We landed into Dungarvan on a wet and blustery bank holiday Saturday evening to our beautifully appointed weekend rental only 400m from the start line of the following days: Dungarvan 10 mile, all expertly organised by Dee O’Connell. After watching Ireland dismantle the enemy, we got an Indian for the carbs of course and on returning to the house learned of Trev Sweeney’s fire-making skills where he managed to turn the living room of the house into a Swedish Sauna.
After a ropey enough sleep (the house was still boiling) we made the short distance to the 11am start and tagged on a few k by way of a warmup. There we met one of the newer members of the club, Colm Murphy, decked out in his new Sportsworld singlet having travelled from his native Cork.
This was my first time running the Dungarvan 10 mile & I have to say it’s a cracking course. After a tricky enough opening which is a quite congested small loop you’re let loose on the country roads. At the 8k mark a chap from Bweeng (!) Trailblazers who I’d been in the company of asked me what I was hoping for. Roughly 67mins I told him to which he replied “you’re no good to me”, which led me to question whether he was going to slow or I too fast. I didn’t see him again, so it’s likely the former.
There are some lovely downhill sections especially at 10k with a lovely 800m drop which is like a free k. It was here a returning-to-form Paul O’Connell overtook me & ambitiously asked would I try & hang on. At this point I was averaging 4.05k’s which was ahead of my target so I was happy to let him off.
There are some lovely downhill sections especially at 10k with a lovely 800m drop which is like a free k. It was here a returning-to-form Paul O’Connell overtook me & ambitiously asked would I try & hang on. At this point I was averaging 4.05k’s which was ahead of my target so I was happy to let him off.
The only gripe I’d have is the final 2k-ish which is back on the busy main road before an uphill climb and swing into the finish. I managed to cross the line in 66 minutes dead in a shiny new 3 minute pb.
Collecting our fancy nike drifit race tees we met Gearoid Crowley who unfortunately had to move back to Cork but is getting his sessions in on the St Finbarrs track.
Some cracking Sportsworld performances with Trev running a blinder in 59 minutes to come 3rd in his age category. Young Colm Murphy running 63.47 for a pb (watch this space). Dee equalled her 67 min pb set in Dungarvan 2 years ago, and Andrew Murphy with a good prep run for the Barcelona marathon in 70mins. Shona Keane ex of this parish also ran a blinder to be sixth overall and winning her age category in 62.19.
A couple of creamy pints and a bag of curry chip topped off the day nicely. A highly recommended away day.
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