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28 November, 2009

A few things I'd like in life after the Ballyross race........

People to try to remember their numbers from week to week.

People who are pirating the race not to charge through the finish line and confuse the officials. If you're going to pirate have the decency to stop and walk through the line saying "I'm not in the race, ignore me".

People who are doing an early start to slow down and walk through the line rather than race through and confuse the already bewildered officials.

People not to come up and ask the confused, bewildered, and bothered (by pirating) officials "What's my finishing time?" when the same officials are clearly confused, bewildered, and bothered which they generally are all of the time at the finish.

Here's a sharp end race report from Jonathan Doyle........

It was my first race back from injury and I had no idea of the toll two and a half months of cycling was going to take on my running. The line was toed with the announcement that tonight?s winner would also take the course record. With that in mind, the race itself started briskly enough with yours truly feeling unusually chirpy for the first mile or so, followed very closely by Aaron O?Donoghue and last week?s winner Derek Coogan. After about 2k, my early exuberance began to wear off and Aaron and Derek forged ahead, not to be seen again until the turnaround.

The course itself was as straightforward as I?ve ever run on at an IMRA event. Great for road runners, but hilly enough for the mountain heads to catch up. Straightforward track to the top, turn around and straight back down again. No rocks, no mud, no dipping under tree branches. No injuries and no getting lost.

Derek and Aaron were first to the turnaround point followed by John MacEnri, me and a hungry looking PJ Carroll. I wasn?t going to be able to hold him off for long. Jenny McAuley was the first female to the top.

The run back wasn?t as straightforward as I had hoped, with several uphill bits cropping up that I didn?t remember on the way out. By halfway down, I was spent and PJ Carroll overtook me in hot pursuit of John, catching him about a kilometre from the end.

Of the battle upfront, Derek Coogan won the day over Aaron with his second straight victory in the League and the course record - 34.08. PJ made up the two Laoismen in the top three.

Jenny McAuley took the ladies prize with Orla McEvoy in second and Aoife Joyce close behind in third.

Lovely weather, great views and flawless organisation from Douglas et al. so thanks to them for that.

JD