Friday News

Last night, thursday 14th march, was our final training session from Bray Head Tce., before our return to Shanganagh next Thursday. We had a great turnout, with almost 30 taking part, we were therefore able to break up into 3 groups of similar ability. Next week on our return to Shanganagh, we will be doing a 4k and a 2k time trial, as we continue our preparation for the Wicklow Road C/Ships on 3rd April, in Ashford.

A couple of recent results, in the NUI/AIB 4mile C/C, Bernard Quinn ran 27.24, and in the Operation Transformation 5k in the Phoneix Park, Mary Hourahan ran 32.10. Please send your results and if possible a race report to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ballycotton, official results

Official and Final Ballycotton 10 results are now out...

The official and final results for this year's Ballycotton 10 are now out. They can be seen HERE

The organisers also issued the following statement...
"2013 BALLYCOTTON ‘10’ OFFICIAL RESULTS
The results are now on the website and show a total of 2,602 finishers, similar to last year. Sergiu Ciobanu’s time has been corrected to 49:18, a two second improvement on 2012. Also, after East Cork were originally declared the team winners, a check-back found that Raheny were first although both clubs finished on the same points total.

Maria McCambridge’s time of 55:01 was only 13 seconds outside the course record she set last year and she can now claim the two fastest times in a race which has been won in the past by likes of Sonia O’Sullivan, Marian Sutton and Karen MacLeod.

There was one category course best; Joan Coyle’s 81:29 knocking over two minutes from Catherine O’Regan’s F65 time.

Unfortunately, a small number of finishers don’t have a chip time but with all such timing systems a certain percentage aren't picked up at the start so therefore don't get a chip time, only a gun time. However, the gun time is always the one recognised for official purposes.

Anyone wishing to see their five-mile splits can do so on the Precision Timing website by just clicking on their name in the results.

Despite our warnings, a tiny minority still persist in transferring numbers – all we’ll say is that we have already been in touch with some of the culprits and further action may follow.

Finally, the traditional result booklet will be out after the weekend and anyone requesting a copy can do so from the contact in the race programme. The booklet will also be freely available at local races over the coming weeks..........Ballycotton Running Promotions

Running On The Web.

Good Q&A session with Siofra Cleirigh Buttner on ‘The Running Review’

James Sullivan has been talking to another of Ireland’s rising stars, middle distance junior athlete Siofra Cleirigh Buttner.Siofra Cleirigh Buttner is a middle distance athlete from Dublin, Ireland. She won a silver medal over 1500m at the 2011 European Youth Olympic Festival. At the 2012 World Junior Championships she reached the semi-finals of the 800m. She currently holds the Irish junior indoor record for the event with a clocking of 2:05.26, set in January 2013 at the new indoor track facility in Athlone.

Read more here: http://www.therunningreview.com/?p=918

Protein Intake And Performance For Runners by Matt Fitzgerald on competitor.com

Are you taking in enough protein? Too much? At the right times?

Find out here: http://running.competitor.com/2013/03/nutrition/protein-intake-and-performance-for-runners_22711

Doping: Helsinki 2005 re-tests reveal ‘adverse findings’

Athletics weekly reports that six ‘adverse findings’ have come back on re-tests of doping samples from the 2005 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland, the International Association of Athletics Federations has confirmed.

Read more here: http://www.athleticsweekly.com/news/doping-helsinki-2005-re-tests-reveal-adverse-findings/

Performance Shoe Review.

Looking to get some performance kicks for Spring road races, review your options on Runner’s World: http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/reviews/shoes/performance-shoes/15.html

Alberto Salazar says 2014 London Marathon will be Mo Farah's audition for Rio Games marathon in 2016

Simon Hart reports in the telegraph that Alberto Salazar, the American coach who guided Mo Farah to his double Olympic triumph last year, says next year’s Virgin London Marathon will hold the key to whether Farah will contest the marathon at the 2016 Rio Olympics or stick to defending his 5,000 and 10,000 metres track titles.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/london-marathon/9893304/Alberto-Salazar-says-2014-London-Marathon-will-be-Mo-Farahs-audition-for-Rio-Games-marathon-in-2016.html

Marathon Talk Podcast

Good interview with Dave Moorcroft former World 5,000m record holder on Marathon Talk

Part I: http://marathontalk.com/podcast/episode_164_dave_moorcroft_part_one.php

Part II: http://marathontalk.com/podcast/episode_165_dave_moorcroft_part_two.php

Thanks to Dominic for the above article.

Weekend Results, Ballycotton and more

0n Sunday 3rd march we had 24 athletes take part in the Ballycotton 10. A large group of supporters also travelled down. Special thanks to Katie, Jamie and Calum for keeping us all on our toes. Conditions were cold with a strong headwind on the 2nd half of the race. Sergio Ciobanu, Clonliffe, won the mens race for the 3rd year in a row, in 49.17. Maria McCambridge, Letterkenny AC, retained the ladies title in 55.01. Sean Clifford retained the O/65 title, in a time of 69.18. The rest of results from our athletes were, Gary Condon,57.20, PB; Finbarr Kirwan,57.38; Joe Kelly, 63.48, Pb; Bill Stanley,64.22, Pb; Richard Kavanagh, 66.19; Robert Quinn, 66.42, PB; Suzanne Foot, 67.32,pb; Helen Barry,67.43, PB;Diarmuid Potts, 68.22,PB; Sean Clifford,69.18; Noelle Thorpe,73.02; Des O,Hare, 74.12, Pb; Leanne Geraghty,78.48, PB; Georgina Devlin,79.13, Pb; Denis Patterson,79.22; Mark Keirans, 79.45;  Jason O,Connor,81.29; Pat McCourt,83.11; Tony Brannigan,86.05; Grainne Cunningham,86.26; Emer Hynes, 86.28, Pb; Edel Woods, 89.08;  Andrea Murphy, 90.58, Pb; Siobhan Butler, 94.32, Pb; 

Above times are provisional, we will continue to update,as they become available.

Also over the weekend, in the Meath Half Marathon, Susan Dowd ran 1hr 51 50, a new pb, and Elaine Norton ran 2hr 02min20sec. Over in Galway, in the Kinvara Half Marathon, Joe Cawley, retuning from injury, ran 76.48, to finish 4th overall and win the O/40 prize. In the Debra Ireland, Wicklow Mountain Half Marathon, Dave Carragher, running his first half marathon, ran 2hr, 5min, over what is a very tough course. Well done to all the above.

1) John Hennessey has a small gallery of photos HERE
2) There is a slideshow of photos from Joe Murphy HERE (Updated)
3) As always, Gearoid O Laoi has some great photos HERE (Updated)
4) There is a slideshow of photos from Pat O'Driscoll HERE
5) Eoin Fegan has a large gallery of commercial photos HERE