Drogheda and District runner Tadgh Donnelly faced top quality opposition for the International 5k at the Morton Games and came 10th in a time of 13 minutes 52 seconds. Less than 36 hours he later won the men's 2025 Irish Life Dublin Race Series Fingal 10km in Swords, in 29 minutes 48 seconds.

The willingness to step away from the shore and enter the deepest of waters is sometimes what separates a national class athlete from a solid club runner.

Drogheda and District's Tadhg Donnelly's head must have been buzzing as the starter called the athletes to the line for last Friday evening's Albie Thomas Memorial 5000m, which took place in the Morton Stadium.

The dilemma facing Donnelly was quite simple, a quality field packed full of international class athletes, many with personal best times up to 30 seconds faster than Donnelly made his task a daunting one.

To hang back from the expected pace risked being left behind, whereas going with the pack risked imploding mid-race if logic were to win out on the day. But cometh the hour, cometh the man, and Donnelly was up for the fight in spades.

An opening lap of 63 seconds had the field stretched out and the next eleven and a half laps were all about the pain that comes with hard sustained pace running.

Going through the first mile in an eye opening 4 minutes and 16 seconds, the pack were on for a projected 13:20 time, which isn't far off world class running.

Despite the searing heat of close on 26 degrees, Donnelly hung in and passed through two miles in about 8:42, much to the delight of the large group of supporters in attendance.

Going out on the last mile, with the pack well strung out, the lactic acid began to build up in Donnelly's legs, but Donnelly wasn't for giving in and dug deep into the well of pain that few runners have even experienced.

Closing hard over the last two laps saw Donnelly cross the line in a new outdoor Personal Best time of 13:52, in a race that was won in a blistering 13:18.

Donnelly will soon return to America to resume his studies and, on this showing, a sub 13:40 run is within reach if the conditions and race profile were to align.