Airport Run report from Mike Dorney


A race starting at midnight was a first for me. So was free parking at the airport. Unfortunately, walking to the terminal in the rain was nothing new. Upon entering the check-in hall, the TV monitors over the check-in desks displayed surnames, instead of airline logos, indicating where to collect your race pack (you could have paid a few euro extra and had it posted out). This contained a special baggage label for the drop-off area and once numbers were attached and bags checked in, we moved towards the other end of the terminal to wait while being entertained by a 96fm DJ (and the confused faces of passengers arriving off the last flight of the night into an arrivals hall with 1,500 runners). Once airport operations completed the last-minute setup, we walked out to the starting point and waited to begin. It’s a simple course really, 2.5km down one side of the runway and 2.5km back up the other side. It’s an unusual experience in the dark as there is no end in sight until you are upon it. Philip Barton was the first MAC runner home with an impressive sub-20 race. Mike Dorney followed in just under 28 minutes (a season best) and Amanda Cooney ran a very impressive 30 minutes having completed the DCM last Sunday. Plenty of water and bananas back in the terminal and home for a shower. In summary, it’s an enjoyable experience with a decent goodie bag including t-shirt and medal but be prepared for a fair amount of waiting.