COLDWOOD NATIONAL SCHOOL - 4 MILES - CRAUGHWELL

My third race in January. This winter I am working on my speed, between track sessions on Tuesday's with GCH (Galway City Harriers), hill sessions, and I race lots of short distances (5km on the First, 8km last week and 4 miles today).

It is a small local race, and we will be 186 runners at the start. It is a very cold morning, with 5 degrees, but the wind makes it feel much lower. The wind is expected at 130km/h on the coast, hope the course will be covered enough by trees / walls...

We arrived, with Helen, at 11am and not many cars are parked. along the M6. It is a cold morning, and we don't stay too much out. We picked up quickly our numbers and we get back in the car to get changed. At 11.30, we start our warm up. We run along the race course on the first 2km. The body start to be warmer and i get back to the car to put my shorts, remove the hat, the long sleeve tshirt and the jacket.

At 12am I am on my own on the start line. I missed the race breifing in the school. Fintan and two guys from Craughwell seems to be fast. Hope to find other runners in order to take the wind on the way back. Helen is happy to be back racing after her injury in November 2012!

At 12.05 we start.

I am in 5th position, behind Fintan and 2 guys from craughwell and a guy in black. The wind is pushing from the back and easily I am able to keep the pace under 3'30"/km. I will overtake the guy in black and the guy from craughwell. I am third at the moment. At mile one I am at 5'34". Fintan and Jason are already 50m ahead.

At km 2, there is a 180 curve to go back on the road. I can give some cheer to Fintan. It is a good point to see that my follower is the guy in black. The turn back is a good opportunity to see that the wind is blowing hard against us. It will be a difficult finish. I give some cheers to Helen as well. After 250m, we turn left at 90 degrees, and this time the wind is on the side/back. There is a wall on the right and most of the time we are covered by trees. I ran mile 2 in 6'02".

I see that Fintan has got 5 meters delay from Jason. I don't look back but I know that my speed is slowing down and it will be difficult to keep the third place. This is a long straight and after 4,2km there is some public. We arrive at the M6, and we need to turn right. Then it is the difficult part of the race. The wind is blowing hard and I feel like stuck on the ground. This is a curve at 135 degrees, and I can see that the guy in black is not so close. I slow down and arrive at mile 3 in 6'16".

It is the last effort to finish. The wind blows harder. I am slowing down. I can't see the first 2 runners. At a point, the wind blows so hard, that I run at 5'/km. I can see the small village, and see the carpark. I am not far away and can see that the guy in black is not so close. I accelerate a little on the last strech. The last curve and I am happy to finish in 24'26", third. Jason won in 22'01", Fintan second in 22'16":

Helen is happy to close her first race in 26'22" in second position. Well done.