10 Things I Think About Running

10 Things I Think About The Donoughmore 7 Mile

1. Kia Series

I think that it would have been a lot easier if the Donoughmore 7 was part of the Kia Series. It would have saved Lizzie tormenting me to run Dunshaughlin on Saturday to make up a team. No one wants to go to Meath of a Saturday evening. Donoughmore on a sunny Thursday night is far more appealing with far more history.

2. Stuake

I think that Stuake is to Donoughmore what Anglesboro is to Kilbehenny. I feel at home in places like Donoughmore, up on the top of a hill miles from anywhere with roads that would be wonderful for running if it wasn’t for dangerous dogs and even more dangerous drivers. If diesel and petrol become so expensive that people can’t drive anymore Donoughmore will be the place to live.

3. Pink T-Shirts

I think that more races should have pink t-shirts. The ones for the Donoughmore 7 were wonderful, a lovely shade of pink, although to cater for the more conservative dressers they had other options like blue and white. There is no point in a race t-shirt unless it is a little different, why would anyone want another blue or white t-shirt?

4. School Sports Day

I think that school sports days are great. It is because of a school sports day that John Meade didn’t turn up in Donoughmore. I even offered him a lift to the race but he was too tired. Perhaps he was afraid that I would beat him, although I can imagine no worse course on which to race John Meade than the Donoughmore 7, it is almost custom made for him.

5. Wrong Way

I think that after saving the BHAA 5k from going the wrong way on Wednesday night it was embarrassing to nearly send the race the wrong way in Donoughmore. The start of the race is very uphill so we were altogether in a big group going through Stuake. Because it had been three years since I ran the route I forgot that it goes straight on up the hill by the church and instead I went left down past the church. Only for Kieran McKeown shouting at me I was gone the wrong way.

6. The Breakaway

I think that I have learnt much better tactics over the years. My tactics for this race were excellent, possibly the best ever, I stayed with the group for the first mile and a half until we got to the top of the hill and began the wonderful downhill section. Just before we got to the top of the hill I picked it up over the top like Nibali in the Giro after a rest day and went as fast as I could down the descent.

7. Buffer Zone

I think that I knew that I needed to get a gap of at least 30 seconds on the flat downhill three miles to allow for the inevitable time loss due to my relative hugeness and inability to run uphill at any speed. I put everything I had into those lovely wonderful 3 miles, the first two were beautiful, then for the third mile I had to contend with fresh tar and chippings which definitely slowed down my magic shoes. I couldn’t hear anyone by the time I got to the left hand turn up the hill which was both excellent and terrifying.

8. The Slowest Ever Winner

I think that I spent most of the first uphill mile wondering if it was worse to win the historic Donoughmore 7 race in the slowest ever time or to be caught for 30 seconds in two miles and finish second. I felt like I was moving so slowly up the hill which I was. I looked at my watch which offered no solace as the average pace had dropped nearly 5 seconds a mile in one mile which is lots. I started thinking about the abuse I’d get from Kieran McKeown if he caught me. This helped with the motivation.

9. Who’s That, What’s That

I think that there is nothing worse in a race than to hear the sound of a second pair of magic shoes getting closer and closer to you. Not only could I hear the second pair of magic shoes but every time I passed a house it seemed like the time between the people clapping for me and then clapping for the person behind got shorter and shorter. It was absolutely terrifying and there was nothing I could do about it because I’m huge and can’t run up hill. I still didn’t know who was behind, I assumed it was Mark Smith after being set free from Aoife Cooke’s tempo, I feared it was Kieran McKeown.

10. Sprint

I think that I did a very excellent sprint finish, definitely my best. It was the sort of sprint you do when you realize that what you are about to do will annoy Michael Herlihy greatly. I was so motivated to get my name on that trophy alongside his name. I put everything I had into that last 400m up the hill. It was so horrible and painful. It didn’t feel like I was going terribly fast. I was waiting to feel the whoosh of someone flying by just before the line but I got there first just before Aoife.