BHAA 2012

runrabbit

Great race today - thanks to all at the BHAA and Garda AC. The 3rd time up that hill into the wind was a killer, but the brack and tea made up for it!

caseyjones1

This was my first BHAA race, and I've signed up for the year. Thoroughly enjoyed it. My club-mate came third over all (for the wimmin) and I came 24th for the girls, not as fast as I would have liked but not a bad day out.
The all you can eat for a tenner spread afterwards was the business! But oh my, the wind! the hills! Not for the faint hearted this xc malarkey

plodder

caseyjones1 wrote: »

This was my first BHAA race, and I've signed up for the year. Thoroughly enjoyed it. My club-mate came third over all (for the wimmin) and I came 24th for the girls, not as fast as I would have liked but not a bad day out.
The all you can eat for a tenner spread afterwards was the business! But oh my, the wind! the hills! Not for the faint hearted this xc malarkey

That was the toughest BHAA XC course by far I'd say. The next one in NUI Maynooth is much more civilised by comparison. You'll do a better time then more than likely.

couerdelion

Just a quick question...

How do you get into the leagues? Is it automatic? I've done two races now but aren't in any of the one related to my standard (or any not related).

JosDel

couerdelion wrote: »

Just a quick question...

How do you get into the leagues? Is it automatic? I've done two races now but aren't in any of the one related to my standard (or any not related).

You only get league points from your 2nd race onwards, You should see your name in one of the leagues when they update for the Garda race.

clear thinking

Just back training properly a week training properly being sick for months... welcome back to XC! The elevation on that was basically 3 times up the khyber (no jokes in the peanut gallery) and the wind was tough. As usual brilliant organisation and brack. The standard seems to be up on last year too.

AJCOT

P2260367.JPG

Car window stickers are available to all at the Maynooth race (03/03/12) & mighty mugs for those lucky enough to win a spot prize. If only we had more traffic wardens in our midst we could say the sticker allows you to park anywhere!

AJCOT

Get to Maynooth on Saturday for a great 2 (ladies) or 4 miles of cross country running. This historic, pretty location is just off the N4 with race HQ in the old college campus. Paul Buckley, Ronan Kearns & Ray Hynes took the gold, silver & bronze in the mens race last year while Fiona Mahon, Adrienne Jordan & Crona Brady were the top three women.

dub8

AJCOT wrote: »

Get to Maynooth on Saturday for a great 2 (ladies) or 4 miles of cross country running. This historic, pretty location is just off the N4 with race HQ in the old college campus. Paul Buckley, Ronan Kearns & Ray Hynes took the gold, silver & bronze in the mens race last year while Fiona Mahon, Adrienne Jordan & Crona Brady were the top three women.

hey , could you please clarify the start time for saturdays race , the bhaa annual calender says 11.00am and the flyer on the web says 11.30 and 12.00.
Thanks !:)

figs

dub8 wrote: »

hey , could you please clarify the start time for saturdays race , the bhaa annual calender says 11.00am and the flyer on the web says 11.30 and 12.00.
Thanks !:)

I will confirm this tomorrow, but I'm reliably informed that the ladies 2m is at 11:30hrs and mens 4m is at 12:00hrs.

AJCOT

11.30 for the Ladies & high noon for the Mens!

runrabbit

Enjoy this one lads and keep a sticker for me - I'll be on the road to Ballycotton for the weekend when you're pulling on the spikes. I briefly considered a stop-off in Maynooth on the way down but common sense prevailed and I'll concentrate on recovering in time for Swords the following weekend instead!

AJCOT

For those hardcore cross country disciples, we promise plenty muck on Saturday but we will have showers (both indoors & outdoors) to ensure you don't go home dirty!

Bobgeldof

I'm looking forward to the Mens 4 Mile Cross Country tomorrow. This is one of the few BHAA races that i havent run.
Does anyone know about the course? Fast, slow ,hilly?
Is it 1 lap or more? I didnt see any links on BHAA website.

gerard65

Very flat, muddy in some areas. Four laps.

JosDel

gerard65 wrote: »

Very flat, muddy in some areas. Four laps.

Small lap to start.....

AJCOT

Who mentioned muck? It's hotter & drier than July as I leave for the race!

AJCOT

Mighty race in Maynooth with 258 runners in a windy & sunny day. Well done Eddie, Maurice, all at AIB, NUI & the BHAA team. The mounds of muck didn't materialise, I'll listen to weather forecasts from other continents in future.

AJCOT

Get to Dublin Airport on Saturday for a challenging 2 or 5 mile cross country race on the ALSAA course. Last year, 225 ran with Aoife Brady, Fiona Mahon & Crona Brady the top three women while Mick Clohisey, Simon Ryan & Cillian O'Leary led home the men. Eugene Foley 086 3835695, Pat Carroll 086 4003387 & Gerard Martin 087 2132244 are the contacts. No luggage restrictions apply & all post race food is free!

plodder

They've moved the entrance to ALSAA, and it's not too well sign-posted currently. So, watch out for that. If coming from the M1, you turn left at the lights just before the main ALSAA building (ie. head for long term car park/car rental). There's a new roundabout and entrance into ALSAA there.

emerald007

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boraUxMkPvQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ0hyHuvgYk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk0DxuIC8fo

AJCOT

Saturday will be a balmy 11 to 15 degrees (hotter than July) according to the Met.Office. Who needs to fly away?

emerald007

11.30 and 12.00 start times for the 2M and 5M races at ALSAA tomorrow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTFAkHQRJkI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXf9yg6CQVU

JosDel

Big thanks to Gerard, Eugene, Pat, BHAA and all the volunteers for organising a great race today, Plenty of brack afterwards. Some great prizes too.

Caprica

Another great BHAA race. Have never seen this course in such good condition, normally it can be quite mucky but it was very good underfoot. Numbers may have been slightly down on previous years.

Very well organised, great venue, plenty of brack and very good prizes.

couerdelion

Still injured so didn't race but went along to support a few others. Another well organised race and I must say, the lady who does the commentating is brilliant and great to listen to.

One question, and I raised this before kind of in a post after the Garda race. Is the standard too high for newcomers? I've no problem being in the bottom percentages and it gives me something to aim for each race to move up the standards. But a cursory glance at results (particularly the womens) and the slower people don't turn up again after one race.

Another point is the number of blokes who were running on the course during the womens race. Nothing to do with the organisation just some peoples manners I guess.

Great day though and there seemed to plenty of food around after.

RayCun

couerdelion wrote: »

One question, and I raised this before kind of in a post after the Garda race. Is the standard too high for newcomers?

I think the issue is more that newcomers are unlikely to run cross-country. Looking at the polls from last week, loads of people will run road races, but far fewer will run XC (or track). The numbers at the BHAA XC races seem to be up on last year, but the biggest races last year were the road races - K-Club 10k, RTE 5 mile, Dunboyne 4 mile.

It's a related problem, I suppose. Newcomers think that track and XC are for better runners, so don't show up.

plodder

DNF for me on Sat. I've had trouble with the right ankle, and the rough ground on part of that course was worse than I expected - had to pull up on the first lap.

couerdelion

RayCun wrote: »

I think the issue is more that newcomers are unlikely to run cross-country. Looking at the polls from last week, loads of people will run road races, but far fewer will run XC (or track). The numbers at the BHAA XC races seem to be up on last year, but the biggest races last year were the road races - K-Club 10k, RTE 5 mile, Dunboyne 4 mile.

It's a related problem, I suppose. Newcomers think that track and XC are for better runners, so don't show up.

That's fair enough. I guess what would be more interesting is how many runners having done the road races then continue on to do the XC the following year. I would guess that as numbers are up there's a few.

My first year doing XC and I'll be giving track a lash too. My perception would be that track is definitely for the faster runners though.

RayCun

The BHAA track races are divided into smaller groups based on your BHAA standard. For example, in the Trinity 800m race last year there were 8 men in standards 19-21, so they had their own race.
In the Aviva mile race in Irishtown, when there were different standards in the same race the faster runners were handicapped, eg standard 15 went out, then 14 10 seconds later, then 13.

couerdelion

thanks, I like the sound of that, and the rabbit/hare nature of it appeals to my competitive side

AJCOT

Make your way on Wednesday next (21/03) to Malahide Rugby Club for our final cross country race of the season & probably the only flood lit, spiky footed event on the calendar. This North Country Farmers 5k is a combined run with an 8pm start. Mick Coyle, Brian Coleman & Paul Gleeson were the pick of the men last year while Aoife Byrne, Fiona Mahon & Vanessa Salier set the pace in the Ladies. :cool:

AJCOT

The ultimate car window sticker is available free of charge (unless you want to make a grand donation?) on Wednesday evening at the 5k floodlit cross country race in Malahide. It glows in the dark, is more prestigious than a Jaguar emblem on your car & can be used in most ATMs.:cool:

couerdelion

Good race this evening. For a course consisting of two rugby pitches there is a fair bit of hills to be run up. The drag from the bottom corner of pitch 1 to pitch 2 was tough enough.

Had to leave early but was there for the first plate of sandwiches. Chicken wraps no less. Those North county farmers are a posh bunch!

Woddle

Yeah really enjoyed it aswell and although they were only little hills I really struggled up them, everyone was taking me on them. Well done Bhaa

AJCOT

Wonderful evening for running in Malahide Rugby club in the final cross country event of the season. A big thanks to Paul Barnwell, NCF, the BHAA crew and the 160 runners who wanted to glow in the dark. Better times to come now with the spikes confined to the attic until October!

AJCOT

Woddle wrote: »

Yeah really enjoyed it aswell and although they were only little hills I really struggled up them, everyone was taking me on them. Well done Bhaa

Good to see you again, apologies for that final sprint (with a broken toe!).

RayCun

Roll on the summer league
but I wanted to ask about this bit -

AJCOT wrote: »

Better times to come now with the spikes confined to the attic until October!

for the Trinity track races, can you/should you wear 3mm spikes? Since it's a grass track, are short XC spikes okay? Or is it strictly track spikes and road shoes?

Caprica

An enjoyable end to the cross country season. Expected it to be flat but there were two sharp hills. Very impressive spread afterwards.

Woddle

AJCOT wrote: »

Good to see you again, apologies for that final sprint (with a broken toe!).

Yeah you timed it well for sure, I actually thought we had another lap to go (sore loser talk ) and it was only when I was approaching the turn that I copped it, so I went all out and I managed to take two bodies but just couldn't get you. I'll be keeping a closer eye on you in the next one

AJCOT

RayCun wrote: »

Roll on the summer league
but I wanted to ask about this bit -



for the Trinity track races, can you/should you wear 3mm spikes? Since it's a grass track, are short XC spikes okay? Or is it strictly track spikes and road shoes?

Very good point, they might prove handy if it was wet but generally the grass in Trinity has been of golf green quality, I've ask the better runners & get back to you.

JosDel

Another great race organised by Paul Barnwell and the BHAA, special thanks to all the volunteers who worked so hard on the night.

AJCOT

Get to St.Anne's Park Raheny on the last day of the month (Saturday 31/03) for the Dublin City Council 4(11.30) & 2 mile (11.00) races plus the start of the summer league. Last year, Simon Ryan, Paul Fleming and Paul Buckley were the top three men home. In the ladies race, Aoife Byrne, Mary Hanley and Fiona Mahon were first, second and third past the orange wagon. If you need any further information contact Jim Kelly 8166720, Kevin O'Connell 2222351 or Coilin O'Reilly 086 3835029.

AJCOT

A huge well done & congratulations to the Cork BHAA who celebrated their 30th year this weekend. Best wishes for an even brighter future from all members in Dublin and beyond. Thanks for the incredibly warm welcome & the boundless hospitality shown to all members from this branch who made the trip down south.:)

runrabbit

AJCOT wrote: »

A huge well done & congratulations to the Cork BHAA who celebrated their 30th year this weekend. Best wishes for an even brighter future from all members in Dublin and beyond. Thanks for the incredibly warm welcome & the boundless hospitality shown to all members from this branch who made the trip down south.:)

It was a tired trip back up to Dublin in the heat yesterday for some folk by all accounts! Some were blaming the clocks going forward but I'm a little dubious! Sounds like it was a great night, congrats to Cork BHAA

AJCOT

runrabbit wrote: »

It was a tired trip back up to Dublin in the heat yesterday for some folk by all accounts! Some were blaming the clocks going forward but I'm a little dubious! Sounds like it was a great night, congrats to Cork BHAA

Think I know the duo you're referring to, their dance routines will long be remembered in Cork & somewhat overshadowed the celebrations. Well done in Dunboyne!

runrabbit

AJCOT wrote: »

Think I know the duo you're referring to, their dance routines will long be remembered in Cork & somewhat overshadowed the celebrations. Well done in Dunboyne!

Thanks, I'm not a fan of the heat so I took it handy enough. That's enough racing for me for a wee while, I'll hopefully be feeling rested and energetic for the K Club. I'll also be keeping my fingers crossed for a frosty morning!

AJCOT

The weather forecast is for a dry Saturday with temperatures a few degrees below what we're currently enjoying, perfect conditions for a PB in the park.

couerdelion

Well organised race today and the weather didn't dissapoint. Roasting hot sunshine for the whole of the men's race!

Thanks to DCC for organising the race.

I think I might have just creeped in under 5min per km for the 4 miles which I'll be chuffed about especially as I had already done a 13km l/s/r that morning. Fingers crossed and I'll be checking the results as soon as they are out.

RayCun

+1
Well done to DCC, a well-organised race, nice route through the park, and loads of brack afterwards.