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This is a weekend run along the banks of the Dodder from the Clubhouse to Donnybrook enjoyed by club members. Approx 8 miles.


View Sportsworld - The Dodder Loop in a larger map

This is a popular and relativity flat run along side the picturesque bohernabreena reservoirs.

Option 1:
Start at Front Gate as marked on map(Free Parking Available), run to the back gate and return. (Approx 5 miles)

Option 2:
Start at Front Gate as marked on map(Free Parking Available), run out the Back Gate and do the back loop around the farms and return. (Approx 7 miles)

Option 3:
Start at Old Mill Pub (Free Parking available in Londis car park opposite Pub)- run through front gate, run out the back gate and do the back loop around the farms and return. (Approx 9 miles)


View Sportsworld The Waterworks - Inner loop in a larger map

Last weekend was a big day for the club as Aoife Brady stuck on the green jersey, sprinted down the wing, cut in and scored the winning goal for Ireland against France! What?.... oh sorry. …wrong weekend. Actually as it transpires it was something even bigger again, all Aoife’s hard work and commitment was rewarded with her selection to represent Ireland at an International Cross Country meet in Belgium last weekend.

And if there is one thing the Belgians like more then good chocolate, it’s a good beer…..and after that it’s a good cross country race. The Irish aren’t ones to disappoint and so last weekend they got their wish as the international Lotto CrossCup descended on the multiplicity of Mol, near Antwerp in Northern Belgium. It’s a country with a rich history and like our very good selves back in the 9th century Mol had to deal with the Vikings coming to town. Feeling at home with such a close bond a team of 28 junior and senior Irish athletes flew in last Friday to take on the best of them. The area is in Belgium’s lowlands and surrounded by the famous “Molse Meren" (Lakes of Mol), a series of natural sand lakes with white sandy beaches, so Aoife and the team had to master new terrain on the tough sandy course.

So after testing the course, building a few sand castles and burying the sleeping coach, the real business of racing began on Sunday the 8th. Reports have indicated that the field went off hard for the women’s race, something to be expected at this level but not for fainting hearted in a 6400m race. The locals are still to this day all commenting in their supermarket queues on how comfortable Aoife looked on the opening laps. After an uncompromising ding dong duel the race win went to Belgium’s Ethiopian athlete Almensch Belete who just piped Irelands Fionnuala Britton in 22.03. But the remarkable Irish didn’t stop there as about 20 seconds later Deirdre Byrne took 3rd and Linda Byrne settled 5th spot. To the roars and delight of the crowd Aoife finished strongly by easily out sprinting Belgian Vanja Cnops by six seconds to take 31st on the crisp sunny winter’s afternoon. The women’s junior race win was picked up by Irelands Sara Louise Treacy whilst in the men’s senior Michael Clohisey picked up 12th spot and David Flynn 6th in the junior men.

So again a big congratulation’s to Aoife from everyone at the club on a great international performance and year so far!

Report By
Eoin O’Brien

A hilly 10 miler training run all on roads around the Bohernabreena reservoirs from the Old Mill Pub, Tallaght. Free Parking available in Londis car park opposite The Old Mill Pub.

This is also a traditional St. Stephans Day morning run...yes its the truth!

8 Mile Option - Park at front gate (Free Parking Available) as marked on map. Run around outside loop as mapped but upon reaching the church take a left and return to front gate car park instead of continuing onto the Old Mill Pub.


View Sportsworld The Waterworks - 10 mile Outer Loop in a larger map

This morning, Sunday, November 8th 2009 was a special morning for one Sportsworld Athlete. In fact, it was a very special morning indeed.

This morning Myles Nugent ran ‘The Waterworks’ 25 years to the day since he first discovered its hidden beauty.

As the sun came over The Sally Gap, Myles our Club Marathon record holder, complete with a nagging injury, could not resist a celebration run.
The sun shone brightly and warm winter clothes fast became too much.
The wind dropped and the silence paid a respectful guard to this man of many achievements.

This time we were the audience and Myles The Mentor. Stories of heroic runs were remembered in graphic detail.
The run got going and even the cows stared on.

Hill 1 and it slipped softly by. We were listening, distracted, and our jog was gentle.
The first lake reflected our pack and the true beauty of this Sunday run could not have been more evident.
We flew through the next few miles and back to where it all began.

At the car park the symbolism of handshakes and congratulations were not lost.
25 years, recessions, careers, struggles, highs and lows. 25 years of waterworks running reminded us of the one constant ‘thing’
Our running, our friends and our weekly training village.
Always there, always patient, never changing.
It’s just us humans who do the opposite.

To Avoca for a lazy Sunday morning.
We talked about Myles and guess who walked in?
A family Christening would not deter a brief half hour to complete his anniversary day.
Immaculate with shoes as polished as the lakes, Myles engaged us all.

He had to leave early but we cherished his time today.
As he left he turned to us all

“I hope we are still running in another 25 years”

We do too and if we can’t, we can still have coffee, still walk and still enjoy the precious gift of the company of friends and our 25 year Marathon Man too.

Sunday 8th November saw the Leinster Intermediate Cross Country hosted by Tullamore Harriers in Tullamore, County Offaly.

Sportsworld were represented in the men’s race. Some of us were led to believe that we were running an 8km race, but we were taken back when we reached the field to be informed it was 10km made up of 5 laps. Hoping that underfoot conditions might be ok, we weren’t long finding out that the course was flooded in one corner and the rest was the near resemblance of a field vacated after the national ploughing championships with 3 hills to tackle 5 times thrown in to make it more enjoyable.

The race took off at a steady pace led by eventual winner Tom Hogan of Slaney Olympic. Sportsworld were led out by the excellent Micheal Cunningham, Paul Duffy and Ronan Merrick, followed closely by Mark Dunne, Paul Mitchell and Liam Mc Fadden.

Lap one was the greatest test for all, seeing was it safer to take a 30 metre detour to avoid the small lake in the bottom corner of the course or dive straight in and hope to make it out the other side with spikes still on. Gladly we all took the dive and made it trough. After that it was a case of settling in and trying to make moves on the leader board.

Sportsworld were unlucky not to come away with a team bronze medal for all their hard effort eventually finishing 4th placed team.

Overall Results
1 Tom Hogan 34.20 (Slaney Olympic)
18 Michael Cunningham 38.19
24 Paul Duffy 38.50
27 Ronan Merrick 39.10
30 Paul Mitchell 40.15
32 Mark Dunne 40.33
40 Liam Mc Fadden 42.21

Report by
Liam Mc Fadden recovering from 'trench foot' has supplied this report.