Armagh 5k

Armagh is always one of my favourite races of the year so to come so close to winning but not getting the win was very disappointing, especially the way the race paned out.

I knew i was in fairly good shape going into the race despite my run in Northerns so I was looking forward to a good hard race and hopefully getting dragged round to a fast time.  Training has been going well of late and I feel I am starting to get the right balance of strength work and a few slightly shorter sessions to get the legs ticking over a bit more. I was hoping to run as close as possible to the 14min mark.  The race was delayed 15/20mins due to one of the girls collapsing in the women's race so it was hard keeping warm.  I was also starting to feel my PF tighten and become a bit sore which I was getting worried about but having spoken to Alex O'Gorman over the past few days he seems convinced that it is to do with a slight hamstring strain I have had for a while or something in my lower back so I began stretching my hamstring and it started to ease off a bit.  Come the race I couldn't feel it as it loosened up so it kind of fits with his diagnosis.  (Thanks Alex!) The race went off quite steady which was a surprise as normally it is a rapid start but Simon Jones soon took up the running and I was quite happy to sit off the back of him going into the 2nd lap.  I went though through the 1k in about 2:57 so realised I had to kick on if I wanted to run fast and decided to take up the running.  My best position in the race previously was 9th so I was very surprised to find myself at the front but i felt good and I went over to Ireland with the sole intent on running fast.  I don't care if I come last or 1st as long as I run fast in races like this so was disappointed to find myself breaking away from the group on my own.  I don't remember my 2k split but I went through 3k in 8:30 and this is where my school boy error came and I thought I was on my last lap running for home!  How wrong I was, a slight rush of blood and I blew it in the 2nd to last lap.  I'm not saying I would of won the race if I had of counted my laps properly but I know I wouldn't of ran as hard in that 2nd to last lap.  It was a very strange experience as everyone was cheering and going mad as I thought I was approaching the finish but I didn't get directed into the finishing tunnel.  I then thought that I had made an even bigger mistake and not gone down the tunnel when I was suppose to but I then heard the bell and realised I was in trouble.  I kind of stopped and paused for a second and then carried on running.  What an idiot! People later asked me if I had gone over on my ankle or something but I had to explain to them that I had just stupidly miss-counted my laps.  That last lap seemed to go on for ever but even with about 800m to go the Marshall's said I was clear but I could hear from the shouts of the crowd the group was gaining on me.  As I went into the last 100m Matt Bowser pulled up along side me and I had nothing left to give and he just out sprinted me at the finish.  Fair play to Bowser he gets a lot of stick on online forums but he ran a good race and timed his finish to perfection. We were both given the same time of 14:16. He was clearly happy with his win which to be fair pissed me off, more at myself as I had done all the donkey work in the race.  At the end of the day though a race is a race and its the 1st person across the line that gets the glory.  I know the race wasn't as strong as it has been in the past and that was proabably one of my best ever chances to win that race but I will be back next year more determined than ever!  There was still a few American lads behind who have ran in the 13:40s and also quality runners such as James Walsh who recently won the Midlands X so not the end of the world.  

Sophie came 15th in the women's race as well with a new pb of 10:36 which beats her track pb so hopefully she can build on this in the summer.  Its about time she shared some of these pbs around a bit! 

I was made up to see Dave Normans race report saying how much he enjoyed the race and praising the organisational skills of the organisers.  Its nice to see such highly respected runners such as Dave praising the event as I know the organisers work so hard to get the race running smoothly and ensure everyone enjoys the races.  It really is such an amazing race with a great atmosphere and great times (normally) too.  No doubt I will be back again next year.

Thanks in particular to Dermott Kerr and Brian Vallely who help organise the race and get together such a strong field each year and also Jackie Newton for sorting out our team and sorting Sophie out with so much kit.  I know for a fact Liverpool Harriers couldn't be bothered organising anything like that!  I also hope the guy in the 3k race who collapsed in his race is on the mend.  

Next up AAAs tomorrow...