Stook 10mile race

Hit the road early with Gary in the van for the 10mile race organised by Gowran ac.The weather looked perfect and we found our way to the race without any wrong turns for a change.
We unloaded the van and set up the shop with a short 1mile warmup and a few strides.
I was in a really good frame of mind before the race even though most people said the course was full of hills.
A friend of mine David Mc Carthy who is one of the favourites for next weeks National Intercounty cross country was
out with his training partner Philip Harty and was planning on running 6minute miles which suited me so I asked if he would run around/pace me :)
Philip would be Gary's biggest rival today and both very good runners on the hills with Gary having the slight advantage on the downhills and with the final 2miles this proved to be decisive as Gary won in 51.59 around 30+ seconds ahead.

The start of the race was strange for me as I was holding myself back and sticking to my 6minute mile plan.
Back in about 14th place after mile1 I was chatting away to Dave and as we passed each mile we started to pick of some runners that went out a little too fast.
After 5miles of running I was running 6minute miles handy enough but was preparing forthe real hills at 5.5miles.
The next mile was the slowest of the race in 6.15/20 and as we passed the next runner on a climb I got excited and my legs where abit like jelly near the top,at this point Dave slowed to wait for me(thanks Dave)

Mile 7 I was back rolling and suddenly at mile 8 I saw this huge downhill and let the legs stride out.We passed another runner and I now found myself well inside the top10.
My last 2miles I ran 9.20/30 and finished(8th place) strongly with this race giving me the appetite to train harder/smarter and look forward to 2013.

Well done  to Simon and Gowran ac on a fantastic race.