Being a member of DSD comes with quite a few benefits - great coaching, top class facilities and enjoyable company on the long runs to name just a few. But on marathon Sunday morning, the one that was standing out foremost in my mind was the amazing pre-race venue that Barry has once again managed to provide! (Thanks again Barry for sorting us
out!)
As Ely Place filled up, there was a mixture of confidence and nerves in the air. I’d had my fill of nerves (and carbs!) in the week leading up to the race and was feeling quite good as we made our way outside for the group photo. A few of us took our leave at this point, in a hurry to get to the bag drop and start line. We arrived after a surprisingly long walk and, like clockwork, the gun went off at 8:45 for Wave 1. The start felt quite slow but I settled into my pace after a few hundred meters.
The kilometers passed by quickly with the Phoenix Park seeming to arrive out of nowhere. As I was running down Chesterfield Avenue, Tadgh passed me, having started quite a bit further back the field. I watched him disappear into the distance and stuck to my plan. Castleknock was a joy to run through with great support and a band and a DJ providing two very different soundtracks!
We were coming back into the Phoenix Park when Paul and Derek caught me. We ran together for a while but myself and Paul had to let Derek go as we were getting to St Laurences Hill, not quite able to keep up as Derek powered up the hill! It felt like the whole city was cheering on the marathon as we passed through Chapelizod, Kilmainham, Dolphins Barn and then on to Drimnagh. The support certainly made things feel easier!
We caught up to Cormac O’Conner as we were passing through Drimnagh and ran on together through Walkinstown and on towards the KCR. As we made our way onto the Fortfield Road I broke out of the group of runners I was in towards my girlfriend, to complete a well rehearsed handover, swapping my empty water bottle for a new one and a few gels.
Delighted with the support and replenished stocks, I continued on into Terenure, Rathgar and the DSD water station. The support along this whole section was amazing but the DSD water station was something else! I had my head on a swivel as I passed through, keeping my eye out for my sister and was delighted to see so many DSD’ers cheering me on as I passed!
Feeling full of confidence (and Maurten) I kept going through Milltown and on towards Clonskeagh. There continued to be a huge amount of support for anyone wearing a DSD singlet and heartbreak hill didn’t seem quite so daunting after all of our training runs. I caught up with Tadgh who made sure to remind me to cut the corner as we went along Roebuck Road and made it to the top of Fosters Avenue still feeling strong (at least until I almost inhaled a cup of Lucozade at the water station). I followed what felt like a well worn path from our Tuesday evening training sessions along the N11 to the UCD flyover and proceeded to Nutley Lane where I was delighted to spot Gary, shouting words of encouragement as I passed. “Twenty minutes of running left Eugene, keep pushing!” Fifty meters further down the road and I could still hear him shouting after me.
As I made it onto Merrion Road I had to focus to keep the pace up but the crowds and support along the home stretch were great. After crossing the canal I put in a final effort, making my way around the Pepper Canister and onto Mount Street. I had Cynthia and Clare cheering me on as I crossed the last hundred meters to the finishing line, but I kept my eyes on the ground as it was a bit uneven here. Finished!
I found a group of DSD’ers who had finished ahead of me and, after a few minutes’ recovery, we made our way to Doheny and Nesbitt’s for a well deserved pint or two. DSD had a presence on each of the floors of the pub but by some cruel twist of fate we ended up going up and own the stairs a few times before making our minds up that the top floor was the place for us.
As I heard the race recap from the others around me I was struck by the number of PBs which had been achieved on the day, a great testament to the hard work put in and the training schedules devised by Maria and Gary. DSD were well represented at the podium as well, with Hiko claiming first place in the marathon championship and Grace coming third. They were ably assisted by a few Meet and Trainers to claim third place in the men's senior team (Hiko, Aidan and David) and women’s senior team (Grace, Ruth and Eilish). Lorraine, Tara and Valerie also came third in the W50 category. A massive congratulations to everyone who completed the marathon and a special thanks to everyone who volunteered and supported on the day. Until next year!
Eugene McCabe - DSD Meet and Train
Darren Clifford - Meet and Train captain
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