Dawn Run: Dublin Mountains Way

Since we don't have late nights and wild social lives now, it's an opportunity to get up early and enjoy the best part of the day. The dawn and sunrise are a feast for the senses. The bird song starts after 3am. Gradually a lone blackbird is joined by a robin and it grows into …

One Day Video: Carrickmines run and Three Rock cycle

Recently I've started recording some videos with my smartphone while outdoors exploring. The #2kmfromhome restrictions on movement have been in place for 2 months and while they have been limiting to our normal routine, in other ways they have been enlightening. We have all probably discovered things around the corner that we never knew existed. …

Sunrise Marathon

You can support DIL via my DONATION page - thanks! On Saturday morning, 9th May 2020, I completed a Sunrise Marathon as my way of marking #DILSunriseAppeal for #DIL2020. I ran 42km around Foxrock, starting under supermoon light at 3am and finishing in Cabinteely Park before 6am in glorious sunshine. It took 2h53m, so a …

My Favourite mountain running memory

Recently, the Irish Mountain Running Association asked us to get creative and competitive, by organising a writing competition. So no mountains involved in the harming of the production, it could all be done safely from home. It was great to see a mix of entries from all ages - juniors to seasoned athletes. Some remarkable …

What’s the future of mass participation sports events in 2020?

As a race organiser, the implications of cancelled and postponed events is real with lots of uncertainty and unknowns. In recent days, the Irish government has cancelled all mass gatherings until the end of the summer, impacting all sporting, concerts, public gatherings and social events. I thought I’d share some ideas, given my experience from …

Exploring My Neighbourhood

We've all been living #StayatHome and while it's been limiting and taken us all some adjusting to, in many ways there have been positives. For me I've enjoyed so much being able to continue training on foot and bike. Adapting to the 2km limits has made it surprisingly interesting, resurrecting a curiosity in what's on …

Masters Cross Country

This year is only 2 weeks old, yet I already have 3 medals. You might think GAA calendars are packed but in athletics it’s peak cross-country season. Especially if you’re of the mature vintage, or as athletes officially become known as “masters” when they hit 35. The species of runner who may still be young …

Looking back on a good 2019

Sharing my thoughts on my sporting year, from the mountains to the sea and everything in between At this time of year many people look forward and look backward. The year that was – 2019. What will it be remembered for? Our news has been dominated by drama and scandal – Brexit, Trump, the FAI, …

2 Marathons in 8 Days: What I’ve Learnt

I’ve already written 2 race reports on Frankfurt and New York City, so here I’m delving into what it was like to do 2 races within the space of a week. Not much recovery time and only the Atlantic Ocean between them. 1.    Google was right The first thing I did after decided to do …

New York City Marathon 2019: Race Report

2:46:45 – 3:56 pace – 444th place (3 November 2019) So, 2 marathons in just over a week? It's Monday night the day after New York City Marathon. I'm a bit broken. My head, throath, nose and legs all hurt. My system is a bit worn down and empty, but my mind is so happy. …

Frankfurt Marathon 2019: Race Report

2:38:04 – 3:45 pace – 181st place – 162 HR – PB by 8 minutes Life has ups and downs. You can plan, hope and try. Sometimes you can't predict the result. Yesterday's Frankfurt Marathon for me was one of those good days, where it felt really good to be alive. Doing what I love, …

Wild Atlantic Way Cycle 2019

A lot has been written about Kerry – writers, footballers, tourists, mountains, festivals, music, the people. So I'm trying to give a different angle, on our recent trip through the Kingdom. We spent 3 days cycling around Kerry. By “we” I mean 70 cyclists from Microsoft, plus 20 support crew who made it all possible. …

Race Report: Lost Sheep Triathlon

12th in 4h50m Swim 43m / Bike 2h 39m / Run 1h 21m “Not another triathlon race report,” says you. “Dave has been doing these for over 10 years. Can he not find something else to write about?” Well hold your thoughts. Last weekend, I entered a new race for me, at a longer distance …

Taking Stock of the Year

2019 has been a good year for me personally, professionally and sporting wise. I've had plenty of bad moments and challenges too. It's not all rosy, but in general life is good. My recent injury has forced me to stop - step back and reflect on the year so far. Sport and exercise takes energy …

Night Run 10km – a surprise win

28th April 2019 – 10km PB of 33m 56s This race report was written last month after an unusual Sunday night for me. Wow, I’m shocked, surprised, delighted, tired, buzzing, happy, motivated. I don’t know what to say. I won a 10km in 33:56 beating over 4,000 competitors. It doesn’t get much better – plus …

Wicklow Way Relay 2019

Race Report 2nd place, Rathfarnham AC in 7h14m This race really is the Grand National of Irish Hill running. A big field. A long attritional course. The potential for disaster. The form guides. The chopping and changing of runners and riders. The going of the ground. The risk of falling at the first (not arriving …

Conducting the Orchestra: Phoenix Park Duathlon

27th April 2019: What do you call a duathlon without a bike leg? One of the many questions I pondered as we dealt with the tail end of Storm Hannah today. You learn in life that things will always take a twist, just when it looks like plain sailing. Well today I'm proud of the work …

Quest Glendalough 2019 Report

3rd place, 3h21m, 60km, +1800m My third time out in Glendalough and it turned out well – 3rd place after 3+ hours of slogging up and down Wicklow’s finest hills. I really do love these events – the Quest team open up beautiful parts of our country, where we get to battle it out with …

Bohermeen Half Marathon: Smashed my PB

PB by 90 seconds – 75:41 (3:35 pace) – 19th of 1,200 competitors Country village races are just better The smaller the community the better the vent. All you need is a pub, a church, a school, a community centre or GAA pitch and a big field for a car park. Oh, and let’s not …

Women in Tech: Hopper Local / Dublin Conference

I don’t get out of the office much. Today, I only left the building for a 10 minute walk at lunchtime. But it was a really enlightening day, not my usual mix of emails, meetings and evening calls. Microsoft hosted the first ever Hopper event outside the USA, and I was lucky enough to get …

The Love of Sport: Special Olympics

This week we hosted loads of Special Olympics athletes in our offices at Microsoft Ireland. They are a mix of men and women of all ages, who take part in the games in various sports like table tennis, golf, dancing, football and basketball. I was touched by the challenges these people face and how they …

Book Review: Off Balance (Matthew Kelly)

I read a nice short book recently which got me to think differently about the perennial question that every worker now faces: “how do I find the balance between work and my life?” We live in a crazy, always on, smartphone-centered world. The answer Kelly gives is that we’re asking the wrong question. I was …

Exploring La Palma

Hiking & running in one of the lesser known Canary Islands (December 2018) Visiting “la Isla Verde” Our 14th year away at Christmas, since John left us in 2005. We've always gone away. I look forward to it, so this time split my time by discovering a new island: La Palma. I’d read a blog …

Canada & Quebec: What’s different?

Canada is a peaceful place. The pace of life is calm, even in the city. Drivers are patient. Cyclists are well lit and wrapped up. Streets have character, with unique shopfronts. Lots of Irish surnames – Murphy, Maguire, Mulcahy. Plenty of British influence: spelling - “centre” not “center”’; a bronze statue of the Queen on …

Comparing Quebec and Ireland

Visiting Quebec for 2 weeks this autumn has made me think a lot about the parallels between these 2 places. Even though they are very proud of their language and heritage, they're not anti-British or anti royalty. They still show that patriotism to fight. On the face of it, you see so many differences: language, …

Visiting Quebec

I spent 2 weeks exploring Quebec in late October 2018, visiting a good friend in Ottawa. I was lucky to have a local tour guide and get to explore great cities like Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City, as well as the great outdoors. Here are my thoughts from my diary. Trip Highlights Hiking up Mont …

The Stook 10 Mile

2nd in 59:40 (3:43 pace) Dungarvan is synonymous with a big 10-mile race, named after John Treacy, but it better watch out, as it’s namesake up the road in Kilkenny will give it a run for its money. Today I took part in a lovely community organised race in rural south Co. Kilkenny. It’s a …

What I Listen To: Podcasts & Radio

I recently shared my favourite blogs and writers that I read online. This time I’m sharing my favourite podcasts and radio shows. I spend a lot of time listening to music, talk shows and documentaries. It can be at my desk in work or out for a run in the evening. I love finding out …

The Joys of Reading on the Web

I love reading and learning about new perspectives and things. The web has opened up a world of great writers, bloggers and journalists. I want to share the mix of sources I follow – as everyone has a unique insight to this world. My essential reads list covers football, triathlon, running, economics, technology, travel and …

Returning to Canada

I’m on a plane over the Atlantic, on my way back to Canada for the 4th time. It brought back memories of my previous trips. First time was in 2002 when I visited Toronto for the World Youth Day festival, where I got to attend Mass with Pope John Paul II. We also got to …

Quest Killarney 2018: Did Do Better

Sixth year running around Killarney, I was surprised to end up on the podium in 3rd after 4 hours of racing. This is a story of familiar faces, glorious gaps, muddy mountains, lovely lakes, stupid sheep, continuous climbs, dangerous descents, several surprises, pilates poses and lots more. I’ve been going down to Killarney since 2013 …

Wild Atlantic Way Cycle

5 days in West Cork & Kerry on the bike with the Microsoft Crew Day 1: Kinsale to Skibbereen 106 kilometres A long day - 2 days in 1 really, up at 5:20am with the alarm, to get on a bus to Cork. Seeing new faces and old friends. A quick pitstop change in Kinsale …

Charity Events at Work: What I Learnt

In September 2018, I took part in a charity fundraiser with my colleagues at Microsoft Ireland. A team of 80 people fundraised over €110,000 for Ireland’s only children’s hospice, Laura Lynn. I wanted to share my thoughts on all the great things that I learnt by taking part, both from a personal and team point …

Thoughts on race organisation

This year I’ve spent more time organising races than competing in them, so I’ve had lots of time to think about what goes into organising events. I was race director for 4 of Belpark Tri Clubs races, which took up a lot of time in the winter, spring and summer. Most races or events are …

Hiking in the Comeraghs

Recently I took up a new challenge, hill walking. I’ve ran in the mountains for years but never really gone for a long hike. You know the crowd, out with their poles, waterproofs, compasses, flasks, boots and those shoe cover things to keep your feet dry. Timing was good – I signed up over 6 …

Exploring Co. Down

Last weekend, I spent a couple of days in Northern Ireland. My excuse was the Belfast Titanic Triathlon, so I stayed on and explored a new part of the province – East County Down & the Ards Peninsula. It was a really nice couple of days, staying in Portaferry and cycling a lap of Strangford …

Dingle Adventure Race: 2018 Race Report

My 7th year coming down to Dingle for an always memorable and happy weekend. This time was different. I was injured, so had to make a call the night before to drop down to the sport distance. My ankle has been sprained since a triathlon 2 weeks ago, so there’s no way I could run …

Wicklow Way Relay 2018

Rathfarnham AC Team Report By David Power, Team Captain One of the highlights of the IMRA calendar, a real celebration of team spirit, adventure and surprises. Rathfarnham AC was hoping to continue our proud history in the Wicklow Way Relay, an 8 person relay over 100 kilometers from Dublin to South Wicklow. In our way …

Maurice Mullins Trail 2018

8th – 1h57m One of the excellent IMRA events, which I completed for the 4th time. Conditions were calm and mild, and a lot drier underfoot thank I’d expected. It’s nice waiting at the start in Ballinstoe. Watching the Ultra runners reach their halfway mark, just as we set off. Fair play to them all. …

Thoughts on America

January 2018: After a week in Trump’s America, working, travelling and meeting people, here are some thoughts: Work Start early, finish early Face to face meetings are great Redmond, WA has so many job opportunities The drinks fridge is impressive Microsoft is full of white & Asian people The Reno office is really quiet People …

Skiing in Tahoe, USA

I was lucky enough to ski at Lake Tahoe in January 2018, while on a work trip to Reno, Nevada. It was very cold but beautiful and a great experience. It got me thinking - how does skiing in the USA compare to the European Alps? 20-Jan: Skiing at Heavenly Back in South Lake Tahoe …

Rotterdam Memories: 11 years later

I wrote this piece in 2017, after spending a week in Rotterdam. In September 2017, I was back in Rotterdam, 15 years after I first stepped off the plane in the Netherlands. First, I came to Maastricht on a university exchange in 2002. I loved it so much and it changed my world, that I …

Cycling in Gran Canaria: North vs South

Gran Canaria is a mecca for winter cycling, on the road and off-road MTB. For years I’ve spent a week around Christmas riding through the valleys and climbs on the southern coast, based out of Free Motion in Playa del Ingles. This year I explored the north of the island, based out of Las Palmas. …

The Spanish Football Podcast Live #TSFP

Spanish football has been an interest of mine, ever since I first watched the Galacticos of Real Madrid back in the 1990s with Beckham, Raul, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos. Zidane's winning goal in Hampden Park, Glasgow in 1998 against Bayer Leverkusen stands out, even though it's 20 years ago. So it was nice to go …

Gran Canaria Cycling: Pico de las Nieves from Las Palmas

Route: 91km, +/-2855m, 5hrs, 20th Dec 2017 HC climb – for years I watched the Tour de France and didn’t really know what it meant. Hors Categorie – without categorisation. Climbs could be graded 1-4 depending on gradient and length. HC was invented for climbs off that scale – tougher than a Cat1. (In Ireland …

Novice XC Champs 2017

WIT Arena, Waterford, 17th December 2017 44th in 21:37 (3:45 pace over a muddy & hilly 6km course) Pure racing. Raw sport. No bells or whistles. Cross country needs a muddy field, a car park, tape to mark the course and start/finish line. Bring along 2,000 runners of all ages and let them at it. …

Virtual workshops using Surface Hub

This week I got to use some cool technology which really impressed me. Imagine if the National Emergency Coordination Committee could use this technology to collaborate on the response to natural disasters like Ex-Hurricane Ophelia which hit Ireland this week? Ok, I work for a tech company who makes cool stuff like Xbox, Windows, Azure, …

Cycling around the Netherlands

September 2017 Overall thoughts After 5 days of cycling around the Netherlands, there are a few great things I noticed and appreciated, which makes cycling safe, enjoyable and easy. Touring on a bike is such a great way to see the countryside. You discover so much more than going by car or train. It’s a …

Exploring Ardmore & West Waterford

The concept of a staycation will be one of the words of the summer of 2020. I think it’s a great idea to make us all realise we don’t need to jet off far away to have a good time, both physically, culturally and gastronomically. In July, we spent a weekend on holidays in our …

Back racing up mountains: Lug na Coille

3rd place in 59 minutes over 10.5km and +700m of climbing after 4 months without racing Writing a race report while sitting on a camping chair in the middle of the Glen of Imaal artillery firing range may sound dangerous. It's Sunday afternoon, so judging by the silence, I reckon the army are having a …

Juneteenth: time to think

I don't know if I should write this, or what I should write. Let's give it a go, as putting my thoughts down on paper helps distil what I'm thinking and gives me a focus. If it provokes discussion or a reaction in you the reader, even better. IN THE END… We only regret the …