Achill Half-marathon

Date: Juy 4^th, 2009

Citizen Reviewer: John Culhane

I finished behind the runner who came 5^th. Unfortunately he had come back out to cheer on one of his friends a little over an hour after he had finished himself.

I had a time of 2.16.37. My aim was to finish and I managed it.

I was a long-time (pun fully intended) runner of 2-3 miles around the same route. At the turn of the year a few of us decided to set ourselves a target and the Achill run was our target.

We took to the roads of south Mayo on training runs and also entered the odd 8 & 10 k run. Slowly we built our way up to 9-10 miles with, it has to be said the odd hiatus in training during the six months lead-in

The week before the run was a nervous one with a host of imagined aches and pains. We turned up in Achill with thousands of people milling around, we signed on got our ‘goody bags’ which were disappointingly short on goodies.

My lack of preparedness was highlighted by inadequate gear for the weather. It was decidedly windy and rain threatened so I invested in an all-singing , dancing rain-proof, wind-proof top which I felt would clip seconds, nay minutes, off my hoped-for two-hour time.

Weather changed and the sun beat down on us for most of the next two hours.

As the start approached there were a few nervous nods of acknowledgement to familiar faces, anxious gulps of water and a cursory nod towards a stretching programme. The pipers played and off we went. The first three miles were a slow uphill drag at a slower-than-training pace forced by the terrain and the crowds.

When we turned after about four miles at Bunacurry the road rolled out in front of us and those miles back to Valley NS were great. I was happy with my pace and as I passed the half way mark I began to wonder what all the fuss was about.

We ran into a hill after about 7-8 miles but I had heard about this one and it wasn’t as bad as had been threatened. I got to the top, and took in the views of the Mullet peninsula, and was still enjoying the day feeling pleased I had put the hill behind me.

Rolled down the hill in Dugort, and even had the energy to exchange pleasantries with a few people I knew on the side of the road. However tiredness was beginning to take its toll.

Nine miles was about the extent of my training. I was into uncharted territory and my head was not letting me forget it.

The road swung around to the left and then I saw the hill people had been telling me about. It arched up in front of me and the next mile was one of the hardest I have run in the last year.

I was not alone and the struggle of others around me was fairly plain to see. However, we were into double figures as regards miles ran, and the number of well-wishers on the side of the road increased, and urged us on. As I crested the hill it was good to see Keel down below to our left. The last few miles were slow.

The hill and the warm weather had taken a lot out of me and my pace was lagging behind training runs. The finish came up all of a sudden and crossing the line did give a great feeling of achievement.

Very sore the next day and admitted that I was underprepared. I slowed down enormously in the last few miles, which wasn’t easy as I was hardly going fast in the first place. Will definitely do another half-marathon before the end of the year. My training partner, the previously irrepressible Liam Horan, pulled a troubled calf muscle after three miles. Counselling is going well, though.

Parking, registration, getting sorted beforehand, getting started, etc: 6/10

Race giveaway/souvenir: 2/10

The course, surface, scenery, marshalling: 10/10

Water stops: 10/10

The aftermath, results, food, changing, shower, etc: 4/10

Beginner friendliness: 3/10

General value for money: 4/10

Will I be back? Yes