Best of luck to all taking part this weekend in our premier marathon in this country. I do hope that everything goes well and that all the hopes and dreams come to fruition. Bit of FOMO on my part but I know I can’t do it and have reached acceptance. I’m sitting writing this post with Storm Austen turning my garden in a swimming pool and the roof rattling. It doesn’t seem long since we were relaxing in the evening sunshine with a chilled beer. Forecast is good for Sunday and ideal for a marathon.
Thou, from whose unseen presence the leaves dead
Are driven, like ghosts from an enchanter fleeing, ‘
For those going to Dublin can I offer some advice. Relax and enjoy it.
For those at the front end have their own game plan and tactics but for ordinary Joe it is a day to savour. Years to come you will look back and let it be a day you will cherish and talk about with friends.
Relax before the start as much as you can. Conserve the energy needed for the later miles. The most important tip I can give is to start slowly. It is always a shuffle anyway with huge numbers but just settle in and let the miles pass by. Too many people set out too fast and nothing in the tank for later. Take on fuel and water as early as possible to offset later fatigue.
I won’t bore you with too much more but just put on a smile, embrace the day, the occasion, your fellow participants and the supporters. It is a notch on the belt of life if you do many more or never again run a marathon.
When you finish a marathon, will you ever run one again? Hopefully yes but maybe no. You need time, luck, health, family, friends and a good birth cert. No guarantees in the journey of life.
Remember your finishing time isn’t engraved on the medal. Everyone receives the same momento. How you enjoyed the experience is personal to you. Time doesn’t matter.
“The sun rose and set in a land of dreams whether the clocks where right or wrong.”
Pic below from 2016 is myself and Patrick Kavanagh when we used to have the bants on the banks of the canal after every DCM. I have a pic of myself and Paddy after every DCM I ever ran.
Best of luck everyone. Go and make memories.
#pwr #dublincitymarathon
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