Well, keep those fingers crossed, as things do appear, for once, to be heading in the right direction. Headed over to Galway for the Streets of Galway 8Km, a race I have run four times previously, and a chance to meet up with my fellow club mates, most of whom these days I have never met :). I am a member of Athenry AC, a club based just outside Galway, and when I first came home to Ireland, Mick Rice, a founder member of the club and a great runner himself, persuaded me to join the club and become something like the sixth or seventh member of the club. Today, some 6 years later, the club has well over a hundred members, but I'm glad to say that Mick is still a stalwart of the club, and it was great to see him in great shape, he runs a 100 Mile race next weekend, so this was just a short jog for him!
After a three hour drive, it was a very sunny, warm, summers day in Galway, a rare treat, and after the photcall with the club in fornt of Jury's Hotel, it was a 7 pm evening start for the race in perfect running weather. Having run 41:10 for the 5 miler in Dublin a couple of weeks ago, I was hoping to run around the same time or slightly better, having had a few days loss of training in between due to flu.
The run started smoothly on a realtively flat course, starting on the Claddagh in Galway, and heading into the city centre along Merchant Road, passed a few bars where revellers enjoying the summer evening were in fine force cheering us along. There were around 2000 entries, so a mass throng was pounding through the pedestrianised streets, around Eyre Square and past Brown Thomas before heading out to the Cathedral and through a residential area. I managed the first Km in 4:53 which was surprising given the crowd, and I kept going, running around the same pace, reaching half way in 19:05.
I was going a little too fast for my level of fitness, so I eased back a little as we ran the turns around the houses, as it was very warm for here, and the sweat was dripping off me. Between 5 and 6 Km I had to stop to wipe my glasses as I had steamed up, I couldn't see with the sweat on my shades, but then again, I couldn't find any dry part of my clothes to wipe the sweat off, so ended up running the last couple of Km's with blurred vision :) -
The run drops down onto Salthill promenade, and turns for home. I had eased off the pace by now, but as I approached the 7 Km mark, I worked out that I had 5:15 to spare to bring me home under 40 minutes (my best projected time), and so, despite the sweat impeeding my sight, I knuckled down to make sure I made it home as quick as I could. With 500m to go, maked on the road, I kicked, and started to overtake folk in front. I felt I was running strongl, but within myself, I didn't want to go for an outright sprint, but as we approached the right hander to turn to the finish, I had my sights on a few people and with 80 to go, I kicked on, passed my targets and crossed the line in 39:10, a good two minutes faster than the Dublin 5 (I know its not quite the same distance), and very happy.
This may not have been the fastest Streets for me, but at an average pace of 7:53 per mile, and a positive run, I am going the right way in gaining fitness, and next week I have a 10 Miler to "enjoy". Lets hope that continues the progress. I finished 657th out of the 1973 who completed the course, around a third of the way, so again, heading in the right direction.
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