10 Things I Think About Running

10 Things I Think About The Pfizer 6 Mile Road Race

1. Cork Marathon

I think that this used to be the race that you found out who was doing the Cork City Marathon. Now that everyone doing the marathon avoids racing at all cost and hires a private coach I am none the wiser as to who is doing the Cork City Marathon. Perhaps everyone is doing the 10k and I will win comfortably with time to high five Michael Herlihy in the finishing straight.

2. Car Park Warm Up

I think that after the excellent car park at the race in Midleton last week, the car park for this race could potentially take the title of best car park at a road race in Cork. It had a lovely smooth tarmac surface with easy access to the registration and a short little loop for warming up. They even had signs to ensure that you reversed parked so that you could make a quick getaway after the race if your child was cross.

3. No John Meade

I think that it was a great pity that John Meade was too tired to do the race. He had said that he would do it but exhaustion after school got the better of him so I was left with Viv as my only known adversary. In the excellent car park I met Shane Collins, then I saw Barry Twohig, Darragh, Tadgh and Fergus at the start. To be honest I was hoping no one would show up and I could win for once.

4. Downhill Start

I think that the start of the race was worrying. It is always problematic when you look back and see the finish further back up the hill from where you are starting. This significantly reduces the chance of a great PB by me, but as it was the infrequently run distance of 6 miles I wasn’t too worried as no one knows what a great time is for 6 miles. The race went off without any drama, the BHAA’s siren method is much better than a countdown.

5. The Bridge

I think that I did a good job in reducing the field during the first downhill mile. I didn’t go too mad but mad enough to put Viv in the rear-view mirror. I was left with the sound of three other Vaporflys by the time we got to the bridge to the naval base, Barry, Darragh and Shane. I knew that as all three are a bit smaller than me I hadn’t a hope unless I got rid of them before we got to the mile long hill up to the finish.

6. The Park

I think that the loop around the park was lovely. It is a very nice park when it isn’t windy. When we found which direction we were going in the park Darragh made a move, I waited for Shane and Barry to follow when they didn’t so I had to make an effort to catch up to Darragh which I did. Shane was very clever and let me do the work to catch up to Darragh and sat in behind me. Barry seemed to be a casualty of the park as we were now down to three Vaporflys.

7. Collision Avoidance System

I think that the corner where we turned right into the park was a little dangerous. It was fine when we were going into the park but when we were coming out all the other runners were naturally taking the inside line clipping the apex of the bend like Formula 1 drivers. We had to cut across to the other side of the road which wouldn’t be the most natural method of cornering to get around the bend without hitting into anyone. I’m not sure what you could do to prevent it, perhaps put a cone with a sign at the corner to make sure everyone stays left.

8. Hang On

I think that I knew I was in trouble when I was struggling to hang onto the back of Shane and Darragh as we ran through Ringaskiddy. I was reasonably ok on the flat but very certainly the third of the three. I could see the hill rearing up in front of us which did not exactly fill me with hope. I’m almost as bad at hills as I am at sprinting.

9. Super Domestique

I think that I could be Leevale’s Super Domestique. If Shane Collins and Mark Walsh are the Mark Cavensdish I am the Mark Renshaw like leadout man. I haven’t a hope of winning a race in any sort of sprint as I don’t like the track as I get injured if I run on it because my legs are too long for the bends so I have no speed. When we got to the hill which is where my leadout man analogy fails Shane took off, Darragh initially went after him but was quickly distanced leaving the three of us equally spaced out on the climb back to Shanbally.

10. Hang On

I think that the last mile of race where you have been dropped on climb and you know that Viv is prancing up the hill with approximately 50% of the energy required for you to get up the hill is terrible. I felt like I was crawling up the hill which I probably was. Eventually I reached the summit where it flattened out without hearing the silent glide of Viv going past so I was safe in third which isn’t bad. I couldn’t stay for the podium as Billy was cross, luckily I had reversed parked so I could get away quickly.