This last Monday, August 5, 2013 I ran the Dublin Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon. This was the first of this event for Ireland and it was a really fun day. I can genuinely say, I enjoyed this race from start to finish (something I haven't been able to say about the previous two half-marathons). I loved those races too, but mostly AFTER I was finished. Also, doing this one, after having run the Seattle Rock 'n' Roll half marathon was exciting. I wore my Seattle t-shirt for this one and, surprisingly, saw quite a few Seattle and Portland shirts while on the course.
Of 7,000 runners, 3,000 came from overseas. 52 countries were represented and most importantly, I enjoyed myself while beating my previously held, Personal Record (PR).
Waiting at the Start Line
On my left is Scottish John, as we call him, from my running group. On my right is a friend of his, also from Scotland. I only met him right then and then we were off and never saw him again. John and I stuck together for 11 of the 13 miles. He was a great companion to have - many of us from the group planned to meet beforehand (there were 9 of us running this race) but we never found each other. Thankfully John and I run the same pace and that made the race all the more enjoyable.
I lead the Dun Laoghaire Running Group (which is under the umbrella of the larger Dublin Running Group) and these are leaders from some of the other Dublin Running Groups. We all met before the race. Billy, far right, is from our group and got the best time of any one here! He finished in 1:34 (inhumanly fast!).
These 4 images are courtesy the Rock 'n' Roll Dublin Half Marathon Facebook page. (1)
(2) I borrowed this one because I saw this guy running through Phoenix Park. He was near us (and running pretty quickly) but then he pulled off to the side and continued walking while smoking a cigarette! I giggled as I passed him by and he goes, "Just openin' up the lungs!". Later he passed us again and we saw him jump up on one the bands' stages to start playing the tambourine.
(3) Phoenix Park is the largest gated park in all of Europe and I now believe it because we spent nearly 7 miles of the race in this park. It's gorgeous, but spending 3 1/2 miles going uphill was not super-duper fun. Thankfully though, the bands at each mile and the guy smoking cigarettes kept us entertained and distracted. Also, at one point, a guy passed John and myself wearing a red, women's bathing suit that was also a thong. THAT was distracting. Thank goodness he was only passing us though and we never saw the front! Eww!
(4) The female winner, finishing in 1:14!!!! (Whoa...) The male winner finished in 1:06 - essentially super-human lightening speed. 13.1 miles/21 Kilometers in 66 minutes.
My support crew! Poor Norah is passed out here but it was so amazing to see them on the sidelines as I came into the finish. How I managed to spot them, I'll never know but it was a great boost and helped me to "sprint" the last bit.
Graham, the other faithful member of the support crew (and Jimmy too).
Sarah requested a picture of the medals so here they are. I'm happy they have the dates on them too. They're serious medals too - very heavy and they definitely make you feel as if you 'earned' something.
We picked up the Irish Independent the next day where they publish the times for each runner. There were 10 pages of names.
I'm on the Right Column, just under dead-center.
I wasn't going to buy this but then I figured, in 10 years time, say I'm not able to run anymore for this reason or that, it might be nice to look back on our time in Dublin when I ran 3 half marathons in a year. I foresee a time when I'll want to reminisce about this. :)
That same day was also the Dun Laoghaire 10K race which about half of our running group did. So, that evening, all of us met at a restaurant to celebrate (conveniently located at the base of our apartment building). It really was a great day for everyone. Nearly every single runner beat their Personal Record so we were all on 'Cloud 9' and had a ball congratulating each other. Wayne thought it was so funny that we all met for 2 1/2 hours and managed to talk about running the entire time. Runners are a peculiar bunch and half the fun of racing is going over all the details with your friends - times, how you felt during the race, what records you broke, and on and on.
So, now? On to the next race.
5 comments:
Congrats on a PR! I always felt that halfs are a perfect distance...you have to train a lot, but it doesn't take all of your time. My goal was to do one half marathon between each of my children, I almost met that goal but decided to do a triathlon between these last two instead.
Oh Wow Lindsay, I had no idea you had done all those. (I mean I knew you were a super athlete and that it was "in your blood" but didn't know you were still competing)Which triathlon? Was it something like the Danskin? Amazing. Well done. Today our group did a long run together, accompanying a friend who is training for the 100-mile ultra marathon in Berlin next weekend. This was his "Taper" run - but it was my longest ever. We ran from our town (Dun Laoghaire), out to Howth which is 15.5 miles/25K. I was shocked I did it and so happy to have covered the whole distance. We look out at Howth from our house and it looks like a million miles away, across the bay. What a great feeling. Anyway, thanks Lindsay! Someday when I'm back, maybe you can coach me and we'll run one together. :)
Oh yes, it was a short one! It was Seafair, but I have done Danskin before (too crowded for me). I have never run 15.5 miles...usually by the end of a half-marathon training season I am done running for a while. :) You still have one more, so I guess you have to keep it up! I have never run with a training group, but I am sure it makes it a lot more fun. Would love to do runs or train for a tri with you! I just have to get this baby out first...I'm due today so hopefully she'll be coming out soon!
Lindsay,
Wow! I didn't know you were already at your due date. I'll keep you in my thoughts and pray she decides to make her debut soon. How exciting!! Hope you can get some rest. :)
And those Triathlons are not "Short" ones! They're incredible. I can't swim 20 feet without feeling like I'm done for. A triathlon is such an amazing accomplishment - and all the more so after babies #2 and 3 (in close succession). :)
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