Race Four Dublin Marathon Race Series 2023

Date of Race 23/9/2023

Introduction

On Thursady 21st Sept 2023 Julie, Edward and I became homeowners thank god. I know what you’re thinking he surely didn’t run a half marathon two days later. Yes I did. I spent every hour of the previous two days moving Julie and Edward out of our one bedroom apartment in Rathmines. I told Julie once we have keys in hand we’re staying in our new home from day one. I was packing the GO Van from Wednesday as the sale completion was taking place. Julie had an IKEA click and collect order in place our first of six. We got the keys, saw them as the starting gun and off we went.

I was late to the race again. I planned to park at Heuston station which by the tme I got there was completely full. I doubled back and parked in Jervis street shopping centre and ran up to the start line in Phoenix Park. As I passed the four courts Luas stop I couldn’t remember if I’d locked the car.

I got to the start line as the final wave was about to be race off to half marathon bliss. I crossed the start line as the annoucer pronounced

Inch by inch life is sinch, Yard by yard life is hard

I took a deep breath reminded myself that my job was to finish this race. My plan was take it easy and let my body untangle itself from the week. Inch by inch I had bought a house. Yard by yard I was going to finish this race.

Race

I stayed in the pocket at the back of the field and built up my pace slowly. My wife was watching on the tracker app worried I’d get injured after everything we’d done that week. Our family had arrived to lend a hand with all the IKEA furniture. I was gone before they rose. They were tearing into it by time I got back. I remember at the start I dropped my airpods (case included) and a lovely guy behind me risked life and limb to pick them up and return them to me. I’d had a thought as I turned the key to door of my house. I thought I felt the wind change and come behind me and that morning in Phoenix park started badly but then the wind changed. I kept my cool. I clawed back my position slowly. I sat in the pocket took my gels and kept pushing the pace up every five kilmoteres finishing in 1:50:44. I was delighted I couldn’t believe that I was showing marathon strength again. The wind had changed.

course

The course was hard and strangely had a divide on ACRES road. Those on lap one kept right and headed back to Chesterfield Avenue. Those on lap two kept left, stayed left on Chesterfield avenue passed the start line for the third time and finished after banking left. I’ve heard the OPW charge one euro a runner for these events but I had no idea that came with an odometer per runner as well. Phoenix park is huge doubling over old ground surely isn’t necessary.

Conclusion

Inch by inch life is getting to sinch