Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

Our final interview before the half marathon this Wednesday is with Darragh Greene. Last but by no means least.

Interview: Darragh Greene (Friday, 30th April 2010)

Hi Darragh, You have been running with Dunleer AC a long time? How long exactly?

I've been running with Dunleer since I was 14 years old but I've been running competitively since I was eight. I was a member of Knockbridge AC first, coached by Brian Kirk, Tommy Mulholland and of course my Dad (Alan). After my Dads death in 1998, The club in Knockbridge all but disappeared. After the nationals that year I was invited to train with the athletes in Dunleer by Tom Neary and Larry Mc Quill and naturally the next step was to join the club.

How did you get into Athletics?

Every month in primary school there was an assembly during which achievements etc were announced. One boys name was constantly being announced for winning races, David Hoey who used to play with Dundalk FC. I decided that I wanted my name announced and that I could get it done through winning races.

What event did you start out at?

Cross country, my first race was in Dunleer actually. I came 15th and was disgusted with myself. I was out of my age but didn't realise how tough it actually was. I won my first national title the following year in Killenaule Co Tipperary.

Your a handy footballer by all accounts. Do you find it difficult to mix the two?

It's not possible to mix the two and compete at a high level. I found that out the hard way. I played a little last year with the Malachis after my season was finished. We ended up winning the championship and making the Leinster semi final which meant my involvement with football was longer than I'd anticipated.

You have run at national level. What was that experience like?

I won the Senior National 800m indoor champs when I was 19. To date thats my biggest achievment. It's always fun to be competing against the best and the nationals are the major focus for most athletes, regardless of their level. I've representend Ireland a few times internationally, but in nothing major to date. Those races are always a great experience and to just see how the top athletes conduct themselves pre and post competition is a real eye-opener to what is needed to succeed at the top.

What type of form are you in at the minute?

I was in excellent form before Christmas but an achilles injury halted my training and had me restricted to the pool and gym. Unfortunately, I haven't ran at all since February 23rd and I may miss most of the track season.

Would you do more speed work than long miles?

I've been working on my base fitness over the past two seasons, higher mileage, longer reps and longer HR Threshold runs. Once we enter May my mileage is cut from 60 to 80 per week to 20 to 40 and I do up to 4 track workouts ranging from 150s to 600s. I'm lucky in that I have excellent basic speed which means, it only takes me a few speed specific sessions to get myself into decent enough shape.

What advice would you give people before the race on the 5th of May?

It's better to start slower and maintain your pace than start fast and die. I don't know why im telling people to do this because it's what I'm always told and I never listen.

What athlete do you admire in the world today and why?

There are plenty of athletes in the world today whom I admire. Not all are Track and Field Athletes however I am a big fan of Usain Bolt, "that man is human evoloution in the 21st century".

Thanks a million for your time Darragh, we hope to see you on the starting line this Wednesday and best of luck in the race!

Interview: Mickey Kelly (Monday, 12th April 2010)

Hi Mickey, First of all we would like to say how sorry we were to hear of Patsy's passing. He will be truly missed!

So when did you two boys start running?

Both Patsy & myself began our running with Dowdallshill AC way back in 1962. We would go out on a Sunday morning and run cross country, we were only 13/14 years of age at the time. We stayed at it for a short time. Patsys real interest was football. I myself was keen on olympic weight lifting. It was in 1981 before I became interested in running again, Patsy came back to running approx 1984. Patsy was with Mountpleasent, I was with Dowdallshill. We both had good success with our respective clubs. We were competing in the vet over-35 division.

Was there alot of competition between you two?

No, there was no great rivalry between us!

Who would have won?

It is a tough one to call but im sure patsy would agree that it would be a draw!

The two of you seemed to have different running styles. Did one of you change your technique?

I suppose we did have different running styles but it wasn't intentional.

What race distance did Patsy like the most and what is your favourite distance?

Patsy had natural talent for the 100 metres, I don't believe I ever saw him beaten at that distance. Patsy also had great team success with the 'Mounties' & later with the North East Runners over various distances. I myself had preference to run the 10 mile. I also loved cross country.

Patsy didnt look his age. Did he have any secrets for his youthful look?

Well, if Patsy were here today his answer I expect would be "I'm a down to earth sort of guy, I enjoy my daily visit to the Clan na Gael to carry out my work as groundsman. Come evening I head up to the Furry to join the gang for a gentle jog". Patsy also loved nature. He would roam about the hill's & fields of North Louth and South Armagh. Sometimes gathering blackberries & other fruit. He was also a dab hand at poaching out branches in the blackthorn bushes. The ones chosen would then finish up looking the part as blackthorn walking sticks. All this and his very relaxed attitude to life probably gave Patsy his Youthful looks. Sadly on Sunday 24th of January 2010 whilst out with his fellow athletes on a gentle run it all ended. Rest in Peace. Mickey.

Any funny stories about a past race Patsy competed in?

Sometimes untruths would be told on this one. I remember on one occasion we were competing in the Leinster Vets, my friend, who was in brilliant shape was limping before the start. When I enquired what was wrong he said he had a problem with his knee. He ran a super race, won it easy, obviously I enquired afterwards as to his injury. He said it was a bluff. Just in the event of him having a poor performance. So there you go! we all have our anxious moments before the starter fires the start gun!

Patsy seemed to love running. Would it be fair to say that?

Patsy like all the club athletes loved to meet up in the furry glen. With all the gang there the craic would be great! all the topics discussed at length, slagging each other, some tall stories and of course Mickey Mac with his wit & yarns keeping us all laughing throughout the run. Back home, have a shower and have a great feeling of well being. After that you look forward to the day ahead.

What tips would Patsy and yourself give the newcomers for the race day?

First of all, and I am sure Patsy would agree the 1/2 Marathon is a classic distance, providing you prepare reasonably well. You will enjoy the challenge, you should know as the race nears what is a realistic pace for you. So set off as you mean to go on! In other words maintain a set pace, be it 6 minute mile pace or 10 minute mile pace. No up and down pace! We would suggest a 3/4 runs per week for the first timer. Mon - rest, Tue - 6/7 mile, Wed - 6/7 mile, Thurs - rest, Fri - 2 mile easy then 4-6 x 400m with effort of about 75% (always feeling comfortable) Sat - rest, Sun - 10 mile easy. Most importantly be sensible and enjoy the experience. Have a good one!

Thanks very much Mickey. It was a pleasure to talk to you! It's unfortunate Patsy isn't here today to race on the 5th. Though I didn't know patsy that well I always used to think he made running look easy when we were in the Furry together. He was a pure gentleman. May he Rest in Peace.

Interview: Collette O'Hagan (Monday, 29th March 2010)

Hi Collette, you're a pro at this marathon stuff! Is it true you will have completed 2 marathons this year before dundalks half marathon?

No, all going well I will have 4 marathons completed, Gloucester 24 Jan, Cotswold 21st March, Bungay in Lowestoff 18 April and Limerick 2nd May.

What do you put all your success down to?

good family/ friends support, good mental strength, and great determination ,and a love of running

Have you always been passionate about running?

No, I only took up running when I was almost 40 years old, I had been playing badminton and Basketball previous to that.

Every year do you set yourself goals?

Yes I generally set out a plan at the beginning of the year, this is the year of my 200th marathon so I have mapped out my marathons for the remainder of the year.

Who has inspired you the most in your life?

I guess I will have to give my husband the credit for that, with out his support and encourgagement I would not have achieved all that I have. I also have got inspiration from Eamonn Coghlan.

Have you any intentions of giving up the 26.2 mile distance ?

No intentions of giving up, I prefer the marathon distance to a shorter distance, the pace is slower which suits me, I have ran distances longer than the marathon, I hope I will be running well into my old age!!

How many dublin marathons have you done exactly?

So far 20 Dublin City Marathons.

Are you going to be competing in Dundalks Half Marathon and would you encourage people of Dundalk to do it?

I have signed up for Dundalk Half Marathon, all the girls I run with in the North East Running club are also running it, would definitely encourage other people to partake in it especially the women, I see lots of women out running around Dundalk, I would like to encourage then to take part, it may seem daunting to be part of a race but believe me when you are part of that event you will get so much encouragement from fellow runners and the high you get when you complete it is undescribable.

How should someone prepare in the final days leading up to the race?

At this stage you have all the training done, now it is time to prepare mentally for your race, slightly increase your intake of carbs, taper down your training, only light jogging is all that is required in the lead up to the race, you want to feel refreshed on the start line, not exhausted from training, now you are ready, enjoy the race and above all have fun.

Lastly, tell us your proudest moment in athletics?

I would have to say that was receiving The Eamonn Coghlan achievement award, Dublin City Marathon 2004.

Collette thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us. Since taking up running only 20 years ago you have achieved so much. If only we had an ounce of your determination. Hopefully anybody reading your interview that had reservations about the race have changed now. Your an inspiration to many and Dundalk Half Marathon wishes you well on your 200th Marathon quest in 2010!

Interview: Nicolas McGuinness (Saturday, 20th March 2010)

You're Fast! What's your secret?

No Secret Really, just plenty of training and a mixture of different sports all through the years

You're a Postman. Is it tough getting your sessions in after being up so early in the morning and pushing that bike around?

No, I like getting up early and I get plenty of exercise because of the job aswell

You've raced hard for a number of years but recently your suffering from a couple of injuries. How are you feeling at the moment?

Yes I'm getting better all the time and hopefully I'll be ableto stay injury free for a while.

You travelled to Bristol and Oxford in the UK and won both times!. What distances were they and what were the races like?

In Bristol it was a 10 mile Multiterrain race. I won it in a time of 61.20 in 2002. The one in Oxford was 15 mile and my time was 82.30

When did you start running?

I started running with Dun Dealgan when I was at school. I left it for a couple of years and went back to it in my twenties.

Do you watch your diet all year round or is it only coming up to important races? Or do you watch it at all?

Yes sometimes, you have to be careful with what you eat but I dont think you have to over do it!

You recently competed in the Sportsmans Duathlon( 3.2k run followed by 17k bike followed by 3.2k run). Your run times were only 3 seconds apart. Thats unheard of after such a hard slog on the bike. Did you enjoy it?

I did very much so! The course was excellent and I would recommend it to everyone. The organisation was very good.

You got a brilliant result in Dublin Marathon a few years ago. I think your time was 2:27!!. Do you intend to go back some day and better it?

NO, Im happy with that time. The way my body is at the minute it is hard for me to be training at a high intensity. The marathon is hard on the body and is unforgiving!

Will running always be a part of your Life and would you recommend it?

Running means alot to me but its like everything if I couldnt run I would try and do something else and yes I would recommend it to everyone!

What tips have you got for all the Newbies trying to test themselves at the Half Marathon Distance? and how should they prepare?

Plenty of training and try and get a few small races in beforehand to experinece to race day jitters!

Nicolas it was a pleasure chatting to you. Its great to see you back training. You've experienced some great highs and lows but hopefully now the lows are well and truly behind you!. Hopefully 2010 will be good to you and you stay injury free. Dundalk Marathon wish you all the best for The Half Marathon. We hope you take the Local Prize!!!(Don't tell Jim Gonnelly that) You're our favourite!

Interview: Jim Gonnelly (Monday, 1st February 2010)

Hi Jim, You're Called 'The Raw', Explain?

Actually it's Rawhide, comes from the cowboy series of the same name. I'd love to say it's because I'm hung like a horse, but alas, I was racing a horse one day in training... in my younger days of course... Who won? Who cares... Also raced a sheep one day on one of the club runs on the mountains, the sheep won that one, just as well as I don't know what would have happened if I had caught it!!

Was running always your first love?

Yes, since about 14, but loved the running part of football training up to then. In fact some of the lads would say that I'm great at the "off the ball running", the trouble starts when I get the ball! Played football until age 14, but found that team sports were not for me. Not everyone was giving the same effort. There are clubs you can't get into, but the roads are always open. Simple as that, it's the freedom it gives you.

There seems to be great banter in the North East Runners. Is this due to the 'club run' at the weekend?

The Sunday club run usually lasts 20 metres for me, then I pull the elite away with me, in fact when I run with my clubmates my mind is full of doubts, who will be second and who will be third! We enjoy the gentle recovery runs during the week where we discuss the world's problems and Danny The Brush solves them.

What is your favourite session in the week?

I enjoy the "speedplay" session on the Tuesdays along the by-pass. I think this is a must for runners of all abilities, you need some pace variation in your training no matter what level you run at.

Will you compete in this years half marathon and what time will be aiming for?

These days 76 - 77 minutes is a realistic target, or even the 10km at 34 - 35 minutes may be the target closer to the day depending on how the body holds up.

How many miles a week did you run in your marathon preparation and how many now?

My best years of running saw me doing 70ish miles per week, but all quality miles at around 6.00 pace. These days about 50 at a slower pace, but a lot of other training like rowing. But remember, it's not the total number of miles you do that makes you, it's the number of quality miles that count, but too many will destroy you. Takes a while to find the balance.

Did you play other sports? Rumour has it you like to do a bit of rowing.

Yes, I love rowing especially with Hugh Conway at the Pats Tug-o-war club. I recommend rowing to everyone especially if you're recovering from injury. I train hard at rowing also. Was 3rd at the Irish Championships in 2002. At the moment I row 5 times a week covering approx 50km. I also pulled with the Pats when we won the Ulster Championships at 560kg in 2002.

What is your proudest achievement to date?

Winning the first race of my life of course, beating 2million other competitors! Several other moments spring to mind. Most recently, winning my 500th race last year at the JJB 10km at a time when I was far from my best, but winning a 10km raod race in Holland in 2002 with 300+ behind me is my favourite race win. Also proud of a 3 race winning streak I did in 1999 in Santry Stadium at 5000m (15.38), 10000m (32.39) and 1 mile (4.32) on consecutive weeks. The mile gave me the most satisfaction as it was the first time I had beaten one of my running heroes, Eamon McMahon, but also because I was never really a good short distance runner.

How did running influence your life?

Certainly made life better, keeps me fit for me Julie! Running well gives you confidence in yourself and makes you a stronger individual as you know you cannot cheat yourself. Whatever YOU put into running, YOU get out. I'm never afraid to give it all.

Finally, for all our newcomers to the half marathon distance is there any words of wisdom you could offer them towards training and race day?

First set a realistic goal, and stick to it. But do not be afraid to change a days training if you're feeling too tired. Don't get caught up in running for the sake of it. Every session must have a purpose, even if that purpose is to recover from previous day's session. Speedplay and pace variation is good for training and good for your mind.

Thanks for your time Jim, looking forward to seeing you at the Dundalk Half Marathon in May. Best of luck.

Interview: Eamon McMahon (Thursday, 28th January 2010)

So Eamon, you're a legend in running terms in Dundalk, where and when did it all start?

I started running when I entered secondary school at the De La Salle and competed in inter school competitions, community games etc. I joined a local athletic club (Cardinal Dalton) when I was 14 and have kept on at it since then.

Did you have any idols growing up in athletics?

I was a huge fan of Alf Tupper 'The Tough of the Track' who appeared weekly in the Victor Comic.

Did you ever play other sports?

I played gaelic and soccer up until I was 20 or so even winning a county minor medal with Clan Na Gaels in 1978. However football and running don't really mix so I decided to concentrate on running from about 20 onwards.

How did you get into the longer distances and when did you find out you were good at it?

Like all school boys I tried every event that was going when I started including long jump and high jump and found by a process of elimination that I was naturally suited to and enjoyed the longer distance events.

What is your favourite session in the week?

I always enjoyed a 4 to 6 mile time trial, but my current favourite session is a group 12 mile run through Feede Mountain and Ravendsale on a Sunday Morning.

How many miles a week would you have run in your hay day and how many now?

I generally ran between 50-60 mile increasing up to 70-80 when training for a marathon. I never was one for high mileage and feel that too many athletes get obsessed by their mileage and end up doing what I call 'junk miles'. Nowadays I run around 40 miles a week.

Do you use any gadgets running? i.e. Heart Rate Monitor or GPS.

No gadgets, I am strictly old school and am happy to work off a watch. In fact it's the relative low tech nature of running that makes it so appealing to me as all you really need is a pair of running shoes to get started.

I know you competed in London one year and you were on for a personal best only for the heat to upset things. Can you talk us through it?

It was London during April 1996. I was 38 at that stage and felt it would be my last realistic chance to run a sub 2:20 marathon (which would be the marathon equivalent of a 4 minute mile). Training went well and I was running PBs for half marathons etc. in the lead up and so I felt confident going into the race. However London was hit by a freak heatwave on the day of the race and while I was on target a half way (sub 70 min) I wilted badly in the sun and finished up with 2:28 for a 41st position. All times were down that year and a 41st place in any previous years would have been sub 2:20.

How did running influence your life?

Running has undoubtedly made me a happier and healthier person and instilled in me a whole series of qualities, such as discipline and perseverance, which I have been able to incorporate into my working and family life. Running has meant that I have visited places, experienced emotions and forged friendships which I would not otherwise have done.

Finally, for all our newcomers to the half marathon distance is there any words of wisdom you could offer them towards training and race day?

Select a realistic target time, figure out what this converts to in time per mile and then base your training around this pace. I would recommend a 5 - 6 mile run at target race pace and a 10 - 15 mile run at target mile pace + 1 minute as your 2 key sessions each week. Runs of 30 - 45 minutes would suffice in between these sessions. Make sure you take a day off each week.

On race day the biggest mistake made by new comers is going off too fast. Do not exceed your target pace over the first half of the race as you shall more than likely pay the price later on and there shall still be plenty of time remaining if you are feeling good and wish to increase your pace at that stage.

Finally do not do anything different on race day for example trying a new pair of shoes or shorts or having a different drink.

Thanks very much Eamon, it was great talking to you. You're a great ambassador for the sport in this town. Dundalk Half Marathon wish you well and hope you stay fit and healthy for 2010!

2011 Race Results

Half Marathon Results 2011 - Full Details 10k Road Race Results 2011 - Full Details

Get The Newsletter

Name

Email

Official Race Charity

Proudly Sponsored By