Race Report - Great Ireland Run 2011

I got up early this morning to get myself ready for the Great Ireland Run, a nice 10km route in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.  This was the first race I've done solo.  I've run 4 races previously and have always had a travelling partner(s) for each of them.  Today I was on my own.  With a beautiful blue sky and warm temperatures, not common this time of year, I drove the 80km to the start of the race listening to Jason Mraz and in good spirits.

I had no real plan for todays race.  My previous best for a 10km was 58.22 and I'd been running between 53.30 and 55.00 regularly in training so a PR was on the cards and I was relaxed.

This race is very well organised.  Once you arrive at the entrance to the park it is a good 3km walk to the start of the race but you don't have to worry about that as the organisers have buses to bring you that distance.  At the start there is a bag drop set up according to race numbers to leave your gear while you run and the start of the race was also divided into corals by the colour on your racing bib.  Up the front were the elite athletics, then the top club runners, followed by the orange running bibs, then white, green and then pink.  I was in the white group, last year I would have been in pink.

With over 10,000 people at the race there is a high chance you'll meet someone you know.  While waiting for the start of the race I bumped in to some of the members of the Carlow Fit for Life group.  After this I bumped into a girl I used to work with years ago when I worked it a local supermarket, it was nice to see and chat with her again.  While standing in the coral waiting for the start of the race I looked behind me and saw the sister and father of one of my school friends, you can't go anywhere ;-)

When the race started and we got going the pace was good and due to the staggered start there was good space to move about.  The first 3km were comfortable and enjoyable and  felt I could up the pace, so I did.  The only water station came at 5km just before the first hill.  It is a lovely course with three main hills, the first of which comes at 5km, the second at 6.5km and the last one, the big one, at 8km.  Last year the one at 8km was a killer and was not expected but the benefit of running the course before meant that I was prepared for it this time.

At 8km I attacked the hill and then at 9km I decided to push some more.  One thing I thought was a good addition to the race this year was that all running bibs had the runners first name on them.  It is really nice when you are running to hear "Come on Thomas, you're doing great" from spectators and there are a lot of them there.  At 9.5km there were a group of boys who had finished the 2.5km junior run, staged before this race, out to cheer on the runners.  They stood side by side arms out hi-fiving all who past.  After giving them all a hi-five I broke into a sprint for the final 500m.

I passed the finish line in 52.30 (chip time) a new PR, tired but delighted.  From there I met some of the girls and the trainer of the Carlow Women's Fit for Life group again, went to collect my gear bag and begin the car journey home.  I was feeling great walking to the car.  I had a new PR, the weather was great, 23.5ºc according to the car and just all-round it had been a fantastic race, definitely the race I've enjoyed most so far.  When I got to the car and turned on Today FM on the radio it was Jim O'Neill with Classic Gold Sunday.  The first song I heard was Bruce Springsteen "Born to Run" and when Jim signed off he said "Whatever you are doing today, do it with a smile and enjoy it."  I achieved that today.  A great day running.  How was your day?