10 Things I Think About Running

10 Things I Think About The San Silvestre Seville

1. Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite

I didn’t think that bed bugs were a problem in Spain. I was wondering why I felt itchy and couldn’t get to sleep until 6am last night, I’d only 4 small Cruzcampos so it wasn’t alcohol related. Then I saw the round raised bite marks on my legs and the tiny black spots on the bed sheets. It all made sense.

2. Coffee, San Pell and Toilet Roll

I think I surprised the little old ladies having their morning coffee in the local pub when I arrived in with two bottles of San Pellegrino and a 6 rolls of toilet roll. I needed coffee to cure my bed bug hangover so I didn’t care. I could feel them looking at me.

3. Muy Importante

I think the last minute email we got about the race starting at 1030am was like a message you’d get sent about a family dinner. “Please be there for 7.30pm , The dinner is on at 7.30pm”. You know it’s booked for 8pm. It just helps get you there on time. In fairness it started bang on 11am.

4. Lola

I think it’s handy to know the locals at this race, we knew Cornelio and Lola from last years race. Cornelio was genuinely worried about us I hope. Lola was able to translate and take excellent photos for Instagram. It helped to know when the race was going to start.

5. Route

I think this years route was much better than last years route. This years route was precisely 5k unlike last years 4k and it stayed within or around the Star Wars Plaza de Espana Park the whole time. It was an excellent course, very flat and very fast.

6. Gates

I think that the gates at the start made a fast start essential. After 100m everyone had to pass through narrow gates. When the gun went I sprinted as hard as I could, not as fast as Mikey but enough to get through the gates safely. I don’t know what happened behind but it was pretty chaotic with proms and boats and guys dressed in suits.

7. Rapido

I think the start of every Spanish race is so so fast. They love to go off very fast. I also like to go off very fast but after 400m I was only about 12th. They don’t last long however and after 1km only Mikey and a group of 4 Spaniards including Cornelio were ahead.

8. Triathletes

I think that there are more triathletes in Seville than in Ireland. I don’t understand why they wear the triathlete suits in the road races, it doesn’t make any sense.. The triathlete suits only provide motivation for the runners to catch the triathletes. Mikey used it as motivation to catch one. I tried but failed.

9. Warm Down

I think that there is always time to do a good long warm down after a race in Spain. The race finished at 1120, the podium was at 1230. In between they had kids races and a Zumba dance, it all makes sense when you see the weather. No one minds waiting when it’s sunny and warm.

10. Podium

I think that it was great that we all got to stand on the podium. Sinéad won the women’s again for the second year running and the third year in a row for a Sinead. Michael was the first non old man and I was the third non old man. The guy with the mic and excellent hair had great fun trying to pronounce our names, we did initially get the M35 trophies but thankfully the other non old Spaniard spotted it and we got them swapped, it’s important to get the right trophy.