10 Things I Think About Running

10 Things I Think About The Doneraile 10k

1. Aer Lingus

I think it is Aer Lingus's fault that I ended up running a 10k six days after a marathon. I booked the race sitting on the plane in Dublin airport while the pilot fought with air traffic control and Ryanair for a takeoff slot. I saw the words "race" "limited entry" "will sell out" and "Doneraile" on Facebook. There's something about the words limited entry that appeals to a large section of my brain. Then I saw the Doneraile House shaped medal and I simply had to enter. Then I forgot about the entry like most of the stuff you see on Facebook just before you take off.

2. Leave Before the Taxis Have Gone

I think that this has to have been my best ever debadification. I'm not sure if I was ever really bad after the marathon. I woke up Monday morning expecting the usual headache and terrible badness. When I woke there was nothing, no headache, no badness, nothing, just morningness. It was terrible really, I like the supebad feeling, it reminds you that you've done a marathon. It's almost as important as the medal. I must make sure I'm superbad after Berlin

3. Wine

I think that wine is very important for removing badness after a marathon. I drank two excellent bottles this week, I know they were excellent because I bought them in SuperValu after scanning most of the bottles in the shop with the Vivino app. I had nothing better to do because I couldn't run as much. I think I'll stop now though, back to the San Pellegrino and Heineken Zero Zero.

4. Doneraile Park

I think that Doneraile Park is my favourite place to run after Spain, Boston and Berlin. It's super beautiful, there are deer, dogs, swans and miles of lovely trails. I used to run there all the time when I lived at home. When I first started running there were no races in Doneraile, I always dreamt of a race that would finish at the top of the hill, that never happened because it's mad but at least they have races there now.

5. Don't be Afraid Now

I think that I knew that I might have a chance of a win at the start line. The start line was up by the beautiful gates of the Park which are very beautiful and like a small version of Berlin. At the start line everyone except me was afraid to come up to the line. This was very unusual, normally I have to push my way through or be clever. Then we started and I was still the only one at the front.

6. Prescriptions

I think that it was nice to run on the roads which had the names of the place that I used to get prescriptions from in the pharmacy in Doneraile. Convent Road, New Road and other Roads. It was very nice to finally see those roads as I normally just ran in the park. Maureen even came out from the Pharmacy to shout me on when we ran back through the town at the 5k mark.

7. Rolling

I think that Doneraile is a very hilly place, this is surprising as it doesn't look hilly. The course is not exactly flat. It's very rolling, up and down, very little flat. The first 5k was all on the roads, then we ran back through the town and into the park through the beautiful Park gates.

8. Slippin and Slidin

I think that Doneraile has become slippier since I left, I know the park like the loop around Blackrock but I don't remember the bridge to bridge km ever being so slippy. It was like slippy ice, I couldn't run on it, at least I knew it was only a km, then we were back on the wooded trail. I don't like slipping.

9. Doonbeg

I think that I would like to buy Doneraile Park. If I ever make lots of money I will, I will turn it into a big running hotel where people can come to train in the park. It would be like Doonbeg only with me instead of the Trump and running instead of Golf.

10. The Spread

I think that the spread in the hall in Doneraile was excellent, I have never seen such an amount of food. They even had separate vegetarian and vegan sections. It looked wonderful. I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to stand on the podium which appeared to be only for display purposes. I was not disappointed with the contents of the white envelope for first, I’m one step closer to my dream of owning the park. It can't be that expensive.