HOWARDS START

The best we could find.

Stablemate Ian “Hammerhead” Howard popped his mara’ cherry in Dublin with a cracking 4:00:56 clocking. The string plucker placed 7,441^th overall and 1,451^st in the M40 category.

Conditions were a tale of two halves for many who toiled beyond the three-hour mark, and Howard saw dry skies over the first half but torrential downpours from then until the finish. Squelchy!

The Stable News’ Dublin day-tripper, Ally “the Chin” Smith, caught up with Hammerhead at the post-race press conference:

AS: Nice to meet you, Ian. A very good account of yourself for your first marathon. How did you find it?

IH: It was going well until the last 10km, when GI issues caused me problems. Need to practise my fuelling and taking on gels.

AS: Ah, the dreaded jogger’s jelly belly. Not to worry, bud; four hours and change is a solid time to build off. I’m sure with a bit more practise fuelling on runs, you’ll have a giant PB coming your way.

IH: Thanks, Ally.

Coach Stazza was quaffing some Guinness in honour of the Stablemates’ results coming in:

“Howard, my boy … A sterling effort on your full ‘thon début … Never mind the tummy troubles, we all get them … We’ll have those sorted in no time … Be ready for an enormous PR … Did someone say 3:30? … Watch this space.”

Hammerhead will be slaying his way to the Bohermeen Half-Marathon in March, after riffing through winter training.