BHAA Irishtown 5km

Back by popular demand – Me not the BHAA 5k Irishtown run!

Im taking full responsibility for suggesting this race to my fellow Sportsworlders as ive told my Fambily im giving up Sunday running for Beach days to scald my corned beef skin so this race seemed like a good evening out!!

As I arrived in plenty of time and greeted by the usual suspects Young Trevor AKA BFF/Audrai/Eileen/Anne/Ellen/Annemarie and Grainne we did a few warm up laps on the track were Trevor was eyeing up the competition and Speedy Sweeney was doing some very serious warm up drills!!

As we lined up on the track to be given our instructions which sounded very complicated – 3 laps of the track first followed by 3 laps of the park – I started getting worried I would be left running around the track while everyone went into the park but as I looked around everyone else was feeling the same – this was too much information for my little head to take in and all I wanted to concentrate on was my running!! As we took off I couldn’t help but think was it a good idea to run 10k on Monday and do the 1000s on Tuesday but I just assured myself that the difference in time is so slight that Yes its worth it as every Run/Race is worth it and you never regret going out!!! For me the 3 laps on the track first were beneficial as I’m a regular track runner I knew not to get carried away – I secretly felt a little bit smug as I looked around and thought to myself these lot are gonna get a shock to the system (little bit mean I know but I’m an honest little creature and deep down I knew Trevor was thinking the same!!)

I can honestly say I think I only set eyes on Speedy Sweeney while we were running around the track then she was gone like lightning!!

Off we went into the park for our 3 laps – Myself and AnneMarie were side by side for pretty much the whole race and considering we did the session together on Tuesday I knew she could feel my pain and I could feel hers so we worked hard together which was great!

The finish was back on the track which was lovely the only problem was when you came into the home straight the flipping clock was turned the wrong way so you couldn’t see your time!!!

Overall this was such a lovely flat race – Maybe a few too many laps but again these were flat so it was ok and all is forgiven!

The best part of the whole evening was the quiz and nobody knew any of the answers to the Athletics Questions! –  and I thought I was a muttonhead!!

They pretty much had to prompt the answers to get rid of the prizes – Well done Eileen and Ellen! Most of all I couldn’t get over how adults couldn’t grab the concept of put your hand up if you know the answer so I found myself unintentionally shouting at strangers – Put your hand up its that simple but still they couldn’t grasp it but if they were kids in a classroom they would have went straight to detention in my eyes!!

After the quiz was the prize giving but a few of us said we were getting a bit cold so no point in hanging around as we wont be getting any prizes apart from Eileen and Speedy Sweeney as we knew they would get something in their age category – I even joked when I was leaving “Would you mind collecting my prize and present it to me at the club tomorrow” as I was driving off Anne phoned me to say Carmel you got 3^rd in the O35s – I can honestly say I nearly crashed the car and also nearly abandoned it to go back in and collect my compression socks and running belt!!Everyone knows that you never win a prize in the 30s category you have to wait until your 50 but maybe it’s a sign of things to come – Yeh right im not that stupid I know that there was only 3 people in the O35s category but it still felt good and a prize is a prize especially if you have never won one!!!

Sportsworld cleaned up on the night with Eileen/Anne/Grainne and Ellen all receiving prizes in their age categories – I’ve decided not to say which age categories as I know I would just get them wrong and I’m not one to offend people unless your Trevor, but he’s made of tough stuff!!!

I want to compliment AnneMarie on a great race as she has only recently come back to the club and training really well and great to have her as part of our group!

Well done Audrai also on a great race and spreading all your positive energy!

Saving the best for Last – what can I say you either love ‘im or hate ‘im as they say but I’ve decided to love’im – Trevor who at the start could barely put one foot  in front of the other had a belter of a race!!

Well done to Everyone who made this such an enjoyable evening – I feel a bit hard done by doing the race report considering I was the only one wearing my Sportsworld vest!!!