10 Things I Think About Running

10 Things I Think About The Grant Thornton 5k 2023

1. Japan

I think that it would be great if companies in Ireland took on the Japanese model and started professional running teams. It would be like how GAA players get given jobs to go training, it would revolutionize running in Ireland. In the meantime, we will have to make do with the Grant Thornton 5k and BHAA which while not revolutionizing running in Ireland, make it possible to run two races in a week which is also great.

2. Wet Bulb Temp

I think that it is extraordinary how little understanding there is of the effect of humidity on running. Running races from May until September in Ireland is almost completely pointless if your only indicator of performance is the time. The odd night will be fine and good for running but when it is like what it was like it was for this race with a wet bulb temperature of 19 degrees it is like running in pair of Nike Pegasus 34s and not Vaporfly 3s.

3. Kennedy Quay

I think that this is possibly the best of the many variations of the 5k routes around the Marina, it is definitely one of the more realistic ones as it has a bit of a hill and a few tight turns. It starts outside the Odlums building just after the deadly cycle lane where the cars shoot across without warning to go to the Marina Market. It runs down Centre Park Road up the Marina before doubling back around the Blackrock end of Pairc Ui Caoimh finishing outside Kennedy Park. It wouldn’t be a course for a great PB by me even without the humidity.

4. Squats and Lunges

I think that strength and conditioning and running are not the same sport. Strength and conditioning is in my unqualified opinion, optional for running. Before the race started Derval O’Rourke ran through a quick warm up routine which I was not able to do. I can’t do squats because it hurts my knees and lunges trigger off my patella tendon. I felt bad standing on the start line physically unable to participate in the warmup, so I talked to Tom about how we definitely weren’t going to run as fast as in the John Buckley 5k because of the humidity. The last warmup was waving your hands in the air so I did that one because my arms are perfect.

5. Ed Fitz

I think that a lead bicycle is the best way to ensure that your race route is followed perfectly. A lead bicycle piloted by an experienced runner guarantees that it will go perfectly. When the race got underway after about one kilometre it became clear that Ed Fitz would be observing a battle between myself and Tom for the glory and non-existent first place prize.

6. Thin Black Line

I think that the 1m wide smooth black tarmac line that has been installed down the Marina has made all the Marina courses quicker. We hit the strip of beautiful tarmac just after 2k. I had to tuck in behind Tom as the tarmac works very well with magic shoes and it is infinitely easier to run on it. We ran up towards Blackrock before turning right at the connection between the Line and the Marina that gives you 4.9 miles instead of 5 miles if doing the Blackrock loop.

7. Undulations

I think that who ever designed the new tarmac path that runs parallel to the Marina didn’t intend it to be used in a road race. It is a very unusual path. It is like halfway between steps and a ramp. It’s fine if you are going straight on like we did in the Marathon but in this race we turned sharp left. I was on the inside and did well to avoid clattering into Tom and had to do a weird pivot off my right leg that was a good test for my resiliency to stress fractures.

8. Impossible Position

I think that it would have been a better race if I didn’t know how good a runner Tom is. We were still side by side as we ran down Monaghan Road but I knew that I didn’t have a hope unless I could get rid of him before 4k. When we passed 4k together I resigned myself to the inevitable defeat and loss of glory and potential interview that might be on the radio or even better a podcast for everyone to hear.

9. Gradual Defeat

I think that it would be stretching it to call the finish a sprint finish. There must be a definition of a sprint finish like finishing within one second of each other. The gap ended up being 5 or 6 seconds which doesn’t count even if it looked good. I didn’t really put up a resistance mainly because Tom would just have gone quicker if I had, I was still a bit tired after the marathon and I was drenched from the humidity. Anyway, second place is my traditional finishing place in this race.

10. 6th Best Team

I think that it is great that there are no individual prizes in this race and just team prizes. I don’t understand why there are no individual prizes but sure why not? It is nice for one race to be entirely team based. The scoring is based on time unlike cross country which is different also, we ended up 6th so there was no repeat of trying to find a place for the trophy at reception. Irish Water won which was nice as they probably put the smooth tarmac strip down the Marina.