ATHLETES FEET GROW THROUGH OUT THE YEAR AND SPIKES ARE REPLACED LEAVING THE OLD ONES ASIDE. LIMERICK AC ARE SETTING UP A COLLECTION FOR ANYONE THAT IS WILLING TO DONATE OLD SPIKES SO THEY CAN FIND NEW FEET WITHIN THE CLUB. PLEASE GIVE TO ANY OF OUR CLUB COACHES AND WE WILL DEFINITELY FIND A NEW HOME FOR THEM.
WELL DONE TO ALL OUR ATHLETES THAT COMPETED IN NENAGH ON 1ST NOVEMBER WHICH INCLUDED:
OLIVIA MC CARTHY
AOIFE GRIMES
ROISE GAVAN
MAE FARRELL
CIARA FLAHERTY
HANNAH ROBERTSON
ROBYN D’ARCY
LILY REID
JACK O’ NEILL
CONOR CLANCY
LUKE CALITZ
PADDY O’DRISCOLL
OLLIE TIERNEY
ABBEY ROBERTSON
RACHEL SHANNON
EMMA GILLEN
SEAN MC HUGO
MATTHEW BURKE
PAUDI SPRATT
AOIFE RYAN
KATE O’ NEILL
TOMMY O’ DRISCOLL
DANIEL WALKER
CONOR GAVIN
DAITHI GALLAGHER
JIM MADDEN
AARON O CONNOR
CILLIAN LYNCH
DHARMA GRIFFEN
REBECCA KIELY
LAURA BURKE
RACHEL VALLELY-MULLINS
MAKAYLA RYAN-WADE
LAURA HESSION
CHRISTIAN O CONNELL
EVA SPRATT
JOE SPRATT
OUR MEDAL WINNERS CONSIST OF:
AOIFE GRIMES – 1ST (300M)
-2ND (L. J)
CIARA FLAHERTY -3RD (L.J)
LUKE CALITZ – 1ST (60M)
-1ST (300M)
-1ST (L.J)
PADDY O’ DRISCOLL – 2ND (300M)
RACHEL SHANNON – 3RD (500M)
SEAN MC HUGO – 1ST (500M)
MATTHEW BURKE – 2ND (500M)
CONOR GAVAN – 2ND (600M)
TOMMY O’ DRISCOLL – 3RD (600M)
MAKAYLA RYAN – WADE – 3RD (800M)
RORY PRENDEVILLE – 2ND (800M)
LAURA HESSION – 1ST (800M)
EVA SPRATT – 1ST (L. J)
CHRISTIAN O CONNELL – 2ND(60M)
-1st (L.J)
JOE SRATT – 1ST (L. J)
– 2ND (400M)
OUR RELAY MEDAL WINNERS:
GIRLS UNDER 9’S – 1ST.
(Olivia, Aoife, Ciara, Roise)
BOYS UNDER 9’S – 1ST.
(Ollie, Jack, Luke, Paddy)
BOYS UNDER 10’S – 2ND.
(Sean, Matthew, Paudi, Jack)
BOYS UNDER 11’S – 2ND.
(Aaron,Daniel,Conor, Tommy)
GIRLS UNDER 14’S – 2ND.
(Dharma, Laura, Rachel, Makayla)
Cross-country running, more-so than track running or road running, requires a meticulous inspection of the course by the astute athlete before competing as there are many variables that can impact on your performance. First item on the athlete’s agenda should be figuring out the course route; establishing the length of each lap and whether the course is flat or undulating. A hilly course with a downhill start can inspire much bravado and lead to an intense stampede that can result in some runners falling – we’ve all seen or experienced this at some stage – while for others, the adrenalin rush of the fast start can infuse them with a false sense of confidence and all considerations towards pacing are abandoned. This false self-confidence comes back to haunt many with a vengeance later in the race as lactic acid floods the system.
The second aspect of the course inspection that may prove invaluable during the race is careful observation of the running surface. It’s logical when running laps to hug the inside of the lap as tightly as possible to cut down on distance run. This notion can be thrown out the window when it comes to cross-country courses. Often, the inside of the course becomes a muddy trench that can result in a surface utterly incapable of delivering any semblance of traction, even with the longest of spikes installed in your shoes. In this type of situation it may be wise to go wide and find firmer running ground. The extra distance travelled by a runner going wide around bends will be more that rewarded through minimized loss of momentum and the avoidance of getting bogged down, literally. Of course, there are times when there is no good running ground and I’m afraid in these situations it’s just a matter of ploughing on roughshod with teeth gritted.
It’s intriguing to watch a cross-country race held in wet and muddy conditions and observe the impact on the competing athletes running styles. Dependent on athlete height, weight and build the style can vary; there are those who utilize the bulldozer style – a sheer look of menacing determination on their face while they drive through the mud like an ox; others, who define themselves as road runners attempt to execute the same economical style they practice on the roads to the slippery conditions of cross country only to discover that there’s no bounce off wet mud, only unmerciful ‘Dyson style’ suction; and there are those who get less stuck in the mud than others – this group are often described as gliding over the mud but that’s far too graceful a term for what is essentially a style that enables less staggering over the mud than other forms of running. The unavoidable truth is that regardless of running style, cross-country requires true grit and the man/women who can endure the waves of lactic acid and mud that slowly dissolve ones motivation to keep moving earn the right to call themselves cross-country runners.
The final touches are being applied to the Limerick Senior Cross-Country team by athletics maestro Will Logan. The man who has witnessed countless Limerick AC teams lift the cup has lost none of his vigor or hunger for winning the much coveted team prize and will be sanguine about this year’s team chances of emulating their forebears. It’s a testament to his passion and commitment towards the club and sport that well into his Golden years, Will still cycles the journey from Thomand Gate to the University of Limerick – no short distance – to attend the all-important Saturday morning sessions.
On Saturdays, Will is in his element as he orchestrates the session and I have a sneaking suspicion that the more adverse the conditions for the athletes, the brighter the man’s eyes shine. For cross-country running is all about the mud, slanted rain and biting winds, and summer-like conditions don’t have any place near the cross-country season. Initially the athletes may complain that conditions are less than pleasant but there’s a primal experience to finishing a cross-country session, skin glowing bright red from the cold and bodies slathered in mud up to the tonsils – that just can’t be emulated on the track or road.
Week in, week out, Will has put the team through their paces on the sports pitches of UL to hone what will hopefully be a strong showing in the upcoming race. There has been quite a high rate of attrition among some of the athletes over the last month or two with injuries and sickness causing a few hiccups but in general the team has come out relatively unscathed.
The competition is looking stiff this year with a number of teams set to compete including Dooneen AC, Bilboa AC, An Bru and West Limerick AC. West Limerick will most likely pose the greatest threat with a team that boasts both talent and depth. Big guns such as Mike O’Brien (who ran a superb 2:36 in the Dublin Marathon), triathlon powerhouses Aaron O’ Brien and David Richardson, the sniping Ger Guniea and will prove the formidable foes on the day. An Bru look set to spice things up a bit too by fielding another strong team. An Bru’s Saturday training sessions have by quincidence, or by design, taken place to date at the same location and time as Limerick AC’s so I can attest to their impressive form during sessions. An Bru have also commandeered the services of running guru Mike Carmody who is sure to set a relentless pace come race day. Mike’s addition to the team will certainly bolster their aspirations for a team title.
West Limerick is set to host the event and by all accounts have made bold maneuvers to ensure they field their best team on a course that accommodates their strengths on the day. West Limerick successfully postponed the original race date by a week to ensure some of their team members who ran the Dublin marathon are recuperated. In addition the course for the race is being pulled from its usual venue of the Demesne Park in Newcastlewest and the new location for the race is shrouded in mystery. This is the perks of being the host club for the championships; let’s just hope that whatever transpires on the day that Limerick AC put their best foot forward.
