All posts in club races

The Club Cake Races take place tonight, the 20th. The women`s race will be at 7.30pm with the men at 8.00pm. Both will start and finish on the track

On Health and safety grounds athletes please note that you MUST wear a white or yellow top or a high viz vest as 90% of the race takes place on the road.

Prize giving post race in the club house along with Athletes of the Year, sponsored by John Shiels/Loki Sports and presentations to our 2018 national champions and club record breakers starting at 9.00pm.

Please come along for Captain`s night and show your support and appreciation for the work done throughout the year by your club captains.

Finally as there will be big numbers at the prize giving please do not bring gear bags into the bar but leave in the hall for collection afterwards.

See you all there!!

Tonight it was the turn of Gerry’s group for their Christmas Cake race in Morton Stadium on a fresh dry night. There was a great turn out of young athletes with some 28 toeing the line. The winner of the boys race was Devon Morrissey with Orla O’Sullivan taking the girls race. Club juvenile captain Gladys Cooper made the presentation of Christmas cakes to the winners with all taking home goodie bags bring the juvenile season to a close.

Happy Christmas to all our juvenile athletes.

The Christmas season got underway tonight with the juvenile cake races for the younger group in Morton Stadium.

As always a great turnout of young Harriers in these races. The format of a handicap ensured exciting racing from the off and with the rain holding off nicely it made for a great night.

The winners of the four cake races were William, Niamh, Lamos and Abbie.

Also after the quiz and cake race presentation Gladys made the special presentation to the winners of the 100k challenge Cathal and Rebecca.

Next up is the cake races for the up to u/15s next Tuesday the 18th.

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The Clonliffe cakes races start tonight in Morton Stadium. Tonight it`s the younger juvenile members, Gladys`, Leo`s and Ulrik`s group at 7.00pm, followed by a Quiz and prize giving in the club lounge.

The older juveniles are next Tuesday the 18th, again 7pm.

Then it`s the turn of the senior/junior and masters with the club’s annual Christmas night, including the ever popular cake races and the Clonliffe Harriers Athletes of the Year awards, generously sponsored by Loki Sports, will take place on Thursday December 20^th.  Both the men and women’s races will take place on the roads around Santry starting on the track and finishing on the track with a race distance of 5k.  The women’s race will commence at 7.30 p.m. with the men at 8 p.m.  The club captain’s request that any athlete wishing to race should send their name and 5000 time to them by text – for the ladies race please text Orna on 0872950247 and for the men’s race text Joe on 0872256004.

If you are not competing in the cake race and are available to assist again you might contact the club captains. All offers of help on the night will be gratefully appreciated.  The cake races will be followed in the club bar by the presentation of prizes to the winners and the club will then honour club members who in 2018 set new club records and our 2018 national champions.

This will then be followed by the presentation to the Athlete of the Year: Women’s Track and Field athlete, Women’s Road/Cross Country, Men’s Track and Field athlete, Men’s Road/Cross Country, Junior athlete, Master athlete and then finally the Harrier of the Year.  As always the cake race night is a great social occasion and a great time to catch up on a bit of gossip with your club mates and the opportunity for a pint and maybe even an auld dance.  Also members are encouraged to come out on the night and show your support for our fantastic club captains.

Sorry folks to mention Christmas but the club captains have confirmed that this year’s Club Cake Race (Juniors/Seniors) will take place on Thursday December 20^th in Santry over the Northwood/Stadium route.  The race will be followed by the usual festivities in the club bar.  Also that night the club’s annual athletes of year generously supported by John Shields/Loki Sports will be held with awards for the club’s men and women’s athletes of the year, the junior athlete of the year and presentations also to be made to the club’s 2018 national champions and club record breakers. Finishing up with the Harrier of the year award won last year by Greg “the Hoss”.

Any athlete who won an athlete of the year trophy in 2017 is requested to return the cup to the club as soon as possible. It would be appreciated if any cups won could be cleaned up!

The Cake Race/Athletes of the year night is one of the highlights of the club year and the committee encourages all athletes to attend and show their support and appreciation of the fantastic work done by the club’s captains throughout the course of the year.

Niall Rooney Reports: Twenty-One members form Team Pam & Ben, plus Mark “Pacer” Dowling turned up to sunny Donabate beach with their fishing nets and inflatable rubber rings expecting a spot of sunbathing. However, we quickly learned that this was not to be the case, as despite Pam returning from her Mediterranean cruise looking tanned and stunning, she was not going to let us get away with just bathing in the North Dublin sunshine.

In fact, this was to be no ordinary training session, this was the first of Pam’s Saturday Summer Training Sessions.  The Summer sessions kicked off on the beach, running on the sand is not only natural refreshing, it also reduces impact, strengthens weak muscles, introduces a change of pace and helps build power. Pam advised us that the primary focus should shift from speed to stability, posture and working on our core, and I can safely say we all found an inner strength and used muscles we didn’t know existed.

This session was built around intervals, starting with a set of 30 seconds reps, then moving onto the soft sand for a set of 60 seconds reps, followed by reps where we all got an opportunity to lead the group for as long as we felt comfortable. Some took taking the lead as a challenge, especially Orla “Where’s the picnic” Deighnan who didn’t want to stop her rep and Darren “Back with a Vengeance” Horgan who brought his group charging home, if you listened carefully you could hear both of them singing “Don’t Stop Me Now” and it was obvious they were having a good time!!

As is always the case with this group, we like to end things on a high, this time we lined up for a relay. While some focused on giving it 100% for their team, others had one goal in mind….beating Dec “Getting Faster” Grant!! Despite his alleged jump start, it was Aideen “Happy Anniversary” Brady who dug in and passed the baton first. A big Whoop Whoop to Jennifer Carpenter and her team of magnificently toned teammates who won the first team race of the summer.

As the session came to an end, and with the sun beaming down, the athletes were desperate to show off their summer bodies by quickly stripping off and jumping into a very cold Irish Sea, resulting in planes going off course due to the glare of their milky white skin.

On behalf of the participants, thanks to Pam for organising this challenging series and we look forward to the next leg. I would also like to thank everyone who turned up to make this tough session fun. A special shout out to Sharon Lawlor who showed, that despite a night on the tiles, you should always bring your A Game to a training session. Thankfully Sharon wasn’t tempted to drink the hair of the dog and join a group of lads who were showing off their Conor McGregor skills.

I would also ask you to give a big cheer to:

Mel Curran who was the 3^rd lady home in the Santry’s Run Dublin Run 5k on the 20^th May.

Dave Reilly who went the extra kilometre in Paris to pop his Half Marathon cherry.

And “The Real Ollie Power” and James “PB” Dunne who both took part in the Edinburgh Marathon. Ollie achieved the perfect negative splits crossing the line in 3:30 and James got a new 3:15 PB.

In some breaking news, myself, Pam, Aideen, Aisling and Laoise are excited to inform you that the exclusive Clonolymics will be returning to the Morton Stadium, date to be confirmed.  Keep and eye out for the posters and let the Games Begin!!!

Before I sign off on this edition of the Rooney Report, it’s with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to Carol “Shot Putt” Flood who is returning to Monaghan.  On behalf of all the members of the group, I would like to wish Carol the best of luck with this next chapter in her life, your support and happy smiles will be missed from our Tuesday and Thursday sessions.

Keep digging in and until next time

The Clonliffe Juveniles (8s to U/15s) had their Cake Races tonight followed by their Christmas party. There was a turn out of well over 100 young athletes running in the 6 races, on a mild still night in Morton Stadium. The races were all run on a handicap basis and judging by the tight finishes the handicappers looked to have gotten things spot on.

The six winners of the coveted cakes were: Jamie, Daniel, Sorcha O`Connor, Colm Breghy, Katie Halpin and Adam Keogh.

Post races all gathered in the club bar (dry for the occasion!) and enjoyed lemonade and sweets, all generously sponsored once again by Colm Doran. The Juvenile Captain then made the presentation of the Juvenile Athlete of the Year to Sally Somula (unfortunately due to a school commitment not there on the night).

A great night had by all. Many thanks to Colm Doran, all the Juvenile coaches and the parents for their support. Happy Christmas to all our juvenile athletes.

Training for Gladys group will recommence on Jan 9th. Ray`s group will have their final session on Thursday and will break until Jan 2nd.

Gerry`s group will train on Thursday at 7.00pm, Thursday 28th at 11.00am, Thursday the 4th at 7.00pm and Sunday 7th at 11.00am.