Popping a Cherry at Pakie Ryan Memorial 10k

Last weekend I received a call from Richie from Bridge Milers asking me if I would like to pace the Pakie Ryan Memorial 10k.

I didn't want to tell him I'd probably struggle to run 10k at the moment but needless to say I immediately showed my inexperience by saying "Sure!" and then "What pace?" in that order. There was a sense of relief when he said 50mins followed by the immediate thought I need to get out and run!!

The training log will show what I did to prepare for the task, for now onto the race report.

Saturday was a cracking day, cool yet very bright, perfect running conditions.

Arriving in Newmarket-On-Fergus and parking strategically in the middle of town you could hear the thumping music and general buzz around the place. There were hundreds of cyclists preparing for the Cycle aspect of the Run / Walk / Cycle. We (the pacers) were to meet Richie in front of the Garda station but I was early so rambled into registration for a gander. It was packed with people coming in waves.

Bumped into quite a few people who knew me from the +Amphibian King West - Limerick store so fair bit of chat about the event and the huge crowd (2,200+ I believe!)

Thanks to Siobhan Clifford for her photograph.

Got my t-shirt, number and balloon and heading out with the rest of the pacers (I didn't meet the Sub 40 ) but Paul (Sub 45), yours truly (Sub 50), Billy (Sub 55) and Kate (Sub 60) we posed for the oblig photo,
checked watches (I was wearing two, to be sure to be sure!!) and positioned ourselves into the group of runners.



Is is quite funny to see people's reaction when a balloon pops up in front of them with a time on it. They realise very quickly that this is all about to get real! Cue a bit of shuffling around as people move backwards and forwards.

We got a 10 second countdown and then we were off. I was conscious to go with the gun time so with us being 20m or so behind the line we would have 30 seconds or so to make up over the course.



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The first km was relatively easy. All downhill through the town. With lots of chatter and laughter going on alll round I explained how we'd use this time to settle into the pace, rhythm and let the group go ahead or drop off around us.

First kilometer over in 05:16 and then we were heading straight up a long drag out of the town. The chatter suddenly stopped as everyone focussed on breathing & running. Remembering that I had a job to do, I took stock of who was around me and encouraged them (in the fashion that I have been encouraged by pacers before) to use the arms, drive up the hill, in through the nose, blow out the mouth...

When we hit the highest place there was a brief respite before turning left off the main road, so time to relax the shoulders and let the legs float along, grab the recovery while you can.

From the 3km point our little group started to reel in runners who had set off eagerly and were starting to suffer a little in the growing heat. The road was very lumpy you seemed to be going up or down for most of the time and I could hear from the breathing that some were in trouble. All I could do was quiet words of encouragement, breath in through the nose, out through the mouth, it will relax you a little, that sort of thing.

Water stations were well manned and there was plenty for all.

As we started counting down from km number 5 it seemed to get easier. As I called "4 to go", "3 to go" there was a palpable sense of relief. One or two of the group started to push on a bit so plenty of encouragement for them.

Then the hill at km 8!

This one seemed to go on and on and on!! Some of the group started to come back to us but as we crested and settled again to km 9 it was time for them to go again and with a gentle word of "Push on from here! You're almost home!!" Away they went.

I picked up another couple of runners on the way in and called them to go with me. Last little push and you're there.

I don't know if I was right or wrong. a pain in the arse or not, but I really enjoyed the opportunity to pace this event and I can't wait to do another one.

Thanks to Paul Jeremiah Hayes for the use of his photo.

Splits:

1. 05:16
2. 04:59
3. 04:49
4. 04:51
5. 04:46
6. 04:48
7. 04:50
8. 04:59
9. 05:00
10. 04:52

Total 00:49:39.3