10 Things I Think About Running

10 Things I Think About the Galbally 10 Mile 2021

1. DNA

I think that if I did a DNA test and they could test for Galbally they’d find a fair amount of Galbally in my blood. When I actually did the DNA test the report didn’t mention Galbally but it did report 0.5% Sardinian. Sardinian hertiage is much better than Galbally although both are very beautiful in the sunshine.

2. Running Disease

I think that there is a terrible disease circulating amongst local runners. It is a terrible disease with no known cure and definitely no vaccine. It is called the Marathon. It primarily affects the brain and causes athletes to do silly things like long warm-ups and makes them avoid the stuff they should be doing like cross country and track. Some of them even go so mad as to avoid all other races other than marathons.

3. Earliness

I think it is amazing how early people are for things. I was abnormally early for the race because of the marathon disease which meant that my brain thought it would be a good idea to do 8 miles before the race. The race didn’t start until 11 yet people were arriving at 9.30. I’ve never understood earliness, it is much more fun to cut it tight and to be desperately trying to pin a number onto a singlet 5 minutes before the start, it gets the adrenaline going better.

4. Abbey

I think that the start of the race was beautiful. It was actually in Tipperary as it was across the river just after the abbey and all the Limerick flags. I don’t know anything about the abbey but I presume there were monks in it ages ago when people didn’t do races.

5. Next%2

I think that the Next%2 is not as good as the original Next%. It is definitely less magic than the original Next%. The sizing was so different I had to get a UK12 instead of a UK13 in the original. It feels like they made the foam less boucy/magic and the laces are the worst laces ever made. I might have to try the AlphaFlys as I no longer feel like I am cheating. A fella passed me in them today and it reminded me of when I first saw magic shoes. It could also be that my brain has normalised the bounciness.

6. Trip to Tipp

I think that I know the road between Galbally and Tipperary too well. I never ran it or cycled it before because you’d normally be killed but it was perfectly safe in the race. I don’t know how the organizers made it so safe but they did a great job.

7. More Hills Please

I think that flat road races should be illegal, if you want to run a flat course put on a pair of spikes and head to the track. Course records need to become a thing, not every race can be a flat boring breaking 2 science experiment so that everyone can go on Facebook afterwards and tell everyone about their PB. This was a proper course for proper runners.

8. Ice Towel

I think that people are too quick to tell me to cut my hair. It is actually a wonderful thing to have a mane in a hot race where they are giving out cold water. Normally when you have short hair like everyone else the water goes down your back into your shoes which is horrible. With a thick mane the cold water is retained cooling your head and neck. It’s a wonderful feeling.

9. Weeeeee

I think that the best part of this course is the last mile. It really is wonderful. It’s very very fast and very beautiful with the Galtees on your right. I was amazed at how fast I was able to run the last mile considering how bad I felt. It must be very downhill.

10. Mugs

I think that mugs are about the only thing that is a useful memento from a race. Mugs are great as unlike T-shirts it’s hard to make a bad mug, the Galbally mug was a good mug. I’d love to do this race again once I have recovered from the marathon disease. It’s a proper race.