Weekend Races 29th - 31st July 2016

Races This Weekend -  18 races so far!

Here's the list of races on by county this coming weekend. If there are any that I've missed, just chat a message below and I'll update.

Connaught

Leitrim

Saturday 30th - Glenfarne Gala - 5K / 10K

Roscommon
Sunday 31st - Castlerea Rose Festival - 5K / 10K

Leinster

Offaly

Friday 29th - Birr AC - 5K

Kilkenny

Friday 29th - Pilltown - 10K

Wicklow
Saturday 30th - RAW Trail Run - 25K / 50K / 100K

Wexford
Sunday 31st - St Patricks Forest Trail Run - 5K

Munster

Tipperary

Sunday 31st - Ballynonty Road Race - 10 Mile

Kerry

Sunday 31st - Banna - 5K / 10K

Cork

Friday 29th - Conna - 5K

Friday 29th - Kinsale Regatta Road Race - 5 Mile

Ulster

Donegal

Sunday 31st - Danny McDaid 15K - Letterkenny AC

Armagh

Sunday 31st - Mullaghbawn - 10K

Antrim

Friday 29th - LacPatrick Milk Run - 5 Mile - Ballymoney

Sunday 31st - Sunrise Run (Eastcoast AC) - 5K

Tyrone

Sunday 31st - Pure Running Half Marathon Series (Cookstown) - Half Marathon

Sunday 31st - Muck Hogs Marathon - Half Marathon / Marathon - Omagh

Cavan

Friday 29th - Bawnboy Festival Road Race - 7K

Saturday 30th - Breffni 3 Province Challenge - Half Marathon / 10K / 7 K

Slide for the Win

How committed is this for the win? This week Kumari Taki was competing in the final of the 1500m at the IAAF U20 World Championships. Leading coming up to the finish line, he stumbled and was going down. But he got the win in spectacular style, as captured by Gerard O'Donnell:

That's one way to win a world title #Bydgoszcz2016 @Cathal_Dennehy pic.twitter.com/5qxaYQi8wA

— Gerard O' Donnell (@gearoid88) July 21, 2016

The full race can also be seen here:

Weekend Races 22nd - 24th July 2016

Races This Weekend -  14 races so far!

Here's the list of races on by county this coming weekend. If there are any that I've missed, just chat a message below and I'll update.

Connaught

Mayo
Saturday 23rd - Last One Standing - Distance against the clock - Westport

Sunday 24th - Ronan Clarke Trail Run - 5K / 13K - Killala

Galway
Saturday 23rd - Womens Adventure Race - 27K - Killary

Sligo
Sunday 24th - Frank Kelly Milk Run - 5K - Castleconnor

Leinster

Dublin
Saturday 23rd + Sunday 24th - Wild Air Run - 5K - Malahide

Sunday 24th - SSE Airtricity Race Series - Fingal 10K - Swords

Kildare
Saturday 23rd - Donadea Forest 5K - 5K

Munster

Waterford
Friday 22nd - Ballymacarbry 5 Mile - 5 Mile

Kerry
Saturday 23rd - Run Killarney - Half Marathon / 10K

Cork
Friday 22nd - Donoughmore 7 Mile

Sunday 23rd - Cloyne Summer Run - 4K

Ulster

Antrim
Friday 22nd - Dalriada Festival Run - 5K / 10K - Ballymena

Monaghan
Saturday 23rd - Blayney Rockets AC 10 mile - 10 Mile - Castleblayney

Cavan
Saturday 23rd - Ballyhaise 5 Mile - 5 Mile

Pokemon Run?

As Pokemon Go was released in Ireland on Saturday (really Sunday because of the crashes) I decided to give it a try on a run and see what all the fuss was about, here's how I got on;

Background
OK, so I'm not stupid enough to ruin a proper run trying to catch make-believe characters! I was away at a wedding this weekend and had done a good run on Saturday morning. A Sunday morning run wasn't planned, but being an early morning riser (like most runners) I decided to get up and do a "sweat out the alcohol run". With zero expectations, it was the perfect time to try out this pokemon lark.

I also got inspiration from an Austin runner that I follow, Lora, who did a similar run recently

The Plan

• Distance: around 3 miles
• Pace: 0 expectation or time plan
• Route: a smaller out and back section of what I'd done the previous day
• Phone Battery: 100%
• Other details: try not to look like an idiot running and watching the phone at same time!!!

How I got on
I barely got a minute up the road when a pokemon creature showed up, stop the GPS watch, and start firing pokemon balls aimlessly (I should have read some manual first).

He was caught eventually, and the run went on like this. Some times I'd get 8 minutes running with no pokemon showing, sometimes there'd be one 30 seconds after the other.

Overall I caught 12, and have no idea if that's good or bad!

The Result

• Distance: 3.6 miles
• Pace: start/stop, all over the place!
• Route: started as expected then diverted a different on the way back, hence a longer run. I can see how this thing drags you off plan. Also, I was crossing roads like an idiot (not dangerously, I just looked stupid!)
• Phone Battery : 74%
• Pokemon caught: 12

Recommendation

• Will I do it again? - Probably not 
• Would I recommend it for runners? - not if you want to do a good run
• Is it a good thing? Yes. Anything that gets people out and walking is good in my book. My auntie told me her, normally sofa bound, teenager covered over 10k in one day....has to be a good thing.

Weekend Races 15th-17th July 2016

Races This Weekend -  17 races so far!

Here's the list of races on by county this coming weekend. If there are any that I've missed, just chat a message below and I'll update.

Connaught

Roscommon
Saturday 16th - Roscommon Harriers 10 Mile - (finalist in our 10 Mile of the Year)

Galway
Sunday 17th - Donaghpatrick NS Fun Run - 5K / 8K

Leinster

Louth
Sunday 17th - Clogherhead Seaside - 10K


Offaly
Sunday 17th - Edenderry Ladies GAA Fun Run - 5K

Westmeath
Sunday 17th - Mullingar 10 - 10 Mile

Wexford
Saturday 16th - Kilmore Seafood Festival - 5K

Munster

Clare
Saturday 16th - Mathew Corry Memorial - 10K - Bodyke

Kerry
Saturday 16th - Brandon Bay Half Marathon & 10K - Brandon Bay (Beach)

Tipperary
Friday 15th - Canon Hayes - 10K / 5K - Tipp Town

Friday 15th - Clonmel AC 5 Mile - Clerihan

Saturday 16th - Cystic Fibrosis fun run - 5K - Ballingarry

Cork
Friday 15th - Ballyhooly 5K Fun Run

Saturday 16th - Cape Clear, Rithigi Linn - 5K

Saturday 16th - Banteer Show fun run - 5K

Ulster

Down
Friday 15th - Sea 2 Sky - 10K - Newcastle

Monaghan
Friday 15th - Doohamlet - 10K

Armagh
Sunday 17th - Colour Run - 5K - Cullyhanna