race report from Orna Dilworth
With 16 days to go (not that anyone was counting), what better way to spend a Saturday morning than testing the marathon legs with a bit of speedwork. Donadea AC was hosting its annual 10k race around Donadea Forest Park and it was the perfect opportunity timing and location-wise for a bit of a blow-out. There was a good turn out with 365 participants in total; fantastic support for a local event. The first km of the route is on the road with a slight drag which should have put manners on the more enthusiastic of us. After that it’s into the Park and the remainder is 2 laps on forest trails. A technical enough course, with plenty of twists, turns and short sharp climbs and dips, it certainly kept the mind focused. The race plan: go hard or go home! (caveated with the bigger picture / A-goal of the marathon and a ban on foolish moves!). I went out hard and paid for it nicely. While the legs are feeling strong, the lungs and the mind are not in optimum 10k shape. Happy to report that although I slowed in the latter half, I pushed on to finish in a pretty respectable time. There were clear winners in each of the men’s and ladies’ races with impressive winning finishing times of 31:46 and 34:54 respectively. A good value and well organised club run topped off soup, sambos and all the tea, coffee and biscuits one could stomach, this race is definitely one for the annual calendar. With a number of other events organised on this day, there was an unusual lack of Sportsworld Vests in the field but hopefully we’ll get a good group out next year for a change of scenery and to represent.
