Staplestown

#199  Staplestown  5:39:23

Early Start

This was an East Of Ireland event in Staplestown nr Donadea forest park in Co Kildare. This was my first EOI in 2 years. Nowadays I seem to booking events a year in advance and the schedules have just not aligned.

Initially I was booked into the 50K event but this darn knee issue meant that I would really struggle to make the 6hr cut off so I decided to drop to the marathon. EOI facilitated my request with no issue.

Because of family logistics I had to travel up from Galway city early and it took 1hr 45 to get there and I arrived well on time.

Weather played ball

This was your typical rural open road small Irish marathon. Well organised on a 10K loop in around the roads returning every 10K to the well stocked aid station in the village centre.

I went off with the early start which was also the 50K start, indeed there was quite a crowd went off at 8am. The 50Kers had a short out and back to make up the distance whereas the marathon had 2 one mile out and back to make up their distance.

Wexford marathon Club

Quickly I fell off the back. I was very slow. The course itself was fairly flat and was laid out in a triangle. I have to say I have never seen straighter roads and the triangle was nearly perfect with 3 x 2 mile straights. The only view was a bog. I would not put this down as the most scenic route ever but was very functionary.

The main marathon and half marathon started at 9am and there was a 10K started later. Regularly I was lapped by most of the field as I struggled my way around the course. Saying this I was very consistent in my times and ran a pretty even 2:47 split for a 5:36 marathon. It was a painful affair with my leg playing up all the way round.

We were lucky with the weather. As we registered there was a steady drizzle which cleared up just before we started. It stayed great right until after we finished when it started up again.

There seems to be a new club in town with the Wexford marathon club here in numbers for both the 50K and the marathon

20 Miles in

There were some great 50K performances with most people easily breaking the 5hrs and qualifying for the national championships. I traipsed in last in the marathon and luckily there were 26 finishers (a lot more in the 50K) so it counted for all clubs and goals that I have.

There was the new EOI medal at the end and some crisps/chocolate and coke at the end. It was nice to know a lot of people in the race again and it leads to a very pleasant day out. At €25 it is still a great value race series.

I left soon after I finished and headed back to Galway for cocktails and prepare for no 200 which was 2 days later.

Photos Teresa Taffe

Stats for the day: