Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest
Streets of Galway 8k - Call your time
-
06-08-2009 12:07pm#1
Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
-
So here's the account of the day...
Saturday 4:45am - Alarm woke me for work at 5am.
Took over from a colleague in the US, supporting data systems from home, 12 hour shift til 5pm.
It was one of those days - just non-stop stuff to do, hardly a break and no rest.
After finishing work, got my gear together, but had a last minute panic when I couldn't find my watch - how would I cope with no idea of the splits.
Eventually found it, so was able to calm down.
Saturday 18:10 - left home to go down to the Claddagh for the start. Traffic on the prom was crazy, the good weather had loads of people out and they seem to have priority at the pedestrian lights - as soon as someone requested to cross, the road lights would go red. :mad:
Saturday 18:30 - eventually got parked at Grattan Park, locked the car and made my way towards the finish area for warm-ups on the pitch & roads.
Considering the knee issues of late, I spent a good 6 or 7 minutes solid stretching the ITB in both legs, jogged a few minutes, then did a few strides. Met a few of the usual GCH heads around, everyone in a good mood. Weather was nice, no fierce wind, and there was a lot of talk of people looking for good times.
The Streets has a rep for that, with good weather conditions, its a lovely flat course.
Personally I wasn't sure what to expect, I hadn't felt my knee all day, but was wary about having done a tough 12 hour shift at work, and didnt know how tired I'd be when the race started.
The goal if I feel good is sub 35, if not, just to finish.
18:55 - With the stewards screaming for people to get to the start line, I made my way down, and squeezed in about 6 or 7 rows back from the front at a gap in the barriers. While I was unsure how I'd do, I didn't want any hopes of a good time to be ruined by the charity walkers/fun runners further back, who seem to like to stretch the width of the road.
19:05ish - After getting everyone back to the start, removing the barriers and edging the field up to the start, eventually the race gets under way.
Felt good to start, being up near the top meant it was a fast pace and I felt good initially. Looking for the 1k marker & get an estimate of my time, I can't see it anywhere. This throws me, I don't know how my pace is, too fast or too slow.
Coming over the Salmon Weir bridge towards the Cathedral, I see what I think is the 2k marker, I hit lap on the stopwatch, but I don't trust it, as I thought the 2k mark was further up as you go past the Cathedral itself.
It reads 8:18, which would be a 4:09 for each km (more likely 4:02,4:16), but I think I'm out, think the marker is probably a further 30 secs up the road & I that I'm outside my goal.
I settle into just going steady, hoping the 3k will give me a more accurate reading and I'll be able to assess my time from here.
Again I miss the 3k marker, so I'm completely thrown now, though the support of a training colleague who's marshalling at Cooke's Corner gives me a boost - thanks Jane.
At this point I've all but given up on the sub-35, just hoping to finish with a decent time, maybe sub-36, and just hope the knee holds out.
Approaching halfway, and I finally get definite sight of the 4km marker.
There's also a guy here calling out the time, 17:03, 17:04, 17:05. :eek:
I can't believe it, having expected to be outside my time, I now have a chance of that sub-35 again, with about 25 seconds to spare.
I push it as much as I can, but the 5th km is the most uphill section, and I reach the 5k with a 4:37 split in 21:41. Quick calculation says I'm still on track. I push on, thinking I need to gain some time, but not too hard, as this is the point where my knee went on the training run, and I want to have something left for the last km.
Hit 6k in 26:08, taking 9 seconds off my previous km, but now I'm starting to feel my lower back - 12 hours sitting at a chair working on a laptop doesn't seem to have helped.
The 7th km marker passes, and I've been passed by quite a few people who seem to have saved themselves for a strong finish. The watch reads 30:40, a 4:32 split.
I had sensed my pace had dropped, but this is it now, a 4:19 km and I'll get sub-35. I try to push the pain out of my head, not just my lower back, but my feet are blistered, both of them, but if I want this time, I can't let the pain in.
I try to lengthen my strides, begin to go past people - its a great feeling doing that,
and I think I can do it. I'm now glancing at my watch every 30 seconds or so, my head tells me its still on, my body is really suffering now, everything aches.
Coming past the 500m to go marker, I think I had 2 minutes to make it, there's no way I'm giving up now.
I push & push, forgetting about the 12 hour work, the first half of missed markers, and stretch out down Grattan Road heading towards the final turn and a glimpse of the finish clock.
I round the bend with about 25secs to get to the finish, and slowly realise that the goal will be achieved, but don't want to slow down now. Its not until about 5 metres from the finish that I ease off, with a mix of surprise & delight that I've finally nailed that 35min barrier.
I get through the finish line & head for the railings - holding on for dear life for a few seconds while I try to get some air.
A while later, I remember I hadn't stopped the watch - d'oh. Not to worry, chip & official time will come later.
On meeting a few others from the club afterwards, everyone is in good form, it seems it was a great day for times, with lots of people reporting pbs.
These times are confirmed by text message to my mobile within an hour of the race - now thats impressive.
Gun Time: 34:53
Chip Time: 34:48
Huge thanks to the club for all the organisation involved, not only in the race itself, but in the training sessions all year. Its amazing how good regular sessions and encouragement from training partners helps you come on in leaps and bounds.
For now though, my knee is killing me, so I'm going to take full advantage of the month's break in training and give it time to heal properly.
Thats one long-term goal achieved, time to aim for the 5k & 10k goals when I return from a well earned break.
Finally, congrats to Josphat Boit of Clonliffe Harriers on equalling the course record in a mind-boggling 22:49 to retain his title, and Rosemary Ryan of Bilboa for also retaining her women's title in 27:22, thats 5 times she's won it now.0 -
-
-
Last year 33:22. Based on my best 5k this year McMillan says I should run 31:18. So that's the goal. Fingers crossed!!!!
31:21 - happy with that. Perfect evening for it. The conditions were excellent and as usual the event was very well supported. There was an excellent buzz about the event. Congrats to GCH on another great race. :cool:0 -
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
Managed to go 36:30Last year was 38:17 so def looking for sub 38 and hopefully get as close as possible to sub 37. Suffering from a head cold at the moment so hopefully that will have cleared by Sat evening!
Thats's 43, 42, 38:19 and now 36:30 for the last 4 years...Sub 35 next year??
Conditions were perfect for it!0 -
-
They don`t call it "Lower" Salthill for nothing!!!
Got a brand spanking new PB myself of 34.20 almost 2 mins off last year`s time so the miles are paying off...
I had one girl in mind to beat (she pipped me at the post last yr!) so as I had passed her at 6k I thought I was away with it and gotten a PB but as I turned in at the end I heard somone cheer her on and boy did I engage all engines to stay ahead and only beat her by 2 secs!! Lucky escape:cool:
I may have been cheating all these yrs cos on sat I followed the road down to the roundabout and onwards but every other yr I was coming down by Leisureland and straight onto the Prom!! Did the route change or did the leaders just follow the lead car/timer and they had to stick to the road?!?!0 -
-
-
-
I may have been cheating all these yrs cos on sat I followed the road down to the roundabout and onwards but every other yr I was coming down by Leisureland and straight onto the Prom!! Did the route change or did the leaders just follow the lead car/timer and they had to stick to the road?!?!
I wasn't really sure where to go there... people just seemed to be running all over the place... I ran in the middle of the road and then hopped over to the rhs closer to the roundabout.
there were some cars on the roundabout and a garda (or steward- memory hazy) shouting at people to run on the pavement
Thankfully I'm so far not to be seen in any of the photographs that have appeared. I'm dreading the official ones... there was a camera right in my ready to explode head at the finish line
I can only hope that it was so hideous they decide against putting it online. 0 -
Advertisement
-
-
Advertisement