Father Collins ParkRun – Run Report #18

Here we go around the parkrun course, parkrun course, parkrun course.

Here we go around the parkrun course, on a cold and frosty morning!

(to the tune of here we go around the Mulberry bush)

It was an exciting day in Father Collins parkrun history today as we welcomed a new run director, in the form of Waterford native, Matt Tobin. Matt took charged and addressed the impressive crowd clearly explaining parkrun policies about giving way to other users, under 11s running with a parent and dogs being on leads for the run and starting at the back! This week there were 99 runners, of whom 23 were first timers, we hope you will all be back with us again in the forthcoming weeks and today 19 recorded new Personal Bests.

Matt and Alan, the event director arrived early to set up the course. Every other run director has hawked the equipment (cones, finish tape, signs etc…) over to the park on our trusty ikea trolley! This wouldn’t do for Matt. Determined to make his own mark, and with a nod to his native country roots Matt appeared to open the gates with his soon to be signature, red wheelbarrow! Any aul eejit can have a trolley, it takes someone very special to have their own wheelbarrow!

Thanks to the marshals for their support and encouragement around the coure today; Yvonne, Aoife (yes that Aoife with the 50 t-shirt) and Thomas! Jennifer handed the runners their finish tokens and Maeve was chief scanner, joined by Alan in what his becoming his trademark move, run, finish first then scan… Not sure it tops a wheelbarrow though! Special mention must go to our very enthusiastic time keeper! Well done Ali, you could be heard right around the park and certainly encouraged everyone over the line!

Witek had offered to pace people who were looking to break the 25 minute mark. After starting at the back, with Ruby, the very loud dog I was pleased to catch up to him. Ruby barked and howled from the start line until the bottom of the avenue when she was finally happy with the pace I was running at! Its great having a pacer as it makes you push yourself especially after a week of antibiotics and hot whiskeys! Witek kept a careful eye on his watch and encouraged me around distracting me from my heavy breathing with chat and funny stories. We are hoping to have pacers again the 20^th February to tie in with the Operation Transformation run! Do let us know if there is a time you would like to beat and we will try and get some pacers on the case! Its also a great way of getting your run in while volunteering so if you want to get some volunteer and run points drop us a line!

We were delighted to see so many people had registered and remembered their barcodes! Unfortunately we are not sure who our speedy fourth finisher was… Don’t forget those barcodes folks… I can tell you I was sorely tempted to slip my own name into that empty slot when we were processing the results!

So here are the results for the speedies at the front:

Male placings:
Alan FOLEY (VM35-39) of Raheny Shamrocks AC, was first over the line in 19:42 – 4^th time in 6 appearances.
Declan O RIORDAN (VM45-49) (Unattached) was second over the line in 21:20.
An unknown runner was third.

Female placings:
Selena MCDONNELL (VW35-39) (Unattached) was first (third overall) over the line in 21:41 – second time in 9 appearances.
Rachel MARKEY (SW30-34) of Raheny Shamrocks AC, was second (15^th overall) over the line in 24:41 – was first to finish once before.
Deirdre O’ GRADY (VW45-49) (Unattached) was third (20^th overall) over the line in 25:18.

Father Collins parkrun started on 3rd October 2015, and since then 391 different runners, including participants from 24 athletics clubs, have completed 982 runs covering a total distance of 4,910 km, and there have been 146 new Personal Bests.

Special mention must go to our second finisher Declan! Well done to Declan for running his 50^th parkrun with us today! We were delighted you were with us today and are only sorry we hadn’t realised to give you a massive shout out! We will have your certificate next week so make sure you join us for your 51^st event! Conor McKenna also deserves a mention, he flew off the start line like a bat out of hell! The other speedies managed to reel him back in, well done though Conor, 10^th finsiher over all and our first junior today!

There really is only one way to finish the run report and that is with a nod to the red wheelbarrow, anyone remember this poem from school?

The Red Wheelbarrow

William Carlos Williams

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens

We may need to revise it slightly to fit our parkrun theme:

The Red Wheelbarrow :a parkrun take

So much depends 
upon 

a red wheel 
barrow 

glazed with runner’s 
sweat 

beside the white 
swans

Best of luck to everyone who is running the greatest 5 mile road race in the country tomorrow, The Raheny 5! Enjoy the goody bags!

See you all next week,

Rachel