The cross-country season is underway, and there's plenty happening on both sides of the Atlantic.

In this bonus episode, Conor is joined by Elizabeth Egan, co-founder of www.trackathletes.ie, the brilliant website dedicated to following Irish athletes, their results and performances around the world.

We hear how Elizabeth and Irish Olympian Louise Shanahan developed TrackAthletes.ie, and discuss the new collaboration between the website and The Final Split.

We also take a closer look at:

• The standout performances from the Irish Universities Cross Country Championships in Dundalk last weekend.
• Irish athletes who have been competing in the early NCAA races, including Anna Gardiner, Cormac Dixon, Cillian Gleeson and others at the Nuttycombe Invitational and elsewhere.
• How the NCAA cross-country system works, from invitationals and conference championships through to Regionals and Nationals.
• A preview of the main events at Autumn Open International at Abbotstown this weekend.
• Ireland's prospects at the European Cross Country Championships in Belgrade in December.

Plenty of names to watch, performances to analyse and predictions for the months ahead.

🌐 www.thefinalsplit.com
📊 www.trackathletes.ie
📸 Instagram: @thefinalsplitpodcast
✉️ thefinalsplit@gmail.com

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Episode 4: Fintan Reilly

In this interview, Conor sits down with one of the best-known figures in Irish athletics, Fintan Reilly.

Fintan has seen the sport from almost every angle: as an athlete, coach, commentator, international team manager, former Chair of Athletics Ireland’s High Performance Committee and now Deputy President of Athletics Ireland.

We chat about Ireland’s remarkable recent success, managing the next generation at European U18 (Rieti, 2026) and World U20 level (Oregon, 2026), why County Louth continues to punch above its weight reflecting the meteoric rise of its most famous daughter, Kate O’Connor.

There’s also a more personal side to the conversation, as Fintan talks about the Reilly family’s relationship with athletics and the progress of 3 of his children: Neasa, Finn and Clíodhna.

From grassroots clubs to international championships, this is a wide-ranging conversation about where Irish athletics has come from, where it is now, and where it might be heading next.

If you enjoy it, please share on socials and leave a review on your podcast platform.

Thank you !

Conor

Callum Morgan & Eimear Maher: From Font-Romeu

In this interview, we head to the French Pyrenees and the altitude training base of Font-Romeu to catch up with two of Ireland’s most talented distance runners, Callum Morgan (Candour Track Club) and Eimear Maher (Dundrum South Dublin AC).

Callum and Eimear join Conor to talk about life at altitude, the thinking behind their training, and the work that goes on away from race day. We look back over their 2026 seasons. The races that went well, the ones that didn’t quite go to plan, and what they’ve learned along the way.

There’s plenty of training talk too: mileage, sessions, recovery, periodization and how they approach the balance between building fitness and being ready to race when it matters.

And, as Callum and Eimear are also a couple, we get into what happens when running and life overlap: training together, travelling to races, supporting each other through good and bad performances, and whether having another serious athlete in the house makes the whole thing easier…or occasionally more complicated.

We also talk about the attraction of Font-Romeu, what altitude training actually feels like day-to-day, and what both athletes hope to take from the camp into the next phase of their racing.

Two athletes, two different journeys and an interesting insight into the work behind the performances.

Follow @thefinalsplitpodcast on Instagram and @The_Final_Split on X.

Episode 1 of The Final Split

Conor Curran, Mark Malone, and Gerard Heaney reunite for the first show to talk training, Irish running news, and the week’s biggest talking points.

Gerard shares an update from Sydney as he builds fitness back toward bigger mileage and regular sessions.

Mark talks through managing a hernia and keeping his running easy, while Conor reflects on his own training week, track sessions, and winter racing plans.

Elsewhere, the boys discuss Dublin Marathon’s new entry price, the launch of the splits.ie results platform, the Armagh Road Race’s expanded women’s programme, and standout Parkrun performances from around Ireland.

Plus: shoe chat, race news, Melbourne Marathon, and a preview of the upcoming interview release with rising Irish distance talents Callum Morgan and Eimear Maher.

Timestamps

• 00:00

– Welcome and introductions

• 04:58

– Gerard's Sydney training update

• 09:51

– Mark’s injury update

• 14:41

– Conor’s training week

• 20:34

– Running news and Spotted on Socials

• 25:07

– splits.ie

• 29:13

– Dublin Marathon pricing

• 33:18

– Armagh Road Race update

• 36:19

– Parkrun (Ireland) results

• 41:43

– The week ahead

• 44:32

– Wrap-up and giveaway

Insta @thefinalsplitpodcast
Email thefinalsplit@gmail.com

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John Creane: London Irish AC, Arthur Lydiard & Time on Feet

In this episode of The Final Split, I sit down with former Irish international runner and coach John Creane to explore his background in running and the remarkable story of London Irish Athletics Club.

Founded in 1969, London Irish became far more than a running club.

Rooted in London's Irish community, it developed into a formidable force in British athletics, with athletes including future Olympic champion Linford Christie, Olympic finalist Ade Mafe and a host of Irish internationals wearing its famous green and black vest.

John takes us inside the club's glory years — the characters, rivalries and races, and the extraordinary influence of John Dorgan, the Cork man he describes as London Irish's own "Alex Ferguson".

We discuss John's own running career and his Time on Feet coaching business, including the enduring influence of legendary New Zealand coach Arthur Lydiard and why aerobic development, consistency and patience still matter in an increasingly data-driven sport.

A conversation about running, identity, community, coaching and a remarkable athletics club that deserves to be remembered.

Connect with Time on Feet on X @LydiardsWay and instagram @timeonfeetrunning

John's running CV

Clubs
Finn Valley AC, London Irish AC, South Kent Harriers, Folkestone AC, Corby AC, Kettering Town Harriers, North Belfast Harriers.

PBs

• 800m 1.58
• 1500m 4.01
• 3000m 8.29
• 5000m 14.41
• 5m 24.31
• 10m 50.50
• Half Marathon 68.10
• Marathon 2.37

Honours

• Irish Masters XC 2007/2008
• Connacht XC Champion 1997
• Southern Inter County 5000m Champion
• London Colleges XC Champion
• Team medals at Irish Novice/Intermediate/Senior XC