Introduction

The Wheelworx FASTLANE Half Marathon will be my final race this year. I’m closing in on a parkrun goal of 40 parkruns in a calendar year and I’m starting to notice my body coming apart as usual. My back is a wrought iron board, my hips are tight and my hamstrings are more string than supple ham. My Daily Flexibility routine once a core component of my daily routine teaching in the Mardyke Arena UCC has been neglected since I starting working in Software Development in May 2022. I’m adapting but I also need to bring down the workload, recover and restrengthen. I do this every year and it’s no less frustrating. That being said I couldn’t resist one more crack at a half marathon in 2022.

The Wheelworx FASTLANE Half Marathon atmosphere was concentrated on the Dublin Marathon. Lining up on the canal in Clondalkin the chatter was all about the Dublin Marathon. The Dubs are very proud of the Dublin Marathon. I’d be proud too if I had the 4th largest marathon in Europe on my doorstep. I detected the exact same willingness we had at the Cork Marathon I could feel people wanted their Marathon back and they wanted to it to come back with a roar.

Course

I haven’t raced on a course as flat is this half marathon since I ran the Loop de Haag in 2018. You’re not going to have problems keeping to your pace. A word of caution though once you come off the canal and up around the Adamstown road the wind will whip across your body. The temptation is to fight with the wind. I held back because eventually you loop back into the cover of the canal and you can make up any time you lost in the wind with ease because you’ll be going slightly downhill. I doubt there was a single person aiming for a PB at this race. I could see quite a few athletes holding their pace steady wiring the feeling of their race pace into their brain yet again in preparation for their Dublin Marathon. More than a few groups passed me keeping together encouraging each other but very clearly on a planned long run. Some where experimenting with gels or water intake. Nothing new for someone training for a marathon but absolutely essential race day planning.

Live a Little

The canal beside you running next to water has always been calming for me. Take advantage of this because when you’re coming back later to finish you’ll a have little extra pace in your finish. While crossing the bridge at the 3 km mark look left and right and see the lines of runners either side of you. Take in the energy from people striving to together. You’re going to face the wind on this course don’t let it break your mentality. Every step forward against the wind is one step closer to your goal. Take that in it will help you develop resilience. The wind is a factor not a dictator.

Volunteers

The marshalls I meet were in great form. Out by Adamstown road I asked one marshall “Can I have your chair?” She was swift with the with the the wit “No you have 5km to go I don’t want to slow you down”. There was another young lad just off Grange Castle Business park who gave everyone a roar “Keep going !!! Push yourself you have 10% more in you”. I like the motivators. I’m one of them. I was thinking that this lad was young and he got his ass out of bed to marshall his roundabout on a Sunday morning. He’s young he could have been anywhere else.

Conclusion

Wheelworx half marathon is a real fast deal.

Quote of the Week

“Run like hell and get the agony over with.” Clarence DeMar