Run a Month Club - Grey Lake 10k

We cheekily asked the local hotel if they would allow us the use of a room for a quick shower following our run and they duly obliged for a very small fee... young Kevin looks satisfied.

September's 'Run a Month' effort brought us to the lovely town of Loughrea to participate in a very popular 10k.  Cormac is currently injured but both he and his good wife, Ruth, were at hand to mind Kevin's young ones while the Keester and I set about the Grey Lake run.  To make a real family occasion of it my mother and father came along.  This is a fine race, very well organised and an obvious favourite with running clubs up and down the west.  As Kevin and I trotted down towards the starting point I took a bad fall on the wet sidewalk.  My legs went from under me on a slippy surface that had some kind of liquid (coke perhaps) spilt on it.  I was lucky not to have been hurt and, thank God, I was back on my feet and heading towards the start line in a matter of seconds... Following some terrible morning showers, the day cleared up very nicely. The first few hundred metres were very congested and it was hard to find a clear running path, such was the interest in this race, but when things settled down Kevin and I fell into a nice, steady pace - around 8.30mins/mile.  It wasn't an easy 10k (most of the first half was uphill), but it was extremely enjoyable.  We chatted our way around the course and I could definitely see a big improvement in Kevin's fitness since the Breaffy 10k a month ago.  Our aim was to bring it home inside 53mins, and the clock at the end read 52.44, so job done!  It was comfortable and highly enjoyable.  Next up is the Conamara 10k, organised by my own club Tríspórt - then it's off to the Phoenix Park for a 12k in November, followed by the grand finale of our 'Run-a-Month', the Waterford half marathon in December.  Santy should be very good to us this Christmas.