Charleville HM - There's life in this old dog yet.

At 10 this morning I was lined up in the Car Park of the St Josephs Foundation, Bakers Road Charleville with 400 others for the start of the inaugural Charleville Half Marathon. My training had gone pretty well and all the indications were pointing towards a new PB (< 1:24:30) or something close enough. I was coy enough about predicting my finish time, stating a target of "about 1:25" if anyone asked - although a few club mates asked what time I was pacing, as I never appear to be racing these days.

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My plan was to start relatively easy @ about 6:40 pace and drop down to the 6:20's over the first 2 miles - a version of the marathon 6 mile cut-in I talked about a few months back. I had a gel tucked in my ass pocket for a bit of mid-race refuelling about mile 8. I borrowed a functioning Garmin from a friend to keep an eye on the pace (no HR monitor though - thought about bringing my Garmin for the HR monitoring but decided to Keep It Simple)

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The gun went and we streamed out of the car park right turn and down the road at a comfortable pace. Right again onto the Kilmallock Road - Garmin reading 6:15 average lap pace - a bit too fast but everyone around me was running this pace - in fact people were passing me. Geraldine O'Shea of St Finbarrs AC, who normally finishes behind me in races passed me out.

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"WTF ... maybe the Garmin is not showing the correct pace, after all I do feel comfortable.....maybe she's doing the relay (4 x about 5k)"

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The Garmin was reading correctly as we pass the 1 mile mark in 6:15. Geraldine gone ahead. Two Guys from Galtee Runners pass me. Mile 2, which includes a slight rise comes in 6:27 - a more sensible pace - but a sign that maybe I went out too fast.

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The road is dead straight with a line of runners strung out in front of me and a noticeable group about 200 yards in front. Miles 3 and 4 come in at 12:43 total - nice and steady. I go ahead of the 2 Galtee Runners after the 5k water station (about 19:39) but the younger one comes back at me and moves ahead. The group in front has split up at this stage and I pass a few who have fallen off the back, including Geraldine. Keeping a steady pace in the low 6:20's Mile 5 comes in 6:21 - continue to pass a few - into Kilmallock and Mile 6 in 6:19. Feeling a bit fatigued now.

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Left after the Church towards the second water station (I take my first bottle of water here) - over the halfway timing mat and look at the watch - 41:34 ( x 2 = 1:23:08)

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"Close to 1:23 pace - I'd need a negative split to get under 1:23 though - tough ask as most of the 2nd half is west into a headwind - still feeling good - make hay while the sun shines"

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We are now on a minor road with a gradual downhill. Passing the half way mark gives me a bit of a boost and my pace picks up with Mile 7 coming in at 6:08, pass a few more with the Galtee Runner just up ahead. Feeling very good over this section of the course and I take advantage - Mile 8 in another 6:08 - can't believe how relatively easy that came. Running on the shoulder of Galtee Runner now and I can tell he is making an effort to keep with me as his breathing is more laboured than mine as we both gain on another runner. A 100 yards later and they are both behind me. Mile 9 comes in 6:11. Still going strong but feeling less comfortable. 100 yards ahead is the 2nd Female (I think) and over the next mile I gradually reel her in as we both turn right onto the main road for home passing Mile 10 in 1:02:46 - 8 seconds outside my PB - which just happens to be my best result ever - this is going to be good. Mile 10 in 6:14.

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The road ahead is long and straight and with my myopic vision I can just make out a runner in front, 150 to 200 yards. With the 2nd female behind me at this stage the course becomes quite lonely and it is a matter of keeping the head down as the strain begins come on. Mile 11 in 6:18, slowing down but still ahead of my target pace - just keep the last 2 miles under 6:30 pace and I should get under 83. A gradual rise now as the pace slows, the guy in front is getting gradually closer, so I must be doing alright. Mile 12 in 6:21 as I enter Charleville, with the road continuing to rise, probably not a lot but enough to wreck the head - legs and body feeling the strain now, all I want is for it to be over - must keep it together. The guy ahead is now just 40 yards away and 10 yards behind another guy as we turn left for the final half mile. The Garmin tells me the lap pace is 6:31 - there's nothing I can do about that, just don't let it drop any more. I have no incentive (or energy) to take on the two guys in front. In fact I get passed by a guy and can do nothing to respond. I had put in my surge from mile 7 to 10, that was my race, nothing left. Mile 13 in 6:31 as I turn left into the St Joseph's car park for the final 100 yards - cross the line and stop the Garmin at 1:22:32 - magic!!!

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Delighted with my result, I had set out 6 weeks ago to target this race and see if I could get a PB and I nailed it - my history of doing this is a bit hit and miss so all the sweeter when I do it. The only niggle is the fact that the Garmin recorded a distance of 13.07 miles, a tad shy of the 13.11 regulation distance for a HM - still a 1:22:47 allowing for the correction. Never did take that gel afterwards, maybe it would have helped me over the last few miles.

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Well done to North Cork AC for putting on a great event, well marshalled and the refreshments afterwards were second to none. My only gripe was that my time was not up on the results posted in the hall afterwards, despite the fact that I wore a timing chip, which they removed after the race.

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