Athenry Athletic Club

Athenry AC sprint sensation Paul Hession will be in action this weekend at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Turin, Italy. Paul is entered in the 60m, a distance in which, although it is far short of his specialisation, he has met with some considerable success previously.

I sat down and tried to think of twenty 'positives' that arise from being off the road. I've always thought that Ian Dury's 'Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 3' was a great song with a good message and so it should be possible to put a positive spin on almost any situation if you just try hard enough. Right? Well, I didn't quite make it, but I did think of fifteen and here they are.

Maybe you can add one in a comment below and help bring us up to the magic twenty...

After a little bit of research on the web, I've come up with a grand total of 43, including (West) Waterford's David McCarthy, who ran an awe-inspiring 3.57.75 at a recent indoor meet in the US!

A flotrack video of David's race is located here and is well worth a viewing, or three:

http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view_video/234643/148270-m-

My research extended as far as rolling up the following two web links:

http://www.athleticsireland.ie/news/irelandsmilers.htm

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055493489

***** Series sold out early on Thursday morning, 5 March 2009 *****

Six Galway Athletics Clubs have announced their plans to organise a series of low-key, no-frills roads races around the county this spring. The clubs have organised a similar series of races for the last three years and the initiative has proven very popular.

Ann Carter put on a confident and well paced display of road running for the second time in as many weeks when she was first woman past the finish line of the Kilconieron 5 Mile Road Race last Saturday. Ann was also first past the post in the Maree 8km two week previously in a splendid time of 31:51 and she effectively duplicated that feat in Kilconieron with a 31:52 clocking for the marginally longer distance. Ann has been one of the most consistent road runners in the West of Ireland over recent years and she is returning to form after a short period off the road due to injury.

There have been some fine road races for us all to enjoy in recent weeks around Galway and for once the weather hasn't been too bad at all. Fond memories of the Maree 8k are still fresh in our minds and the Craughwell Fit for Life 5k and last Saturday's Kilconieron 5 Mile race were great days out.

The good news has reached us that Grainne Breen completed her debut marathon in Barcellona yesterday in the time of 4:02:02. Obviously has been secretly training away for many months. We're looking forward to a complete report on her return but in the meantime I'm sure you'll all join me in offering her our heartiest congratulations on such a fine run.

Well done Grainne!

Country: Thailand
Departure: October 09
Price: €4,000
€300 deposit: to be paid upon return of application form to COPE Galway
€1,500:to be raised and returned to COPE Galway by 1st May 09
€1,000: to be raised and returned to COPE Galway by 1st July 09
€1,200: the balace to be raised and returned to COPE Galway by 1st September

Proposed dates: Fly Dublin to Amsterdam/Zurich to Bangkok on Saturday Oct 9th arriving in Bangkok on Sunday October 10th PM

Have you ever dreamed of completing a triathlon but been daunted by lack of fitness, lack of knowledge or even by poor swimming skills?

Galway Triathlon Club, in conjunction with the Galway City Sports Partnership, is running a ‘Try2Tri’ information day and challenge, at the NUIG Kingfisher Club which will help to provide newcomers to the sport with the tools they might need to get ready for their first triathlon, whatever their fitness level. The Club will also have members available to give advice on selecting a race suitable for you.

Provisional Result of the Bothár 5M Charity Road Race at Kilconieron (28 February 2009)

Pos Num Time Name Club Category

1 3142 27:30 Kenneth Rodgers St Cronans MS
2 3146 27:59 Ian Egan Galway City Harriers M40
3 3163 28:56 Johnny Lane Craughwell AC MS
4 3143 29:04 Dan O'Rourke Tuam AC M40
5 3184 29:12 Brian Duffy Castlegar AC MS
6 3108 29:36 Alan Kearns Sligo AC MS
7 3216 29:37 David Mullins Tuam AC M40
8 3171 30:10 Noel Burke Bangor MS
9 3165 30:24 Paraic Raftery None MS
10 3122 30:31 Paddy O'Toole Westport MS
11 3186 30:37 Tim Rabbitte None MS

...the more they stay the same.

As many of us are training for a spring marathon and are by now well used to encountering the wit and wisdom of Galway's youth while we're out on the road, I thought the letter above might raise a smile.

The Community Games Art and Model making county Finals take place this year on the 21st March in the new venue of Holy Rosary College Mountbellew. It will commence at 11 am sharp. It is indeed great to see both competitions back in the same venue as last year they had to be hosted in different venues due to the large number competing in the art competition. This New venue is well equipped to hold both competitions and we are very grateful to the college for its help in arranging this.

Maree 8km Race Report (15th February 2009) by Miriam Wall

I never knew when I joined Athenry AC that I needed to be a sports writer as well as everything else. (So be warned if you are thinking of joining up).

With near perfect running conditions the Maree 8km race took place. A nice cool day with a little wind. No rain too, which is always a bonus in Galway!