Back in 2005, the club was much smaller with somewhere in the region of 50-60 members. It was also a time before the running boom really took off.

Here are three of the posts from the archive for 2005.

Posts…

WILL OF IRON … Mary Cotter

SOSNOKSKI MAKES HIS MARK

BELGOOLY 4 MILE 2005

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WILL OF IRON … Mary Cotter

As first impressions go. Mary Cotter is a softly spoken, petite and humble lady, she enjoys socialising with friends, cosmopolitans, cooking, reading, fishing and the cinema.
She loves the Kino and her favourite film to date is Mifuse a Scandinavian work that touched her heart. It is only when we asked the question of who she would have as her ideal dinner guests (the Dalai Lama, Paula Radcliffe, Mr. Bean & Lance Armstrong) and what her ideal day off ( a sunny day, a cycle from Cork to Kinsale… followed by a nice meal) that we begin to see a hint of her true colours. For Mary Cotter is an Iron Woman. She competes in Triathlons for the fun of it and is the first Irish woman to have taken part in the gruelling Iron Man competition in Nice, France.

CHALLENGE

The race consisted of a 3.8km swim, immediately followed by a 180 km cycle, with a 42.2 km run to finish. There was a 16 hour time limit. It must be added that all this was done in 40 degree heat. Mary and five of her club mates took up the challenge and in doing so Mary and Shane O Shaughnessy raised much needed funds for Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children.

Mary was not always involved in this kind of thing. Born and bred in Cork, she discovered the joy of running during a stint working in Little Island. Her boss used to run on his lunch break, and offered her the odds of a head start. From then on, the gap closed on each run.

IMPOSSIBLE

Then one day, over ten years ago, whilst working in America, she noticed there was a women’s mini triathlon on in Long Island. She decided to enter. She came last, “but she had the bug after that”. It was the challenge that attracted her, the thought of taking on something that seemed “a little bit impossible”

When she moved home four years ago, she figured that was the end of the triathlons as there was no way she was getting into the Atlantic Ocean, but she was happily surprised to find a vibrant triathlon scene alive and kicking in Cork, so donning her wet suit, she plunged in and now say’s “I have never being more involved”. She trains with the Cork Triathlon Cub, and the whole thing is part of her life now, “nothing extra” she adds “I could imagine life without it”.

COMPETITION

Mary was one of 79 women who entered the 1,400 strong competition. She says the sport is gaining popularity amongst women, and attributes this to the fact that people relish the challenge and the feeling of self confidence to all the areas of life that participation brings, “anyone who puts their mind to it can finish it… all that is required is a bit of dedication”.

She herself changed her diet, and trained for six days a week for seven months, building up her stamina as the months progressed. Far from being a solitary process, she trained with the five other participants and is very grateful for the support and camaraderie that exists. Speaking of the run up before the event, she smiles fondly “we were like family”.

SURVIVED

Mary completed the course in 15 hours and 34 minutes. She tells me she had a dodgy start she muddled her French vocabulary, and found herself lining up unintentionally against the Elite swimmers, but she luckily survived her faux-pas. At one stage her quadriceps seized up , yet she still continued, taking the course “ mountain by mountain”, and heeding the best advice she got, “Go as far as you can for as long as you can”. Despite the fact that a race of this distance is most challenging of its kind (shorter triathlons do exist), she is keen to repeat the experience “In two years time I’d like to go back and try it again, and take an hour off my time”.

HEALTHY

It is clear that this sport brings a huge amount of satisfaction and pleasure to those involved. Triathlon clubs exist all around the country, and it’s not only a certain type of people that partake “Every career is represented… the only common denominator is that people are looking for a challenge”. Mary herself asserts that “training is a great coping skill” and a wonderful healthy way to pass time. Her only regret? “I wish I had discovered it earlier”

Written by Susan Renwick for the Oct 2005 edition of Cork Now magazine.

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SOSNOKSKI MAKES HIS MARK

Polish native Wieslaw Sosnowski, a member of Eagle AC in Cork, notched up his most significant win to date when taking the Longford Marathon title (August 28) in a time of 2:31:43.wieslaw.jpg
The 32 year old, who works on a dairy farm near Cork city, was just 18 seconds outside his personal best, achieved in last years Dublin Marathon. He was justifiably delighted with his victory, the first by a Cork based male over the marathon distance in many years. “ I ran with the second placed runner, Garry Payne from England, all the way up to 24 miles, but he fell back at that stage,” said Sosnowski, who eventually finished almost two and a half minutes to the good.

“It was a nice course, with very few hills, and the conditions were very good for running.”

A native of Gdansk – famous as the birth place of Solidarity 25 years ago – Sosnowski has been living in Ireland for three years and is a popular figure in local races. Sponsored by Dairy Power of Whites Cross, he had averaged 75 miles a week for several months in preparation for Longford.

“ I started running, mainly track, when I was around 21 back in Poland, but it wasn’t until coming to Cork and joining Eagle that I really started taking it seriously,” said the modest Sosnowski.

Just two weeks after his Longford victory, Sosnowski showed his remarkable powers of recovery by winning the Blarney Half Marathon, beating Colin Deasy from Coventry by almost a minute in 73:09. “I now hope to run Dublin at the end of October, where I would like to get under the 2:30 barrier”, he said.

Written by John Walshe for the Oct/Nov2005 edition of Irish Runner.

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BELGOOLY 4 MILE 2005

317 runners took part in this year’s event. Weather conditions were considerably better than last year, when snow on the course forced cancellation on the day. This year, conditions were fine if a little chilly at 4 – 6 degrees Celsius. A large Eagle contingent took part, however strong competition kept everyone out of the prizes, with the exception of the elder lemons : Joe Murphy, 1st M50 and John Quigley, 2nd M50. Monica Twohig featured in the F40 category. If Eagles were sparse in the individual categories, Eagle dominated the team prizes, taking second men’s’ team, behind the Barr’s’. While waiting for the results, Margo Dinan, the Barr’s ladies captain, gave us a bit of friendly slagging over Club notices at the venue canvassing for members, so when the ladies team was announced, “1st ladies team: Eagle”, Margo declared this is war! The second Ladies team was announced “Eagle”, leading to a declaration of “Total War”. So ladies, a good day but the Barr’s have high expectations of you. You have a reputation to live up to now!! Men’s’ team: David Muldowney, Norman Kelly and David O’Callaghan. 1st Ladies Team: Mary Cotter, Colette Garvey and Breeda Morrisey. 2nd Ladies team: Jane McGrath, Fiona O’Riordan and Deirdre O’Reilly. Times weren’t available after the finish, as the sheets contained only race numbers and times, without names, so full results will have to wait until the official sheet is out. Eagle results will be posted on the website when available. Mark Hanrahan, Leevale, won the event in 19:17, while Una English was first lady home. Eagle Participants (that I saw) were: David Muldowney, Anthony Horgan, David O’Driscoll, Kevin Phelan, David O’Callaghan, Joe Murphy, Kevin Sievewright, Declan Doyle, Norman Kelly, Paul Cotter, Michael Dooley, Deirdre O’Reilly, Monica Twohig, Jane McGrath, Loretta Dougan, Colette Garvey, Breeda Morrisey, Fiona O’Riordan, Mary Cotter. Eagle supporters included Kevin O’Driscoll and Pat Murphy. Apologies if I missed anyone. John Quigley