Rotterdam: a PB, but ‘it wasn’t to be

For John Byrne in the Rotterdam Marathon it was one of those ‘it wasn’t to be’ days. The same could be said for Mo in London and Mayo in Croker.
However, John can be both proud and pleased that his 2:31:55 finish knocked 50 seconds off his PB…a super time in anybody’s book. The quest for a sub 2:30 goes on, and the learning curve has been extended. John says he was never quite on the required pace as indicated by 75:32/76:23 half splits. He held his place in the field all the way from 10 miles and from there to the finish passed about 20 runners.Rotterdam was warm and there was a headwind in the second half, both factors neutralised what is recognised as a fast course. Kipchoge (Kenya) was the race winner in 2:05.  John was fifth (56th overall) of the Irish brigade attempting different targets. Sean Hehir (Rathfarnham WSAF) led them home in 2:17:45 and  15th overall, but he missed out on a qualification time. 22nd Gary O’Hanlon (Clonliffe H) 2:22:52, and 32nd Eoin Callaghan (Star of the Sea) 2:24:58 came in behind him. There were nine Irish in the first 100.  Reports say the atmosphere was fantastic, and the support ‘unreal’.
Sarah Syron was there as usual to supply some of the real support for her man, and she decided the night before to enter the 10k race. She was among the 10,000 on the line and finished in a fantastic 139th place overall and tenth  woman in 41:31 in ‘the best race I ever ran for atmosphere’.