***Dublin City Marathon race report by Donal Cashin*** *The Soundtrack to my success* Having achieved my goal in Rotterdam of breaking 2:50, the plan was never to try to replicate this. But as time went on and the pain of racing my last marathon passed, before I knew it I was racing Dublin again. I watched the football the day before in Alans house (proper football - not the one involving catching and kicking a ball 40 feet in the air between 2 big sticks) and even then I was still assessing my race target as I was unsure. However, after Alan gave me a smoothie and half his Danish, and more importantly some great race advice I decided to set about attempting to replicate my PB. In Rotterdam a local celebrity (most likely the Johnny Logan of Holland) commenced the marathon with a rendition of Youll never walk alone so as a Liverpool supporter this was great motivation for me. However, in Dublin, having our own S3A singing the same song in my ear was not quite as effective. But, given his tone and the fact that he sang like a wounded duck drunk with a speech impediment, this gave me great encouragement to hit pace early and get away from him. Like others I noticed the heat early on being but being from Cork and working in the fields as a young boy collecting the hay I was used to digging in and grafting which was required on a day like this. The atmosphere was electric, the support similar to my days following A-ha, WHAM and 5 Star around Europe. As I approached the crowds you would swear it was Andrew Ridgeley or Morton Harket themselves approaching, with the bellowing bestowed on me and my fellow runners. Although knowing my fame was temporary as I passed and the rapturous crowd applauded the next runner, for one transient moment I did get to taste what my ultimate idol Rick Astley felt like in his prime. True to his life-changing lyrics I told myself, despite the pain, Im Never going to give you up, never going to let you down. I found myself now at the 20 mile mark singing this to myself for a few miles and it gave me the strength to get up Heartbreak hill and start the descent for the last few miles to sub 2:50 euphoria. The pain and fatigue was creeping in though: I would have to dig deep. The running demons were speaking to me now, telling me I was tired, needing to stop, but I knew I could not let Rick and his words down so I dug in. Kylie, through her 1990 hit, taught us about Better the devil you know and although there was a devil speaking to me with negative thoughts - this devil I did not know but an angel I did. I decided to use my mental strength to imagine my Guardian Angel Alan instead. I subsequently imagined my left shouldered Angel Alan in a tutu singing to my right shouldered Devil who now pressed basement as he took the elevator back to hell. Robbie Williams was now in with me as I sang in honour of Alan defeating the devil - Im loving angels instead. Indeed it was not my love of Alan (or international S3A as he will always be known to me) even though he was not with me: his presence was felt and lifted me to the finish line through song. In my head together we were now singing to The Demons Michael Jacksons classic Beat it and I seem to remember a wonderful motivational image of Alan in his Tutu doing the Beat it dance as I gazed at the pavements. I am nearly sure the pavement lit up as I pounced with each step just like in Michaels classic video. 2.5 miles left: I would get there, I had my Angel. It was now my favourite film that came to me, yes that 1987 classic Mannequin and its theme tune which embodied the feeling and dogged attitude I had. I was now shouting Starships Nothings going to stop us now as myself and my angel passed Vincents Hospital taking a left to home. Sub 2:50 was still on but it was close. I now listened to my mentors during my early teenage years: Salt N Peppa, as I knew I had to Push it to ensure my goal would be met. I was a Cork man on foreign Dublin soil (which would love nothing more than to swallow me and send me back to my Tractor and sheep in lovely Kanturk) so I now amalgamated two great classics: A-has Take on me came to mind as I cynically told the marathon what would happen if it tried to take me, on along with the Eye of the Tiger. I was now Rocky running through the streets of Philadelphia with adoring fans for company and inspiration. I was on the home straight and my running colleagues were there to support me. I was overwhelmed. I found myself replacing Rockys cries for Adrian with cries for Alannn as the emotion took hold of me. I could see the finish line but my Angel had gone. He was confident I could see this out on my own. It was now my Heavy Metal phase which came to me as I hummed Whitesnakes Here I go again on my own; but I was ok. As he faded towards the light of S3A land and his voice went from hard to soft he sang to me Journeys Dont stop believing. I knew I would be ok, 50M from the end: my tear ducts were now wet and I felt an emotion I had not felt since voted Kanturk Master Junior Farmer, 1979. This was a good day, I had yet again broken 2:50 in a marathon: 5 minutes better than my last Dublin time. I was proud but I was tired. I knew I had one more song in me as I limped towards the baggage area but I could only think of S3A (or as Paul Simon sang the words S3A once said to me You can call me Al) however this was not the one I sang. As Alan is much slower than me I knew I would have to wait - but could I contain the emotion when I saw him? I would have to try. I stood on the corner of Merrion Square, cold and wet from perspiration from the long run. My throat was sore from the singing and my shoulders ached from carrying My Angel and my demon. Several stewards approached me Are you ok, can I help? they asked. Emotion flowed, tears dripped down my soft reddened cheeks as I turned, in my strong funny accent saying: Im ok then singing Bonnie Tylers: Im holding out for a hero as I waited for Al to come along. Thank you to my club mates, my wife, my son and my baby on the way, but especially to my mentor, my life coach, my motivation, my Angel and my friend: Alan. Although the new babys name has not been confirmed I think it is obvious who it will be named after. - Donal The Guard Cashin The Soundtrack to my success by Donal Cashin (Coming to I-tunes very soon): Gerry & The Pacemakers (https://youtube/watch?v=OV5_LQArLa0) Rick Astley - (https://youtube/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ) Kylie - https://youtube/watch?v=OgvhvaSQZeE Robbie Williams - Angels (https://youtube/watch?v=7LN-mg_5GGM) M Jackson - Beat it (https://youtube/watch?v=Ym0hZG-zNOk) Starship (https://youtube/watch?v=P46-cHNjnVA) Salt n Pepa (https://youtube/watch?v=vCadcBR95oU) A-ha (https://youtube/watch?v=djV11Xbc914) Eye of the Tiger (https://youtube/watch?v=btPJPFnesV4&list=RDbtPJPFnesV4) Whitesnake (https://youtube/watch?v=2fP9hW7655U) Paul Simon (https://youtube/watch?v=uq-gYOrU8bA) Bonnie Tyler (https://youtube/watch?v=7f_HsjpSVaI) Donal Cashin, 2:49:40
Posted on: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 17:28:46 +0000
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