St. Laurence O'Toole's Athletic Club Carlow will host the 1st Annual 'Run 4 Life', in aid of Special Olympics Carlow, which will take place in Carlow on Sunday, 11th March. Everyone is invited to Walk, Jog, or Run either 5k or 10k. Both the 5k and 10k Fun Runs will commence at 2pm, and will take place over a scenic 5k lap, starting and finishing at St. Laurence O'Toole athletic track. On-line entry fee is 10 (5km) and 15 euro (10km). The course is AAI measured with associated permit granted.

Online entry will close on March 7th. Race entry available on the day at 15 and 20 euro. The purpose of this event is to raise much needed funds for both Special Olympics Carlow, and St. Laurence O’Toole Athletic Club. For further information contact Pamela Hayden on 0876808432 or email pamela.donoghue@gmail.com

The masters athletes had a successful day out at the National Indoor Finals in Nenagh on the 15th January, taking home no less than five medals from this very successful event. Four athletes represented St Laurence O'Toole Ac and all four won medals.

In the track events, all three athletes were competing for the first time in a Masters national finals. Kenneth Archbold took silver in the M40 400m, Aidan O'Toole took gold in the M40 60m & 200m and David Hayde took silver in the M45 60m. In the field events Willie O'Toole took silver in the M60 Shot Put.

It is great to see the Masters category in the Club expanding and achieving results. A few more athletes might consider coming out of retirement and joining in the fun!

Recently Siobhra O' Flaherty travelled to Edinburgh to race in the mini juvenile Great North Bupa Cross Country Run-Siobhra had planned on travelling over just as a trip to watch the senior races that were on the card and to witness some exciting races and some of the best athletes around the globe.. Little did Siobhra realise that there was a juvenile race that she was eligable to enter and so she did, this was mainly for experience and a build up for her schools cross country.. Siobhra produced an excellent performance out there with not much support to finish first girl home and was narrowly beaten by the first boy home who was from Britain, an excellent performance from Siobhra and an experience that some day she will hoping to race in the older races.

Russian born Vera Nekrassova who has been in good form lately recently winning the County Carlow senior womens cross country championship got the call up from Leinster to represent her provence at the Antrim International in Greenmount, Co. Antrim, a course that Vera knows well after representing Ireland at the Schools International early last year on the same grounds. Vera has been recently added to development squad in Leinster and the athletes get picked from this! One year out of her age Vera stepped up to u17 which she will be eligable next year if she gets the call up. Vera ran a solid race and finshed 15th and missing out on bronze medals by 1 point in the tean category. Again for Vera it has been an experience and a race that will boost her confidence, likewise Siobhra!!

Thanks to Brian Kirwan for the above report.

There was great success for St Laurence O'Toole AC athletes at the  Leinster Cross Country  Relays  that were held in Kilmacow Co. Kilkenny on Sunday the 15th of January. The conditions on the day were perfect with clear sky's and a great course for racing. 

First up was the girls under 12's made up of Anna Doyle, Sara Jane Doyle, Katie Curran, Brona Walsh and Chloe Hayden. The girls ran a great race with Brona sprinting her way home for the team to a great silver medal.

Micky Ruben arrived in St Laurence O’Toole’s athletics club on Saturday the 21st of January where over 100 athletes and coaches came to hear him speak and present a hands-on workshop on how to build strength for speed.The ultimate coaching course took place in St Laurence O’Toole Track and Clubhouse, Carlow. Micky Ruben, Usain Bolts personal speed and conditioning coach presented a full day of coaching which included, pre comp warm up /post comp cool down, weights and ploy matching for speed, mobility for jumps & hurdles with speed and core strength for different age levels. The course was open to all sporting clubs including officials, coaches, athletes, team players, etc.

Ruben soon had his guinea pigs working up a sweat as he showed various simple techniques to strengthen up core muscles without the need for expensive equipment. Thanks to all Coaches,athletes & parents who took part in the course especially to those that travelled distances to take part. Perhaps, we will see the sprint times of Carlow athletes starting to tumble in the coming months as his lessons sink in!