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If nice guys finish last, then I'm in training to be a badass!
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Wednesday 23rd
(1.8m) 2.8k @ 6:00/km
Tonight was supposed to be a 30min cross training session, but didn't fancy heading out on the bike in the pitch dark, as it was way too late when I got home. Just did 15mins at easy pace instead, as I figured that's the same as a 30min cycle!
Do you have any more run this week? I was supposed to do 5 and 6k yesterday and today but as I couldn't get up yesterday I did my 5k this morning and will do my 6k tomorrow... I ran for 30 min didn't even sweat
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Do you have any more run this week? I was supposed to do 5 and 6k yesterday and today but as I couldn't get up yesterday I did my 5k this morning and will do my 6k tomorrow... I ran for 30 min didn't even sweat
Ill just be doing 1 or 2 miles on Saturday before the expo and then a short walk or something on Sunday!!
I was the same on that run lastnight, didn't break a sweat either....haven't run that short a distance in ages!!0 -
Saturday 26th
(1.9m) 3k @ 6:30/km
Finally the final final run before raceday!!;)
Went to the expo early and picked up my number, good buzz round the place. Got back and went straight out for three easy km on the Clontarf seafront in the pissing rain and wind. Bit of metal prep for Monday should it happen....although things are starting to look up weather wise, so fingers crossed.
I definitely noticed a bit of a spring in my step today, don't know if its the excitement building for Monday but Im going to take it as a sign that tapering has done its job and Im good to go.....now only one more day to wait! Plenty of rest tonight and will be enjoying the extra hour in bed! 0 -
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DUBLIN CITY MARATHON RACE REPORT: 28th October 2013
I have the report broken up into miles (and km) but paced in km. Confusing I know, but I’m a bit of a metric-sexual bi-metrical when it comes to distances, plus it’s easier to break it up into miles when trying to remember the markers/milestones around the course!
Warning: Looking back over this after finishing it, and it’s a loooonnng one!
Pre Race:
Up at 5am after the first night’s unbroken sleep I had all week, I was worried I wouldn’t sleep a wink. Usual but slightly larger than normal breakfast of porridge w/ honey & banana, bagel, yoghurt and juice! Grabbed everything I had packed and hit the road around 7am. Dropped my stuff off in the hotel just around from the start line and jogged from there to the baggage drop entrance. Had a little warm up and stretch then before heading around to the start for about 8.30. Probably there a bit too early but thought it would have been busier. Pushed up to about 100m from the 4hr pacers and off we went. Plan was to be conservative, maintain the distance between the pacers, and if feeling good later on push on ahead! (Aiming to finish with an avg split pace of 5:42/km)
Miles 0 – 5 (Km 0 -8)
We were off….My first marathon, but I think it took a while to sink in that this race would be a longer one than I’m used to. The first few miles were nice and easy, I was enjoying it and talking to some runners around me also doing there first. Bit congested though and a couple of bottlenecks here and there which slowed the pace down a bit. But I was loving it, already so many people were out supporting down on O’ Connell St and I just took it all in. Found a bit more space as we turned down the N. Circular heading for the gates of the park. I was back on familiar territory having trained a lot in the park all summer. Kept the pace nice and steady, pacers still in sight, was feeling great.
Splits (per km) were 5:52, 5:41, 5:51, 5:32, 5:37, 5:39, 5:41, 5:37
Miles 6 – 12 (Km 9 - 20)
My parents, the first supporters of the day had told me they’d be around the park somewhere, so kept an eye out all down Chesterfield Ave to spot them, but no sign. A bit disappointed as we turned down Furze Rd, but not surprised as my Dad would be late for his own funeral! Just carried on passed the 10km marker here and pace was slightly slower than 4hr pace but still on plan. Then spotted my folks just at the bend onto the Upper Glen Rd….I stand corrected!! Got a great cheer from them and they gave me a nice boost. Just after I overheard the guy beside me chatting to two girls (on their 1st mara too, and had been saying they don’t like hills) and he was yapping on about how steep “Heartbreak Hill” was at 20m and “wait till you see it etc”……I just thought “What a dick, that’s some encouragement out of him to the two girls”. So I pushed on a little bit till out of earshot. Took the first gel of the day here, as I planned to get them in early rather than later. Was a good change to be running down those hills in the park as I am usually torturing myself running up them in training and the Race Series! Back out of the park onto the streets now, and grabbed two bottles from the water station, a trend I kept up from there till the finish! Passed under the first “tunnel” of the day, great fun cheering and shouting passing through, the noise was incredible! Passing through Inchicore and some girls were shouting “Come on Rob, Well Done”. I was like “Who the hell was that?”. Took me a few minutes to realise my name was printed on my race number!! Coming up to Mile 11 and I was watching out for my girlfriend who was waiting with some water that I could pop an electrolyte tab into, saw her at the last minute grabbed it and kept going. Took a second gel somewhere around here!
Splits were 5:48, 5:44, 5:44, 5:32, 5:44, 5:24, 5:45, 5:36, 5:36, 5:26, 5:45, 5:29
Miles 13 – 19 (Km 21 – 31)
Halfway point already and I was flying, still feeling great and really enjoying myself (Crossed the HM marker in 2:00:25). Started to wonder how long this would last though but decided to just keep the head down, stick to the plan and think positive….far too early for negative thoughts I said! Still on target now and a negative split on the cards if I come in under goal time! Gel number three went in here somewhere around Mile 15 I think! I had done the second part of the course before on an LSR a few weeks previous and that really helped me on the day I found, would recommend it to anyone doing DCM first time, nothing like familiar ground! Mental boost thinking, “Ah sure I’ve done this on a Saturday morning and it was nice and handy!”. Don’t remember much else of what was going on for these miles though, must have just zoned out! Although I did meet my girlfriend at Mile 17 again and she gave a great cheer as I passed! I remember thinking around Mile 18 that I better start catching these pacers, and tried soon after taking gel number four, but started to feel a stitch come on, so decided to hold off till it passed and I’d make another effort then.
Splits were 5:24, 5:19, 5:26, 5:29, 5:31, 5:36, 5:37, 5:35, 5:24, 5:31, 5:43
Miles 20 – 24 (Km 32 - 39)
The dreaded “Heartbreak Hill” was a piece of cake. Couldn’t believe how smoothly I went up it, it is only a short hill after all, and I can understand people struggling on tired legs, but I felt great and then gave me some boost once I got to the top “All downhill from here” . Pacers were in sight still, now was the time to catch them. I started to pick it up and caught them coming down the Stillorgan Flyover. Introduced myself to Marthastew, who gave me great encouragement to push on, so off I went!! 22m+ came around…….This is new territory, I’ve gone over my longest LSR distance……and I was loving it! I was giving shout outs to supporters with flags for Dunboyne AC, Kilkenny etc….anywhere with a place name, just call it out and you get a great cheer back! Smiling all the way through these miles. I was feeling fantastic and passing out HUNDREDS of people between here and the end (1200+ people over the last six miles according to the results!) and putting distance between me and the pacers..........the pacing worked, all that training and dedication was paying off and boy did I know it! Didn’t feel like taking more gels, so grabbed some wine gums off spectators and munched on them instead!
Splits were 5:45, 5:37, 5:40, 5:22, 5:19, 5:18, 5:36, 5:33
Miles 25 – 26.2 (Km 40 – 42.2)
Passed by my girlfriend once more at Grand Canal St, chucked my gel belt to her as it was annoying me and gave her a shout to stick on a pint of Guinness….just as she unfurled a sign with a picture of a pint saying "first rounds on me"….great minds think alike and all that! I was racing for that Guinness now, been way too long since I had a pint (self enforced policy). Saw my family again on Westland Row and they seemed as happy to see me coming in one piece as I was! Still enjoying myself, big smiley head on me increasing in size as the road width decreased in size around Trinity, supports seemed to be closing in and were so loud. I will NEVER forget the last mile and a half, the support was absolutely amazing, and writing this now is making me want to get out there and do it again! Heard from the FM104 roadhog as I passed it that O Hehir had won in 2:18 and I just thought fair play to him! Flew down to the finish line and let out a big roar when I saw 3:57:25 on the clock. I had done it, crossed the line in under 4hrs, negative split in the bag, plenty left in the tank and a smile from ear to ear!:D
Splits were 5:28, 5:19, 5:16 and (.68km @ 4:57)
Post Race:
Collected the medal and goodie bag and headed to the baggage area. Starting to feel the cold instantly, and legs were screaming at me……Had to laugh at all of us hobbling around! Was just about to drop my bag on the ground and get changed till I saw someone trying to bend over in slow motion to pick his up and I thought, “that’ll be me if I drop it on the ground”, so hung the bag on the railings and took out the change of clothes from there! Quick stretch in the cool down tent and headed out to meet my family and after a bit of a walk around to find them, got a great congratulations from all, a nice lunch and then back to the hotel to have a cold bath for my legs. Torture, but felt good after! After that it was off to McGrattans for that pint of Guinness I’d been waiting for…….glorious! Good to meet up with a few boardsies there, but none of the novices unfortunately. Didn’t realise some of you were there till after I looked at boards once I’d gotten back to the hotel, we should have made some plans….next time! Legs got pretty sore later on that night and hardly slept a wink as I was just roasting.....blood flowing around the body in repair mode I think!
I am over the moon with the outcome of this race, finished with plenty in the tank, and was already thinking about next year! I think this is because I listened to the advice of “Enjoy your first, you only get one”, and I will most likely go on to preach the same to future novices! Will be definitely targeting a faster time next year for sure, as I feel I could have easily finished up in 3:45 on this one! Lets see what the training produces over the next 12 months. Right now Im thinking Ill take a week off, and then jump in to the Hall Higdon Post Marathon Plan wrapping that up with a 5/10k before Xmas. Just want to say thanks to all the posters who have contributed to the novices thread over the past 6 months, especially Career_Move for mentoring. The advice given on here is second to none, and the same goes for anyone who I’ve met up with for LSR’s during the training. Im sure I’ll see you out there again!
My Overall Splits
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Well done Rob, your race mirrors exactly my race in 2009 when I did the exact same time, perfect negative split! This year I did the exact opposite, it s not that enjoyable
Hope to see you in the park during the winter 
Thanks....you still got a PB though, right? I'll definitely still be around over the winter, quiet week this week though. Going to try and get out for a run at the weekend if I can at all!0 -
Thanks....you still got a PB though, right? I'll definitely still be around over the winter, quiet week this week though. Going to try and get out for a run at the weekend if I can at all!
Yes got a PB, looking for something flat for the AUtumn 2014, just got the reulsts from Berlin haven't been picked. Today is the first day i can go up and down the stairs normally ( and not backward...) I may go cycling this weekend for an hour and see if I can do short jogs next week 0 -
Yes got a PB, looking for something flat for the AUtumn 2014, just got the reulsts from Berlin haven't been picked. Today is the first day i can go up and down the stairs normally ( and not backward...) I may go cycling this weekend for an hour and see if I can do short jogs next week
Haha, the stairs werent fun at all the last few days, back to normal now though!
Hard luck about berlin.....plenty of options and plenty of time though for others. I have been looking for a HM around Lille for the Spring, something to target while im over there! For the Autumn im probably going to do Dublin again before looking further afield!0 -
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Great report and well done on your time. Enjoyed reading it. Sounds like the training went well. It seems like you had more to give! It`s interesting that a lot of us first timers are looking to run another one. I`m thinking of one in Norway ( Midnight Sun Marathon ) in June and then DCM of course!
Thanks. We've got the bug now!
Just looked up the Midnight Sun Mara....looks good! Any reason in particular or is just for something different? I'll just do DCM next year, with a couple of HM's on the way I think, (plans may change though, its a bit early to know!)
Hope your recovering well from Monday!0 -
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Thanks. We've got the bug now!
Just looked up the Midnight Sun Mara....looks good! Any reason in particular or is just for something different? I'll just do DCM next year, with a couple of HM's on the way I think, (plans may change though, its a bit early to know!)
Hope your recovering well from Monday!
I`ve taken my family there for a fishing holiday the last few years. Spectacular scenery, great wildlife, northern lights, everybody speaks english. Plus the sea fishing is amazing. The Marathons in June so a good time to recover for the DCM. That`s going to be a permanent fixture in my running calender I think.
Recovered well thanks..still a bit worried about the right knee, but it`ll be tested out soon:rolleyes:.
Same with me for the HMs. Seems to be a good way to focus properly.
Looks like we might have all the novices from this year running the DCM again next year.0 -
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Wednesday 20th
(1.6m) 2.6k @ 6:27/km
Training has been a disaster since the marathon, havent managed a run over 4m since. Did 1.5m lastnight and started to get a pain in my groin after about 1m, so headed back home. Im absolutely gutted, all I want to do is run.
Never had an injury from running up until now. It must have happened during/post DCM, but there's no one point I remember thinking Id injured myself. Just been feeling that pain since the first run after DCM (about 1 week or so after!). I don't know what to do, think Ill have to make an appointment with the physio anyway. I had rested for 2 weeks since my last run, and felt good until I got moving again!:(0 -
Wednesday 20th
(1.6m) 2.6k @ 6:27/km
Training has been a disaster since the marathon, havent managed a run over 4m since. Did 1.5m lastnight and started to get a pain in my groin after about 1m, so headed back home. Im absolutely gutted, all I want to do is run.
Never had an injury from running up until now. It must have happened during/post DCM, but there's no one point I remember thinking Id injured myself. Just been feeling that pain since the first run after DCM (about 1 week or so after!). I don't know what to do, think Ill have to make an appointment with the physio anyway. I had rested for 2 weeks since my last run, and felt good until I got moving again!:(
Hard luck Rob, physio is definitely your best bet at this stage. Hopefully it doesnt have you out for much longer0 -
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