John Buckley Sports

We bid a sad farewell to the classic race, run by classy people. Like our own ethos, it was a race set up by runners for runners. It was the standout race for us to be associated with.

Using a simple formula of runners first and all else second, they set up an unrivalled race. We were proud to be part of the 40-year wonder and thankful to John and his team for letting us take part in their journey.

We wish them well in the future and speaking from all our customers we say:

“BALLYCOTTON “10” THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES”

John Buckley Sports

After nearly 9 months of no racing due to a few set backs, I finally got a bit of uninterrupted and solid training in. So last Sunday, August 20th, I took a trip down to Kerry to race in the Rose of Tralee 10km.

It was a wet and windy start to the morning but by the time I had my warm up done, the rain was clearing. As it was my first race in a while and I wanted to get a positive experience out of it. I decided to turn off my GPS and run on how I felt.

The course had a bit of everything. There was some nice flat running, a few long pulls and a few twists and bends. I won the race in a time of 30.38 and I was happy with the way I felt for my first race back.

The John Buckley Sports Cork City 10 Miler is when I plan to race next. It will take place on the Saturday September 9th at 6pm. It takes in the Marina, Lough Mahon and the old railway line, so a nice fast, flat one. An excellent preview can be seen here: http://munsterraceroutes.blogspot.ie/2013/01/cork085.html and you can enter online at www.johnbuckleysports.com

Whether you are a walker or an elite runner your shoes are a vital tool to help get you to where you want to be. With such a huge range of brands and types of shoes, I have narrowed down a selection of our biggest selling stability shoes to help you find the correct one for you.

Asics GT2000V5
The Asics GT2000V5 is one of our biggest selling shoes and is the go to shoe for overpronators. With it’s firm Duomax stability bar built into the arch of the shoe it helps prevent your foot from overpronating and causing injuries. It has a gel cushioning that reduces the impact of the hard surfaces on your muscles allowing you get that bit further on your run. This shoe is not very wide or too narrow so it would suit most runner’s feet.

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 17
The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 17 is a brilliant shoe and anyone that buys it will come back and buy it again. It has a very solid support bar in the arch of the shoe, giving a very stable feel when running. It also has a triple density compression molded foam cushion, giving you a nice soft landing on impact. This shoe is a very similar fit to the Asics GT2000.

Mizuno Wave Inspire 13
The Mizuno Wave Inspire 13 is a shoe that we have been selling for a long time and it is a very reliable shoe to run in. It has a double fan wave stability bar which makes it one of the most supportive shoes we have. With a very light cushioning it makes the shoe one of the lightest to run in. The shoes toe-box is slightly wider than the Asics and Brooks so it would suit a slightly wider foot type.

Nike Structure 20
The Nike Structure 20 is another big seller at John Buckley Sports. It is a great high mileage shoe with a good medial arch support. Due to the air cushioning in the shoe it makes it lighter than the likes of the Asics and Brooks. It has a similar fit and feel to the Mizuno Wave Inspire so it would be perfect for those who need a bit of room in the front of the shoe.

All the above shoes are available at www.johnbuckleysports.com or if you need any advice on selecting a shoe call us on 021-4508830. Also, you can call in store for a free gait analysis.

The most important tool for any athlete is their shoes, whether it is track and field, road racing or just running.
With such a large variety of shoes on the market it can be hard to determine which one is the right one for you for racing. I compiled a list of racing shoes to hopefully make that decision a little easier.

Adidas Adios Boost: Current Special Price €100.00

Weather your racing a 5k or a marathon this shoe will get you to the finish in a fast time. With a responsive boost midsole, it provides great energy return and a full length Torsion system that creates a quick transition at toe off. This is the elite’ shoe of choice, but even if you are not an elite this shoe will help you go faster.

Asics DS Racer: Price €112.50

This shoe is one of our biggest selling racing flats that we carry. It is designed for 5k to marathon distance and is a fantastic shoe to run in. It has a Solyte midsole provide responsive cushioning while a Duomax support system provides just enough support so it is ideal for those training for the half marathon or the full marathon.

Nike LunaRacer: Price €112.50

The Lunaracer is a very popular racing shoe that we sell, especially for those training for the marathon. It has a soft and responsive Lunarlon midsole, which makes it cushioned enough for marathon racing while still being light enough to take on shorter distances.

Nike Zoom Streak: Price €95.00

This is my personal favorite. I have raced in this shoe for the last few years, from 5k to marathon. It has a lot going for it, great lightweight cushioning, a slightly wider toe box and even an internal arch strap for lightweight support. Perfect for anyone looking to run a fast time on the roads.

All the above shoes can be got at www.johnbuckleysports.com or for any advice on Racing shoes call us on 021-4508830

Last Sunday I competed in the National Cross Country Championships and European Cross Country trials on the new purpose build course in Abbotstown, Dublin. Having not raced in a while and with a big block of Winter training behind me I was looking forward to getting out there.

Perfect weather conditions and just the overall feeling of anticipation meant we all went out a bit eager but the pace eventually settled down.

Rolling mucky hills in the second half of the course were maneuvered fairly easily in the first few laps. On lap three there was a breakaway of a few of us. I felt good so went with pace.

The hills became a little more cumbersome towards the latter half of the race and the eventual winner started to pull away on the last lap. I battled hard to the line and held on for bronze. This also qualifies me for the Irish team in the European Championships that will be held in Chia, Italy in little over a weeks times.

Hoping to build on this race and personally feeling I’ve never performed to what I’m capable of in an Irish vest, I hope I can put down a performance for the team that I will be proud of in Italy.

Last Sunday I won my 7th Cork Senior Cross Country title. My first one was back in 2005 in Ballymartle at the age of 20. Fellow Leevaler Tony O’Leary also won 7 in the 80’s.

This was my first cross country race in 2 years as last year I was coming off my first marathon and was having knee pain so we thought it was best to give it a miss and not make it worse.

The race started out conservatively and with 4 laps to go I picked it up and kept that tempo to the finish. I felt good over the challenging 10km course in Carrigadrohid so I hope that is a sign that I am wintering well.

The aim for this season is to keep healthy, strong and consistent which will hopefully get me in the best shape to be competitive over the hills and country in the coming months.

After a tough day at the European Half Marathon Championships in Amsterdam where I disappointingly failed to finish I felt I needed something a bit shorter to get me back on track. I was in good shape leading into Amsterdam so I knew I could use that over the next few months.

I did a few speedier track sessions to sharpen up. I have found I have to work on my form a lot more now in sessions to try get out of the marathon style running. I focus on glutes and leg lift and try to drive my arms more and I feel this helps.

I threw myself into the ‘Morton Games’ 3k. I finished with a 8.09 which I was relatively pleased about seeing I hadn’t raced track much since moving up to the marathon.

I then traveled to Kildare for the ‘Le Cheile’ Meet and raced another 3k there, this time getting a win in 8.16.

‘Novartis 5k’ was up next and I went down there to break my own record which stands at 14.34 set in 2012. I missed it by 13 seconds but pleased to be feeling myself again and represent John Buckley Sports.

I hope to try get another track race in before the season is out. Not quite the Summer I had hoped for but getting a taste for the track again has made me feel I am not done with it yet.

Last Tuesday the John Buckley 5K in association with the BHAA took place and with about 850 runners toeing the line it was a great success.

The evening was amazing which led to some quick times. The first mile was fast in 4.36 so the group of 4 was on for a good pace from the start.

At mile two I kept a good pace and got a slight lead on the group and held that till the end to finish in a time of 14.33. No records this year but after two marathons in the legs since last year I’m happy to be able to get close enough.

There was a great atmosphere after and good grub. It was a very successful night for John Buckley Sports and the BHAA and well done to all who competed. Hopefully everyone enjoyed the night and there were lots of PB’s!

I hope to race the 3K in the Cork City Sports on the 28th June before we head to the European Championships for the half marathon in July.

The John Buckley Sports 5k in association with the BHAA will be held this Tuesday 31st May 2016.

The course has changed slightly this year but should still be a quick affair.

The race starts at the usual point on Centre Park Road and takes the first left after about half a mile at the roundabout for Monaghan Road. At the end of this road you take a left at the T junction onto Centre Park Road. This loop is done once more, then instead of taking a right at T junction onto Centre Park Road towards the Marina you take a left and straight down past the start line to the finish.

Race registration is at the Lee Rowing club building at the start of the Marina and there will be refreshments and prize presentation there too after the race. The race starts at 8pm sharp. You can also register online at www.johnbuckleysports.com.

I am just off the ‘Night of 10000m PB’s’ track race in the UK where I didn’t quite PB but it has helped me find my track legs again since the marathon and I plan to represent the great John Buckley Sports tomorrow night.

I raced the Ballycotton ’10’ last Sunday and although it was misty and cold I really enjoyed the buzz of this historic event.

We travelled down together as a club and we were kindly looked after by a very generous Leevale family, who opened up their house to us on this wintery day.

I couldn’t afford to taper too much for this one with a marathon on the horizon so I went into it hoping I could do enough to win.

Six of us shared the lead over the first three miles and the pace was very much up and down. I put in a surge after the third mile and managed to get a bit of distance on the pack. I was able to control the pace and build on that lead for the rest of the race and finished strong in a time of 49.01, 9 seconds off my PB.

I’m glad to have finally got the chance to experience this East Cork Classic and I can see what the attraction is.

I have a lot more to do before I toe the line for my next marathon but I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead.

On Sunday 6^th of March at 1.30pm the running of the 39^th Ballycotton 10 mile road race takes place in the scenic East Cork town of Ballycotton.

The historic race is steeped in history, with some of Irelands greatest ever distance runners competing in the race over the years.

Athletes such as Ray Treacy, Jerry Kiernan and “king of the road” Noel Berkley all winning the race over the years. The race would also attract many over seas international athletes like the course record holder Gary Staines from the British club of Belgrave, who set the course record of 47.00 in 1995.

On the womens side you have Irish Olympian Maria McCambridge who set the womens course record of 54.20 in 2015. Some other irish internationals like Sonia O Sullivan and Valerie Vaughan also have won the race.

The Ballycotton course is a great running course, it has a bit of down hill ,flat and a small bit of uphill running towards the end of the race. Overall it’s a honest and enjoyable course. John Buckley Sports will have a pop up shop at the school in Ballycotton with up 50% off on selected items. we hope everybody has a great race and enjoyable day. More info at http://www.ballycottonrunning.com

Last Saturday week I completed my 4th half marathon of my running career and I am noticing each one is getting easier both physically and mentally as I keep getting stronger.

‘Waterford Half Marathon’ was scheduled in early December 2015 but was cancelled due to the floods. This may have been a blessing for me as I was probably more ready for it now than I was in December after coming off a tough few weeks post my first marathon. Instead I dropped down in distance over the Christmas period and ran a few 5k’s and got myself sharp again.

The Waterford course was different from pervious years due the some parts of the course still being flooded but I knew I would get a decent race. Mile 1 was flat and fast and clocked it at 4.45. Mile 2 to 5 was mainly flat with a few small hills but we kept a solid pace. The road surface from mile 5 to 9 was uneven and energy sapping but we were still moving nicely. Around half way through mile 9 there was long dragging hill and I found myself with an uncomfortable stitch that made the hill even tougher at that point in the race. I dropped a small bit in pace but once it flattened out I started to feel better and got back into a good pace and finished strong. I was happy to come away with a 50 second PB (65.09) and 2nd place.

Overall this was another good experience and I also recovered much quicker after this one compared to my last few so a lot of positives can be taken going forward for the busy few months ahead.

Two weeks have passed since my first marathon in Berlin. Here is a recap of how it went.

The morning of the race was cool and crisp, perfect racing conditions. I was up at 5am, had my usual breakfast and headed to the start line at 7.30am on the bus with the other athletes. I was able to do a small warm up and stretch and got myself ready to race. With such a great atmosphere building in Berlin I was looking forward to getting going.

Start-10km
Pace started out good and I got myself into a nice group of four. We settled into a good rhythm and I felt comfortable and in control. We were running at a pace that would bring us home in 2.16 which was a realistic target.

10km-20km
I took my first get at 15km and we continued to work together at a good tempo. My watch like many other watches unfortunately wasn’t able to pick up satellites as there were a lot of high-rise buildings throughout the course but I knew my 5km splits and had them written on my hand as a back up.

20km-30km
I took another Powerbar Isoactive drink at 20km and on reaching half way I was feeling good, well in control and mentally strong. We hit the half way point in 68.11.

30km-40km
At 30km the group had been split up and just 2 of us were left. We were catching the group ahead and it felt like it was going to be a really positive day. I took my second and final gel at 35km but the first signs of fatigue were creeping in. Things began to feel a little bit harder as expected but I was still on pace for a 2.16 marathon and stayed positive working through the bad patches. At 37km I was still moving reasonably well but obviously was heading for new undiscovered territory. It was at 39km I suddenly went from feeling reasonably ok to feeling the worst pain I’ve ever felt. My legs ceased up and I had to stop. I was encouraged along by some spectators and began to walk. The worst thoughts flashed through my mind but I thought about all the sacrifice and hard work that I had put in and began to get my legs moving again, although it was at a significantly slower pace.

40km-Finish
The last 2km were very, very hard and couldn’t have been happier to get to the finish. I crossed the line in 2.21.

After being on 2.16 pace up until 37km it was hard to accept that time initially but I’ve had two weeks to reflect on my first marathon and I can say I’ve come away with an overall positive experience and learnt a lot along the way. It has taken these two weeks for my legs to get back to normal but I feel I have gained so much from my first marathon experience.

My coach and I will start planning for another one soon as I’m not finished yet, this is hopefully only the start of my marathon career.

One week to go and I am making sure all the boxes will be ticked before the start of the Berlin Marathon on the 27th September 2015.

Training:

I have done the 120 mile weeks incident free and I am well into my taper now so the most important box will be ticked on the day.

Clothing:

I have worn my race kit several times during races and training runs in a a variety of conditions just to make sure there will be no issues on the day.

I will wear Nike apparel as I feel it is the most comfortable and best fit for me. I will also be wearing my Nike Zoom Streaks and they have been put away for the day. They are broken in but have not been worn too much just to keep them fresh.

Nutrition:

Berlin marathon will supply Powerbar Nutrition on the day but I will have a few bottles of similar Powerbar product and gels at the water stations. I will also have a gel with my girlfriend Laura just in case there are any mishaps.

I will have my usual slice of toast and coffee the morning of the race. This suits me best and it is what I am used to. It is also simple to obtain wherever you are staying.

Mental:

I have the mental preparation done and I just need to keep this at the back of my mind leading up to the race and be able to tap into it when I need it during the race. I have been told this as well as the training is an equally important aspect of marathon preparation. I know it is going to be tough but I hope to be excited but mentally calm on the day.

There has been a lot of sacrifices made to enable me to get this far and I want to thank everyone who has given me the help and support throughout this journey. I hope I can do myself justice on the day.

The ‘Ballycotton 5′ is steeped in tradition and with winners throughout the years such as Liam O’ Brien, Donie Walsh, Ray Treacy and Marcus O’ Sullivan, to name a few, I was looking forward to testing myself in this historic race.

Throughout the years my season would usually be finished by the end of August so this race wouldn’t have been in the plan but this year was different and it was falling the perfect time before the Berlin Marathon on the 27th September.

A dry sunny evening with a strong sea breeze were the conditions we faced last Thursday evening. Over 550 started and with a fairly flat first mile, I clocked my second fastest mile of the evening at 4.45. The second mile was similar at 4.49. Tough pulls in the third mile meant my pace dropped to a 5.06 mile but I was feeling good so drove on and was able to pick the pace up to a 4.45 for the fourth mile. The last mile although it had a tough drag at the end I managed to clock my fastest mile of the night at 4.41 and finished strong. My finishing time was 24.10, the fastest time in over 20 years on this course.

This was a great final race to do before the taper for Berlin begins next week. I got to test out my race kit that I will be using for the marathon and took my new black reflect Nike Air Zoom Streak 5 for a second run before they will be put away for Berlin.

I had an enjoyable evening down in Ballycotton and it certainly is nice to be now part of the Ballycotton tradition.

Last Sunday I ran the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon which doubled up as the Athletics Ireland National Championships. This was the second one of my career.

An early start of 8.30 meant a 5am alarm but I had booked a hotel close to the start line so used the distance to get there as my warm up.

A stacked field meant that we had a good group of lads up until about about mile 5. A few surges were put in then and the group was split up but I felt good enough to go with the break of 7 lads.

Over the half way point there was a breakaway of 2 but I kept them in my sights and ran controlled keeping a good pace of under 5 minutes/mile. There were a few drags in this second half but I felt comfortable at this pace.

I was in 3rd position with about 1 mile to go but I felt my legs tightening a little. At 1 km left I was passed but unfortunately I had given it my all up until that point and my last mile was to be the slowest of the 13.1 miles.

65 min 58 seconds, a PB and 4th place in a very experienced field of runners-a solid days work.

My coach was pleased and pointed out that I have weeks of heavy miles in my legs so he wasn’t expecting anything more.

Under 8 weeks to go now to Berlin so head down again. The real fun is about the begin!

Mark won’t need his track spikes for a while with his marathon training so he asked me to help him out with this week’s blog on the “Nike Zoom Victory 2” track spikes.

I have been a big fan of Nike spikes right back as far as my community games days, 20 years ago, in Mosney and can remember travelling up from Kerry with my parents to collect my spikes from John Buckley Sports. John Buckley Sports is part of the “Nike Running Specialist” group, so they always have Nike’s latest models. I am lucky enough to now be a Nike sponsored athlete but John Buckley Sports have always been great to look after me.

The Nike Zoom Victory 2 are Nike’s lightest spike at 3.5 oz and with Pylon full length midsole foam, you still get that lightweight cushioning that you want. Flywire technology wraps the mid foot and arch for that strong glove like fit and supportive feel. Nike Zoom Victory developers have taken out a small hole of material in the back of the shoe, some say to make it even lighter but I think it locks the heal in place for an extra secure fit.

This spike has a range from 800m to 5000m but I would do anything from 200m reps in them. With the 6 spike Pebax sole plate and extra traction elements, you get enhanced grip when you need to pick up speed in the final 150m of a race. Being an 800m athlete you are always looking for the little extras and these can definitely help with those narrow margins.

With the John Buckley Graded T&F League taking place throughout the summer why not try your hand at the shorter distances and have an excuse to try out these amazing spikes from John Buckley Sports. The next one is on the 16^th July in CIT.

You can’t beat the feeling of stepping out onto the track in a fresh pair of Nike spikes and I am looking forward to trying my white Nike Zoom Victory 2 Spikes in the 800m at the Cork City Sports in CIT on next Tuesday 7^th July. John Buckley Sports has tickets on sale in the shop or they can be bought at the gate on the night. It is sure to be a great night of international athletics.

Best of luck to everyone for the season ahead. Hope it’s good one!

Laura

I have been lucky enough to get my hands on the newly released Nike Pegasus 32 and took them out on my 20 mile progression run this morning. As a previous Nike Pegasus wearer and fan, I was interested in trying these out.
This neutral cushioned shoe just keeps getter lighter at 9.7 oz and after lacing up I instantly liked the feel of them.

The new Flywire technology introduced in this shoe runs through the lace loops to give that extra comfortable snug fit and helps reduce pressure on the top ridge of the foot. This locks the foot down which reduces the overall weight of the shoe. This would come in handy as my legs begin to feel a little heavier as I reached the last few faster miles of this run.

I was happy to still get that responsive feel that I’ve grown to love in the Pegasus series. The full length Cushlon provides resilient yet soft protection. While the Nike Zoom Air unit at the heel features air pockets that flex on contact for responsive impact protection. This feature will come in useful as my long run hits nearer the marathon distance.

I will be running on a variety of surfaces quiet often during my marathon training. This shoe offers great traction thanks to its durable and versatile Waffle outsole. I usually need to change my runners every 500 miles but I’d imagine I will be getting a longer life out of these.

Shop online at www.johnbuckleysports.com or call into the shop to check out the latest addition to this Nike Pegasus range. We currently stock the Nike Pegasus 32 in two vibrant summer colours of ‘blue lagoon’ and ‘pink pow’. Black is also available in this model.

If you are looking for a light yet responsive performance from your shoe and are maybe, like me, aiming for an autumn marathon, these would be the perfect addition to your marathon miles.

On Sunday 22nd of March I ran my second 10 miler of the year “Mallow 10”. It was a perfect day for racing, sunny with a light breeze.

In this race I had the company of the Garmin 620 GPS watch. I normally don’t wear a GPS watch training or racing but since getting this watch last week I can’t seem to go on a run without it.

The first 2 miles of the course were hilly which meant we went out a bit slower than usual. It quickly picked up in mile 3 and 4 on the downhill section of the course. The Garmin was great for this part of the course when I really needed to be cautious about controlling my pace.

The second half of the race was much tougher with long drags and stretches of straight roads. The Garmin 620 has a auto lap feature which allows you to set a distance and it then vibrates or beeps at that point each time. I set it for 1 mile and it accurately indicated at each mile marker on the course and what I ran for it. You can also edit the screen to have four different displays at once. Mine included distance, lap time, pace and overall time elapsed which was very useful rather than having to flick between screens while running.

I finished 2nd in the race in a time of 49.53. The race was very well organized and is one I would definitely recommend. The feedback from the Garmin 620 was amazing. Some more features included Vibration Alerts, Auto Lap®, Auto Pause®, Personal Records, Post-run Summary, Virtual Partner®, Wireless Uploads & USB Connectivity, Training Plan Support are to name just a few. I could analyse my cadence and look at the elevation/pace on the Garmin App after which was interesting to see.  For more info on this watch visit our website www.johnbuckleysports.com and check out our Twitter and Facebook page for news of my next blog.

Happy Running 🙂 

On Sunday the 1st of March I ran my first half Marathon in Bath, just outside Bristol. It was a very cold and windy morning, which was to be expected for this time of the year. I have been gearing my training towards this for the last few months, and in preparation I got myself a new pair of racing flats.

I usually would wear the Nike Lunar Racer but this time around I decided to change and try out the Nike Zoom Streak 5. I first wore these in the “John Treacy Dungarvan 10” where I ran a PB of 48.52.

The morning of the race I did my usual routine and then went to the athlete’s tent to get ready. About one hour before the race I went for my warm up in my Nike Pegasus 31s and when I got back I put on my Nike Zoom Streaks and did drills and fast strides in them.

The shoe itself has the perfect amount of cushioning from heel to toe with a dynamic support built in for a more stable feel. The lightweight breathable mesh and the Flywire technology allow for a very secure and comfortable fit on the foot.

We started off with a quick first mile and then the pace settled as we turned into the wind and the first hilly part of the 2 lap course. Two athletes broke away early on, which left myself and an Ethiopian athlete running together for the rest of the race. It remained like this until the last 20 meters where he just got ahead of me on the line. I finished 4th in a time of 66.18, a time which I look forward to improving on. I am content with that opener in such tough conditions and looking forward to the next race in a few weeks: Mallow 10 mile.

Overall I am very pleased with the Nike Zoom Streak 5 and happy it got me through the 13.1 miles in one piece.

 

 

Hi, my name is Mark and I am a long distance runner working for John Buckley Sports in Cork city. I will be writing a blog about training and also I will be trying out and reviewing different running products.  Next week I will be reviewing the Nike Zoom Streak 5 racing shoe. Also if anybody would like to know any information about a product in our shop feel free to leave a comment and I will respond.