10 Things I Think About Running

10 Things I Think About The Musgrave’s 5k

1. Most Expensive Race Ever

I think that this was the most expensive race that I have ever run. Boston was bad at €250, but the Cork BHAA Musgrave's 5k has cost me €280.

2. Altitude

I think that that 10 days at altitude in Font Romeu helped a little bit, not like 5% but maybe 0.2%. It's more of a placebo effect in that you feel like you've improved massively because you can suddenly power up the stairs without getting out of breath.

3. Taper and Diet

I think that tapering is nonsense, I ran lots and lots in Font Romeu and I felt fantastic for the 5k. I also ate appallingly, bread, croissants, pain au raisins and pizza for 10 days. It makes no difference. Shoes are far more important.

4. Follow Conor

I think that I had a very good plan for the first mile of the race. My plan was to follow Conor and/or John Meade. Alan O'Shea tore off at the start, only Alan O'Brien was able to make any attempt to follow him. I sat in a nice group just behind Conor. I assumed Viv was well back. I was wrong, very wrong.

5. Trail Expert

I think that I'm more suited to the trails than the Marina. I didn't trip or fall once in 10 days on the trails in Font Romeu despite the deadly rocks everywhere. You'd think that I'd be safe enough down the Marina but on the way down to the Marquee I nearly came undone on one of the many potholes. Thankfully I have been taking agility lessons from John Meade and I was able to recover from the stumble and continue on. A gap however had formed, a gap that would not be closed.

6. 1994 La Flèche Wallonne

I think that this race reminded me of cycling in 1994. I'm very young so I don't actually remember 1994 but I've seen YouTube videos of the cycling back then. Viv's performance in the 2nd mile of this race was exactly the same. He disappeared off up the road at an unbelievable speed, a speed that doesn't make sense to your brain. You know it's happening and can see it happening but it doesn't make sense. I felt powerless and sad.

7. Lemon to a Knifefight

I think that I am like the American cyclists in 1995. I'm trying to fight clean just like Lance was. Just like Lance I'm getting tired of being massacred in races. It's becoming increasingly clear that this is not a fair fight. My Brooks Ghosts just won't cut it any more.

8. Unbelievable Viv

I think that Viv's performance regardless of the cheating expensive shoes is still incredible. He even beat John Meade. I've done most of the sessions that he puts on Garmin with him so I should be about the same as him if not a little better due to my youth. These beatings are very hard to take. I was extremely suspicious after the race so I checked his veins for signs of blood transfusions but I couldn't see any marks. He might just be better at resting and training. Perhaps my mileage is too high. I'm really confused. I don’t know what to do, I just want to beat Viv.

9. Eternal Happiness of the Sub 16min 5k

I think the one consolation from this awful race is that I finally got a result that shows a time of 15:58 on the results page. I thought that this would bring eternal happiness after 9 years of trying but like everything else in running there is no such thing as eternal happiness just an eternal desire for more.

10. Carbon Zero

I think that these carbon shoes need to be banned. They are making a mockery of the sport. You should not be able to spend €275 and suddenly beat someone very badly. Perhaps there should be a separate race for the people who buy them and don't tell their wives that they spent nearly €300 on a pair of shoes they'll wear three of four times. Nearly everyone in the top 10 had a carbon plated shoe. Myself and the fair good just kind man John Meade should be acknowledged as the true winners. It's not fair.