MEMORIES OF A RECENT BALLA 10K BY RUNNER 202

The sun was still high in the sky as I drove towards Balla for their annual 10k run and walk. A gentle northerly wind would ensure it was an ideal evening for running, training had been going well and I would be happy with anything under forty minutes. The Balla race always reminds me a little of the Tour de France.  That great cycle race starts a little low key then goes into the testing mountain stages and all competitors then arrive back to applause on the streets of Paris .Well Balla is not Paris and there are no mountains around but the race has Hooper's Hills [named by that great marathon man Dick who ran the race a number of times] a series of 3 testing hills on the second half of the course.

 Having arrived in Balla, it was easy to see how much of a community event this is, lots of reflective vests, traffic cones and bunting also a group of fund raisers in their yellow t-shirts were having their photo taken in front of the Rendezvous Bar.  I made my way to the Community Centre for registration again it was a hive of activity Race Director Brendan Conwell [the man who established the race in the early nineties] seemed to be doing 3 jobs at the same time but still was able to acknowledge us all as we arrived . At the check in desk a kind lady handed me my goody bag and race number and just said, "Best of luck, you are runner 202".

 Soon we were called to the start line on the avenue that leads to the local Secondary School lots of activity here stretching short sprints checking shoe laces etc.  Then Brendan Conwell issued some instructions, "left here, right there," and so on and a small mention of some hills then some local personality also wished us well and then sent us on our way.

 The field was made up of competitors across the athletic spectrum from the leading west of Ireland men and women to other runners to joggers, fun runners and lots of walkers.

 As we passed around the corners close to the School we were still trying to find our feet in the crowd a little like first year students on their first day inside the same building each September.

 By the 3k mark we were well out of town on a tree lined road, the flashing blue light of the lead car way in the distance an indicator of how the leaders were pushing ahead already.

 By this time the field had settled down .I found myself running as part of a group of 3 across the road one of the Sligo a.c. lads on my right, while on my left was a runner all in blue who I had not seen before.  As often happens in races like this a sort of friendship developed between the 3 of us without any one saying a word we were going to get through this together!!!  We even took turns to lead our little group on the few occasions we encountered traffic on the well marshalled course also at half way one of them called out the time for all to hear…19.33 ok I was still on target for under 40.

 We took a sharp left shortly after half way through the village of Portagh.  I will never know why they called it that name [the Irish for bog] and all you could see is lush green farmland all around. Shortly after that we took another left and there in front of us was …the first of Hooper's Hills.  As we climbed it the mountains along the west coast stood out against the evening skyline [a beautiful sight if one had time to admire it] further on the sweet smell of freshly cut grass came from a field on our right, at the top of the first hill the locals were handing out plastic cups of water and offering us lots of encouragement [I never drink water in a 10k so I threw it over my head and kept going].  The 3 of us were still running together.  However, on the second downhill section, our little arrangement came to an abrupt end as the runner in blue made a break for home and gained 10 metres.  From here on it was everyone for themselves.

 I felt a sense of comfort as I took another sharp right under the small railway bridge at least the hills were behind me for another year and there could not be much than a mile to go at this stage.  I soon could hear the patter of feet closing on me it was one of the fast finishing Mayo ac women who offered me encouragement as she passed me.  Sometime later the spire of the local church made a welcome appearance through the trees.  Another indicator that we were nearly back in town!  Soon we were at the top of the finishing straight about 100 metres to go and it even downhill, yes.  The crowd on the street were applauding!  I was going to enjoy this if possible and then I could hear the race officials calling the finishing times 39.43 ..44 ..45. 

 Yippee I got under 40 minutes……………

 Then it was time for the post race discussion around the finish area .a quick warm down a welcome shower and back to the Community Centre for refreshments and prize giving here again it was a hive of activity a great place to meet people also lots of questions that runners ask this time of year like, "Are you doing the Streets?" or "Where is the next Mayo ac league race?" or "When is Claregalway on?"

 Soon a great day was coming to an end we had to be out by 9pm as the card game was starting [that's why they call it the Community Centre] I never got a chance to speak to the lad from Sligo a.c. as for the runner in blue ….she made the top six and was called up for her prize .As we left the building we were wished well by numerous members of the race committee and thanked for coming it was really a great occasion once again all I could think was to borrow the famous words and reply……………… I'LL BE BACK………………………RUNNER 202.