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DCM 2014: Mentored Novices Thread
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I had mad notions earlier about the Waterford HM on Dec 6th but I gave myself a kick and now discounting it.
Dying to give the new Kilkenny parkrun a go but it'll be a few weeks I'd say
Longer term, really keen on the Wexford HM and I'm considering joining SLOT club in the new year.I'm gonna do the half, its 4/5 weeks away, do you think thats too soon? You should join SLOT's, you won't find anyone more welcoming & encouraging of new members than james o'rourke who looks after the fit4lifers up there.
I'd see no issue doing the Waterford half. Great race and it is sufficient recovery time from the marathon. If anything it is the perfect time to cash in on your marathon training and offers a great opportunity to PB at the distance for novices. On the fifth week of recover you should be all but back to 100%
I'd say go for it. If you want a more easy going fun race, Stook 10 mile is on 23rd November in Kilkenny. Great race if I do say so myself!
Congrats to you all on your performances Monday, horrible luck with conditions but that is the beauty of the marathon. Perfect perpetration for months and you could still become undone and not get what you deserve due to things outside your control, but when things all align boy is it worth the wait!
Don't let any bad performances put you off going again. If anything it should put fire in your belly to right the wrongs.
We'll done again and best of luck in your running ventures going forward. Look forward to some new logs popping up and contributions to the general forum coming from the 2014 novices!
Finally, I know you are probably sick of it by now but well done ososlo on your mentoring. Fantastic job and time commitment over last 6 months.0 -
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On a different note how is everyone else's appetite this week? I have very little appetite to eat and food isn't very appealing.
I seem to be constantly hungry. Ate loads on Tuesday, non stop really.
I was back in work yesterday and probably should have ate more as I felt a bit faint when I got up from the desk to get a coffee.
Woke up this morning starving too!
Legs and body feel remarkably good. Did a 3k walk on Tuesday and yesterday. Thinking of going for an easy run on Saturday, just to try out the new DCM top 0 -
gingersnap wrote: »I seem to be constantly hungry. Ate loads on Tuesday, non stop really.
I was back in work yesterday and probably should have ate more as I felt a bit faint when I got up from the desk to get a coffee.
Woke up this morning starving too!
Legs and body feel remarkably good. Did a 3k walk on Tuesday and yesterday. Thinking of going for an easy run on Saturday, just to try out the new DCM top
Finding only spicy food or club sandwiches are doing anything for me.
Am thinking about Parkrun in Malahide or St Anne's on Saturday,this lack of running is doing my head in!0 -
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Gonna give this race report business a crack, as sleep is still interrupted and no work today so why not! Its gonna be a long one....
The early part of 2014 was spent trying to build my running fitness back up, having done most of my previous running in 2011/2012 with pretty much nothing of note done in 2013. Completed a good few 10 milers and a couple of halfs before June of this year. Results of these races resulted in the esteemed Mr McMillan advising me that a 3:30 marathon was possible, and I listened! Of course I did, who wouldn't want that? Scouted around the various plans being suggested here on the Novices thread and the BAA Intermediate seemed like the best fit from the starting point I was at.
I gave the plan two extra weeks as I knew that holidays etc were likely to interrupt training at some point. Started the plan in mid June and all went well right up until the holidays 4 weeks later. Two weeks in Germany with all easy (yet hilly!) running but no LSR's or workouts, although I did set a 10k PB in a local race over there. The week I returned, it took a little while to get back on track, as I had promised to do a 10k for work. Again knocked a little chunk off the PB time. No LSR done that weekend for the 3rd time in a row. Although I did get out for a 15.5 miler with 10 @ MP the folowing Tuesday. This was my last run of any real distance or speed for two weeks. If I remember right there was quite a lot happened with work around that time. Got back on track with one 20 miler the following Monday and also entered a half marathon very close to where I grew up the following weekend so another easy week. Another PB in the half marathon and led me to believe all was going well. The day after was kicking bal on the beach and pinched a nerve in my back, was off work for a week... and no running. Built myself back up slowly with 4/5 easy runs and got out for a 22 miler 4 weeks out. I thought all was not lost. Tapered nicely, or so I thought, as put a little intensity into the runs, kept the distances short enough and took plenty of rest days.
Headed for Dublin early on Sunday, quick stop in Blanchardstown to do a favour for someone, off to the RDS. A bit disappointed as the queues there around 4pm meant I just got in and out, didn't delay around for a wander around the stands. I'm well impressed with the handtowel from the bag, not so sure of the other contents! Headed out to Santry to my aunts place for carbo loading, hydration and catching up with family (It was nice as some of them were in awe, they hadn't seen me in 5 years or so, when I was 19.5 stone). Bed nice and early after Love:Hate for a restless sleep. Up again at 6am for just a light breakfast and hydration.
Anyway, that's enough of NOT talking about the race! Got to the start area nice and early with an extra layer on. Quick pee before the toilets got busy and just strolled and stood around people watching, only catching one familiar face. Positioned back from the 3:40 pacers, the plan being to traill off them gradually until after the Park and then gradually reel them in if feeling good. Didnt take in too much of the surroundings from the start to Conyngham Road and then became very aware of the race number rattling in the wind. It didn't feel that strong despite this visual so didn't really feel the need to adjust pace. Kept it nice and controlled, was aiming for miles around the 8:30 mark. The two downhill miles after the park ended up being around 8 mins flat, and I remember thinking 'I'll, pay for that later'. In hindsight I should have chilled out more on the downhills. I did say pre race that one of my biggest challenges is behaving regarding pace early in the race. This became true, and moreso because of all the people around carrying you along at a particular pace,it really takes a massive effort to drop off the crowd pace. A lighter moment here when AMK appeared alongside cutting through the crowds at ease after a pit stop. I know I had, and others did too, a 'what the f%@k' moment, and I think everybody sped up a little bit, whether intentional or not. Feeling fine after a quick pit stop around the 9 mile marker, although I remember then being disappointed there was no lucozade sport at the next water station, as I thought there was supposed to be. This was unusual as I don't normally need to drink much on LSRs so shouldn't have been feeling the need at that point. One of the first indicators all was not right I guess. And hen that hill, felt strong and ran up it at a good effort, didnt seem to affect me but again what came next suggests otherwise. Really enjoyed the ballad singer with his guitar out at his gate. Kudos to that man (I believe he was still singing an hour later). I think it was here I saw the 'Chuck Norris never ran a marathon' sign which gave me a nice chuckle, amongst many other worthy competitors seen on the day.
And then.... that Crumlin stretch that so many others have mentioned. Really struggled here and my whole mindset changed. Felt really low on energy and the negative thoughts started, and never left really. Passed halfway about one minute ahead of pre-race target. I really dont want to talk about the second half of the race. From 15 miles on it was horrific. A very stop start effort all the way to the finish. It was either the legs giving out, the chest feeling tight or the head just not being able to get out of the negative loop of thoughts. Noticing all the others in obvious difficulty and needing attention didn't do much for the mindset either. From mile 15 the A goal (very ambitious) was gone. By mile 17 the B goal (ambitious) was gone, and by mile 21 the C goal (realistic) was also gone. I drank loads of water and lucozade, tried jellies, anything to get me going again, none worked! And to the man around mile 22 who appeared with orange segments, you are my hero... I spotted him across the other side of the road and veered wildly towards him. I'd say he thought he was about to be assaulted by someone from the walking dead. This did give me a little bit of pep in the step but it didn't last long. When I knew the sub 4 was gine I gave serious thought to just walking all the way home but I still had a chance of a PB if I beat 4:09:05 so I battled hard and got there by about 90 seconds. A PB is a PB I guess. There will be other days.
In review, a few things are clear to me, some I figured out by myself and some from others. My training was too interrupted to go after such an aggressive target in only my second marathon. My LSR's are a little too quick. As another log title around here suggests, I don't 'keep the main thing the main thing', too easily getting attracted by the lure of a shorter race, and sacrificing an LSR for it. Thats never gonna work. One of the other points I really want to take on board is that we often choose our time targets assuming conditions will be perfect, and then fail to adjust the downwards if its clear that its going to be windy, or humid, or both. If I had employed this on Monday, adjusted to a more realistic target, I might have had a different experience.
so... what next for JohnDozer. Last night I entered Clonakilty Marathon on December 6th. My new target is run a sub 4 marathon and run it all the way. I feel this is achieveable and is probably a more realistic representation of where I'm at. Because I walked so much on Monday, I dont think its taken enough out of me to prevent m doing this. All I need to do is figure out how to train for it in the 5 weeks in between, allowing enough recovery and keeping the stamina and speed in good shape. Maybe some kind soul might guide me in the right direction.
Just want to say a word of thanks to Ososlo who tried in vain to keep me in check and encourage being sensible. To all the other posters who provided thought provoking words, and provided motivation just by putting their training and races there for all to see, I've enjoyed reading the 500+ pages of wisdom. This thread also helped me post more, as I was pretty much a long time lurker prior to this. I'm going to copy this into a training log with a view to posting more (shorter hopefully!!!) and maybe attracting some specific pointers for me from the wiser elders residing here. I didn't make it to the pub, as I wasnt feeling very sociable after but I'm gonna keep running, and I'm gonna keep posting, so I'm sure I'll encounter some of you at races and other running related social occasions in the future.
Well done Monday everyone! We runned a marathon!!!
Going to step into ososlos shoes here and try keep you in check again
I know you think you didn't have much taken out of you at DCM but reality is you did. You ran to a standstill (all be it still earlier than expected along with many others) and had to tough it out to finish. That will have taken it's toll. Normally you are looking at a 3 week recovery from a hard marathon and then a minimum 2 week taper so effectively you're looking at running the next marathon either under recovered, under trained or under tapered.
That said next one should be an easier day conditions wise so you do have a decent chance. But be very aware of the circumstances, take it a bit easier and don't be too beat up if things aren't 100% for you there. Best of luck.0 -
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Do you have a step through frame? Getting on and off the bike is the tough bit
No but the handlebar isn't as high as a man's bike I don't think. I made it anyway, starting off at lights etc was the toughest part on the thighs but once I got going it was actually quite nice. It helped that I had gotten it serviced last week 0 -
Pacing Mule wrote: »Going to step into ososlos shoes here and try keep you in check again
I know you think you didn't have much taken out of you at DCM but reality is you did. You ran to a standstill (all be it still earlier than expected along with many others) and had to tough it out to finish. That will have taken it's toll. Normally you are looking at a 3 week recovery from a hard marathon and then a minimum 2 week taper so effectively you're looking at running the next marathon either under recovered, under trained or under tapered.
That said next one should be an easier day conditions wise so you do have a decent chance. But be very aware of the circumstances, take it a bit easier and don't be too beat up if things aren't 100% for you there. Best of luck.
I know where you are coming from. My logic is kinda based on that I didn't do too much damage after coming to a standstill. Muscle recovery is already coming along nicely. I should be much better able to handle 9 min miles in cooler conditions than 8:30 miles in the other conditions. I guess I really dont want to end the year without the sub 4 and opportunities are kinda limited between here and January 1st. I think just getting one LSR between here and there would be sufficient, building other easy mileage either side of it. Probably a little stupid but I would rather try and fail, and learn from it. I'll have learned a lot from Monday already so as long as I play it sensible with those lessons fresh in my mind I shouldn't do too much damage?? In saying all that, I can always defer it if I don't feel right. Clonakilty is close to home so it's an option for other years.0 -
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I've crashed down from my high of the last few days and the excitement of the days beforehand and I'm really suffering from the post marathon depression today.
Is it October 2015 yet?
Me too, got up this morning feeling rubbish, feel like I am getting a cold....AGAIN! I am single handedly keeping uniflu in business this month! When can we run again I want to know??!0 -
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I've crashed down from my high of the last few days and the excitement of the days beforehand and I'm really suffering from the post marathon depression today.
Is it October 2015 yet?
I would recommend you to volunteer at your local parkrun for the next couple of weeks. It will give you something to look forward to.0 -
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