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2013; Eat my dust Meno!
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Friday 29 March (Final Long Run - 18 Easy)
Headed to the Park (where my love affair with / bad habit of marathon running began!) for the first time in this training cycle with Meno and Digs. Haven't run in the Park in so long - it was a nice change of scenery. The company was surprisingly enjoyable apart from a couple of tunnel vision tete-a-tetes between the ladies; from which I just zoned out! I was ready for my taper to begin as long runs had started to become a right pain. Not because they weren't going well or anything, just because that's the way it goes towards the end of the marathon training cycle I suppose! I treated the run as 3 X 6 mile runs just for the sake of my mental health. Second half of each loop was into a pretty strong headwind on the tough S-bend side of the park so that was tiring. Took a gel at 6 and 12 miles - didn't need the gel, just needed the practice as haven't been fuelling well on long runs at all and tum has been dodgy on and off over the last few weeks - no problems to report thank god. Was tired and fed up by the time we finished but delighted to be done and dusted. Thank crunchie for taper!
18 @ 8:00
Saturday 30 March (30 minutes recovery jog)
Had a mission to make this as sloooow as possible following one of the topics of conversation the previous day. I had to drop a birthday present into my brother so decided to make my jog a functional one. I thought I was going mad because I could hear jingle bells in my head but after about 10 minutes I realised it must be the bells on the Easter Lindt Bunnies that I had in my bag too.... duh!! I was genuinely moving at a pace that may not have even counted as moving...haha. I was delighted not to break 30 minutes for 5k running 3.1 miles inb 30:03.15
3.1 @ 9:42
Sunday 31 March (Father Murphy 5 Mile Race)
An A-goal on fresh legs would have been sub 31:30. A realistic goal on end-of-marathon-training legs was a PB (sub 34:47). What I wanted was sub 33. What I aimed for was 32 minutes - i.e. 6:24 pace. I did a 2 mile warm up and lined up at the front. Absolutely hoored off like a mad hare when the gun went - I knew it wasn't sustainable but I was out for a blow out
I was on track for the 32 minute barrier for the first 2.2 ish miles but then the course turned from being nice and sheltered out into an open headwind and it killed me. There was no one around me that I could use as a shield and I just didn't have the power to really break the wind. I wanted to ease off completely but I had been warned no to wuss out. The pace just dropped steadily. I knew the planned time was out the window but I still wanted to run as hard as I could on the day and not regret it. For the final 1.5 miles I was just working so hard to keep the legs moving - everything was knackered - from my baby toes through my calves, hammies, glutes, core and right up to my shoulders! I had nothing left for a finishing push and was slightly disappointed to see the watch tick over 33 minutes as I was about to turn into the finishing straight. A couple of moments reflection as I was gathering myself and having some water helped me accept that I had run a good time all things considered - I heard a couple of blokes saying that the wind had cost them 30 seconds at least so I reckon it cost me about 45... Happy enough with the time for the day that was in it but I'll definitely be seeking out a similar race during the summer to give it a really good bash!
Chip time: 33:15
Good to catch up with Beediddlyyouyoubeebee and Tang1 who both ran great races afterwards - well done lads!
7 miles total for the day.
57.4 miles for the final week! Topped off with a last hurrah boozy lunch with the girls. Taper / damage limitation time now... Will probably finish off the giant chocolate easter egg I had to practically beg for but once that's gone, there will be some calorie consumption rules to make sure I don't roll up to the start line in Boston in 2 weeks!!0 -
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Right… well apart from trying to keep sane, I’ve been very busy with work, running errands, social engagements and writing lists. Lists…lots of them. They are coming out of my ears at this stage. I have lists reminding me what lists are what, which lists should be prioritised, the lists that can be ticked off my ‘to do’ / ‘to buy’ / ‘to pack’ lists. It’s exhausting really!! And no doubt we’ll get another list from Coach over the coming hours which will go something like – “Do not forget your passport and runners. Good luck”. Helpful as ever…
Despite the halving of training miles, I unfortunately haven’t found myself with more time on my hands. Which I suppose just shows that even if I wasn’t training for a marathon, my house wouldn’t be any cleaner, I wouldn’t have more time to catch up with people and I definitely still wouldn’t have time for a puppy!!
Below is just a quick update on last week which was a real step back – week 1 of a 2-week taper. So far this has been the mildest tapering experience I’ve had to date – maybe not going pro this time around has something to do with that… ;)I had far too much time on my hands and in my head before Berlin when, if I remember correctly, I absolutely lost the plot! I suppose there’s a part of me that understands I’ve done as much as I could have done this time around and there are too many variables at play (namely the weather and the heartbreaking course…) to get to het up about it. I’ve been reading lots of Boston Marathon related books and articles (maybe that explains where some of my time is going) and I’m starting to feel like a child on Christmas Eve. I actually had to put one of them away before I went to bed on Saturday night as I didn’t think I’d be able to sleep! I’m just so excited for the whole trip and experience!
Monday 1 April (Rest)
Rest
Tuesday 2 April (6 miles easy)
6 @ 7:55
I think this was a jcsmum dawn breaking run but failure to write these things down means I’ll never know!!
Wednesday 3 April (Session – 1 easy / 2 @ MP / 1 easy / 2 @ HMP)
6.55 @ some overall average!
Headed to Marlay after work to do the MP/HMP miles on Meno’s 1k track. So the 2 mile efforts were just over 3 of the inner laps with the w/u, recovery and w/d just random faffy paths and turns. I was happy enough that I hit the planned splits to (as some self-help speaker I know would say) “lock the legs into pace for D-day”…
8:00 / 6:58 / 6:59 / 8:00 / 6:45 / 6:43 / 8:05 (.55 w/d)
Thursday 4 April (6 easy)
6 @ 7:55
Only that the numbers are written on the tri-coloured ‘countdown to Boston’ poster in the kitchen, I have no recollection of this run!!
Friday 5 April (Rest)
Rest
Bleedin rest days!!!
Saturday 6 April (6 miles incl. 2 mile BHAA race)
We were pretty tight on time following some location and registration confusion (not on the BHAA’s part) so I just about had time to get my warm up done. I was lolloping down the main avenue of St. Anne’s Park in Raheny when Maria McCambridge bounded by me at what was probably her recovery, if not walking (!), pace. I managed a panicky 2 miles @ 8:00 incl strides before sitting down to adjust my laces. As I was sorting myself out, I looked up towards the start line and nearly died when I saw the ladies crowd were lined up ready to go. I legged it up to the front of the pack and cheekily inserted myself at the very front. A lovely lady from Raheny let me in just in front of her, for which I was very grateful. I didn’t think I was going to be fast – I just wanted to get it done!!
After a brief low-down of the route (which meant nothing to me), the gun went and we were off. I had spotted the girl who was going to win it and unsurprisingly she took off into the distance at an awesome pace. I just went hell for leather and got myself into second position where I stayed for the first mile. It was a very strange feeling having the group on my shoulders. I felt like I was being chased down by a pack of wild animals and my instinct was to just go and get the hell away. I just pounded out the first mile as hard as I could (well, within reason knowing I had 2 miles to do!). I went through the 1 mile mark in 5:55 and the lady in third was right on my shoulder. I suspect she was happy to let me set the pace and then push on for the second half and leave me to eat her dust! I was fading badly on the second mile but I just kept going as hard as I could knowing that it wasn’t going to last too much longer (that’s the pretty version!!). There was a tiny speed bump about 1.7 miles in, which momentarily felt like an Everest! We turned onto the finishing straight with maybe 300m to go (?) and Digs shouted something at me. I knew the girl in 4th was gaining on me and I WAS NOT (for the zillionth time!) losing a place in the closing metres of a race after I’d done all the hard work. I managed to hold her off and finished in 3rd. My Garmin read 12:20 and the clock on the BHAA jeep defo said 12:18 as I passed it. Unfortunately the official time was 12:23 so I’m not sure what happened there… anyway I’ll take the 12:23 and make sure to run the hell out of that next time round. It was a final blow out for the legs before Boston and I was delighted with how it went. I wanted to drop out after the first 500m and the mental side of things definitely got a good work out. At one point I spied an unleashed dog and was willing him to trip me up… Suffice to say – Guys, if you need a break from taper madness go run and experience the pain of a 2 mile race!
I did my 2 warm down miles in the park running from point to point to watch the men’s 4 mile race, which Digs was running as an exercise in self-discipline. It was very entertaining to watch him trotting around at marathon pace while those who he should have been competing against were running 4 mile pace. Anyway, he done real good and got a gold star for being good and stick to the paces he had inked all over his hands!!
We hung around for the token BHAA post-race spread of which I took full advantage, putting away two chocolate muffins before one could say ‘boo’!! If I can’t do it on the 6th of April then what’s the point!
The race also happened to be my Company’s annual internal team race and as first lady from the Company, I took home a separate prize of vouchers and a mahoosive perpetual trophy. It was mortifying as I’m only in the place a very short time… :-/
6 miles total for the day as planned.
Sunday 7 April (4 miles recovery)
Switched days to suit schedules and did Monday’s MLR instead. We both just wanted to get it out of the way. Actually we both wanted to sit on the couch and watch TV but that wasn’t going to happen. I did not prepare or plan well for this at all. Less than an hour before running I had 2 cupcakes and 2 coffees. This is something I will not be repeating in Boston!! Tummy was very unhappy with me but it was too late. Anyway we just ran to Marlay, did 3.5 laps and back home again. Was tired for the evening but it was a busy and tiring weekend.
12 @ 8:22
Countdown well and truly on now!!0 -
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Best of luck in Boston!! Well done again on Saturday - my friend Orla from Raheny came 2nd; you must have been very close together?
I, too, overdid it on the brack buffet, and I don't have your high mileage excuse. Annoyingly, the chest infection I thought was gone came back after I stood in the cold marshalling the road relays (it was worth it though as they were fab), so I haven't run since Saturday ...
Thanks Helen. Orla made a fair few seconds on me in the second mile in fairness to her. I was just doing everything I could to stay as close to her as possible. She had loads of support from the local Raheny crowd... I thought people were cheering me on and just getting my name wrong!! :rolleyes: haha
Hope you're feeling better soon and no doubt we'll catch up over the next few months 0 -
One week to go...I'm getting more and more excited by the second at this stage!!
Just got the daily motivational email from the coach... I'm starting to worry that he may show up in Boston having contorted himself into Digger's suitcase..
Monday 8 April (Rest)
Rest
For some reason, I have taken rest to mean eat.. I'm OUT OF CONTROL!! Whoops!
Tuesday 9 April (Pyramid Session - 1/2/3/4/3/2/1 minutes hardish running w/1 minute recovery jog b/w each)
Mine went something like 1/2/3/3.5/3.5/2.5/2/1.5 w/1 minute recovery jog between each. I was just running by feel - effort/stretching out the legs/getting the HR up but was conscious not to do anything stupid. I eased off in parts where the legs were feeling it as this was supposed to exercise the lungs and not tire the legs. Did about 5 minutes easy before and after as w/u & w/d.
All in I think it was about 5 @ c.7:15.
Very easy recovery in the morning. Feeling ok... Legs could do with some foam rolling I suspect!!
I think I'm at the stage where I'm starting to annoy people. They feign interest by asking when I'm heading off / if I'm excited / blah blah blah... They do not expect (no do they want to listen to) the current and long-range weather forecast for Boston / the history of the BAA and the past 116 Boston Marathons / how I'm hoping to maybe buy a new handbag but will be conscious not to spend too much time on my feet over the weekend...snore snore snore.. 0 -
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