Great Time in Waterford.

Well the weekend came and went and left us all the better for it!  The culmination of a year of races for the Run a Month Boys and (Girl) was the wonderful Waterford half marathon.  It was a real family affair, as Kevin and Niamh brought the kids, and Richie and Deborah came along to cheer the rest of us on... Kevin, Cormac, Ruth and I lined up at the start on a cold but very crisp and clear Saturday morning.  There was a huge turn out for this race - well over a 1500 I reckon.  We each arrived in different shape - Kevin hadn't trained for three weeks but had a good year up until now, Cormac has been struggling with injury and Ruth was coming to her first major race after a good half year of training.  I felt fine, but not at the peak I had hoped to reach.  Still, my tentative aim was a sub 1.50 min run.  I settled into this run nice and slowly, and tracked the 1.50 pacers.  After a couple of miles I felt good, chatted away to the pacers and decided I would track these guys until the ten mile mark.  The course was flat enough until the six mile mark when there was a bit of a drag uphill for a quarter of a mile.  This is the second time I've done this half marathon, and the last time out (four years ago) led to a time of 1.59.  All went according to plan this time around when I cranked up the pace at mile ten and entered the athletics stadium and finished at a time of 1.48.18.  Happy with that!  Ruth came in at 2.11 and Kevin and Cormac crossed the line at 2.17.  Everyone happy with their achievement, and ready for a drink or two!