that bars once held. Women are comfortable in these surroundings and no one turns a hair. What has remained in many instances is the dark wood of the furniture and fittings, the nooks and crannies and the quality of the pint that is served in the slow, time-honoured way.

In the capital things are rather different of course. The Celtic Tiger led to a hug rise in the superpub where the newly affluent cared nothing for the ripoff prices. The Cafe En Seine in Dawson Street is typical and is the sort of place you couldn't drag me in kicking and screaming. Temple Bar is the nightlife capital of Dublin with its bars catering for the young and for the tourist. A place to be avoided by night unless you are in the same stupid, singing, vomiting state as everyone else.

There are also some great old historical bars. On Baggot Street there are Toner's, O'Donohue's, Doheny & Nesbit etc. Fabulous places, all part of the history and fabric of old Dublin. But now they have a newly-acquired cult status and are to be avoided unless you like mayhem with your pint.

But look just outside the city centre and there are some gems, and many good, solid boozers. I am a creature of habit and when I find somewhere I feel comfortable with a good pint where I can read a paper or Athletics Weekly I am happy. In my early days in Dublin on the northside I often frequented Kavanagh's or Findlater's on Dorset Street. On moving south of the river I looked forward to my Sunday evenings at Mulligan's - another historical, unspoit bar just far enough off the beaten track to be usually quiet. Unfortunately for me, it becomes a haven for GAA fans on summer Sunday evenings after big matches at Croker. In Ringsend I have shared my favours equally between the excellent Oarsman and Yacht. The latter is a haven for locals and it is rare to see a visitor or a young wan. It's like walking into someone's living room and the barstaff insist on delivering your pint to your table. I'll miss the place and its genial regulars though I rarely spoke to any of them. My final pint in Dublin will probably be at Doolan's in Hogan Place - a forbidding-looking place from the outside but a friendly local inside with a good pint and a cosy back bar away from the main bustle.

And now in Waterford I've found a flat two doors away from The Munster, a 100-year old bar hard by the old city wall. I think I've already died and gone to Heaven.

Full Circles and Green, Gold and Red Trams

2009-09-20T17:06:00.003+01:00

It was at a misty Phoenix Park in late 2008 that our young Crusaders made their debut, in the Dublin Cross Country League. There were raised eyebrows at the appearance of this 'new' club - indeed Crusaders had only operated meaningfully at senior level since their formation in 1942. Twelve months later here we were again this morning, with a few of the original athletes and some newer faces. Again it was no surprise that the specialist running clubs (DSD, Rathfarnham, MSB, Celtics etc) led the way. Our best placing was Kevin Woods - 5th in the U14s, but it was enough for me to see our kids out there doing their best for the white and red singlet. The youngest of the Ferry girls, Laura, just seven years old, insisted on running in the U10 race and we were all proud of her.

So on they'll go to Newbridge House for the next match next Sunday, though without me I think. On probably my last Sunday in the capital I set off on foot up the Royal Canal to the Ashtown entrance of Phoenix Park. It turned out to be a bad run but, with no targets or races in mind, I deternined to enjoy my walk/jog in the late summer sun. It is All-Ireland footy final day and, even at just gone nine in the morning there are plenty of Cork and Kerry fans about and the street vendors of flags and favours are open for business at Drumcondra. The canal runs under Croke Park which, during its reconstruction, had to buy the 'air rights' above the canal and railway to extend the stadium outwards beyond the footprint of the ground itself. Past the Brendan Behan sculpture and on to Phibsboro and beyond, Mountjoy Gaol over to the left. Through the pretty grim suburb of Cabra and on to the yuppier Ashtown. Though many pretensions to yuppiedom have been dashed over the last couple of years or so. The oft-repeated expression here is that 'we lost the run of ourselves'. There is an admittance that even the ordinary man and woman in the street bought into the improbable Celtic Tiger and they accept their share of the blame, together with the bankers and politicians who built the house of cards.

So after the last of the races over by the Magazine Fort I headed for the shortest way back to town via the Parkgate Street entrance. Had the Heuston Luas stop been quiet I'd have jumped on the tram back to Connolly. But, as I had somehow expected, it was mad with football supporters off the trains looking to get to Croker. So, with kick-off still a couple of hours away I sighed and shuffled off townwards. Grabbing a Coke on the way I watched out for the townbound Luas with interest. Now the Luas (from the Irish word for 'speed') is a tram on which you can board without formality. And without a ticket, as many do. Ticket inspections are infrequent and easily avoided so there are plenty of the population that treat it as a free service. Here it came, and what a sight! Packed, rammed to the limit with the green and gold of Kerry and the red and white of Cork. Contorted limbs, faces. People sitting on each others laps, squeezed into every inch of available space. The faces of a few bewildered Sunday shoppers in there wondering what new Hell this was. And still more people would somehow squash on at the various stops! Truly the Luas makes the Black Hole of Calcutta look like a luxury hospitality lounge.

Tracking the groaning Luas I arrived in town and Abbey Street where the bars were overflowing with Cork supporters having a scoop or two before making their way over to Croker. And as always with GAA (as with rugby) supporters of opposing sides bear no ill will to each other and the banter flows between them without the slightest animosity. Today however the Kerry lads and lasses must have been drinking elsewhere.

But sadly Kerry still hold the Indian sign over Cork at Croker - they'll be dancing in the streets of Killarney tonight.

Farewell to Crusaders

2009-09-13T15:20:00.002+01:00

Well I half-expected some sort of surprise prior to my departure from Crusaders. I didn't expect it quite so soon though. At the end of the regular session yesterday morning my javelin group for the morning wandered off for what I assumed was to form teams for the usual 4 x 100m relay. It seemed to be taking some time but I wasn't taking any particular notice, when Jim O'Neill came over to me and ushered me towards the large group of young athletes, parents and coaches. And the penny dropped.

A very nice speech from Moira and I was presented with a bottle of wine (already gone, very nice) and a bottle of champagne (to await a special occasion). And much more importantly a card signed by everyone - and there are some beautiful comments there. And finally a photo montage of our young Crusaders taken over the last 12 months since we started up. I'll keep and treasure these things.

Caught somewhat on the hop I'm sure my speech contained all the wrong things and none of the right things. But I'll wrap up my thoughts properly in a couple of weeks once I've gone. And then it was back to the throwers on an idyllic Dublin day and it was gone 1pm when we finally packed up. That's where I really like to be, out amongst the young athletes helping them to improve where I can.

As Moya said afterwards, the new youngsters must think Crusaders is a great place - sunshine all the way and a party with crisps and pop afterwards!

This morning I plodded 13.7 miles down along Dublin Bay on another sunny day, for 30.9 on the week. Slow as usual though, 2:24. I'd have struggled to break two hours in Blarney today even in race mode, and my PB of 1:50 is far away right now.

A dagger through all Birmingham City fans' hearts this lunchtime as the Villa nab the winner in the 85th minute. But the Rebelettes are edging Kilkenny at half-time in the camogie and five-in-a-row might cheer me up slightly.

Doggy Encounter

2009-09-10T18:05:00.000+01:00

A slightly alarming encounter today on sunny Sandymount beach. Inevitably the sand was full of dogs and their owners. Now I’m far from a dog lover but I have to say that I’ve never had a problem with them in Ireland.

So there I was, plodding sweatily along southwards. A greyhound/whippet type raced in my general direction – not directly towards me in any sort of dog attack. Even I know that a whippet can tell a runner from a stuffed rabbit. But then the stupid mutt swerved across me and bash! Into my left knee. It was some collision and it felt like I’d done its nose some real damage. And off it flew down the beach, howling in fright or pain or both. Then mercifully it stopped and turned around, so I guess that maybe it wasn’t as bad as I feared.

Then along came the woman who admitted to being the owner. I was obviously the baddy in all this. I was either going to have a go at her for not having control of her dog, or else she thought I’d kicked the thing. (I’ve often been tempted but would never actually do it). However I was only concerned with the dog, and I suggested a vet might be required. Not seeming too concerned it has to be said, she coolly went off to examine the dog.

There was no sign of either a few minutes later as I headed home. I hope the dog was OK.

Running From The Reaper

2009-09-08T15:54:00.002+01:00

Most of us keep a running diary. I keep two, both very simple. Buckeye Outdoors is a site where you can, if you are so inclined, record just about everything about yourself and a lot more besides. I content myself with popping in my daily distance and time. Though I am also in intermittent message contact with a housewife from Fort Lauderdale!

I also maintain a simple pocket diary where I total my miles by week and year. I'm also now keeping track of miles run in my current shoes. I don't go into further detail, with one exception. If I have a bad run - I mean a shocker where my body refuses to go anywhere, I draw an unsmiley face. Last week I had three unsmiley faces in a row. This is bad and, as I have written before, without any explanation that I can decipher. However a steady 13.7 miles on Sunday was a relief and enabled me to draw a rare smiley instead, and this was followed with a comfortable 6.6 miler earlier today.

But all in all I've decided I'm not in good shape to turn up at Blarney this weekend, though I received my race number (154) today. Even if I were to run comfortably I've done very little by way of tempo or speedwork in the last few months. I don't really want to be struggling in beyond the two-hour mark when I know I am capable of much better.

Yesterday I revisited Prospect (Glasnevin) Cemetery where many of Ireland's revolutionaries, writers and assorted notables are buried, along with the general hoi polloi. It is a vast place and I would have done well to purchase a guide. However I do enjoy just wandering in cemeteries (weird) so that's what I did. At the main entrance you are confronted by the O'Connell monument, a tribute to The Liberator, Daniel O'Connell. This is the cemetery's set piece and around it are set the tombs of many important people. You nearly trip over that of Roger Casement, one of Ireland's many martyrs for freedom. He is further immortalised in song in Lonely Banna Strand. A couple of years ago I was driving near to Banna in North Kerry and decided to detour down to the famed Strand. Instead I spent an interesting half-hour watching efforts to clear an articulated lorry which had ended up across the narrow road having made an unwise attempt to turn around using the grass verges. After the tractor had snapped the second tow rope I decided I had to leave Banna Strand for another day.

Hopes of a peaceful wander through Glasnevin were rather thwarted, as they had been on my previous visit, by building and digging activity, vehicles etc. Well-meaning efforts are being made to restore many of the older headstones, and there is arising what might be a Visitors' Centre. The contractors seem to me to have a job for the forseeable future. The peace of the place is being jarred in the meantime, not least by the self-satisfied blue and white 'Monument Restored' signs hung around hundreds of headstones. Why the heck must they do that?

In strategic positions around the perimeter walls are sited watchtowers. These were erected to thwart body-snatchers who would sell on their grisly goods to medical schools. With extreme black humour, within a very few years of their completion the Great Famine was upon Ireland rendering the body-snatching profession redundant for ever.

Unutterably sad is the lawned garden under which they say some fifty thousand babies are buried - those stillborn, very young or abandoned or unidentified. This spot is a social comment on the appalling conditions prevalent in Dublin City in the 19th century and the unregulated breeding in Catholic Ireland at that time which produced a population incapable of feeding itself during the Famine years, never mind the ignorance and neglect of those in London that could have acted to alleviate the position. Indeed one of my morbid fascinations in reading old gravestones is the frequency of children pre-deceasing their parents. Death is sad though so much sadder when one's child goes.

In more modern times the practice has arisen of popping a photo of the deceased on a headstone. I'm not sure if I approve. Over in the newer, western section are interesting parts such as one devoted to members of Dublin's Italian community.

So hopefully I'll return to Glasnevin one day when the builders have departed.

Forty Foot

2009-09-03T23:08:00.001+01:00

Into tourist mode now and off to find the Forty Foot. This is a 'gentleman's bathing place' at Sandycove, at the southern end of Dun Laoghaire. It has a long history indeed but has been embedded in the fabric of Dublin life via the James Joyce classic Ulysses. (I must get round to tackling that again, it's been many years since I read it).

I have plodded by there a few times, but to find it you need to abandon the streets and hug the sea wall. Just before you arrive there you pass a couple of child-friendly beaches the size of a postage stamp. Indeed the beaches on Ireland's east coast are - as far as I've seen, pretty poor as regards family outing material. By far the best beaches are the deserted ones on the west coast. Inch Strand springs to mind. It's just as well the Irish climate has never encouraged a beach-going culture. Indeed the odd (very odd) hot summer's day just encourages the white-skinned natives to throw caution to the winds and lie in the sun for hours, necessitating a week's painful recuperation with AfterSun at best, or a trip to A&E at worst.

But I digress. One soon arrives at the Forty Foot. It is a rocky inlet with steps cut to give access to a deep-looking Irish Sea. Child friendly it is not. Although it is sheltered from the prevailing winds there was a swell running, and a child might easily end up dashed against the rocks. There appears to be however a more calm pool area away to the right that might be OK.

On the way down to the steps are al fresco changing areas. Until fairly recently the Forty Foot was gentlemen only. In fact it became gentlemen-with-no-togs only! But apparently those damn women's libbers in the 1970s invaded the place, since when it has become a mixed bathing place. Today there were a dozen or so hardy souls of mixed gender taking the waters. (Well, one was a wimp who had to be pushed in so that the others on the steps could enter). With one or two old-looking signs up, it was a scene that cannot have altered that much in 250 years or so.

So, glad that I'd ticked that box, I headed around the corner to the James Joyce Museum. To be greeted by a notice that said the museum had 'closed for the season' on 31 August. Words fail me - even Jersey's beach concessions remain open thru September, with most historical attractions being open all year round.

Whatever, I was cheered up by a fabulous pannini and coffee at Poppies on Upper Georges Street before heading back to town.

HTFU...?

2009-08-30T12:40:00.000+01:00

Well that was good. My 'test' run back to town from Howth ended at Sutton DART station after an appalling few miles around Howth peninsula. After struggling up the hill from the harbour I reckoned I'd find a rhythm coming off the summit. But it went from bad to worse and I simply couldn't continue.

I'm neither proud about that, nor embarrassed. I've had too many runs like it where my body just won't respond. For example, both my marathon starts in Cork in 2007 and 2008 where I bailed out at around halfway. A lot of runners would say that I ought to 'man up' or 'HTFU' - a great triathlon acronym that I've recently come across! But in Cork, wouldn't you think that I would have battled on if I could have? Especially on the second occasion where I was distraught to realise I was failing for the second consecutive time. The tank was simply empty.

Conversley, it was a year ago today that I completed my one and only marathon in Longford. On that occasion my body gave the thumbs-up and I completed the 26.2 miles without a single walk break. However much I've tried to analyse the peaks and troughs of my running I've come to no conclusions as to why I can float along some days - seven days ago for example, and why the handbrake stays firmly on like it did today. What I'm not going to do is struggle on when my body is not responding at all. This is a different scenario from battling fatigue where you expect it to occur - during track sessions, tempo efforts, during the latter miles of long runs. If it is clear from early on that there's nothing there then I'm not going to fight it.

So unless I have a really good week then I can't see me toeing the line in Blarney on 12 September.

Final weeks in Baile Atha Cliath

2009-08-29T20:51:00.001+01:00

The die is cast. I have struck a deal to buy a gym business down the country. I'll not go into further details until the legals and financing are all tied up. But - assuming these all go through properly, then there's no turning back. 37 years as a working accountant, now a leisure business proprietor!

Which means of course I'll be leaving Baile Atha Cliath within the next few weeks, or sooner. Will I miss living in the capital? Not really. When I came to Ireland I knew that the work was to be found in the capital otherwise I'd have headed for Cork or Kerry. All my life I'd only really passed through Dublin and the little time I'd spent here did not really impress me. At least I've now lived here for the guts of two years and have got to know the city a bit. I've been happy enough knocking around the place and I've found the natives friendly and welcoming - of this I never had any doubt anyway. The city has many rough edges of course. Initially the sheer number of non-nationals now living in Dublin surprised me - it is a very cosmopolitan place these days. I've also been surprised by the overt begging that goes on, often as an occupation though sometimes by those genuinely troubled. Dublin city centre has a major problem with junkies, alkies and general scumbags. However I have to say that these have hardly affected me at all. At the most worrying end of things are the drug gangs for whom life is cheap, but again you would need to be very unlucky if you were to be caught up in all of that.

I've enjoyed pub life and the Guinness, and will no doubt continue to do this in the future! Dublin's historic streets, buildings, parks and canals are full of character and I've enjoyed mooching around exploring these. I've got to know some parts very well indeed via my running, particular the Royal Canal, the Phoenix Park, Docklands and Dublin Bay.

I'm going to make a point of seeing a few places that have escaped me, before I leave. These include the Iveagh Gardens, the Forty Foot at Sandycove, the Botanic Gardens. I also want to pay another visit to Glasnevin Cemetery.

But no, I won't miss Dublin and I won't look back. But I am truly dreading leaving the crowd at Crusaders who have made me so welcome over the past year or so. I can't believe this is happening again so soon after my very emotional parting from Jersey Spartan AC. But these things happen and I hope I can still nip up and take the occasional Saturday session in the future.

Is Nike Evil?

2009-08-26T17:01:00.002+01:00

Yow. My legs have reacted badly to my long run on Sunday, and what was probably an unwise long walk on Monday. On Tuesday I did no more than walk/jog a 4-mile circuit and, whilst today was better than that, it was still a bit of a painful affair. It all goes to show how poorly conditioned I am really. Once my working life settles down again I'm going to consider how I might incorporate some of those things I coach every winter (weights, plyometrics, circuits etc) into my running schedule.

I've been listening to Steve Chopper's 'A Mile With Me' podcast recently, the four most recent episodes. Steve is based on the English south coast and produces a show that, although less polished and produced than Phedippidations, nevertheless has its merits. Steve has an interest in local history, a subject that always grabs my attention. He has recently covered industrial construction history in the Potteries, as well as an excellent portrayal of the wartime glider raid to capture Pegasus Bridge, via an ultra run to commemorate the event. Less successful was a well-intentioned run out to Stonehenge to witness the summer solstice, only to impose on us too many minutes of typical English revelry which can only take place with the assistance of cheap lager and whatever choice of drug is de rigeur these days. If I want to listen to garbled drivel I can open my apartment window any night of the week after the pubs shut. Nevertheless I'll be continuing to tune in as I'm sure there will be better to come.

And Steve Runner has now decided to take on Nike. He says that he pondered for a long time whether or not to include the Nike Is Evil piece but, in the end, he went for it with all guns blazing. The cause of his ire of course is of course far Eastern sweatshops where workers earn something stupid like USD2.50 per day, barely enough to keep them alive, while the Nike Corporation report profits in the billions. Tiger Woods endorses Nike products for annual sums in the many, many millions. This crusade has been led for a number of years by Jim Keady in the US. Now. I'm too old to accept only one side of an argument and I'm sure Nike have plenty of answers. But if you are interested in the whole subject a good place to start is by watching the video Behind The Swoosh that you can find at www.teamsweat.org

Down at Irishtown the young athletes are starting to drift back after the school holidays. And in a flippin' holiday mood they still are with the sloppiest set of drills imaginable last night. However this is always the case at any club and once they get a bit of hard work under their belts they will be sharp again. I hesitate to call it winter training when it's still August but the athletes now need to get fit for cross country. We started late last year but this time they will be fine for the first of the competitions.

And the gang were back from the World Championships with tales of Berlino the Bear as well as all the top-class athletics they had seen. The atmosphere in the stadium was, apparently, wonderful. And I got a little present as well. If, as seems likely, I leave Crusaders shortly it will hurt a great deal.

World T&F Champs - 3

2009-08-24T17:18:00.001+01:00

Well, Gilly gave it a good shot and went off fast before fading to 6th in the home straight. Never mind, he is in good shape and Ireland will be hoping that he brings home a medal in the Euros next year.

In fact it was an improved Worlds performance all round for the Irish. They finished 11th European nation on the placings table compared with 26th last time round. There is plenty that is wrong with the athletics setup here but plenty that is right too.

As for the Brits the bonus medal came from Lisa Dobriskey in the 1500m, a bronze upgraded to silver after a DQ. Then the relay boys did the business - a well-worked sprint bronze, albeit in the absence of the USA. Then an excellent silver in the 4 x 400m behind the USA having struggled a bit in the semis.

Of course there were many other highlights during a fantastic week of athletics and I was able to watch a good deal of it. The field events provided much excitement, not always the case. The men's shot early in proceedings set the tone, and it helped that the home crowd had plenty to cheer about. The Beeb's coverage was excellent and indeed Irish viewers had to rely on this or Eurosport. The national broadcaster RTE is essentially bust and, to much indignation, could not see its way to even showing a highlights programme.

I had a juggling act to do yesterday as the Cork v Tyrone senior football semi-final clashed with the athletics, but I managed to access the latter via the 'Net. And what a result as Cork, a man short from midway through the first half, held off the All-Ireland champions. But they were incredibly fortunate not to lose a second as Miskella, in full view of the cameras, felled his marker with a cowardly punch from behind. Whatever the umpire told the ref it resulted only in a yellow. But how do Gaelic footy players, knowing that it will be picked up 95% of the time, persist in off-the-ball assaults? It's a mystery to me and should certainly have cost Cork the match yesterday.

Finally, well done to Channel Islands AC men in avoiding relegation from Div 4 of the British Athletics League. That's two years survived in the BAL now. It would be an easy matter if they were to get their full team out regularly, but that is rarely possible.

Ian Hunter - Man Overboard

2009-08-23T18:42:00.001+01:00

A gentle 13.7 miles today in 2h 30m. Still with lingering doubts over my ability to run for any length of time it was slow but satisfying. Now, over the next couple of weeks, I need to add some up-tempo work to ensure that I'm going to start the Blarney Half with a bit more speed in my legs than I've showed recently.

A curious incident occurred as I made my way back down Pigeon House Road, about 11 miles in. I was running on the road as it was a better option at that point than the rutted pavement. A cyclist, a slow fat one, approached and I moved in to run between the double yellow lines to allow him the right of way. To my astonishment, instead of moving out into the otherwise empty road he lined up his bike along the yellow lines. He was not going to change direction and I had to hop onto the pavement at the very last moment to avoid an RTA. And as the fat twonk continued on his way no amount of shouted insults or waved arms was going to make him turn around, never mind return to face the music.

Ian Hunter would have made a song about it. It is 35 years since Hunter fronted Mott the Hoople, during which time he has remained plying his trade as a singer/songwriter. Even in his youthful days he refused to compromise his principles (that good ol' rock 'n roll phrase) and at no time has he put popularity and fame ahead of the way he wants to produce his music. He connects regularly with his many fans by answering emails via his website.

At the age of 70 he has produced another excellent album, 'Man Overboard'. The voice is struggling, but he never exactly had a voice like a skylark in the first place. Here he has generally slowed the pace and sings some heartfelt, meaningful but often humorous songs. In the humorous category is the opening upbeat number The Great Escape.

When you gotta get away you gotta get away
When you gotta get away it's true
When you gotta get away you gotta get away
Especially when the other guy's bigger than you

Girl From The Office is a wry and funny ditty reflecting on young love (lust) that we have all experienced in our working lives.

What's she like, what's she like, what's she like, what's she like
Everbody says
What's she like, what's she like, what's she like, what's she like
What's she like in bed

Hunter has been married to Trudi for many more years than is fashionable for a rock 'n roll star. Over the years he has dedicated several songs to her, a couple of albums back the sublime Knees of my Heart. Here he continues the practice with These Feelings, which celebrates what Van Morrison might call 'warm love'.

The final track is Hunter's take on an old Red Indian legend River of Tears. A simple enough story and narration but surprisingly moving for anyone blessed with a daughter. There again I think I'm the only male alive that gets teary-eyed seeing the balloon fly off without Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz so she can't go back to Kansas.

Go to iTunes or click on the title line for the website link - do yourself a favour and buy this album.

Crossroads

2009-08-21T13:47:00.000+01:00

Having done little or no running for a week I did a tentative and slow 6.6 miles this morning. But however tentative it was a mighty relief that I was able to complete the run after a bit of a scare on Tuesday. The next couple of weeks will tell me whether or not I have a chance of lining up for the Blarney Half Marathon on 12th September. Like Paula Radcliffe I'm not turning out if I think I can't do myself justice.

So here I am at a crossroads - not in my running but in my working life. I am a 56-year old chartered accountant and finished up my previous contract at the end of July. Job offers are not exactly flooding in, though I suppose I'd pick up something in due course. But I have an opportunity to buy into a fitness/leisure franchise and therefore be able to combine my business skills with my love and passion for sport and fitness generally. There are significant risks in so doing. I have no marketing skills and I will need to learn quickly. I will be risking my small savings and, in addition, taking on a business loan. This of course is the risk/reward pattern of running a business. The upside of course is that I am my own boss and am answerable only to myself. I will be involved in a business I have a lot of empathy with and, in this sense, it will be hardly like work. And if it really works out I could become pretty successful.

The obvious alternative is that I fall back on my old trade of accountancy and work away for another few years. At the end of which I might still have my small savings but no private pension. A safe but unexciting prospect.

So the crossroads decision consists of (1) turning back and plodding the same road once again, (2) taking one of several mysterious side roads, the destinations of which are not yet signposted or (3) taking the road ahead which promises to be a rocky, exciting, insecure roller-coaster with no guarantee of not crashing and burning on the way.

And though I have a terrible sense of direction I think I'm pretty sure where I'm going.

World T&F Champs - 2

2009-08-21T08:54:00.000+01:00

It's nice to see that at least two sets of Crusaders' parents and their young athletes are in Berlin for the athletics. This time last year they were just starting out, and now they are enthused enough to be wanting to see the best in action. In turn they will come back to Ireland with a new perspective on the sport. I received three texts yesterday, the last of which followed the 200m final.

'Hi roy..we here!!unbelievable exceted.got2ourseats jst as t chamney's heat started.sch a pty he didnt get thru.webehindHj 2 the rghtFu standwithback2hjbar.xm'

'Hussain bolt just down below us! Start of 200m mens final. Amazing. Kids hysterical. Jean.'

'Feckin amazing'

The pick of the Irish performances since Loughnane's silver has been Cork girl Derval O'Rourke's 4th place in the 100m hurdles with a new Irish record. That was a blistering perfomance coming after several years in the wilderness. The Hesh didn't quite make that remarkable 200m final, finishing 10th. Chamney went out in the first heat of the 800m, a disappointing championships for him after his big season to date. David Gillick is our last contender, going in the 400m final tonight.

Meanwhile Phillips Idowu grabbed triple jump gold, and Jenny Meadows battled down the home straight for a medal in the 800m. This was a just reward to an athlete that has worked hard over the years but has always been on the fringes, until now. Amazingly William Sharman (who he) blasts into the 110mH final and then finished fourth. Both Rutherford and Tomlinson are safely through to the long jump final, the former with a new British record of 8.30m. Steve Lewis makes the pole vault final as does Mo Farah (5000m) and Emily Freeman (200m).

World T&F Champs - 1

2009-08-18T14:58:00.001+01:00

So who's watching the athletics? I'm fortunate to have a foot in both the Irish and Brit camps of course. And as I'm presently resting between careers I'm able to catch some of the morning coverage from Berlin on the Beeb as well.

Far and away the Irish highlight so far is Olive Loughnane's silver medal in the 20k walk. Far and few are Irish medals at global championships and this one was greeted with great delight. After her 7th placing in the Beijing Olympics Olive was Ireland's best medal bet going into these championships, but still only an outside chance. The result was announced at Tullamore on Sunday in the middle of the race walking and I heard it said it gave all the competitors a lift.

The other Irish hopes are Paul Hession (200m) and David Gillick (400m). The Hesh was agonisingly just one place off taking part in the final in Beijing and, after negotiating the first round safely and with several no-shows (including Gay and Chambers) he has high hopes of making the last eight this time. Gillick, another outside bet for a medal, looked laboured to me in qualifying - though others say he looked comfortable. Meanwhile Thomas Chamney of Crusaders ran a less than clever 1500m qualifying round to finish 7th. Easy for me sitting here I know but I suspect Thomas would agree. However I'm backing our boy to do far better at his favoured distance of 800m later.

Meanwhile the Brits are having a mixed time of it. Jessica Ennis has quickly replaced Steph Twell as the golden girl with her astonishing win in the heptathlon. This morning Twell had a disastrous run in the 1500m which may just be beneficial for her in the long run as she can adjust to senior athletics with rather less media pressure on her shoulders. Goldie Sayers and Carl Myerscough disappointed again though at least Sayers had the excuse of coming back off a significant injury. Lisa Dobriskey looked class in qualifying.

All three Brits are through to the semis of the 400m with Michael Bingham looking the pick of these. Marilyn Okoro and the lovely Jenny Meadows are in the final of the 800m. I wonder if either can find an inspired PB and grab a medal - the event is wide open with Jelimo crashing out.

David Greene is a definite good bet in the 400mH though Marlon Devonish - who I saw win the 2003 world indoor title in Birmingham, will be happy just to reach the semis of the 200m.

In the meantime I had a worrying non-run this morning. Not having been 100% well for a couple of days I had no longer set off on an easy run than my legs turned to rubber. This does not bode well.

Irish National Masters Track & Field Championships

2009-08-17T08:40:00.004+01:00

A break from running as I headed for Tullamore to try my luck against some other old gits. Just for the craic really - I have never competed before in my life. An inauspicious start as, having bought my train ticket at Heuston the 8.40 for Galway seemed disinclined to leave the station. Fortunately I was able to intercept Jim O'Neill and jump in his car. Jim is a Crusader, a very good former athlete and ex-President of the club. These days he is as active as ever in all sorts of ways, notably taking the lead in maintaining the track and equipment down at Irishtown. Today he would spend the day officiating.

First up for me was shot. The competition encompassed M35, 40, 45, 50 and 55 with me being in the oldest category, throwing a 6k shot. (The really old fellas, 60+, constituted a further and seperate group). The throws lads turned out to be a great bunch, full of fun and wisecracks and not an ego between them. And there was some good throwing in amongst the more mediocre offerings. Following my own advice to young throwers I put a safe one in to the muddy grass - 8.89m with a standing throw. Then a passable glide and 9.56m - which was as good as it got. Slightly vexed not to hit 10m but, as the only entry in the M55 category I accepted my gold medal!

After which the day went downhill rather. I'd entered the high jump having coached it for years and occasionally having popped over low heights at the FB Fields and Irishtown. With some foreboding I checked in for the event - all around me were proper-looking jumpers, professionally marking out their run-ups and casually hopping over the practice bar. Two desperately embarrassing practice attempts later and I scuttled away from the scene having got the official to scratch my name out.

Meanwhile I have to confess to being impressed by the events unfolding as I sat on the bleachers with a coffee. The track stuff was pretty competitive with men and women giving it their best efforts. I have never been a fan of Masters' athletics, having thought it somewhat sad. Too many vets swan about with their cheap medals and GB tracksuits imagining they are God's gift. But here at Tullamore I was admiring the competitiveness, the athleticism and the good humour of everyone involved.

So to my final event, the discus. I had thrown a couple of practice sessions at Irishtown with the 1k discs and had been throwing comfortably in the low 30s. I was surprised to see the M55s were only expected to throw this girly 1k weight. To my consternation then it appeared that the entry paperwork had contained an error and it was 1.5k implements that were to be used! Now there is a big difference between the two weights and I just hadn't had time to adjust my throwing accordingly. In I went to the circle and hooked my first 'safe' standing throw outside the left sector line. Ah well, with four throws in all I went for another safety in the second round, with the identical result! I reckoned I couldn't do worse on a full turn and my third round throw at least found legal ground, albeit a paltry 24m something. But then, keyed up to bang a big one out with my final throw I snatched at it and instead banged it into the cage. However, my second medal, a bronze, though I still hadn't beaten anyone.

So I'm glad I tried out the Masters. It was a good experience amongst some nice guys and gals. And it's not every day you can claim to be a national champion.

Roy In England

2009-08-08T12:50:00.001+01:00

The old family homestead is an inter-war semi-detached and rather solid and compact building set on the main Coventry to Birmingham Road. The district of Sheldon forms a sort of a bridgehead between the brassy Second City and the sophisticated and aloof Solihull. Falling between the two it totally fails to have any defining character of its own; it is completely unremarkable other than for the fact that its nondescript pubs between them can't offer a pint of Real Ale. That said, the old family local The Three Horse Shoes is presently serving a refreshing pint of mild for a recession-busting £1.49 which means that one can afford a proper bag of Walsall pork scratchings with each pint.

There is the option of running through the well-appointed Sheldon Country Park but the grass is pretty soggy right now. Instead I head in the opposite direction. This takes one through quiet suburban roads and a pleasant park, over the railway line and the Grand Union Canal to the Warwick Road. Beyond this is the seriously posh district of Olton which is within Solihull Borough. Nice leafy lanes and roads, speed bumps everywhere to slow down oiks that might be passing through, expensive residences set back in grassy and well-tended gardens. Solihull has been this posh for as long as I can remember. It has a feel of 'old money' and therefore doesn't offend in the least. Fellow pedestrians are pleasant, cars are courteous to the visiting plodder, dogs are as well brought up as their owners.

Six miles is the target and the outrun takes me through to the Stratford Road where the Garmin says three miles. I turn for home and try to pick it up a little. Less than an hour, average pace 9.48m/m. OK for a training run though of course I'd want to be down below 9m/m in race mode. A couple of days later I repeat the run in 9.38 m/m.

On Thursday I was in Milton Keynes. Having arrived ridiculously early for my appointment I repaired to nearby Willen Lake, an impressive man-made affair which is a great leisure facility for the area. It is also (I remembered) a regular running ground for Charlotte Dutch - see bloglist for Following Charlie. Although there were several runners around none of them was in fact Charlie, who seems to have disappeared off the running/blogging scene again - I hope only temporarily.

Irish Bank Holiday

2009-08-03T13:41:00.000+01:00

Bank Holiday Monday here in Ireland, inevitably a showery, breezy one. Off I go down the river for my long run, 12 miles planned. My only companion is Steve Runner, this week broadasting from the Allagash River in North Maine and reading pieces from a book by the 19c environmentalist HD Thoreau. Pleasant listening, and no shocks such as in last week's episode where he took everybody's favourite running guru Hal Higdon to task for what he believes is excessive and injury-inducing mileage programmes. I expect some incoming flak for this and I'm surprised he chose Higdon, someone who has so many satisfied devotees, as a target. Not that Steve is ever shy of tilting against established windmills.

There are a few brave families on Sandymount Strand despite the weather - bracing is how Skegness used to describe itself as a selling point to Britishers wondering where to go for their fortnight's holiday. At six miles I'm trotting along comfortably enough to add a mile, taking me to the salubrious edge of Dun Laoghaire at Salthill, across the railway bridge and heading for home on the far side of the tracks. I purchase a Lucozade Sport from the little shop, the owner possibly happy to give it for free to see his premises rid of this sweaty person. Back through Blackrock Park and onto the beach where I 'bonk' rather suddenly at 10.3 miles. Whatever, I'm in no hurry and I'm able to trot at an even slower pace and keep the run going to finish up 13.97 miles in a little over 2h30m.

There's no doubt I'm getting a lot of base miles done right now, but nothing much else. I need to do some shorter, faster stuff - maybe some hill reps, a bit of gym work perhaps. Maybe I'll get the chance now my latest work contract has run out and I've a little time on my hands! But tomorrow it's off to England for a few days, back at the weekend.

Things I forgot about yesterday

2009-08-03T08:26:00.003+01:00

Probably the most dramatic bit. Mark Kirwan of Raheny had the 'chase in his pocket, maybe 25m clear of defending champion Rory Chesser at the final water barrier. Trip, in he went! By the time he'd clambered out Chesser was on his shoulder and, unable to regain rhythm, he was then passed for the silver by Emmet Dunleavy.

Which reminds me, I don't think I've seen an athlete hurdling the water barrier before as Ireland's no.1 Fionnuala Britton does.

National T&F Champs Day 2

2009-08-02T21:42:00.000+01:00

Well I was like a young kid in a toyshop today, scuttling around the Morton Stadium to catch whatever was happening next. A great day of athletics, much of it top-class, and all of it just excellent sport.

I caught the latter part of the men's hammer and was startled when one of the big lads lost control of the implement which went crashing into the cage just by where the foot fault judge was standing - fortunately not near enough to the netting to be killed. Young Killian Barry of Crusaders picked up a bronze.

Next up was Olympian Robert Heffernan in the 10000mW. He sped around the early laps in about 94s; I reckon I could have beaten him running - just, over two laps but he kept the pace up for 25 laps with Colin Griffin a creditable second. There was a 'sprint' finish for third place, and anyone with doubts over the energy expended by good race walkers would have noted that both of these guys lay on the track totally done in at the end. And the lad that finished in third place got cruelly DQ'd. Back down the field one young lad dropped out with a few laps to go, wandered off to the side, had a little rest and then, feeling better, found his way back to the inside lane and carried on to finish. And epitomising the spirit of grassroots athletics, one old fella from Mullingar determinedly plodded around his last few laps oblivious of the officials who were anxious to get on with the next event.

I missed the men's pole vault but it looked like there was a very good competition there with the bar at a fair old height by the finish. The women's shot was not good, and a fit Sarah Fleming (Crusaders) wouldn't have been out of place. Colin Quirke, the laid-back son of Olympian Paul and living in the USA, added to his shot title with one of his few half-decent discus throws. Colin just looks unfocused to me, as if he'd rather be somewhere else, but what a talent that I hope is fulfilled.

But the real excitement came on the track. Regrettably for the fair-sized crowd, Paul Hession (9th in Beijing) withdrew from the 100m after strolling through his heat. This however left the competition wide open and it was Paralympian Jason Smyth who came through the rounds to win. New boy on the block Steven Colvert (Crusaders) grabbed bronze, as he did in the 200m yesterday. The lad hasn't got an ounce of muscle on him and will need to get stronger to compete with the best in the first 30m of his races. The women's 100m produced its own drama. For some reason the nine entrants ran a semi-final to eliminate one athlete (there are 10 lanes). There was a bit of a kerfuffle with the second semi when the girls were stood up three times at the start, with the marksman saying that the spikes of Kelly Proper and Niamh Whelan were not engaging the blocks properly - odd for international athletes. Kelly argued that they only needed to be engaged in the 'set' position. After Niamh received a yellow card they finally got away. Later, in the final, Ailish McSweeney got away to a brilliant and legal start and nicked the win from Proper by 1/100s.

The showpiece final saw Thomas Chamney (Crusaders) hold off David Campbell in the 800m. Remarkably Campbell came back later in the day to win the 1500m. Over in the corner the big boys were doing their thing in front of no spectators, this time throwing the 56lb/35lb weight for distance. I couldn't get excited about that one.

So a great day. In many ways it was like a village fete. The top athletes were wandering around the stadium chatting to their mates. The likes of Sonia O'Sullivan was leaning against the fence with the rest of us watching the competition. Any number of former champions, now spectators, were pointed out to me.

I was lucky to have been there.

National T&F Champs Day 1

2009-08-02T09:15:00.000+01:00

At the various national juvenile championships this summer I've been stung for a tenner entrance fee for each day of competition. Whilst I know there are costs involved, the only spectators by and large are parents and coaches who already contribute their fair share to athletics. It was therefore a pleasant surprise to be able to waltz into the Morton Stadium for nothing to watch Day 1 of the national track & field championships yesterday (Sat). And excellent value it would have been at twice the price.

The first two events involved Olympic athletes. Eileen O'Keefe, returning to something like her best form after major injury, put a couple of hammer throws just a touch short of 70 metres. Next, an excellent PB in the 5000mW for Olive Loughnane, a solo effort with the three other women long since set adrift. Strangely the women's triple jump and long jump were scheduled back-to-back. The day really came to life in the long jump with the excellent Kelly Proper twice jumping 6.68m, well in advance of her own national record but assisted illegally by the strong wind. After her fifth jump she hurried off to win the 200m title. A great competitor, crowd pleaser and a stunner to boot is Ms Proper.

The throwing events were pretty desultory affairs and showed up Ireland's lack of strength. O'Keefe had no difficulty winning the discus with some ragged throwing. Colin Quirke (Crusaders) threw poorly but well enough to win the shot in a little over 16m. The women's javelin, without Anita White, is best having a veil drawn over it.

But there was some spanking action on the track and this is where Ireland's real strength currently lies. The most fiercely contested event is the men's 800m, for which there were several heats, and Thomas Chamney and David Campbell set up today's showpiece final at 2.15. The men's 1500 was even more cuthroat with only the winner from each of the heats getting automatic entry to today's final, the last event of the day. The men's 200m saw David Gillick stepping down a distance to win a good race in 21.78 from Darragh Graham and Steven Colvert (Crusaders) who was left in the blocks. The men's 400m saw an impressive qualification run from Brian Gregan. In a two-horse race Deirdre Byrne finally saw off the challenge of Rosemary Ryan in the 5000m.

Late in the day there was a very Celtic affair with the big guys chucking a 56lb weight (35lb for the junior men) over a bar. The technique is to stand with your back to the bar, get the weight swinging perilously between your legs before flipping it upwards and backwards. A guy that looked like he'd swallowed a beach ball was eliminated early doors but a young chap from Leevale (Cork) had the crowd on his side as he continued to push the bar upwards after he'd won the contest.

Good week

2009-08-02T09:14:00.000+01:00

A good running week with 23.8 miles of early morning runs done. I am postponing my LSR this morning as I can just as easily do it tomorrow on Bank Holiday Monday and instead I'll head up to Santry for Day 2 of the national championships.

On the Tullamore Trail

2009-07-26T19:06:00.003+01:00

Tullamore is about 80 miles westward of Dublin. I've been up and down there quite regularly over the last few weekends attending various Athletics Ireland championships. It's a great facility, probably the best in the country outside the national stadium at Santry, and the Mardyke in Cork. The main arena is surrounded on three sides by a high hedge which keeps the worst of the winds off the track. On the fourth side is a covered grandstand and further, uncovered seating. There is a massive car park and even a large warm-up area outside the main stadium - this is also the place to where the long-suffering hammer throwers are relegated.

Yesterday (Sat) Alix Hughes took part in the U14G pentathlon. The standard was a lot higher than I envisaged and Alix, though she battled to the end, was rather blown away by specialist sprinters and jumpers. But she had her big moment in the shot putt as most of the other girls were obviously hating it! Alix sensibly put in an opening round marker of 8.83 with a standing throw. Her second throw was a good glide which produced a PB of 9.61 which, despite a less dynamic final throw was enough to give her the win.

Today it was the national 'B' championships, a great idea devised for athletes that didn't qualify for the main championships. Patrick Keegan picked up medals in the U16 100m and long jump, though not against the strongest of opposition. Grainne McGuill (U13G) has yet to bring out her high jump talent - it will come. Ciara O'Sionain (also U13G) battled to pick off two runners in her 100m heat but it was not enough to progress. The girls kept honours even in the long jump with 3.24 apiece.

One of the nice bits about the Tullamore trip is the chat on the car journey back - no point in paying for a train ticket if there's a car leaving from outside the stadium. I've recently had the pleasure of conversing at length with a number of Crusaders' parents - being Irish they're never short of interesting chat. Today it was Padraig and again I ended up far the wiser by the time I jumped out of the car in town. We crawled through Tullamore town centre despite my instructions - Kerry were playing Antrim. But as Padraig said we got the big-match buzz even though we didn't get to watch it. And he pointed out, having the craic with some fans outside a pub, ex-Kerry football legend 'Bomber' Liston (who I've since learnt played for the county for 15 years during many of their successful campaigns).

Which is pretty well a wrap for junior track & field this summer, which is sad. Though we're trying to arrange a last outing after the summer holidays.

U2 Fever

2009-07-24T16:45:00.001+01:00

I was standing by the side of a track confessing to someone that I thought a four-minute mile was too big an ask at my age – 60-second lapping and all that. Then I was cruelly awoken by my mobile phone alarm. Cheese in the evening never fails to produce slightly crazy dreams.

5am on a dull-ish Dublin morning; I'd decided that I was going to do my LSR madly early in the weekend. This evening (Fri) is the Crystal Palace Grand Prix on the telly, after which I’ll be gasping for a pint. Saturday and Sunday I’m on the Tullamore trail again without the opportunity for a run.

Despite the early hour it is semi-light. It’s somewhat surreal to head over the Sean O’Casey footbridge before 5.30 passing Eastern tourists already snapping each other against the background of the Liffey and the city of Dublin. Maybe they are part of the influx of visitors to the capital for U2’s three gigs at a sold-out Croke Park, starting this evening. There are always a few people gawking at the graffiti which adorns the outside of U2’s old recording studios at Windmill Lane (just over the back from my gaff) and their newer studios at Hanover Quay. Here also on the quay is the site of the proposed U2 Tower, a mega-project which, like many other projects, has been put firmly on the back-burner due to the prevailing economic conditions.

My legs are working well this morning but, as usual, I am making no attempt to break out of second gear. The difference between my LSRs and SSRs is purely the letter ‘L’! All the better to be able to scan Dublin Bay for anything that might be going on out there – working boats at anchor etc. The beach is squidgier than usual this morning before I escape back onto concrete and tarmac and turn at the end of a deserted Blackrock Park.

As I approach the city on my return run things are coming alive as usual. I head up the north quays at a bit more of a lick to complete 10.7 miles in 1.56. That’s 27.9 miles on the week, always assuming I don’t get the urge to lace up again before Monday.

Taking the knocks

2009-07-19T15:16:00.002+01:00

Just back from a 12-miler - my old DART-to-Killiney-run-back routine. A fairly tortuous affair it turned out as well, which was rather disappointing after an improved midweek. Today the weather was fair but hardly warm. It was interesting to see the south Dubliners making the most of a non-rainy Sunday by invading every little harbour and bay along the coast. Watersports are not particularly popular here, compared with the Channel Islands for example. But people of all ages were doing their thing. A little hatch called Teddy's in Dun Laoghaire was flogging ice-cream like there was no tomorrow and the kiddies were in seventh heaven as they 'took the air' along the Marine Walk as many generations have done before them.

I struggled on to complete a ropey run and 29.2 miles on the week. I didn't after all, run on Friday evening. After work I got trapped listening to Radio 5Live Extra and the surreal sound of the Aussies getting their arses kicked at cricket by England. Once bad light stopped play all my good intentions of a track 'session' had disappeared.

Yesterday (Sat) was a disappointing one at Tullamore. It was All-Ireland relays day. The U13 girls were well beaten in their semi-final early in the day - that was OK, you live with that in sport and try to do better next time. The U12 girls however, on form, should have easily qualified for the final. Instead a bad handoff left us outside the qualifying positions. And, depressingly, it was probably over-coaching that was to blame in this instance. Sad for the youngsters and the very supportive Crusaders' party who had set up camp on the final bend (well, not on the track but on the grassy slope overlooking that spot). But all that can be done is deal with the disappointment and come back wiser and stronger.

Life's a beach

2009-07-17T09:49:00.000+01:00

A pleasing running week thus far. I seem to have rediscovered something and I’m feeling stronger and more motivated. This I hate to say out loud as I have come crashing down to earth too often in the past.

I plodded my regular 4-miler on Tuesday morning and on Wednesday set the alarm 15 minutes earlier and ran off down to the far end of Sandymount Strand on an idyllic summer’s morning. Having run along the walkway above the beach on countless occasions I seem now unable to keep off the sand. The going is mostly quite firm but with enough unevenness and soft sections to work the legs that bit harder whilst giving them a break from concrete and tarmac. There are always a few other early-risers around – often running, but also power walking, dog walking or just walking. Back through Sean Moore Park, Pigeon House Road and the East Link. At that stage I have a mile to run so I generally pick it up coming off the bridge – work the arms a bit harder and increase leg turnover. That is the simple ‘tempo’ bit of my routine. And it’s 6.6 miles by the Garmin.

And yesterday (Thursday) I thought I’d do exactly the same and again it was a good run.

Although it doesn’t bother me really I have a slightly dicky right knee. I didn’t do it any good on Tuesday evening, practising my shot putt glides at the track. Of course the stresses and strains on a right-handed glider are all up through the right leg!

No run this morning (Fri) but what I’ll do this evening after work is run at the track for 40 minutes or so – maybe a set of 600s or 800s, before showering and heading into The Yacht at Ringsend. Tullamore beckons again on Saturday and Sunday but I’ll get a later train on Sunday after my LSR.

An All-Ireland medal

2009-07-12T18:27:00.004+01:00

In last Sunday's blog I was hoping but not believing that one of our young Crusaders would sneak an All-Ireland medal at Tullamore this weekend. And it came completely out of left field from Orla Murray in the U13 long jump. Orla only qualified from the Dublins in third place, which generally means you will be down with the dead men at national level. But with a previous best PB of 4.15m, set in the Dublins, Orla sailed out to 4.31m with her second round jump. This, with two no-jumps, left her in third position as the field was cut to eight for a further three attempts. Rounds 4 and 5 saw further no-jumps from Orla as the chasing jumpers got closer. Then, disaster in the final round as the fourth placed girl also recorded 4.31m. With countback in the offing Orla needed to hit the board with her last attempt or she was toast. It was close to the plastecine again and it seemed to take an age before the official deemed the jump legal to measure - an excellent 4.24m which, with the other girl's second best of 4.17m, was enough to give Orla her medal - fantastic!

Niamh McCarthy, who I coached for a while last summer, grabbed bronze in th U18G discus ahead of a hobbling Sarah Fleming (5th). Elsewhere Isabel O'Leary was an excellent 5th in the U12 shot with Niamh Ferry failing to make the cut by just 1cm. Alix Hughes, below par on Saturday, was 7th in the U14 discus, but only 3m off the winning throw which she might have threatened had her two attempted full turns not ended up in the cage.

One noticeable feature of this big meeting was the virtual absence of Dublin club vests. Where were DSD for example who must have had many more athletes qualified than who turned up?

And the 'ouch' moment of the weekend came on Saturday when a young lady broke an ankle/leg in the sprint hurdles and lay on the track for 15 minutes or so awaiting an ambulance. There was another stretcher case in the hurdles today but this time the runner considerately fell onto the infield so the meeting was not delayed.

Next Saturday is relays day, switched late in the day from Sunday in the dubious wisdom of AAI who have thereby consigned many plans and arrangements to the bin. Crusaders' U12G and U13G teams have qualified, the latter having had to be re-shaped because of the date change.

Edit - there is a link to the full provisional results if you click the title of this entry. Fair play to the much-maligned AAI for publishing these so quickly.

Ticking over

2009-07-10T22:14:00.003+01:00

So, instead of sticking my head in the oven I managed to hold it together this week to record 22.7 miles - just about the minimum I reckon is necessary to 'tick over' whilst there's nothing particularly important coming up by way of races. That sort of mileage my blogging colleague Thomas the 'Rubbish Marathon Runner' ha ha! (see bloglist) will almost knock off any morning before breakfast. But I console myself by knowing that (1) I'm getting old and (2) I am not, never was, and never will be a proper runner.

Three lots of early-morning four milers this week. At least I felt good enough to run them without cutting them short. Then, faced with the certainty that I do not have a running window this weekend, I delayed my Friday pint by a couple of hours and headed off eastwards. I've not really done any evening running since I left Jersey. A certain nostalgia there which I'll return to in a later post. Certainly things are a bit different along my usual route on a Friday evening. The Cill Airne, instead of lying idly against the Liffey quayside is buzzing with IFSC workers drinking and eating al fresco on its decks. Along Dublin Bay the southbound traffic is heavy as people head 'down the country' for the weekend. In particular we have the pop festival Oxegen over the next three days down in Kildare and the forecast is for typical festival weather necessitating ponchos, wellies and a willingness to share tents with complete strangers. Strangely the Sandymount/Blackrock area this evening has a lot of Indian-looking folk milling around - they are never usually evident.

After a dodgy start I settle into a reasonable groove and I'm able to plod away to the far end of Blackrock Park before turning back. More for comfort than out of necessity I pick up a fruit drink at the garage on the way back. And, with the Garmin not co-operating tonight, I guess that's 10.7-ish miles in 1:56.26 - which believe me I'm perfectly happy with, though it won't keep my rivals in the Blarney Half Marathon awake tonight!

Interlude

2009-07-05T15:11:00.001+01:00

A strange time at Irishtown. The summer holidays have arrived meaning attendances have tailed off predictably. On the other hand next weekend is the first of three consecutive weekends of national competition at Tullamore. These comprise individual, relay, multi-event and even a 'B' championships where all young athletes that did not qualify for the main championships can enter

This latter event will hardly be a feast of excellence but I think it's a great idea to give keen youngsters the chance to travel and compete against others from around the country. And who is to say that, amongst those competing, there may not be a few elite athletes of the future? How youngsters will develop is impossible to predict. Indeed it is rare that champions at age 13 are champions ten years subsequently. Physical development together with attitude and desire will play a huge part. I get annoyed when I read about 'stars of the future' when the sport of athletics has such a drop-out rate in the teen years. So I say let's celebrate the successes and achievements of these youngsters now, not project them into some unknown future. Their time is now.

Moira had a pole vault school going yesterday. Very basic stuff but the young ones love trying this event, and they are fortunate to have the opportunity. Once the track & field competition season is out of the way it is a chance to have a bit of fun, try some new things, before the onset of autumn and the cross-country season. Meanwhile there are new youngsters coming along all the time and yesterday Fergus (14) had me wishing he'd turned up two months ago.

Right, off to buy my rail season ticket for Tullamore. We have Crusaders in action on most days of the next three weekends and I'll be there to support them. It's hard to see any medals forthcoming, so my target is just the one - from somewhere. What an achievement that would be.

Gruesome

2009-07-05T14:45:00.001+01:00

A gruesome week. After last week's upturn and excellent LSR on Sunday I have managed less than ten miserable, painful miles this week. If there was an easy answer to these peaks and troughs I'd have found it by now. As it is only the recall of past good runs might have me lacing up my shoes again on Tuesday.

One Of Those Nights

2009-07-03T00:29:00.001+01:00

Leafy D4 was rocking tonight as The Eagles landed at the RDS. I guess like many I was expecting them to trot out their classic hits and get out of town. How wrong I was. These guys are top musicians and can rock hard and long as well as being able to lay it down low and easy. In a 3-hour set they gave us old and new alike and it was clear that they were enjoying every minute of this latter section of their careers.

And though they sprinkled their set with many of their hits it was their newer work that surprised and impressed. Their Long Road Out Of Eden album has been slow to gather interest this side of the Pond but as a result of this tour it will surely become a must-buy. There were some awesome numbers in there.

But it was only a little way in when they delivered a rip-roaring Hotel California after which I would happily have gone home having had my money's worth. But I would have missed much more of Joe Walsh's virtuosity - his hat would be in the ring as one of the top rock guitarists of his generation. The Long Road title track later on was superb as were many of the raunchier numbers. We always knew that these boys could harmonize but I had no idea how accomplished they and their secondary and tertiary band members were. Walsh, Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Timothy Schmit are each in turn comfortable at leading the vocals as well as kicking ass out of guitars that they frequently changed.

Take It To The Limit was sublimely done before the RDS stewards gave up trying to keep people in their seats as the night rocked to a close. The encore was Take It Easy - their first hit, followed finally by Desperado, just as one or two of the audience were panicking. Even now the four lads took several minutes to leave the stage, walking towards each section in turn and waving. A terrific show with unbelievable energy and presence - one that you wouldn't want to miss.

And fortunately not too many cowboy hats amongst the middle-aged audience.

Ireland's Travellers

2009-06-29T11:28:00.004+01:00

I touched in my last entry on Travellers, that social group in Ireland that are nomadic and who are generally looked upon with suspicion (at best) and actively disliked by many.

As a child I used to spend a lot of time, usually the summer holidays, in West Cork. Dad was one of a family of 12 and the cottage in which they all lived was a mile or so outside the town of Dunmanway. It was perhaps 150m or so off the main Bantry – Dunmanway road. One summer a group of gypsies or tinkers (these were the days long before political correctness caught on) set up between the family residence and the main road. To a young English boy they were more than a bit scary. In those days they had proper gypsy caravans – horse-drawn and multi-coloured with wooden steps leading the way into a mysterious interior. Dogs barked, the men shouted and quarrelled. At night fires would glow giving this strange band of people an unearthly aspect.

But if I was apprehensive that was soon put to rights by Dad. He would greet them cheerily, often by name, and would often stop and chat – maybe share a joke and a fag or accept a drink. Very quickly I realised that although these folk were quite different to us they were nonetheless friendly, especially to those that offered friendship. From that time I would no longer be fearful as I made my way to and from town.

Times have changed of course. The horse-drawn wagons have gone, replaced by camper vans or cheap caravans. No longer are these people able to pull up where they wish. They are confined to halting sites which are far and few between and with each one proposed (I believe there is a legal obligation on councils to provide such sites) there is tooth and nail opposition. Their old trades (tinsmithing etc) have died out. They are susceptible to hereditary diseases and have a low life expectancy. Whilst our Travellers embrace their nomadic existence as part of their culture and raison d’etre their life is far from easy.

But they remain, happily in my opinion, part of the Irish landscape. But what a pity we can’t take them back to those horse-drawn caravan days with their campfires on lonely country roads, scaring the bejaysus out of timid English boys.

Misty

2009-06-28T14:48:00.001+01:00

Yesterday (Sat) there was an educational but fun afternoon at the ALSAA sports complex hard by Dublin Airport. A group of seven runners from Boards.ie got together under elite athlete (let's continue to call him) Tingle with me shadowing and sticking in my oar when I felt competent to do so. Amongst the group were a couple of lads who I got to know in Cork, namely Woddle and kevinkilbane. The idea was to introduce the group to some track & field practices. These included dynamic warm up, stretches, drills, speedwork, basic plyometrics etc.

It was interesting how a few of the boys, all of whom are useful distance runners, were initially all at sea with the drills in particular. Much as young athletes are when they first turn up for athletics. And in the first run-through of the speed module most arms stayed resolutely by the sides as the legs tried to accelerate without their assistance. But in all cases improvement was dramatic once the group understood what was required. All in all a very useful couple of hours.

Whilst I could just have made it to Dunshaughlin for the 10k I gave it a miss this year. And this morning (Sun) I had the option of getting an early train down to Tullamore to watch the national junior and U23 t&f championships. Instead I ignored the alarm and settled for my Sunday LSR instead. Another warm Dublin day - best make the most of them while I can. Today I reinvestigated the way through to Poolbeg and today took the turn I missed last week. Pigeon House Road snakes its way through an industria-scape of container parks, overhead gantries, warehouses etc. To the right a halting site. Ireland's Travellers (one can't call them gypsies these days) do not have the best of reputations. But from my experience any trouble attached to these folk is kept mainly in-house, just as the various stabbings and shootings in and around Dublin are generally confined to the members of rival gangs. Your average punter would be very unfortunate to be caught up in any such unpleasantness.

Anyway this interesting (in its own way) thoroughfare eventually brings one to the Shelley Banks, half way out to the Poolbeg lighthouse. Instead of heading out that way I turned inland and took a path through the Irishtown Nature Reserve - a rather grand name for a couple of acres of land left free of development. The only sign of any 'nature' was a sign warning of poison put down against the local rats. But onwards to Sandymount where the sun was suddenly replaced by a magnificent sea fret bringing the visibility down to 10 metres or so. Trotting along the beach I got a lovely feeling of isolation, accompanied only by Steve Runner via my iPod. I'd settled into a nice though slow rhythm and thought I might push this run out a bit today. So on through Blackrock Park, along the little alleyway to the DART station, behind Blackrock village and onto Seapoint where the bait of a sports drink in the little shop there awaited before the turn for home.

I couldn't resist the beach again on the way back, though by now it was becoming somewhat dog-infested. But in fairness I've found Irish dogs to be remarkably well-behaved towards runners with none of the aggression routinely displayed by their Jersey cousins and their gormless owners ('He's only playing', 'He won't bite' etc). This time I went back via Sean Moore Park. There are a couple of massive cruise ships tied up at the docks right now - the Ocean Princess being one. These look all the more magnificent looning out of the sea mist. And so upriver to home. A most relaxing 13.59 miles in 2hr 32min for 28.4 miles on the week.

And 2048 calories apparently. Best put a few of those back later. With Dublin's footballers playing at Croker, Mulligan's will be packed this evening. However I've discovered Doolan's on Grand Canal Street, a typical 'old man's pub' where they are rather startled to see a stranger but who serve you an excellent pint for €4.10.

Early riser

2009-06-24T09:15:00.001+01:00

Ha ha! I woke up this morning and looked at my watch – 8.23! God I’ve slept through the alarm. Jump out of bed…and realise that my watch is still in stopwatch mode from last night – it’s really only 6.05. Too late, I’m awake now and it’s a chance to get out the door on what is the most gorgeous summer morning.

My standard morning run is four miles. Today as I approached Sean Moore Road I had time to spare and thought I’d extend my run a bit around Sean Moore Park. Then a woman runner ahead of me went onto Sandymount Beach. It looked so inviting I decided to follow. The upshot of all that was a 68-minute run at, I guess, 10-minute miling.

When in marathon training I used to push out one of my midweek runs like this but I’ve not done so in a while and it was good.

This Saturday evening is the Dunshaughlin 10k, a very well organised traffic-free race over to the north west of Dublin. I raced a nifty (for me) 50.30 there last year. However on the afternoon I have a coaching event on at Santry and the logistics of getting from there to Dunshaughlin without a car are not easy. We’ll see.

As for other races I think I might go for the Cork Half Marathon being held at Blarney in September. The same weekend is the inaugural Dingle Marathon and Half Marathon. But much as I love the Dingle Peninsula I’m not paying €60 to run out to Dunquin. Next time I’m down there I’ll do it for free.

Dublin Juvenile T&F Champs - Day 2

2009-06-21T17:09:00.002+01:00

Yesterday's sun gave way to an intermittent drizzle at Irishtown today. But it didn't put a dampener on proceedings (see what I did there?) The action was hot on the track and was generally too hot for the young Crusaders who were somewhat thinner on the ground than yesterday.

Much of our success in these early days is coming in the throws. And the unforgettable moment of the weekend was when our U12 shot girls had a full house on the podium with Isabel O'Leary, Niamh Ferry and Olibhia Collins. To crown a happy and camera-clicky moment Aine the announcer led a chorus of Happy Birthday to Niamh.

Ciara Barry and Rachel Maher are excellent young athletes but no way should they be picking up javelin medals. JJ Barry, a former national hurdles champion, commented that he never dreamt that he would have a javelin medal in the house. Earlier Rachel had taken part in the high jump. On Tuesday she jumped 1.25m in practice and was not pleased to be stopped from attempting a PB with me telling her to save it for the weekend. I added that - having cleared 1.25m then 1.30 would follow quickly. This old owl was proved wise when Rachel grabbed silver with her 1.30.

These young Crusaders are a level-headed bunch and any successes they have are met with genuine pleasure. One who is having more success than most is Alix Hughes. She picked up silver in jav and gold in shot (with a PB if the jumping around meant anything) to add to her discus gold of yesterday. Neither is she a slouch on the track and showed plenty of self-belief when, after qualifying for the 200m final as fastest loser and being told that success in the final would be not coming last, she announced her intention to win! She came 6th.

Once again I will have missed other high spots as I was concentrating on flying javelins most of the day. But we'll tot up the medals and All-Ireland qualifiers once the results are published.

A Curious Milestone

2009-06-21T16:29:00.003+01:00

Up at cockcrow this morning for my long run - this club athletics involvement is playing havoc with my diurnal rhythms. Anyhow, on with the Garmin and iPod and off down the river on a mizzly morning. And hey bridge-watchers - the Samuel Beckett has been swung across the river to the north bank and Spencer Dock. It seems to fit and it must be the first time the engineer that drew up the plans has slept peacefully in two or three years. What if had been half a metre short of reaching across? It is not scheduled to open until next year. Presumably they need to test it to make sure that the fecking thing doesn't collapse into the Liffey, taking all and sundry with it, on its first day of operation.

Plodding along I decided to carry on along Pigeon House Road - where I would normally turn up Sean Moore Road, to seek out the way to Poolbeg. Only to come up against a dead end at the end of the industrial estate there. But hanging a left down between a couple of industrial units brought me out onto Sandymount Beach. And once again I chose the sand to run along being in a very slow mode. On through the DART level crossing, through Booterstown and onto the end of Blackrock Park where I turned again for home. I'm running extremely conservatively at present, very much in base miles style as I seek to find some semblance of form. For me of course speed is very much secondary though, like anyone else, I am keen to record a respectable time when it comes to racing.

On the way home I stopped to examine a real, old-tyme milestone. I must have run past it fifty times without really noticing it. It must be pretty much near its original spot as it shows the figure 4 on one side (to Dublin) but the 3 on the other side had me puzzled. It is three miles from there to Dun Laoghaire but whatever the worn letters said it wasn't that town. It was only hours later that I realised it must be in fact Kingstown, the old, British name for the port of Dun Laoghaire. D'oh!

So there we were - 10.88 miles in a shade under two hours. 22.9 on the week. Maybe I need a Half later in the year to work towards to persuade me to up my game a bit. But at least I'm sorta enjoying my running again.

Dublin Juvenile T&F Champs - Day 1

2009-06-20T21:18:00.001+01:00

Action all the way at Irishtown today - once the stadium had decided to open up at 10am for a 10am start. Dublin CC don't cover themselves in glory in the way they manage the centre. The control and organisation of the day otherwise went smoothly with an experienced cadre of officials assisted by various people hooked in from the clubs - me included.

Crusaders have around 50 youngsters in action over the two days. Today they threw themselves into their events with their usual enthusiasm. For some of the newer ones it was a baptism of fire, especially on the track. Even for some of the 'old hands' i.e. those that have been with us for the 10 months or so since the Open Day that kick started the junior section, it was not all success by any means. And the club has a big part to play in helping those young athletes to continue to enjoy their athletics when they are not winning.

But we had a steady stream of finalists and even medalists. Isabel O'Leary found herself on the podium for long jump and (I think) 60m, with hopefully more to come tomorrow in her throws. Niamh Ferry and Emily Shiels made their sprint final. Orla Murray was third in long jump. Alix Hughes returned from her 80m final to take her last five discus throws in succession and won the gold.

There may have been other successes but I was skipping around the outfield after discuses most of the day. As I have said before the Dublin throwing talent pool is low. Most of that talent lies with Phil Conway's older Crusader lads, though Raheny and Fingallians are doing their best to raise the standard. Sarah Fleming - not throwing well at present, had a free pass in the U18W shot and discus with little opposition apart from Niamh McCarthy. We've not seen Niamh at Irishtown for many months, but she is nevertheless throwing very nicely and put out a best 28-metre throw today to progress to Tullamore together with Sarah.

Fair play to Dublin - they keep alive race walking in these championships. This arcane branch of the sport is relatively strong in Ireland with two senior athletes competing at world level. Today however a total of four girls turned out. The first two were just about passable but the last girl on the track looked as if she was walking down Grafton Street with her shopping. Reminded me of how we at Jersey Spartan used to encourage our athletes (including my poor daughter one year) to fill up spare time at the Hampshire Championships by picking up cheap medals in the walks.

So onto tomorrow and what may transpire.

Dublin Juvenile Relay Champs & Team Competition

2009-06-15T09:51:00.001+01:00

The weekend was an undoubted watershed in the life of Crusaders AC, especially the junior section. On a gorgeous Saturday morning at Irishtown I counted no fewer than a dozen coaches in action. Many of these have just completed the entry level course and are showing huge enthusiasm to get involved and to learn. It all means that the young athletes can be split into smaller groups and can get more focused attention. It was all highly pleasing.

Compare with only a few short months ago when at one time we were reduced to one, maybe two coaches trying to deliver a quality session to a mixed group.

So onto Santry on Sunday lunchtime for (1) a little combined events team competition for the U10s and U11s and (2) the Dublin Juvenile Relay Championships. And for the whole of the day the distinctive white and red of Crusaders was prominent. (A year ago this meet will have taken place without a single Crusaders athlete). Medals abounded and there were so many high spots and only a few tears. Successes were greeted with great group acclaim and defeats were accepted with good grace. Picking out names on such a good day wouldn’t be right but the high spot was probably the win by the U12 girls’ team. The tragedy was the boys’ U11 race when, with a win well on the cards for a talented quartet, the baton went down at the first handover.

So we ended up with several teams qualified for the All-Ireland finals next month and we’ll look forward to that.

Most of my day was spent watching the action from the judges’ stand and out at the second handover zone waving green and red flags. The only downer on the day was my having to endure an aggressive and ignorant tirade from a Metro St Brigid’s member which lowered my good opinion of his club. Fortunately my officiating colleague persuaded me not to find another, more novel, use for my flags.

Relieved

2009-06-14T21:11:00.005+01:00

A popular running podcast is entitled Running From The Reaper. As I type I imagine - after my downbeat post below, that my personal running reaper has decided to chill, sit down, have a fag and leave me alone a while longer.

After an OK-sorta early morning week of 2.5 miles (Mon), 3 (Tues) 4 (Thurs) and 4 (Fri) I set off with some trepidation for my long run this morning. Grumpily I had to haul my lazy ass out of bed early doors due to events happening at Santry later on. A warm morning and humid with thunder in the air. I trotted off very cautiously with a view to a standard 10 miles, downriver to Blackrock. On my iPod I had Phedippidations 190 - A Longer Life With Purpose. A nice episode, and spiced up again with further feedback on Steve's recent tirade against Jim Carey and Jenny McCarthy because of their stance against the MMR vaccine. And for all of Steve's spirited defence of his position (which I tend to agree with) I'm not sure he has come up with the facts to convince the waiverers.

But how pleasant is it to be just plodding away along Dublin Bay, the sun shining warmly on the ships out in the bay, Howth Head to the north and Dun Laoghaire harbour down the coast, and my hat dripping sweat. It is a long, long time since I have felt 'in the zone' where everything is effortless. And it didn't happen this morning either. But at least I finished up my run nicely tired and satisfied rather than feeling like I'd been in a train crash.

And I have finally put aside my Asics Gel Cumulus with about 1250 miles on the clock, and have broken out my new pair. I have had a little knee niggle and, just in case everyone else is right and I am wrong, I am playing safe. Annoyingly the niggle is suddenly less apparent...

Maybe I am wrong - unlikely but ...

Concerned

2009-06-07T12:00:00.003+01:00

Connemara was 11 weeks ago and I ran a good, aggressive race. And quite honestly it was the last time I ran really well. I have struggled along fitfully since, more or less managing my maintenance miles but without really feeling good. My two races since (Adamstown and Cork) have been very moderate efforts. This morning was a low point. After a lazy few days resting a knee niggle I set off for a routine 10-miler only to turn around after 1.5. Nothing there at all, no energy, no enthusiasm, nothing. I suppose I'm particularly concerned looking back at what has happened in the past.

A few years ago, still fairly new to running, I was training for what would have been my first marathon, the new Jersey Marathon. I had entered (and as a consequence still get their e-mails to this day) but suffered a pretty catastrophic running collapse. After two fairly tough back-to-back runs in training I suddenly found I was pretty much unable to run. At first I figured my body was telling me to back off a bit. But this went on for months. I'd set off hopefully only to grind to a halt a half mile or so down the road. Time and again. Just occasionally it was better and this kept me trying. Eventually, to my relief, things got better and I recovered totally.

A couple of years later this happened again, for no reason that I could figure. This time I got a battery of medical tests done - and was amazed at the good results, which didn't help my problem. I looked at dietary issues, food allergy stuff etc all to no avail. Again I'd have the odd run where I believed I was OK again, but they were false dawns. The day before I left Jersey for good was a similar story as I abandoned my farewell run. Two days later, on Christmas Day 2007 in Birmingham, it suddenly all came right with a great long run. Since that time, after arriving in Ireland, I've been fine and enjoyed my running. Not all of it has been great but only on the rare occasion has it been a disaster.

So things aren't quite that desperate yet and maybe this will turn out to be just a bad patch.

Dublin T&F Champs - Hurdles & Hammer

2009-06-05T22:57:00.001+01:00

Low key was an understatement as these two events, universally hated by meet organisers, were played out at Santry this evening. (The main body of events take place at Irishtown in a couple of weeks time).

It is increasingly obvious that too few young athletes in the Dublin region have an inkling about technical events - i.e. those that are not pure running. This is no fault of the youngsters themselves but of the lack of both coaches and facilities. Those clubs with these particular advantages can expect to produce successful athletes over a period of time. However we at Crusaders, who have enviable resources, are a very young club as far as junior athletics is concerned.

Nevertheless several athletes made it through to the All-Irelands - Ciara Barry (U13) and Alix Hughes (U14) both securing fourth place in the sprint hurdles. Grainne McGuill and Orla Murray gave it their best shot but the hero was Matthew Behan who crashed and fell at the first but he picked himself up and got going again to finish the race.

Over at the barely populated hammer circle Sarah Fleming (U18) was hampered by an ankle problem and did not throw well, but well enough to progress to Tullamore. Alix Hughes was surprised to be swinging an implement lighter than she had been training with but did well enough to finish just 10cm behind her only opponent, finishing her series by taking on and completing a nice turn. Liam, one of Phil Conway's boys, was due up next and has no doubt progressed. However I was long since headed for The Yacht at Ringsend by that time.

Cork Marathon Relay

2009-06-02T15:47:00.003+01:00

Gorblimey, thank goodness for sunscreen and peaked caps. For one day a year Cork City gets blessed with Mediterranean weather. The trouble is it's always on Marathon Monday. There was significant carnage yesterday amongst the full marathoners. Those that managed to complete the full 26.2 have my total awe and respect. The state of many of them who crossed the finish line left no doubt as to how difficult the conditions were. Many others sensibly dropped out rather than risk serious damage whilst dozens of others required medical attention.

My previous ill-fated attempts at the Cork Marathon were in similar (maybe not quite so warm) temperatures and I'm beginning to think now that this was more of a factor than I previously had thought.

But this year it was happily just the 5.9 miles for me - from the quays in town out to the final relay handover at Model Farm Road. I walked that section of the course the day before. This proved to be a good move as I realised it is in fact a tough-ish little run that I ought not to be taking lightly.

I was guesting for Boards AC, an offshoot of the internet forum www.boards.ie - specifically the athletics/running/triathlon sub-section. We had two teams, mine being the slower B team. It was fun putting some faces to nicknames over a pint in Dan Lowrey's the night before!

On race morning I was up early to meet our second leg runner blind_hurler who had driven down from Waterford that morning, to hand him his race numbers etc. Then back for the 9am start in St Patrick's Street, by which time it was already getting warm. A minor panic when my lead-off runner Funkyzeit rang to say 'it is a 9.30 start isn't it?'. But he not only made the start but ran a stormer to bring Boards B to the first handover ahead of our elite colleagues. Meanwhile I made the short journey over to where I would pick up the wristband as the race came back to town. There we were able to greet the leaders as they came through. A clean handover saw me set off around the quays and out along the South Ring before turning off across the roadbridge to Turners Cross. Already it was becoming a battle - I'm not running at all well plus the sunblock was running into my eyes making things decidely uncomfortable. But there is no option, especially in a team situation, but to battle on as best one can. Beyond the Cork City FC ground the route hangs a couple of rights into quiet suburban roads, through Ballyphehane and down to the Lough. I started enjoying myself a bit - my eyes had cleared, my running had settled a little and the crowd support aroung the Lough (and indeed beyond) was superb. Loads of applause, high fives from the little ones, sponges (I forgot I had glasses on so they got a wash at my first go with a sponge), garden hoses played onto the runners. Out onto the Wilton Road and left onto Model Farm Road for a final mile to where I found my teammate Rainbow Kirby. RK has (I learnt the previous evening) dropped her weight from 15st to 11st in her first year of running - astonishing. And after my moderate 53 mins she was to bring us home in a shade outside our stretch target of 3.40. (The A team were a touch outside their 3-hour target).

At this point, 19 miles into the race, there were many runners struggling big-time. And as the shuttle bus dropped us back into town (previous thoughts of jogging back in having been abandoned) there were still many just starting into the second half of the race, destined to suffer for several hours yet.

But for Boards AC it was a cool drink in Scott's and later, for me, a great Indian at the Eastern Tandoori with my good mate Deirdre.

The photos show me in the early stages of my run (in the background to the right), and Robinph in his Boards AC singlet who now has some explaining to do.

Cork Marathon - Preview

2009-05-29T21:52:00.003+01:00

Jaysus am I looking forward to my break in Cork. I've been working like a dog and the Murphy's, my friends and relations and Monday's marathon are calling me like sirens - I can't resist. So tomorrow after coaching at Irishtown it's over to Heuston and first class (one of my few luxuries) down to the Rebel city and dinner with my great friends Deirdre and Muiris at Club Brasserie on Lapps Quay.

On Sunday it's a meet up with 2/3 of the rest of Boards B relay team (and possibly a few more boards.ie boardsies) at Dan Lowrey's. After the ignominy of the last two Cork Maras I am settling for the 5.9 mile leg between the Victoria Road and Model Farm Road changeovers. As Deirdre says, I'll complete the Cork Marathon sometime - it might take me five years but...

The weather looks as if it will be hot, maybe even more so than the last two years. Note to put sunblock on my shoulders, still tender from Adamstown. The only time my shoulders ever see the light of day is in a club running singlet. But I foresee severe problems with the heat and the full marathon people.

So watch this space for a full report next week.

Junior delinquents

2009-05-27T22:22:00.000+01:00

Here in Ireland a young athlete is a 'juvenile'. Although generally I think I have integrated well I still find the adjective 'juvenile' can really only be followed by the noun 'delinquent'. So I will call our young Crusaders juniors for now.

And very well they are doing too. Whilst I was over at Adamstown on Sunday there were a number in action up in Santry in Match 4, the last one, of the Dublin Juvenile League. We continue to do well in the throws - honestly I'd be disappointed if we weren't. Isabel O'Leary got another win in the shot and Niamh Ferry was second - I think it was Niamh's first entry in a throws competition. Alix Hughes followed up her discus and shot wins in Match 3 with another first in javelin. A third win came from Clodagh Ferry, competing in the long jump a year ahead of her age group as she was late for her own! Nice to be getting first places. We expect the full results together with the final league standings to come out shortly.

Now the serious stuff is about to start. Notably the Dublin Championships which lead on to the Nationals for those that do well. And we can expect far smaller fields in the throws as those who, until now, have just been 'having a go' will not be present. In addition to the championships there are team relays, again leading on to greater things for those successful ones. I suspect however that things will tail off quickly once the school holidays begin.

Attendances are good at training. We had a great morning last Saturday with the sun shining. And it was great to see our new coaches itching to get involved and help out. And the onus is on us existing coaches to see that they are given every opportunity to coach whilst being there to advise if necessary. This is a difficult balance, trying to encourage new coaches to get on with it and take a group without throwing them in at the deep end. But it is great to see that Crusaders is unlikely to end up like Jersey Spartan AC with an 'active' coaches list a page long but with, on a rainy February evening, the same small handful of coaches doing all the work.

And we have split our work now with me taking on the U14/U15 groups, Moira the U12/U13 and Moya the U10/U11. On Saturdays we get the 'babies' from age 6 upwards and we need to look after them as well. In addition we each have our own specialities. I am throws, Moira is hurdles and pole vault whilst Moya is taking a firm interest in high jump. But it's fair to say we turn our hand to most everything!

Now let's hope we get a run of fine weather with the omens good for the forthcoming Bank Holiday weekend.

Adamstown 8k

2009-05-24T16:03:00.004+01:00

Adamstown is a newly created satellite of Dublin. Set on a greenfield site it has a railway station through which the Inter Cities blast through without a second glance, but the odd commuter train does stop. I and one other runner alighted from such a train this morning and made our way through the quiet town to registration.

Designed and half-built during the Tiger years Adamstown consists of scattered apartments and flatlets, one school, a few shops. There is no real downtown, no centre of activity. The Lord Lucan pub looks as if it might provide this function. Although nicely designed and well-built the town totally lacks soul. It is home to a large Afro-European population who at least came out and lent a little atmosphere to Bleaksville for the first Adamstown 8k.

At least the sun was shining and registration was slick. However I was banking on changing facilities, and there were none. Not good, and I managed to get my gear on al fresco behind the baggage van. A little warm-up down a mercifully undeveloped green lane and over to the start. My mood didn't lighten to see that if I didn't stand in the sub-40 zone I was considered a 'jogger'. So, like a few others, I hovered in a make-believe zone between the two signs. Off we went and I knew immediately I didn't have my race head on. My running in the last 10 days or so has been painful so I just settled in as best I could. Around traffic-free development-zoned land we went, past the railway station and out onto the road that links Adamstown to the main Dublin road. Flat and fast this course, no doubt about it. At the Dublin road the field turned around to head back to town and us laggards could see the race at the sharp end. One chap had broken away, possibly intent on picking up the €10,000 bonus for breaking the Irish record of 22-something. A couple of Raheny boys trailed about 40 metres behind. And after I made my turn I was able to take comfort from the fact that there are still slower runners than me in existence.

Back the same way, past the station and the undeveloped land, into town and across the line in 42.16. I should be able to break 40 on a course such as that but try telling my legs that. The course was bang on 8k per my Garmin. The goody bag consisted of a T-shirt (wrong size though I swapped it later) a banana and an energy drink. Me and the other girl were again the only runners to get the train back to Dublin.

Adamstown is as far away from the idea of traditional Ireland as you can get. You wouldn't go there unless you had to. You have just got to hope that it builds some sort of of community spirit and gets some soul. As for me I'm now looking forward to Cork in eight days time.

A Phedippidations Drinks Party

2009-05-17T21:55:00.004+01:00

Ten miles this morning, out to Blackrock and back. A grim old Dublin day with glowering skies and a brisk southerly to boot. Crap splits but at least I'm happy that I'm getting the runs in which maybe is as much as I can hope for these days. Next Sunday I'm entered for the Adamstown 8k which offers €10,000 for breaking the Irish record of 22 something. I'll be very happy if I can get anywhere near the 41min I ran for the Bandon 5 in December, but frankly I'm looking at nearer 45. Anyway that's 22 miles on the week, pretty ordinary really.

But what are we to make of Steve Runner, the voice of the podcast Phedippidations? I am a long-time fan having downloaded most (though not quite all) of his episodes. First of all, if you are not a listener, I urge you to subscribe for free via iTunes. At least give it a go. Fdip is a great companion when doing your weekend long runs. Steve is a converted runner, having been a couch potato for a number of his post-college years. He has now run - I forget, 20+ full marathons, and still maintains a goal of a sub four-hour. Uniquely (or it was so at one time) much of his material is recorded during his long runs, or even races - and edited back at his studio. Most recently we followed him with fascination as he completed yet another Boston Marathon off inadequate training, having received a late wild card.

But Steve's show has evolved to much more than just following his training and running. The podcast would long since have died a death had this been the case. Instead it is now hugely popular and, though Steve tirelessly promotes other running podcasts, he is still the Daddy. We hear of many things, and I for one am astonished at how one guy can speak with authority on so many subjects. Where does he find the time to cover the ground that he does? If I have a heavy week at work (unusual) then my running suffers and little else gets done other than my tri-weekly coaching sessions. But here is a guy with a demanding job in IT and a family life. But he is able to successfully compartmentalise these and still find time for his running and his other various interests - wine, astronomy, the American Civil War, baseball etc.

Steve puts himself across the 'good guy' but he is not afraid to go off on one when he feels like it. In his two most recent episodes for example he totally trashes (1) anyone who is opposed to the MMR vaccine on the grounds that it is linked to autism and (2) the practice of homeopathy. This latter seemed to be grounded in one particular and horrific case where a child suffered and died through her parents rejecting conventional medicine. Now I don't know enough about these subjects to be authoritative, but you can bet your life Steve has done his research. Again, where does he conjure up the time? I regularly take positions and defend them on basic evidence, but I'm open to being proved wrong by those that have taken the time to examine the evidence. Steve will already have the evidence marshalled.

Steve is one of the few guys I'd like to spend a beery evening with. Who else might be there? Ian Hunter for sure, Dick Beardsley, Stephen King. Sad that they're all male and American residents. So for balance let's add Carol Decker, Mary Peters (one of the loveliest ladies I've ever met) and Goldie Hawn. And it'll be Guinness for the lads and whatever the girls are having.

Edit - good idea this! I'm creating a drinks party list on the left.

Dublin Athletics Board League - Match 3

2009-05-17T17:23:00.003+01:00

Under glowering clouds League 3 for Dublin's young athletes took place this afternoon. And we just about got away with it as the black clouds constantly threatened but never quite delivered.

It was nice to have a meet at Irishtown for a change rather than have to trek out to Santry. And it had the effect of highlighting a few shortcomings in the stadium equipment and general setup. Crusaders provided a fair percentage of the officials and I was sent off to lead the discus events (helped by Jean Ferry) which today consisted of U13 and U14, both boys and girls. Consequently I didn't see too much of what went on elsewhere.

However Alix Hughes arrived at the throws cage with the news that she had won the U14G shot putt. Which is great - I'm not sure we've actually won an event up until now. Her discus was OK though she can do much better. Crusaders' athletes have an advantage over many others who do not have access to throws facilities/coaches. Laura Crowley took 3rd place in the U13 event and Ciara Barry 4th.

Out on the track our Aoibhe Walsh, only 7 this month, somehow managed to wangle her way into the U10G 500m and didn't finish that far behind the penultimate runner.

So not too many details at this time. I'll put them up when they are published.

Samuel Beckett Bridge

2009-05-13T09:41:00.006+01:00

To continue on the bridge theme, here is the new Samuel Beckett Bridge coming into Dublin Bay having arrived from the constructors in the Netherlands. Designed in more prosperous times it is shaped like a harp, a symbol of Ireland's Celtic roots. Not to be confused with the drink that gives cat's piss a bad name.

This morning as I trudged wearily opposite the working docks, there it was moored up. The plan is to sail it under the nearby East Link (see post below) and from there a short way upriver where it will be put in place. However the strong breezes have meant that this manouevre has not been possible so far this week. But with the winds due to moderate maybe by tomorrow morning I'll be able to report progress.

Yay! Here it comes through the East Link. What a great pic.

The Bridge Man Rocks!

2009-05-10T16:12:00.002+01:00

After a couple of rainy, windy days it was a warm and still Sunday morning. So pleasant was it, and so easy was I feeling, that I added a couple of miles to my planned 10-miler. That took me beyond Blackrock village for the first time in a while. After an easy outrun I determined to wind it up a little on the return trip - use my arms, pick up my heels a little more. But after eight miles I flagged somewhat and contented myself with a quiet trot home on what was now a pretty warm day.

I've always enjoyed running in warm conditions and indeed Jersey provided plenty of opportunities. Nevertheless I find that I rarely run well. It may or may not be coincidence that my abject failures in the 2007 and 2008 Cork Marathons were under pretty warm conditions. Once again I wonder if my hydration policy is a factor. It may be all very well drinking during a run/race but is the damage done well before that point? Today my only hydration in the preceding 15 hours was a bottle of wine and a cup of coffee.

One of the advantages of being a plodder is that you can take in your surroundings rather better. I have no difficulty in stopping to take a breather either, and early in the run this morning I had the opportunity to observe, for the first time, the East Link bridge raised to allow a piddly little yacht to pass underneath thus holding up traffic and runners alike. An awesome sight close-up and all controlled by a man in a hut. Just as my son once set his heart on becoming a Stop-Go man who controls traffic, I want to be the man who's job it is to push the button to raise the East Link.

A little further on I ran closer to the river than I normally do, to observe the boats in the so-called marina. If that's what Dublin's marina amounts to well it's a sorry effort. Surely there must be more than that? It would fit into a corner of any of the marinas in St Helier or St Peter Port, though admittedly the floating palaces there rarely do anything as vulgar as go anywhere.

So 12 miles in a couple of hours today, 25 on the week and 385.4 for the year to date. And approximately 1,200 miles in my present Asics Gel Cumulus. Which are showing interesting wear patterns, principally on the heel area, to my chagrin. But they remain serviceable and I've yet to manifest any symptoms of injuries that the doomsayers predict. The experiment continues and my box-fresh runners remain, ermm, box-fresh.

Dublin Athletics Board League - Match 2

2009-05-09T08:08:00.003+01:00

As the light faded at Santry the boys' shot putt - with some 25 competitors, was still going strong with the girls yet to start. At the javelin runway each of the young girls who stepped up, most strangers to the discipline, each got individual tuition from the kindly coach/official. Somewhere out in the gloom there were a series of 800m races going on. Impatient Dads wondered if they'd ever get away for a pint before closing time.

I'm not sure why this fixture was switched to a Friday night - something to do with a clash with a GAA event. It didn't seem to affect the numbers competing, although many of our young Crusaders had found other important business on this occasion.

There is a savage fall-off in numbers however as children go up the age-groups. For the U15 discus, relegated to the field outside the main stadium, for example there were only a handful of throwers. Both Aoife Murray and Philip Murphy aquitted themselves pretty well in what was their first discus competition. But even at this slightly older and more experienced level the standard of throwing is poor in the extreme. Back in the main arena amongst the U13 girls' javelin throwers only one or two had a notion of what to do. The shot is always popular as it is easy to perform. Dublin provides little hope for a revival in Ireland's throwing fortunes - where are the coaches?

Out on the track Clodagh Ferry finished second in her 150m heat and also second in her long jump. (Just an observation - in the UK/Channel Islands children under 11 would not be allowed to sprint competitively for a greater distance than 60m due to the underdeveloped aerobic system at this age, but Ireland seem to have no such concerns). Rosin McGuill PB'd in her long jump. Orla Murray was 4th in her 150m heat and chucked the jav as well as most. Isabel O'Leary and Abby McNamara also ran well and Isabel, with her one valid throw came second in the shot. Trials were reduced to two each as night descended and Izzy's second was a lovely glide which may have clinched the win but it clipped the sector line. Philip was left for dead in the 800m but gamely battled on to finish.

There is a great appetite amongst the youngsters for athletics with the Dublin officials hard pressed to cope sometimes. The great pity continues to be the massive dropout rate around ages 14/15.

Oh, and I got my pint.

Bray to Greystones

2009-05-04T16:53:00.003+01:00

Probably 50 years ago, as a child, I had the tragic experience of dropping an ice cream onto the sand at Greystones beach. Refusing to believe my misfortune I demanded to be taken to the same spot the following day to see if the ice cream could be recovered. I daresay the whole incident damaged me and might explain one or two things that have happened in later life.

Today I wasn't planning to run, but Bank Holiday Monday stretched out ahead alarmingly. In days gone by, back in Blighty, one could rely on BBC's Bank Holiday Grandstand with moto-cross, rugby league, maybe a spot of show jumping. Today there was the dubious offering of snooker and IPL cricket until Aston Villa v Hull much later. So I pulled on my whiffy gear again and set off. Someone had mentioned the cliffpath between Bray and Greystones as worth checking out so, armed with iPod I hopped on the DART to Bray.

It's about a kilometre from Bray DART station to the beginning of the cliffpath, and the seafront is redolent of many a small English resort with its cheap-and-cheerful novelty shops, cafes, arcades and well-established hotels all under a grey and breezy sky. Soon enough you are onto the cliffpath which rises gently and makes its way around the coastline, up above the railway line. Gently or not my calves were reminding me that they had also done some unaccustomed extra work on my beach run yesterday.

I had intended maybe walking or walk/jogging these few miles but instinct took over and I eventually ran the whole distance. The path gets a bit rocky in places, but generally it's fine for ordinary running shoes. It's an easy run, certainly compared to the north coast cliffpaths of Jersey which provide some serious ascents to the intrepid runner. But all hail to those that created - or at least made useable to the public, the coastal ways and cliffpaths we find all around our islands.

Coming into Greystones was a disappointment. There is huge development going on at the north end and, whatever the end result is going to be, it presently resembles a nuclear disaster area with the walker/runner grudgingly afforded a wayleave through the destruction into the town. But, once you get there it's a cute enough little place with plenty of bars and restaurants. Outside the DART station I purchased a Lucozade Sport rather than an ice cream for the trip back to Dublin. Nice to get five miles in the log so early in the week.

Pure Morning

2009-05-03T12:39:00.004+01:00

There's something in the Dublin air today. The stars are in alignment. Maybe it's something to do with the euphoria drenching the city after the D4 Pretty Boys' dismantling of the Munster Machine at Croke Park yesterday evening - what an astonishing performance and totally deserved result that was as well.

Still feeling a little way off my best form running-wise I set off on a 10-miler this morning, and it turned out to be an unusual couple of hours. At the north end of Sandymount Strand I hesitated. Not once in all the months I've run up and down here have I taken to the beach instead of the pathways. So, with absolutely no time targets or anything and with the tide out I found myself trotting gently south towards Dun Laoghaire on the sand. Reasonably firm and easy along the first section the beach becomes more unpredictable once you run beyond the south part of the Strand. Here we find more sea vegetation, flotsam and jetsam, an astonishing cuttlefish graveyard, drainage outflows. One of these outflows involves a choice of (a) wading across or (b) clambering up the sea wall and down the other side. I chose the latter and, whereas a younger person would complete the traverse easily I must have resembled a spider trying to escape from a bath as I eventually completed the mission. A little further on I came across the derelict Blackrock Baths, one of several old municipal seafront bathing pools along Dublin Bay which are awaiting a decision as to their future.

Sadly the beach was no longer runnable beyond this point so I turned for home the way I had come. The whole thing was thoroughly enjoyable and a reminder that one ought to keep one's running fresh by seeking out different routes and trails. It certainly wasn't fast but 10.74 miles in a respectable time considering my Garmin made no concession to me having to pick my way through the various obstacles set in my way today.

For the last half mile or so I popped my iPod on shuffle and - what are the chances of the first song being your mobile ringtone - in my case the Placebo classic Pure Morning. And second was I Feel Free by Cream.

Of course these omens mean that Birmingham will beat Reading and gain promotion in the match just about to kick off...

Edit (later) Reading 1-2 Birmingham. I believe an extra pint at Mulligans later is in order.

Dublin Athletics Board League - Match 1

2009-04-26T21:53:00.002+01:00

London Marathon, Hamburg Marathon, National 10k just down the road. Yawn. Santry was where the real action was today with Round 1 of the Dublin Athletics Board League for the youngsters of the region. And mobbed the place was too with large fields in most of the events for the younger age groups in particular. Never mind the standard of competition (and the open nature of the event allows all to compete, long may it continue) it was a great afternoon's sport.

Crusaders were fairly well represented, though with only one boy! And young Philip Murphy was a credit to the club in his first ever outing - well done Philip. There were some good results for the otherwise all-girls team. Most notable were - Isobel O'Leary 2nd and Clodagh Ferry 3rd in their sprints, Emily Shiels 4th and Niamh Ferry 5th in long jump, Sarah Maher 4th in her 500m. And we had other sprint finalists such as Orla Murray and first-timer Eithne Branagan, with the other girls all giving it a great shot. (Grainne McGuill allegedly cleared 1.30 HJ in the deserted indoor practice area - funny how your best jumps always come when no one is watching!)

And a word for the excellent Dublin officials led by Sheila Brennan. There are a number of those officials who seem to be involved on a non-stop basis, even appearing at the events in Nenagh and Magherafelt. Today things ran as smoothly as could ever be expected with armies of youngsters and their coaches and parents roaming around, anxious not to miss their next event. I was eventually collared to lead the ball throw event for the younger boys. In this instance the projectile was a sliotar such as is whacked around with hurleys in this country, whereas in Jersey and England it would be a cricket ball, or rounders ball for the girls. And let me tell you that keeping 25 under-11 boys under control is not my forte, but we got through the competition without too much trauma.

Due to pure idleness I missed my long run today. The only good thing about this is that I have no racing commitment until 1 June. On that day I am captaining a Boards.ie relay team in the Cork Marathon. There are five of us and none of us know each other from a bar of soap having signed up for the relay via a popular athletics internet forum that we all contribute to. So that's something to look forward to and it means that I am setting my alarm clock for 6.30am tomorrow with a view to reviving my running form a little.

Post-Easter progress

2009-04-24T16:27:00.001+01:00

It’s been a funny old week. After a few days downtime not feeling so good I took to the track last Sunday. Weaving in and out of the DSD crowd who commandeer the home straight on Sundays I got in a good 40 minutes or so of intervals. The last one of 90 seconds was a big effort. After just failing to make the full 400m (watch out Jeremy Wariner) within that time I lay gasping desperately like a fish for several minutes propped up against the brand new and expensive metal pole vault pit cover.

My subsequent morning runs however tell me that I’m still not 100%. Of course the mornings are now totally bright and often sunny in stark contrast to those bleak-ish winter ventures. Development continues, albeit now very slowly, in the Docklands. Always there’s a little progress here or there to interest one. Just off Hanover Quay we have a fairly typical situation now where a large hotel has just been completed but this will now presumably be mothballed until more propitious times come along. All over Ireland are thousands of unsold complete or half-complete developments. They reckon it will take a couple of years to burn off this surplus even once the market loosens up again. Construction is not the game to be in right now.

Between Macken Street and Spencer Dock work is progressing at either end of what will be the new Samuel Beckett road bridge. From what I know of bridge-building, once the support structures are in place on either side of the river the bridge itself will be thrown across in five minutes. It’ll be great for cross-town traffic but will make life less pleasant for the runner.

Surprisingly small attendances down at Irishtown since Easter. In Jersey we were used to a big influx with the new school term. (I remember one particularly spectacular evening when nearly 50 young ladies turned up for my junior girls’ session and we had to decamp to the nearby cricket field for some space).

It’s the first of the Dublin Athletics Board junior league fixtures at Santry on Sunday so we’ll see how that goes.

Moseley Abu

2009-04-17T21:31:00.007+01:00

Not my game, rugby. Educated at a soccer-playing school you only got to play rugby if you couldn't get on any of the footy teams. Therefore I don't quite recall how I got to take part in my one and only match. I must have been in the backs as I don't remember scrumming down. My hazy recollections amount to discovering the ball in my hands once or twice and immediately hurling it a long way away, in whatever direction I didn't care, so as to divert the attentions of the big boys on the opposing team.

But here in Ireland they are mad for it, like they are for their soccer and GAA (not athletics regrettably). The enthusiasm has not been dampened by the recent Grand Slam where Ireland showed they had the biggest balls.

In Galway town, early in the afternoon of the epic decider against Wales, I saw a bar advertising the game on TV - along with 100% of bars in the two countries of course. But this one offered 'A free pint if Brian O'Driscoll scores a try'. I wasn't there when Drico dotted down late in the first half but ever since I've been wondering how many punters were in the bar, and whether or not the gaffer waited for TMO confirmation before paying out!

And now Leinster play Munster in the semi-final of the Heineken Cup at Croke Park in a fortnight's time. The scramble for tickets is astonishing given the 82,000 capacity. No one is in any doubt that Munster fans will get their hands on many of the Leinster allocation - they are past masters at this after years of success around Europe. But it is the enthusiasm and optimism of the Leinster fans that amazes me. Unless something extraordinary happens the Red Machine will yet again throttle the life out of the aristocrats of Leinster as easily as you would your granny, having ascertained her Will was in order.

But much more personal to me is a little match coming up at Headquarters (Twickenham) tomorrow. Back in 1979 I was at Twickers to see Moseley, then a major club from Birmingham's suburbs, narrowly lose the John Player Cup Final to Leicester. This was long before the game became professional. When it did Moseley handled it badly and fell headlong down through the new English leagues. Only in recent years have they clambered back somewhat. Today they hold their own in Div 1, the second tier of English rugby. A couple of weeks back they unexpectedly beat the no.2 team in the division, Exeter, in the semi-final of the EDF Energy Trophy. Tomorrow it will be like old times as 80 coaches leave Birmingham to see Moseley take on Leeds Carnegie, the runaway division leaders and overwhelming favourites, in the final. Whatever the outcome it will be a day that few of those 1970's fans will ever have expected to experience again.

Edit (Saturday) Moseley 23 - 18 Leeds Carnegie!!!

No voy a Wexford

2009-04-16T22:11:00.004+01:00

When Radcliffe or Gebrselassie announce their withdrawal from a race the promoters must surely hurl themselves around the walls cursing and swearing and tearing their hair out - before gathering themselves and declaring to the world that 'they fully understand the situation and sympathise with Paula/Heille and look forward to welcoming them in a year's time.'

Tonight I feel the organisers' pain as I announce my non-participation in Wexford and Armagh this weekend, both of which I have entered. Simply put, for whatever reason, I have felt low and worn-out this week and I've done no running since Monday. It would be crazy for me to roll up at the Wexford Half not certain of what shape I'm in.

However I'm really not that fussed (although Wexford represented a sizeable investment - their entry fee has taken some criticism and I hope the race does it justice) as neither race was a particular key target for me. I'll just re-focus once I regain my form.

Down at Irishtown it was a damp evening tonight. But the virtual total absence of our young athletes was bemusing. I hope they're not turning into fair-weather performers, in which case the future is not good for them.

But if we had a result tonight it was probably concluding that both Sarah (16) and Brian (14) probably don't have a javelin career ahead of them. Oh, and that Sarah's Spanish needs a bit more work.

Going to the dogs

2009-04-13T12:30:00.003+01:00

So how's my running going? Well.....I just don't understand those runners who habitually work long hours, have a commute, have family commitments etc and yet who manage to get in high mileage. They are truly dedicated to their sport and they have my admiration.

Over the last week or so I've been working rather longer hours than usual - earlier starts, later finishes, but nothing that you'd call extraordinary. But I've found that my running has just stopped as a consequence. (Not to mention my club night coaching about which I feel very guilty).

Anyhow, with the Wexford Half coming up next Sunday I needed a kick start. With Irishtown Stadium being closed (Easter Saturday, don't ask) I ventured in to adjacent Ringsend Park. Although I had misgivings about this due to the large dog population it turned out fine. I thought an intervals session was in order to get my legs moving so I borrowed this one from my brother - 4.30min, 4.00, 3.30, 3.00, 2.30 with 2min recoveries then 3 x 90secs with 90secs recoveries. I believe it's the first time I've done an interval session by time. It's quite fun as there's no pressure as to speed, but nonetheless you want to make it worthwhile. So with the mile jog to and from home I considered that a useful morning.

However my body does not recover well from speed sessions and yesterday was a pretty gruelling 8-mile run/walk. However it was the first time I'd tried the Grand Canal paths along the southside, as opposed to the more familiar Royal Canal. And interesting it was too, through the business districts out into the 'burbs - Baggot Street, Leeson Street, Charlemont, Portobello, Harold's Cross, Dolphin's Barn and finally turning around at Suir Road. Dublin with its best face on in the sunshine with even the alkies on their benches putting on cheery faces. A pity I wasn't in rather better shape to appreciate it all.

And this morning was even more hopeless as I recorded five of the junkiest miles I can remember. All that can be said in favour of junk miles is that they are better than no miles.

So now I plan to do maybe a couple of short tempo runs in midweek but otherwise live cleanly and properly until Sunday. Must go shopping and stock up on carbs, also fruit, veg, nuts etc. I've been very lazy about food recently. I know what I ought to be doing and I just need to start doing it a bit better.

Ronnie Delany - Legend

2009-04-11T18:04:00.004+01:00

Back in the day, English bobbies, notebooks poised, would invite speeding drivers to wind down their windows with the phrase 'What's your name then Sir, Stirling Moss?' In much the same era the Irish, if fed up of being urged to fetch this, fetch that, hurry up would often complain 'Give me a chance, who do you think I am, Ronnie Delany?'

The man became a legend overnight in his native country by winning the 1500m gold medal in the Melbourne Olympics in 1956. He remains a legend to this day, still chipper and smart, living and working in his home city of Dublin.

Ronnie was born in Arklow, Co Wicklow, in 1935 but the family moved to Dublin a few years later during the War years. They lived at St John's Road, Sandymount - many times I've run past there up and down Sandymount Strand. The young Delany was no running prodigy in his early years but nonetheless was a sporty lad and there were (and are) no lack of sporting facilities in that part of the city. His indiscriminate enjoyment of all sports he credits with building the athleticism that was to stand him in good stead later.

He attended O'Connell's CBS primary school on the northside, and recalls how he used to run from Amiens Street (now Connolly) Station up Buckingham Street to the school in the shadows of Croke Park. His first running success was indeed within the famous stadium, leading off his school relay team to victory.

But it was only when he was 17 that Ronnie discovered athletics, joining his successful older brother Joe at Crusaders AC, who in those days trained at Sandymount. With encouragement he gained early success as a half-miler at College and Youth competitions. But it was only when, in the summer of 1953, he became the first Irish schoolboy to break 2 minutes for the 880 yards that he realised he had real talent, and he started to take running seriously. So seriously that he threw up a coveted cadetship with the Irish Army as it would have interfered with his growing ambitions to become a successful athlete.

After more success in 1954 including breaking the senior national record Delany was offered a scholarship at Villanova University, Pennsylvania. It was here that he came under the wing of coach 'Jumbo' Elliot. Delany became a miler and for the next five years had unprecedented success 'on the boards' on the US circuit with a dominant Villanova team. He was selected to run for Ireland in the 1956 Olympics and joined up with the rest of the team when they touched down in New York.

The race that defined Delany is captured on the videotape that was only seen in his native country several days afterwards. In a high-tempo 1500m final no more than 20 metres covered the field as they came to the 200m mark with Delany near the back. But with an incredible turn of speed he comes on the outside and takes the lead as they come into the home straight, and holds on to win with arms outstretched (he'd practised that) in a new Olympic record.

He continued to race extensively in the US, and also in Ireland and Europe during the summer months. This constant racing took its toll and, increasingly troubled by injury, Ronnie retired in 1962 at the age of 27. Along with the revered athletics promotor Billy Morton, Delany was a catalyst in the building of the new national athletics stadium at Santry.

Since those heady days Ronnie has had a successful business career and has led a fulfilled family life. He acknowledges the fact that being an Olympic champion is a privilege, and gives readily of his time. He is truly a legend and one deserving of the label.

Edit - as an interesting postscript you may like to visit http://www.westwaterfordathletics.org/content/view/101/19/ and scroll to the end for a unique story and photo connected to Ronnie's Olympic victory.

Magherafelt Mornings

2009-04-05T18:14:00.007+01:00

So into JJ's car (with daughter Ciara crashed out in the back somewhere) at just past 6am with the only other vehicles in sight being local cabs with their 'for hire' signs forlornly shining. And after an incident-free and fast run up through former bandit country we are the very first arrivals at the Meadowbank Stadium in Magherafelt, County Londonderry.

Once the staff arrive and open up we have our first look inside. And what a fantastic place they have there. Newly built it is just huge inside, big enough to house a full-sized soccer pitch. Generally it will accommodate all manner of sports but today it is the last day, the relays day, of the All-Ireland Indoor Track & Field Championships.

A 5-lane, 300 metre flat track surrounds a huge infield where high jump beds, shot circles etc are lost in the vastness. There are spectator facilities on three levels and full catering facilities, though they are stretched today. As one would expect the changing and shower facilities are excellent.

What is more, there is a full-sized outdoor tartan track as well which doubles today as a warm-up facility. The only thing lacking outside at present is spectator facilities, for which there is room if the money and desire is.

How on earth could the Republic not have had the imagination to provide one of these, or anything like it? Truly we reap what we sow.

But we are so early that I avail myself of the changing facilities and trot off around the local lanes for 70 minutes - 7 miles I suppose though I am Garmin-less. A few miles over to the east I catch a glimpse of the great expanse of water that is Lough Neagh. As everyone knows, this was formed when Finn McCool lost his cool and hurled a huge clod of land at a Scottish giant. It landed in the Irish Sea where it became the Isle of Man.

Back at the stadium the Crusaders U13 girls have checked in - their heats are first up. But almost disaster time! By not realising the call room procedure we are almost eliminated before getting onto the track! I don't know how I'd have faced Moira (who has not travelled). But our familiar and kindly official from Dublin who's in charge of the call room allows our girls to scamper over to join the other teams.

The girls (Ciara, Rachel, Grainne, Orla) run and hand off nicely but to no avail - we finish 4th in a fast heat clocking 58.18 and, although there were one or two DQs flying around it is the end of the road, but not before having finished 7th fastest in Ireland.

Some time later it is the turn of the slightly younger U12 girls Niamh, Olibhia, Isabel and Emily - not forgetting faithful reserve Juliet. Once again we are unlucky to catch a fast heat and despite a creditable 61.14 we are 9th fastest.

But the girls are pleased with themselves and we are proud of them. In years to come when Crusaders are a real force in athletics once again it is this year's young athletes that will have shown the way.

Discus time

2009-04-04T20:20:00.002+01:00

An OK week running-wise. My 10-miler on Monday has been followed by three morning 4-milers. Tomorrow I hope to get at least a few miles in during a road trip to Northern Ireland.

Two weeks to the Wexford Half Marathon. In truth I've not been doing much different in preparation for this. I suppose I'm becoming to regard a Half as just another Sunday long run, albeit at a rather greater intensity. I've not as yet got a focal point for this year's training. I doubt if I'll crank my training up for a marathon. I promised that I'd never do another one. And, although you can never really say never I'm quite happy to pick and choose some nice shorter races around the island of Ireland.

It's been a nice week at Irishtown stadium as some better weather kicks in. With the indoor season out of the way we can grab discus and javelin. These are totally new events to most of our young athletes and the young ladies in particular have taken to the discus with enthusiasm. As a coach I get huge satisfaction in seeing the progression of the young ones - from the point where they have no idea how to hold or release the implement to seeing them perform competent throws which will give them a head start in their schools' competitions. Hopefully one or two will press on to specialise in throws.

Tomorrow it's up at cock crow to hit the road for Magherafelt in Derry, which is going to be a drive of at least three hours there and back. Our U12 and U13 girls have qualified for the All-Ireland Indoor Relay Championships. So, although either team will do very well to get out of their heat we travel with high spirits to fly the Crusader colours in the far north.

Heel-striking - NO!!

2009-03-30T19:26:00.003+01:00

After seven runless days and general unhealthy living I hit the road again this morning. Ten deliberately slow miles, understandably sluggish, down to Blackrock and back. And a lovely, mild day it was for a run. I'm now hopefully back in the groove and I'll try to regain my best running form leading up to Wexford.

En route I listened to Phedippidations 178. I was all ears as Steve decided to talk about running 'form' and, specifically how to increase stride length. As a track & field coach I was pleased that Steve decided to tackle the subject. Most road runners just sort of...run, without thinking of how they might make things easier on themselves, or how to improve.

I was pleased that Steve had something to say on the recovery leg - the work that the foot does behind the body after leaving the ground. Actively working on the recovery leg will undoubtedly increase stride length. And even though this may only be by a very small amount, these small amounts will add up in the course of a run. It is an aspect that too few track coaches emphasise, and hardly any endurance coaches.

Strides (US - striders) were however inadequately covered and explained. Strides should not be done over as great a distance as the length of a football field as you will not be able to maintain 'form'. Strides are more correctly described as 'slow sprinting' where each aspect of the stride is emphasised - high hips, high knees, good recovery leg, arm drive etc. Maybe 5-7 repeats over 50 metres would be good.

The episode was very good, but I just cannot let the heel-striking thing rest. Steve asserts that 80% of runners are heel-strikers - source?? Then 80% of runners are WRONG! And I don't like the outspoken proponents of POSE or Chi Running either. But at least they don't encourage runners to land unnaturally on their heels and store up knee injuries. But Steve is man enough to admit that this is a controversial area and he has, and will, give due coverage to this subject. But to me it's just a no-brainer.

And you just gotta smile at the news that Steve got his Boston Marathon invite after his quite naked begging in recent weeks! Now he will describe to us how he will get in marathon shape in five weeks. Good man.

Crusaders Juniors in Nenagh - Day 2

2009-03-29T16:50:00.002+01:00

The Republic of Ireland's only indoor 200m track is at Nenagh in North Tipperary, a couple of hours drive from the capital. Having found this nondescript town you are reliant on prior directions as there is not a single sign directing you there. And suddenly you come upon what is indeed a barn in a field.

Nonetheless the interior consists of a most acceptable facility for athletics. A banked, four-lane 200m track, a 10-lane 60m sprint/hurdles strip in the middle, twin long-jump pits at either side and high-jump beds to pull out into the middle once the sprinting is over. In addition there is a covered warm-up area where, rather disappointingly, the shot-putt facility is housed, down the end like an embarrassing relation.

The standard of competition was inevitably much higher than that our athletes experienced in Dublin and we didn't threaten the podium.

First up early in the day was Matthew Behan in the U14 sprint hurdles. He was simply overpowered by bigger, stronger athletes and his 10.99 didn't qualify him for the final.
Patrick Keegan competed well in the U16 long jump without threatening.
Brian Gray finished eighth out of nine in the U16 shot with a best of 9.92, beaten by fitter, stronger lads. His time will come if he works at it.
Alix Hughes arrived just in time to take part in the U14 shot. Although throwing nicely she was - like Matthew, the smallest in the field and did not make the cut. Alix will do better with more technical throws and has the early makings of a multi-eventer.

But back to the facility. I can't fathom how, when the Celtic Tiger was roaring, Croke Park was being re-developed and Landsdowne Road completely rebuilt, Athletics Ireland couldn't manage to produce at least one high performance athletics facility near to Dublin.

Crusaders Juniors in Nenagh - Day 1

2009-03-28T18:23:00.003Z

The text news from down the country is that

Sarah Fleming threw badly with a best of 8.88m for fourth place in the U16G shot
Isabel O'Leary did well to finish 7th with a PB in the U12G shot
Olibhia Collins did not progress in the same event
James Woods got boxed in his 600m heat and finished 5th and did not qualify for tomorrow's final
Patrick Keegan, who qualified as a reserve from Dublin, did not progress from his 100m heat

It's a long way to Tipperary

2009-03-27T21:18:00.000Z

I've not put one foot in front of the other this week. I'm beginning to see a trend here where a race is followed by lack of motivation. Hopefully I'll get a few miles in on Sunday and a long run, unusually, on Monday.

This weekend Crusaders have athletes competing at Nenagh (a couple of hours drive from Dublin) in the finals of the All-Ireland Indoor T&F Championships. To my chagrin I can't get down there on Saturday so best wishes to Sarah, Izzy and Livs (shot putt), James (600m) and Patrick (60m).

On Sunday it's a 7.30 start to see Matthew (sprint hurdles), James (hopefully in the 600m final) and shot putters Brian and Alix. Brian is going to use the 'shift' or 'shuffle' technique as opposed to the 'glide' as he is achieving much better distances in training with this. Alix is impressing me no end in training and - like Sarah, I think we will have a discus star on our hands this summer.

Connemara Half Marathon

2009-03-23T19:24:00.003Z

My third Conn Half, and it's always an adventure. The race is the main thing of course but there's everything else that goes into making this complex event so memorable. Registration on the Saturday was at the Marriott in Galway - a mile trudge through a God-forsaken part of the city, through cheapo retail parks and across blaring traffic. Once there however the process was as slick as ever.

On race day you make your way across to Galway Cathedral, gathering other silent runners along the way. You get on one of the huge fleet of coaches trusting that it's for Leenane and it's not going to drop you at the marathon or the ultra start. Out of Galway and gradually the scenery changes from farmland and seascapes to rather bleaker, hilly land until you are in the heart of Joyce's Country and Connemara where the majestic, rocky hills support only a bit of sheep farming and tourism. At last you are offloaded at Leenane, at the head of Ireland's only fjord Killary Harbour.

Here you do your best to keep warm for a couple of hours before the midday race start. There's no shelter but at least it's dry this year, if chilly. And while the harbour businesses could make a killing on this morning all stay resolutely shut apart from a small foodstore which does huge trade.

Too soon you are invited to put your bags onto the lorries, meaning a half-hour hanging around in your race gear. I elect to wear a long-sleeved T-shirt under my Crusader's singlet, but there are plenty of hardy souls with bare shoulders. I go for a little warm-up and I'm feeling fit and frisky. So today I'm going to enjoy the day but hopefully with my race face on and hopefully a sub-two.

Chip mats at the start! Well done the organisers - it means no pressure to get near the front. We're off and, after a downhill jog it's into the first of the uphill miles. Slow, too slow. No chance of pushing on at this time with everybody so tightly packed. But did I mis-read my Garmin? In fact I'm up with my target time at Mile 2 but decide I need to step on the gas. My target pace from here to Mile 9 is 8.45m/m but whoa, 7.57 for Mile 3! I've a little work to do before achieving Bekele's sense of pace. Ease off - but not enough as 8.15 and 8.23 follow. But I'm feeling fine and figuring that the Hell Of The West later will be a crawl whether or not I'm bushed. I'm ahead of the game and can even afford time for a quick pitstop during Mile 7.

But for a few miles now there's been something wrong with my Garmin. The mile markers are coming up a couple of hundred metres after the Garmin has beeped. However I plough on, still running well and taking care to look around and admire the fantastic scenery. The sun is now out and it's a wonderful day.

Turn right at the pub and the last water station before the HOTW. As I suspected I'm flagging a bit as I start off on the 1.8 mile climb. However I've got no time worries and I slow down and head up the hill nice and steady The key is to concentrate on the next ten metres and not keep looking ahead to the endless stream of runners snaking upwards - easier said than done though. It's one of those hills while, though not steep, it fools you by pretending you're near the top - you never are. Past the simple memorial to the runner that died here in 2006 and finally over the top.

A couple of miles downhill and flat to finish. But it hurts to pick up the pace again after the hill. But it's only pain which is. of course, temporary. I'm happy I'm on track for my sub-two but hold on....I'm not that far ahead of the pace and the finish is way ahead of the 13.1 when my Garmin says I've finished. Nothing for it but to sprint (sort of) the extra distance, in between quite a crowd of spectators. At last under the gantry at Maam Cross and the Garmin stops at 13.31 miles and...1:59.21!

(It now appears that I was not alone in figuring the course is long!)

Then the inevitable queues for medal and T-shirt. Pick up kitbag. Head into Peacockes Hotel for grub and a drink - again all very well organised. Where do all these helpers come from? And finally onto the Galway-bound coach, the inevitable delay in negotiating the by-now gridlocked Maam Cross approach road before we're full speed for home.

So, very pleased with my effort in Connemara. Next up is the Wexford Half in four weeks time (though I'm also entered for the Armagh 10km on the same day). Hopefully I'll still be on form.

My mile splits

10.29 start/part uphill
9.07 part uphill
7.56
8.16
8.23
8.50
9.00
8.31
8.35
9.52 HOTW
10.57 HOTW
8.24
8.34

Connemara Preview

2009-03-20T21:35:00.002Z

As a fairly new runner in 2005 I was in seventh heaven just to be running in the Connemara Half Marathon. The occasion, the scenery etc just took my breath away and it is one of my greatest memories. I wasn't interested in my time but 2:00.09 was a little annoying, especially as I lost a minute or so getting across the start line.

I was entered to run the following year but never made the starting post. One young lad did, only to lose his life right at the top of the Hell of the West. Whilst I was as upset as anyone else for his friends and family I hope they took comfort in the fact that he died doing what he loved in one of the most beautiful spots on Earth.

I ran again in 2007. This time I got irritated by the big numbers allowed to enter the Half. It seemed to be an elbow-to-elbow affair for far too long, the marathoners and ultra-marathoners got fed up fighting their way through us and I lost any sense of magic. And although gunning for sub-two I never really got on terms and clocked 2:03 and bits.

On Sunday I have a three-point plan. (1) I have planned out my mile splits to take account of the slow start and the three miles of uphills, to bring me in under two hours (2) I am not going to get grumpy about the crowds or if I fail to get my target (3) To enjoy the trip, the rugby internationals tomorrow (Sat), the race atmosphere and the beer and Indian meal in Galway on Sunday night!

Race report early next week.

Dublin Juvenile Indoor Track & Field Championships

2009-03-20T21:27:00.002Z

The Dublin Athletics Board have finally published the results of the indoor championships - click the title for the link. Having praised them for their very good conduct of the championships I think it does them no credit to be publishing the results so late. Yeah I know that everybody's a volunteer, but athletes, parents etc are entitled to a better results service in these push-button times.

To their credit they also publish a list of qualifiers for the All-Ireland. I do hope that a few of those listed have a bit of cop-on and don't go.

Jersey v Guernsey cross country

2009-03-19T06:54:00.007Z

Funny how things evolve. I lived in Jersey for over 30 years and still keep an eye on things over there. The rivalry between Jersey and Guernsey has always been intense since Jersey declared for the King of England and Guernsey the Roundheads! In sport the annual Jersey v Guernsey fixture - in whatever sport, is still awaited with great eagerness, this despite the greater opportunities these days of competition further afield.

Football has a long history of duals between the islands since the first match in 1905. In the early years the annual match was sponsored by the cigarette company Muratti. That name has stuck ever since even though that sponsorship was short lived. And neither team has dominated football with the trophy changing hands frequently.

In other sports there have been some remarkable runs of success. Jersey had something like 10 successive victories at cricket in the 80s and early 90s since when Guernsey have dominated proceedings. There was a time where it was difficult to see how Jersey could ever again win a badminton or squash match, but the wheel has somehow turned.

But cross-country! Rarely I suggest has a gulf existed that is so wide as to appear unbridgeable. Last weekend Guernsey placed 10 runners in the top 11 at Delancey Park in the annual men's match. This without their top runner Lee Merrien. The mismatch has existed for quite a number of years now and, despite something of a revival in junior running in Jersey it really is hard to see when this state of affairs will ever even out.

Remarkably however Jersey have consistently had the better women's teams with, last weekend, Guernsey struggling to close full female teams on their home island.

Anyone interested in seeing the full results can click on the title for the link. Anyone with any sensible theories let me know!

Dublin Indoors - Final Day

2009-03-16T07:49:00.009Z

In contrast to the mob of young athletes which were at Santry last weekend there was a sparse turnout for the U16-U19 age groups yesterday. And from what I saw there was precious little real talent on display. It's been said to me that it's rare to have an All-Ireland champion from Dublin and I can't say I'm surprised.

Thankfully it was a couple of Crusaders that lifted the shot competition out of total mediocrity. Sarah Fleming (U18 group) - with no effective opposition, had a patchy series but an 'OK' best of 9.20m. She will need to improve on that in a fortnight's time to hope to get an All-Ireland medal, but I've a feeling that discus will ultimately be her event anyway. Shane Lynch (U19) who is coached by Phil Conway threw 13.21m and looked the part. I'd say he could add a metre by dropping his shoulders lower in the T-position and driving upwards from there. Brian Gray (U16) presently lacks athleticism and can improve greatly on his 8.10m.

The shot competition was held (needless to say) outdoors. Inside our three long jumpers Sean McGabhaim, Patrick Keegan and Fiachra Thirroueiz did fine without pulling up any trees.

Finally, here are a couple of good pics from last weekend The first of these I think is a classic as James Woods suddenly realises that he has company and needs to put a spurt on to protect his bronze medal. The second is Clodagh Ferry with her three medals.

A week until Conn

2009-03-16T06:53:00.002Z

Not the best run ever yesterday, but I suppose not the worst either. It was a beautiful spring morning and I set off to Killiney on the DART. At Pembroke Cricket Club at Sandymount the stumps were pitched on the artificial strip with a crowd of Indian-looking fellas looking eager to start the match. Below the cliffs at Killiney a few hardy souls deemed it fine enough to do a bit of bathing.

I was hoping for a good tempo run back into town but in truth I struggled a bit. That first climb up Vico Road and the early undulating run in and out of the little harbours should energise one, but I always end up feeling flat. However it was nice to see the Sunday crowds out all along Dublin Bay with Sandymount Strand particularly busy. 11.84 miles at 9.37m/m making 27.8 miles on the week.

So next Sunday it's the Connemara Half Marathon which I also ran in 2005 and 2007. I feel in good enough general shape to attack sub-two hours. But I'll need to run smart and be aware of what mile splits are needed on the 10 non-uphill miles. More on that later in the week. But for now it's a clean-living buildup but without too much running. I need to be fresh.

Lee Merrien & Ian Carter

2009-03-13T07:29:00.004Z

33.26 just now - on tired legs but still the third fastest time in history.

In the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games Guernsey's Dale Garland and Kimberley Goodall became minor TV celebrities as they flew their island's flag in the decathlon and heptathlon. A year later they were the pinups and the couple that had big crowds flocking to Footes Lane as Guernsey hosted the Island Games. We got sick of seeing the Guernsey flag hoisted and listening to their tuneless anthem, and it was with great joy we heard the local crowd go silent one particular evening as Jersey's Jo McGarry outpaced a Guernsey girl in the 10,000m.

All the while Dale and Kim's teammate Lee Merrien was in the background, running well on the track and over the country. However in the Isle of Man in the 2001 Island Games us Jersey crowd roared on Ian Carter as he outsprinted Lee to win the 1500m.

Fast forward eight years now. Lee has recently been rubbing shoulders with the very best Brits, and gained his senior GB vest in the recent Euro Cross held in Spain. Last weekend he finished third in the Inter Counties and World Trials to gain selection for GB for the forthcoming World Cross in Jordan.

Ian Carter blazed a trail through the Jersey age-group record books but was never able to kick on in the same manner as Lee. Those Jersey records are quickly being obliterated by runners who receive the benefit of the group training and coaching that Ian never had.

One thing Ian, Lee, Dale and Kim have in common is that they are the nicest people you could hope to meet and they are top ambassadors for their sport and for their island communities.

Lee's blog is over on the left and currently features pics from the World Trials at Nottingham last weekend.

32.13

2009-03-12T07:27:00.002Z

They said it couldn't be done, that a man would lose consciousness at that speed. But there it was on the photo-finish, or at least on my €20 digital watch, 59 sec inside my record set only last week. Strangely I felt a bit sluggish so maybe there's better yet to come. Mind, I was lucky with the pedestrian lights at the bottom of Lombard Street.

Throws - early doors

2009-03-10T22:19:00.004Z

Standard four miles before breakfast - that's the plan this week with a 10-miler on Sunday maybe. Then an easy week before I head to Conn for the Half on the following Sunday. What with other things I haven't really focused on the race yet.

This evening at Irishtown there was a great attendance by the juniors, with an obvious buzz hanging over from the weekend. At least one young lady was rumoured to have slept with her medal still around her neck!

And if I thought I had an easy option with a small handful of shot putters that was out the window as another gaggle was sent over to the circle. And a great time we all had as the young athletes got to grips with shot. Tonight I did something for the first time ever. Instead of going from standing throw into the fairly complicated 'glide' I decided to experiment with the 'shift' - a halfway house much beloved by PE teachers. It actually went quite well and it's something that I'll persist with.

And with Liverpool kicking off against Real Madrid, did I get any respite? Huh! Under duress I broke out the discuses (?discoi, discae) and managed to hoist a section of the throws cage netting into place. Within 15 minutes Sarah, Roisin, Alix and fellow coach Moya had performed (if not perfected) a standing throw, a South African drill and even a full turn.

And I still got the second half!

Dublin Juvenile Indoor Track & Field Championships

2009-03-08T21:04:00.006Z

Well, the Indoor Championships were - to my surprise, held pretty much indoors! Other than the middle-distance events and the relays the training centre under the main stand at Santry managed to accommodate all of the events.

Just as well. Even Nanook of the North would have balked at competing in the cutting, icy winds which prevailed today (Sunday).

And the white-and-red of Crusaders AC was prominent all weekend. I've no idea when the famous singlet was last on view at these championships and the young athletes did the club proud. There were many good performances, happy smiling faces and a nice collection of medals that we didn't really expect.

But back to yesterday (Saturday) morning and an 'It could only happen in Ireland' moment. At our National Athletics Centre the scheduled start of proceedings was delayed by a double booking - by the Irish bobsleigh squad no less! But whereas elsewhere officials and coaches would have been giving out and throwing shapes, here there was just a shrug of the shoulders and things got under way as soon as they could.

Saturday was sprints and hurdles. And outside was middle-distance, from 500m to 800m dependant on age. And with the clash of events inside and out things went rather askew. The U10 girls were lined up for their 500m for example, then it was decided to run the U11 500m first. The new girls were then stood on the line in the cold for a full ten minutes before being hauled off again. Not good enough.

Then, what I believe was a serious error. The splitting of large middle-distance races into semi-finals, with the final run no more than an hour later. Wherever the AAI rule book is (no one seems to know) it surely has more sense than to allow this.

That said, the officials of the Dublin Athletics Board are to be congratulated. They conducted a busy two days very professionally. And I know from experience how difficult it is to run a track & field meeting. The main officials were at once knowledgable, firm in their application of the rules but sympathetic to the young athletes, many of whom were naturally very nervous.

But one final gripe. One of our young Crusaders was slung out on Saturday for not wearing a club singlet. Today (Sunday) she didn't turn up for her events. Is this the way to keep young people in athletics? (On the other hand I witnessed a similar incident where an athlete was given the opportunity to quickly borrow a teammates's singlet).

Sunday saw the long, jump, high jump and even shot putt all accommodated inside. With all the athletes, officials and spectators it was all fairly cramped but everything swung along pretty well. Participating clubs are expected to provide a certain number of officials - I put my hand up for shot. I therefore spent a number of hours measuring mainly mediocre throws, but in these championships there's happily no limit on who can compete. The implement weights are lighter for each age group than in the UK. I was interested to hear that this was a deliberate move in Ireland which has had the desired effect of getting more youngsters throwing. If so then that was an excellent move. Now all that is needed is to get these young athletes some basic coaching!

I'll post a link to the results in due course. But a few highlights included (to the best of my memory)

Clodagh Ferry, golds in U10 60m and long jump as well as a relay medal
Grainne McGuill high-jumping 1.20m
Matthew Behan, medalling in U14 hurdles and looking the part
Emily Shiels, bronze in U12 long jump
The boys' U11 relay team getting silver - I didn't even know we had a team!
A great effort by the girls' U13 relay team in getting 4th
James Woods hanging on to 3rd place for grim death in his 500m
All three of our shot-putters - Alix Hughes, Olibhia Collins and Isabel O'Leary, medalling. I've never seen such happiness on anyone's face as on Isabel's as she accepted her gold medal
On a rare foray outside for me I saw our girls U11 relay team leaping about, high-fiving, posing for photographs. They'd got THIRD place. And this sums up for me what a great, happy crowd of kids I'm lucky to be involved with.

Bright New Day

2009-03-06T07:21:00.003Z

There was something very beautiful about this rough oul city this morning. I've been able to leave behind my reflective bib as dawn is now kissing the docklands as I set off. There's an attractive stillness in the half-light over Grand Canal Dock, Ringsend and Sean Moore Park. On the trip back upriver I see that the good ship Cill Airne, moored along the north quay, is once more open for business as a bar/restaurant. Good luck to them in the present climate.

And, though I've seen advertising signs for it, it's the very first time I've seen the Liffey Ferry in action this morning - a little covered-in vessel chugging its way over from Macken Street. Right by where the Samuel Beckett Bridge is being constructed. That'll be (I think) the 16th bridge over the Liffey from Heuston Station in the west of the city to the East Link. The ferry business is not one to be considering putting your redundancy money into right now.

And it's a truly lovely scene as I pass over the Sean O'Casey bridge back to my apartment. The rising sun is blazing low in the east off the Irish Sea straight downriver. Several photographers are trying to do the moment justice, with some fancy filters necessary I think. (The Roma beggar setting out his stall for the day of course welcomes any activity that might result in a few coins coming his way).

And at the end of it I've done my second week of 6 days consecutive running - unusual for me. I'm tired and now officially 'on taper' for the Connemara Half Marathon on 22 March.

Hot

2009-03-04T07:31:00.003Z

In Dublin the temperature has suddenly plunged back to freezing point. But my running is hot as I knock another huge chunk off my best time for my regular four-miler - 34.22 to 33.12 I don't normally much bother with times on these shorter runs but I am discovering a competitive streak right now!

I've added a new blog link - Shore Turtle by Charles Mann in New Jersey. I've not had time to read it yet but it does contain the biggest list of running blogs you can imagine. Funny how this sport of running seems to generate so many blogs, all of which give a different perspective on things.

Arthur Lydiard

2009-03-01T17:43:00.002Z

Phedippidations 174 concentrated on the coaching of legendary New Zealander Arthur Lydiard - specifically a lecture given by him in Japan in 1990. My eyes generally glaze over when coaching theory becomes more complex, my lack of any background in the sciences letting me down badly. However, Steve presented extensive word-for-word extracts from the lecture and I found myself caught up in the great man's theories. Let's see if I got it right.

Lydiard lists the three essential elements of training for successful running as (1) aerobic work, (2) anaerobic work and (3) speed. The relationship between all three is all-important but not always well understood. He was one of the first to formulate the theories of periodisation.

First of all he asserts that aerobic capacity is theoretically infinite - i.e. the body's capacity to increase the efficiency of heart, lungs and the processing of oxygen around the system. The anaerobic capacity of the body is however limited. Therefore an athlete who trains predominantly anaerobically - e.g. with interval training, will inevitably soon reach the point where improvement will be difficult, if not impossible. Improvement will become possible if aerobic capacity is increased and therefore, as they are linked, anaerobic capacity will also improve and times will come down.

This is where Lydiard's theories were (and are) questioned. It just seems 'wrong' to send an athlete out to run easy for 160 miles per week when they should be suffering on the track. Lydiard insists the two must go hand in hand. He quotes the case of his athlete Murray Halberg who, with three laps of the 1960 Rome Olympics 5000m to go, put in a 60 sec lap to which his interval-trained rivals could not respond. This was (Lydiard claimed) because his man was used to running long and steady whilst his rivals' bodies were expecting a rest, as in interval training.

He also insists that speed must be a constant throughout the training period and should incorporate technical work and hill runs - the latter for leg strength (uphill) and leg speed and stride length (downhill). He was not an advocate of weight training.

Needless to say, this is not a recommendation of Lydiard-type training - I have not got the background to say that it is right or wrong. But it has enthused me to start looking a little deeper into the science of this running business.

Foxy Foxy

2009-03-01T13:39:00.006Z

A nice little jaunt up to Howth, a picture postcard fishing village at the northern extremity of the DART line. From the harbour it's about five miles clockwise around the peninsula, with the stretch from 0.4 to 1.7 miles a moderately difficult hill up to The Summit Inn. So I eased up that gently and down again, past what remains of Phil Lynott, to turn left at Sutton heading south for the city. Quite a stiffish breeze against though I try to keep the tempo up. It's a pleasant run indeed down along the Clontarf seafront with plenty of locals taking the air on this first day of March.

After a long right sweep it's a left along Alfie Byrne Road and into the badlands of the East Wall and Sherriff Street which skirt the working docks. Here even the police dogs go around in pairs and the Garda helicopter a few hundred feet up is a familiar sight. However the lions are still asleep and a slow, limping antelope can pass through unscathed. Onto the familiar last mile upriver along the north quays and - what's this? I'm high-fived by a young, pony-tailed, foxy fellow runner going in the opposite direction. A cool way to finish this morning's run. My mile splits were

11.50
10.49
8.50
9.07
9.06
9.35
9.28
9.11
9.11
9.32
9.40.
9.18
9.00

13.18 miles @9.35 m/m, total time 2.06. A reasonable rehearsal for Conn in three weeks time - though that race has three miles of serious uphill, against which I'll hopefully be running fresh after a taper. 32 miles on the week and I've been pleased with the quality of most of those miles.