The week in work was interesting, largely because the boss’s son got married on Friday. I scooted down to Kilkenny after work to show my face at the afters, and arrived in time to hear the speeches, and then caught some of the band, who were very good indeed. Seven piece, with trumpet and sax and keyboards. Big sound. I suspect they would be an expensive unit to hire for the night. But I didn’t stay too late as I had a race the next morning.

One of my work colleagues had given me his ticket several weeks ago. He was at the wedding and would have been in no fit state to go gallivanting around Wicklow the following morning.

Here is the official website of the run. He had signed up for the trilogy of 10k runs, and this was the final one. (You could enter it as a standalone if you wished). I have done a few Gaelforce events in the past (Killary open water swim, plus the legendary Gaelforce West adventure race) and they are always well managed. This was no exception.

It was a long spin down to Clara Vale in southern Wicklow, and I had left quite early as I had no idea how much parking was available. So early, in fact, that I was the first car to arrive. I had a bit of a wait for Wave 2, but the weather was perfect for running, blue skies and just above chilly.

Despite all my time mooching about at the finish line, there was a ten-minute walk to the start, and although I set off when we got the announcement, I had literally arrived at the huddle of runners in the second wave when the hooter sounded and we were off. I barely had time to start the watch (oh, the horror!).

Readers, you will have to take my word for it; this is one beautiful course. Sadly, I was too busy running to stop and take photos. The website above does give you a glimpse but I will have to return next year and spend more time in that area.

The first few kilometres were on a rough track. A road of sorts, I suppose. Wide enough for a posse of runners, but quite lumpy underfoot. And more worryingly, it was all downhill. We finally levelled out when we reached the Avonmore River.

More than ever I wished to stop for a while to take it all in. Some photos would have been nice, though they would not have captured the magic of the sunlight filtering through the trees catching the last few wisps of morning mist. Somewhere around the midpoint, the course remembered that we needed to head back up to the finish line, and that’s when the run got serious quite quickly; reminded me of some of the IMRA races I did a few years ago, when a fire road stretch would suddenly end and you would be plunged into thick woodland along a narrow path of sorts that would go uphill at a horrendously steep angle.

The elevation map doesn’t lie. Straight down, straight back up again. It would have been nicer the other way around, but sure where’s the fun in that!

Despite the cool weather, I took off the long-sleeve top as we began climbing back to the finish, and we cleared the woods shortly before pushing on for the finish line. The PA announcer congratulated Eric as he passed under the gantry, unaware that I was deputising for him on the day.

The reception area that had been empty when I arrived earlier was now thronged with finishers, and there was plenty of tea and goodies to get stuck into, plus the rather fab hoodie top which Eric had promised me, on the basis that it wouldn’t have fitted him anyway. And he was probably right; I took the the largest one available, an XL, and it fits me perfectly. Eric is a big guy. It wouldn’t have gone near him!

I didn’t tarry. I did have some vague notion that I might do the whole route again, but at a gentle pace, and take some photos, but once I had enjoyed the hospitality, I began to seize up a little, and a warm car seemed like a more sensible option than adding another 10k on the legs.

I gather from the results, I (or indeed, Eric!) was 46th overall, out of 500, and the second in my age group (over 50s). My time was 50:22, and although the average pace of 4:59 suggests I should have gone under the fifty minutes, the course was a little longer. Not to worry. The winning time was 39:57 which is savagely fast considering the course profile.

Roll on next week, when we hit the hills once more, this time for the Dublin Mountain Rescue fundraiser, Run the Line. It’s the 26k main course for me!

(Two poems from Mary Oliver, and one from Siegfried Sassoon)