10 Things I Think About Running

10 Things I Think About The Dunmanway 10k 2024

1. Big Big Town

I think that Dunmanway is far bigger than I thought it would be. It’s borderline massive, like a very big Mitchelstown, very unexpected. I have somehow avoided ever visiting Dunmanway over the course of my 38 years so the thought of a 10k race in a new place pleased me greatly, especially on sunny Sunday morning in June.

2. Home of Sam Maguire

I think that the great thing about going to places that you haven’t been to before is that you get to find out new things. I found out that Dunmanway is the home of Sam Maguire and that the GAA club where the race registration was located was his version of my Galtee Gaels. Sometimes I wish I was like Billy where everything is new and wonderful.

3. Father’s Day

I think that I was unlucky that the race was held on Father’s Day. The most important skill in local elite club Cork running circles is to be lucky in who turns up to races, unfortunately for me Mark Walsh decided that a trip to Dunmanway would be a good way to spend Father’s Day which is the same reason I was there.

4. Milan Fashion Week

I think that it was a great pity that I didn’t wear my Leevale singlet for the race. The photos would have looked much better if it had of been two wasp like vests leading the race through the picturesque town of Dunmanway. Instead I chose to wear my warm weather racing Diadora singlet from Milan which is possibly the most fashionable singlet in the country.

5. A Little Respect

I think that it was rather disrespectful of Mark Walsh to assume that I would pace him to 9k before he would run away. I will have to store this disrespect in my brain for use in the up coming cross country season when I will no doubt administer a beating at some point in a bog in West Clare in a very important masters cross country race.

6. Too Much Respect

I think that Mark Walsh was probably too respectful in assuming that I would be able to pace him for 9k. For the first kilometre of the race which ran around the streets of Dunmanway which looked lovely in the sunshine I felt good so I tried to take the race out some bit hard. I was helped by the Garda car which was leading the race. Unfortunately once we got to the first minor incline at 3k Mark decided that he had enough of my company and quickly opened a gap that would only grow larger and larger before I couldn’t see either Mark or the Garda car.

7. Hills

I think that I probably should have done some more research on the course. If I had known how many hills there were I probably wouldn’t have tried to run the first 3k hard. Once we got to 3k the hills started, there seemed to be millions of them. Mark Walsh seemed to vanish into the distance making it seem as if I had stopped to look at the scenery which I was tempted to.

8. The Shaded Wood

I think that the course was excellently marked, one of the best course markings I have ever seen. Junctions were taped off so that not even a herd of cows could go wrong. The passing of each kilometre was celebrated with a line across the road and a big big sign. It was wonderful, a great effort. My favourite part of the course was the flat shaded wood section which was a nice break from the sunshine and hills.

9. The Wall

I think that the last hill was amazing. From 3k to 9k was pretty uneventful for me, I couldn’t see Mark and Joe told me that there was no one behind after taking a photo so I was just trying to run as hard as I could over the many hills. When I reached the 9k line on the road I assumed based on the abundance of hills that there couldn’t be anymore before the finish. Then I looked up saw the wall that was the 9th kilometre. Perhaps this was what Mark Walsh was talking about when he said pace him to 9k as there was no way I was getting up the wall ahead of him. Thankfully I only had to beat myself to the top before the plunge down to the finish right outside the GAA club.

10. A Prize for Sadie

I think that it was a pity that I wasn’t able to win the race as a tribute to Rhona’s dog Sadie. I did my best to try and win but I suppose in a way it was a good tribute to Sadie as she always preferred chasing things which is what I ended up doing for most of the race, trying in vain to chase Mark Walsh and a Garda car around the many hills of Dunmanway.