10 Things I Think About Running

10 Things I Think About The John Buckley Sports 5K

1. Deflation

I think that this must be the most ridiculously under-priced event in running. €5 to enter a chip timed 5k on a silly fast course with 1000 other runners is pretty good. It has been that price since I started running in 2008. It is immune to inflation, the only inflation that has occurred has been due to magic shoes which we aren’t allowed to talk about.

2. GAA Parking

I think that I was unlucky to encounter a GAA security guard during my attempts to park in the secret car park. The security guard seemed to have some sort of sixth sense of whether you were a GAA person or not, I wasn’t in a saloon Toyato Corolla so was probably in trouble. “This is a private car park” “Go and abandon your car on the grass outside like everyone else”. He didn’t say the second part, but he didn’t care where I parked as long as I left his car park, so I did and eventually found the last space which was right by the finish. Kieran McKeown helpfully moved the barriers, so it looked like I parked properly.

3. Marina Park

I think that the paths around Pairc Uí Caoimh are great for warming up, it was nice to warm up and see how runners are so much tidier at parking their cars than the GAA crowd, there was almost no ridiculous parking. Because I was mad late because of work and the GAA security guard I had only 10 minutes before 8pm when the race was supposed to start for warming up. Luckily based on past experience, I knew that the race doesn’t actually start until about 8.10pm so I took my time and got two miles in before the start.

4. No Stress

I think that the start line of a 5k like this must be terrifying if you aren’t over 6ft tall and not up the front. I waited until after Jerry Forde had gone to go behind the line. Everyone in running that I like to beat was on that start line. When the BHAA siren on the left gently went off we sort of started like a wave from left to right which was just as well as the Marina is no more than 5m wide and more potholed than a country boreen.

5. Black Singlets

I think that it helps when you have done sessions on a route when it is included in a race. The first mile was straight down the Marina back towards town, Sean Doyle took off in his nice Cork City AC singlet followed by a group of four or five fellas in black singlets. Black singlets shouldn’t be allowed, you can’t tell who’s who in a black singlet. I was a good bit back with the familiar company of John Meade, Michael McMahon and Barry Twohig dancing around the potholes in my magic shoes.

6. Trevor Cummins

I think that it was very helpful of Trevor Cummins to cycle to the 2km mark to give us the split time. I can’t remember what time he said but it was very fast and most importantly fast enough to result in a great PB by me which would annoy Michael Herlihy tremendously and also result in lots of Strava comments. I considered the time briefly and continued on in pursuit of John Meade.

7. Tailwind

I think that the conditions couldn’t have been any better for the race. It was nicely warm and not very humid, there was a slight cross headwind for the first mile with no wind for the second mile and a light tail wind for the finish. I barely noticed the wind in the first mile as I was hiding behind John Meade and Michael McMahon, when we got onto the road past the Marina Market I made it my business to get to the corner at the top still in contact for when the tailwind would start and hoped that I would be able to drop them with the wind on my larger back.

8. Go on Viv

I think that it was looking good for a great PB by me with about 500m to go. I had been dropped by a vicious surge by Michael McMahon and John Meade but had held onto Barry Twohig so I knew I was doing ok. Then Barry overtook me just before we reached the Marina Park. Then I heard the ominous sound of “Go on Viv” just behind me. He couldn’t could he?

9. ChatGPT

I think that if ChatGPT was used to analyse the Garmin files of all the runners in the race Viv’s file would be flagged as not normal. It would not fit any algorithm no matter how badly programmed and overhyped. The speed at which he danced by me with 200m to go was frightening. His vicious powerful attack resulted in an 8 second gap in 200m which is not normal as I didn’t slow down that much. I suppose he was extraordinarily motivated, but it was extraordinary and terrible for my morale and ego.

10. Jeremy

I think that a lot happened in the last 200m of the race. Being beaten by John Meade, Michael McMahon, the two Barry’s and Viv was already terrible but worse was to come. Just after Viv breezed by Jeremy pounced on my demoralized body and breezed by delighted with himself. At this point I gave up and just jogged home which was a mistake because I just missed a great PB by me. It was a terrible result, beaten by everyone, no PB and no nice top 10 t-shirt. I’ll get revenge in the marathon I hope.