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2009- how was it for you?

  • 01-12-2009 02:42PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,320 ✭✭✭


    I'm getting those end-of-year feelings today! I see the 2010 goals thread is up as well. As I'm feeling bored (too wild to go out for a run or cycle this morning) I was thinking back over this year. So what were people's favourite event/biggest disappointment/most satisfying result?

    For me:

    Best event: Hell of the West in Kilkee. Fantastic day, beautiful calm water, great buzz during it. The only hellish bit was the heat. The most enjoyable even though I didn't get to do the run.

    Disappointment- Not getting to do that run in Kilkee.

    Most satisfying result- new 10k pb on a hilly and slightly long course. Finishing the DCM a close second.

    Biggest surprise- nearly smashing into a herd of cattle crossing the road on the bike leg of the Little Bo Peep.

    Overall a very enjoyable year, hopefully 2010 just as good.


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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 29 hem


    Overall 2009 has been a very good year. For the first year for a while we had no close family deaths. I've had to take a pay cut at work but at least I still have a job.

    Highlight: Cat Laughs Comedy festival in Kilkenny- Always a good weekend.

    Lowlight: Scuba diving in Marbella- Overpriced and overrun by cowboy operators.


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators, Regional West Moderators Posts: 16,716 Mod ✭✭✭✭yop


    hem wrote: »
    Overall 2009 has been a very good year. For the first year for a while we had no close family deaths. I've had to take a pay cut at work but at least I still have a job.

    Highlight: Cat Laughs Comedy festival in Kilkenny- Always a good weekend.

    Lowlight: Scuba diving in Marbella- Overpriced and overrun by cowboy operators.



    And this has got what exactly to do with ART????? :rolleyes:


    Best event: Achill Roar - Fabulous weather, unreal scenary and great organisation.

    Disappointment- My 7 hour time in Gaelforce.

    Most satisfying result- 44 min 8km run in Leenaun in terrible conditions

    Biggest surprise- Actually been able to run more than 2km without my shins/chest/legs exploding, been able to do an hours run non stop :)

    Overall a suprising year, hopefully get in a more adventure races and hopefully get out of the country to an event.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 20,368 Mod ✭✭✭✭RacoonQueen


    I've just put a lot of this into a training log.

    So looking back over 2009 it really wasn't so bad a year. At the beginning of the year I set myself some time goals;
    10k in under 50 minutes - done
    5 miles in under 40 minutes - done
    10 miles in under 80 minutes - done
    Half marathon in under 1:55 - definitely done :D
    Marathon in under 4 hours - ripped from me by the jaws of Dublin Bus, however I know without a shadow of a doubt that had the incident I now call busgate not happened I'd have gone well under 4 hours, given that I added on about 2 mins per mile and some more in places after mile 9, I think I would have at the very least knocked about 15-20 minutes off what I did eventually stumble over the line with at DCM if I'd been able to run the whole way.

    On top of that I ran an Ultra that I hadn't really planned on running and finished it within my goal time.

    Looking back my concentration always goes to the disappointment of missing out on Edinburgh and then what happened in the build up to Dublin after having such a good run of training. Where Edinburgh is concerned, looking back I know it was largely my fault - after my aunt passed away I dealt with it all by running more, three/four weeks after running Connemara it wasn't really the best way to recover and rebuild and certainly wasn't part of my plan, that being said I was well on target to smash my PB in Edinburgh so when I got injured with two and a half weeks to go I was devastated. Even intensive daily physio couldn't save me so for busgate to occur 2 weeks before Dublin it was heartbreaking. Anytime I think back I always start feeling sorry for myself and say it was a horrible year, purely because of Edinburgh and Dublin, but in effect I reached all my goals(albeit one was unofficial).

    So yeah, it was a good year. :pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,928 ✭✭✭✭rainbow kirby


    Best event: DCM. Just an amazing experience from beginning to end and I can't wait to do it again :D

    Disappointment- Nothing that I can *really* be disappointed about, though my time from the Frank Duffy 10 Mile is very soft because of the injury I picked up in late July. 1:37 will be demolished, I've already run 1:32 as the first 10 miles of a half, and I daresay that I could reasonably target 1:25-1:28 now.

    Most satisfying result- Either a 2:1 in my degree, or sub-2 at the half in the park in late September. I never in my wildest dreams thought I could go sub-2 this year, so it was an absolutely amazing feeling to stop my watch crossing the line at 1:58:55. :D

    Biggest surprise- Either running a sub-2 half, or running a big 5k PB back in March despite being absolutely off my face on painkillers due to a dental issue.

    2009 was fecking great, let's hope 2010 carries on like that! :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,377 ✭✭✭pgibbo


    2009 - Getting there......

    Best Event: Dead Heat - Carna Triathlon (my first Olympic Distance) & Kenmare (my first half Ironman)

    Most Satisfying: Close call - Going sub 19 for a 5k run early in the season on a tough hilly course OR coming out of the water in Kenmare 18 months after learning to swim

    Disappointment / Surprise - Looking back over my training log after Kenmare and realising I hadn't been training as much as I thought I was. Was shocked when I discovered I averaged less than 2 swims, 2 bikes & 2 runs per week in the 16 week build up to Kenmare. No point having a plan if you don;t stick to it! :(

    Other highlights:
    8k PB in the SoG
    Smashed my time for Ballina Tri in tougher conditions
    Performed well in the local time trial series
    I enjoyed my years training and racing! :cool:

    Overall a good year with no injuries and no major disappointments. Long may it continue. Time to get faster now and become a better swimmer! :D


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,361 ✭✭✭RubyK


    This time last year (or even 6 months ago) I would never have guessed I would have done two 10km and one 10 mile race (ok it's nothing much compared to most of you here :o).

    Best Event was my 1st 10KM race - after 1 mile I questioned my ability/sanity so that was really not a good start. After 3 miles I felt my confidence grow, and by the finish line I was hooked :D

    Most Satisfying was the 10 miler for charity. The support along the way was brilliant, and I was beaming for days after it. A great experience!

    Roll on 2010 ;-)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,818 ✭✭✭nerraw1111


    First year off the couch/bar stool for me.

    Highlights were completing Gael Force and having a great time doing it.

    Finishing my first marathon quicker than expected.

    Disappointments

    Didn't push myself that hard in retrospect.

    Taking far longer to recover from marathon than expected, shin splints etc.

    Here's to 2010


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭littlebug


    2009 - great year :) as I decided it would be at 8am on Jan 1st.
    I started running in Feb and have lost nearly 3 stone along the way.

    Best event: Streets of Galway 8k. I enjoyed every second of that race and surprised myself by finishing in under 45 1/2 mins.

    Biggest achievement: as above though I was also mighty proud of myself the first time I ran 3 laps of the track without stopping :o

    Biggest disappointment: Injury in September so stalling on the running front for a number of weeks. I'm back in action now and aiming for Athenry on Dec 26th to hopefully gain a pb to end the year on.
    Roll on 2010 and here's to smashing those pbs as an F40 :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,492 ✭✭✭Woddle


    Best events for me had to be the Cork relay and the Wicklow way relay despite personally not running too well in either, it was still fantastic to think that a team put together over the interweb could perform so well and have such good crack.

    Best events based on my individual performance was the Paddys 5k were I pb'd in 19'25 and I also really enjoyed the track races that I did.

    Overall however 2009 sucked ass but thats OK because as your man from quantum leap would say 'putting right what once went wrong'

    Worst events were Paris and the Adidas 10 miler, I gave up badly in both and it really showed me that I didn't have the mental strenght that I thought I did.

    Good idea for a thread by the way.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,337 ✭✭✭How Strange


    Best event: Addidas Half Marathon. I never enjoyed a half marathon so much, fantastic weather, great route, knew it inside out so could anticipiate hills etc, finished in 1.53 which was a pb. :)

    Disappointment- Dropping out of the marathon due to a sh1t few weeks Sept/Oct.

    Most satisfying result- 5m in 40.08 in June, 2m in 15.54 cross country in Nov :D

    Biggest surprise- getting a dose of the runs just before the start of the Frank Duffy 10m :eek:


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,741 ✭✭✭brownian


    Least enjoyable (running related) event - searching frantically for a secluded farm gate before my dodgy stomach did bad things to the back of my legs, while on a LSR in Wicklow.

    Most memorable - the last 2Ks of the DCM, trying to scrape pace from an empty barrel... this odd "zoned out" feeling, like running a (slow moving) blur.

    High hopes for 2010 - mebbe I'll join a club; at least like to do more than two races.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,905 ✭✭✭misty floyd


    Best event: Belfast Marathon May. My first marathon and I'll never ever forget it. Finished in 3'40. If I had of finished in 5hrs I would have been just as happy.

    Disappointment: Miles 20 - 26 at DCM and the few days after it. Steepist learning curve ever.

    Most satisfying result: 39'10 at the Pearl Izumi 10km in Sept.

    Biggest surprise: A years consistant training in the bag and hungry for more. Roll on 2010 :cool:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,395 ✭✭✭eliwallach


    Best event: Bay Run Half Marathon. Loved the point-to-point nature of it. Beautiful weather. Early start. The beginning of Summer. And 2 (yes two) finishers t-shirts!
    Followed closely by the John Tracey 10 mile.
    Oh, and of course the Cork Marathon Relay :D.

    Most Satisfying Result: 70:52 in the John Tracey 10 Mile. Went from 76.25 in Mallow in Jan to 70:52 in the JT - so was v happy with that progress.
    (Sub 70:00 in 2010!)

    Biggest disappointment: DCM 09. Hands down winner. It wan't so much the time that disappointed me, but the way in which I imploded at 19 miles left me scratching my head.

    Biggest Surprise: Discovering that I only had ONE running shoe on the morning of the Bay Run Half Marathon...:eek:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,437 ✭✭✭Izoard


    Best event: Beast of the East...super course, manageable numbers.
    Gutted it clashes with IM in 2010.

    Disappointment- Not getting to do the swim at Eireman Half.

    Most satisfying result- 3 39 in Connemara. I would have said a 2 40 oly PB at Athy, but the short run course kinda killed the joy of that one.

    Biggest surprise- Hitting the bike turn-around at Eireman. Felt like Lance heading north on the motorway and wondering why everyone looked to be suffering so badly on the way back:)

    Most Enjoyable: DCM - loved it!

    Roll on 2010!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10,762 ✭✭✭✭ecoli


    Biggest Disappoinment: sustaining my first ever major injury which i spent from end of January till May trying to get fit from

    Highlight: Having no pressure to race this year bar the odd one come the tail end of the year i was able to build a pace the likes of which i have never had before.

    While this year was a complete right off in terms of racing the fact that i could build slowly through the summer and the last 3 months which have been very intensive i feel it could be a blessing in disguise as i feel that all going according to plan i can bounce back better than ever this year coming.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 472 ✭✭Magnet


    MrCreosote wrote: »
    So what were people's favourite event/biggest disappointment/most satisfying result?.

    For me:

    Best event:
    Connemara Ultra Marathon - My first time ever to win a race and if I never win anything ever again that experience will stiil make me smile for yrs to come!

    Disappointment
    Not having enough time in the day/week to do everything else in life like a real holiday!?! Although I was in France twice and a week in New York and Donegal :rolleyes:

    Most satisfying result
    Beating my fellow clubmate by 2 secs in the the Streets of Galway 8k while slowing down as I already beaten my PB by 2 mins!!! :D

    Biggest surprise
    I surprised myself being able to run 100 miles in 18 hrs - for all the training nothing is ever guaranteed...

    Roll on 2010...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,525 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    I refuse to answer this question for another two weeks, as the most satisfying result and the greatest dissapointment are still up for grabs. :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 593 ✭✭✭toomuchdetail


    Best event : Achill Roar/TriAthlone /Conn half marathon


    Disappointment : Bad taste left by Gael Force organisation , trying to do too much and ending up struggling thru Achill roar :
    Not addressing diet during summer while training
    Getting injured in Oct and not listening to signals

    Most satisfying result : 5k in Triathlone :21:23, 1:44 in half marathon, 12.30 for 750 swim in Triathlone . Achill Roar cycle ... not for the time but just been able to finish it as I wanted to stop within 3metres of the start.

    Biggest surprise : Getting off my arse and doing first Triathlon in Nenagh and loving every minute of it ,subsequent events during the summer that I should have discovered while in my 20's/30's .Realising you need big balls to push hard on a bike : Losing 3 stone -should have been more .
    Wanting to cycle/run in any weather at anytime.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 583 ✭✭✭NeedsTraining


    2009 - In summary, a disappointing year running wise (Best year ever on a personal front so that compensates the running :))
    Started great, 5K time (in training) cut from 22 mins to 19:20 in 12 weeks. Connemara marathon finished in 3:16, I was thrilled. Went to London with a target of 3:10 as I was aiming for Boston qualification, but the wheels came off at 17 miles. Rest of the year spent with physio, consultant and surgeon.

    Best event: Connemara marathon

    Biggest disappointment: Injury from April to present.

    Roll on 2010. Targets set. Training plan in place. Hopefully it will be an injury free year.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,608 ✭✭✭donothoponpop


    Best event : Wicklow Way Relay. It was great fun getting a Boards team together, organizing recces, meeting everyone, and following our progress during a great race on the day.


    Disappointment : Rotterdam Marathon. After putting in a hell of a lot of hard training over the Winter, I blew up during the race, and came to realize that sometimes you can have all the right ingredients, but no omlette.

    Most satisfying result : 7th at Ballybraid, made me understand that a mountain race needs hard work at the start. I held onto a better runner a lot longer than I expected to, and gained many places because of this.

    Biggest surprise : How valuable mountain biking has been during the four month injury lay off. I've put on weight and lost sharpness, but the endurance and climbing legs are still there.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,742 ✭✭✭ultraman1


    Best event : either conn ultra or conn 100

    Disappointment : DNFing at cetic 100k
    Most satisfying result :5th place in kilmuckridge 5 miler

    Biggest surprise :Mrs ultraman1 not divorcing me:D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,912 ✭✭✭thirtyfoot


    Favourite/best event: Athelete: Was the national outdoor track champs (would be the same most years). The one time of the year that us punter club athletes can feel we are big shots!!! Coach: National League Final - being on the relay team with 2 of the athletes I coach and we runnning away with the race. Very satisfying after training with those guys all winter.

    Disappointment: Athlete: Making more mistakes in the final of Nationals than I had in the whole 6 races in the leadup to nationals. Coach: Not sorting out the injury of one my athletes sooner and as a result messing up half his season.

    Most Satisfying: Athlete: My comeback race 9 months after being told by a specialist that I probably wouldn't ever run again competitively and based on my age that I should retire. Got 2nd opinion off low profile, 'unknown' physio (who I trust) who got me right through months of rehab and 3 rehab sessions on my own each day. First race back when I wasn't sure I'd be ok, I ran my fastest time in 13 years and won by 0.01 seconds. Sweet. Enjoyed my batter sausage and chips that night. Coach: Watching one of my athletes absolutely blitz a lead off relay leg nearly 1.5 secs faster than he had ever run. When asked about it he said "sure was only doing my job, couldn't let ye down"

    Surprise: Athlete - How hard it is to 'retire'. Coach - the amount of respect and trust athletes put in you, can be a bit overwhelming if you think about it too much!!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭shels4ever


    Best event : Has to be last weekends race, just enjoyed the whole event, was hard, cold wet and fast :)

    Disappointment : Dublin Novice XC knew hte week before i shouldnt be running but had planned run this for more then a year so was a bit hard to take.


    Most satisfying result : 1st in one of the Bhaa 3000m races, everythngjust went perfect that day and i don't think i could have run a second faster.


    Biggest surprise : How easy it is to take yoru eye of the ball and get secure in your training, was guilt of that pver the last few week and need to stress/push myself hard to progress ,the days of running pb after pb are gone need to work harder for them now.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,095 ✭✭✭--amadeus--


    Favourite/best event: The most enjoyable race was DCM. Myself and MCOS had a ball pacing it. HM said once that everyone should run a marathon significantly slower than they can at least once so that they can appreciate teh crowds and teh experience. After this DCM I have to say I agree. Great experience.

    Disappointment: Missing sub 3 by 36 seconds in Amsterdam. I had trained well (by my standards) and my race strategy was sound. But a couple of silly (and tiny) mistakes were all it took. Coming round teh bend into teh stadium as my watch ticked onto 3:00 and with a few hundred meters still to run was quite tough.

    Most Satisfying: the DCM mentored thread - watching people go through a first training cycle and achieve thier ambitions was brilliant

    Surprise: Being honest it was probably beating MCOS in the Plassey 10k and SJ & DP in Rotterdam (sorry to remind you all about that :P)


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,146 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    I've only really been running for half of this year due to still recovering from a DCM'08 injury at the start of the year and then spending about 4 months of the year going and doing more interesting things on snow.

    As others said the Cork Marathon relay was a highlight for '09, we should have another bash at breaking the 3hrs next year. Have also enjoyed the various team events that BoardsAC has now been competing in.

    I was surprised when I did manage to break 40' for the first time in a 10k in February as I thought that was some kind of magic barrier a lazy git like me would not get past. I then went and re ran another 10k which I did in '08 in a time of 45:04, but this year finished it in 38:34. Hope to shave a few more seconds off that time next year.

    Real highlight though was all the skiing.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,079 ✭✭✭griffin100


    Looking back through my previous posts I found one from last January where I listed my aims / goals for 2009.......

    1. Finish Connamara half in under 2 hrs - 1.59.57
    2. Finish Wexford half (if I do it) in 1.50 hrs - 1.49.47
    3. Complete the Valentia Sprint Tri - for some reason I have a mental block on the swim event though I've done longer ones - missed it due to my sisters wedding
    4. Do a few sprint and a couple of Olympic tri's over the summer leading up to my two 'big' events - did a total of 10 tris plus a few road races.
    5. Do the London Olympic Tri in under 3hrs - 2.45hrs - huge event
    6. Complete the Eireman half iron (time not important, although sub 6hrs would be great for me) - 5.45hrs - but with a short run instead of a swim

    Associated with actual events I have a number of smaller minor goals:
    1. Do a sub 50min 10km - 45.55
    2. Do a sub 40 minute 20km bike leg in a sprint tri - 37mins - Carrick
    3. Do a sub 80 min 40km bike leg in an Olympic tri - 70 mins - London / 69 minutes Athlone (somewhat short course)
    4. Get my swimming speed to average 2.30mins per 100m for an Olympic tri (37-38 mins) - 35 mins - London (Athy time doesn't count due to current)
    5. Loose another stone (to make total loss of 4 stone since I started training in May 2008) - Eehh, not quite

    Favourite/best event: Carrick Sprint Tri
    Disappointment: Eireman fiasco
    Most Satisfying: getting my 10km almost down to a sub 45min / first OD race / Eireman HIM
    Surprise: getting my 10km almost down to a sub 45min

    2010 Goals:
    A Goals:
    Complete a sub 2.30hr OD race (Athy)
    Complete a IM distance race (UK or Copenhagen)

    B Goals:
    Sub 45min 10km
    Sub 1.40 half marathon
    Sub 65 minute 40km OD bike
    Sub 32 minute 1,500 swim


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,365 ✭✭✭hunnymonster


    robinph wrote: »
    As others said the Cork Marathon relay was a highlight for '09,

    we wonder why???;)


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,146 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    we wonder why???;)

    I know nobody will believe me, but that was honestly not my reason for saying that. But now you've reminded me I'd best go off and have a look at the photos on Woddles Flickr again. :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,365 ✭✭✭hunnymonster


    Favourite/best event: Connemara100 - Fantastic race with super people and I'm happy with my performance.

    Disappointment:
    St Maixent 24 hour - did it to prove a point after far too many tris/runs this year and let myself down badly.

    Most Satisfying: watching Zuppylurk finish the MdS. It's been a dream of his for years.

    Surprise:
    how easy it is to fall into great running friendships - thanks Woddle, Wicklow relay team, Amadeus, Mick Rice, magnet and the rest of the Athenry crew. I've had a lot of fun running/tri-ing this year.

    other notable highlights: having my nose broken in a triathlon, 2xIm in a week, the pacing crew in DCM, Midnight challenge in Kent, training on inchydoney beach, Roentgenlauf in Remscheid, .......


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,340 ✭✭✭TFBubendorfer


    Favourite/best event: Boston Marathon. I wasn't entirely satisfied with my run, but the entire (extended) weekend was pure class.

    Disappointment:
    Dublin marathon by far. 6 weeks recovery between marathons are not enough if you manage to get sick halfway through. Had a rather unpleasant last few miles.

    Most satisfying result: Coming 12th in the Dingle marathon. Not in my wildest dreams would I have thought that possible.

    Biggest surprise: Running 63 mins for 10 miles in Mallow at the beginning of January on no speed training at all. After that I thought I was in for a great year - unfortunately, from an athletic point of view it was pretty much all downhill from there.


    Overall a rather disappointing year. I got new PBs for 10k and 10miles, and that's it. I was hoping for much more.


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