WEEKEND RUNAROUND
Enter now and win a night in Garryvoe Hotel.
Race Launch
The Midleton 5 Mile race is being launched on Wednesday evening in Market Green at 6pm. It would be great if as many as possible could pop in for a photo. It won't take very long.
Midleton AC hoodies/singlets etc desirable but not compulsory
Training
NB We are moving to the Cricket Field from tomorrow 8th April. Same time 6pm.
PLEASE PLEASE park near Supervalue etc. and not around the Cricket Field.
Trial Run at Ballintotis
The annual trial run around the Ballintotis 4 mile course takes place on Tuesday evening at 7pm. All welcome Tea afterwards thanks to Ballintotis Fit for Life.
Sonia O'Sullivan Cobh 10 Mile
This took place on Sunday morning at 10.30 in nice conditions considering what we had the day before. We had a nice crew there as always. Our first man home was Darren Aherne having a fine run of 63.37 he was followed by Paul Geary and Tony Murray. Then came Francis Maunsell, Dan Twohig and Mark Fuller. Our first lady home was the ever consistent Bernie Twomey followed by the equally consistent Amanda Cooney.
As always it was very well organised and well stewarded. Special thanks to Amanda who put up the posters for our own race and to Leonard and David who put up the billboard signs.
BHAA next Wednesday
The next race on our calendar is the PwC Anthony Reidy Memorial 5k on Wednesday April 10th at 7.30pm. This is the third year of this race which commemorates Anthony Reidy who sadly passed away in 2021. This race is again raising money for charity, with Unicef the receipients this year. Please donate what you can at https://www.idonate.ie/
Registration will take place at their office on 1 Albert Quay from 6pm with the race starting at 7.30pm. Race entry costs €5 for registered runners and €10 for non-registered. The race route is one loop of Monahan Rd, Atlantic Pond, SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Centre Park Road finishing back on Monahan Road near Kennedy Park. The full race route is available on the race page.
Anyone interested in joining our Midleton Collective Team please talk to Edmond at training Monday or Wednesday
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Entries Now Open
This usually sells out fast so don't delay.
Tales from Venlo.
The Netherlands is famous for its public
service and for a country the same size as Munster, it is a credit to
them. Then three Irish people arrived and turned it upside down.
Our journey from Schiphol to Venlo was
eventful and Marie’s orange coat was our guiding light between the crowds. There
were times we did not follow the regulations but for a railway system spotless
and on time, complaining about the behaviour of the ticket collector, would be disingenuous. Just make sure you avoid the ‘silent’
carriages and don’t sit in first class with second class tickets. Her ‘oh my God’ exclamation, as we scurried
out of her way to the blue seats (2nd class), was still ringing in
our ears when we arrived at the correct platform.
In 2003 Venlo was awarded the title
"Greenest city of Europe" plus the best City Centre in the
Netherlands and for organising marathons it should also receive a prize. They send you afterwards a digital newsletter
with your time, and details on how many attended, how sustainable they are and
your goodie bag is digital. Way ahead of
their time.
Tip if you are ever heading
there though; taxis are difficult to find during the marathon weekend. So, we
made good use of our feet and buses. Our bus journey was made pleasurable by a
group of happy Dutch full marathon participants who serenaded us to our hotel.
Our hotel, the Van der Valk, is famous for its
cuisine and serves a breakfast buffet fit for Kings and Queens. However, we did unfortunately meet a ‘sergeant
major’ who may have taken her role of breakfast manager, a touch too seriously
and scolded us for taking an extra banana or two. It seems her wrath did not cover every athlete
but we soldiered on. We blamed our genetic
memory for looting food a trauma imprinted into our DNA from the famine. I doubt she would have enjoyed Marie’s joke.
Onwards we headed into the Venlo
guided by obliging cyclists and the roar of the noise emanating from the city. We marvelled at the bikes left against walls,
some with no visible locks and pondered why back home, they too would have been
robbed! At times we had to take shelter
from the wind and rain in Jumpos, a local Centra shop equivalent. We saw their yellow singlets dotted among the
runners later when we were running.
The atmosphere was electric and when
we arrived the 10km run was in full swing and the people duly moved to let us
in to watch.
We then headed past the crowded bars
and marquees as people refreshed themselves with a few beverages. Eventually, we found the centre, our spot, Wilhelminapark, where we again were astounded
by the Dutch efficiency where they had lockers set up and stewards guiding us
on how to access them.
The weather had turned colder hence
the Marquee was crowded with runners and space was at a premium but it did not
deter myself and Marie from Shopping.
With a sprinkling of English, we made our purchases and fought through
the streams of giants to find our lockers.
We took pleasure in watching the men queuing for the loos as it seems
out of the 10k running it, the majority were men.
Removing our warm clothing and heading
out in the cold was torture but the samba drums in the distance lolled us into
a dance to keep ourselves warm. One of
my proudest moments was running around the roundabout and spotting the Irish
flag waving and it was good to be there representing our Country. But it was
busy. The crowds converged into a tight
corner as they sped through the city lit with supporters and, like in other races,
you will always have those pumped up by adrenaline crisscrossing their way in
the streets. I held on to myself for dear life so I would not fall. In general,
I dislike tight starts hence I avoid Ballintotis so I took off pretty
slow.
After 3km the route expanded and there
was room to move. In general, the marathon is flat, picturesque, dotted with
friendly faces, well wrapped up, raising a glass and dancing to the bands on the
trucks. At one stage we ran down a
pathway while a barge floated next to us.
The place is immaculate and it was shameful to see people throw their
empty gel wrappers on the ground. The bands were superb and played everything
from It’s a Long Way to Tipperary to Queen’s Bohemia Rapsody. The vibrations of the music raised everyone’s
spirits and soon the cold was forgotten. At times I longed for a chat but replaced it
with my other love, observing houses of which there were plenty of eye-catching
ones along the way.
The route varies from crossing a dual carriageway,
running past a nunnery, through tiny little villages like they sprang up from a
fairy tale book and then passing local businesses. It's well signposted, and
even before you reach the end, they have a clock giving you an idea of your
time, so everyone puts their foot down. Everything again narrows and the
cobbles are tough on the feet, though I never noticed them on the way out. Again, the roar brings you home and you end
just where you started. Walking back in among
the crowds I spotted a white and green singlet.
Screaming like a fish wife when I realised it was Martha and I run
across the park, similar to walking around the ploughing championships due to
weather. We also brought the rain with
us from Ireland.
Delighted to see my buddy Martha whom
we missed at the beginning and to meet her impressive brother who had come
second in his category over 70 at 1.43. Age
is nothing to this man and there are excellent genes in this family. All the gang caught up at the lockers and we
are thrilled that everyone was home safe.
We celebrated later in a local bar but
hot drinks e.g. soup and coffee were more needed as the cold had now seeped into
our bones but eventually, we thawed out.
The next day we continued our journey
to Amsterdam where we took in the sights (Primark (Penneys) and TK Max, sorry
Fionan) and took a canal boat around this glorious cosmopolitan city which
never fails to delight.
Another Venlo, done and dusted.
