10 Things I Think About Running

1. Cancelled Volcano

I think that if it wasn’t for the volcano I wouldn’t have gone back to Reykjavik for the marathon. The volcano is just outside Reykjavik and hasn’t erupted for 6,000 years. Unfortunately, the day we arrived it decided to stop and go back to sleep. At least the marathon wasn’t cancelled.

2. SuperValu and the Marina Market

I think that Iceland is like living in a country where you can only shop in SuperValu and drink coffee in the Marina Market. It’s not “expensive” as such, mainly because Ireland is just as bad. €7 for a coffee and a croissant is just Cork hipster market prices, it’s still ridiculous but at least it’s in Iceland and not down the docks in Cork City. The shops are just SuperValu prices.

3. Goldilocks

I think that Reykjavik could be one of those goldilocks marathons. It is about the only place in Europe where you can run a marathon in August with temperatures guaranteed to be under 20 degrees and probably below 10. It’s not particularly hilly but not flat. It could be perfect if it wasn’t for one thing, the wind.

4. 156 Words for Wind

I think that Icelandic wind is special. I’m familiar with wind, I grew up under the Galtee mountains, so I have good wind knowledge. I have never experienced anything like Reykjavik wind. A northerly wind that felt like it had come directly from the artic tundra. At the start it looked like a normal day, a perfect day for a marathon. It was only when we reached the coast after a mile that the wind started. Unfortunately the next 10 miles ran directly along the coast.

5. Fly Away Chip

I think that it would be a good idea for the Reykjavik marathon to use a separate chip for timing. The timing chip was attached to the number. The problem with this is that if the number comes off the timing is gone. As we ran along the coast the number was under serious pressure. I began to picture the number breaking free from the safety pins and flying off into the Atlantic never to be seen again. It almost would have been a blessing. To stop it rattling around so much I tucked the number and singlet into my shorts which worked well.

6. Oh Yeah I’m in a Race

I think that I only really started to think about the race after 10 miles. The first 10 miles were all wind, there was nothing else to think about. I let a lot of people go ahead of me while I was thinking about how terrible the wind was. I had considered stopping as the pace as hitting 6:40 pace. Then when we reached the turnaround at about 11 miles I saw that of all the people ahead only three were running the marathon. The first two were well clear and gone but the third and Italian looking fella was only about a minute ahead. Third was money, money was motivation.

7. Inland Catch

I think that I would have run faster in the race if I hadn’t caught the Italian in third so quickly. Once we got off the coast the wind was barely noticeable. I started counting down the gap to the Italian, it is very motivating to see that you are catching money ahead. As we got to 15 miles I caught him and went straight by making sure to bury him. I did feel a bit bad as he was wearing adidas suction boots so it probably wasn’t a fair fight.

8. Fear of Fourth

I think that my fear of fourth place was not as good a motivator as my desire to get into the money in third. Once I had dispatched the poor Italian and his adidas suction boots I was left with 10 miles on my own. Thankfully a steward appeared on a bike and began to cycle a bit in front of me. I’m not sure if I’d have been able to follow the course if it wasn’t for the bike as it was very convoluted in and around housing estates. It’s not a bad course, just lots of bike paths and twists and turns. It goes by quickly.

9. Prisoner of Time

I think that Marathons are ruined by the obsessions with times. I was half disgusted when I got to the finish and saw the time on the big red clock. It was the sort of time that I would expect to click on and see a Strava pace graph falling off a cliff, but it wasn’t like that at all. I ran the last mile and a bit excellently fast; it was very unusual. When I crossed the line I was met by an official who told me I was third and to be at the podium at 11:40 to collect the money.

10. Seventy Five Thousand

I think that I might never win as much money in a race again. Icelandic money is excellent as it is very big. On the podium I was given a bag with a note in it saying that I had won 75000 Icelandic money for third place in the marathon. If I had of been Icelandic it would have been double that. I think I will have to look into Icelandic citizenship, I would be the second-best marathon runner in Iceland. I must have some relatives up there, we are all related to Vikings, perhaps if I grow my hair back it might help. Donal Timothyson.