DCM training by complete novice.

menoscemo

So the big day today.
I was well rested, I carbo-loaded and hydrated, I was not sick and had no injuries. Everything you could say was set up for a great run. Met Ul student on the start line, never saw you again (obviously), hope you made your 3.30 target. I was planning to follow the 4 hr pacers but they were up near the start line and I was well back in the pack, maybe a minute or 2 behind. Made it my goal to catch them and then cling on.
After a slow first mile I banged out 3 or four mid 8 minute ones and soon bumped into OI. and ran with him a bit, then I ran up and introduced myslef to amadeus the 4hr pacer and all seemed to be going well. I told him about my efforts to catch him and ne immediately said 'uh oh, fast miles early you pay later'. Anyway had to jump out for a pitstop at about 7 miles and I never got back to the front of that group. I ran the next 3 miles with OI and then i broke ahead. I had those black 4hr ballons in my sight all the way. Jenfer inroduced herself to me around mile 12 and we stuck together for the next 5 or so miles with those black baloons just tantalisingly in front. I was really feeling the pain and you really kept me going Jenfer thank a lot!!(saw your time on OI's log there-fantastic, you really performed on the day). In rathgar at around the 17 mile marker I had to leave jenfer for a second unscheduled pitstop down a side street. Not much came out to be honest and I realised from what did that I was severely dehydrated. I had misse several water stops-big mistake. I made it a mission to drink as much as possible the rest of the way.
Anyway around this point I lost sight of the black ballons but felt good for a few miles, was thinking that If I kept it up I could get sub 4 since I started a minute or two behing the pacers. Then at closkeagh; bang!! It all went, I hit the wall and got a stitch simultaneosly. I walked and took on water and gels but it did no good. Everytime I started to trot the stitch came back. The legs were also gone. Anyway I walked/hobbled the guts of the next 4 miles until the St Johns ambulance on the ucd flyover. There I was treated to a deep heat massage and tried to hobble on (15 minute mile there!!) as we came off nutley lane I got a second wind of sorts. My goal was now to just finish and I broke into a woddle/trot. Thankfully I managed to keep this going for the rest of the course and hobbled in in 4:18 gun time, 4:15 by the garmin.

Met OI and Xebec after I think OI suffered even more than me and man it was hell!! Great courage in finishing. Met Amadeus, Iron tractor Boy, Robin PH, Rainbow Kirby and saw honeymonster in the conrad after for a pint. Great performance RK by the way. Well done also to Jenfer, coming off a 1:57 half marathon, a 4:04 marathon is savage!!

Think I am going to stick to the short stuff for a while. Marathon running is utter craziness, I think only sadists should apply

goofygirl

B*llocks that was you being treated by the ambulance. In OI's log I was saying that whenever I saw someone getting first aid I was hoping that it wasn't one of the Allstars.

Great time though

menoscemo

Yeah that was me. Have to say it is not bad having 3 girls insisting on massaging your legs

osnola ibax

**** meno, sorry, forgot to mention you in my log, thanks for the support at the end aswell, cheers

Jenfer

hey there!
thanks for the lovely compliment re times. It was great to have the company today- makes the miles go so much quicker. Found clonskeagh very tough myself, at one point i decided i felt like i needed a little walk but the devil on my shoulder shouted 'keep running you *****!'- very polite devil!:). From milltown to the end of clonskeagh is hard on the head.

Respect for getting going again after the legs seized up, if there were 3 guys in the ambulance I would have weighed up the pros and cons and stayed with them:D
I predict we will all be on boards this time next year reporting 3.59.59!
Am off for a few drinkies soon!

metamorphosis

Nice to mett ya today. Thanks for the kinder!

Some race for ya. Well done man.