That title may be a lie. It's been over three hours since I finished the race though, so the pain has faded and my breathing is back to normal. For a flat course, the Terenure 5 mile was tough!
I got out in loads of time, but I had absolutely nothing to worry about as Audrey and Michael were there before me and collected my race number and t-shirt, bless them! :) Once past the giant queue for the ladies, it was off to the race. Michael is a total speedster, so we bid him goodbye at the startline and searched for the sub-50 pacers. This was the last wave, but we didn't let that get us down! Audrey set us both up immediately behind the pace makers.. I moved us back a step or two when their pace balloons started hitting me in the face :)
For a sub-50 min 5 mile, you need to average out at a pace of 6:15 min/km. Judging by my Garmin, the pace setters went at 6:40, 5:45, 6:30, 6:00.. Audrey stuck with them and I struck out by myself to have a steadier pace which, it turns out was by staying about 2 metres ahead of them. Around 3 or 4km in, they suddenly upped the pace and took off! They left us both behind, it was sad :(
I really started struggling with 2km to go. It turns out that my fitness just isn't up for a 6:15 min/km pace. Audrey caught up with me, and didn't even look smug as I puffed and wheezed the rest of the way. I had just enough left in the tank to have a mini sprint finish and completed it in 51:09.
Afterwards Siobhan was the perfect friend, she fetched tea, coffee and scones while the rest of us sat in a sweaty heap waiting the results. No spot prizes for us :( Okay, that's a mini-lie, Audrey and Michael stretched, I sat in a sweaty heap :) We did get to exchange pics of our dresses for upcoming weddings though!
All-in-all though, not a bad day! :) Siobhan didn't even complain about the smell as she sat beside me on the bus back to town. I used plenty of deodrant first ;P
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