Author: glendaloughac

INTERVIEW: Sean Hehir on Glen to Glen

by glendaloughac, posted in Club races / events, Lap of the Gap / Glen to Glen

Sean Hehir – Irish international and fresh off his 2:17 marathon in London – took the time to answer three questions for us after participating, and breaking the record of, our half-marathon fund-raiser ‘Glen to Glen’ (run in conjunction with the Lap of the Gap Marathon). Congratulations to Sean on the new mark of 72:21 – the quest for sub-70 has begun!

Sean Hehir on the descent from Glenmacnass Waterfall

How did you hear about the Lap of the Gap Marathon and Glen to Glen Half and what attracted you to doing the event?

I love to race regularly. The weeks immediately after the target marathon in the spring and autumn provide a great opportunity for competing in races I haven’t done before in new and different places, enabling maintaining fitness and conditioning before recommencing full training. In the last 2 weeks I entered the IMRA Leinster League Bray Head run and the Wicklow Way Relay with my Rathfarnham WSAF AC teammates. I saw the Glen to Glen Half and The Lap of the Gap Marathon listed on the Athletics Ireland accredited fixture list and on the MyRunResults website. When I saw the race profile featuring the climb from The Upper Lake in Glendalough up to Glenmacnass waterfall and back I decided to give the half marathon a go. I’m very glad I signed up and would love to come back to try better my time or try my hand at The Lap of the Gap Marathon. The marathon race winner’s stone trophy is beautiful and I would love to try earn one in the future.

Your personal best for the half-marathon is 65:12 and your new record is 72:21 – do you feel the course is about 6-7 minutes slower than a regular city half-marathon or would sub-70 be achievable for yourself or a runner of similar ability in the right circumstances?

A sub 70min clocking is definitely achievable in The Glen to Glen Half. Conditions

during the early mile in Glendalough

this year were ideal (light wind and mild) which definitely helped. The first 5km are fast and flat, with a fast pace still achievable on the gradual slopes from 5km-10km. Mile splits take a hit from 10km to the turnaround point at Glenmacnass waterfall and it’s very difficult to get lost time back on the steep descents. However coming down the hill at speed in the second half of the race is a fantastic feeling and your momentum definitely carries you over the line in the closing miles. The road surface on the route is excellent and there is great support from race officials at the water stations. It would be great to see the 70 minute barrier broken in the not-so-distant future.

Which part of the course did you enjoy most and what part did you feel played best to your personal strengths?

My favourite part of the route was the last uphill mile climbing towards the turnaround point at Glenmacnass waterfall. The scenery is stunning and although your legs are screaming as the climb hits 20% in places, it is a strangely enjoyable experience. The opening miles in Glendalough are also beautiful (and flat).

REPORT: Wicklow Way Relay 2019

by glendaloughac, posted in Race reports, Trail running

Our team took up the team challenge of the Wicklow Way Relay for the fifth year running and it was another buzzing day.

Full results

Half the battle is getting to the start line!

The team very nearly didn’t make the starting line. First Torben Dahl called in with a poor IT band Tuesday evening (he had a miracle recovery), Angus Tyner did in his ankle on Wednesday night (he didn’t recover) and finally Amidou Dembele’s car broke down in Sligo on the way down from Donegal Friday evening. One rental car later Amidou was at least on his way to Dublin but injury and other commitments in the men’s team meant genuine concerns existed around whether Angus could be replaced.

That was until Richard Costelloe dusted himself off early in his Ballyhoura recovery and took over in the eleventh hour (thanks Rich!) and making his debut in the event. Derek Cullen and Anthony Breen also had their debuts on the ‘official team’ having previously only competed in the event along with the ‘Laragh Locals’. He ran strong despite sheepishly admitting his house-renovation project had left him short of training since qualifying!

The times they are a-changin’!

The final team thus bore only 4 repeat runners from 2018: Rachel Wisdom, Torben Dahl, Amidou Dembele and Yvonne Brennan with Marcus Murphy, Angus Tyner, and Blaise Kinsella (injured) and Johnny Conway (moved to London!) making way. By accident rather than design, the four returning runners ran the first four legs!

Barry O’Neill bore the captain’s mantle and sat down with club coach Rene Borg to bang out a time schedule based on people’s predictions. It was pretty good as it proved – the team predicted an 8 hour 31 minute finish and crossed the line in 8:29 – 45 seconds faster than the 2018 team.

Predicted versus real times

Looking at the team line up, we knew ahead of team that getting into the top-10 would be hard enough with many closely matched teams behind the run-away top-2 (TT Racers and Rathfarnham – TT Racers going on to do an unprecedented ‘4 in a row’).

Flying as high as 4th early on, the team eventually settled in 8th place (2 spots up from 2018) meaning a fifth top-10 finish in five years. No one got lost, no one was late and no one had any notable trouble along the route so that is about as uneventful as a Wicklow Way Relay can get. Even our tracker didn’t give out.

Placings by leg:

  • Leg 1: 9th Amidou
  • Leg 2: 5th Torben Dahl
  • Leg 3: 10th Yvonne Brennan
  • Leg 4: 15th Rachel Wisdom
  • Leg 5: 12th Richard Costelloe
  • Leg 6: 16th Derek Cullen
  • Leg 7: 11th Anthony Breen
  • Leg 8: 6th Barry O’Neill

Some history

Amidou Dembele ran Leg 1 for the eighth time – the joint-most attempts on leg 1 in the competitions history along with Nadya Dunne and Derek Charles. He has a bit to go to break the record for ‘most attempts at a leg’ which belongs to Tommy Galvin who has run leg 2 twelve times (!).

We keep track of every club runners history in the relay and it can be seen below with the 2019 times. Times before 2015 were run by these runner for their previous clubs/teams.

Barry O’Neill’s leg 8 time is the fastest time set by a male runner in our club and the third fastest overall and Torben Dahl’s 74:02 on leg 2 is a new club record. Rachel Wisdom’s leg 4 time was the fastest female time on the new (since 2018) extended leg 4 course.

REPORTS: IMRA race updates

by glendaloughac, posted in Race reports, Trail running

Richard Costelloe showcased great form as he finished 21st in the Ballyhoura Trail Half-marathon finishing the 750m elevation course in 1:46:24.

results

  1. Michael McMahon 1:28:04

————GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————-

21. Richard Costelloe 1:46:24

FULL RESULTS

Meanwhile earlier in the week at Downshill, our runners kept polishing off the form for the Wicklow Way Relay. Torben finished a good 5th followed by Barry O’Neill in 13th and Richard Costelloe in 25th. Colm Kenna was 93rd.

RESULTS

  1. Peter Bell 45:31

————GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————

5. Torben Dahl 46:42

13. Barry O’Neill 48:58

25. Richard Costelloe 50:43

93. Colm Kenna 64:52

full results

REPORT: Devil’s in the Glen

by glendaloughac, posted in Race reports, Trail running

The final chance to make a claim for our Wicklow Way Relay team was had in the Devil’s Glen where a new and faster course was inaugurated. Torben Dahl – already preselected – underlined his credentials finishing 10th as our first man across the line.

Barry O’Neill had another stomping run to finish 22nd and he was followed by Richard Costelloe in 34th and Colm Kenna in 98th. 136 runners competed. One round of the Trail League remains and Torben sits in 8th with Barry O’Neill joint-14th.

RESULTS

  1. Barry Minnock, Rathfarnham 30:49

————glendalough ac runners————

10. Torben Dahl 33:35

22. Barry O’Neill 36:39

34. Richard Costelloe 38:00

98. Colm Kenna 46:05

full results

REPORT: Richard battles at Clontarf

by glendaloughac, posted in Race reports, Road running

A millennium and some loose change since Brodir ran into Brian Boru’s tent and slew the old king, it was Richard’s time to do the running as he secured himself a 10 mile PB at the Leinster 10 mile championship at Clontarf. Performance wise it was another big step up from his half-marathon in February so Richard seems to be hitting form coming into the summer!

RESULTS

  1. Kieran Little, Crusaders AC 54:17

———–GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————

136. Richard Costelloe 72:51 (PB)

Full results

REPORT: Glen of the Downs

by glendaloughac, posted in Race reports, Trail running

A great turn-out from the club at the first of the IMRA Trail League series: seven GMACers turned out to race AND we still managed to have a good group out for the subsequent Thursday evening group training. The IMRA race drew a good field of 171 for the race which is probably the closest trail race to the N11!

Torben Dahl was first GMACer across the post. Second home, and thus doing his chance of making the Wicklow Way Relay team no harm, was Barry O’Neill in 30th

As three or more runners competed in this race from our club, it automatically became a counter in the club championships – the first of the season.

Derek Cullen was next and he had a close battle with Richard Costello who was only 6 seconds behind. Yvonne was our only female representative finishing 5th lady and second F40.

RESULTS

  1. Eoin Richards 29:52 St. Cocas

———GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS———

  • 12. Torben Dahl 32:35
  • 30. Barry O’Neill 34:47
  • 42. Derek Cullen 36:26
  • 45. Richard Costello 36:32
  • 71. Yvonne Brennan 38:22 (2nd F40)
  • 87. Bruce Phillips 40:32
  • 107. Colm Kenna 42:45

full results

REPORTS: Assault on Annagh Hill

by glendaloughac, posted in Mountain running, Race reports, Uncategorized

Barry Murray got a fine podium finish (2nd) at Annagh Hill this weekend – 31 seconds behind the legendary Robbie Bryson who continues to run strongly in his fifties. This was also Barry’s first run for his new club – West Kerry AC – so we bid him farewell (here in our race reports) but will continue to follow his exploits with interest in his new home.

A wrong turn lead some of the top-10 runners astray including Torben Dahl, who had also missed the start and came home in an uncharacteristic 23rd and Adrian Hennessey, former ‘Lap of the Gap’ and Run the Ridge winner, whose wrong turn dropped him to 9th.

RESULTS

  1. Robbie Bryson 61.42 , Newcastle AC

———GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS———

2. Barry Murray 62:13

23. Torben Dahl 73:24

full results

 

Also a belated mention – Torben Dahl was our only representative in the previous IMRA Winter League race at Maulin where he finished 13th.

MAULIN WINTER

  1. Killian Mooney 45:05

——GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS——

13. Torben Dahl 50:02

full results

REPORT: Records and baptism at Maurice Mullins

by glendaloughac, posted in Mountain running, Race reports, Ultra running

On a day where three of the four course records were broken on the Maurice Mullins 25 km and 50 km races, it was fitting that our two representatives in the 50k also had personal bests.

For Keith Mulvey it was a mere second better than previous times whereas for Richard Costelloe it represented his first stab at the race and at any ultra-distance race. Well done lads on a mighty effort!

 

MAURICE MULLINS 50K

  1. Eoin Lennon, Carnethy AC 3:52 (CR)

————-GLENDALOUGH AC RUNNERS————-

153. Richard Costelloe 6:16:10 (PB)

201. Keith Mulvey 6:55:20 (PB)

 

Full results