One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

yaboya1

Excellent report to describe an excellently executed race Colm.
It was great to see you so happy afterwards. You've had to wait a long time for this. Fair play.

adrian522

Great report, well done on a great race!

hot buttered scones

Great report and what a story! That's some comeback all the same, and some great running. A big thumbs up for Hansons then?

Annie get your Run

Excellent report, that's quite a journey you've been on! You trained smartly and deserved every second of that 11 min pb, delighted for you C

denis b

Very, very impressive Colm. Sounds as though you squeezed the very last out of yourself as sensibly as possible.

Ferris B

hot buttered scones wrote: »

Great report and what a story! That's some comeback all the same, and some great running. A big thumbs up for Hansons then?

Yes, I reckon Hanson works, for me anyway. The one weekly session that I found tough was the MP miles. But imho it was by far the most beneficial. While a bit scary that you only go as far as 10 miles at MP you're doing it week in, week out. I completed 98 miles at mp prior to race day On Sunday I easily dialed into that pace and it just felt so natural.

Ferris B

Murph_D wrote: »

I am sure Ferris is flexing his fingers, oiling the keys, checking the ribbon, and inserting a sheet of parchment into his Remington as we speak.

Like it. Bet he types twice as quick as I can. He has his chaser off course by his left side.

ThebitterLemon

Showed some bottle C, fair fcuks.

TbL

Gavlor

Great report and even better race!

My advice for what it's worth would be to make sure you run it again and soak up the crowds and atmosphere around the course from start to finish. It was the first marathon that I didn't want to end, what an experience.

Well done again, pity I didn't make it to coal hole to meet you all.

Murph_D

Great report, C. Even greater that your excellent preparation got you the result you deserved - and in the end you exceeded the target you (nearly) always said you had in mind. Great description of the latter stages. I hope to be able to learn from that.

Oh and yes, you were right about squeaky bum time.

No oggy oggy though? Bloody Brits. :pac:

Very well done.

Kennyg71

Great report, well done keeping legs ticking over the last bit, supper consistent
and probably exactly What course profile would expect, slightly negitive split, so really well managed.

Ferris B

Gavlor wrote: »

Great report and even better race!

My advice for what it's worth would be to make sure you run it again and soak up the crowds and atmosphere around the course from start to finish. It was the first marathon that I didn't want to end, what an experience.

Well done again, pity I didn't make it to coal hole to meet you all.

A tourist run on the course would be great. Have my GFA now.

Great result from you considering the minimalist training.

AuldManKing

Great read - sounds like a very well executed race.
Many congrats - I was telling the family your back story (I mean your previous story, not your 'back' story with the tiger balm.....'cos that'd be weird) - its a great comeback and well deserved as your training has been so solid.

If you were doing a 'yaboya style' analysis - would there be anything different on the day or in the training??

Duanington

Ferris B wrote: »

LONDON MARATHON 2017

In my stupor I could actually visualise FBOT whatsapping the lads ...’squeaky bum time’.

Laughed at this one !

C - another seriously impressive training block and your execution on the day was spot on. I mentioned to you previously that you were in tip top shape and I'm delighted for you, the tunnel of pain won't be the same now for a while !

As with P - looking forward to seeing how you build on that block now, enjoy the well earned recovery

Ferris B

AuldManKing wrote: »

Great read - sounds like a very well executed race.
Many congrats - I was telling the family your back story (I mean your previous story, not your 'back' story with the tiger balm.....'cos that'd be weird) - its a great comeback and well deserved as your training has been so solid.

If you were doing a 'yaboya style' analysis - would there be anything different on the day or in the training??

Thanks A.

I should qualify this by stating I'm very happy with my execution and finish time. However if I was to take a critical view and learn from the experience, the only thing I'm disappointed is how I fell off the pace in the last few miles. I think there were two controllable reasons for this.

In hindsight I think my target MP (6:50 min/mile) was possibly slightly ambitious, only by 3,4 or 5 seconds though. But it took running the race to figure this out. Doesn't sound like much, but it can make a huge difference. A steady 6:55 pace would have given me pretty much the same result as I achieved on Sunday but I would have been stronger in the finish (physically and mentally) and possibly be able to squeeze some more seconds in the later stages. But having picked my pace of 6:50 I'm very pleased as to how I executed the run on the day with steady 5k splits till 35k. If I was to get really picky, one or two of my early mile splits might have been a bit quick. Miles 3&4 were 6:29 and 6:34 but they were downhill and I pulled back soon after. Whether those miles had an effect later, I’ll never know, I don’t think they did.

The other controllable would be more strength & conditioning work. In my case and I suspect for many others, this area is very neglected. My running gait is not good and for this reason my calfs get over worked and suffer over longer distances resulting in cramp, collapsed running form etc. The s&c I did do though was really beneficial and certainly helped get me to the start line uninjured As mentioned in my report however, I wish I had started it about 6 months earlier as I reckon it would have helped in the latter stages of the race itself.

Regarding the training, aside from the training paces (mentioned above) I don’t think I’d change anything. Hanson really worked for me. I wouldn’t know enough about running to make any significant changes anyway! It was tough at times but if you’re prepared to put in the work and stick with it you will reap the benefits. The MP sessions were the most challenging for me but I think they gave the most reward in both a physical and mental sense.

If I was to race another marathon I’d happily use the same program again.

Murph_D

What about diet, including drink? It's something you suggested to me before as an area where doing something different might yield results. Did you change anything significantly?

Ferris B

Murph_D wrote: »

What about diet, including drink? It's something you suggested to me before as an area where doing something different might yield results. Did you change anything significantly?

Didn't really eat anything new but I did try to cut out all junk food. I was only semi successful with this until maybe the last 4 or 5 weeks when I was much more diligent.

Like wise with alcohol, the intention was to try and give up for the duration of the program but I failed miserably. Not that I was on the rip all the time I wasn't. I did manage to more or less stay on the wagon for about the last 4 weeks with just the very odd single glass of wine or one bottle of beer.

Another major factor I forgot to mention was sleep. I made sure to get at least 8 hours sleep for the whole program and I think this helped with both before and after tough sessions. Unfortunately I slipped up with this in the few nights leading into the marathon. May have been nerves etc. I did try a mild sleeping tablet but they didn't really work.

annapr

Delighted for you C, and great report. I can confirm that WhatsApp was buzzing anxiously for the second half

So, if you can't race another marathon, what's the recommended approach to racing for you now?

Mrs Mc

What a great report and a great race big shout out to Lisa for super support congrats

Ferris B

annapr wrote: »

Delighted for you C, and great report. I can confirm that WhatsApp was buzzing anxiously for the second half

So, if you can't race another marathon, what's the recommended approach to racing for you now?

The suggestion is that I stick to racing up to Half Marathon distance. Might end up doing one or two more marathons but they'd be at tourist pace .

Murph_D

What would you call tourist pace? This could be a win-win.

Younganne

Just catching up on the report now. fantastic read and likewise with the performance

there was another dark under pass around here which was so quiet and peaceful I thought if I could just stop here and curl up by one of the concrete columns , all my pain would go away. I was having an internal battle with myself to keep up the effort. I knew the crowds were roaring but found it difficult to hear them. Come on!

That very tunnel was the breaking of me in 2013 and when for the fist time ever I stopped in a race and i gave in to the battle and but then I realised that i was unable to walk and if i didn't get back running I would not finish.. Its like a cocoon with no crowds you think, no-one will know!!!!:rolleyes:

Ferris B

Younganne wrote: »

Just catching up on the report now. fantastic read and likewise with the performance





That very tunnel was the breaking of me in 2013 and when for the fist time ever I stopped in a race and i gave in to the battle and but then I realised that i was unable to walk and if i didn't get back running I would not finish.. Its like a cocoon with no crowds you think, no-one will know!!!!:rolleyes:

...except all the feckers nice boards supporters on their trackers...

OOnegative

All the best in NYC on Sunday C, am sure you'll enjoy it. Run well.

Annie get your Run

OOnegative wrote: »

All the best in NYC on Sunday C, am sure you'll enjoy it. Run well.

Oooh really?? Fantastic, best of luck!!

Ferris B

OOnegative wrote: »

All the best in NYC on Sunday C, am sure you'll enjoy it. Run well.

Annie get your Run wrote: »

Oooh really?? Fantastic, best of luck!!

Thanks guys. Just planning a fun run with lots of high fiving and telling everyone they’re AWEsome.

hot buttered scones

Best of luck in New York. I'm a fecker with names - so I remembered your name when I saw you on Sunday, but couldn't remember your boards name. Nice to meet you again.

aquinn

Well done C, looking forward to the report and all the details.

annapr

aquinn wrote: »

Well done C, looking forward to the report and all the details.

Hint hint

Ferris B

aquinn wrote: »

Well done C, looking forward to the report and all the details.

annapr wrote: »

Hint hint

Posted a couple of comments in main thread.

This was tourist run for me so that shouldn't merit a race report;)