Week ending Saturday 12th December

Training outdoors is proving a challenge

With the hall, gym and dressing rooms still out of bounds, the very cold snap we had last week reminded us of the loss of our indoor facilities, as we have nowhere to take refuge from the worst of the wet and cold. Some time ago we put up a small shelter near the outside gravel track, primarily for coaches to keep out of the elements, but it was also somewhere to put gear out of the rain, though it was proving really too small for the gear. That problem was solved last week when we took delivery of a large steel cabin where members can put their gear and water bottles during training. It’s just for storing gear and water bottles though and is not a shelter or a changing room. It has steel mesh doors, so is very well ventilated and dropping and collecting gear can be done on a one-way system – in one door and out another – making it ideal for the purpose. When we finally get to the far side of the Covid-19 pandemic, it can be used to take shelter at training, but not until then.

Christmas arrangements

The committee has decided that the 6pm groups on Tuesdays and Thursdays will break up for Christmas after training next Tuesday (15th December). The younger 8 and 9 year olds will stay on a break until February (we’ll let parents know of the precise date by WhatsApp nearer the time) but the older 10 and 11 year olds will only break for the school holidays and will return to training in January when the schools are back. For everyone else, training will continue, as usual. The Club grounds will remain open over the Christmas period, though as Christmas Eve is on a Thursday, the grounds will not be open that evening.

What were we doing this time last year?

On the home front this time last year, Mullingar was looking forward to reinforcing its reputation in cross country at the National Novice and Juvenile Uneven Ages Cross Country Finals in Dunboyne, Co. Meath. The Club had entered nearly seventy athletes, competing on underage teams and on Novice women and men teams. In addition to representing Mullingar and Westmeath, seventeen of our underage athletes were also on Leinster teams.

In Lisbon, Mullingar athletes were certainly helping Irish eyes to smile at the European Cross Country. Not having won a medal since 2015, Ireland made amends with its most successful European Cross Country Championships by winning two individual medals and two team medals in Lisbon. Witnesses to this memorable day were four of Mullingar’s finest – Jamie Battle, Claire Fagan, Jack O’Leary and Cormac Dalton – who all made a valuable contribution. Jamie Battle put in a great performance in the u/20 men, maintaining his place just outside the top twenty throughout to finish strongly in twenty eighth, the fifth finisher for the team that finished in an agonising fourth place, on the same points as third place and only missing the bronze medals on count back. Mullingar had two to cheer for in the u/23 men where Jack O’Leary had a fine run to finish twenty fifth, the second score for Ireland. Cormac Dalton made his debut in a Major Championship, negotiating the tough course with his customary determination to finish in an excellent forty ninth, the fourth finisher for Ireland and the team placed a very creditable seventh. Claire Fagan can be very satisfied with her run in the u/23 women to finish in forty seventh, the fifth finisher for Ireland who finished in second place, earning Claire a team silver medal in her first time competing at a European Cross Country.

What we wouldn’t give to be looking forward to an indoor season now? This time last year, at the opening night of the NIA Live Indoor series at the National Indoor Arena in Abbotstown, Colin Smith looked very comfortable in the mile, winning easily in 4:21.7, followed home by Eoin Quinn in second place in 4:33.5, putting down early markers for the indoor season in early 2020, which as we all know was cut short by Covid-19.

For the latest news, results and details of fixtures check the Club’s Facebook page or the website at www.mullingarharriers.com.

PRO