Bad Weather disturbs Christmas Races!

The Athenry 10k was cancelled today due to the continuing icey conditions on the roads, a proposed replacement date mentioned has been the 3rd January 2010. The Westport 5k scheduled for tomorrow, 27th December, has been provisionally cancelled as well however any athletes who planned to travel should contact the relevant figures in both Athenry and Mayo AC Athletic Clubs. Details can be found by clicking on the relevant club links on this site. A large number of runners braved the freezing conditions to partake in the annual Sligo AC "Two mile" jog around Hazelwood today. Anyone with sponsorship can contact club officials at the email address above to arrange collection.

Merry Christmas!

Sligo AC wishes all it's members a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. For an easy run Christmas morning (before swim) at Rosses Point meet at 10.15am at entrance to Rosses Point Golf Club. The Annual Club Run (2miles) in Hazelwood, Calry is on 26th December at 12 noon, (bring sponsorship cards if you have one). For various races on over the festive season please view prior posts on this site or contact club officials at slyouthfootball@eircom.net for up-to-date information. Happy Running!

Sligo 5k Santa Run

Over 200 hardy souls togged out in Santa suits for the inaugural Sligo Santa 5k on Sunday 20th December, the proceeds of which were going to the Special Olympics. The Course was of a predominantly flat fast nature but athletes still had to endure the "artic" conditions which lay in store for them especially a bitter icy wind around finisklin. This didn't impede the athletes up front however with Sligo AC's Emmett Dunleavy battling it out with North Sligo's Tommy Carroll for first place. Dunleavy opened a gap as the race went on and won comfortably in 15.02 with Carroll taking second spot in a time of 15.21. Neal Higgins (Sligo AC) was third home in a time of 17.11. Michael O'Connell (Sligo AC) was the first veteran to finish whilst North Sligo's Feidhlim McGowan won the Junior mens section. Sligo AC's Eimear O'Brien, just back from the U.S, won the Senior womens section with Anna Reddin (Sligo AC) winning the Junior event.
Overall the Race was very well organised, with plenty of marshalls throughout the route, music to encourage the participants over the line and plenty to eat and drink afterwards in the Southern Hotel. Plaudits must go to Dermot McDermott & Ray Flynn primarily with other Sligo AC figures such as Terry Hayes, Ann McHugh, Michael Gilroy and Shane Hayes also helping out on the day. Hopefully this race will become an annual event allowing local experienced athletes as well as newcomers the chance to race over the festive season without the need to travel further afield. (More photos from the Santa Run can be found on www.facebook.com/legginit )

Caroline Carty wins Fit4Life league!

Tuesday night last (15th dec) saw the final race in this Winters Fit4Life series. Once again it was a 4k around the I.T at Ballinode and with so many athletes within touching distance of each other it proved to be a very competitive finale. However when all results were tallied there was one clear winner, Caroline Carty, who came in ahead of the chasing pack. Presentations were awarded to the top 20 in the Stables Bat that night where finger food and karaoke were the order of the night. It is hoped that a large amount of these athletes will now try their hand at the Santa 5k run taking place on Sunday @ 10am starting at the Southern Hotel.

Top 20 Athletes after final Race:

carty, caroline 124pts, murphy, claire 235pts, conlon, martina 258pts, anderson, patricia 260pts, smyth, neil 262pts, o connor, vincent 273pts, regan, evan 273pts, mahon, fiona 283pts, kelly, roy 291pts, mc gowan, sean 309pts, sexton, conal 315pts, sheridan, liz 332pts, mc carthy, cindy 344pts, eglington, mary 354pts, hunter, gwen 355pts, garry, ciaran 359pts, mc guinness, ceila 364pts, gorman, anna 372pts, hardiman, james 376pts, gillen, aisling 378pts

Fresh Air Holidays are still looking for runners and sponsors to join our Fresh Air Fund-Racers team for the NYC Half-Marathon this coming March 21st. It's really a great way to participate in NYC's premier summer road race while helping Fresh AirFund children. For further information please log onto http://freshairholiday.org/

Sligo Athletic Club News

Well done to Sligo AC Athletes that travelled to Waterford over the weekend for the Half Marathon. Michael O'Connell (pictured) came in at 79.47 (31st overall) whilst Lucy Brennan finished in a time of 84.40 (4th in the womens race). A special mention goes to Enda Dineen who finished in 85.59, his first competitive run for a number of years.

The last Fit4Life race, a 4k, takes place tomorrow evening @ 6.30pm at the I.T, overall prizes and karaoke take place later in the night - 8.30pm in the Stables Bar. For further information please contact Terry Hayes on 0872274622

The Santa 5k race takes place on Sunday 20th December @ 10am starting at the Southern Hotel, Sligo. The Sligo Athletic Club Christmas Party will take place that night in the Southern Hotel. Details will be provided at the Race. For further information contact Dermot McDermott on 0863593482 or Ray Flynn on 0876566215

Cullen makes Sligo proud in European Cross Country!

Mary Cullen (North Sligo AC) finished a very creditable 12th in the European Cross Country Championships that took place in Santry Demense. Cullen who 3 weeks earlier ran a superb race, demolishing the best female athletes Ireland had to offer, in the Senior Womens Cross Country race in Kilbeggan was hoping to continue this form into the European competition. Indeed her form suggested that she would be in contention for a medal. It was a difficult year for Cullen, despite her earlier medal success in Italy. She suffered with injury during the track season which meant she was unable to compete at the World Championships in Berlin but used the European Cross Country as a target for achieving further success. Family, friends and a large contingent of support travelled to Santry in the hope of Cullen achieving the ultimate goal of a podium place and altough the athlete failed in this regard she still made all of the Yeats County extremely proud. Regardless of todays result, a deeply unfortunate experience, Cullen remains a world class athlete & will bounce back much stronger, undoubtedly achieving a great deal more in the months and years ahead. Well done Mary, all of Sligo wish you the very best in future competition.

Upcoming Races and Events over the Festive Season!

10th December 09: John McDonnell, the retired head coach of Arkansas University, will speak on “ Preparing a successful Athlete” in Breaffy House Hotel on Thursday at 8pm.
15th December 09: Race 8 in the Fit4Life Series. 4k circuit around the I.T, Ballinode, Sligo.
20th December 09: Santa Run, 5k Road Race, The Southern Hotel, Sligo @ 10am.
26th December 09: Athenry 10k @ 11am; Clooncool 5k @ 11am; Finn Valley 5k, Ballybofey.
27th December 09: Westport 5k @ 2pm (Mayo League).
1st January 10: Tir Connaill 8k @ 12 noon, Bundoran.
3rd January 10: Trolley Dash 6k, Calry (to be confirmed).

Uneven ages and Novice Cross Country; Coleraine

The Uneven Age's and National Novice took place in Coleraine, Co. Derry on Sunday last, 6th December 2009. The Course was a large 2k lap which was ran at different lenghts according to the specific race underway. Conditions were good with the rain holding off and just a slight head-wind to impede athletes along the home stretch. However there seemed to be various organisational problems with the various junior races as a member of Craughwell AC noted "The U11 girls were first to go and had lined up nicely in their starting chutes before it was realised that their course was measured incorrectly. So they were told to move forward a few hundred metres. Unfortunately the forwards motion was interpreted by many as the start of the race, and off they tore only to be halted a few hundred metres further on for the actual start. With the girls out of view at this stage behind a wooded area, the boys lined up in the same chute for their race. But as with the girls, they were informed the start was further on and by the time they got to the start, it was totally congested. Then the first attempt to start, false start, let’s try again, false start, let’s try again, false start. After the 5th false start, the race was let go. Unfortunately half the competitors thought it was another false start and didn’t go – and were then told they’d have to catch up". Athletes that performed well in this chaos were the two McGeoughs, James in the U15's (8th) and Sarah in the U13's (12th). Other Juvenile athletes such as Caeloinn McGonigle, Nicola McGoldrick, Clare Conlon and Clare Stenson also had solid performances.

Killian O'Connor was next up in the U17 race where he came home well up in the field. The last race of the day was the 6k National Novice where Sligo AC's understrenght team (due to injuries) lined up. Dermot Mcdermott was first home, coming in 23rd. Neal Higgins was next through the chute faring out in 61st spot. Seamus Somers, in his first ever cross country, had a very solid run making up about 15 places in the last lap of the race to come home in 96th. Ultan McNasser and Trevor Hunter were the last of the team to finish outside the top 100 (105th and 125th). Exact results have not been posted on the AAI website, no doubt due to the mix-ups in the Juvenile races, what has been posted is the following statement, "Athletics Ireland is concerned about difficulties that arose during some of the Juvenile races at the AAI Uneven Ages Cross Country in Coleraine on Sunday. A full and thorough review of this competition will take place as a result and all processes and procedures will be examined"

Fit4Life: Results after Race Seven!

After Race Seven of the Fit4Life Series; the top ten places have changed yet again with Athletes jostling for a good position leading into the final race of the series. This takes place on Tuesday 15th December and will be followed at 8.30 pm with presentation of awards in the Stables Bar in Wine Street. Food will be provided.

Top ten athletes overall are as follows;
carty, caroline 109pts
conlon, martina 217pts
regan, evan 220pts
murphy, claire 225pts
anderson, patricia 226pts
mahon, fiona 227pts
smyth, neil 232pts
o connor, vincent 262pts
sheridan, liz 277pts
mc gowan, sean 282pts

5k Santa Run: December 20th @ 10am!

Take part in the Great Ireland Santa Fun Run.
Start & finish at Sligo Southern Hotel, 20 December 2009 at 10am. Spread the Christmas cheer: run or walk 5km and raise money for a good Clause!
Each Santa will receive: • a 5-piece Santa suit • a particpant’s medal
Make a valuable contribution charity: • The Special Olympics • Entry: adults €20, juveniles €10 (includes Santa Suit and medal)
• Wheelchairs/buggies welcome! • Entry strictly limited to 300
Registration: Sligo Southern Hotel Sat 19 Dec 3-6pm, Sun 20 Dec 7.30-9.30am. Contacts: Raymond Flynn 0876566215, Dermot McDermott 0863593482

Calry "Turkey Trot" Road Race Cancelled!

The second annual "Turkey Trot" scheduled to take place in Calry next Saturday, December 5th, at 12 noon has been cancelled due to the death of Michael Cunningham. Michael was associated with local athletics in the past and condolences are passed to his family. The Race will be re-scheduled for the beginning of 2010.For more information please contact zola flynn (071 9143046) or john elliot (0866286860)