Paul Nolan

01 September, 2011

Started out last night with the usual plan. Steady, let the wild men off then work through the field. Before the off I'd had a succinct briefing from a Glen of Imaal team mate "Don't let any Dublin Wicklow beat you". So when a lad in a bright orange top passed me on the flat run across to the Boneshaker I felt the need to move a bit harder. Closer examination of the orange revealed it to be merely bright rather than luminous so that momentary panic passed but the damage was done, I was up to racing speed.

Quick jostle with young James Alexander who has all the speeding up/slowing down and line changing tricks of the trade but I mugged him just as we turned up the Boneshaker. From there the lads just in front of me started paying for their wildness breaking into the walk/run pattern of the fast starter. I was feeling that burning/freezing tongue sensation that comes from hard uphill running but was moving through so felt happy to persist at the pace. Ahead a group of four where well clear, Peter O'Farrell being out front on his own.

Pretty much ran the race alone from that point. The flat(ish) section after the Two Rock turn was a struggle but once back in gravity's embrace there was a bit of fun to be had. I closed up on John MacEnri until his ears picked my footfalls and he upped his effort substantially, re-opening the gap between us.

All in all an enjoyable little blast around a much changed old stomping ground, and a decent bit of cash raised on a fine Autumn evening. My thanks to all who gave up time and money to make the race happen.