ATHLETICS: The chances of an Irish double in next month's New York City Marathon were notably increased at the weekend with the significant half-marathon victories for both Sonia O'Sullivan and Mark Carroll. While O'Sullivan set an Irish women's record at the Great North Run, Carroll clocked the fastest time by an Irish man since John Treacy's national record of 61 minutes flat in 1988.
Carroll won Grete's Great Gallop race around New York's Central Park on Sunday, part of the course for the city's marathon on November 3rd. His time of 63 minutes 10 seconds - in what was his debut for the 13.1-mile distance - left him in particularly confident mood ahead of his full marathon debut in a month.
"I know now I'm ready to come back to New York for the marathon and try to race to win," he said. "I'll be coming to commit to the pace, and I'm certainly not coming to run 26 miles in the comfort zone. If I hit the wall I hit the wall, but I'm not going to run in the second group.
"I want to be in the lead pack, running to win, and once I'm competitive like that then I'll be happy. But I'm not going to do anything crazy either."
Carroll accepts that at age 30 the graduation to the marathon is the last step in his career. The Irish record holder for 5,000 and 10,000 metres also firmly believes his move to the marathon will be a natural progression.
"I do feel very comfortable running longer distances. And to be honest, the training hasn't been as intense as the track training I've done over the last few years. If things stay on target over the next four weeks I will come back here in the best shape I've ever been in, from an aerobic standpoint. And I feel far stronger.
"I do think if you are versatile on the track like me then the half-marathon and marathon can follow. I do plan to run a 2:06 or 2:07 marathon before my career is done. I'm not saying New York is the place it will happen, but I do believe my marathon time will eventually fall in line with the track times that I've ran."
The obvious target is Treacy's record of 2:09.15, set in Boston in 1988, yet Carroll is thinking more about racing than times.
"To be honest, I've never taken Irish records as my main aim. I've always aimed a bit higher. I know John's record is a good record and I don't know if it will happen for me in New York or not.
"But I'm very confident about the first 20 miles, and after that it's a bit of an unknown. I hope there'll be enough left in the tank to bring me home in a fast time and if it's an Irish record that's a bonus. But to come here to compete is my foremost goal."
Having been based in the Providence, Rhode Island, since graduating from college there in 1995, Carroll felt that nearby New York would be the ideal venue for his marathon debut. There was also the temptation of a significant appearance fee.
Yet there was some debate with his coach, Jimmy Harvey, before committing to the longer distances on the road.
"My coach was a little reluctant about the marathon, but he said if I was going to train and run then I should run to win. That's the way I'm approaching this race. And I've always had a strength background to my training. But my long, 20-mile runs become more specific to marathon training, and would be a lot faster and more like tempo runs. And on the track I've slowed down my intervals a little, but tacked on a few extra."
Like O'Sullivan, however, Carroll's marathon debut doesn't mark the end of his track career.
"I've spoken to Paula Radcliffe about this," he said. "It depends on how you approach it, and I'm still doing track work-outs to prepare for this race. And I fully intend going back to the track. Of course, if I win in New York then I may want to consider a full-time marathon career."
Sonia O'Sullivan celebrates her victory in the elite women's Great North Run in Newcastle on Sunday.
