Meet the Committee

Chairman

Name: Kieran Whyte

From: originally from the Banner County, Ennis, Co. Clare

Background : running, completed several marathons. Got into tri s due to knee injury was advised to swim bike for 3 months and then gave it a lash…enjoying it since then. Completed sprint initially then 2 olympic distances and in 2010 1/2 iron man distance at Humbert challenge in Swinford. Completed 2011 70.3 Ironman Galway.

Club Secretary

Name: Keith Connolly

GTC Member for: 2 years

From: Galway

Background: I love scuba diving and skiing but don’t get to do either very much. I had run a few marathons (very slowly, even stopping for an ice cream cone in Cork ’07) when a friend of mine asked me to attend the Galway Triathlon club beginners day. I had no real interest in Triathlon as I could barely swim a length of a pool but Joan didn’t want to go by herself. I was hook from the first hour. I got great advice about which triathlons were best for weak swimmers, joined the clubs beginners swimming lessons and with in 5 months I completed the hell of the west triathlon which has a 1.5k swim. I was one of the last out of the water but I made it! Galway Triathlon Club are a fantastic source of advice and encouragement for everybody whether your competing for age group wins or, like I was just wanting to make it out of the water and finish.

PRO

Name: Joanne Murphy

From: Cork

GTC member for: 1 year

Background: Have been an active sportsperson from a young age, played camogie, basketball, hockey in school. Soccer with UCC, and in the recent past played Tag Rugby and also played rugby with Galwegians Ladies RFC. I took up running in 2007 with the goal of completing the New York Marathon having never run more than 10k prior to training for New York I caught the running bug in a big way and loved the freedom of being able to run no matter where I am either home or abroad. I completed a relay in a Triathlon in 2009 doing the cycle and run section, my swimming was more of a doggie paddle at the time but I loved the race, the buzz and the fun of the event!From that point on I was hooked and in the past year with Galway Tri Club I have completed 6 Sprint Triathlons, 1 Olympic distance Triathlon, completed the GTC Arthur’s Day swim ( 1.9k) participated in the Aquathon Series and 5K Run Series and also participated in Gaelforce in August. I also participated in the Connemara and Edinburgh Half Marathon’s in 2010.

Needless to say I love Triathlon, the 3 disciplines may seem daunting to start but the mix of training and activities with the club are great. The friends I have made at GTC have encouraged, advised and supported my first year in Triathlon and have helped to make the whole experience less daunting and really enjoyable especially the group training where the banter and craic is always mighty. I can highly recommend joining the Galway Triathlon Club whatever your level of ability in any of the disciplines you should most definitely give the sport a Tri.

PRO Committee: Chris Burke, Eileen Sweeney & Richie McCarthy.

Swim Coordinator

Name: Fiona O’Donovan

From: New Ross, Co. Wexford

GTC Member for: 10 years (on and off)

Background: Ran x-country, swam and played badminton for Wexford – just started back at this after 18years!

Took up triathlon in 2000 – those were the days you could decide on the morning whether you wanted to race, waves were just in the sea and coming top 10 female was much easier as there was usually less than 10 in the race!! Albeit I have to be more organised now, the increase in interest and numbers in triathlon has been fantastic. On a local level the club has expanded with coordinators for every discipline, training events, coaching and just more people to train with and learn from. For the past 10 years the club has been very welcoming and encouraging and that continues to be the main ethos of the club, so see you at the next training session!

Swim Committee:

Bike Coordinator

Name: Wesley Reilly

From: Roscommon

Years in Tri: 1 (Newbie last year)

Background: In the past few years my sports background has mainly been team sports. I’ve played competitive soccer for NUI Galway for years and I’ve also played Tag Rugby for something social. I enjoy team sports and I would say I’m very competitive.

However when I was younger I played/participated in almost every sport going (Handball, Tennis, Hurling, Football, Golf, Swimming etc..) and I was average at everything, neither good nor bad. In fact I hated endurance sports particularly Cross Country running and preferred sports that required short runs/explosiveness.

Recently I found Tag/Soccer to be a bad combination of sports to play as I was always picking up niggly injuries, although that could be down to age! Subsequently I took up cycling to help with general fitness and I was hooked! I looked farther afield to challenge myself and not one to jump on any bandwagon I jumped on the fastest growing participation sport in Ireland, Triathlons. My main goal in my debut year was the “Hell of the West” Olympic distance triathlon in Kilkee. As the name suggest it’s a toughie but a brilliant challenge. I also completed several sprint distance triathlons, long course Galway Aquathon, Galway 5k series, Galway Bay Half Marathon. I really enjoy the variety of training whether it be on my own or with club. The club is a fantastic supportive club and the members have a wealth of knowledge and experience. The events that run during the year are both fun and relevant. In 2012 I hope to complete a few more Olympic distance tri’s (Hell of the West, TriAthlone, TriAthy, Spiddal are possible events) and the Ironman 70.3 in Galway will be my ‘A’ race.

Run Coordinator

Name: Cora Grimes From: Galway Years in Tri: Two Background: I had been running for a couple of years. After an injury, I thought that the cross training involved in triathlons would be better. I have run a couple of marathons and sprint triathlons. There is always great support and encouragement within the club.

Run Committee: Chris Burke, Sean Collum, John Cunniffe

Beginners Officer

Name: Lynne O’ Loughlin

I’m is a visual Art lecturer based in Galway. Originally from Limerick I had a permanent letter excusing her from Gym class and any other physical activities throughout school and early adulthood years, I only started running in 2007 when I was living in Austraila, starting with running a few 10kms slowly. I had always loved swimming but a diving accident in Austraila left me a little weary so I decided to take up triathlons to over come my fear.