Connemarathon 2011

jb-ski

Race number etc can be collected with ID from runner.
(You may have to email organisers in advance) but I've collected my
brothers number the last 2 years hassle free

brownian

jb-ski wrote: »

Race number etc can be collected with ID from runner.
(You may have to email organisers in advance) but I've collected my
brothers number the last 2 years hassle free

Bring the email from the race director plus a scan of passport or driving license - that's worked for me for the last four years.

Mr Marenghi

Im staying in Galway and getting the bus at 8am from the Cathedral.

But there's no spectators bus from Galway ?

Is there any way a spectator can get from Galway ?

BrokenMan

jb-ski wrote: »

@ BM, a shorter Long Run I hope.
or what distance you planning.

Going to do 18 - 20 slowly. Its on the recommendation of a very good runner that I train with occasionally who thinks I should try out a 2 week taper as opposed to a 3 week one.

Conn isnt my A goal for the year so I am trying a couple of different things from Dublin.

I will know in 3 weeks if it was a good idea or not.

DOCO12

Hi Everyone

This is my 1st half marathon .:eek::eek:
I'm just wondering would you guys recommend running the half marathon course back there as a training run this weekend? Or am I better off to stick with a 12 mile?

I plan to taper down then for the next two weeks.

cheers for the advice

yop

If you run it let us know what its like!

BrokenMan

I am all for running parts of courses to get to know them but think that it should be done earlier in the training when you know that you have time to improve if you struggle.

I reckon its probably too late to run the course now. You will be constantly thinking about your pace and how will you be able to increase it over the same course in 2 weeks. It could wind up hitting your confidence if you struggle a little bit on it. Of course you would improve off the back of a taper and with race day adrenaline but it might just knock your confidence a little.

DOCO12

Cheers for the advice. That's what I'm afraid of that it may frighten me too much and thus lose confidence. I've read up all about the hell of the west:eek::eek:
Also is it too near race time to do a tough 12 miles? I know I need to get more hill work in but is 2 weeks too little time to improve on hills? I'm conscious of tiring myself out with so little time left.

brownian

IMHO you could run a shorter run, with added hills, if you wanted to improve on hills specifically. If you're intimidated by the famous climb from Maam, you could just run it, and see what it's like. It's not easy, but it's not SO bad!

Alternatively you could run up Diamond hill - lovely run, good surface almost all the way, certainly gets the hill muscles working. Or up Cregg - road all the way, and the top is a lot steeper than anything you'll meet on 10 April.

My own opinion is that 12 miles hard is a little more ambitious than you should be running two weeks out...I'm aiming to do the full, and I hope to run about 15 or 16 miles, without wrecking myself with speed.

digger2d2

Hi All,

I'm not running this but had the pleasure of driving the Galway to Clifden road today, blue skies and absolutely beautiful scenery as well as fantastic road surface....Definitely on my to do list for next year...Enjoy!!!

yop

For the "locals" on the morning, where is the race start do you know. There are 5 of us, newbies!, coming from Westport, so do we need to go to Clifden or would anyone who has done this previously know if we can be "dropped off"?

brownian

yop wrote: »

For the "locals" on the morning, where is the race start do you know. There are 5 of us, newbies!, coming from Westport, so do we need to go to Clifden or would anyone who has done this previously know if we can be "dropped off"?

Full details on the connemarathon website. I've been based up that direction for every half in the last few years,and driven down on the morning.

Half start is in Leenane Village. Full start is someplace along Lough Inagh (see the map on the connemarathon website for specifics).

yop

brownian wrote: »

Full details on the connemarathon website. I've been based up that direction for every half in the last few years,and driven down on the morning.

Half start is in Leenane Village. Full start is someplace along Lough Inagh (see the map on the connemarathon website for specifics).

Ah great job. Could possibly get dropped then to Leenaun and try and get back then to Leenaun someway.
Thanks for that.

brownian

yop wrote: »

Ah great job. Could possibly get dropped then to Leenaun and try and get back then to Leenaun someway.
Thanks for that.

A tame driver or a car drop are necessary, I think. We've tended to get picked up at the end by my ever-patient wife, as there's no bus back to Leenane and the half marathon road remains closed for quite a while. There's plenty of parking along the N59 at Peacock's; parking at Leenane isn't as good (but possible out along the fjord).

baza1976

I missed my last lsr last weekend as I was under orders for a romantic weekend away with Ms baza. I even threw my runners and shorts in the boot on the off chance:)

Before today it was about 4 weeks since i got out for lsr with being sick and the mental challange. My last lasr was 23 miles............ I got lost!!!!

All the advice was to forget about it and do o more then 15 today...... so 15 turned into 18 and then 18 turned into 20 miles. I'm glad i got it in to tell the truth. I felt really good all way through. I'm still carrying some niggles in my right calf and hammer, so pleanty of stretching and foam rolling for the next 2 weeks....... time for taper madness.

Let the games begin

digger2d2

baza1976 wrote: »

I missed my last lsr last weekend as I was under orders for a romantic weekend away with Ms baza.

Put that down as Cross Training.....;)

tHE vAGGABOND

Random : I am booked for two nights into a hotel in Galway city for this, near the square. I made the booking when I entered the race ages ago. It was not cheap, but its a bit of a treat, bit of luxury for a night or two

I checked the hotel prices last night online and they were well below what I was paying. So I just rang the hotel and asked if I had their best price, no questions asked they adjusted by rate and thus I saved a truck load of money.

Give it a try, as I clearly paid a "there is an event going on" rate - and some hotels wont be full, so as mine clearly is not, there will be money to be saved if you just ask

Wonkagirl

What hotel is it vaggabond? I'm staying in the Radisson- 130 per room per night. I thought that was good value for that hotel though.. it's my birthday so like you, i'm treating myself.. isnt it bad enough that i'll be sober the nite of my bday (sat)- least i can do is stay in a nice place to make up for it!

Went out for my last long run tonite- what a disaster- just one of those nites when it just wasnt happening, did a 10km race on saturday so i guess the legs were still tired. Called it quits after 10mins, had a stitch and just wasnt up for it. Will have another bash tomorrow nite though.

brownian

Wonkagirl wrote: »

What hotel is it vaggabond? I'm staying in the Radisson- 130 per room per night. I thought that was good value for that hotel though.. it's my birthday so like you, i'm treating myself.. isnt it bad enough that i'll be sober the nite of my bday (sat)- least i can do is stay in a nice place to make up for it!

Went out for my last long run tonite- what a disaster- just one of those nites when it just wasnt happening, did a 10km race on saturday so i guess the legs were still tired. Called it quits after 10mins, had a stitch and just wasnt up for it. Will have another bash tomorrow nite though.

We all get runs like that, I fear. Take the opportunity to do a decent bit of stretching; I often find that this makes the legs that bit looser the next day. And, as usual, start easy

Wonkagirl

Thanks brownian- will take your advice and do a good stretch, didnt think of that. Tomorrow is going to be 18km very VERY slow, and major tapering from that point on. Slow 10km Saturday, hill repeats Monday and a 6km fartlek session Wednesday.. will put the feet up then!

claralara

12 days, 9 hours, 38 minutes and 27 seconds...

Just in case anyone was having a relaxing evening..:D

baza1976

Anyone else sick??? My nose/ears and throat are on fire no running yesterday and I think I'll give it a miss today.........

claralara

baza1976 wrote: »

Anyone else sick??? My nose/ears and throat are on fire no running yesterday and I think I'll give it a miss today.........

I was last week. Berrocca every morning, echinacea and ginseng, fresh orange juice and iron, truckloads of water, a spoonful of honey here and there... Kept the neck and chest covered and tried to get a few early nights. Pretty much everything I could possibly think of! Think I've shifted it now and have gotten a few good runs in since. Best of luck. That said, with the taper madness - it could all have been in my head!

digger2d2

claralara wrote: »

I was last week. Berrocca every morning, echinacea and ginseng, fresh orange juice and iron, truckloads of water, a spoonful of honey here and there... Kept the neck and chest covered and tried to get a few early nights. Pretty much everything I could possibly think of! Think I've shifted it now and have gotten a few good runs in since. Best of luck. That said, with the taper madness - it could all have been in my head!

Forgot that McSorley's serve that

BrokenMan

baza1976 wrote: »

Anyone else sick??? My nose/ears and throat are on fire no running yesterday and I think I'll give it a miss today.........

Seem to have had a cold that comes and goes for the last month. Pretty sure its going to turn into full on pneumonia over the next week

TFBubendorfer

baza1976 wrote: »

Anyone else sick??? My nose/ears and throat are on fire no running yesterday and I think I'll give it a miss today.........

I'm not running Connemara (my race is a week later), but I woke up yesterday with a very sore throat and started spitting blood. :eek:

Still sore today but thankfully no more sign of blood. Freaked me right out.

Wonkagirl

Squeezed a 16kmer in tonite- legs were well tired by the end of it.. that's the longest run i've done- kinda raging with myself but it is what it is at this point!

Going to do hill repeats Saturday morning, a fast/fartlek 6km Monday, and a slow 6km Wednesday. In the lap of the gods after that!

One thing i have dreadful issues with is hydration. I'm doing something wrong, as I ALWAYS want to go to the loo not long after i start a run. It's the same at bootcamp. Perhaps i should prehydrate well in advance and then not drink anything for an hour or 2 before? Had to stop tonite at the 4km mark to go to the loo, very annoying. Anyone got any tips therein?

claralara

Wonkagirl wrote: »

Squeezed a 16kmer in tonite- legs were well tired by the end of it.. that's the longest run i've done- kinda raging with myself but it is what it is at this point!

Going to do hill repeats Saturday morning, a fast/fartlek 6km Monday, and a slow 6km Wednesday. In the lap of the gods after that!

One thing i have dreadful issues with is hydration. I'm doing something wrong, as I ALWAYS want to go to the loo not long after i start a run. It's the same at bootcamp. Perhaps i should prehydrate well in advance and then not drink anything for an hour or 2 before? Had to stop tonite at the 4km mark to go to the loo, very annoying. Anyone got any tips therein?

Nice run last night. I’m on a serious wind down and going out of my mind! I just want it to be tomorrow at this stage. I think… Anyone else getting ridiculously nervous now? I’m terrified. Talk about taking on something all consuming…

I try and drink loads throughout the day / day before and then just a couple of mouthfuls in the 30 minutes before I head out if I’m feeling thirsty. I’ll be wearing a belt with gels and a sports drink during the marathon and intend to have a mouthful every mile or 2. Though I always find that even if I need to go to the loo, I forget about it once I start running.

yop

I'm only doing the 1/2 but feel sick at the thought already!!!!

claralara

digger2d2 wrote: »

Forgot that McSorley's serve that

You won't find me in a pub during marathon training...:rolleyes: