Zero-ish to Connemara Half to Cork Full in 6 months.

Nightowl84

Tuesday 19th:
As noted above I did a 3.5 miler today. I kept it short due to soccer training in the evening but this was called off due to weather. So instead I went for a gym/shed session. I was going great until my bro and his friend came in and started doing random lifts with no pattern whatsoever. They also loaded up all the bars with massive weights so I just gave up:mad:.

Wednesday 20th:
Headed off for a run in the evening. I didn't have a set route in mind and just made it up as I ran. Ended up doing 11 miles @ 10.02 min/mile pace. I was happy with that. HR was an average of 161bpm. I'm not sure what my max is but I have checked it in the morning and it was about 48bpm.

Killerz

Nightowl84 wrote: »

Can't wait for Cork now, I'd say you're well on for your predicted time in Cork(if not quite a bit below it)if Connemara is anything to go by, nice running btw. Best of luck with your taper.

Thanks nightowl84 - i suppose its all down to the italian taper + race day feelings at this stage! i hear its c. 30 degrees over there now - will get a bit of warm weather training at least... see how the boy usain bolt works his stuff (ie training in the heat)!

i'm race number 554 by the way. we've all got to exchange nos prior to race.. or is that taboo on boards... oh the boldness of it all!!!!

Nightowl84

Thursday 21st:
Rest Day

Friday 22nd:
Away on a hotel break and could only manage 2 miles on the treadmill. First time i've been on one in about 4/5 months.

Saturday 23rd:
Soccer match, wait for it, we got whooped...........9-0:eek:

Sunday 24th:
9.5 miles in the evening at roughly a 9.35 min/mile pace. Very enjoyable run, lovely weather and I felt good throughout.

Monday 25th:(1 week go)
3.5 miles on my most frequent route. Pace was 8.45 min/mile.

Nightowl84

Tuesday 26th:
Soccer training

Wednesday 27th:
5.2 miles averaging 9.48 min/miles. Haven't done this particular run for ages (includes a mile long drag of a hill). Really happy with the run, felt relaxed throughout.

Thursday 28th:
4.4 miles at midday. This was tough, temperature was about 20/22. Pace was 9.53 min/mile. I must say that I hate running in the heat.
Later on I must have done my fastest 1/2 mile ever chasing after stray animals (cows....long story). Where's the bloody chip timing when you need it??:D

Nightowl84

Friday 29th:
4.4 miles with my sister in the evening. Nice and easy run/jog.

Saturday 30th:
Did absolutely nothing today, I think i'll save myself until Monday. I was tempted to go and play a soccer match but it would have been madness. Otherwise I have been carb/protein/fat loading all day:). Stocked up on supplies for Monday, waterproof sunscreen being top o the list.

This will be my last post until after Cork. Heading down to Cork tomorrow around midday. Hopefully i'll catch the Tipp/Cork match. Tipp beating Cork and Man U losing the CL final.....that would make one nice week.

Best of luck to everyone doing Cork, hopefully I'll be writing a happy ending to this log sometime next week....

Killerz

best of luck nightowl84 - see you down in cork! hope its not too hot for us!

Nightowl84

Alright so it's time to wrap up this log with an account of my first marathon, Cork 2009.

All week the nerves were building (not helped by reports from my brother that Monday would be a roaster). I tried to remain positive but I knew that Monday would indeed be a roaster. So, I tried to drink lots of water in the run up to the big day. On Sunday I headed down to Cork with my sister. A good precedent was set by Tipperary's victory over Cork. I must say that it was bloody hot and reports were that Monday was to be even hotter. I was casually joking about running in the heat and the adverse effects it would have on me but in reality I was sh!tting the prospect of running in those temperatures.

I didn't want to go to bed at all last night (trying to delay the inevitable waking up next morning to a marathon:eek:). I eventually did but had a fairly crap nights sleep. Got up early and made porrridge, drank coffee and lots of water. By 8am my brother had arrived and we grabbed a taxi into town.

The start was calm enough, we walked around for a while and then got into position. At 9am the run began. I made sure to ease into the first mile and clocked around 10.36 for the first mile. I can see how easy it would be to get carried away and go mad running at a faster pace. The next 2/3 miles were roughly at a 10 min pace. After that I was knocking a bit off each mile. I don't know when exactly but around 13 miles the heat started to become a factor. Then came the mental battles. At the halfway I was clocking easily sub 10 min miles and was well on target for sub 4.30. The latter half is where the fun began. It was so hot, and fairplay to the locals with the water hoses( I kept thinking of Father Jack..more water:D). I took advantage of every spray. Credit has to go to the organisers for the amount of well stocked water stations.

Anyway alot of the miles are a bit of a blur, I kept on going as best I could. At about 19/20 I drank some Lucozade Sport and had a bit of cramping as a result. I was running as far as I could before having to walk due to stomach pain. I even tried to divert my brain by counting as high as possible (one very crap mental technique I don't recommend!!!),
The last 2 miles were great though, the support was brilliant and I picked up the pace to finish with the obligatory sprint-ish finish. My finish time was 4 hours 34 mins, nothing spectacular but I'm delighted with it.

I know i'll be on a high from this for quite some time. The weather you can't predict but everything else was great. The local support was class, all along the route people were out cheering us on. The water stations couldn't be faulted and the route was great for someone unused to Cork.

So, mission accomplished, during the 13-20 mile stage there today I was questioning my sanity/vowing to never run again. Now that Im finished it looks like Dublin/possible foreign marathon could be on the cards:)

rainbow kirby

Congratulations on your first marathon finish

Was doing the relay, the heat was bloody brutal. Every one of you who did the full marathon is absolutely amazing.

Killerz

congratulations nightowl, you really did brilliant! No hassle to you doing Dublin - i reckon yesterday's experience will really stand to you.