10 Things I Think About Running

10 Things I Think About The Bweeng 5K

1. Bermuda Triangle

I think that if it wasn’t for Google Maps no one would be able to get to Bweeng. It is interestingly located at the junction of about 16 roads all of which lead to nowhere. Luckily Google Maps means that it is a relatively simple 38 minute drive from Glanmire but rather unluckily a difficult journey for someone who has to go via Mitchelstown for Billy minding reasons.

2. VIP Treatment

I think that race organizers should copy Bweeng and offer the VIP treatment for an additional price. I was able to avail of this service by entering the race twice. The service involved Fast Track parking at the venue 10 minutes before the start and personal number delivery by Gary Walsh. It was well worth the double entry.

3. The Tech Race

I think that the Bweeng 5K would be well up there when it comes to the level of technology in use at the race. The lead car was setup to video the action just like that great race in Eyeries when I won in great style which was thankfully captured in 4K high definition for all to see. In addition to the stationary camera Gary Walsh was running around with a Go Pro like an experienced YouTuber with Brian Ahern directing the action with a fancy looking microphone. All they needed was a star athlete to win the race, I hoped and expected this would be me.

4. Freefalling

I think that the start of the race is very fast. Normally I’m very good at these downhill starts as I have a significant height and weight advantage over most of the field. I was hoping to have a significant lead by the time we reached the first corner but Aidan Noone had other ideas and had a good gap by the time we reached the left hand turn in the village of Bweeng.

5. Anti-Gravity

I think that Barry Twohig must have access to some special race simulation technology that tells him the perfect moment in a race to launch an attack. He is a master tactician with a winner’s instinct sort of like the opposite to my 4th place instinct. When we rounded the left-hand turn after the downhill start, we were all hit by the wall of gravity plus the struggle to adapt from quad to hamstring based power. Barry chose this moment to launch the decisive attack, he quickly gobbled up Aidan’s lead before opening the gap that would never close.

6. Traffic Cones

I think that I might have been able to get up to Barry if it wasn’t for the traffic cones. In the aftermath of Barry’s calculated attack, I was left in a group with Aidan, Darragh from Killarney, Barry of the Cork Still No Track Club and Adhamh O’Leary. I was behind Darragh but couldn’t get by him because he was hugging the traffic cones in the middle of the road and I can’t run on the left of a cambered road due to the stiffness of my ankles so I had no option but to wait for the turn for home at 3k.

7. Cork Still No Track Club

I think that it is very hard for athletes in Cork at the moment to be good at 5ks when there is no track. Where are we to do the all important 400m reps that are essential for 5k racing? Luckily on holidays I did my annual track session of 10x400m at 75 seconds a lap so I was possibly the most prepared athlete for the race. Once we round the cone halfway out the road to nowhere my third place came under threat by Barry from the Cork Still No Track Club. Knowing that I had that track session under my belt I was able to fend him off and instead focus on trying to navigate my way past Darragh and the traffic cones.

8. Over My Shoulder

I think that there is nothing worse 4k into in a 5k that the sight of someone out of the corner of your left eye reaching your left shoulder. At 3k it had been Barry, when someone else appeared at 4k I assumed it was Barry again but instead it was Adhamh. I don’t know how he edged ahead but he did, I tried to use my track running ability, but I couldn’t close the slight gap. To make it worse Darragh was now far enough ahead that the traffic cones were no longer a valid excuse for not passing him.

9. Flying

I think that I was very fast for the last kilometer of the race. There is one picture on Facebook where it looks like I am flying with both feet off the ground which is excellent. Unfortunately, in the same photo I am also in fourth position which is where I stayed despite flapping my hands like a huge bird trying to take off. I got withing one second of Adhamh by the finish line which I felt was a very good effort and should have made for excellent video content for the Bweeng 5k YouTube channel.

10. Second Best Social Media Account

I think that I will have to go on holidays again to find a track to ensure that I can win prizes in these races, I’m fed up of not winning a prize despite running pretty much the same time as the people getting all the prizes. I didn’t even have my usual excuse of not wanting to win a prize because the prize giving takes all day as the Bweeng prize giving was as efficient as the rest of the race organization and over before I even had time for a warm down. When it came to the end of the prizegiving they announced an award for social media contributions to all the road races. Naturally I assumed this was for me but instead they gave it to Graham.