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Working Mom’s Blog – Ballycotton 10 Road Race
On Sunday the 6th March the famous Ballycotton 10 mile road race. I decided this year not to run and would support instead. As I drove down in the miserable weather and thinking to myself, thank god I am not running in this weather, I made my way down to where mile 2 and 8 is and what a great place to support. The race started at approximately 1.30 p.m. and as we waited there patiently the car in front of the leaders appeared with the legendary Donie Walsh commentating on the leading group. The leaders appeared down to mile 2 in approximately 10 minutes. Once they passed, it took another 25 minutes for everyone else to pass by. They were all shapes and sizes, some looking very focused, others just enjoying the whole experience, smiling and high fiving and others looking exhausted already which probably isn’t ideal at mile 2.
Within 5 minutes of everyone passing I could hear Donie’s voice again announcing Mark Hanrahan from Leevale A.C. as the leader of the race and Mark appeared well ahead looking very relaxed at mile 8. He was a clear winner at this stage with the following group appearing about a minute behind him, all looking very relaxed too I have to say. It was amazing to watch! Mark completed the race in 48.58 minutes which is absolutely phenomenal running! The 2nd man was Joe Sweeney from Dundrum South Dublin A.C. completing it in 49.56. The first woman to pass was Aoife Cooke from Youghal A.C. and was a clear winner of the women at 59.55, again amazing running. Aoife’s Aunt Mary Sweeney won the race in 1979 and finished the race on Sunday in 1.06, 2 minutes faster than when she ran winning the women’s race 37 years ago. I once had a conversation with Mary and she said that when she was a little girl her Dad would send her to the shop, she would run to the shop and every time she did run to the shop she would always try to beat her time. So even back then she was competitive.
There were 99 Midleton A.C. runners who took part on the day and it was lovely to see them and cheer them on. It is always nice to hear your name been called especially when you get to a place where you are losing the will to keep running. The last couple of miles can be the hardest in a race but you are nearly there and that’s what keeps you going!
Recently I did a 10 mile training run as the Mallow 10 mile road race is not far away but unfortunately my knee didn’t feel great afterwards, nothing major but still not 100%. By the Monday I felt fine and the Tuesday morning I arranged to go for a run with one of the lads from work and some of his buddies who I have never met before. Thinking I would be fine, the 2 buddies arrived and let’s just say they looked like runners, very fast runners at that! What I have I got myself into I thought to myself! When we headed off on our 5 mile very scenic run at a fairly handy pace, a pace that I can run but wouldn’t do it very often I have to admit but I was delighted that I was holding my own. Unfortunately once I finished and started to walk I had a shooting pain in my knee, not good! My knee still isn’t the best and I am hoping with rest it will stand to me and I can run Mallow. Having said that, it isn’t the end of the world if I can’t, at the end of the day I want to get back to being injury free running so if rest is needed so be it!
Have a nice week!
