The 8th Headford 8KM went off like a dream on Saturday evening last.

A record crowd over a dry course on a slightly blustery evening.  A conspicious turnout from the Athenry club with a lot of the usual suspects down the field to add spice.

It was only my third time running the race: for the last four years it's clashed with Limerick playing Hurling and Football elsewhere :(.

I had forgotten quite how big the hill after four KM was.  I won't forget again in a hurry, trust me!  Or the up and down nature of the latter half of the race.  I recorded a positive split of 30 seconds, which DQ's early pacing of me did not help either to be honest.

A big spread afterwards in the Headford GAA club helped soften the blow, as did 5 big laps of the two fields outside to warm down, an increasingly common occurrence for me this year ;*).

Thank to all the Headford crew, including our own Gary Doherty, including Eamon Walsh, John Devlin and all the others.  A fantastic race and a firm favourite and fixture in the Galway racing calendar.

Mick Rice & Ruthann Sheahan figures in the prizes afterwards and congrats to both on good races.

Provisional results are attached with club data to follow, no doubt.

JAL.