Head down to stop the stopwatch
Garmin data
This race is normally 5 miles but, due to road works in the Phoenix Park, the normal route was unavailable and the distance was reduced to 5km. Initially I was disappointed but, as I was drained in the weeks prior, it worked out for the best.
I did 3 training sessions before the race, each 4 miles long. In the week immediately before the race I had a stomach bug and felt uncomfortably bloated so didn’t do any training. My wife’s maternity leave ended so fitting in any running would have been difficult anyway.
Head still down
I was late leaving home (only 23 mins before the start time!) but it meant that there was no queue at the baggage tent. I jogged to the nearby start area and entered the start area. The webbing on the side only went back about 20 metres so I entered there and easily made my way up the side toward the front. I got reasonably close when the starter gun went. Wow, I cut it close!!
I very quickly passed a good few people, while doing about 5m30s/mile pace. After about 250 metres I nearly ran into the back of a guy who stopped running without moving off the road. It was almost like nearly running into Kathryn Thomas in the Irish Runner 5 mile in July when she’d stopped running after a few hundred metres. I later saw a photo the start and the guy was on the front row! He finished 666th in 32m50s. He was passed by a LOT of people!! Mmmm.
As we passed the Magazine Fort, before the 1 mile marker, I was passed by a kid about 12 years old. I passed him in the final 800 metres and he finished only 4 seconds behind me. Impressive running.
Early on the Kyber climb I was easily passed by another guy. He was flying up that hill like it was flat.
When we turned onto the familiar duathlon run course I caught one or two more runners. Right at the last corner, at the 3 mile mark, I passed a guy on the inside. Unfortunately he had the speed to easily catch me before the finish line.
It was an enjoyable race where the strong winds didn’t seem to affect things. Although my time is 45 sec off my 5k PB, I am happy with it, especially considering my stomach issues.