show your support this Sunday - Dublin Grand Prix of Race Walking

thirstywork

Would be great to see a big crowd turn out for the national 20k walk in the phoenix park this weekend.
Olympic chamion in the mens and Robbie Heffernan compete with some other top class walkers.
Olive will compete int he womens event again with some top competition.
Maybe do your long run int he park while its on!!!

Woddle

thirstywork wrote: »

Would be great to see a big crowd turn out for the national 20k walk in the phoenix park this weekend.
Olympic chamion in the mens and Robbie Heffernan compete with some other top class walkers.
Olive will compete int he womens event again with some top competition.
Maybe do your long run int he park while its on!!!

What time does it start, would love to get some pictures of this and cheer Robbie Heffernan on (having met him at the level 1, the guy is a true gent). I plan to get a few pics of the Clontarf half, so I could try and tie the two together.

thirstywork

no time up on the AAI website.:mad:

Milesandmiles

I'm sure the walkers would love a bit of support.

9:00 Men's 50k - that will still be running at 13:00
10:45 Women's 20k - the top women should be finishing around 12:15
12:30 Men's 20k - the top men will be finishing around 13:50

There's some juvenile races as well running at the same time

thirtyfoot

thirstywork wrote: »

no time up on the AAI website.:mad:

Dehydration must be affecting your sight, thirstywork;)

http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/20k-race-walk-2009.pdf

Says 8:30 start.

Won't be there myself, heading to Tullamore for the Junior and U23 Champs. Over 2 dozen kids who have European standards will be there - Mageean, Gregan, Jason Smyth and many more. Should be a cracker and some great events so if in the midlands support this one. And yippee, no walks to bore us to tears*:D

*I jest of course, our walkers are great and Sunday is a great showcase in Phoenix Park.

cickimc

The walkers are always good, if there was more publicity about them there would be more intrest in them
And on recent results looks like our only chance of an championship medal could be in the walks, the Beijing olympics would have been a disater for the Irsh team had it not been for the walkers (rob and olive).

Anyway you can see those juniors and u23 compete other times but how many olympic champions from Beijing are racing in Ireland this year, one definetlley for sure is racing this Sunday in the park, Alex Schwarzer 50k winner

thirtyfoot

cickimc wrote: »

The walkers are always good, if there was more publicity about them there would be more intrest in them
And on recent results looks like our only chance of an championship medal could be in the walks, the Beijing olympics would have been a disater for the Irsh team had it not been for the walkers (rob and olive).

Anyway you can see those juniors and u23 compete other times but how many olympic champions from Beijing are racing in Ireland this year, one definetlley for sure is racing this Sunday in the park, Alex Schwarzer 50k winner

Totally agree with you. If in Dublin get out to Phoenix Park, if in Midlands get out to Tullamore, thats all I'm saying.

We could have a discussion on the profile, popularity etc of walks versus the mainstream events, but it would be futile as we are all the one sport.

jlang

What part of the park do they use? I presume it's many laps of a small circuit but are we talking track size or a few km per lap.

I find long distance walking like this fascinating (obviously not enough to watch an entire race, but the speed and the motion is unusual to watch as a runner).

cickimc

jlang wrote: »

What part of the park do they use? I presume it's many laps of a small circuit but are we talking track size or a few km per lap.

I find long distance walking like this fascinating (obviously not enough to watch an entire race, but the speed and the motion is unusual to watch as a runner).

Its on somewhere in the park i dont acctually know where but it is a 2km circuit there i'd say it would be easy enough to find lots of fast walkers warming up and stuff

ya it is good to watch the rhythm and speed cause rob hefferned would beat most g.a.a players in a 20km walk with them running. he does about 4mins per K

O ya sorry tingle took your first comment the wrong way. Just people go watch ahtletics yaaaay

thirtyfoot

Any indications as to how the Irish big guns are shaping up? Weather I assume will be pretty ok so could we see fast times?

cickimc

Ya it should be good to see how the senior walkers preform. Like not much of them have done really fast times except Jamie Costin so should be intressting to see can they get close to there P.B'S and maybe new S.B'S. Hopefully there will be a battle in the 50km with the two Irish guys (jamie costin and colin griffen) because colin had the 50km N.R but earlier in the year jamie took it back so heopefully they'll battle for it tomorrow!!!

ntlbell

will the park be closed off for this tomorrow?

had my long run planned :pac:

cickimc

It's not on till Sunday

But i'd assume parts of it will be closed

Milesandmiles

jlang wrote: »

What part of the park do they use? I presume it's many laps of a small circuit but are we talking track size or a few km per lap.

I find long distance walking like this fascinating (obviously not enough to watch an entire race, but the speed and the motion is unusual to watch as a runner).

They use a 2k loop - 1K out and back. It's on a side road. If you go in the main gates of the park it's on the LHS after the US ambassador's residence. I'm not v familiar with the park but I think it's also past the Aras. The park isn't going to be closed and there's nothing stopping anybody jogging on the grass beside the course.

Milesandmiles

cickimc wrote: »

Ya it should be good to see how the senior walkers preform. Like not much of them have done really fast times except Jamie Costin so should be intressting to see can they get close to there P.B'S and maybe new S.B'S. Hopefully there will be a battle in the 50km with the two Irish guys (jamie costin and colin griffen) because colin had the 50km N.R but earlier in the year jamie took it back so heopefully they'll battle for it tomorrow!!!

True no pb's from anybody and I doubt if there will be any Sunday given that WC is only 6/7 weeks away. Rob and Olive did finish 4th in the European Cup of walking a couple of weeks back. Unlike the Europa Cup there are no divisions in European Cup of walking everybody competes the same day so the standard is pretty high. Olive is up against it as she has the Olympic bronze medallist and the bronze medallist from Helsinki for company.

I doubt if Griffin and Costin will race 50k so soon before World's but I could be wrong.

thirstywork

Tingle wrote: »

Dehydration must be affecting your sight,

thirstywork;)
I forgot to look up the entry form:P
They should have it ont he fixture list and also on the preview I think.
i wasn't the only one that asked the question what time it's on at.
But cheers for that Tingle.
Enjoy tullamore,looks like your in for a treat in most events.

http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/20k-race-walk-2009.pdf

Says 8:30 start.

Won't be there myself, heading to Tullamore for the Junior and U23 Champs. Over 2 dozen kids who have European standards will be there - Mageean, Gregan, Jason Smyth and many more. Should be a cracker and some great events so if in the midlands support this one. And yippee, no walks to bore us to tears*:D

*I jest of course, our walkers are great and Sunday is a great showcase in Phoenix Park.

................

thirstywork

cickimc wrote: »

Its on somewhere in the park i dont acctually know where but it is a 2km circuit there i'd say it would be easy enough to find lots of fast walkers warming up and stuff

ya it is good to watch the rhythm and speed cause rob hefferned would beat most g.a.a players in a 20km walk with them running. he does about 4mins per K

O ya sorry tingle took your first comment the wrong way. Just people go watch ahtletics yaaaay

Sorry don't take this the wrong way but the above reply is the kind that sickens me.How can you put a gaa player and an olympic athlete in the same sentence?
Rob would beat 90% + of the population of Ireland in a walk v run contest over 20k.Just to show you how fast they walk Jamie Costin when breaking the national 50 walk,walked sub 3hour marathon in the middle of that 50k and most people on here would only dream of that running.

RoyMcC

thirstywork wrote: »

Sorry don't take this the wrong way but the above reply is the kind that sickens me.How can you put a gaa player and an olympic athlete in the same sentence?

I think cickimc meant it as a compliment to Heffernan. Seeing as the GAA boys are held in such general high esteem in this country. Maybe we should reignite the discussion about the athletic ability of Shefflin, Canning etc

Some years back Deirdre Gallagher (former Irish 10k walks champ) visited us in Jersey. She gave a walks clinic and I've never ached so much as after that session. Race walking engages all sorts of muscles that we never use. (Lovely lady Ms Gallagher - is she still around does anyone know)?

eltuerto

Count me out of watching walks. It is the one area of athletics that leave me cold. All areas of athletics the aim is to runs as fast as you can, jump or throw as far as you can but walks is "do it with a constraint".

The rules are that the walker must not APPARENTLY be lifting. Not can't be lifting as the human eye cannot see if you are or not. Technology, were it to be used, would simply result in all walkers being dq'd.

I know we have top walkers but still I cannot be enthusiastic about it.

cickimc

eltuerto wrote: »

Count me out of watching walks. It is the one area of athletics that leave me cold. All areas of athletics the aim is to runs as fast as you can, jump or throw as far as you can but walks is "do it with a constraint".

The rules are that the walker must not APPARENTLY be lifting. Not can't be lifting as the human eye cannot see if you are or not. Technology, were it to be used, would simply result in all walkers being dq'd.

I know we have top walkers but still I cannot be enthusiastic about it.

Sure of coursewith the they break contact with the and thecnology would mean them been d/q. But it says by human eye must see it and if they cant they are within the rules. It's like saying if there was no-offside in football there'd be no goals

Its not the rules that bothers you its you find it boring, just like if you sat down an watched any event that goes on for over an hour you'd find it boring without a keen intrest in it!

Running Bing

Its a bit like having a contest to see who can whisper the loudest is'nt it?:P

Seriously though would not be a big fan simply because I find it too contrived and as eltuerto touched on for me the whole point of athletics is to push the limits of human ability...faster, higher, stronger and for me personally walking does'nt really fit with that.

Of course its easy to appreciate the talent, ability and determination these guys have. As has been pointed out they can walk faster than I can run:eek:


Although I must say some of the comments here are a bit disrespectful to GAA players. Some of those lads are tremendous athletes who put in huge amounts of work.

RoyMcC

Running Bing wrote: »

Although I must say some of the comments here are a bit disrespectful to GAA players. Some of those lads are tremendous athletes who put in huge amounts of work.

Yeah they are, and the workrate of the Kilkenny hurlers (for example) is awesome. As many have said, the best athletes in Ireland are not doing athletics.

However some of the GAA lads are put on pedestals whilst the Heffernans are generally ignored.

Stupid_Private

I got some photos of the men's 20k race yesterday. I missed the earlier races because I was out training myself - although there's no way my memory card or battery would have held up if I'd been at all the races! Best way to browse through the photos is to select the "large images" button at the top.