Blog of Random Thoughts and Pictures

3 Counties Challenge: Tom Jordan 5 Mile Race in Portlaw

May 10th, 2013

The Portlaw to Kilmedan road is one I travel a lot as it’s the main part of my journey to work every morning so getting to run on this road was a small treat I was looking forward to.

So it’s race 2 of the 3 Counties Challenge summer series 2013, a series of 5 races organised by the Carrick Roadrunners.

For this run I’m finding it hard to get the miles right in my head, it’s so strange I have kilometres ingrained in my brain, but thinking of a run in miles is just off putting.

There were loads of people under starts orders and even with the wide roads of Portlaw, it was pretty packed for the first “mile”. Again and again I just seem to rush things I caught a glimpse of 5:55 off the watch at the 1st mile marker, which by quickly calculations was just way too fast for a first mile, in in the scheme of my target time. The next mile wasn’t too bad either, but then, just then the quick start caught up with me and from the 2.5 mile point I say until mile 4 I found it tough going.

However the final mile run into Portlaw was great, I recognised the scenery (and it was more down hill), which placed me a in comfort zone I managed a good run to the line.

Number 377 heading for the line

Off the watch I caught a time of 33.57 and from the results sheet I had a gun time of 33:58. Finishing 91st out of 245 runners.

Happy to see the finish line

I was really happy with this, the goal time was 34:00, I was right on track with 33:58, even though I was a bit off cue at the start, and as the photo shows just a few steps ahead of a number of runners.