Currently experiencing a purple patch having posted pb’s over different distances in recent months and with the intention of focusing on the shorter stuff this summer I had no expectations for the Irish Runner 10 mile in the Phoenix Park. In fact I only received a number as compensation for the disaster that was the National 10k.
With a nice and early gun time of 9am myself & my current girlfriend with only enough time for a quick coffee set off on a fairly dull & misty morning to meet Thomas Kinsella in Kilmainham for our warm up to the start line on Furze road. Tom was just glad to be lining up as he is presently suffering through the dreaded plantar fasciitis. (The three of us had only been to Bell X1 on the Friday night but that’s another story.)
At number pick up it became clear that a few name changes had not registered on the system & I apparently was running as a freelancer. We then bumped into Cian fresh from his 250th parkrun & made our way to the start line. A good bunch of Sportsworlders gathered in the 50min – 60min pen but I decided to be more conservative & line up with the 70min pacer which I believe actually stood to me.
At guntime everyone set off with the usual gusto, the pacer in my book maybe should have chosen to be further up the pack as we spent the next k scything through the field at a very not conservative 4.10kpm. It did settle down from there & I found a nice rhythm until the 7k point when we hit the first of the tasty category climbs we would be facing & it started to lash. I actually struggled to recover in the next k but convinced myself to cling on to the back of the pacing group.
I gratefully received a second wind & a good shot of endorphins which carried me to 14k where the wheels came off again & I lost touch with the pacing group but had enough time banked & in the tank to pick up pace on the long straight finish to come in under 70 mins for the first time clocking another pb. I should really stop mentioning those 2 letters, I’m probably still a bit high & hallucinatary with DOMS very much still in my legs.
Trevor Sweeney was the first Sportsworlder home in a cracking 59:11. Crona Clohisy was the first lady home, just pipping Dee O’C on the finish line. Another pb for Deirdre McGing who has been tearing up stumps lately & Colin Kenny completed his first ever 10 mile. It is by no means an easy 10 miles but the rain probably was a help more than a hindrance & with a big gang of us there I had a ball which I’m sure was the consensus, ahem.
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