Irish Runner 10 Mile Road Race 2026
Introduction
That was a short three years I thought to myself as I parked my bicycle for this race. A short circa three years since I drove to Phoenix Park for the Dublin Marathon race series (Half Marathon) couldn’t find parking, made a correction to park in Jervis street shopping center, arrived late but just about made the back of wave three. Ever since that trip I haven’t really had the stomach to race in Phoenix Park. Somehow it feels very far away even if you get the bus or Luas right to the gates. This time I said I have tried everything else but cycling to Phoenix park so I did that and surprisingly it worked well. I did get caught on the wrong side of the Royal Canal but I had left myself an extra 15 minutes so I lost almost no time at all diverting course. Bike parking was available in the event village and it was less than 50 meters from the bag drop. The only way I could have made this easier on myself was if I had bought an electric bike (which I still might). Of course if I really wanted to have my cake and eat it my domestic life would be completely in order the immersion wouldn’t have packed up, the new cot wouldn’t have arrived broken, my garmin wouldn’t have failed two days before the race and the Nespresso machine would still be working. Sounds like pressure right? Pressure is the privilege. Each one of those problems are entirely first world, temporary and external. The bike parking was the start of streak.
July 17th 2026 saw me get within 100 days of the Dublin Marathon 2026. I always find with marathons that I tend to have a large amount of time to train until suddenly I get within 100 days at which point I considerably narrow my focus and feel short of time. I have been training in my marathon day gear (Today I raced in it). The gels for the upcoming long run training sessions have been acquired (and they were tested again today). The drinking ban for alcohol has been imposed (though I may finsh the KPA in the fridge). The fear of the marathon distance is looking over my shoulder warning me that if I fuck around I will be found out on marathon day and it will hurt physcially and emotionally both lasting for years if I’m particularly lucky. The deep tissue massages are both more frequent and painful. The races I enter are more calibrated to marathon pace. I have found myself thinking this will be your tenth marathon. It may well be my last for a while. My son is turning four next year and his activities are set to multiple. My daughter looks like she is about to skip crawling and go straight to walking. I have a feeling a second chapter in Sport coaching is about to open for me.
Race
What you run down early on in this course you need to climb back up at the end of this race. Phoenix park has the pull of a beautiful park but that seems to hide the fact that it drags unmercifully, meanders like a river forcing you to change rhythm as you edge around corners and some of the surface runs you over gravel and sand. I nearly always feel I’m running uphill in this park. I’m sure that isn’t real but it’s how it feels to me. I was at this race to survive and survive I did by noticing fairly quickly that the downhill from miles 1-4 would be uphill from 7-9 miles. I got some excellent mental work in on this race. It was hot and I had to stay disciplined. I worked my mental game into the race giving myself topics to focus on for each mile. This race was a slog but a marathon can be a slog more often than not. I find being ready for boredom helps. I found myself in a rhythm several times in a marathon and the miles are completely empty of accompolishment. I’m sitting in the pocket waiting to get to 20 miles before I can race. I don’t want my mind wondering anywhere but at the same time I need to stay steady, conserve energy both physically and mentally. This is exactly what I did for this 10 mile race. I worked my mental game plan through the miles. Kept my pace close to marathon pace and took my gels at the right time. I finished in just over 1:20 and went straight home to recover.
Course
For an in depth look my strava profile from this race click here. The race itself hit all the right notes for me. I would recommend it. Yes it was a tough course but you are running tough is always part of it.
Conclusion
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Benjamin Franklin