Sneak a quick preview on a new Trilogy Site!

Tomorrow sees the launch of a new website for a new race - the Portlaoise Tryathlon (www.trilaois.ie). Kevin and Maeve Bracken have been toiling away diligently in preparation for the race, and the website is opening tomorrow for registrations.

The event will be the very first opportunity to race triathlon in Ireland in 2009. The race is beginner friendly, and we hope to see a lot of first-timers (relay or individuals) taking part.

Trilogy Members may enter the race, but ONLY if they agree to organise and provide a race marshal for race day, and if they agree to not race the Heritage Challenge in August (marshal duty).

Watch this space for news of a very special preparation package for ladies entering the sport, which is being offered in conjunction with Laois Sports Partnership and Women in Sport.

Calendar Update

The Calendars are now in stock, but are selling well. I have 50 received, and a further order pending (delivery 1st week of new year). I have calendars set aside for the following people; please make contact so that I can get these to you. There are 22 calendars left otherwise.

Miriam Geaney (1), Sinead Wearen (4), Alan Phelan (6), Kevin Bracken (3), Trish Nicholls (3), Padraig Crossan (1), Noel O'Reilly (1)

You never can have too many Marshals

Great news! Yesterday evening Patrick and Catriona Marshal welcomed their new born into the world. Rachel-Anne and Rebecca have a new brother and all are doing well.

Santa Walk a Success (and Santa Photos)

Well done to the dedicated soles who strode through the streets of Portlaoise, relentlessly collecting for the annual charity walk. Despite having less Santas than last year, and in spite of the recession, the pure dedication of Alan, Finn, Denise and many others meant that as far as the last bucket count, we look on course to make the target for the day.

If you have any cards to return, please contact Alan ASAP so that the final tally can be made.

Click the photo below for a link to the full gallery of shots.

Good advice from bad news

Last night while swimming one of our members had her purse taken from the changing area. She asked me to remind you all never to take valuables with you to the public pool. You might think that we have the place to ourselves but the gym and sauna areas are still open and while you concentrate on drills they have plenty of time to check out the changing rooms. The same advice is good for Wednesdays spinning too.

Ross Byrne claims Senior Scalp

Word is reaching the Trilogy Newsdesk that one of our youth members WON an indoor triathlon in Portarlington Leisure Centre last Sunday. Ross Byrne, who is training away for the 2009 Season, beat off a field of leisure centre staff, army instructors, regular gym-goers and one of the Senior Trilogy Squad.

It wouldn't be fair to name the Trilogy senior member who took part, if you want to know the full result, maybe ask Ross or maybe just work out the members that "Wearen't" there.

One last push before Christmas!

Christmas is a busy time, and its harder and harder to make time for training. But with just a few nights left of training, I would ask you to give it your best shot and turn up to the sessions.

It is very difficult for our trainers and coaches to keep motivated, never mind the few that show up. In the last week we have had spinning sessions with 14 empty bikes in one class, a total of seven people in a 5-lane pool (with two trainers), one person only showing up for the Saturday cycle and not a soul for a Sunday morning run.

So go on - give it one last push for Christmas!

Santa Run/Walk

Hi All,
A reminder of the Santa run on the 20th of December and if you have not got your sponsorship card please contact Willie, Finn or Alan Phelan. The charities that will benefit this year is Laois Offaly Autistic Association (LOSA), the Alzheimer’s Society and Laois Winter Wonderland(Bubble Gum Club). For more info see,

http://www.trilogy.ie/RRSanta2008.html

MF

2009 Calendar - Now on Sale

The 2009 Trilogy Calendar is being printed and will be available to you from 20 December. It contains mugshots of no less than 60 members, and your guide to everything Trilogy in 2009 - Test Tri dats, Test Duathlon dates, club races, competitive races, social events like the Table Quiz, Annual Dinner and Christmas Night Out, and all Irish Bank holidays and occassions.

Order yours now - €12.00 each or 3 for the price of two.

Christmas Training - arrangements

The last club training session for 2008 will be on Saturday 20 December. Training resumes in the new year on Monday 5 January.

18 metre lengths tonight

Just a quick update on swimming. The pool is currently not fully open. Instead of the usual 25m lanes we will instead be swimming 18m lengths. The pool is waiting on a part from Germany and are hoping to have the pool re-opened fully as soon as possible.

Bubble Gum Club

Hello Trilogy,

The Bubble Gum Club Winter Wonderland is this weekend, December 6th & 7th in Durrow. Last years Santa Parade raised almost €7,000 for this event, which helped us clear our 2007 accounts & gave us a great start to preparations for 2008. We are thrilled that Trilogy have chosen us as one of the nominated charities for 2008. Thanks again.

The event runs over 2 days with 2 sessions each day. The first session is at 10.30am & the afternoon session is at 2.30pm. Over the weekend 180 kids will meet Santa & his North-pole team. While they wait to see Santa the children will be entertained by magicians, clowns, jugglers, stilt walkers, puppet show & face painters. There will also be a busy workshop with lots of Christmas make & do as well as a constant flow of freshly baked cookies that need to be decorated in the kitchen.

The event is a very special day & really needs to be seen to be appreciated. I would like to invite all Trilogy members to come visit us over the weekend & see with your own eyes where all that money went. The venue is a private house in Durrow, if you text me I will send you on directions, 086 3898691. Come over at any stage over the weekend (although the first few hours on Saturday morning may not be our brightest!!) & ask for me after you grab a coffee & a cookie. I look forward to seeing a few of you, it's well worth an hour of your weekend-I guarantee a warm fuzzy glow!

Ho, ho, ho.

Finn

Saturday Cycle - "Day Off"

With the Christmas party on Friday, Murt has wisely advised that the normal cycle on Saturday be held another day. No need for guilt about enjoying yourself on Friday night then - unless you fail to make Willies cycle session on Sunday instead!

Trilogy Calendar - Provisional Dates

The Trilogy Calendar goes to press in a couple of days - you all look great on it by the way. The events that we will do as a club are listed below. These will go onto the calendar with provisional dates (TI haven't yet confirmed anything).

Club Events
Laois Try-athlon
TriAthy
Trilogy Junior Aquathon
Laois Challenge Triathlon

Sprint Distance Races
Joey Hannon Memorial (Try distance)
Hook or by Crook (Dunmore East)
King of the Hill (Kinsale)
Carrick Triathlon (Carrick-on-Suir)
Powerade Salmon Run (Ballina)
Fingal Sprint Triathlon
Lough Key Triathlon

Olympic Distance Races
Hell of the West (Kilkee)
Mourne Triathlon (Castlewellan)
Caroline Kearney Memorial (Mullingar)
Carlingford Triathlon
Joey Hannon Memorial (Olympic)

Other Events
Lost Sheep Half IM (Kenmare)
Triathlon World AG Championships
Triathlon European AG Championships
Ballycotton 10

The calendar will also have dates for the AGM, the annual dinner, the weekend away, the new weekend training camps, the Big Day Out, all the test tri series and all the test duathlon series.

If anyone feels that I have missed out on a race, please contact me by
Wednesday this week (before the print deadline).

One might only... Ballycotton 10 entries

Ballycotton 10 is one of the country's best run races, and is legendary both for its beautiful course and for how quickly it fills. The race is 10 miles running and is the perfect pre-season event to train for (race day 8 March).

The entry system is simple, it opens today and closer after 2500 entries are received. The places will be gone by Thursday, no question.

Trish has 20 forms available and will have them for you after the run. Please bring e15 with you to pay. If you are not running tonight, then meet Trish at 8.45 after the run.

The entries are being posted tonight too, so make it tonight or leave it.