 |
| The last pint of the year tasted mighty sweet! |
My quota of 24 pints of Guinness for the year was reached yesterday evening (I drank two on Tuesday evening in Stabannon with Benny which I forgot to log, and rounded the year off with numbers 23 and 24 in Tí Sé following my Peg Race victory yesterday). They were sweet indeed and all the more sweeter for having won a race at long last! I've decided to end the year with my random blog awards of 2010...
My Best Sporting Achievement 2010
This was a toss up between my victory in the Peg Race yesterday and the achievement of breaking the 4hour mark in the Dublin City Marathon by posting a time of 3.43... the nod has to go to my marathon achievement!
My Favourite Race of 2010
I've competed in 9 races this year, and have enjoyed them all immensely! It all started with the Tuam 8K in January with Rónán, Enda and Teresa, and ended with the Peg Race yesterday (a family tradition at Christmas time). In between I've had some pleasant runs such as Clarinbridge, Craughwell, Darver, Leenane and of course the big one up in Dublin in October. However, the nod for my favourite race goes to the Annacurra Mountain Run in Wicklow with Richie in February. It was tough as hell but on a bright and crisp day at the start of the year I struggled to some kind of personal success...
My Toughest Race of 2010
Without doubt the Craughwell 10 miler. This should be renamed the CraughUNwell 10 miler. I ran the entire race while while suffering achy and fluey bones. I had hoped that the flu feeling would leave the minute I started running, but the more I tried the up my stride the worse it got.
My Favourite Blog of 2010
This was my first year blogging and I enjoyed it more as the year went on. The best thing about blogging is the fact that you can drop in on other bloggers that interest you and leave comments or just read up. All my favourites are listed on the left of this site, but for one in particular I must mention the legendary Old Running Fox - the gong for best blog of 2010 must go to this inspirational runner!
My Favourite Pint of 2010
The benefit of not drinking any more that 24 pints in a year is that I remember them all, as opposed to forgetting them all the next day! My favourite has to be that first one that was savoured outside The Saltee Pub following the Annacurra Run back in February!
Best Blog Idea 2010...
Juneathon for sure... and hats off to all who organised and participated in the marathon blog fest that was Juneathon (when I had to run and blog every day in June). A similar idea will go ahead for January (Janathon), though I think I'll sit this one out and wait for next June again!
Toughest Training Run...
The 18 miler with no carbs beforehand. Pure madness. See here...
The Big Ron No Drink Award...
Last award goes to good friend Big Ron, who sailed through the year with no beer whatsoever and set a fantastic marathon time in Dublin, posting an amazing 3.15. How much faster can this man go?
And for next year....
Run more, drink a little more, keep the blog going, enjoy life. More detailed goals may be set out in the coming days!
Good decision on the best blog of 2010, easily the most inspiring runner around just now. Congratulations on your own 24 in 2010!
ReplyDeleteHi Breandean
ReplyDeleteI have been following your rationed Guinness fuelled running for a few months now and it has made for a good read.
I would say you should treat yourself to a few more pints next year but you would have to change your title!
All the best
Congrats on your 9 races this year!
ReplyDeleteMay you have a fatastic new year!
Breandan,
ReplyDeleteI've been following your blog for awhile now and wanted to say thanks for all the interesting updates, beautiful photos, and insightful book reviews. I admire not only your running ability but also your ability to stick to 24 pints in one year. I think I'd go a bit mad if I couldn't have more than 24 pints of Guinness in a whole year! Congrats on your accomplishments this year, and have a very Happy 2011!
An-stuif a Bhren, running fox is surely inspirational but you are not far behind yourself. I enjoyed the Annacurra as well even though it was very very tough. Congrats and I am looking forward to your blogging in 2011! Yeep.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post...I am excited to follow along on your 2011 adventures!
ReplyDeleteWell done sir! I've really enjoyed following your adventures this year.
ReplyDeleteHi there Breandán, I'm back into the real world again after a wonderful festive season of celebrations in the Yorkshire Dales, so just thought I'd drop by and wish you a very Happy and successful 2011. You achieved a heck of a lot last year running-wise and I'm sure you'll build on it.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck in all you do or dream of.
Fair ple dhuit. Ta se suimiuil do review a leamh!
ReplyDeleteI've mixed emotions about being associated with your biggest drinking splurge of 5 pints in Dublin (post Roman holiday).
'Tuairim' is the man of consistency in Ras a Pheg. The man who has run them all consistently at the back of the bunch from start to finish of race and series. Ar chuis eicint thug an riomhaire 'tuairim' orm
ReplyDelete- Cormac
well done mate that is outstanding. Really enjoyed your blog and following the great running all this year. All the best for 2011 and keep it up.
ReplyDeleteThanks all for the nice comments... hoping to get back to running, blogging and plotting the next year sometime next week!
ReplyDeleteBreandán,
ReplyDeleteYou are an inspiration to us all - We are all in this together, aren't we? I feel that if you're doing the running and the not-drinking for me I can do the sitting around and slurping of pints for you.
Fir Plé, a mhac.
Gary Mc