The Continuing Adventures of Catweazle

catweazle

Cheers Redb, after the usual taper of tiredness and struggling to even run 3 miles at pace yesterday (I hate tapering). I saw the advert for it on rte in bed last night and was a bit shocked at the size of it all.

Coming from perhaps the 1400 of Achill last year being the largest race I was ever in, I will enjoy 14,000 other eejits alongside me

RedB wrote: »

Maybe put your name on the front of your top also so people will cheer YOU on.

I looked into that but they dont have this in a technical t-shirt

littlebug

G'luck CW:) Take it easy.. but not too easy now:cool:

Oryx

Good luck. I hope the weather smiles on you

ronanmac

Best of luck on Monday, catweazle. I'll be carrying spare gels (High5 Isogels) and water if you see me on the side of the road...

catweazle

Arrived in DCM baggage area in good time, was annoyed at my heart rate which was up in the 80's/90's all morning but what could I do about that. Made my way up the starting area and Said hello to Macanri and Jackyback who were pacing the 3.45's and then jumped the barricade to introduce myself to Izoard looking pretty in pink in the 4.30 group.

Met two lads from the Triathlon Club at the back of the 3.45 group and stayed chatting with them at the start, off we go about 200 metres into it I knew I had messed up as the 3.45 balloons were almost out of sight. There was no real way to catch up with the traffic ahead of me. I wasn't too worried at this stage anyways I thought to myself as it will thin out later.

Not long into it I was unhappy with the heart rate - I was into the 140's already. On the training runs it would usually be an hour before I hit 140's running at this pace. At 5 miles I hit the 150's and wasn't feeling great at all.

I met another lad from the club around here and was chatting to him for a mile or so, the heart rate had finally started to come down around now and I was in the low 140's conversely these were my two fastest miles at low 8 minute miles as I started to make an effort to catch the pacers. At this stage I was running at 8.29 average and I couldn't understand why they weren't in sight. I was never comfortable throughout the race - I just felt I wasn't running well.

Come around 10 miles, my legs were beginning to tighten up - way too early for this I thought to myself, the HRM as it often does started going down to the 70's, 60's and then just went blank. Going through Inchicore was probably my first ever big race experience, Eye of the tiger blaring from speakers and a great crowd roaring us on. It gave me a great lift. At this stage I seemed to be running more or less the same pace as a Leprechaun and a she devil, so there were my two arch nemesis's sorted (the she devil actually made the front page of the Independent supplement so fair play to her).

I came through the 1/2 marathon point at 1.55.30 although my garmin had me down as running 8.34 pace (I finally realized that with all the twisting and turning through the race I had run 13.35 at this stage) and the legs were groaning I was getting down on myself at this stage thinking I had done 1.56 at this stage in Connemara last year and it didn't knock a stir out of me, maybe it just isn't going to be my day!

Mile 16 was my worst mile - up comes 8.59 on the Garmin and then goes dead on me. I started to get concerned about a sub 4 - my legs were really starting to seize up. I wasn't unduly worried about the Garmin going on me at that stage, I had enough to worry about.

I don't really remember much about the next few miles - I just really remember some of the areas, there were two or three spots where the crowds had gathered and this sent a wave of energy through me each time and they were roaring us on. It was a huge change from Connemara as 3 sheep and a dog would be considered a crowd at that race.

At mile 19 I was now running with two she devils and the Leprechaun was behind me as I could hear the laughter from the crowd. The leprechaun then put on a spurt and forged ahead.

I hit 20 miles and I don't know why but I knew I would be able to hold this pace, I wasn't sure what pace I was going at with no garmin but I was passing people, mainly walkers but they all counted. Crowds were getting bigger and bigger and sweets were flying everywhere at this stage. Went up a hill called Heartbreak Hill in homage to Boston I presume and I thought to myself the runs up Knockma really helped me this year, I like them these days as I always feel I can pick up a few places.

Coming down the other side a supporter shouted we were well under sub 4 time so this kept the mood up. Through Nuttley lane and rolling into town. The road thinned and the crowd thickened, at this stage I was running beside a wheelchair athlete called Gerry who was 61 and running his 200th marathon - he was struggling badly at this stage. The crowd started to go absolutely nuts leaning in and roaring him on and it felt like going up the Alpe de Huez with such little room, I was a little embarrased running beside him and I wanted to give him the stage to himself, I started to pick up the pace but he grimly hung on to me, I never experienced anything like it.

I was feeling pretty strong - I was on the verge of a bad cramp at any minute so my running was a mixture of minding the legs and pushing the pace. Mile 25 now and I was pushing it hard, I asked a lad beside me wearing a Leinster top where was the finish and he said just after Trinity College, now even a redneck like me knows where Trinity was and I knew it wasn't far so it was time to empty the tank. Turned around the corner after Trinity and couldn't see the finishing line at all, jesus its miles up I thought to myself. I was locked in a sprint with three or four others and a massive crowd was roaring us on so I kept it going right to the line. Finally saw a time in the distance 3.54 and counting - FASTER Catweazle a 3.49 might be on yet, this would get me under the friend who never ceases to remind me he has a marathon time of 3.50.xx in Barcelona 08 thats far better than mine.

Crossed the line and was herded down the road to collect the bags, I was lucky another 2 or 3 minutes and it would have been soaked as a massive downpour came down just after crossing the line.

Final Time was 3.49.59, I will take that gladly - I know I can do faster but I am proud of how I held up today. Its thirty minutes faster tham my previous marathon and If I have seen any improvement this year it has been the mental side of racing. I am more dogged than last year and less likely to throw in the towel when things get tough. I had a slight 30 second negative split which I was amazed at considering how I felt at the 1/2 way point so I must have really dug in after 20 miles

I really enjoyed this race, it was a new experience for me to race with such large crowds and I got a mental lift every time I passed a spectator point. Nutrition was good, Kinetica Cola Isogel - 1 on the hour and 1 every thirty minutes from then on - no cramps or unscheduled toilet breaks this time.

Thats it for this years log - loads of plans and ambitions for next year so lets see what happens

catweazle

ronanmac wrote: »

Best of luck on Monday, catweazle. I'll be carrying spare gels (High5 Isogels) and water if you see me on the side of the road...

You must be the easiest man to spot in the country - no-one glams it up like you in the racegear.

How did the missus do?

RedB

RedB wrote: »

You're better off coming in happy on 3:50 then pushing early for 3:40 and being in a world of pain with 4-5miles to go.

Delighted for you. Hope you enjoyed the day.

My buddy BB was aiming for sub 3:30 but ran the first 20m at 7:50/M pace and then imploded. Staggered home in 4:07 .

Enjoy the off season and make sure you get plenty of nights out and lie-ins under your belt

littlebug

Well done Catweazle,
you've had a great year
Best is yet to come though;) How long now?

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Well done CW, good to put a face to the name.

El Director

Well done in DCM CW. Sounded like a very tough day out there. A mate of mine aiming for 3:10 came home in 3:41, this points at the difficulty of the day, course.

You've came on so much this year and the best is to come for sure! Take a well deserved break and don't wait too long to get back into it

ronanmac

catweazle wrote: »

You must be the easiest man to spot in the country - no-one glams it up like you in the racegear.

How did the missus do?

There was no glamming up, was just wearing the club cycling gear (and the slightly luminous glasses...). I suspect a dayjob requirement of sober suits has me going ultra-bright when it comes to race gear

M did brilliantly, finished in 5:41, which is a cracking achievement given her training log title of "Couch to Marathon"! Already talking about another marathon for next year, the battle lines for training time in our household have already been drawn!

Well done on your run, sub 4 comfortably, and sub 3:50 as an added bonus. You looked pretty comfortable the two times I saw you. Missed you at my later cheering posts...

pgibbo

Good man CW. That's a huge chunk of time to knock off your previous marathon. :cool: Congrats.

Have to agree with you, the big change has been mentally for you and as the guys said, there's more to come! Enjoy the time off my good man and try to bank some sleep!

griffin100

We must have been running side by side at the half way as I crossed it in 1.50.xx. After that you would have left me for dead wallowing in my own self pity:D Well done on a good result.

Izoard

Nice work CW and thanks for coming all the way down the back to say hello....:)

Dory Dory

Congratulations to you and the missus!! Let the diaper changing begin!!

littlebug

ooh has baby Catweazle arrived ?
Congrats CW !:)

griffin100

Congrats CW. Now the fun begins......

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Congrats on the baby boy CW. Hope the missus and nipper are well.

pgibbo

Some competition in the neighbourhood now for young CW and young pgibbo!

The fun starts tomorrow CW when the family arrive home. Congrats and best wishes again! :cool:

interested

Dory Dory wrote: »

Congratulations to you and the missus!! Let the diaper changing begin!!

based on some of CW's race reports - it might be best to clarify that the diaper changing was in reference to the new arrival

Congrats chief - hope all are well.

RedB

littlebug wrote: »

ooh has baby Catweazle arrived ?
Congrats CW !:)

+1

Hope you enjoyed those nights out and lie-ins!

catweazle

Thanks all, I will admit at the moment of truth my eyes wavered down from whether there were crown jewels or not - to see if the wee lad had webbed feet (he didn't).

All good so far-hes like his mother and loves his bed but its early days yet

Izoard

Good man CW - many congrats!

El Director

Hey CW! Congrats man on we're new arrival! Hope you are managing well!

shotgunmcos

Congrats CW, hope the fatigue doesn't knock your sense of humour now