Early bird registration closing tomorrow
CONGRATULATIONS on reaching the final run in for the Sport Ireland Yeats Tour on April 30th.
60K Lough Gill Circuit Complete one two hours’ session this week with coffee stop included. On 1 or 2 days cycle for 1 hour with 4 x 5 minute efforts at a fast pace that can be maintained for the 5 minutes. Arrive home feeling that you could have done more.
The final week: In the final week just do two 45 minutes sessions midweek with 2 x 5 minutes fast effort in each session. If possible do an easy 30 minutes cycle the day before the big event.
100KM Innisfree Tour This week do a similar amount of sessions that you usually do. However keep the distance or time of each sessions below the maximum time or distance that you have done to date. Maintain the 6 minutes fast x 4 times in one or two midweek session.
The final week: Keep your midweek sessions short and include 6 minutes fast x 2 in one or two midweek sessions. 160k The Ox Mountain Challenge This week do the usual number of sessions. Keep the distance of each session within the maximum distance you have done to date.
Midweek, maintain 3 x 10 minutes fast efforts in one session midweek.
The final week: Reduce the distance of the midweek sessions. Include 2 x 6 minutes fast in one of the midweek sessions.
Tips and tasks: Have your last hilly cycle one week before the Tour to allow the muscles to fully recover. Final bike check Friday Get good rest/ sleep in the days before the event. If possible, do a short cycle of 30 to 40 minutes with one or two faster sections of 10 to 20 seconds the day before to activate muscles. Sport Ireland Yeats Tour of Sligo day Look where you are going at all times. Follow the rules of the road.
Cycle with people of your own ability if possible. Have a relaxed start and let the groups settle down during the first few kilometres.
Have your bike in a gear that gives an easy smooth start then SLIGO is set to welcome a large number of cyclists to the Sport Ireland Yeats Tour of Sligo over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
All three events on Sunday 30th April including the 60k, 100k and 160k are proving popular with a great mix of recreational and experienced cyclists signed up, according to Sports Co ordinator Deirdre Lavin.
Entries to date show that cyclists from every county in Ireland will be on the starting line with a number of oversees visitors registered.
The Sligo Champion is the main media sponsor for the event, which has attracted two of Ireland’s Paralympic cyclists from Rio 2016.
Event ambassador Eve McCrystal taking part in the 160K and the Family 10K while Declan Slevin a hand cyclist will take part in the 60K Tour of Lough Gill.
The event organisers at Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership are encouraging cyclists to register by tomorrow Wednesday 19th April to avail of the early bird entry fee and also stated that final entry date is Tuesday 25th April,
The weekend of cycling will get underway with the Family Fun Day on Saturday 29th April at the Institute of Technology Sligo. change the gears to suit the speed as you progress.
Enjoy the day meeting new friends and challenging yourself.
Enjoy the O’Hehirs Bakery and café food stops.
The 100k and 160K groups need to be eating/ drinking 60 - 90 grams of easily digested carbohydrate snacks/ drinks per hour.
Eat and drink small amounts every 15 minutes or so.
For more tips see http:// www. tourofsligo. ie/ about- the- tour/ training- programmes- tips/
Give a round of applause to yourself and all the organisers and volunteers for everyone’s efforts in producing a great event. Paddy Doran. www. peakendurancecoaching. com This family festival of cycling is very popular with hundreds of families and new comers to cycling taking part annually. Children of 9 years and upwards can take part in the 10K Hazelwood Spin while those of 6 years and over can cycle the 2K Bike Trail in the grounds of the Institute of Technology Sligo. The 10K distance will also suit adults who are relatively new to the sport of cycling. A roadworthy bicycle and helmet are all that is required to get started. Apart from the cycling events, there will be a great range of family entertainment including musical entertainers, face painting and samba music. Children will also have a chance to take part in fun skills and drills and time trials. All cyclists taking part in the Family Fun Day can register on the day from 1.30pm onwards and enjoy the cycling entertainment in advance of the 10k and 2k cycles which depart at 3pm. For further information check out www. tourofsligo. ie or call 071 9161511. INSET: Declan Slevin, Paralympic cyclist Rio 2016 will take part in the 60K Tour of Lough Gill. FRESH from her triple record- breaking success at the recent Irish Open Championships, Grange’s Mona McSharry will lead the Ireland women’s team at the European and World Junior Championships this summer.
The 16- year- old National Champion was announced along with Conor Ferguson as the leads for the Ireland men’s and women’s teams for the summer competitions.
Mona stormed to victory at the Irish Open Championships two weekends ago in the National Aquatic Centre.
The Marlins Club member smashed the previous Junior records in the 50m, 100, and 200m Breaststroke events.
Both Mona and Conor also went under the consideration time for the senior World Championships in July which will be announced by Swim Ireland later this month.
At last year’s European Juniors which were held in Hungary, Mona took home two medals, a Bronze in the 50m Breaststroke and Silver in the 100m Breaststroke at the competition. This performance saw her welcomed home to her North Sligo town by a special reception.
Commenting on the selections last Thursday, National Performance Director Jon Rudd said: “We are very excited to announce our athletes for these two key Junior competitions.
“Following a highly successful Irish Open Championships last week, it was clear that our coaches and our athletes have embraced the concept of ‘ right performance- right time’ and that we have a body of talent here that is truly capable of challenging on a continental and world stage.
“These are focused teams and these athletes display many of the attributes that you would expect and want at this level, with some of them potentially featuring in our World Championships team when we announce it later this month.
“Watch this space. Irish swimming is on the move,” Mr Rudd said.
The European Junior Swimming Championships, are taking place from 28th June – 2nd July 2017, in Netanya, Israel.
The World Junior Swimming Championships, run from 23rd – 28th August, in Indianapolis, USA. ONE of Sligo Rovers’ greatest ever managers, Willie McStay, will reflect on the historic treble- winning season at the Showgrounds and his distinguished football career at what promises to be an enthralling night in the Glasshouse Hotel, on Saturday, April 29th.
A genuine Celtic legend and a man with an indelible place in the history of Sligo Rovers, McStay will be guest of honour at the Sligo Super Cup taking place at the Showgrounds from April 28th- 30th.
In “An Evening with Willie McStay”, the former Celtic player will chat with OceanFM Sports Editor, Darragh Cox, about his varied and successful career, from his playing days at Parkhead, to working with German international and now TV pundit, Dietmar Hamman at Stockport County; his experiences as a manager in Hungary; and, of course, his historic period at the Showgrounds helm.
Sligo Rovers were a struggling club facing certain relegation from Ireland’s top table when McStay arrived at the Showgrounds in 1992. Within two years, he built one of the most exciting teams in the country as Rovers romped back to promotion at the first time of asking, winning the League of Ireland Shield in the process, and topping it off with a magnificent victory over Derry City in the 1994 FAI Cup Final at Lansdowne Road.
McStay went on to become youth team manager and later reserve team manager at Celtic, before going on to manage Ross County and Ujpest FC in Budapest. His playing career included nearly 70 appearances with Celtic, many alongside his legendary brother, Paul; as well as stints with Huddersfield Town, Notts County and Kilmarnock.
Organised by the Sligo Celtic Supporters Club, “An Evening with Willie McStay” promises to be a highly entertaining event for Celtic, Sligo Rovers and football fans in general. It takes place at the Glasshouse Hotel on Saturday, April 29th, beginning at 8p. m. Admission is 5 euro and a raffle for Celtic memorabilia will take place on the night.