As the track and field season winds down, we are all set for the new cross country season to open with a bang at Finn Valley AC.
Before the onset of the cross country action, Lauren Callaghan and Arlene Crossan will compete this weekend.
Lauren, who has had a superb season – stretching her long jump PB and the Donegal record to 6.51m and narrowly missing qualification for the European Athletics Championships – will take on the prestigious ISTAF meet at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on Sunday.
ISTAF is a World Athletics Continental Tour silver level meet.
Next Monday at the Stratford Speed Grand Prix, Arlene Crossan is among the starters. Arlene competed for Ireland in the women’s 4x400m relay at the European Championships in Birmingham and earlier in the summer ran at the World Athletics Relays in Botswana.
The schools programme and the Champions Cup schedule has been unveiled ahead of a busy September.
First up, the primary and secondary schools’ cross-country events will take place on September 16 and 17 at Finn Valley AC.
Primary schools cross-country are first up on September 16 with the secondary schools event the following day.
“The schools cross-country project has always been very well received and supported,” said Finn Valley AC Chairperson Dermot McGranaghan.
“Invitations will go out to all primary schools in Donegal and we have engagement from secondary schools from all over the north west area.”
Upwards of 1,000 children are expected to take part across the two days.
The McGonagle Champions Cup Cross Country event returns at Finn Valley AC on Sunday, September 20 at 11am- a perfect competitive start to the cross country season.
The McGonagle Champions Cup was inaugurated in 2018 and has been held every year since, apart from during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Clubs across the north west take part and participants have come from Galway, Leitrim and Down in past editions.
Races go from U9-U18 with the top club on the day to be presented with the McGonagle Champions Cup, named in honour of FVAC founder and former Irish athletics team manager Patsy McGonagle.
A new 8-week Couch to 5k programme with the Finn Valley AC Fit4Life group will begin on Monday evening, August 31.
The group will meet at the Finn Valley Centre for 7.30pm.
The sessions are led by Finn Valley AC Fit4Life coach Brendan Patton and are open to people of all abilities – no matter whether you’re a complete beginner or someone looking for an avenue back into running.
The Fit4Life group meets at 7.30pm every Monday and Wednesday at FVAC and offers an encouraging environment for all.
The very popular Athletics for Children with Autism programme will start a new block at the Finn Valley Centre on September, 7.
The Athletics for Children with Autism programme – the first of its kind in Donegal – was launched at Finn Valley in 2025 and has proved a huge success.
The six-week programme, featuring specialised activities for neurodiverse children, provides a fun, inclusive, and supportive environment for children to engage in athletics.
You can contact FVAC schools coach Ann Slevin on 086-8679169 for more details or to book a place.