2009- how was it for you?

MrCreosote

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.

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.

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.

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
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:

rainbow kirby

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

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.

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!

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!

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 ).

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

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 ;-)

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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:

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 .

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:

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!

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.

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!!!

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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!!!

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.

--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)

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.

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

hunnymonster

robinph wrote: »

As others said the Cork Marathon relay was a highlight for '09,

we wonder why???;)

robinph

hunnymonster wrote: »

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.

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, .......

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.

MCOS

Had a busy enough year for me so hard to choose...

Favourite/best event: Pacing the DCM, really got into the spirit of it with --amadeus-- Some of the Tris were really good events too Kilkee, Connemara and Valentia Island worth mentioning

Disappointment: My only stab at 5k was 19:12, I thought I could do better than that. My 70min bike split in TriAthy was woeful. Falling apart on the run in Kilkee.

Most satisfying result: Toss up here between winning the spring Cycling TT league and getting top 10 in my first Tri (unfortunately my only top 10)
Biggest surprise: Getting a slot at the Worlds was really the icing on the cake but finishing Kenmare HIM under 5 hours after damaging my knee running down a mountain in July was way above expectations (the literal surprise was being so close to some really fine triathletes in T2 before they all left me for dust on the run). :eek:

Overall: A very very satisfying year. Got the sub40 on 1st attempt and got more out of a novice Tri season than I could have hoped for. Learned stacks and stacks too. Hopefully I can cap it off with a sub65 10mile on st stephens day

BTW thank you for all the guidance, encouragement and support over the year on these boards... you know who you are. Thank You!

RJC

Favourite/best event: Ballycotton 10, Courtmacsharry 10k, DCM09. Doing better than I should have in 5k, 4mile, 10k & 10 mile events.

Disappointment: Rotterdam - All the right training and ingredients on the day lead to the medical tent and an IV drip at the end of the marathon - no fun. This lead to poor marathon performances by my standards - also realising that I do not do hot weather.

Most satisfying result: Coming 22nd in the Courtmacsharry 10k - and having a sprint to the finish - great day - but only realising it afterwards. Similarly at Ballycotton - 67min.

Biggest surprise: Training for marathons and doing better in shorter events. And placing so high in the 1000 mile challenge.


Overall an injury in August and the Rotterdam experience were the low points and the shorter PBs were the high points. I didn't realise the high points until afterwards.

Also, my running shoes were re-designed which is a pain in the ass (literally - hip pain!).

MrCreosote

MCOS wrote: »

BTW thank you for all the guidance, encouragement and support over the year on these boards[quote]

+1 on this.
Especially helpful for those of us not in clubs.

ike

Favourite/best event: Ballycotton 10, GSK 5mile in Dungarvan

Disappointment: End of July right through to September, lost my mojo and training went out the window and hence my Berlin marathon. Also should have done better in the Lisburn half.

Most satisfying result: GSK 5mile in Dungarvan, major PB. Although Ballcotton was satisifying as well in that it got me my sub 70 target after the 2nd attempt.

Biggest surprise: I always considered myself an OK swimmer, cracking out maybe 25 lengths or so. I got a lesson from a serious swimmer about 2 months ago shortly after the Berlin marathon and the difference it made was phenomenal. Had to literally start from scratch back to doing 10 lengths. Now I swim 1K most mornings before breakfast.

PositiveNegativ

Highlight of the year
Admitting to myself I was never going to start the Wicklow Round alone. A decision which resulted in rediscovering the joys of teamwork and getting around the thing.

2 class wins at the IOC felt good too.

Lowlights of the year
Only starting 2 of the 6 days in the SOW.

Only managing 3 hill races in the year.
At least the last one felt like a race rather than a crowded run. Have only just starting jogging now 4 months later.

Slogger Jogger

Favourite/best event:
Too many to mention. imra races fullstop. A toss up between the Wicklow way trail race (as a solo event) and the Wicklow way relay (as a team event). Go Team!. (If you are reading this VR & co.. get a Kilkenny team for this next year! And Magnet there is surely an Athenry team to offer). I should mention too my own event which was the imra Annacurra run. Roll up roll up for 2010.

Disappointment:
A bit like Donothoponpop... Rotterdam. Very solid training, dissapointing day (particularly the losing to Amadeus bit ).

Most satisfying result:
PB for 10K at Firhouse; PB for marathon at Edinburgh. Wicklow way trail. Eenie, Meanie, mynie, mo.

Biggest surprise:
My OH still lets me do this stuff.

RacoonQueen

I love how the men credit things to their OH allowing them to keep racing while the women don't mention their OH at all. You're all so whipped.

hunnymonster

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I love how the men credit things to their OH allowing them to keep racing while the women don't mention their OH at all. You're all so whipped.

lol, it's actually true. I can't ever imagine saying the words "ZL has given me permission to....." He makes suggestions, he might even refuse to cook dinner if I don't take the suggestion on board, but he never "allows"

Woddle

Just been out on my run and tis probably a topic for after hours, sorry.

showry

Favourite/best event:
Probably the Sean Kelly tour, followed by the Dungarvan 10 mile road race and Ballycotton 10.
I was at my peak for both the SK and the Dungarvan 10 and it was great to see almost 3,000 cyclists and 1,000 runners respectively outside my front door. Ballycotton's a great buzz.

Disappointment:
I thought the Wicklow 200 very overrated and won't be in any hurry to do it again.
Just missing out on sub-40 at the Dungarvan 10k was probably the biggest disappointment. My own fault really, I had almost taken it as a given.

Most satisfying result:
PB's in the Dungarvan 10 mile (65:52) and Ardmore 5 mile (31:25). Winning the B division of the cycling club time trial by a second was pretty cool too.

Biggest surprise:
Being able to hang on in the bunch at average speeds of 40+km/h in the club cycling league.

Pisco Sour

At the start of 2009 I set myself 3 major goals:

1) Run the Wexford Hald Marathon (my first Half Marathon) in sub 1hr50
2) Complete my first Olympic Triathlon (TriAthy)
3) Run the Dublin Marathon

I completed the Half in 1hr49:06 - Objective achieved

I got myself through the Olympic Tri, not in a fast time (in fact 3rd last, but it might aswell have been 1st I was so happy to just get through it).

After that I had exams and then a month long holiday. When I cam back 3 months before Dublin, I made a decision that i didnt feel ready to commit to marathon training yet. Only a few months later did I make that decision and now I'm 6 weeks into my training for Rotterdam next April.

A few minor goals which i developed over the year:

1) Run the Rathfarnham 5k in sub 21minutes. I ran it in 21:02 :eek:
2) Run the Crookstown 10k in sub 46minutes. I ran it in 45:32

Overall I'm absolutely delighted with my year. Really cant complain.

Blueskye

2009 was a year of firsts for me:
First 10mile race - Ballycotton
First half marathon - Berlin
First marathon - DCM
First off road run - Burren half marathon
The furthest I had run prior to 2009 was 10km, so lots of achievements this year. Saying that, I'm a slow runner so I have a lot of work to do to improve my times.


Favourite/best event:
Burren half marathon. My time was awful but I had so much fun. I didn't expect it to be such mucky terrain but the scenery was beautiful and I decided not to worry about time and just enjoy it. Fantastic despite awful weather.


Disappointment:
Dying after mile 3 in DCM. I had put in the training but my stomach was not happy with my gels and I felt sick until mile 15. Awful awful experience but at least I made it to the finish line.

racheljev

I'm like Blueskye, 2009 was a year of firsts for me. First Great Ireland run, first 5 mile, 10 mile, half marathon, marathon! This time last year I couldn't run 10metres, let alone 10 miles, so that's an improvement.

Highlight of year
DCM, without a doubt. Even though it's partly a disappointment because my time was so bad, I was so chuffed to finish it. And to have my support team following me around was fantastic. My kids were so proud of me and my OH was so supportive. The photo below says it all.


Disappointment of the year
Because this is my first year, no real disappointments. Could've done better in Adidas 10 mile, wish I hadn't been sick the week before DCM, but not too much. Just looking forward to next year!

RacoonQueen

Woddle wrote: »

Just been out on my run and tis probably a topic for after hours, sorry.

It was probably true though.

Peterx

Focusing on running to the exclusion of MTB and climbing paid off this year and the happy realisation that hard work equals good results came to fruition in a great year on the hills. Oddly enough a 12th place finish in a hillrun was probably my "best" performance this year.

Doing battle with one of my hillrunning heroes on Lugnaquillia and Galteemore was the dual highlight.

Not being able to do battle with the aforementioned hero on Carantoohill was the lowlight.:rolleyes:

Brucie bonuses included the likes of GF6 and Achill ROAR, PB's for 5m and 10k and a cycletour in Europe after the Europeans. A great year really.

PositiveNegativ

Peterx wrote: »

Oddly enough a 12th place finish in a hillrun was probably my "best" performance this year.

In MHO your 12th was the best result of any IMRA runner on this isle this year. Something to savour.

Krusty_Clown

PositiveNegativ wrote: »

In MHO your 12th was the best result of any IMRA runner on this isle this year. Something to savour.

Do tell more...

PositiveNegativ

British Fell Running Championship race held in the mournes. The standard in those races has to be seen to be believed. That particular route is savage.

http://www.nimra.org.uk/results.asp?rID=381

Incidentally, that route served as the inspiration for the new Tonlagee & the Lake race.

Bally8

Favourite/best event: I only took part in 3 races in 09 due to injury but the Dublin marathon was by far my favourite event ever. I cant express how much I loved every minute of it. The atmosphere just blew me away. If this is what all marathons are like I will most definitely be back for more.

Disappointment: The amount of injuries I've had this year which have prevented any kind of consistent training.

Most satisfying result: Not a result really but just actually managing to make it to the start line of my first marathon with the amazing support from the mentored thread. I love being part of this little online running community

Biggest surprise: It still amazes me that I- someone who in 2008 would have said my favourite things to do were eat chocolate, sleep and lie on the couch all weekend- went on the actually stick to a 18 week training plan (except for a while missed through injury) and run a whole marathon!


Cant wait to get over my current injury and have a much better 2010. I really want to work on my speed and would love to have a consistent year of training and races.

7mile

Best Event: Dub half marathon. I was a bit sceptical as to whether i would get under 1.30 but had the run of my life and finished in 1.28.59.
Biggest Disapointment: Not being able to get sub 40 for 10k. I've only managed it once at the 2008 Bupa
Best Achievement: Running Dublin Marathon in under 3.15

Overall: I have to be happy with the year. I've had PB's in 5m,8k,10m,half marathon and the full marathon. Roll on 2010