Having run a decent 5k earlier in the week I decided to target 78 mins for this meaning I’d have to hold 6 minute miles throughout, well that was the plan. PB before this was 1:21:40 from Bohermeen back in March so I felt I was in good shape to run a PB at the very least.

Start was at 10:45am so I left the house at 10am and jogged the 3 miles to the start area, was feeling nice a light on my feet during the warmup and the morning sun was starting to make its presence felt, nothing like the heat of Saturday though thankfully and there was a cool breeze so fairly good conditions for the race.

Got there nice an early so I had 20 minutes to relax and chat with a few club-mates. With a large crowd of close to 2000 everything was well organised and we were lined up and ready to go bang on time.

Miles 1-3
The pace was nippy at the start but I stuck with my game-plan and didn’t get sucked into a quicker pace. A leading group of roughly 8-10 quickly formed and started pulling away from me, off ye go lads. I was now part of a second group which were happy to sit at the 6 minute pace but a few sat in between both groups. Was feeling good in the first mile, settled right in and concentrated on my own race. The 2nd mile caught me a little with some sharp turns, narrow paths and a slight climb before merging with the marathon course. I was intrigued to see how the merge would go and would I get caught up in any congestion. I merged with the marathon runners tipping along at a 3:25 target pace so I quickly started passing them and there was no traffic issues as they were well spaced out. At this stage I had left the group I was in and found myself out on my own. Mile 2 was a little slower on my watch, 6:15 but I was actually a little ahead of pace according to the official markers, the garmin was lagging slightly. Mile 3 was straight forward looping back to where we started but I had yet to fully settle into the pace, I was starting to feel I was working hard but not uncomfortable if you know what I mean.
Splits: 6:00, 6:15, 6:01

Miles 4-6
I saw Jenny just starting mile 4 and got a cheer while I grabbed a sip of water, a valuable lesson I learned from Rotterdam, even if it was just a small sip every 5k, was to keep hydrated. We headed on to the South Link road, a slight drag but I felt strong and I started to feel more comfortable on the downhill. I started to pass some of the half runners before a sharp turn and climb onto the motorway flyover caught me by surprise at 4.5 miles. I worked hard to keep the pace up the brief climb and settled back down into my normal breathing pattern after, phew. I still felt I was working harder than I should have been but the pace was bang on so I just kept ticking off the miles. Mile 6 was a tough battle with a never ending drag but I prevailed and almost at halfway now still well on track.
Splits: 6:00, 5:58, 6:04

Miles 7-9
I was feeling more settled now and on a slight downhill just before the 7 mile mark I felt a warm fuzzy feeling, that lovely moment where all the running planets align and you feel at one with the road, it was my belated welcome to the race I think. I closed my eyes briefly to embrace it and quickly opened them again before I smashed into a lamp post. Of course it didn’t last long but it was a big confidence booster and I was faced with another uphill climb which I dealt with and soon I was again on a nice downslope to Dennehy’s cross where I would run the familiar Model farm loop. I started tiring along the Model Farm road, again a long uphill drag but with great support along the way. I knew it was the last hilly section and that helped me get through it unscathed and still on pace. Finally the last section of downhill on mile 9 arrived and I let the legs go free before we turned towards the finishing straight, a long finishing straight mind you.
Splits: 5:59, 5:56, 6:03

Miles 10-13
With the momentum from the downhill I turned onto the Orchards in great spirit, pace felt good, breathing relaxed and for the first time I felt I was going to hit my target. I turned onto Carrigrohane road and Jenny was there with a shout, go Conor I think, something positive anyway. Looking ahead on the Carrigrohane road is a little disconcerting, it’s a long long stretch and suddenly I started to tire. The heat was intensifying now and I had 5k to go still, felt like a big ask. Jenny cycled alongside me for this stretch and I was so glad of it, I couldn’t really speak back but I got a lot of encouragement and though I was feeling like hell I was still holding a steady 6 min pace. I persevered that stretch and turned onto the again Familiar Mardyke walkway, 2 miles to go. It was an empty stretch with little or no support but it gave me a chance to gather myself and prepare for a strong finish, if I had one. There was a Raheny singlet ahead of me, a half runner also I assumed since he was going at my pace, I had reeled him in slowly through the last mile and now he was close enough that I made him a target. I felt the pace picking up and a second-wind brewing as I neared the end of the Mardyke walkway, just over a mile to go. What’s left in the tank. We crossed over the footbridge and onto the narrow leafy walkway straddling the banks of the Lee. This was again a quiet stretch but I had momentum and I passed the Raheny runner here only for him to stick to my back, uh oh it’s battle time.

We were neck and neck coming out of the walkway, pace was quick I knew it but I didn’t want to know about it, I hadn’t checked my watch since the Carrigrohane road and I was fully focused on the road ahead. The last stretch along the quays felt like an eternity, I was giving it everything and so was he. We yoyo’d forth and back switching positions, support was immense and we fed off it powering our way onto St.Patricks bridge and the finish line in sight. I found a last surge of energy from somewhere and I pulled away by just a few yards sprinting to that finish line and I knew I had the 78 in the bag when I saw the clock. I crossed in 1:18:40 with my buddy 1 second behind me, a 5:40 last mile and I don’t think I’d have pulled off that had I been on my own so thanks Raheny guy.
Splits: 5:55, 6:01, 5:54, 5:40

Delighted of course with the result, a big PB and bang on target with a 5:58 min/mile avg and 12th place overall.