I took part in the very first Dublin Night Run at Park West on Tuesday night. Dark and cool, the course was surprisingly fast and flat, and not too busy. I started slow and easy for first-half split of 0:31:45, but got a little caught up in the second half and ran much faster than I'd planned on: 0:28:48 for the second 5K split. Organised by the same guys who do the Wicklow, Wexford and Clontarf half marathons, this event was very well organised, with plenty of parking, well sign-posted, great vibe. They were running low on water when I passed the water station just at the start of the second lap, but being a cooler evening this wasn't too critical. I think they under-estimated the numbers a little. Still, I'd gladly run this one again - the course was mostly along the canal with a little along the road and through the business park.

 

If the weather holds out I'll be at training tonight at Shanganagh, but I won't make the later celebrations: it's been 2 solid weeks of very early mornings and very late nights (busy period at work right now), so I'll be heading home after training to have an early night. More racing ahead this weekend: Tarmonbarry Half on Sunday. I'll use it as a training run and the start of my taper for Dublin: 31km last weekend at Athlone, 21 this weekend, and I have a 10km race in Punchestown next weekend. Dublin is the following weekend on the Bank Holiday Monday.

Angela Ross Innes.