Racing 795 celebrated its 10th year of competition in 2018. The tenth year will certainly not be one our members will forget too quickly…the pain, laughs and tears endured through training, racing and social events made it a memorable year for many.
The year started off in January with many club members turning out for the first Park Run of the year in Rathwood, Tullow. Breakfast afterwards proved to be a good incentive for many of us to get up and go. Liam Bowe thankfully survived a bloody ordeal! The golf club running restarted to continue the training into the New Year. Real business began then with PJ handing out the brown envelopes- a fresh look Club Championship was underway. PJ organised the very successful first duathlon of the club series, club members competed in Ferrycarrig 5 miler, Niall started up the Sunday morning cycles and Liam got going again to compete in the Wexford Intermediate and vets cross country. Dena and Bill competing in the IRMA race and Jarlath created the first Racing795 Strava Challenge.
February saw the second duathlon on a cold morning and Bill, Nigel and Trish represented the club in Castledermot run. Kevin Gibson, Keith Carr, Tom and Dena took on The Slaney Valley Adventure Race with Tom and Dena taking home double gold with two first place finishes. Mike Ryan went to Co. Kildare to run the Donadea 50km.
The third and final duathlon of the club series took place in March. Racing 795 continued to be represented in runs throughout Carlow and Wexford, from Fighting Cocks, to Rosslare to Annagh!
In April Nigel, David F, Lorraine, Barry, David T, Jim F flew the 795 flag mountain biking in Spain. Elaine, Bill, Kevin Moran and Kevin Gibson competed in the Blackstairs Challenge. Olivia joined the Racing 795 party in Quest Glendalough along with Nigel, Trish, Keith, Elaine, David Tully and Mike competed in the Wicklow Mountain Half. The end of the month saw the first Mountain Biking Series taking place with David C taking first place, Barry in 2nd and David Furlong in 3rd. The junior was won by David Furlong and the U14 by Niall Furlong. Niall got the Tuesday night cycles going again and the Road Race Bike Series also began. April also included a great club open night along with Deca Ironman Uk winner Gerard Prendergast as guest speaker and Yvette, Ciara and Eimear speaking on their experiences in the club so far.
On the first, very very hot, Sunday of May PJ, Kevin Moran, Jarlath and Mike took on the Limerick marathon. The Blackstairs adventure race was held the same day with Elaine, Kevin G, Nigel Alan, Olivia and David taking part and Eve took gold on the podium in U17 Leinster Schools championships to top off a busy day around the country for the club. The mountain bike races for club championship continued in May. Sunday 20th May was another super Sunday in the club as Tri795 was yet again a fantastic success and a credit to all involved with the organisation and marshalling, in particular race director Paul Hutton. “A five star event of the highest calibre” was just some of the much positive feedback received following the triathlon. Ciara D, Bernie and Jim went to Scotland to fly the 795 flag while Elaine finished off May for the club in style as she went to Lough Cutra to compete in the half ironman distance with another super performance.
Off to Dingle for Caroline and David Tully in June, where they completed the Adventure race, while Dena and Tom were double winners in the Wexford Marathon. Triathlon season got going in June with Eve, Mary and Ciara Bowe in Athy and Dena a winner in Dingle. David K went to Skerries for his first triathlon of the season. Mike got his summer holidays off to a thrilling start with an Ultra Marathon in Tullaroan. The club cycle series finished in June and the swim series got underway, seeing great numbers turning out throughout for a dip in the Barrow. The Mountain bike racing for club champs continued. Olivia brought more silverware to the club coming 2nd in the Steeplechase in Gorey. To borrow the words of Frank on the 16th June we had a tri trio, four mountainy men and four stone mad lads! Don, Ciara and Eve competed in the Tri the Hook Triathlon. The Stone Mad crew of Kevin M, Jarlath, PJ and Mike all completed the Ultra Marathon. Liam, Brian, Ross and Bill ran up and down Mount Leinster! June wrapped up with Nigel completed his first half marathon in Waterford in intense heat on the same day Mike, Adam Shauna, Elaine, Kevin G, and Rachel went to Cork to cool down in the Lee for the Lee Swim.
Onto July. The summer continued to get busier for the Racing 795ers. The ‘Iron-Hogans’ and their support crew, went to Europe with Tom competing in Ironman Roth while Dena competed a week later in the Ironman in Frankfurt, both with absolutely inspiring performances. Once again Racing 795 was represented countrywide with Don competing in a triathlon in Clontarf, Ciara in Wicklow and Nigel and Kevin M in the Moxie Adventure Race. Mike overlooked the swim series which continued to gather great numbers in Bagenalstown with 1500m, 1900m and 3.8k events in July. Mike and Jarlath did the Wicklow Hospice Marathon. One marathon wasn’t enough for Mike, who ran Thursday and again on Saturday. Frank and Mick did their time trial for Race Around Ireland….and still didn’t see sense! Dena had an outstanding day in the European Championships. Liam and co. conquered Carrauntoohill. The Mountain Bikers had a ‘Dora the Explorer’ adventure over the Wicklow Way in July also. On the 29th the club held a Club Triathlon and Mountain Bike Festival (Family Fun Day) which was described as a brilliant day by all who attended. Again huge credit goes to organisers, especially PJ and Niall for this event.
August brought more fun in the club….or madness as some might say! It started with the RAI charity turbo spin on the bank holiday weekend. Two new bundles of joy were added to the Racing 795 family with the arrival of two baby girls. Congrats Nigel & Trish, Jarlath & Zilpha. Plenty of great feats all round as Don and David Kendellan conquered the Dublin 70.3 Ironman and Kevin completed Tri the Hook. Kevin Moran was outstanding in his field in the 24hour Quest adventure race, as were Bill and Marion in the Oylegate Half Marathon. Olivia’s adventures continued, this time going to Bantry for an adventure race. And finally August ended with a huge sigh of relief, I’d imagine, for the Race Around Ireland crew! This should have a report of its own. From the 26th to the 30th Frank and Mick cycled around Ireland and arrived back in Trim to a podium finish as the first two man team in Race Around Ireland 2018. As has been widely acknowledged, the crew of PJ, Niall, Ger, Don, David K, Kevin G, Ann, Mike, all deserve enormous credit for this incredible achievement. There’s definitely a book in this story yet!
September saw Ciara Bowe complete her first half ironman in The Lost Sheep. Liam, Bill and Brian finished off the month with the South East IRMA race. Bill came 5th in the Medieval 10km. Marion Broke for the Border in Hackettstown and Eve literally flew through the Pulse triathlon, coming 6th in her age group. Patsy, Eve, David C, Barry, David F, Robyn and Jamie all competed in cyclocross and Yvette ran the club championship MTB event which included Lorraine, Nigel, Kevin G, David K and Mick. PJ, Jarlath, Nigel and Olivia represented the club in the Coalface Adventure Race. There was also a good turnout from the club in the Slaney Valley Sportif.
Trail running began in October and had a great turnout, while Bill and Rosie both podiumed in Ballon at the Carlow XC but Elaine Gibson stole the podium so no pictures are available. In October Dena and Tom were somehow still going to compete in Trofeo Vanoni in Italy, achieving incredible results in an international field. Meanwhile in Dublin Racing795 had many members completing the Dublin City Marathon; Congrats to Don, Mike, Marion, Elaine, Kate, Bernie, Rosie, Ann and Martina. There were members racing cyclocross and even more in the mountain biking Nire Valley Drop and in Wexford cross country on the same weekend of busy activity. Eve came 3rd in the U16 Supercross in Greystones, where Ross, David C, Barry and David F also competed.
And we are only just into November but already Liam Bowe represented the club on a very tough Powerscourt Ridge mountain run last Sunday, Kevin Moran podiumed on the first of the Winter Parkrun series in Tullow. Jarlath started up a Winter trail run series and Ciara, Bill, Don, PJ, Kevin and Frank joined up for the banter!
The year isn’t over yet with a run and Mountain Bike Race still to come for Club Champs, and not to forget the Christmas Party and Celebration of 10 years of the club. Apologies if I have left anyone out (and I definitely have!), ye are one mad bunch to keep track of! Let me know if I have though and I’ll add it to the records.
Our membership currently stands at 62. A special welcome to new members this year; Olivia, Marion, Robert, Neil, Tom, Steven, Dave, Mick, Jack, Rosie, Jamie, Simon, Damian and Brian.
Finally….as I was writing this report I felt I was back in Leaving Cert English trying to think of adjectives to describe the accomplishments of our club members. There aren’t enough great, brilliant, amazing, inspiring, super words to describe the achievements within the club this year both at home and abroad, not just in terms of racing but also in social and training events. On a personal note I’d like to thank Niall for his patience with me this year in my first year as club secretary. Looking forward to another year of training, racing, laughs and tears in 2019.
Eimear Bowden
Secretary 2018
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