Life after eireman.....going for sub 2:50 at DCM

jaymack75

Friday

Cycled to and from work 60mins 24k.

Evening 6k run in 27:00 - av hr 141


Saturday

I was planning on getting up early for the long run, but this never happened and I kinda ran out of time later on in the day. Got out for an 8k in 34:40 - av hr 142

Sunday

Ok, finally managed to get out and do the long run. Absolutely lovely conditions for a run. Did negative split on 2 x 14k laps. I'm not back in the shape I was a few months ago (my pb on this run was 2:00:41 in May), but I am feeling a bit more confident about 2:50.....having said that I will have to race very well on the day to get it.

1st lap in 1:04:10 av hr 138
2nd lap in 1:02:45 av hr 144

28k in 2:06:55 (av hr 141)

jaymack75

Mon
Cycled to and from work 60mins 24k.

Evening yoga class 1.5hrs. Major hamstring work - it was Friday before the pain was gone

Tues
Cycled to and from work 60mins 24k.

Weds
Cycled to work and home via dalkey (1h15mins)


Thurs
am: ran to work - 12k in 57:54 - av hr 136

pm: ran from work into town as I was heading out for dinner and music....quick change out of the running gear in the restaurant toilet
11.5k in 51:42 - av hr 139.


Fri
Cycled to and from work 60mins 24k.

evening run - 8k in 34:34 - av hr 141

Sat
Rest day - family visiting and as I didn't get out early, I missed the window of opportunity, so just had a rest day for a change

Sun
Last LSF before the race. I did 22k in 1:38:23 (av hr 142)which was made up of a 14k loop, then an 8k loop

14k in 1:02:39 - av hr 141
8k in 35:42 - av hr 143

jaymack75

With a DNF, my Dublin marathon dreams are shattered…….well, maybe that’s a bit too dramatic…..

But still, I’m disappointed the season hasn’t ended as planned. Looking back, the disappointment started with the eireman in august and although I put in a good effort, there was the anticlimax of not having the swim, therefore not having done a full ironman.

So, I wanted to get something out of the season and finish with a decent time at Dublin. In the summer, I was in good shape and in my training, I could knock out 6min miles below threshold hr easily enough. Since eireman, my training times have not got back to where they were and although I did a decent enough half mar last month in 1:20, it took more effort than it should to run that pace.

I had tapered fairly well for dcm (by not doing much running!), but as I described further back in the log, my peak training weeks in the lead up suffered due to chest infections etc.

Things got worse last week when I managed to get myself savage toothache followed by a nicely swollen face. A strong dose of antibiotics on Friday, feverish sweating and puking up my pasta on Friday night suggested I wasn’t the may west. I had 90% convinced myself not to start (my family and friends thought I’d be mad to even think about it) , but I decided to leave the final say until mon morning. Woke up trying to be positive, even though I knew I wasn’t fully better, I had improved over the wkend, so after light brekkie, I cycled into town, dropped of the bag, went down to the start and got lined up near the front.

Quickly after the start I glanced at the watch to see the heart rate was already over 150. After trying not to go off too hard, I was averaging about 6:40s. This would be normal training pace for me at around 140 hr but my hr was around 160. Sub 2:50 pace was going to require about 6:25s and even plan-b of sub 3 was going to need 6:50’s. I got passed by the sub3 ballons as I picked up some water on the north circular, but by the start of the phoenix park I was sweating buckets and was absolutely roasting, so I decided on plan-c – I was only going as far as terenure. The course goes almost past my door, so it was a case of just hanging on and running home. Passed halfway in 1:28 on the nose and found my wife with a bag of clothes for me at the terenure crossroads – 1:50 for 16 and a bit miles.

Av hr for the day was 161 – almost exactly the same as when I did the half mar in 1:20.

Should I have even started? Maybe not, but then I would have been left wondering what if etc……Should I have finished, but at a slower pace? Maybe, but my decision was made after the first couple of miles and I think it was the right one – ok I don’t have the medal etc……and it’s a DNF, but god knows what that last 10miles would have done to me.

The plan now is no plan – well not races anyway. I just want to get into serious recovery mode. More sleep, better nutrition, less training, less stress…for a few weeks anyway..…then I’m gonna get back in the zone

Signing off……Jaymack75

wizwill

congrats and well done on starting the race and then having the sense to pull yourself out when your heart rate was going west. Its great to pick up bits and pieces from logs, I note your focus on heart rate and am going to incorporate that in my 2010 training. Good luck in the future.