Ireland’s leading sports gear and equipment retailer, Elverys Sports, have this evening been unveiled as the Official Retail Partner of Kildare GAA. Under the new partnership Elverys Sports will support Kildare hurling and football teams across all their adult teams.
Kildare Senior Football players Eoin Doyle, captain, and Eoghan O’Flaherty, as well as Senior Football Manager, Cian O’Neill, were on hand to launch the partnership ahead of the Senior Footballers’ Leinster Senior Football clash with Wexford on Saturday 21st May.
Welcoming the partnership, Ger Donnelly, Chairman of Kildare County Board, said: “Elverys Sports is a long established supplier of Gaelic games gear and equipment in Ireland and has been involved with many successful teams down through the years.
With retail stores in Naas and Maynooth and an on-line facility as well, this partnership will allow Kildare GAA to maximise its retail potential within the county and outside to the benefit of members, players and supporters.
We in Kildare GAA are looking forward to building our relationship with Elverys Sports to our mutual benefit during the term of this agreement”.
Speaking of the partnership Anne-Marie Hanley of Elverys Sports, said: “As one of the longest running sponsors of Irish sport we in Elverys Sports are embedded in many communities all over Ireland and we are delighted to extend our involvement with the GAA through this partnership with Kildare which will allow us to support players and administrators through various commercial initiatives. It also gives us the opportunities to engage with the Kildare GAA supporters”.
Elverys IntersportVhi WMM ambassador Hayley Coleman has pushed on with her preparation for the June Bank holiday weekend and she has found that rest and recuperation is just as important as her training over the last few weeks.
Feeling fragile after a recent 10k race in Castlebar, Hayley has been singing the praises of her Trigger Point foam roller.
“I’ve been using it all week since I did a 10k on Sunday,” she told us. “I was not feeling the best all week in the run up to the race, but I said I’d do it anyway but I was sore since. I went and did another 5k then, and a few (fitness) classes and maybe I should have rested but [the foam roller] has been brilliant. I’ve been living with it all week!,” she laughed.
Her experience on foam rollers was limited prior to starting her training but she recognises the benefit now.
“I would have used it in the gym but because I didn’t have one at home I wouldn’t have spent as much time using them. It completely loosens out any knots you have, it is really good. I didn’t know that my hip flexors would be so tight from the running, but I’ve used it on those and my glutes all week and they are a lot better now. If you have little knots it helps stretch them out and works your muscles. It’s been great, I think I’ll keep using it all the time.”
“The guys in the gym showed me how to use it properly and if you have one you need to know what to do, but if you do it’s really beneficial. I wouldn’t have known what to do with it before, I’d have been just looking at it but it’s been great.”
She has found it especially useful after a long day in the car and on her feet at work.
“Totally. Your lower back, glutes, if they are tight, your back, your hamstrings will be at you and this is why the foam roller is so helpful – I’m using it even when I’m watching TV! Just to give yourself a good stretch, it might hurt a bit but that’s the way you know it’s working!”
Hayley also branched out to using fitness technology in the shape of a FitBit Flex to keep her up
“I’ve been spending my time getting the hang of it, because to be fair there is a lot to it, there are so many bits to it that keep surprising me. You can track your steps, you can check your sleep patterns, everything. I get an email which tells me what my most active day was, and that is great because it is a good reminder.”
“You’re finding new parts to it the whole time, even with my running it tells me how far I’ve gone, the pace I’ve been going at, things I wouldn’t know. You can input your age, your weight, whether there’s any weight loss you want to reach, when you want to lose it by, how much you’ve lost each week – it’s a great help. You wouldn’t even notice you have it on either, it’s very unobtrusive and light.”
Hayley discovered that her fitful sleeping habits can be an issue prior to running so she’s hoping to get in more sleep before the Vhi WMM race day.
“With my sleep [patterns] it’s telling me that I’m only sleeping five hours a night – I would have thought it was more, but I wake eleven times a night on average. You don’t realise why you’re shattered in the morning – you’re thinking you’re after a good night’s sleep. It’s great like that, it’s really helpful.”
“After the 10k I was shattered and I only really came back to myself a few days after but what happened was that I was working very hard that week and I was up at 5am, 6am every day, and by Sunday (race day) I woke up and I was shattered. What I learned was that I need to ensure that I have plenty of rest in the days leading up to the race itself on June 6th. I was burnt-out, and maybe a bit dehydrated. It shows how important sleep and rest is and it’s just as important as training.”
Follow Hayley’s progress and much more on Elverysblog.com every week until the big day June 6th
The GAA summer has already found it’s first epic. Clare and Waterford played out an intense draw in the National Hurling League final after extra time meaning they have to do it all again next weekend. Add those high pressure games to a first round Munster SHC meeting at the start of June and you have the possible re-ignition of a huge rivalry between the two counties.
Whatever happens, there’s no doubt that both these sides will have a big say in the destination of the All Ireland Hurling crown in the coming months, and who knows, we might see the rivalry extend beyond the three games of early summer yet.
Elsewhere in hurling, the championship has been going on for the majority of counties already since the end of April in the Ring, Rackard & Meagher Cups and this weekend we saw one of the first major surprises of the season as Westmeath trounced the once mighty Offaly in the opening skirmishes for the Liam McCarthy Cup in the Leinster SHC Round Robin section.
There is no doubt that the Faithful are in the doldrums at the present time but their minors did beat Westmeath in the Leinster Championship quarter-final on the same day, so hope springs eternal.
Kerry meanwhile opened their Leinster Championship campaign (qualifying as winners of the Christy Ring Cup in 2015), with a comprehensive victory to continue their fine Spring form and leaving Carlow with a make or break tie next weekend with Offaly.
In the Christy Ring Cup Kildare and Down survived their own must win clashes with Wicklow and Derry respectively in Round 2B leaving the Garden & Oak Leaf counties with a relegation play-off on May 21st and the former two back within sight of a semi-final berth.
Antrim booked their last four place by beating Roscommon and Meath did the same as they traveled to London to dispatch their hosts in a high scoring encounter.
Mayo and Fingal battled their way into the semi-finals of the Nicky Rackard Cup and await the winners of Longford v Armagh and Monaghan v Donegal who face off against each other this weekend in what promises to be two exciting games if the high scoring matches of the previous rounds are anything to go by.
After two rounds of the Lory Meagher Cup Louth top the table ahead of Warwickshire and Leitrim and they will look to extend their unbeaten run when they take on Lancashire this weekend in Dunleer but it’s a tight division and anything could yet happen before the top two face off in the final in Croke Park at the start of June.
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FOOTBALL
The football weekend saw one trophy handed out and one team exit the senior championship already. While Mayo were celebrating a glorious victory in the under 21 All Ireland Football final over Cork , three thousand miles away across the Atlantic, Roscommon were given the fright of their lives by New York in the Gaelic Grounds. In the end Kevin McStay’s men squeezed through by the tightest of margins. It could yet be seen as the best thing to happen to the Rossies this year, allowing them no complacency in any game going forward, but there’s no doubt, it’s will always be the one that got away for the Big Apple side until they finally break their hoodoo in the Connacht championship.
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CAMOGIE
It was league finals weekend for the ladies and it was Kilkenny who came out on top in the battle of the last two League champions as they saw off Galway in a disappointing showdown in Semple. It was a twelfth league crown for the Cats as goals from Anna Farrell and Julie Ann Malone ensured there was no two-in-a-row for the Tribeswomen.
In fact, there was more heartache for the Connacht standard bearers as Meath exceeded all expectations to take the Division Two league title in Birr. It’s a huge achievement for the Royals who have been battling up through the ranks in camogie over the past number of years and thoroughly deserve their breakthrough.
Armagh meanwhile added a first league crown since the mid 1990’s when they overcame perennial rivals Roscommon in the Div 3 decider by 3-11 to 2-9 with Colette McSorley and Ciara Donnelly yet again leading from the front as they bagged 2-9 between them for the Ulster women.
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Team of the GAA Weekend
Plenty of contenders here. Kerry and Westmeath hurlers, Mayo under 21 footballers, Meath and Kilkenny camógs… but we have to give the nod to New York’s finest as they almost pulled off the shock of the century against Roscommon. The Rossies were one of the most exciting teams of the league campaign in Division One and for New York to nearly oust them from the championship at the first hurdle was a massive effort. It should put to bed any thoughts of removing the Exiles from the Connacht championship in future too.
Score of the GAA weekend
It has to be Maurice Shanahan’s nerveless free at the end of extra-time in the National Hurling League final. A great score to set us up for another titanic clash next weekend.
Elverys Intersport is the home of GAA in Ireland and proud partners of the WGPA
Between now and the big race day on June 6th Elverys Intersport will be giving you tips and tidbits on how to get yourself ready and on the road to the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon.
Todaychartered physiotherapistMichelle Lyonstalks to us about about how to be at your best for theWomen’s Vhi WMM and how to ensure your training continues smoothly!
By now, hopefully your training is well underway as June is only around the corner! I’ve worked with lots of female athletes (both professional and beginners) and there are often a couple of niggly problems like back pain or a bit of leaking when you run….that may be holding you back. Often it can be an issue with your pelvic floor – did you know that 1 in 3 women have some sort of pelvic floor problem? But don’t panic, there’s a solution!
Your pelvic floor muscles run like a sling from the front of your pelvis to your tailbone and they have a number of jobs, like giving you control over your bladder and bowel and keeping your pelvic organs where they are supposed to be. But they are also really important when it comes to preventing low back pain, as they provide stability for the joints of your lower back and pelvis.
The muscles can become stressed during pregnancy and childbirth or if you have chronic constipation, which can lead to problems with low back pain, some leaking from the bladder or bowel or even a dragging feeling as if things are moving down and out.
For many women, leaking when they run is a very common problem. I say common, but it’s really important to remember that leaking is NEVER normal and there is almost always something that can be done about it! Probably the best way to address the issue is to check in with a women’s health physio who also works with athletes: she will be able to not only help you address your pelvic floor issues but also look at your running form. Remember: most women don’t need pelvic floor strengthening (no more kegels!) but they do need to re-learn coordination of the pelvic floor with the breath.
In the meantime, here are some tips to help you get started:
Know your floor!
Your pelvic floor muscles do a number of jobs, including controlling bladder and bowel function. Find your pelvic floor by taking a deep breath in, and as you exhale, relaxing all the muscles in and around your pelvis. Take another breath in, and this time as you exhale, close your anus and lift up and in, (as if you were trying to stop gas escaping) Count to 5 out loud (to make sure you’re not holding your breath. Then (this is the most important part!) fully relax your pelvic floor. Congratulations! You just found and activated your pelvic floor muscles!
Coordinate with your breath.
Now that you know where the muscles are, practice coordinating with the breath. This will give you more stability during your run and may help with your endurance. Take a breath in and feel how both you lower tummy expands a little and your pelvic floor drops a little. As you exhale, your tummy should gently move back in by itself and your pelvic floor rises a little. This cycle should happen with every breath but if you are worried about leaking, you may not be fully relaxing the pelvic floor, which might be making the problem worse! Try this exercise standing, sitting or lying still, and as you get the hang of it, try to incorporate the breath and pelvic floor muscles into your running.
Watch your alignment.
Keeping your ribcage over your pelvis when you run can help manage the pressures of running on your pelvic floor. Wearing supportive clothing like a good sports bra and EVB shorts can really help improve both form and function when you run in my experience. If you are worried about leaking or painful breasts when you are running, that can actually make the problem worse by causing extra tension in the body and can lead to other mechanical problems or injuries. Set yourself up for success and enjoy your run!
Find more from Michelle Lyons, MISCP, RPT, CNT at Celebratemuliebrity.com & check out more on EVB Sports here http://bit.ly/1q0FrnH
