10 Things I Think About Running

10 Things I Think About The Rebel Run 10k

1. Genetic Lateness

I think that I have a problem with lateness. I am eternally late for everything. It is terrible. I’m never late enough that I miss anything, but it is a very stressful way to live. I wish I could do something about it but unfortunately I think it is a genetic trait amongst Coakleys and there is absolutely nothing that can be done about it.

2. Parkenomics

I think that car parks are interesting. There was a big queue for the car park which amplified my lateness. John Meade helpfully jogged over to the car as we were stuck on Melbourn road about 30 minutes before the start to taunt me. When we finally reached the car park I realised what was causing the delay, the car park was being filled from the top. There must be a PhD in how to fill a car park, I imagine it is like a bottle where the first car in should go to the bottom.

3. Carbon Footprint

I think that making everyone collect the number the day before was a great idea as there was absolutely no queue for me on the day because I didn’t bother to drive out the day before. I’m not sure if it such a great idea on a carbon footprint basis as it is in effect doubling the amount of travel, I drive a dirty diesel, so I was doing the environment good by ignoring the email about collecting the day before. I think John Meade did the same as me.

4. Adrenaline

I think that one of the great things about being eternally late is that you have an eternal amount of adrenaline. When you arrive at a race with ten minutes to spare then you only need a five minute warmup because of the adrenaline. All of my best performance have been because of extreme lateness. It is a beneficial genetic trait, perhaps that’s why it has been passed down the generations.

5. The Kieran McKeown Course Accuracy Test

I think that this must be one of the best 10k courses in Cork. It passed the accuracy test which is if Kieran McKeown is giving out about it being long on the watch, then you know that it is an accurately measured course. The route is lumpy but wonderful, it’s a mixture of rolling roads and bike paths. The marshalling was excellent which is very important on a route like this as it would be very easy to go wrong.

6. Natural Order

I think that the first few miles of the race were a struggle. On the start line I was putting people into their various boxes trying to figure out who I would have to spend the race with. I put Anthony Mannix, John Meade and Keith Kelly into my box, Kieran McKeown wanted to be in the box but he threatened to thrown me into the flood at the speed bump so I didn’t put him in the box. After about a mile of the race my box prediction proved accurate.

7. Worst Clip Ever

I think that I was very lucky to survive the clip of a Vapofly that I received from Anthony Mannix just after 5k. Clipping someone in a race is forgivable if it is just the heel but side to side foot contact is borderline an attempted trip. I initially presumed it was John Meade tormenting me as you would never suspect Anthony Mannix of such a tactic. I didn’t actually find out the truth until after the race, he’s lucky because I might have mustered some motivation to try and beat him if I’d known.

8. The Distancing of John Meade

I think that dropping John Meade in a race is one of the great achievements in running. There are not many people in Cork who can say that they have dropped John Meade in a race. After about 7k I became a member of this exclusive club, to make it even better he was dropped on a hill which is like beating him on home turf. To be honest if it wasn’t for Anthony Mannix I don’t think the gap would have opened. I just followed Anthony, that was enough to drop John Meade.

9. Go on John Meade

I think that almost everyone wanted John Meade to catch me and beat me like he normally does. As we left the cycle path and headed back up the hill towards the track he was getting all sorts of encouragement, “Go on John Meade”, “Well done John”, “Only 20 metres”. I knew that 20 metres on John Meade with a section of track to finish is the same as no gap. Somehow I got to the entrance to the track still ahead, the atmosphere in the stadium was electric with 100s of John Meade fans surprised to see me 20m ahead of their hero but probably still confident of a victory by their hero.

10. Humble

I think that poor Anthony Mannix must have felt like he didn’t win. As I entered the home straight Anthony was crossing the line, all I could hear was a cacophony of “Well Done John, Go on John” as he roared after me down the home straight. Thankfully Michael Herlihy has taught me how to run fast so I was able to go just fast enough to hold John Meade off and cross the line gracefully and respectfully in second place. It’s very important to be humble on these occasions.