Galway Bay 10 - Race Report by Miriam Wall

What can I say? The Galway Bay 10 Miler just blew me away. Conditions were far from ideal for running. Winds that felt like gale force (I’m sure they were not) against me for the first 3 miles and rain that just did not stop. An abundance of surface water to fill my shoes and socks. What more could I ask for? Now I know whey they call it the wild west.

Berlin Marathon 2008 Report by Peter Strange

I’ve never written a race report before but the Berlin Marathon last Sunday is worth a few words.
I’d been looking forward to the run for a long time, not only had I never been to Berlin before but I had heard so much about the course that I couldn’t wait for the run. The problem was that I wanted to run it well.

Back at the end of last year, during a very enjoyable 30th I was at, the subject of marathon running came up and, having had one or two beverages, I readily agreed to run Berlin with a friend Louisa. I quickly roped in Mr. Burke and we laid our plans for a showdown with Haile Gebrselassie.

Mick Rice has already posted Mike Tobin's report hereabouts so I will just add a few personal words on the event itself and its organisers here.

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I was wrangled in to help Mike put some shape on the Galway Primary Schools Cross Country Championships (lunchtime on Tuesday, 30 September 2008).

Four different races, around a 800 to 1000 metre brass course. 3rd and 4th class girls; then 3rd and 4th class boys; then 5th and 6th class girls; finally 5th and 6th class boys.

The inaugural Clifden Lifeboat 10K road race was held Sunday 14th September in what turned out to be great running conditions. The race was organised to raise much needed funds for the RNLI and the Clifden lifeboat. The event was held close to the anniversary of a tragic event which shocked this West Galway community in 2004 which was the sinking of the MVF St Oliver. This was a local fishing boat whose sinking claimed the lives of 4 local fishermen, including 18 year old Mikey Mullin who had only been at sea for 6 months.

Boiling Frogs Slowly

Race Report, Leipzig 100k, 16th Aug, 2008

NOW UPDATED WITH "OFFICIAL" RESULT...

The inaugural Boston Scientific 5km Charity Road Race took place in Maree last Wednesday night in ideal, balmy conditions. As the sun set on Galway Bay, over 200 runners and walkers crossed the line and managed to raise €3300 for Galway Cystic Fibrosis. It was apparent that many of the competitors took the race logo to heart and completed the distance making sure to "Make Every Breath Count".

A quarter of the competitors were Boston Scientific employees and they were joined by friends, family and the elites of the Galway running scene.

Ngong Hill Run

By Tony Daley - Athenry AC and Predator Tri Club Athenry

When I knew I was heading out to Africa, I knew that my triathlon training would not be able to carry on. The thing I did know was that my running would. I’ve been to Africa a few times and always found some fantastic places and trails to run on.

Although she lives and works in England many Athenry AC members will be familiar with marathon and ultramarathon runner Selina D Silva (aka Shades) from her adventures at the Connemara Marathon, Longford Marathon, Cork Marathon and various other Irish races. Last May our very own Ray O'Connor became the first Irish man to complete the Brathay 10 Marathons in 10 Days Challenge and Shades took part in the same event. Shades has kindly agreed that we can reproduce her blow-by-blow account of her big adventure on www.athenryac.com and we do so below.

Once upon a dark and dreary day, in the middle of last year as I drove to work, I wished I was out running rather then dragging my sorry arse in the direction of the office. Inspiration hit and a few phone calls later I had arranged to run from Louisburgh to Leenaun in Connemara the following week. I was joined by Ray and Peter that day and I don't think any of us will ever forget the beauty of the Doo Lough Valley and a thirst quenching end-of-run pint in Leenaun. We didn't rush, we stopped to look and take it all in and we ran, walked, talked and laughed.