CONGRATULATIONS

 

Well done to all who competed in the recent Leinster XC Championships in Gowran & Ferbane. The Club greatly appreciates your support and participation. We have found over the years that athletes who take part in competitions get so much more out of their participation and enjoy being part of their teams. These athletes acquire long term health and social benefits, and are less likely to drop their fitness as young adults.

 

 

We were very disappointed with the poor attendance on both days this year and failed to make up teams in most age groups, but we were impressed with the performances of those who did compete at these events.

 

Congratulations go to Joe Dowd on his 9^th place medal in the U19 Boys, earning him individual qualification for Nationals & also a place on the Leinster Team. A super race from Andrew Brennan in the U16 boys, saw him just missing out on the medals, but qualifying for Nationals as part of the Wicklow team where he will be joined by Jack McGlone. Also qualifying as part of the Wicklow County teams are Colm O’Neill & Tom McCarthy U14 boys & Emma Wylie U11 girls.

 

Congratulations also to senior athlete Niamh Kearney who had a great race in Ferbane last Saturday to finished 4^th in the Leinster Senior XC. Great to see Niamh doing so well as a senior and still enjoying her running.

 

Huge congratulations go to Brian Geraghty whose first XC outing in Abbottstown earned him qualification to the Irish Team for the International Masters event in Aintree next Sunday 16^th Nov. We wish him the very best of luck in the event.

 

 

TRAINING

 

Attendance at training has been very poor indeed from some athletes over the past 5-6 weeks and we remind athletes & parents that when members join Greystones AC they agree to attend regularly, especially the 7-8.30pm groups who make a commitment to attend a minimum of two sessions each week. While we don’t expect to be notified every time a session is missed, we remind you that if we don’t see or hear from you for up to 3 weeks we presume that you are no longer interested in training with the club and we offer the place to someone on our waiting list who does want to come & train. Please note that attending once every 3 weeks does not fulfil an athlete’s commitment.

 

 

SOLSTICE MILE

 

This year we will be holding the Winter Solstice Mile as a fund raiser for one of our young athletes, who is going abroad with his school in 2020 to help disadvantaged children. He is a committed athlete and also one of out junior coaches, who helps with coaching the younger groups each week. The event will be held on Fri 20^th Dec @ 7pm and there will be tea/coffee and cakes afterwards as well as a cake sale.

 

This event will be a series of graded 1 mile races (4 laps of the track), to mark the winter solstice, starting at 7pm. Entry donation €5 for Adults, €3 for U12’s – U16’s. Open to everyone from U12 up! We will hold a Solstice Mile relay for our younger athletes at our 6-7pm session. !

 

 

GOOD ATTENDANCE DAY TRIP

 

Our annual trips for those with good attendance during 2019, are currently being arranged & we look forward to fun days again this year. Athletes need to have a 60% attendance at training during the year to qualify for these trips. October attendances are currently being added to the lists and we will post the up to date list shortly. A good number of athletes are close enough to get their percentage up to 60% by improving their attendance over the coming weeks. The final list of athletes who qualify to go on the trips will be notified during Dec. Don’t forget that extra attendance points are awarded for attending competitions.

 

Separate trips for our older athletes are also being planned and full details will follow shortly!

 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

 

Round 5 Co. League Roundwood GAA this coming Fri 15^th Dec. 7pm sharp. Uneven Ages U7-U15. Entry form for this event is now on our website and must close Thurs. 14^th.

 

 

National Senior & Even Ages XC, Abbottstown, Sun 24^th Nov. Best of Luck to all GAC qualifiers.

 

 

County Senior XC, Sun 9^th Dec. in Avondale @ 11am.

 

 

Round 6 Co. League Bray Emmets Fri 6^th Dec. Even Ages U6-U14/15. Form is on our website.

 

 

 

 

National Novice & Uneven Ages XC, Dunboyne, Sun. 15^th Dec. Best of Luck to all GAC qualifiers.

 

 

Solstice Mile, Fri 20^th Dec. (fundraiser for one of our young athletes to help disadvantaged kids)

 

 

STREETS OF WICKLOW 5K, Thurs. 26^th Dec. Always a great way to run off the turkey!

 

 

Wicklow Co. Indoors, Abbottstown Sat. 4^th Jan 1-5pm. All ages from U8 up.

 

 

County Masters XC, Shanganagh Park Sun Jan. 5^th. 11am.

 

 

Celtic XC, Sat 11^th Jan. Stirling, Scotland.

 

 

National Indoor League R1, Sat 11^th Jan, Abbottstown

 

 

National Combined Events Sat 18^th Jan, Athlone

 

 

National Junior/U23’s, Sat 25^th Jan, Athlone

 

 

National Indoor League R2, Sun 26^th Jan, Athlone

 

 

CLUB SHOP

 

As we still have a number of athletes looking for club gear, the club shop will be open on Tues 26^th Nov. from 4.40-5pm & from 7-8 pm only, for singlets, shorts, leggings, T-shirts, hoodies, rainjackets, showerproof bottoms etc. We also have some secondhand hoodies & a good number of spikes available. If you don’t have club gear, a plain T-shirt (preferably red) is fine for the County events. Please note that all athletes competing at Leinster & National events must wear a club singlet or T-shirt and red, white or black shorts! (Multi coloured shorts are not acceptable) If you have outgrown your spikes & they are in good condition we are happy to exchange them for a larger size, if we have one in stock. We have a good selection at present!

 

 

WICKLOW INDOORS

 

Co.Wicklow had our first Indoor T&F event in Jan. 2019 and it was a great success, so a bigger & better event is currently being planned for 2020. This event will be open to all registered athletes from U8 up and will take place from 1-5pm on Sat. 4^th Jan in the NIA in Abbottstown. A programme is currently being worked on and full details will follow shortly, so keep a look out for them as entries will need to be taken well in advance of the event.

 

 

SUNDAY RUN

 

Attendance at the organised Sunday Run is very poor indeed and we would really love to see a big improvement. These long easy runs take place each Sunday we don’t have a competition, in a variety of beautiful locations around the County. All of you are welcome to join in our Sunday run. Primary school children should have an accompanying adult ( who doesn't have to run ), however all ages participate....... up to very old !! Many parents bring younger kids and walk, cycle or run. We meet at 9-20 for a quick warm up & start running at 9-30am sharp. This is our long easy run, where athletes run from 30-80 minutes, age related, at an easy ( not jogging ) conversational pace.............a great chance to catch up with friends from other clubs, or make new friends! Hope to see you there, as it’s an important sessions of the week for fitness!!! Venues are posted on our website & FB page each week.

 

 

SUITABLE CLOTHING

 

Please ensure all athletes bring a coat, hat & gloves to all training sessions, as we are out in all weathers. It is far too cold to be turning up in shorts & t-shirt or hoodie at this stage. It’s easy to take something off when you get too hot, but miserable if you have nothing to put on when you’re cold or don’t have a jacket when it’s raining. Athletes also need to wear suitable runners and not street shoes or Astro Turf shoes, which are unsuitable for athletics. Athletes should also bring a drink to training with them and should please use the toilets before coming down to the track. We understand that occasionally children will need to go again especially when it’s cold, but coaches constantly having to leave the track to accompany children to the toilets disrupts the training for all the children in the group.