Battle of Clontarf 10 Mile | April 2025

Intro

I’ve been reading The Choice by Philly McMahon recently. For those who don’t know Philly McMahon is one the most successful Gaelic Footballers ever. What most wouldn’t know about Philly is that is brother John battled addiction and unfortunately lost. Philly felt at various times he chose sport and Gaelic football and that protected him. At the same time Julie has been reading Careless People: The explosive memoir that Meta doesn't want you to read. Both books emphasize life choices and just how influential they are. Both show the grim realities faced by society. Both books ask do we care enough about our fellow human beings. I don’t think we do. I think with Trump in the White House, Putin waging war on Ukraine and the world moving closer to burning we’re not making the right choices. I didn’t feel I had the power to change the complete wreckless disregard we now seem to live by but just as I thought I could do nothing about 5.6 km into this 10 mile road race a participant collapsed right in front of me. Julie and I when faced with a challenge big or small one of us will whisper to other “It’s hero time.” To us heroes give it everything in the pursuit of better world and right in this moment I had a choice to show that better world still existed. I couldn’t live with myself knowing the person on the ground who had family and friends at home in need of help had no one to give just a little in there moment of need. The First Aider in me kicked in as I approached a small huddle of panicked clubmates I yelled ‘Is she breathing?’ No answer, get out of the way, pulse check feel something hard and fast good, what’s her name? Ring an ambulance bring the phone over here and put it on loud speaker, Turn casualty slowly yelling her name, Casualty wakes frightened, shock treatment, stay calm I tell myself, talk to the ambulance cancel it for now, call race director and bring in other medics. Casualty on her feet and wrapped in jacket. I could have called it a day hit my first DNF but the casualty was safe I’d done the right thing. I’d do it again at every race if I had too. And as I turned and went on with my race I told myself I had to finish as well.

Course

The Race

This was pretty much a blur. I know St. Anne;’s park well and it’s flat with few hills. A PB will be a choice for another day.