Groundhog Day

Clearlier · 02-02-2016 11:09am #1

Apparently it's groundhog day today (if you haven't seen the film it's worth a look). Essentially Bill Murray has to keep repeating the same day until he gets it right.

It got me thinking about which race I would re-run if I could and it's undoubtedly the 2011 London Marathon. I went into it off the back of a 1:27 half with a target of about 3:10, perhaps 3:05 if the day went well and finished up run/walking 3:50. Part of the problem was that I went off too quickly but much bigger problems were caused by my preparation - 2 basic errors that I haven't repeated since.

I shared a room with somebody which meant that I was on their schedule. With a newborn at home I was seriously sleep deprived. I should have got my own room for two night beforehand and caught up on sleep. Instead I remember searching around the waiting area beside the start line for somewhere that I could catch a few winks before the start.

Before every race I had done that year I had mobilised my hips but not this one - from 16 miles on I was stopping every couple of miles to try and loosen them out.

The easiest thing to correct would be my start. I saw someone wearing my clubs singlet at the start line who I hadn't met before so said hello. He was going for 3:03 and I decided to see how his pace felt for the first couple of miles. He went off a little quickly though and although I let him got at 5 the damage was already done*.

If you could re-run a race which one would it be and why? Can be good or bad.

*Funnily enough we actually ended up crossing the finish line together as he had internal rumblings which saw him run from one toilet to the next from the halfway stage.

Cabaal · 02-02-2016 11:24am

I'd re-do Dublin Marathon 2015...except I wouldn't run it and by not running it I'd have saved myself basically 8 weeks of injuiry and loss of fitness

On a non running related note, they should announce they are doing a sequel movie to Groundhog Day, then they should just re-release the old movie

ThisRegard · 02-02-2016 11:25am

Good idea for a thread.

Mine is probably best suited for the Tri forum though as I don't really have any regrets with running races. A a couple of years ago I was doing Gaelforce and was aiming for a sub 5 hour race. All was going well until I got to Croagh Patrick and decided I'd take a 'just in case' pee and off I went. When I came back I couldn't find my bike anywhere. Took ages to find out what particular area of the field I dumped it in.

I finished in a time of 5 hours and a few seconds, still happy. But if I didn't take that pee I didn't actually need, and actually took notice of where I left my bike, I would have had a time with 4 hours in it as opposed to 5.

rainbow kirby · 02-02-2016 4:51pm

Great Limerick Run half-marathon 2012 - I'd have told myself where the fcuking speedbumps were in the first mile so I wouldn't trip over one and pick up an injury that took 18 months to really fully heal.

Also wouldn't have done the Great North Run that year, absolute deathmarch to a 2:15 finish.

Firedance · 02-02-2016 4:54pm

Cabaal wrote: »

I'd re-do Dublin Marathon 2014...except I wouldn't run it and by not running it I'd have saved myself basically 12 weeks of injuiry and loss of fitness

ditto with a couple of changes ^^^^^^

TFBubendorfer · 02-02-2016 5:19pm

Sixmilebridge 30 mile race, November 2012.

I could not quite decide if I wanted to run this as a training run or a proper race and didn't push myself hard enough.

It ended in a mad sprint over the last 400 meters for victory and I missed out on a win by a lousy second, after 30 miles of running.

I still want to kick myself for throwing away a possible win. I don't exactly win a lot of races and that one would have been a definite possibility.

tipping · 02-02-2016 5:34pm

Clontarf 1/2 November 2014

Worst race of my life. Was under prepared and over confident. Went with the 1:45 pacers and found it too easy after about 3 miles so decided to leave them and catch the 1:40 pacers (which I did over the next 3 miles). Got to about 10 miles and blew so badly I couldn't even walk not to mind run. Eventually finished but was not a pretty sight.
Not only did I get the pacing wrong I hadn't eaten since about 6 in the morning and just totally ran out of fuel. Felt really sick afterwards until I ate some food and then came around pretty quickly but struggled with injuries picked up in that race for the next 4 months.

That said I learnt a lot from the very humbling experience and it did change the way I trained, prepared and executed races after

Utdfan20titles · 02-02-2016 7:28pm

tipping wrote: »

Clontarf 1/2 November 2014

Worst race of my life. Was under prepared and over confident. Went with the 1:45 pacers and found it too easy after about 3 miles so decided to leave them and catch the 1:40 pacers (which I did over the next 3 miles). Got to about 10 miles and blew so badly I couldn't even walk not to mind run. Eventually finished but was not a pretty sight.
Not only did I get the pacing wrong I hadn't eaten since about 6 in the morning and just totally ran out of fuel. Felt really sick afterwards until I ate some food and then came around pretty quickly but struggled with injuries picked up in that race for the next 4 months.

That said I learnt a lot from the very humbling experience and it did change the way I trained, prepared and executed races after

Bet u got soup though. Not like some races!

Chivito550 · 02-02-2016 7:36pm

I don't think I'd change any one race. Any underpar race I've had I have learned from the mistakes made, and these lessons learned and experience gained have helped me to become a better runner. You learn so much from racing, which is why I can't understand why some avoid it as much as possible.

Utdfan20titles · 02-02-2016 7:40pm

Chivito550 wrote: »

I can't understand why some avoid it as much as possible.

Maybe cos they don't all offer soup afterwards? Wud definately put me off signing up for a race knowing there are other races out there where I can.

tipping · 02-02-2016 7:48pm

Utdfan20titles wrote: »

Bet u got soup though. Not like some races!

I think the banana saved me, soup was good though.

uvox · 03-02-2016 12:19am

I'd redo Rosanna Davison's 43 min 10K.

demfad · 03-02-2016 12:38am

Bohermeen Half 2012

Was fighting fit and feeling really really positive about the half marathon ahead. Gun goes and the pace feels really easy into a very stiff headwind. No-one is taking it up. Next thing a big fella pushes through out into the lead and starts to attack aggressively. "Go on Paddy!", "Good on ya Paddy!" "Let 'em have it Paddy!" were shouts from some of the actual half marathon field. Who the feck is this guy? I was thinking. Some local hero runner noted for his aggressive no messing running? More shouts. "Open it up, Paddy. Let it go Paddy!"
I have to think quickly. Its 2km more into this stiff wind before shelter and in a few more seconds Paddy will be gone. I darted after him. A few minutes later me and Paddy are 100m ahead. Even though I'm drafting off him Im still finding it hard to keep up. He's an animal! He'll have to get tired at some stage hopefully, and come to think of it he was breathing hard. Real Hard. Eye balls out hard. Next thing he veers sharply right off the course! I assume he's decided to 'retire' . I realise I'm now sitting in the wind like a complete spare my race already half fecked. 'FU** YOU PADDY!' I'm about to scream, also working out what i'm going to say to his loser supporters when I rejoin the pack. I don't. Because I look closer at what Paddy's up to now. He's running under a finish gantry just having won the Bohermeen 5k!!!
I think they have sorted the logistics since then and in fairness its a great race (2 great races).
If I had my time back. Id let Paddy go and try and run an even paced race. I might even throw in an oul "Let 'em have it Paddy!"

Coffee Fulled Runner · 03-02-2016 11:24am

Mistakes are all part of it for me. Yeah there are times when you say I wish I did this or that different. But there is always another race, just as long as you don't repeat the same mistakes again and again.

Groundhog Day

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