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Micilín's Mucky Miles
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nerraw1111 wrote: »Sorry to hear about the chest infection. Hopefully it clears up pretty soon.
The climb from the plaque to the cross is a tough one! Is that the way you plan to go on the day? (If you go)
Thanks, fingers crossed I'll be well enough.
I won't be going up that way, it's too dangerous for anyone with 45kms in their legs, a simple slip could result in some nasty injuries!
I'll be going up via the ridge between Glenreemore and Asbawn brooks. Once I find their confluence, I'll take a bearing to head straight for the ridge. If I were running I'd definitely take that route.
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Has the solpadeine been masking the issue instead?
So that will be a pint of cold lager with the hot whiskey chaser?:)
I don't think so as I took my last Solpadeine yesterday afternoon. Unless it's still having an effect on me! I swear by that contrast therapy though - it's great for reducing inflammation.
I think I've had my fill of medicinal substances, despite really wanting a cold lager since you posted that :mad:
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Pre-'race'
Arrived at 9.30pm with my mate Henry and registered before all the crowds came. I spent most of that time chatting to people like grahamor and a few other IMRA runners. They all seemed to be very relaxed about the whole thing! I prepared some of my food and re-packed my bags about 3 times.
Midnight Start - Stage 1
We headed outside with about 10 minutes to go and realised it was raining. Time for the waterproof trousers already!
The start had a good atmosphere and I got chatting to a former student before I had to push on to re-find Henry. Most of the route out to my first milestone - Templeogue Bridge - was spent passing people out with a slow jog and then a fast walk once we got past them. By Templeogue I was already feeling a tightness in my hamstring.
From here to Bohernabreena the field started thinning out more. I think by the M50 that there around 15 walkers ahead of us. The headtorches were donned just after the end of the streetlights at Bohernabreena. The first proper climb of the day was to my second milestone - Stone Cross. This was a tough climb but I was well used to it from all my hill running. The first early-starting hybrid passed us out here.
Stone Cross to Kilbride Army Camp was a b!tch - The Neverending Hill. It didn't seem that hard when we drove it downhill 2 months ago
Still I wasn't suffering as much as Henry was. More and more hybrids started passing us out on this hill. It wasn't until the first downhill that I started feeling any real pain. My plantar fasciitis was very painful and it slowed us down a lot. A few walkers started passing us out here and I was seriously considering dropping out because of the pain. I took a banana and a mandarin here. The next uphill from the bridge over the Shankill River was fine, so clearly it was the downhill that was inflaming the PF.
Between here and the turnoff at Ashdown is where Eoin Keith, the Ultra leader and eventual winner, passed us out at a very decent pace. We gave him an appreciated shout out. It was only a minute or two until the next runner went by at a similar pace to Eoin's. At Ballysmuttan Bridge, the bridge over the Liffey to the "Northsoide", we had a good look up at the field of participants in front of us and their height on the road was very ominous. Looking back at the rest of the field was special, seeing a big long line of headtorches and hi-viz jackets!
The last section to Checkpoint 1 at Ballinagee Woods was hard enough, but by now I was so sore all over that I couldn't really feel the PF any more. I felt like I had blisters on the soles of my feet and expected it as I had never worn that brand of socks before. Nerraw passed us out just before the checkpoint. I was surprised to see him, in particular in such a good mood, as I didn't see him in Dublin Castle and presumed his calf caused him to do a no-show.
At Checkpoint 1, (about 4:55am) I found my bag quick enough. With my feet off the ground and socks off, I found no blisters! It took me an age to do the necessities here - change into hiking socks, boots and gaiters, scarf and hat, fill up the Camelbak, change the headtorch batteries and go for a pee. I had a cold wrap and a few squares of chocolate but nothing the organisers provided, nothing warm. I got cold very quickly, which was surprising because I hadn't even worn any hat or gloves all the way from Dublin Castle.
Stage 2
We headed off before the second Guided Group left and with my good gloves on, I warmed up nicely quickly enough. Henry was a few paces ahead of me most of the time which was a change. Usually we caught up with each other after a few seconds, but this time I was really lacking in energy and he had to keep stopping to let me catch up. This was really getting to me and started playing on my mind.
Henry asked me if I wanted to sit and down and rest and I said not until there was somewhere like a rock or somewhere to sit down on. I forgot about it and when Henry spotted a rock about 10 minutes late near the end of the forest track and I went over and sat. My heart was racing and pounding despite the snail's pace we were walking at.
Having sore muscles and joints is something I'm willing to endure, but with my heartrate so high, I knew it was a bad idea to continue past the track and on to the mountainous section on to Checkpoint 2. I didn't want the embarassment of a Mountain Rescue either so I made the right decision and bailed out when the second Guided Group arrived. I felt very bad about leaving Henry with a group but I think he may have benefitted from the company.
It was a long, slow walk back to Checkpoint 1, especially having to stop at each group and tell the Guides what I was doing going the other way! The lads at Checkpoint 1 looked after me (everybody had left by now) and offered me a lift back home, or to Glenmalure. I chose Glenmalure, not wanting to miss out on any more of the AON action!
About 15 Ultras had finished by the time I got there, so I knew it was going to be a while (hours) until anyone I knew was going to arrive. I saw Grahamor and an IMRA friend arrive and was delighted to see Henry sprinting across the ford at 12.59 having done Stage 3 mostly on his own and jogged 5km down Table Track to the finish. What a legend!
I'm not majorly disappointed and I'm glad I bailed out when I did. In hindsight, aside from the immediate danger of feeling ill and needing Mountain Rescue in the middle of the mountains, my decision may have been a trade-off between either finishing it and feeling like a legend, or bailing out and acknowledging that I'm not a legend and that I have a few things I need to deal with before I can take on something as challenging as the Art O'Neill.
Edit:
Stage 1: 4:54:58
Checkpoint 1: 0:48:48
Placing at CP1: 35/1260 -
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All I have done exercise-wise in the two weeks since AON is a hike up Diamond Hill in Connemara National Park. Those mountains are just incredible!
Health-wise I'm feeling a lot better. It was a case of getting worse before I got better as I got cold sores and felt weak. The Connemara air must have done me good as I feel ten times better now.
I had my final wisdom tooth removed too so it's probably good that I have no immediate plan to return to running. I would have thought that my Plantar Fasciitis would have improved by now but it still feels sore while walking. I need to have a chat with my physio about it as I don't feel comfortable running again until the PF feels better.
I still really want to run though!
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Thanks for the support!
My physio is booking an X-ray for me with Cappagh Hospital (National Orthopaedic Hospital) for my bad (left) leg. It appears to be shorter than the other, but apparently only an x-ray can verify that with precision. Steps after that may include orthotics.
He has also ordered one of the dorsal night splints which will keep my foot in a 90-degree position to stretch the fascia while I sleep. It's effective in the majority of cases of plantar fasciitis. If that doesn't work I may need to get a corticosteroid injection into my foot :eek:
Meanwhile, I'm back to cycling to work for the first time in 6 weeks I'm going to start core strengthening this week, including yoga on Thursday night. 0 -
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