Tuam Masters have a term of swim classes coming up...

Interested in improving your swimming and fitness? Join Tuam Masters Swimming Club. Training sessions run from 7.00pm-8.00pm every Sunday. Classes are for adults and cover all swimming abilities - from competitive swimmers to those who can swim a number of lengths of the pool and would like to improve their technique.

Registration for our next 9 week term takes place from 6.15pm to 6.45pm on Sunday the 14th march 2010 in Tuam Leisure Centre. Places are limited, so participants must register at this time. A trip to the 50m pool in Limerick will be included in the upcoming sessions. This trip is paid for by the club.

For further information contact: Brendan at 087 2041673 or check out http://www.tuammasters.com

To celebrate my 52nd birthday (Sunday 7th March) and a happy, healthy life so far I decided to fit in a couple of events this weekend.

Firstly a dance on Friday night to get warmed up for the weekend. Nothing like a few hours ballroom dancing to get the leg muscles working.

Gary Thorton has finished second behind Mark Keneally of Clonliffe Harriers at the AAI Inter Club Cross Country Championships in the Phoenix Park today. This is a brilliant run by Gary who was 14 seconds adrift of Keneally and 15 seconds clear in the end of 3rd placed Gary Murray of St. Malachy's. This is Keneally's first senior gold and those who watched the European Cross-Country in Dublin back in December will remember him as the outstanding Irish competitor that day. Congrats Gary from all at GCH!

Report and full results at: http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?p=12213
Our photo shows Gary winning the recent Athenry 10k in a blistering time, and is courtesy of John O'Connor and Athenry A.C.

Willie Morris and Tommy Madden are two of Galway’s finest ever athletes and their achievements in Irish cross-country championship running are legendary. The occasion of Willie’s 90th birthday on December 6th last, prompted their running colleagues in GCH and Athenry to mark the occasion in some way.

Willie and Tommy first ran together as team-mates over 50 years ago, part of the famed Derrydonnell AC that dominated Irish Cross-Country running from the 1950s through the early 1960s. From the late 60s, after the demise of Derrydonnell A.C. they both graced the red and white of GCH and the two men remain close friends to this day. The occasion of the Athenry 10k was a perfect place and time to honour the men, as both have close associations with the area –

1. How long (in years!) have you been running regularly?
Nearly a year following a long break. Before that, close to twenty years on and off.

2. Why did you start running?
To keep fit and I love being out in the great outdoors.

Attached is the timetable for the Athletic Association of Ireland Juvenile Indoors 2010. The weekends of competitions are 27th-28th March and 10th-11th April.

Alanna Lally rounded off a brilliant few weeks by winning the Tribune's Sports Star of the Week award.

Congrats Alanna from all of GCH!

Yesterday's 5 mile road race in Kilconieron was won by Gerry Ryan in a time of 25:22. 2nd place Mark Davis shows it's possible to run fast enough to have time to write a race report (but where does he get his energy?). It includes the full results:
http://www.craughwellac.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=59...

Francis Kennedy has published a nice collection of photographs from the race: http://www.kennedyart.net/unicorn/10_kilconieron/10_kilconieron.htm

Update: The series is now sold out.

Enter at: http://www.runireland.com/forms/galway-5km-series-2010.

Six Galway Athletics Clubs will once again come together to organise a series of low-key, no-frills 5km roads races around the county on six consecutive Tuesday evenings from the 27th of April 2010 through to the 1st of June 2010. The Athenry, Clare River Harriers, Craughwell, Galway City Harriers Loughrea and Tuam clubs have organised a similar series of races for the last four years and the initiative has proven very popular. As usual the races will take place on Tuesday evenings at locations around the county and will culminate in the final race evening in Galway City on Tuesday the 1st June. The now traditional social evening and distribution of series t-shirts and spot prizes will follow the final race.

As in previous years these evenings are specifically designed with the beginner in mind and are perfect for the many members of the Fit4Life groups that have become established all around the county. Runners of all standards are welcome to take part.

The race dates venues and start times will be as follows: