Paul Pollock of Annadale Striders ran a superb time of 2 hrs 10 mins 17 secs at the Valencia Marathon in Spain on Sunday morning (December 1).

It knocked over five minutes off his previous best and moves him ahead of Mark Carroll into second place on the all-time Irish list behind John Treacy who ran 2:09.56 at the 1984 LA Olympics (in 1988 Treacy ran 2:09.15 in Boston which does not count for record purposes). Carroll ran 2:10.54 in 2002.

It had been a tough year for Pollock who was diagnosed with a broken bone in his foot in September. His previous best for the marathon was a time of 2:15.30 which he ran in Oita Japan in 2017. That followed an impressive 62:46 for the half marathon in the previous year. His debut marathon came in Dublin in 2012 when he won the national title with a time of 2:16.30.

In her marathon debut, Emma Mitchell, now with Clonliffe Harriers, ran a time of 2:36.47. Mitchell must like the Spanish coastal city as she ran a half marathon best in the October sun of 72:28 and showed she has plenty of potential over the longer distance too.

Gary O’Hanlon didn’t break 2:20 this time round, but still a strong out for the Irish 50k record holder with 2:20:07.

Overall race winner in Valencia was Kinde Atanaw Alayew of Ethiopia in a course record time of 2:03:51. Finishing seventh in 2:06:17 was Sonde Nordstad Moen of Norway. First woman was Roza Dereje of Ethiopia in 2:18:30 also a course record.

Ultra running Eoin Keith wins big in Oman

Dublin-based ultra runner Eoin Keith has won the UTMB Oman – a two-day, 170km race through the Al Hajar mountain range (December 1).

Keith finished in 36 hours, 4 minutes and 29 seconds. The course included steep ascents of Jebel Akhdar, known as the Green Mountain, and Jebel Shams which, at 3,000m, is one of the highest points on the Arabian peninsula.

“It was so technical, possibly the most technical race I’ve ever done. There was a long 1,000m descent where you normally would expect to make up tons of time but we were so slow. You needed to concentrate pretty much the entire time, said Keith after he finished.

Check out the personalised race number from the organisers!

Happy 50th Catherina!

Irish women’s marathon record holder Catherina McKiernan marked her 50th birthday on Saturday (November 30) by finishing first woman at the Clonakilty Waterfront 10km in Co Cork. McKiernan finished in 38 mins 33 secs; race winner was Niall McCarthy in 35:57.

Winning the associated half marathon was Clonliffe’s Sergiu Ciobanu in 73:45, with Niall Shiel of St Killian’s AC second and first M40 in 74:25. Angela McCann of Clonmel AC was first woman in 845.04. Also taking place was a marathon with Freddy Sittuk in 2:47.23 and Ann Curley of Donore Harriers in 3:18.55 the winners.

Defending champion Ben Branagh of St Malachy’s led home over 800 finishers at the annual Seeley Cup 10km in Belfast on Saturday (November 30).

Branagh’s time of 30 mins 25 secs put him seven seconds clear of Christopher Madden from City of Lisburn AC, third last year, who moved up a place and finished second in 30.32. Third in 30:42 was Conall Kirk of Annadale Striders. North Belfast Harriers, led by Conan McCaughey fifth place, were first team, finishing comfortably clear of Acorns AC and Annadale Striders.

First woman was Ann-Marie McGlynn in 33 mins 41 secs. Her Letterkenny AC clubmate Nakita Burke, the winner last year, was second in 34:37 with Jessica Craig of North Down AC third in 35:14. In the team competition, North Down AC came out on top followed by East Down AC and North Belfast Harriers.

Derese keeps winning times rolling

Yared Derese of Carrick Aces AC stretched his winning streak with victory in the Wild Goose Chase 10km in Reaghstown clocking a time of 30 mins 15 secs for the tough and hilly course. A distant second was Pauric Ennis of Tullamore Harriers in 34:13. First woman was Claire O’Malley in 41:21. Winners of the 5km were James Lynch and Abbie Sheridan.

Winners of the Belleek 10km in Co Mayo on Sunday (December 1) were Brendan Conway of Westport AC in 32mins 29 secs and Norah Newcombe Pieterse of Mayo AC in 37:32.

Also on Sunday, Adam Kiely of Leevale AC and Brenda Gaffney of Mallow AC were the winners of the inaugural Douglas Credit Union 5km held at Tramore Valley Park in Cork City. Their times were 15:49 and 18:26 respectively.

Photo: Lindie Naughton

Cross country

On a cold but sunny day at Tymon Park, Tallaght, Sinead Murray of host club Rathfarnham WSAF and Mathieu Profitt of Donore Harriers were the winners of the Dublin Intermediate Cross-Country Championships (Sunday December 1).

Murray pushed the pace form the start of the women’s 5km, and although Sarah Quigley of Shamrock AC was on her heels for the entire race, she got to the line with a second to spare in 20 mins 33 secs.

In third place with a time of 20:50 was Niamh Corbett of Raheny Shamrock, a member of the Irish orienteering squad. The team competition couldn’t have been closer with Clonliffe Harriers beating Rathfarnham WSAF AC by a single point. Donore Harriers finished third.

Photo: Lindie Naughton

A comfortable winner of the men’s 8km was Matthieu Proffitt of Donore Harriers who finished in 28 mins 5 secs; Proffitt had finished sixth in the race last year. Kevin Donagher of Rathfarnham WSAF AC was second in 28:14 and Eoin Devlin of Civil Service Harriers third in 28.27. Donore, with four in the top 15, was first team beating Crusaders AC and Raheny Shamrock.

Pat Hennessy of West Waterford AC won the men’s title at the Munster Intermediate Cross-Country Championships, held in Two-Mile Borris, Thurles, Co Tipperary on Sunday (December 1).

John Kinsella of Bilboa AC was second and Michael Harrington of Durrus ACC third, with Clonmel the winning team from Limerick AC and Dundrum AC.

Sinead O’Driscoll of Midleton Ac won the women’s race from Orla Byrne of St Finbarr’s AC and Andrea Bickerdike of Leevale AC. Ennis Track Club was first team., followed by Clonmel AC and St Finbarr’s AC.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

Lindie Naughton is a journalist and writer based in Dublin who joined the athletics club at her college many many years ago and has never quite escaped. You’ll normally find her jogging around some orienteering course somewhere – or down at the Irishtown track coaching kiddies!

The post 2:10:17 for Pollock – Irish weekend round-up appeared first on Fast Running.

This weekend was quite possibly one of the biggest weekends in the marathon calendar. Many athletes fled to Valencia in search of quick times, and in some cases, Olympic qualifying times, at one of the quickest marathons in the world and an IAAF Gold Label event, The Valencia Marathon.

The women’s race was stacked with competition as the GB women came out in full force. It was Clapham Chaser’s Steph Davis that had the race of her life, finishing a fantastic 13^th in the women’s elite field in 2:27:40. Davis smashed the Olympic qualifying time by nearly 2 minutes, putting herself in contention for those three marathon spots at Tokyo.

“’The focus was to have a fun run in the sun.” said the marathoner, “I felt in good shape and hoped to PB but did not expect to run that time at all! It’s still sinking in!’. Hopefully you’re still smiling for a long while with that one Steph. 

Steph Davis at 25km. Photo: Tom Craggs

Second brit across the line in 19^th place, after pulling out in Frankfurt, was Hayley Carruthers. Carruthers secured herself a marathon personal best of 2:32:42, improving on her time from the London Marathon back in April. Shortly behind Carruthers in 21^st position with a cracking time of 2:33:24 was Preston’s Eleanor Davis. After a strong year with personal bests over road 3k, 10k, and half marathon, Davis now adds a marathon best for the year.

Fourth Brit with yet another strong performance in Valencia was Elinor Kirk. Kirk secured herself a finishing time of 2:34:36, a PB by just under 2-minutes! With yet another impressive performance over the marathon distance was Georgina Schwiening (Cambridge Runners) with a time of 2:35:22, another PB of the day by over 2 minutes. 

Shortly behind Schwiening in 29^th place was Emma Mitchell with a strong 2:36:47. The Northern Irish athlete made her debut performance in the event and proved her strength after an impressive run at the Valencia Half in October. Unfortunately, after a tough year battling against injury, Lily Partridge pulled out at around the 25km mark after having gone through half way in 74:09. 

Fast running’s own marathoner, Gill Bland also headed to Valencia to complete the 26.2-mile distance. After a tough race, Bland had a strong finish and crossed the line in 2:55:31. 

Olympic qualifying time for Pollock

The men’s race did not disappoint either with some speedy marathon times secured. There was an outstanding run from Paul Pollock with an impressive Olympic qualifying time of 2:10:25. This will not be Pollock’s first Olympics after he finished 32^nd in Rio.

Liverpool athlete, Charlie Hulson had a strong debut performance crossing the line in 40^th position with a time of 2:14:23. Just 16 seconds behind Hulson was Andrew Davies with a lifetime best and UK40 record of 2:14:46, a 25 second best time.

Ben Johnson also gave a big PB performance after just missing sub 2:20 in London to finish with a time of 2:17:34. Other men contributing to the strong British and Irish field were Gary O’hanlon (2:20:07), Lloyd Biddell (2:20:49), Kev Quinn (2:22:12), Karl Welborn (2:22:57), Ben Shearer (2:23:23), Jo Turner (2:23:37), Paul Piper (2:23:43), George King (2:24:00), and Nick Bowker (2:24:16). 

Charlie Hulson with a fine debut. Credit: Tom Craggs

Barlow finishes 3rd in the 10km

The men’s world record fell in the Valencia 10km with Joshua Cheptegei running a stunning 26:38. Josh Grace (AFD) had a PB run, securing himself an 8^th place finish in a rapid time of 28:59! Tom Craggs coached athlete, Tracy Barlow had a powerful race, securing herself a 3^rd place finish over the 10k-distance with a time of 33:44. Some confusion with chips means we don’t have the full rankings just yet.

Fast 10k running at home too

At another 10k event, the Wesham 10k, athletes took to the roads in the North West over a slightly undulating course, running around the lanes of Salwick and Lea Town.

The winner of the entire event was Chris Livesey of Salford Harriers in 31:54, just eight seconds outside of his seasons best. Next was Wesham Road Runner, Robert Danson, in 32:03, followed by Matthew Laior (Ribble Valley Harriers) in 32:44. For the women it was Toni McIntosh (Ayr Seaforth) who ran a strong race to finish first, clocking 37:13. Second place went to Catherine Carrdus (Lytham St Annes) in 40:46 followed by Sue Coulthurst.

Wesham 10km. Credit: Dave Biggs

At another of the Sri Chimnoy London Marathon Events race was the Grizzly Bear 10k. These races provide yet another opportunity for athletes in search of pure racing without all the added extras. Podium finishers are presented with a piece of fruit and cereal bar, proving it is all about the element of racing in a fast environment.

All of the top three women came across the road in under 39 minutes. The winning fruit went to Rebecca Piggott of London Heathside who ran a solid 36:19, a 25-second personal best. Second female home in a time of 38:08 was Matilde Lomba and in third was Evangelista Divetain (London Heathside) in 38:20. 

In the men’s race it was Alix Ramsie who landed himself the top place on the podium. Ramsie of South London Harriers crossed the line in 32:28 in what was a close race. Only 4 seconds later, Tom Goulding of Birtley AC finished the race. It was Serpentine Andrea Fraquelli who rounded off the men’s podium with a finishing time of 32:36. Impressive running! 

British Ultra running in good health

Over the much larger 100km distance, the 100km Ultra Trail Cape Town race occurred. Salomon runner Beth Pascall secured herself an impressive win with an even more impressive top 10 overall finish. A sub 11 hour finish, less than an hour behind US men’s winner Cody Reed, meant a course record for the medic, who caps off an excellent 2019 that included top five positions at Western States and the UTMB. 

Over the impressive 300km distance, the Algarviana Ultra Trail race took place in Portugal. Paul Giblin was the well-deserved winner and beat the previous record by around three hours with a time of 38 hours and 6 minutes.

Paul Giblin training in the Swiss Alps in 2018. Photo: Robbie Britton

The modest athlete was taken outside of his mountainous comfort zone and tested with some flatter patches of running but did not disappoint. Despite stomach problems early on he kept relaxed and had an incredible race. 

It was Scotland-based athlete, Patricia De Carvalho, who was the winner of the women’s race in her 3^rd time doing the event. Carvalho finished in a time of 64 hours 47 minutes.

High standards at Podium 5k as usual

Over the shorter, but speedier 5k distance was the Podium 5k road race. The podium race’s offer the perfect, true racing experience without the added frills, but with a tried and tested fast course. The podium 5k race series is the perfect opportunity for athletes to test their fitness and chase after PB times.

This weekend’s runners were faced with chilly, yet speedy conditions. It was Andy Smith who was first male across the line in a rapid 14:52 for Pudsey & Bramley AC. In a close finish it was Matthew Crehan (St Helens & Sutton) who landed the silver medal in 14:54. Preston Harriers’ Kian Davis took the bronze medal position in 15:08. 

Ciara Mageean (Team NB Mcr), European Bronze medalist in 2016 and 2019, did the women proud with a speedy, sub-16, 15:48 finishing time. The second female finisher with a time of 16:52 from Manchester Harriers was Rachael Franklin. Completing the top three women was Leeds City’s Alice Leake in 17:25. 

Andy Smith & Ciara Meagaan Photo: Podium 5k Twitter.

Also over the 5km distance was the Croft Circuit 5km. It was North Belfast Harrier’s Andrew Milligan who was the first male to cross the line in 15:06. The U23 athlete ran himself to an impressive 21 second personal best. Closely behind Milligan in 15:20 was Joe Armstrong of Morpeth Harriers & AC, another U23 athlete. Completing the top 3 male finishing positions was David Green in an extremely close 15:23. The race boasted a total of 6 men running under 16-minutes.

Following on from an impressive win for England at the Rennes 10k last month, Danielle Hodgkinson of Wallsend ran a cracking 16.30 for a first-place finish for the women and an incredible 11^th overall. Second woman across the finish line was Gateshead Harriers & AC’s Gillian Manford in 18:08 followed by Georgia Campbell in 18:09. A very close race! 

73rd year for Victory 5 miler

In its 73^rd year was the Victory 5-mile race. Matt Bergin landed himself the win in a time of 23:40, a close 5-seconds outside of his personal best. In second place was U20 athlete, Henry McLuckie with a time of 24:18 for his first ever 5-mile race. Third place was secured by Joe Wade in 24:31. 

The winner for the women was Tonbridge AC’s Lucy Reid. Reid matched her personal best of 27:05 exactly. Following shortly was Maisie Trafford of Arena 80 in 27:35. The final woman on the podium was AFD’s Emily Wicks in 28:02 who came 65^th in the World Cross Country Championships back in 2013. 

Over the 5-mile distance again, but this time through the mud, was the Midlands 5-mile cross country championships. It was Gemma Steel who took home gold for the women. We’ll include more results if we can find them.

Festive marathoning in Nottingham

Also over the marathon distance this weekend, was the Nottingham Christmas Marathon. The overall win went to Loughborough Student, James Ford, in a finishing time of 2:42:37. The second finisher was Ben Harris of Retford AC in 2:44:16.

An impressive third overall and first woman was Johanna O’Regan of St Neots Riverside Runners in 2:45:24, just 3-minutes outside of her lifetime best set earlier this year in Manchester. It was fellow clubmate Caroline Brooks who secured herself the silver woman’s medal in 2:49:32, in a solid 5^th place overall. 

As part of the same event was the shorter distance 10k race. Euan Wilson ran an impressive race, finishing in a time of 33:07 for first place. 1^st female finisher, in third place overall was Johanna Gurney. Gurney stopped the clock on 34:24. 

The RunThrough Lee Valley Velo Park Race saw athletes race over various distances including that of 10-miles. Victory for the men went to Stephen Fabes in 57:44 and it was Sally Svenlen who ran herself to the top of the women’s podium in 1:12:09. In the half marathon event, Ben Toye secured himself the gold medal in 1:15:41 whereas Katie Brown obtained the woman’s first-place finishing position in 1:23:52. 

There were some extremely noteworthy performances in the mud as well as on the road. In the Alton Sports Hampshire Cross Country League, Aldershot & Farnham District AC dominated the men’s race, however it was Reading AC that secured the women’s team gold. Jess Gibbon ran a storming race to secure herself the position at the top of the podium with a 32-second lead followed by AFD’s own Steph Twell. Third through the mud was Annabel Gummow of Winchester. The men’s results are yet to be uploaded. 

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post 10k WR & marathoners shine in the sun in Valencia – weekend roundup appeared first on Fast Running.

This is it. Raceday is only hours away. All that sacrifice and hard work. The late night runs, the early morning starts. This Sunday, for 22,500 runners from not only across Ireland, but throughout the world, the KBC Dublin Marathon marks the end of a journey.

For some, it will bring unparalleled joy in achieving their goal. For others, it will result in bitter disappointment. Such is the sport of marathon running. What is for sure though, is that it will be an experience for all participating, and one that will last long in the memory.

The Dublin marathon, frequently called the world’s ‘friendly marathon’, is now in its 40th edition. Each year, the race has continued to grow and it now regularly ranks among runners as one of the best marathons in Europe. This year’s race also has the additional excitement of including a battle for Olympic qualification between the best of the Irish athletes. With multiple past winners of the Irish National title running, both the men’s and women’s races promise to be close affairs.

Slightly further back the field, as regular readers of FastRunning will know, there is another group of runners with their own special goal.

The DreamRun Dublin group, composed of ten runners from Northern Ireland, have been training for the past twenty five weeks under the guidance of Irish coach and Olympic marathon runner Paul Pollock, in an attempt to break through the magical sub 3 hour barrier for the first time. Now in its third year, the project has already seen multiple personal marathon bests, as well as several sub 3 hour performances.

Over the past four weeks, each athlete in the group has been profiled on FastRunning, and now we are down to the last two – Gerard Donnelly and Cailam Quinn. Sadly the ten athletes who began the project back in May, has been reduced to eight marathon starters.

Injury during the training process has meant that Niamh Kellett and Marina Murphy will not be lining up on the startline on Sunday. Hopefully they both make a speedy recovery and are back racing again very soon.

Name: Gerard Donnelly

Age: 39

Club: City of Lisburn Athletics Club

Current marathon pb: 03:02:46

How do you feel training has been going since you joined the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

Unfortunately, it has been a bit stop start due to injury. I picked up an injury early 2019 and was making some progress getting back to full fitness when Paul contacted me about joining the group as someone withdrew. Therefore, I was late joining the project, nevertheless I thought Paul’s coaching would get me back into shape quickly.

However, after only 8 weeks the injury flared up again while doing a session on holidays. This sidelined me for most of August but the guys in the group keep one another motivated and I joined a gym during August to keep me active. The training itself has been intense and very rewarding as I have been able to tick off most of the sessions over the later part of the schedule.

The opportunity to be coached by Paul wasn’t something to pass up and his sessions are very refreshing and testing at the same time. There are a few runs that stick in mind and looking back Paul gave me the same 2 long runs on the last 2 Sundays of June, and on the 1 st attempt I wasn’t able to complete the desired miles within the set time, however only 7 days later I was able to complete the session and this progress felt very rewarding and I was extremely glad to see that under Paul’s coaching the fitness was coming back!

How has your training changed since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

Massively!! Normally my average weekly mileage would be much higher, and Sunday runs with my friends would include lots of hills to build strength. The DreamRun training is sharp and fast, and very structured with a real mixture of paces with Paul reviewing each run and session, both positive and negative! With someone checking in on your progress there is no excuse for missing runs or not giving your full effort during each session.

The focus is of course on getting that sub 3-hour finish time at the Dublin Marathon 2019, do you believe you can achieve this? Have things progressed the way you’d hoped?

Despite the injury and this being a major setback I am still confident of achieving the goal or at least being close. I haven’t managed to set any pb’s this year as my training had to take priority over some of the key races, therefore maybe my pb will be Dublin 2019. You must believe in yourself and your training during the journey otherwise you’re already beat on the start line!

What has been your highlight in terms of your own personal favourite performance since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

To be honest I am not sure, I did thoroughly enjoy the last group meet up and doing the last group session and having the opportunity to run a couple of miles with Paul on the tow path when he kept pushing me to push myself. There were 2 sub 6 min miles in there that I wasn’t supposed to do. Also, just regaining the confidence to race again has been mentally refreshing.

What has been your favourite training session since commencing training with Paul Pollock and the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

In my opinion my favourite training session has been the progressive tempo sessions. I found these to be brilliant sessions and really improved my fitness levels. The thought of these made me feel a bit sick during the day but just pulling the trainers on that evening and nailing them was a fantastic feeling. Closely following by 8 x 1km the day before Lisburn 10k, I almost questioned Paul about that one!?!?

The atmosphere and camaraderie at the group training days and races is very clear – are you enjoying being part of the team?

Great craic and a good mix of people all sharing a common goal. Loads of great advice and positivity from the group.

Any other comments?

Just like to say thanks to Paul for his time and giving me the opportunity to be coached by him and good luck to Paul in qualifying for Tokyo. To all the other guys in the DreamRunDublin2019 team good luck in Dublin and believe in your training and stay positive! Also, a big thanks to some of my other running friends who kept me company during some of my runs.

What the coach thinks:

Gerard began his experience of the DreamRun project a few weeks later than the rest of the group, joining as a substitute for another injured athlete. However, coming into the group with the quickest marathon personal best, his improvement in the early weeks was quite dramatic and he responded extremely well to the training set.

Unfortunately, it looked like all his early hard work would be undone when injury hit at the start of the all important longer marathon specific training phase. As the weeks passed by, there was a real concern that the injury might become too prolonged for Gerard to even make the startline in Dublin.

Thankfully, this has not been the case. It is a testament to his physical ability and natural talent, that he has, again, returned from injury so quickly. This, combined with Gerard’s other strongest attributes – his strong will and mental fortitude – should see him, at the very least, challenging to break the sub 3hour mark. If we had another few weeks, there would be no question that he would smash that barrier. As things stand, he is still very capable of achieving the 3 hour goal if he has a smart race, paced correctly and has confidence in his ability in the latter stages of the run.

Name: Cailám Quinn

Age: 31

Club: Not affiliated

Current marathon pb: First timer!

How do you feel training has been going since you joined the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

I have found there to be quite a few ups and downs in training which is to be expected during a long block of training. I found the first 16 weeks of the program very enjoyable and was able to hit the targets during almost all of my varied sessions, which was not only great physically for me, but a huge mental boost also.

Unfortunately, in the weeks since then, I have picked up a number of persistent niggles which has resulted in quite a few missed sessions and others done at a reduced pace to try and keep things ticking over. Fingers crossed the good base built at the start combined with a solid final 2 weeks will stand me in good stead come the big day.

How has your training changed since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

As the marathon newbie of the group I have really had my eyes opened as to what is involved in training for a marathon. Growing up I always enjoyed running but other than playing football into my early 20’s it is not something I pursued again until joining my local triathlon club last year.

Even at that, the running element was only ever a 5K but would have ran a few 10K’s as well throughout the year. Going from training for 3 disciplines to focusing on just the running, but at a much more intense level, took a bit of
getting used to. The variation in training sessions throughout each week and then week on week definitely helped keep you on your toes and interested to see what Paul was going to send through each Monday for the week ahead.

This wasn’t just me, I even had tri club mates texting me each week to see what the game plan was for the next 7
days! Having a tailored program each week has been a huge benefit in making sure that what I am doing is right for me, and not just generic for the group as a whole.

The focus is of course on getting that sub 3 hour finish time at the Dublin Marathon 2019, do you believe you can achieve this? Have things progressed the way you’d hoped?

Had I been asked this question back in August I would have answered it much more surely than I am now. I have managed PB’s from 5K right up through to half-marathon distance since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team and have felt strong when hitting each of those goals.

This had given me the confidence that I was on the right track and progressing well towards the sub 3 hour finish come Dublin. The injuries and time out over the later part of the program has dented this confidence somewhat but with a hopefully solid final 2 weeks and favorable conditions on the big day who knows what might happen.

What has been your highlight in terms of your own personal favourite performance since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

I think it would have to be Lisburn 10K back in June. This was my first race since joining the team and I was eager to put in a good shift. I was able to stick to the race plan Paul had given me, finishing strong with a nice PB for my troubles. It was a great buzz afterwards to know that the training was now producing the right results.

What has been your favourite training session since commencing training with Paul Pollock and the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

Training has been so varied right from the beginning. I get a great sense of achievement working through the paces on the progressive runs and ticking off each mile completed at the set pace on the long runs. The most enjoyable training session though I think was the one I was probably dreading the most when Paul had sent it through – 20x400m.

Each batch of 5 was getting slightly quicker, with 60sec active recovery between each 400. It was a wet, miserable evening when I was doing it but even with that it was great feeling completing all 20, hitting the times and jogging back to the car afterwards knowing that you had just successfully finished a really tough session in really poor conditions.

The atmosphere and camaraderie at the group training days and races is very clear – are you enjoying being part of the team?

Being part of the team with people who have a shared interest and goal has been both enjoyable and beneficial. Although we are all coming at this from differing levels of running experience we are all able to share tips, advice, do’s and don’ts along with encouragement as well.

The group meet-ups and WhatsApp group chat have been great to keep everyone engaged and focused on the big day, with as much banter and craic as anything coming out of them. With the vast majority of the training done individually both these elements of the program allow us to keep in touch with everyone, see how we are all progressing and offer up encouragement and support knowing we are all going through the same highs and lows.

Any other comments?

It has been fantastic to be part of the DreamRunDublin19 team. Coming into this as a relative running novice, I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to take part and be coached to my first marathon by Paul. I would highly recommend anyone thinking of applying for the 2020 team to go for it!

What the coach thinks:

It is often said that there are many different ways to get to a marathon startline. And so it has been proven again, with Cailam not exactly following the conventional approach. After a strong start to the project, Cailam was on a nice projectory, running well in training and setting new personal bests in races. Unfortunately, in the past month or two, all consistency has however, gone out the window.

After picking up an injury, Cailam’s body kept breaking down anytime he attempted a batch of training or numerous days of running in a row. We therefore made the decision that the best chance of him even making the startline, was to dramatically reduce his milage and instead try to keep every run similar to marathon race pace.

When his body allows him to run painfree, there have been several glimpses of the fitness he displayed before injury hit. If he wakes up on Sunday morning feeling strong and injury free, he definitely has a chance of sneaking under that 3 hour barrier. And after all the aches and pains he has been through recently, achieving that goal would be a wonderful achievement.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post DreamRun Dublin – Race Week! appeared first on Fast Running.

With less than ten days to go until the 2019 KBC Dublin Marathon, 22,500 people from across Ireland and further afield are beginning to get nervous.

For some, taper mode has long since started and all that is left is running the race itself. Others, however, will be wishing they had much more time available to try and squeeze in some essential, last minute training. But time waits for nobody. At 8.45am on Sunday 27th October, the gun will fire. Thousands of runners will begin their mission to complete their own personal goals.

For the Irish runners at the front, that goal will be to try and attain the Olympic qualification time of 2.11.30 / 2.29.30. For those further back, simply finishing will be an accomplishment in itself.

Wilson and Galway in the spotlight

Those readers who have been following FastRunning will know by now, that the DreamRun Dublin project runners have a special goal in mind. For the past twenty four weeks, under the training and coaching by Olympic marathoner Paul Pollock, ten Northern Irish runners have been targeting the KBC Dublin marathon.

Their aim is simple – to run quicker than they have ever run before and in doing so, break through the magical sub 3 hour barrier.

Over the past two weeks, we have already met four of the group. This week, the next two athletes in the hot seat are James Wilson and Ryan Galway. Read on below to find out their thoughts on the DreamRun project and their expectations of marathon raceday.

Name: James Wilson

Age: 39

Club: City of Lisburn AC

Current marathon PB: 3:16 (London 2017)

How do you feel training has been going since you joined the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

There have been great weeks, and tough weeks in the training, but I’m really positive about the training so far. You can’t run great every week, so after a few tired weeks, and a slight shin niggle, I feel significantly fitter than I have been at any time in the past, getting PBs in 5k, 10k and Half Marathon this year. I’m in a good place mentally and physically for the remainder of the training and the race.

How has your training changed since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

My training is now a lot more regimental and intense with more variation in the types of training that I’m doing. I’ve also been told in the past that I use my Garmin too much… well, with Paul, there’s a new standard of usage now, but it’s really taught me to be consistent, especially on tempo runs. Having someone scrutinize your splits after every run has also taken a little getting used to – Paul is very honest, both when you hit your splits, and when you don’t!

The focus is of course on getting that sub 3 hour finish time at the Dublin Marathon 2019, do you believe you can achieve this? Have things progressed the way you’d hoped?

Up until June, I think my training was progressing exactly as I hoped it would, with my speed and endurance improving on a weekly basis. Unfortunately, in August, I was feeling very drained, and picked up a shin injury, which put doubts in my mind. In the latter stages of training, I don’t think I’ve progressed with my endurance as much as I’d have hoped, but I’m still hoping to do a good time if weather is favourable on the day!

What has been your highlight in terms of your own personal favourite performance since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

Definitely, running Belfast Half Marathon this year. I was just coming back from my shin injury and recovering from a cold, so I wasn’t confident I could hit the times Paul was expecting, but I trusted in Paul’s guidance, sat at the designated paces for the first 10 miles, and then pushed on. I ran strong the whole run and felt I had more left to give, so I was very happy knocking over 3½ mins off my old half marathon PB.

What has been your favourite training session since commencing training with Paul Pollock and the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

Probably the Tempo runs. Not because I enjoy them – far from it. They were brutally hard in the summer when we had our warm weather spell, but they have given me confidence that I can run consistently at a quick pace. I think these sessions have really pushed me as an endurance runner and improved my stamina.

The atmosphere and camaraderie at the group training days and races is very clear – are you enjoying being part of the team?

Yeah, I do love being part of a group of likeminded runners who all have the same target in mind. There is also a great sense of team spirit if someone is struggling in a training session – words of encouragement are just a WhatsApp message away.

There’s also plenty of banter that gets sent through on the group chat, and it’s great craic when we all get together for the team meet-ups with Paul. I now have a wider group of running friends, and hopefully we can keep in touch after Dublin is done and dusted!

Any other comments?

I was equally delighted and surprised to be selected for #DreamRunDublin2019 – my wife was a little less delighted as she was expecting marathon training to finish, not start, after Belfast Marathon! I’m impressed with Paul’s patience. I know on a few runs, where I didn’t make the grade, he was positive and confident that the pace would come .

Paul sets high standards, and the training has definitely put me out of my comfort zone on many occasions! I think I’ve really made leaps and bounds in my own training through Paul’s coaching, and I know after it’s all finished, I’ll continue to apply everything I have learned to my training, and hopefully set some more PBs, so a big thanks to Paul for that!

I’ve also got a handful friends at City of Lisburn AC who are now asking about the process as they’re interested in getting their opportunity to break 3 under Paul’s guidance!

What the coach thinks:

James has been on quite a journey throughout this DreamRun project. He is undoubtedly talented and it is clear that he has the ability to run a sub three hour marathon. His recent 1.25 clocking at the Belfast half marathon has hopefully proven to James that he has a realistic chance of running well in Dublin.

However, over the past twenty four weeks, James has, at times and through no fault of his own, lacked the consistency required, having picked up various niggles, and most recently a bad bout of flu. Despite this, I believe that James can still run under the three hour mark. The recent flu has knocked his confidence, and understandably so, being so close to marathon race day.

James has to remember though, that he has done the majority of the hard work. He was already due a taper and recovery phase. It just happened to occur slightly earlier than expected. When his chest clears, which I fully expect it to do, he will have lost no fitness.

What is important now, is that he approaches the race in the right manner, full of confidence and ready to perform. James is there, he has done all the training and put in the effort required. Now it is time to prepare himself mentally, and if we can conquer that, then he will achieve what we both hope for on marathon raceday.

Name: Ryan Galway

Age: 30

Club: Springwell RC

Current marathon PB: 4:20 (Causeway Coast)

How do you feel training has been going since you joined the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

Having only started running regularly last September, I felt like I was just getting to a point of solid training before the project started in May. Since then, my training has really taken on a new level of quality and intensity, in a way I had not experienced before.

It was a baptism of fire with some of the sessions early on but feel I gradually grew into the routine and structure of our weeks and put in some solid sessions. Other than 2 quiet weeks whilst nursing discomfort in my knee, I have been able to string consistent training together which has been a big bonus.

How has your training changed since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

Accountability and intensity are two words I would use to describe the change since the project started. I had only been introduced to sessions in November last year when I joined Springwell which gave me a good base to start the marathon training from.

The mileage has naturally increased with a focus on a marathon and the pace of long runs has certainly increased. One big indicator of progress has been how a 7 minute mile x 10 feels comfortable compared with a similar session before #DreamRunDublin19.

The focus is of course on getting that sub 3 hour finish time at the Dublin Marathon 2019, do you believe you can achieve this? Have things progressed the way you’d hoped?

It has been really important to keep this as the focus throughout otherwise lack of intensity could filter in. I do think I can achieve sub 3 in Dublin, the training results have shown this to be the case and now that I’m over the slight niggle, I am back to where I was previously.

The progression has exceeded my expectations with being so new to running, it has really strengthened my belief in good training = good results. It is a cliché but if you can control the controllable, you are in with a good chance.

What has been your highlight in terms of your own personal favourite performance since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

Hitting the splits of a few brutal sessions have been very satisfying but in terms of performance, Belfast Half Marathon definitely is the highlight so far. To run sub 80 minutes was a massive progression and has given me a lot of confidence going into Dublin, without taking anything for granted.

What has been your favourite training session since commencing training with Paul Pollock and the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

None? Although it was seriously tough, I enjoyed the 3x5km session, albeit alone. 5k in 20, 5k flat out, 5k 2 mins slower than 2nd rep. I think I have benefitted massively from these sessions. The tempo session mixed with hills we did as a group was also a “favourite.”

The atmosphere and camaraderie at the group training days and races is very clear – are you enjoying being part of the team?

Although the vast majority of my training has been alone, it has been really encouraging having the group cheering you on and sharing in the highs and the lows. The craic has definitely increased as the weeks have gone on and it will be strange not having the “DreamRunDublin” WhatsApp group pinging a few times a day.

Any other comments?

A special note of thanks to Paul who has really pushed us and helped us all to see what is capable with serious training.

What the coach thinks:

There is no question that Ryan is currently the fittest athlete in the group. I think each of the other runners would agree. His potential was apparent from the very beginning of the project and with a recent sub 80 minute clocking over the half marathon distance, there is no question that he is good enough to break the three hour barrier next week.

The question, and chat that we still need to have, is how greedy can we afford to be. The DreamRun Dublin project record for the quickest time at the Dublin marathon, currently stands at 2.45.38, by Wesley McDowell from the 2018 group.

If Ryan has a good race, and paces himself correctly, he definitely has a chance to better that time, although it will undoubtedly be a challenge. Considering he has never run a marathon close to that sort of time before (his pb is currently 4.20), playing it safe early in the race is the more sensible approach. Either way, he is on course for a large personal best and after all the hard work and sacrifice that he has put in, he deserves every second.

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The post DreamRun Dublin Update – Two weeks to go! appeared first on Fast Running.

With less than five hundred hours to go until the 2019 KBC Dublin marathon, the excitement is building. The majority of the long training runs have (hopefully) been completed. Every different brand of energy gel has been tested. All the race kit has been washed for the final time and is neatly laid out in preparation for what is to come.

Race day is just around the corner but first, taper time is coming. All those doubts, those concerns and those ‘oh it’s just a niggle’ thoughts are becoming magnified as each day passes. Don’t worry, that is normal. Everybody has them. It would be abnormal not to have them. So much effort and sacrifice has been put in, it is only right that you achieve the result that you have trained for. If only the sport of running was so predictable, but that is part of the appeal.

Two more sub three hour contenders

Those of you who have been following FastRunning over the past number of months will know that the DreamRun Dublin class of 2019 are nearing graduation. Once again, a group of ten Northern Irish runners has been training under the close guidance and coaching of Irish Olympian, Paul Pollock. Each athlete’s goal is simple: to run a marathon faster than ever before, and additionally, with a bit of luck, break through that magical sub 3 hour barrier.

Last week we met the first two members of the group – Martin and Adrian. This week the two athletes in the hot seat are Dale Murray and Elaine McGuckin. Read on below to find out more about their experience as part of the DreamRun project and their thoughts about how they might get on at the 2019 KBC Dublin marathon.

Name: Dale Murray

Age: 29

Club: Ward Park Runners

Current marathon pb: 3:09:31

How do you feel training has been going since you joined the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

I joined the team immediately after completing the Belfast marathon. I feel that the training has gone very well and has been an education in how to train. Previously, I would have considered training for a sub 3-hour marathon to have entailed a lot higher mileage per week and didn’t realise how specific the timings and pace of each run should be.

I have never followed a plan before and would have been guilty of doing a lot of training runs at a very slow pace. Parts of the training have been difficult, and some weeks have been very tiring, but I have noticed a big uplift in performance in recent months. Last weekend I completed the Belfast Half Marathon in 1:24:05 and I felt strong and comfortable approaching the finish line despite this being a massive PB.

How has your training changed since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

Training is completely different now. I have elaborated on the key differences below.

● I predominantly now work in mile’s rather than kilometers; I find this easier regarding pacing / time incase you want to make a calculation during the run.
● Every run is completed at a specific pace and this is monitored very closely. I am now constantly looking at my watch when running.
● Weekly tempo runs have been beneficial; I wasn’t doing these properly before joining the team.
● Long runs are completed at a much faster pace than I was used too. Previously, I would have completed my long runs at a slow pace.
● I am doing more miles now but probably only about 10 miles more per week.
● When returning from a niggle or injury I have built up training again more gradually with progressive pace runs rather than going straight back into normal training.
● Easy runs are completed at a slightly faster pace now. Usually, these would be about 7.35-minute mile pace.

The focus is of course on getting that sub 3 hour finish time at the Dublin Marathon 2019, do you believe you can achieve this? Have things progressed the way you’d hoped?

Yes, I am confident of a sub 3-hour finish (although it might be 2:59:59). The Duffy 10K a few months ago went very badly but after the Belfast Half Marathon last weekend I can really see the progression. Furthermore, training has been going very well and I am hitting targeted times with a lot more consistency.

What has been your highlight in terms of your own personal favourite performance since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

I was very happy with my 1:24:05 performance in the Belfast Half Marathon. My previous best was 1:35:00. Last week as a training run, I completed 15 miles at 6:45-minute mile pace, and this really pleased me and gave me confidence that I could complete a sub 3-hour marathon.

What has been your favourite training session since commencing training with Paul Pollock and the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

I really like the progressive training, wherein you gradually get faster every mile or so. It’s a nice feeling when you know you can steadily get faster and when the last miles of the run are the fastest. The tempo runs can be difficult, but you can feel yourself getting fitter week on week, so I like that feeling even if the session itself isn’t always enjoyable as its tough.

The atmosphere and camaraderie at the group training days and races is very clear – are you enjoying being part of the team?

I have really enjoyed the group training days; I have been able to attend all these sessions and have found them useful in terms of gauging personal progression against a shared goal of achieving a sub 3-hour marathon. I have also met up with members of the team for training runs and this has been helpful and made the sessions more enjoyable. Everyone in the group is very friendly and supportive and it has been good to meet new people with the same interest in running.

Any other comments?

It’s been excellent so far and I am looking forward to the next few weeks and hopefully achieving the goal of a sub 3-hour finish. If it doesn’t happen, I have learnt a lot about training and will be applying this to my marathon training going forward and know that a sub 3-hour finish will happen at some point.

What the coach thinks:

Dale is one of those rare examples of athletes that I have come across whilst coaching. It may sound quite simple, but ask Dale to run a certain distance or at a certain pace and he will do it. Rarely will he run faster, rarely will he run slower. His tempo runs have become a thing of near metronomic beauty. To run six miles back to back with a range of about two seconds between all the miles is a very hard thing to perfect. However, nearly every week, Dale has achieved this goal.

After a surprisingly disappointing below par run over 10k in July, Dale bounced back and excelled at a recent half marathon. Running a strong personal best, well under three hour marathon pace, his confidence should be high leading into the marathon. If he runs to form, he should be taking a large chunk off his marathon personal best time, and if I was a betting man, I would put a decent sum of money on him to break through that sub 3 hour barrier too.

Name: Elaine McGuckin

Age: 37

Club: Non-affiliated

Current marathon: Pb: 3.09

How do you feel training has been going since you joined the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

I am thoroughly enjoying my training with the #DreamRunDublin19 team and feel that I am getting stronger and fitter ahead of the Dublin Marathon.

How has your training changed since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

My training has changed significantly since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team as previously I used to just go out and run. I have now a much more structured schedule of training with speed work, tempo and long runs etc. which have been set by Paul. He has eventually managed to tame the human yo-yo in me and my running has become more consistent and evenly paced.

The focus is of course on getting that sub 3 hour finish time at the Dublin Marathon 2019, do you believe you can achieve this? Have things progressed the way you’d hoped?

I am hopeful that I can achieve a sub 3 hour finish but unfortunately I suffered a serious knee injury ruling me out of training for 6 weeks. Thankfully I am now back on track and fingers crossed will see the start line injury free.

What has been your highlight in terms of your own personal favourite performance since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

My own personal favourite performance has been the Belfast City Half Marathon where I achieved a personal best of 1:24. I also completed my first ever Park Run finishing the fastest female in Ireland that day.

What has been your favourite training session since commencing training with Paul Pollock and the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

My favourite training session was 20x1Km set- alternating fast and slow. With no recovery in between each kilometre, I found this mentally very challenging but so satisfying to get through such a tough set.

The atmosphere and camaraderie at the group training days and races is very clear – are you enjoying being part of the team?

I love being part of the team, they are a great group of guys who are all very dedicated and supportive but can enjoy the craic as well!

Any other comments?

I really appreciate getting the opportunity to be part of the #DreamRunProject2019 and have learnt so much under the guidance of Paul and value his feedback.

What the coach thinks:

Elaine is a remarkable athlete. Regardless of what happens on raceday, the fact that she has managed to get herself to the startline in the shape that she currently is, is a testament to both her natural ability and willingness to work incredibly hard.

At the start of July, a torn meniscus was revealed as the source of her having extreme discomfort. Even simple jogging was virtually impossible. We had both all but resigned ourselves to the fact that Elaine would be the first marathon DNS of the DreamRunDublin19 group. With a prolonged time out of running, her recovery has been little short of unbelievable. There is no other word for it.

There are many ways of training for a marathon, and Elaine has definitely not taken the conventional route. However, with a recent half marathon personal best filling her with confidence, she has gone from a probable non-starter to a very realistic possibility of breaking three hours in the marathon. Having lost so much time through injury, we cannot afford the luxury of having a proper taper phase.

Elaine’s journey to the marathon startline deserves a time that she can be proud of. Having seen what she has gone through in the past few months, I firmly believe that, come the sharp end of the marathon, Elaine’s mental strength will carry her through to the finish line in a sub 3 hour time. And after all the recent injury problems that she has faced, that would be a wonderful achievement.

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The post DreamRun Dublin Update – Three weeks to go! appeared first on Fast Running.

As September rolls into October, it can mean only one thing. Marathon season has well and truly begun. With Kenenisa Bekele narrowly missing out on the world record in Berlin on Sunday, eyes now turn to a much more local marathon. With over 22,500 entrants, the KBC Dublin Marathon has established itself as one of the best in Europe. With the number of entrants continuing to grow each year, it now ranks as the fourth largest European marathon.

The chosen few

For the third year in a row, a special group of athletes will be on the startline of the Dublin marathon. The #DreamRunDublin19 project is comprised of ten runners from Northern Ireland aiming to cross the finish line in Dublin under the magical sub 3-hour time – an elusive barrier for so many club runners throughout the country.

The ten DreamRun runners were selected from over a hundred applicants and met for the first time in May. For the past twenty weeks, they have been training steadily under the watchful eye of group coach and DreamRunDublin founder, Paul Pollock. With a 32nd placing in the 2016 Rio Olympic marathon, 14th at the 2014 World Half marathon championships and 21st at the 2013 World marathon championships, Paul has been at the forefront of distance running in Ireland for the large part of the last decade.

Track record of success

DreamRun is now in its third year. The first two years (2 groups of ten athletes) of the DreamRun project has already seen a massive 8 sub-3 performances and 13 marathon pbs. Combined with a further 12 half marathon and 12 10k new personal bests between the two groups, the pressure has been on for this year’s group to continue the trend. As things currently stand, this year’s group have already risen to the occasion, having amassed 6 half marathon and 6 10k pbs since starting the project in May. Only time will tell if there are more personal bests in store come marathon raceday!

With less than four weeks to go until the big day, the nerves are beginning to grow for each member of the group. As each week passes, FastRunning will provide a short profile of each runner and give readers an insight into their DreamRun journey. First up this week is Adrian Bennett and Martin McKenna.

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The post DreamRun Dublin – Four weeks to go! appeared first on Fast Running.

Age: 40

Club: The Running Boys

Current marathon pb: 3hrs 19mins Belfast 2019

How do you feel training has been going since you joined the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

Training has been going well, I have picked up a few niggles along the way but I think most of us have and it’s to be expected given the volume of training we have been doing.

How has your training changed since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

The volume of training I have done has increased since joining the team and each run is for a reason. For example our long runs are set at a specific pace and Paul asks us to try and maintain this steady pace throughout so when it comes to the marathon we try and maintain a steady pace throughout. I have been made much more aware of the importance of rest days and easy runs in terms of allowing your body time to recover.

The focus is of course on getting that sub 3 hour finish time at the Dublin Marathon 2019, do you believe you can achieve this? Have things progressed the way you’d hoped?

I have had mixed feelings throughout my training plan with regards to achieving the sub 3 target. I have managed to get 5k, 10k and 1⁄2 marathon times which have given me confidence that I have the ability to do it but during the periods where I’ve been injured the doubts have crept in.

The progression has been steady a lot of our early work was concentrating on building speed and then we have moved on to improving our endurance while maintaining a level of speed throughout.

What has been your highlight in terms of your own personal favourite performance since joining the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

The KBC South Dublin 10k and Lisburn 10k were two races where I felt my training really come into effect. I ran steady races and finished both very strongly with 2 PB’s which set me up nicely for the next stage of training.

What has been your favourite training session since commencing training with Paul Pollock and the #DreamRunDublin19 team?

I have enjoyed quite a few of the sessions Paul has set but one of the most challenging would be his progression runs of anything from 6-10miles building the pace up every couple of miles to finish with 2 strong fast miles. A tough work out but one that is very rewarding.

The atmosphere and camaraderie at the group training days and races is very clear – are you enjoying being part of the team?

Being part of the team has been brilliant. The encouragement from the other guys in the group messages has been fantastic. A few of us may be at different stages in our training but we are all going through the same ups and downs and are experiencing the same highs and lows. As we get closer to race day we tend to meet up and do some sessions together as a bit of company can make a big difference.

What the coach thinks:

After an excellent initial training block to start the project, Martin picked up an injury in early July. Unfortunately, the niggle dragged on for a number of weeks, with a number of false training restarts. At that time, the consistency required in training for a marathon personal best was quite simply, not possible. Thankfully, he has managed to turn a corner with training and the body has held together for the past number of weeks.

Martin’s ability has never been the issue. Staying healthy and injury free has been the main concern. With a recent half marathon personal best of 1.25, running a sub 3 hour marathon time is becoming much more of a realistic target with every day that goes by.

If he has another 4 weeks, injury and trouble free, he will be standing on that startline, in shape to break 3 hours. At this stage, the short training time remaining is his major challenge, but one that I believe he has both the natural physical ability and mental aptitude to overcome.

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The post DreamRun Dublin Profile – Martin McKenna appeared first on Fast Running.

Anyone who has been following the Dream Run project, currently in its third year, will know that ten lucky athletes from Northern Ireland have been steadily training since the beginning of May.

Their goal is simple: to break the magical sub three hour barrier, in Dublin, on the 27th October. Working together as a group, encouraging each other forward, under the watchful eye of coach and Irish Olympic marathon runner Paul Pollock, each of the ten athletes has had their own unique journey to the Dublin marathon startline.

Over the course of the next ten weeks, we will be introducing our FastRunning readers to each of the ten chosen athletes (one per week). With personal bests ranging from 4.20 to 3.02, they are all hoping to achieve something that they have never achieved before.

Last year, all 9 of the DreamRun Dublin group starting the Dublin marathon set fantastic personal bests, with 5 of the 9 breaking the sub 3 hour barrier. The bar has undoubtedly been set high for this year’s group.

The highs and lows of the journey

DreamRun founder and group coach, Paul Pollock outlines some of the highs and lows for the group and how they have been progressing so far;

Injuries. Personal bests. The general challenges of training. The DreamRun group this year has, once again, had them all! It has been the same every year of the DreamRun project. The group meets for the first time at the beginning of May, and the Dublin Marathon startline seems like a distant far off date. However, the weeks pass into months very quickly. The relaxed, jokey nature of the group slowly gets overtaken by nervousness and worry.

Marathon day is approaching. Am I ready? Can I really do this? Every run and mile split is analysed and super-analysed again and again by the athlete. With less than ten weeks to go, we might not be at that end phase of training just yet, but it is definitely coming closer.

The fine line of marathon training

It goes without saying that niggles are part of the course. Choose any ten athletes and train them for 25 weeks, in an attempt to run a marathon faster than they have ever run before, and injuries will occur. Recognising and managing those injuries when they occur is essential.

There is always a fine line between pushing hard in training and falling over the line into ‘injury territory’. It is a line that is different for each athlete and for me, as coach, finding that line is probably the most difficult challenge. Having only met each athlete for the first time at the start of May, I have to quickly learn where each athlete is coming from, where their fitness is, what work they are able to manage and how quickly their training can progress.

This year’s group seems to be having more than its fair share of injuries. Not just small short term niggles but longer, more prolonged ‘proper’ injuries. Currently, three of the ten are on the injury bench. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to get to the startline of a marathon in a decent level of fitness, off a short block of training.

While the training in this way is nowhere near as enjoyable, running a good marathon is still very possible. However, unless an athlete can run pain-free, they are unlikely to race a time close to their true potential.

Credit: DreamRun Project

Expert input and getting race ready

Like in previous years, guest speakers have also been invited to talk to this year’s group. The group has already benefited from the advice and insight of sub 3 hour Northern Irish marathon runner and sports psychologist, Dave Woods. Coming up at the next meet up, there will be a workshop led by a strength and conditioning trainer. Feedback from previous years has shown that the athletes have found these talks really beneficial when it comes to injury prevention and physical and mental preparation for the marathon race itself.

The majority of the group raced the Frank Duffy Dublin 10 mile road race last weekend and will follow this up with a half marathon in early September, they will each have opportunities to perfect their raceday preparations and practice managing their raceday nerves.

Already 5 of the group have set 10k personal bests during this project and hopefully there are still a lot more personal bests to be run, not least of all, come the Dubin marathon finish line on the 27th October!

The ten athletes that were picked for this year’s DreamRun project are:

Gerard Donnelly 3.02
Martin McKenna 3.19
James Wilson 3.16
Dale Murray 3.09
Marina Murphy 3.08
Niamh Kellett 3.17
Ryan Galway 4.20
Adrian Bennett 3.21
Cailam Quinn First timer
Elaine McGuckin 3.09

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The post The big countdown….Dublin Marathon DreamRun update appeared first on Fast Running.

Early leaders beaten to the line at South Dublin 10km

Paul Pollock of Annadale Striders was the winner of a competitive men’s race at the South Dublin 10km in Clondalkin, Dublin on Sunday (July 21).

Pollock pulled away in the second half of the race to win in a time of 29:28. Finishing second in 29:44 was early leader Mick Clohisey of Raheny Shamrock, with Hiko Tonosa of Dundrum South Dublin AC third in 30:03.

Finishing fourth and first M35 in 30:31 was Mark Kenneally of Clonliffe Harriers, while fifth in 31:05 was Peter Somba of Dunboyne AC. Tommy Hughes of Termoneeny RC continued his astounding current streak by finishing ninth overall, third master and first M55 in 33:57.

In an Ulster double, Breege Connolly of City of Derry Spartans finished first woman in 35:19. Making a solid return to racing after a long stretch of injury was Laura Graham of Mourne Runners who was second in 35.40 after pushing the pace in the early stages of the race.

A close third in 35:46 was Gemma Rankin of Kilbarchan AC. First W60 was former Dublin Marathon winner Christine Kennedy in 42.10. A total of 2,450 completed the race.

At the Edenderry 10-Mile on Sunday (July 21) Mary Mulhare of Portlaoise AC picked up valuable KIA Series points when she finished first woman in 58:11. Just one place behind her was Siobhan O’Doherty of Borrisokane AC in 58:26. Overall race winner was Paddy Sharkey of Longford AC in 54.39.

U20 team bringing home medals

A large Irish team at the European U20 Championships in Boras, Sweden (July 18-21) came home with three medals.

Kate O’Connor began the Irish account by taking silver in the heptathlon in the opening days of competition. In a closely fought competition, her score of 6093 made her the first Irish women ever to go over 6000 points and broke her own Irish record.

Highlight of her performance was a personal best throw of 52.92m in the javelin, which puts her second behind many times Irish champion Anita White on the all-time Irish list.

Sarah Healy won silver in a nail-biting women’s 1500m final, taking the lead on the penultimate lap and winding up the pace from there. She led turning for home and just lost out to Switzerland’s Delia Sclabas in the run to the line, the 18-year-old Blackrock athlete claiming a silver medal for Ireland in 4:27.14. Sclabas took gold in 4:25.95.

McElhinney was equally as courageous and no less brilliant in the men’s 5000m final, the Bantry athlete taking the lead with a kilometre to run and pushing the pace out front. He was passed with one lap to run but fought all the way to the finish to come home third in 14:06.05. The race was won by Spain’s Aaron Las Heras in 14:02.76. Jamie Battle came home 14th in the same race in 14:42.37.

Just out of the medals in the 200m races were sprinters Aaron Sexton and Davicia Patterson whe both finished fourth. In the women’s 4x400m, the Irish squad finished fifth in a new Irish U20 record of 3:37.42.

There was Irish interest in the men’s javelin won with a mighty 79.44m throw by Simon Wieland of Switzerland. Wieland is coached by 21 times Irish champion and six times Olympian Terry McHugh, who lives in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Irish mountain going from strength to strength

Photo: Sport Pictures Cymru

In Wales on Saturday (July 20, Sarah McCormack won the Snowdon International mountain race for a third time in a superb time of 74:49 – just ten seconds off the women’s course record and a personal best for McCormack by six minutes for this gruelling 10 mile race.

The Irish woman, who is based in England’s Lake District, had to fight hard for her win first passing early race leader Hatti Archer of England and then battling to hold off Italy’s Elisa Sortini, who finished just 22 seconds behind her.

McCormack’s victory consolidates her position at the top of mountain running’s World Cup rankings.

On a great day for the Irish, Zak Hanna of Newcastle AC was fourth overall while Killian Mooney of DSD AC was a fighting 14^th. There were strong runs also from Mark Stephens 19th and Conor O’Mahoney 24^th and of the women, from Becky Quinn 12^th and Sinead Murtagh 18^th.

Season’s bets for Mageean

With the National Championships taking place in Santry next weekend, Ciara Mageean continued her excellent season with a season’s best time of 4:03.70 in the 1500m at the Diamond League Anniversary Games in London on Saturday (July 20). Mageean placed eighth in a race won by Scotland’s Laura Muir in 3:58.25.

Magian racing Muir last year in Berlin. Photo: Getty

In Barcelona on Wednesday (July 17), Mark English ran a time of 1:46.96 to finish a fighting tenth in the 800m. Winner in 1:44.38 was Ayanleh Souleiman of Djibouti.

At the BMC Meet at Eltham on Saturday (July 20), Amy O’Donoghue of Emerald AC won the A 1500m race in 4:16.58; Katie Kirk of Team New Balance was fourth in the A 800m in 2:06.85 and Mitchell Byrne of Rathfarnham WSAF AC second in the B 1500m with 3:45.35.

European track exploits

A number of Irish athletes were in Belgium for the Heusden-Zolder Night of Athletics on Saturday (July 20), where Andrew Coscoran of Star of the Sea AC clocked a time of 3:40.79 on his way to victory in one of the 1500m races. That improved on the 3:41.19 Coscoran had run a week earlier in Kortrijk, also in Belgium, which put him top of the current Irish rankings. Behind him, John Travers of Donore Harriers finished eight in 3:44.32.

In the B 5000m, Ryan Forsyth of Newcastle AC, who will defend his 5000m title in Santry next weekend, finished 10^th in 13:55.17. Claire Mooney of UCD AC clocked 2:05.08 for second in one of the 800m race series while in the men’s B 800, Zak Curran of Dundrum South Dublin AC finished fourth in 1:48.29. Over 1500m, Ellie Hartnett, of UCD AC, recorded a time of 4:36.76.

Irish steeplechase specialists were in the Finnish town of Lapinlahti for the Savo Games on Wednesday (July 17) not too far from Gavle, where the European U23 Championships had taken place a few days earlier. Brian Fay of Raheny Shamrock, who had competed in the steeplechase in Gavle, finished fourth in the 1500m in 3:46.05. In a 5000m women’s race, current Irish women’s steeplechase champion Michele Finn went through 3000m in 9:20.27 before dropping out.

League titles for Clonliffe and DSD

Clonliffe Harriers men’s team successfully defended their national league title after a long day in Tullamore making it a fifth title in a row and a tenth overall since the National League was first held in 1978.

In the women’s competition, Dundrum South Dublin AC were regaining the title they last won in 2016 for an eighth title overall. St Abban’s, who had won for the past two years, were missing their big name athletes and had barely managed to qualify for the final.

DSD performed well across the board with a team mixing the experience of Sinead Denny, Meghan Ryan, Fiona Clinton, Meghan Ryan, and Fiona Clinton with the youth of (among others) Molly Hourihan, Charlotte Burke, Emma Ryan, Rachel Dunne, and Kate Doherty winner of both the 100m hurdles and 100m flat. Then there were club stalwarts Harriette Robinson, Emmy Coffey Nguyen, Sonya McConnon – and club president Lucy Moore who did her bit in the hammer.

Clonliffe dominated the men’s competition with seven wins, starting with Simon Galligan in the hammer.

Other wins for the Santry- based club came from Greg Hosseny walk, Niall Counihan triple jump, Stephan Rice javelin, Jayme Rossiter steeplechase, Ian Guiden 5000m and the 4 x 100 relay team of Eamonn Fahey, Israel Ibanu, Keith Marks and Keith Pike.High scores from Keith Marks high jump and long jump, Timmy Crowe 110 and 400 hurdles, Luke Mangan shot and 56 lb, Thomas Pitkin 400m and Colm Rooney 1500m all helped.

An impressive second was a new look team from Raheny Shamrock, with winnning performances from Eric Favors, 18.45 in the shot and 48.59 discus, as well as Kieran Kelly in the 1500m and the 4 x 400 team of Brandon Arrey, Jamie Sheridan, Cillian Kirwan and Kieran Kelly.

With the national championships only a week away, there were a number of other eye-catching performances in Tullamore.

Michael Bowler for Wexford County looks well on the way to retaining his pole vault title after soaring over 4.50. In the 400m, Cillin Green of Galway City Harriers was first in 47.75, with Brandon Array of Raheny Shamrock a close second in 47.80. Sharlene Mawdsley, representing Tipperary County, won the women’s 200 in 24.08, while Claire Fitzpatrick for Kerry County showed that she is right back in form after a year’s break from the sport with a winning 50.58 in the discus.

School walkers win in Swansea

At the annual SIAB Schools International in Swansea, Ireland’s only winner was race walker Matthew Glennon with James Hanlon second. In a thrilling girls’ 300m, Jenna Breen was pipped for gold by Cedelle Agyei-Kyem of England who finished in in 39.73 secs; Breen’s times was 39.74. Other Irish competitors taking silver were Oliver Swinning 10.94 secs in the 100m, Aoibheann McMahon 14.65 for the 3kg shot, Tadhg O Muircheartaigh 61.00 in the 700g javelin, and the girls’ 4×100 and boys’ 4 x 400m relay teams.

Earlier on the roads

Winning the Sea to Sky 10km race in Newcastle Co Down on Friday (July 19) was Gordy Graham of East Down AC  in 36 mins 26 secs. Gladys Ganiel of North Belfast Harriers was eighth overall and first woman in 38:42. Neil Curran of East Down AC won the 5km race in 17:38, with junior athlete Anna Gardiner, also East Down AC, sixth over all and first woman in 19.47. Over 900 competed between the two races.

Sean Hehir of Rathfarnham WSAF AC and Renae Cicchinelli were the winners of the St James’s Hospital Liberties 4-Mile Fun Run in Dublin on Thursday evening (July 18).

Hehir’s time of 19:41 saw him finished well over a minute ahead of Eoin Callaghan from Star of the Sea AC and Karol Cronin of Sportsworld, who finished in 21:08 and 21:15 respectively. Cicchinelli clocked a time of 25:48; finishing second and third women were Andrea McNamara of Sportsworld in 26:09 and Jean Murphy in 27:11. A total of 1,306 finished this popular inner city race which starts and finishes in the scenic surroundings of the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham.

Peter Somba of Dunboyne AC led home 618 finishers at the Bettystown B-5 organised by Cilles AC in Co Meath on Tuesday (July 16).

Somba’s time of 25:37 put him almost a minute clear of Sean Doran from Clonliffe Harriers, who finished in 26:30, with David Rooney of Rhaney Shamrock third in 26:45. First woman was Niamh Devlin of Dundrum South Dublin AC in 29:31. Laura McDonnell of Tallaght AC was second in 29:50 and Aoife Parrella of Star of the Sea AC third in 32:02.

Winners of the Clyne 5km in Co Cork on Wednesday (July 17) were Kevin O’Leary of East Cork in 15:30 and Ann Geary of Midleton AC in 19:01.

parkrun

Your timely reminder that parkrun isn’t actually a race, but we know everyone likes to see the top ten times each week so here are your quickest runners from Ireland on Saturday July 20th.

RELATED: 7 ways to run faster at parkrun

Lindie Naughton is a journalist and writer based in Dublin who joined the athletics club at her college many many years ago and has never quite escaped. You’ll normally find her jogging around some orienteering course somewhere – or down at the Irishtown track coaching kiddies!

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Medals at U20 Champs, Snowdon victory & hard racing at South Dublin 10k – Irish round-up appeared first on Fast Running.

On the roads

Paul Pollock ran a strong 66:12 to place third at the Olomouc Half Marathon in the Czech Republic. The evening race was still very warm and the winning time of 64:26 was run by Italy’s Yassine Rachik. The women’s event was won by Lilia Fisikovici of Moldova in 73:32.

Mick Clohisey of Raheny Shamrock AC was the winner of the Irish Runner 5-Mile, incorporating a national 5-mile championships, in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on Saturday (June 16)

Clohisey, who aims to defend his title at the Dublin Marathon later this year, proved the class of the field with a time of 24 mins 2 secs. Second was Colin Maher of Ballyfin AC in 24.52 while third was Emmett Jennings of Dundrum South Dublin AC in 25.04. In fourth place Mark McKinstry of North Belfast Harriers was also first M35.

Sally Forristal of St Joseph’s AC was first of the women in 29:27; Aine O’Reilly of Mullingar Harriers was second in 30:21 and Catherine O’Connor of Sli Cualann AC third in 30:40. Raheny Shamrock made it a senior team double winning both men and women’s titles, as well as the W50 team category. Mullingar Harriers proved best of the W35 teams whil Brothers Pearse AC was best M35 team and Rathfarnham WSAF AC first M50 team.

Winning the Grant Thornton Corporate Challenge 5km in Cork last Wednesaday (June 12) was Liam Brady of Punch Consulting Engineers in 15 mins 6 secs. Kevin O’Brien of Avery Dennison was second in 15:40 and Dympna Ryan of AIB first woman in 18:06. There were close to a thousand finishers.

Track and field highlights

Thomas Barr of Ferrybank AC finishing second in the 400m hurdles at the Oslo Diamond League (June 13), with a season’s best time of 49.11. Norway’s world champion Karsten Warholm made it a home victory in a European record time of 47.33 . For second place, Barr pipped Kyron McMaster with a late race surge. McMaster’s time was 49.12

“Very happy with tonight’s race, going in the right direction! And cool to be part of a European record breaking race. Looking forward to a few week’s training now, ” Barr tweeted afterwards.

Leon Reid of Menapians AC was in action over 200m at the Rabat Diamond League on Sunday evening (June 16). Running in the inside lane, Reid finished in 20.88 secs – off his season’s best of 20:68 set last month. Qualification mark for the World Championships in Doha in 20.40 secs. Race winner was Andre de Grasse of Canada in 20.03.

Davicia Patterson from the Beechmount Harriers club in Belfast smashed her own Irish U20 400m record with a time of 52.57 for 400m in the B race at the AtletiCAG meet in Geneva, Switzerland on Saturday (June 16).

It puts her top of the European U20 rankings for the distance and moves her to fifth on the all-time Irish list behind Joanne Cuddidy of Killkenny City Harriers who ran a time of 50.73 secs in 2007. Paterson competes in next month’s European U20 Championships in Boras, Sweden. She reached the semi-finals of the 400m at last year’s World U20 Championships.

A large Irish squad was competing in Geneva, with Cliodhna Manning of Kilkenny City Harriers also running the 400m finishing in 54.40. In the men’s 400m series, Chris O’Donnell ran 47.1, Cillin Greene 48.17 and Craig Newell 48.26.

Finishing third in the women’s 4 x 100m relay with a time of 44.54 secs which should book their places at the European U23 Championships, was the team of Molly Scott, Ciara Neville, Gina Akpe-Moses and Sarah Quinn.

Neville later ran a wind-assisted time time of 11.47 (+2.1)in the 100m series of races. Scott won the third of five heats in 11.78 (-0.2), with Sarah Quinn second in 11.79. Winning heat 5 in 11.68 (-0.1) was Gina Akpe Moses; Caitlin Maguire from Belfast was equal fourth in 12.26.

Neville was also listed for the 200m which was cancelled along with the men’s 200m, a mixed 4x400m, for which an Irish team was entered, and all but the first men’s 100m race after a violent storm forced a premature end to the day’s programme.

In the men’s 4 x 100m, the Irish U23 team clocked a time of 40.54 secs for sixth place just missing out on the 40.50 qualifying mark for the European U23s.. Making up the team were David McDonald, Tope Adeyeye, Mark Smyth and Joseph Ojewumi of Tallaght AC. Race winners were the Netherlands in 38.39.

Smyth and Ojewumi were listed for the cancelled 100m series, along with Marcus Lawler and Eoin Doherty.

In the 110m hurdles, Ger O’Donnell of Carrick-on-Shannon AC clocked a time of 14.35 (-0.7).

UCD’s Alanna Lally finished second in the 800m with a time of 2:04.96. Sarah Lavin, also UCD,won her 100m hurdles her heat in 13.26. Also in action was Sarah Quinn, with a personal best time of 13.74. The final was cancelled due to the storm

In the 400m hurdles Nessa Millett of Loughborough Students clocked a time of 58.92, while Niamh Fogarty finished fifth in the women’s discus with a 49.43m effort.

Dublin Juvenile Track and Field Championships

Photo: Lindie Naughton

Continuing over the weekend from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon (June14-16) was the Dublin Juvenile Track and Field Championships at Santry which takes six days in all to get through.

Highlights included a sprint double for Val Stroganvous of Clonliffe Harriers in the M17 100m and 200m. Winning the M18 200m was Michael Farrelly of Raheny Shamrock in 22.68 – the day’s fastest time. A day later, Sean L’Estrange, also Raheny Shamrock, won the M18 100m.

Taking the W16 200m title in 26.48 was Kate O’Connell of Lucan Harriers.

On Friday evening, Aaron Cullen of Clonliffe Harriers won the M19 1500m. The W17 3000m on Sunday saw a clear sweep of the medals for Clonliffe Harriers: first Aoife Hession, second Katie Halpin and third Alanna Fitzsimons. Winning the M18 javelin with a throw of 40.07 was Aaron Linton of Crusaders AC. One day of competition remains.

At the fourth Dublin Graded Track and Field Meet in Santry on Wednesday (June 12), Stephen Gaffney of Rathfarnham WSAF AC proved fastest over 100m with a time of 10.67 secs. Sophie Becker of St Joseph’s AC won the A 400m in 54.79, with Cillin Greene of Galway City Harries fastest of the men in 49.08.

First home in the women’s A 1500m was Meghan Ryan of Dundrum South Dublin in 4:40.13; Barbara Clearly of Donore Harriers, better known as a road runner, was second in 4:43.53. Niamh Kearney of Sli Cualann AC was a runaway winner of the 2000m steeplechase in 6 mins 55.50 secs.

Winning the women’s hammer with 58.43m was national champion Michaela Walsh of Swinford AC whose best this season is a 61.11 from last month in Loughborough.

Best of the men with 67.30 was 18-year-old Sean Mockler of Moycarkey Coolcroo AC, who was throwing a 6kg hammer. Ciara Sheehy, aged 16, of Emerald AC heaved the 3kg shot out to a personal best 15.44m; multi-eventer Elizabeth Morland of Cushinstown AC was second and first senior with 11.42 – just seven centimetres off her best.

Trail running

Winning the Braveheart Trail 5km in Trim, Co Meath on Friday (June 15) was Hiko Tonosa of Dundrum South Dublin.

It was a second win over this unique course for Tonosa whose time of 15:13 was well off the course record time of 14:38 he ran last year in more favourable conditions. Peter Somba of Dunboyne AC was second in 15:20, with Eric Keogh of Donore Harriers third in 15:27. First master was Richard Bell of Fr Murphy’s AC in 16:42.

Form athlete Mary Mulhare of Portlaoise ASC was first woman in 17:58, followed by Sinead O’Connor of Leevale AC in 18:22 and Isobel Oakes in 18:42. First W40 was Audrey Gahan of Donore Harriers. The race was a round of the KIA Races Series with 839 finishers and points at stake in senior and masters categories.

Sean Doran and Linda Byrne were the winners of the OPW BHAA Trail 5km in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on Wednesday (June 12). Doran, running for C & E Products, just held off the challenge of Eoin Callaghan from the Teachers team to finish in 16 mins 25 secs; Callaghan finished one second adrift. In third place Thomas Sherlock was leading Bank of Ireland to team victory in grade A. Eir was first in grade B, with RTE winning grade C, and Dublin City Council best in grade D.

Linda Byrne of the Gardai finished lucky 13th overall in 18:10. Clare Sullivan running as an individual was second in 18.42 and Alma Hanevy of the Pharmacists group, third in 29.53. First team was Teachers. The Business Houses Athletics Association is a non-profit work-place athletics association run by runners for runners. Next race is the Dublin City Council 5km in Irishtown on Wednesday July 10 (7.30). Newcomers welcome.

Irish International Nicola Duncan was first female home in the Seven Hills of Edinburgh event in Scotland. The event is described as “a combination of road-running, cross-country, hill-running, and urban orienteering [with] 14.3 miles in length and with 2200 feet of ascent/descent”. Duncan’s winning time was 2:05:46 and the men’s winner was Sam McCutcheon in 1:37:21.

parkrun

Annette Kealy and John Black are your quickest parkrunners in Ireland this weekend (June 15th). For the full top ten rankings check out our weekly article here.

RELATED: 7 ways to run faster at parkrun

Lindie Naughton is a journalist and writer based in Dublin who joined the athletics club at her college many many years ago and has never quite escaped. You’ll normally find her jogging around some orienteering course somewhere – or down at the Irishtown track coaching kiddies!

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Marathoners Pollock and Clohisey both put in strong performances – Irish weekend roundup appeared first on Fast Running.