Monaghan

#158 Monaghan  4:21:29

Great medals

This was the second time I have run this event. I did it last year as part of a b2b with Galway. Having run well in Galway 3:49, I was very slow in Monaghan and had very few memories of it.

Lesley had been promoting it all year together with a b2b and a half marathon it was sold out. I traveled up on the morning from Dublin which was an easy 1.5hrs (despite freaky fog en-route). Finding the Clones Rd we were directed to the KFC car park and it was an easy 400m to the club house/start area. A very efficient registration and great toilet facilities had us ready in great time.

Start

The only question was what to wear. It was forecast nice (if not warm) but was absolutely freezing at the start. I chose just my Cru running vest and it was the wrong choice as I was freezing for long periods of the morning.

Everyone seemed to be there and we had a good catch up.

Race in Progress

The start line was around 700m from the finish and we walked down as the b2b, marathon and half were all

starting together.In bright but cold conditions we were off. The first 10K was a loop of the town before coming past the start and doing 4 x 5.25 loops of the beautiful if hilly Rossmore forest.

Steve mcGowan's shorts were special (and maybe the new secret to fast ultra running) and there seemed to be a rash of new boy pony tails which had me very perplexed.

I of course went off too fast and a 7:50 first mile had me thinking of a sub 4. Kris also went off fast and quickly pulled away. The loop of the town went quickly and Leslie even managed to put on a brass band in the town Sq and a Cheile band along one of the green ways. Quaint and nice at the same time.

Town center (photo: Ray Bruen)

A short out and back let everyone know where they were. Kris was well ahead and Finn was just following me followed closely by Donna and Ray. This was the only time we got a chance to say hello to everyone.

Photo (Neil McSorley)

5K was through in 26 mins but the top of my right calf got very tight. This has happened me before but I generally run it off. I blamed my Vanquish II Hoka's again. I seem to always have had problems with

these shoes.

We came past the finish area and headed up a long drag to the entrance to the forest. This was around 10K and I was through in 52 minutes. The calf problem seemed to have moved up my leg and was now bothering my hamstring and eventually hip. Finn came flying passed at this point. She was racing the first half and seeing what would happen and headed off into the distance.

Distances

The forest is absolutely beautiful and has some long tasty climbs as well as some beautiful flat running along side a couple of lakes (probably the same lake from 2 sides) and a lovely sweeping downhill. I managed to keep a decent pace going for the first loop but the leg just got worse and worse. I decided I would tough it out until half way and see what happens. I was through half way in 2:00 even and mid way into my second of 4 loops of the forest. At this stage I really had to reel it back as it was just too much.

Photo (Neil McSorley)

The Cheile band had relocated to the forest and some bag pipes appeared. It was all a bit surreal.

My 2nd and 3rd loops ended up being close on 1hr each which meant that 4hrs was not going to be even close. I also could not get warm and was freezing for most of the time. Given those around me were complaining of being warm and many deciding to run topless I must not have been well.

I ran with many I knew and a few of the faster ones even lapped me with the guys at the very front absolutely flying (2:44 was the winning time).

Things seemed to settle down for me in the last lap and I was able to get a decent pace back up and took nearly 10 minutes of the lap time and I even started to lap a few people as well. Surprise of the day was Ray Cassin who with 2 miles to go flew past on his own b2b. He would go on to record exactly the same time to the second as his day 1.  I managed to hang onto his coat tails and came in 4:21 and have to say it was a very uncomfortable run.

The afters were fantastic with some great soup and sandwiches and lots of cakes and a cup of tea. Yum!!!!

We chatted to a few afterwards and got back on the road to Dublin and was home and settled by 4pm. A great day.

Not many photos today and I will add them when published.

Strava Stats for the day  (GPS lost a little in the forest)