Whats the first big race you remember

shels4ever

For me it's the 1988 5000m final.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca9N-iqzXzA

TRR

Just looked up Jack Doherty, I never heard of him

Jack Doherty

MrCreosote

John Treacy winning the marathon in LA.

Well, that's what I thought was happening.

ASIMON0V

Mine is the '84 John Treacy olympic marathon. I was given a full recording of it on VHS a couple of months ago by one of the coaches in our club and then watched it again at over christmas - goosebumps...

Such an amazingly strong run in the conditions; and the point where Kiernan catches the lead pack to make two irish men in the top 8 in the second half of a marathon is something we'll never see again in the olympics (probably).

brief quote from an interview with treacy in 2004.

I had prepared very well for it and I had learned the lessons from Moscow. In Rhode Island it was 100 degrees at 5p.m so the heat was not going to be a problem. I did a lot of 25/26 milers and twice did a 29-mile! The good thing about those runs was that you were literally eating bananas going out the front door and then you would eat all day when you returned! I would have different partners at different stages, 10 mile with Richard O'Flynn and then join another group and so on. The first half of the race was very comfortable to about 15 mile. Then Carlos Lopez made a move, it felt as though I was sprinting beside him and so I made the decision to let him go. Charlie Spedding and I managed to get away from the rest of the pack and I knew that if we stuck together and didn't do anything stupid I would get a medal. However, we got a severe shock one mile out when we both noticed a shadow appear right behind us. Charlie and I looked round in shock but were relieved to see that it was only the boom of the T.V. camera! I decided to make a move before we entered the coliseum as I wanted to savour the moment. However Charlie managed to close the gap and in the end I had to run the last lap in 67 seconds to move away again. I feel that I got as much out of myself as I could. I was tested a few days later for microscopic tears and apparently after a hard session you would have between 300 and 400, I had 3,500, I had run myself to a standstill! On finishing three to four minutes later I totally ceased up and one week later I went for a mile run and it took me half an hour! I was laughing at my situation, however you can laugh when you have an Olympic medal around your neck!

PaulieC

Eamonn Coughlan winning the World Champs. I had just won an 800m race and my Dad came running up to me and hugged me. It was because Eamonn won though, not me :-)

ecoli

A later generation but Sonia's heartbreak in Atlanta (scuttles away before the agist jokes start:o)

shels4ever

TRR wrote: »

Just looked up Jack Doherty, I never heard of him

Jack Doherty

He should have run for Team GB in '84 was 3th in the trials only to be replaced by Moorcroft

Pherekydes

The '69 European 1500m final, with Frank Murphy losing narrowly to John Whetton.

rainbow kirby

Barcelona '92 100m final, with the BBC commentators practically wetting themselves about Linford Christie.

druss

The 84 Olympics as well, but a bit earlier in the week I presume.

The womens 3000 m final. I was supporting Zola Budd because I thought the running barefoot thing was cool and I remember reading about the controversy about her registration for the UK etc and just feeling a bit sorry for her. And I had a bit of a crush on her.:o

When the LA crowd started booing my girl after "the event", I was even more on her side.



Bloody Mary.

zmccomish

The first and last big race I remember and witnessed first hand.1. Martin Egan, Gort winning the NACA 4 mile title in the mid 1940s in the Athletic Grounds, Dundalk,in 19m 38s. On a grass track on later measurement found to be 17 yards longer than 4miles and broke a some 50 year old record held by a one time 1 mile world record holder.2Being in the Oympic Stadium when David Rudisha broke the world 800m record, with even the last man running a time that would have won most previous olympic titles

Pisco Sour

Sonia's European 3000m gold medal at the 1994 Helsinki Europeans was the first race I ever watched. I was 9 at the time. My mother recorded it and made myself and my sister sit down and watch it.

dna_leri

1976 Olympic Games 1500m
John Walker won after Eamonn Coghlan led them round but finished 4th.
As a young lad that was my first memory of a top-class Irish runner performing on a world stage and matching them right up to the last 100m. It showed what could be done and we all wanted to be Eamonn.

pconn062

I will always remember the 1998 Rás na hEireann when the ladies race was one by Catherina McKiernan. I had just joined Dunleer AC that year as an 11 year old and it was my first Rás, I came 3rd in my own race. But I remember all the hype around Catherina being there, there were almost 1,000 people there watching the race and Catherina was at the height of her powers after winning the London and Amsterdam marathons in the same year. It was a great day and I'll always remember it.

seanmacc

ASIMON0V wrote: »

Mine is the '84 John Treacy olympic marathon. I was given a full recording of it on VHS a couple of months ago by one of the coaches in our club and then watched it again at over christmas - goosebumps...

Such an amazingly strong run in the conditions; and the point where Kiernan catches the lead pack to make two irish men in the top 8 in the second half of a marathon is something we'll never see again in the olympics (probably).

Not to take anything away from John Treacy's race back then, he was Trojan.

Its only when you look at this race now can you see how much improved marathon runners have become. If you look at the leading group of a modern marathon you see a load of African lads without a pick on them with flawless, smooth strides and barely breaking a sweat. I suppose that goes for all athletics events in general.

drquirky

When I was either a Junior or Senior in High School- I was running in a State meet at Harvard University Indoors. Eamon Coughlan became the first 40 year old under 4 minutes for the mile that day and I'll never forget the excitement and drama as we pounded on the boards and cheered him home....

drquirky

Actually just thinking back on it. My freshman year (1992) World XC was held in Franklin Park in Boston. My whole team went down to watch. New Englander Lynn Jennings won the women's senior race which was huge for us because she was from our region. Although I don't have a great recollection of the Junior races, they were loaded. In the mens Juniors' a young Hail Gebraselassie finished 2nd and Hicham El Guerrouj finished 4th :eek: In the women's Paul Radcliffe and Wand Junxia competed :eek: some field assembled that year !!!

SnappyDresser

1976 alberto juantorena winning the 800m. A totally majestic flowing performance.
Same olympics Viren holding off the field to win the 5000m. Has there ever been a better race tactician??

2012 Watching live as David Rudisha destroyed the field in the 800m and yet the last man still ran a remarkable time. That experience may never be bettered.

earlyevening

Eamonn Coghlan, 1983, Helsinki world Championships.

TRR

shels4ever wrote: »

He should have run for Team GB in '84 was 3th in the trials only to be replaced by Moorcroft

drquirky wrote: »

Actually just thinking back on it. My freshman year (1992) World XC was held in Franklin Park in Boston. My whole team went down to watch. New Englander Lynn Jennings won the women's senior race which was huge for us because she was from our region. Although I don't have a great recollection of the Junior races, they were loaded. In the mens Juniors' a young Hail Gebraselassie finished 2nd and Hicham El Guerrouj finished 4th :eek: In the women's Paul Radcliffe and Wand Junxia competed :eek: some field assembled that year !!!

Mckiernan was 2nd in the women's xc race that day.