National Road Relays - Raheny - 28.04.19

Sacksian · 23-04-2019 1:13pm #1

I don't think there's a more exciting athletics competition to watch in Ireland than the National Road Relays, especially when you get a really tight finish on the final leg (of which there have been many in recent years). Great competition, great course and great crowds - what more do you want?!

The 2019 edition takes place this Sunday in Raheny, starting and finishing in the suburban cauldron that is the Wade's Avenue straight. The Master Women's race kicks things off at 2.00 p.m.

Sacksian · 23-04-2019 2:21pm

As ever, it depends on who turns up on the day but, in the Senior Men's competition, DSD will have a bit of fire in their belly after last year's race when Raheny overturned a 2-second DSD lead going into the final leg to finish 23 seconds clear. Hiko Tonosa vs. Mick Clohisey on the 3-mile leg was a brilliant watch in 2018 and, if Donore's John Travers is in and around them on that leg, it could be another classic. John and Mick jointly hold the 3-mile leg record of 14:04. A full-strength Donore have the quality to make the senior men's race a three-way contest and recapture a title they last won in 2015, which was also the last time Raheny failed to take the senior men's title.

Donore will be favourites to retain their M35 title, which will be their 3rd in 4 years if they manage it. Raheny have also won it twice in the last 5 years, with Newbridge the only other team to win it since 2014. Rathfarnham, possibly the biggest threat to Donore, will have significant motivation having lost out to them by a matter of seconds twice in the last 3 years. Letterkenny, runners-up from last year, have not entered a team.

The M50s used to be a lock for Raheny but Finbarr's will start as favourites to win for the 3rd successive year in 2019. Looking through the entries, Finbarr's are the exception in terms of southern representation with competitive teams like Leevale and East Cork again skipping the competition entirely.

Sacksian · 23-04-2019 9:13pm

The women's senior race may be the most difficult to predict. Between 2014 and 2016, Leevale women won 3 in a row, with Crusaders picking up two silvers and a bronze during the same period. But Leevale's bronze in 2017 was their last involvement in the relays so, with no entry from current champions DSD, 2018 runners-up North Down or 2017 & 2015 runners-up Letterkenny, the field is open. DCH might be best-placed to fill the void, having finished 3rd last year and 5th at the National Senior XC Championships. None of the teams who finished ahead of them at either championship will be on the start-line on Sunday.

As with the M35 race, the strength of the masters competition will depend on whether the best masters athletes are selected for the senior race instead (or as well). Teams like Donore and Finn Valley will have to decide whether or not to field their strongest masters athletes in their senior teams.

Last year, Finn Valley's Teresa Doherty ran both the master and senior women's races. Her 2-mile leg of 10:48 in the masters race was the only 2-mile leg under 11 minutes in either master or senior women's races. An hour later, she ran 5:17 for the mile leg in the senior race. With no Letterkenny, and no Anne-Marie Mc Glynn, a fit Teresa Doherty on the 2-mile leg gives Finn Valley an advantage that is likely to be unassailable for other teams. However, Drogheda, Donore and Crusaders, amongst others, have the depth to exploit any weakness on the day.

With their W50 team going for 4-in-a-row and their 5th title in the last 6 years, the W50 race is Raheny Shamrock's surest prospect of home victory. Last year, they finished more than two minutes ahead of the second-placed W50 team, and 5th overall in the combined W35/W50 race.

Sacksian · 23-04-2019 9:32pm

Above all, the relays are a fantastic athletics experience to take in, whether you're running at the front, the back or just spectating. The great part of running on a 1-mile loop over multiple legs is that you're never likely to be running completely alone, there will always be someone up ahead or rapidly approaching behind you. And you're never more than a few minutes away from the vociferous support (or opposition) of the crowds on Wade's Avenue.

If you're running in the masters races, you get to warm down and relax while watching some of the best athletes in the country run on the same course you've just been racing on. If you're running in the senior races, you get to watch some of the best athletes in the country run past you (unless you *are* one of the best athletes in the country).

It's also a great opportunity to see what club running and the club running community is all about.

**THIS ENDS MY PROMOTIONAL POSTING ON BEHALF OF THE 2019 NATIONAL ROAD RELAYS**

caseyjones1 · 25-04-2019 11:54am

Sacksian wrote: »

Above all, the relays are a fantastic athletics experience to take in, whether you're running at the front, the back or just spectating. The great part of running on a 1-mile loop over multiple legs is that you're never likely to be running completely alone, there will always be someone up ahead or rapidly approaching behind you. And you're never more than a few minutes away from the vociferous support (or opposition) of the crowds on Wade's Avenue.

If you're running in the masters races, you get to warm down and relax while watching some of the best athletes in the country run on the same course you've just been racing on. If you're running in the senior races, you get to watch some of the best athletes in the country run past you (unless you *are* one of the best athletes in the country).

It's also a great opportunity to see what club running and the club running community is all about.

**THIS ENDS MY PROMOTIONAL POSTING ON BEHALF OF THE 2019 NATIONAL ROAD RELAYS**

Goosebumps...love the road relays

HelenAnne · 25-04-2019 3:54pm

Great thread, Sacksian! It's a day I really look forward to every year. So exciting!!

Sacksian · 25-04-2019 9:19pm

Provisional entries here:

https://www.athleticsireland.ie/downloads/other/Road_Relays_2019_Published_Entry_List250419.pdf

Some of these entries are possibly just placeholders - particularly the Raheny teams which I believe are being announced on Friday. Mad to see Scullion in the Clonliffe team - looks like Kevin Dooney for the 3-mile leg instead of Mick Clohisey for Raheny, up against Scullion, Tonosa and Travers. Should be a good contest. St. Abban's and Sportsworld in M35 might well be in with a shout too.

Down South · 25-04-2019 10:33pm

Sacksian wrote:

Some of these entries are possibly just placeholders - particularly the Raheny teams which I believe are being announced on Friday. Mad to see Scullion in the Clonliffe team - looks like Kevin Dooney for the 3-mile leg instead of Mick Clohisey for Raheny, up against Scullion, Tonosa and Travers. Should be a good contest. St. Abban's and Sportsworld in M35 might well be in with a shout too.

Is Scullion even in the country?

Murph_D · 26-04-2019 10:27am

Sacksian wrote: »

Provisional entries here:

https://www.athleticsireland.ie/downloads/other/Road_Relays_2019_Published_Entry_List250419.pdf

Some of these entries are possibly just placeholders - particularly the Raheny teams which I believe are being announced on Friday. Mad to see Scullion in the Clonliffe team - looks like Kevin Dooney for the 3-mile leg instead of Mick Clohisey for Raheny, up against Scullion, Tonosa and Travers. Should be a good contest. St. Abban's and Sportsworld in M35 might well be in with a shout too.

Clohisey is running London Marathon.

Sacksian · 26-04-2019 10:31am

Down South wrote: »

Is Scullion even in the country?

No idea! As far as I know, he is currently in Europe, at least. It's not unusual for the entries and the actual line-up to differ, but it does seem strange to put him down if they don't expect him to run.

KielyUnusual · 26-04-2019 11:03am

Sacksian wrote: »

Provisional entries here:

https://www.athleticsireland.ie/downloads/other/Road_Relays_2019_Published_Entry_List250419.pdf

Some of these entries are possibly just placeholders - particularly the Raheny teams which I believe are being announced on Friday. Mad to see Scullion in the Clonliffe team - looks like Kevin Dooney for the 3-mile leg instead of Mick Clohisey for Raheny, up against Scullion, Tonosa and Travers. Should be a good contest. St. Abban's and Sportsworld in M35 might well be in with a shout too.

Yea, sounds like its going to be a brilliant run up front.

Gutted I'm going to be doing the 3 mile leg and mix that face off, unless they lap me at some stage.

UCD in the women's race should be well up in the mix, I guess. Just a minor omission from your excellent preview. You should do some freelance work with the AAI. Their promotion of this race is awful. All they care about is their bloody money spinning Night Run, which they've scheduled for the same day. How ridiculous is that!

Sacksian · 26-04-2019 11:57am

KielyUnusual wrote: »

Yea, sounds like its going to be a brilliant run up front.

Gutted I'm going to be doing the 3 mile leg and mix that face off, unless they lap me at some stage.

UCD in the women's race should be well up in the mix, I guess. Just a minor omission from your excellent preview. You should do some freelance work with the AAI. Their promotion of this race is awful. All they care about is their bloody money spinning Night Run, which they've scheduled for the same day. How ridiculous is that!

You'll be finished to see the final 2-mile leg, which should be a cracker.

Agreed about UCD, the previews are just a bit of fun to try and drum up some interest for anyone who might not have been before. I don't really know anything about the clubs outside Dublin or even much about the women's teams in Dublin. Even with the entries, you just don't know who's going to rock up (especially with the teams). Last year's National Novice is a case in point.

Murph_D · 26-04-2019 7:43pm

Sacksian wrote: »

No idea! As far as I know, he is currently in Europe, at least. It's not unusual for the entries and the actual line-up to differ, but it does seem strange to put him down if they don't expect him to run.

Intimidation tactics? A bit like Slí Cualann putting Krusty’s name in to psych out all the Boardsies.

Sacksian · 26-04-2019 8:49pm

Apparently so, Clonliffe have put up their teams on their site and Scullion's not there. Pity. Still decent though, but he would have added a bit of pulling power for the event!

https://clonliffeharriersac.com/strong-clonliffe-teams-for-road-relays/

A: Efrem Gidey, Cathal Doyle, Ian Guiden, Colm Rooney.

Swashbuckler · 26-04-2019 9:01pm

Skyblue is running for Raheny. That should be enough pulling power for anyone.

skyblue46 · 27-04-2019 4:37pm

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Skyblue is running for Raheny. That should be enough pulling power for anyone.

Haha...just seeing this now. Edit to say that Skyblue is running for Raheny M50 2nd team who should be fighting in a monumental battle with Raheny 3rd team to avoid being the last finishers in the masters race :pac:

Really am looking forward to this. It's hugely exciting and terrifying at the same time but by all accounts it's a great experience for anyone who takes part.

Sacksian · 28-04-2019 7:53pm

Great day's racing. Some fantastic performances - results are up on AI site.

https://www.athleticsireland.ie/competition/results/

Not sure all the minor times and placings are 100% (as far as I can see, there are a few mistakes in the M35).

Well done HelenAnne on a national bronze medal!

Overall, 3 clubs had very good days. Of the 18 medals available, Raheny, Donore and Finbarrs accounted for 11.

Raheny won the senior men and the W50, 2nd in the M50 and W50, and 3rd in the W35.

Donore won the senior women's race and the M35 in a course record, and were second in the senior men, with John Travers running a ludicrous 13:55 (also a course record) for the 3 mile leg.

St. Finbarr's won the W35, the M50 and 3rd in the M35.

The other medal-winning teams were DCH (silver in Senior Women), Clonliffe (bronze in Senior Men), North Down (bronze in Senior Women),Dunleer (silver in W35), Rathfarnham (silver in M35),Lucan Harriers (bronze in W50), Drogheda (bronze in M50).

HelenAnne · 29-04-2019 1:03pm

Sacksian wrote: »

Great day's racing. Some fantastic performances - results are up on AI site.

https://www.athleticsireland.ie/competition/results/

Raheny won the senior men and the W50, 2nd in the M50 and W50, and 3rd in the W35.

Donore won the senior women's race and the M35 in a course record, and were second in the senior men, with John Travers running a ludicrous 13:55 (also a course record) for the 3 mile leg.

St. Finbarr's won the W35, the M50 and 3rd in the M35.

The other medal-winning teams were DCH (silver in Senior Women), Clonliffe (bronze in Senior Men), North Down (bronze in Senior Women),Dunleer (silver in W35), Rathfarnham (silver in M35),Lucan Harriers (bronze in W50), Drogheda (bronze in M50).

I think (not confirmed) that our winning women's O50 team ran a course record as well? (& I think if so, they were breaking their own record!) The three of them, Adrienne, Annette & Orla, were phenomenal - all three of them ran the fastest legs in the O50 race.

Well done to all who ran, and all the clubs and volunteers involved.

Sacksian wrote: »

Well done HelenAnne on a national bronze medal!

Thank you! And well run yourself!

I genuinely can't express how happy - and relieved - I am. The other two on my team had run 5.2x for the mile on Wednesday, so I knew I was the weak link on the team. But there was no one else faster available to run on that team, so I knew I had to do my best, and NOT start telling all the other teams (or myself!) that I was the weak link.

I tried to keep my game face on and look like a confident Raheny winner, but when Sarah came round in first place after leg 1, inside I was thinking 'F&*%$£CK!!!' But I just thought of the London Marathon elite startline I'd been watching on TV that morning. None of them said 'I can't do this, too many people are looking at me!!' and ran away, so I didn't either. I just stood there, trying to look calm (:rolleyes:)

I saw Zoe coming round the corner in 2nd place - but then Annette from our over 50s team overtook her and got to the box ahead of her!! So Zoe handed over to me in 2nd O35, but 3rd overall in the race - that was a bit of a blessing for me, because it meant I had Orla from the O50s to chase - and she and I race each other a lot. So I took off after her and I just tried to keep pushing and catch her. A runner from Dunleer (and she was really motoring!) passed me on the front road, but I just concentrated on running as hard as I could, and reeling Orla in. I passed Orla near the first roundabout along by the park (& she cheered me on! #clubmate), so then I just concentrated on pushing as hard as I could. I felt like my eyes were out on stalks! Zoe and Sarah, my teammates, had run through the slip road and were just opposite the bus stop (about 350m to go, I think?) screaming me on, so I think I even sped up a bit more. Going round the corner I was thinking 'Don't let anyone take me' - I was SURE I'd be caught on the line!

But I wasn't! And I still wasn't 100% sure we were in the medals. Someone put something around my neck, so when I was staggering about saying to people 'Did we place??' they were just showing me the big '3' I was wearing around my neck.

My teammates did all the amazing fast running that put us in a medal position, but I'm just so glad I held onto third. I've been on a B team before, and I've been on an A team where I've failed to hold onto 3rd, so to be on the podium (or pallets!) this time was AMAZING! And especially amazing as I think the whole team wanted to do it for Zoe, whose dad died last week.

So that's the story of my first national medal.

And I agree with Sacksian, the relays are an amazing day, for runners and spectators. Much more fun than the night run! Imagine another sport where you get to line up with some of the best in the country, watch the elites racing, and you get to be on a team without having to have any hand-eye co-ordination!

People talk about the atmosphere at the Night of the 10,000m PBs - I think with a few more food and coffee trucks the Road Relays would easily rival it. All of you get your clubs to enter next year!!

HelenAnne · 30-04-2019 2:36pm

Anyone who'd like to suggest that the Road Relays get more promotion (& have more food trucks

) could fill in this survey here. It's the place to make your views known!

https://twitter.com/irishathletics/status/1123163932863205376

skyblue46 · 30-04-2019 2:44pm

Done! The relays could be as popular as the PWC Staff Relays if they were properly promoted.

Murph_D · 01-05-2019 8:09am

skyblue46 wrote: »

Done! The relays could be as popular as the PWC Staff Relays if they were properly promoted.

I can’t inagine that clubs don’t know about it. Most of that promotion has to be at club level.

skyblue46 · 01-05-2019 8:42am

Murph_D wrote: »

I can’t inagine that clubs don’t know about it. Most of that promotion has to be at club level.

Possibly they do and it just doesn't interest them. I was struck by the fact that clubs like Tallaght, Balbriggan Runners and Walterstown (to name just a few, not intending to name check particular clubs) who always have large numbers at lots of races didn't have teams entered.

RayCun · 01-05-2019 8:48am

People are nervous about short distances and small races, and the pressure of being on a team.
It was good to see Lusk were there with a lot of teams.

ReeReeG · 01-05-2019 9:22am

Murph_D wrote: »

I can’t inagine that clubs don’t know about it. Most of that promotion has to be at club level.

I would actually suspect that a lot of people in my club don't know about it. I only know it from my brother being on the RS team a few times (and now from on here). It's not really something promoted beyond the elites... perhaps other clubs are the same

HelenAnne · 01-05-2019 10:21am

Murph_D wrote: »

I can’t inagine that clubs don’t know about it. Most of that promotion has to be at club level.

I think some of the newer clubs don't really know about it. They may get an email in a list of fixtures from AAI, but I know I've mentioned them to committee members in clubs in Leitrim etc, and they didn't have a concept of what they were / what kind of a day it is / that everyone can enter and there's a mix of levels / ages etc. I think if it was hyped up more, and made sound like a day out, more clubs would come.

Boyle AC, for example, are a really new club, but they hired a bus and came up to the Raheny 5. I'd say they'd do the Road Relays if encouraged to.

Murph_D · 01-05-2019 10:50am

skyblue46 wrote: »

Possibly they do and it just doesn't interest them. I was struck by the fact that clubs like Tallaght, Balbriggan Runners and Walterstown (to name just a few, not intending to name check particular clubs) who always have large numbers at lots of races didn't have teams entered.

I was mentioning the absence of Tallaght alright - they've certainly been there in previous years (maybe not since 2017 though?) Certainly a pity not to see these clubs there, or a wider representation from around the country.

Swashbuckler · 01-05-2019 10:52am

Murph_D wrote:

I was mentioning the absence of Tallaght alright - they've certainly been there in previous years (maybe not since 2016 though?) Certainly a pity not to see these clubs there, or a wider representation from around the country.

Had ever heard of it until I saw the talk of it on here. Certainly wasn't on the radar of our club although this time of year tends to have a lot of focus for us around the Great Limerick Run with it being the Munster Marathon and HM championship race.

Murph_D · 01-05-2019 10:59am

RayCun wrote: »

People are nervous about short distances and small races, and the pressure of being on a team.
It was good to see Lusk were there with a lot of teams.

I think the fear factor is a big thing alright, although if runners look at the results (and I know I did the first time I was running) they'll see that there's a wide range of standards and nothing to fear. Team pressure is something else for sure - it's a different kind of pressure from the often 'de facto' team competitions in longer races and even other national / provincial events. But it certainly drives you on to better performances. Like Helen this year, I was terrified running the anchor leg last year for the Cru, and that was without even any medal expectations!

HelenAnne · 01-05-2019 11:24am

Murph_D wrote: »

I think the fear factor is a big thing alright, although if runners look at the results (and I know I did the first time I was running) they'll see that there's a wide range of standards and nothing to fear. Team pressure is something else for sure - it's a different kind of pressure from the often 'de facto' team competitions in longer races and even other national / provincial events. But it certainly drives you on to better performances. Like Helen this year, I was terrified running the anchor leg last year for the Cru, and that was without even any medal expectations!

The pay off from the terror, though, is how long you keep feeling pleased afterwards. I'm still smiling away here

Sacksian · 01-05-2019 12:54pm

I think the biggest factor getting people out for events like xc and road relays is the culture within the club towards championship races and, within that, dedicated individuals promoting championship races. Clonliffe normally have a team in the Senior Men's relay race made up of their younger speedsters and I think stuff like that - and club trial races - helps build events into the club calendar.

And you see the outcome of that work when you're scanning championship results seeing clubs getting teams out (or not) for all of the different competitions. The clubs with the teams at road relays will most likely be the clubs at all of the xc races later in the year.

Once you've got that, then it's down to having the individual athletes interested and available. I can understand why some people don't want to do it. People who are reluctant due to nerves about being on a team or just because it's a short race can usually be convinced!!

But, for many senior track athletes, unless they are part of a competitive team, it's going to be more of a big workout rather than a goal race and it may just not be worth it. For some marathoners, many of whom don't do xc either, it's probably about as appealing to them as running a marathon is to me.

And, for clubs in the west or south, unless they have a competitive squad, it might be a long way to travel for two hours of racing (unlike xc, where there are juvenile races beforehand). Motivation is always greater when there's a chance of a medal!

Having said that, it's a pity a club like Leevale hasn't been represented recently and East Cork are a big miss in the M35 too. Leevale (Senior Women) and Sligo (Senior Men) have been there when they had teams to challenge.

In terms of new teams, Portmarnock are another club I've only started noticing at events - loads of runners in the Raheny 5, teams at the National Masters XC and represented at the relays too.

I am a Wade's Avenue traditionalist but I think if AI were to succeed in making it a bigger event (i.e. twice the amount of teams, more food trucks!), it would probably need to move out of Raheny, which I think would undermine a lot of its appeal.

BeepBeep67 · 01-05-2019 1:28pm

My first time doing this strangely enough, in past years has conflicted with spring marathons and other priorities in recent years.

There's a great buzz around the place, lots of familiar faces and runners sizing each other up to see who is in their leg.
The start / finish zone is a little haphazzard, with participants and spectators mixing before, during and after each race, but this kind of lends to the overall excitment. I recall one runner having to shout 'get out of the f**king way' as they started their leg and were at risk of running into a group congratulating a finisher.

I was bumped up from the real masters team (M50) to the pretend masters (M35) due to availability and injuries and considering we had an average age of 48, we held our own with a respectable 10th from 31.

Also, I think there were enough teams in the men's master categories to split the race into seperate M35 and M50 races and give the M50s their moment in the spotlight, would only add 30 mins to the day.

Plan to be back.

National Road Relays - Raheny - 28.04.19

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