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Boards Beer Mile 2015, June 13th
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Great event last night, fantastic turnout and great support from the Marshals.
I was nervous as hell coming into this one. I had put in lots of hard training, downing 4 beers on 6 occasions, as well as numerous 3 beer efforts. All the hard training had caused me to put on a few pounds but it would all be worth it if I could finally nail a good beer mile. Having ran a frothy 13+ minute debut and an over conservative 11+ minute effort last year I felt I had still a lot to prove to myself.
Strategy was to take both the beer and the run very easy at the start and hopefully push on at the end if possible.
Beer 1: 22 seconds It Kicked off OK. Pretty smooth, The leaders were gone before I'd barely opened my first beer but I decided to run my own race
Run 1: 92 seconds Surprised it was this fast tbh. My strategy was to run easy and not get out of breath. Chatted to a few competitors on this lap, including yaboya who passed me around 200m in. I was a little concerned that I wasn't burping much and was worried it would be a long night.
Beer 2: 40 seconds I think I stopped for a good 10 seconds here before opening a beer and let some wind out (much to the amusement of the marshalls). I tried to blank out their laughing and focus on my race
. Beer went down smooth enough i think.
Run 2: 98 seconds . Again slow and composed. Yaboya passed me at the same point as the last lap. This was starting to annoy me.
Beer 3: 36 seconds Don't remember this much.
Run 3: 97 seconds A repeat of lap 2. The winner passed me on the first bend chasing down TW2 who had a 30m lead. Yaboya again passing me halfway through. We got distracted by watching the epic national record winning performances in front. What a sprint finish!!
Beer 4: 34 seconds Upped the pace on this one and got it down in two gulps.
Run 4: 86 seconds I knew I'd had a good beer as I was out well ahead of yaboya, I checked back and saw him start knowing I had a good 50-60 metre lead. I knew he would be gunning for me regardless, so I started to push on with 200m to go. Amazingly at this point I realised I was closing in on TRR but I ran out of track. I managed to finish 2 seconds ahead of yabaoya with a new PB of 8:25 and 7th place :)
Absolutely delighted with that and it really shows that training pays off. I never managed to finish my 4 beers so well previously much less run a negative split. Sub 8 next year.
Now I'm off on a diet for the next few months :pac:.0 -
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Bungy Girl wrote: »Yup, there was a bit of
for anyone who finished between 10:30 and 12:00. I'm sure these and the final placings can be corrected with video evidence 
.
Knew I finished in front of Andy totally wrecked today and even managed to rob someone's bag in the pub after. thankfully they had photos of themselves so was able to rerun it. criminal mastermind 0 -
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That's actually fantastic!!
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Jasus haha just watched that. TRR would want to concentrate more on the burgers and booze for 2016.
The lad from JTG would also want to have a word with his girlfriend, apparently his quick finish isn't confined to the track
Hilarious!
TbL0 -
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Background:
Since 2012 I've become a regular beer miler. This year's event would be my 5th beer mile. In my previous 4 I prepared well, and performed respectively well on each occasion.
1) - Parkville Beer Mile - Melbourne University - Sep 2012
9:20 with Hahn Super Dry, 4.6% and 330ml, under the required Kingston Rules criteria. I finished 15th out of 39 (top 39%).
2) Autumn Classic Beer Mile - Melbourne University - Apr 2013
8:19 with Hahn Super Dry, 4.6% and 330ml, under the required Kingston Rules criteria. I finished 10th out of 26 (top 39%). This remains my unofficial PB.
3) Parkville Beer Mile - Melbourne University - Sep 2013
8:27 with Coopers 62, 5.0% and 355ml, Kingston Rules approved beer. I finished 15th out of 40 (top 38%). This is my official PB.
4) Irish Beer Mile Championships - National Beer Mile Stadium - June 2014
9:07 with James Boags, 5.0% and 375ml, Kingston Rules approved beer. I finished 6th out of 13 (top 47%). I threw away about 15 seconds trying to twist off the caps that would not budge, rather than using a bottle opener. First ever run on the slower cinder surface too, so I reckoned I was in solid 8:40ish shape.
I've always performed well, and prepared well for the beer mile, and fully believed that this occasion would be no different.
Preparation:
On this occasion I went for Moosehead. James Boags had 20ml extra per beer which would be putting me at a disadvantage, so I went with what seems to be the official beer of the event at this stage.
I had 4 sessions in the week leading up to the event:
1) Saturday - 3 x Mooshead off 60 secs
2) Tuesday - Beer 1200 (3 beers, 3 runs)
3) Wednesday - Beer 1600 (3 beers, 4 runs)
4) Thursday - 4 x Moosehead off 50 secs
My drinking had improved since previous training sessions and I was able to withstand a greater training load. I genuinely felt in great shape. I did all the right things in training.
Race Day:
I had a 100m and 200m race earlier in the day. This did not concern me. I'd never raced on previous beer mile days but had trained before 3 of the previous 4. However, on race day I drink Powerade, which I never drink on training days. I didn't really give it much thought at the time. I was more thinking along the lines of the fact that the very anaerobic 100 and 200 should not have me in bits for the beer mile, like a 400m might.
I ran very well in Leixlip, which felt like the perfect preparation. Racing that day of the beer mile can never be an excuse. Josh Harris broke the WR after running a cross country race that day. However, the next year he pushed himself so hard in the XC race that he didn't have it in him when trying to break the WR. But again, 100m and 200m should not do this to me, so I was not concerned in the slightest.
I even had a free massage after my races in Leixlip so I would be in tip top shape for the evening.
I ate my dinner at 4:30, a tad bit later than hoped, but still well in advance of the race. It was a small one, and I drank no water afterwards, so my stomach would be nicely empty, ready for the onslaught ahead. Hannibal kindly picked myself and 3 of the others up, and off we went to the venue.
As soon as I saw those hills and trees in the background, and those wide open spaces surrounding the stadium, I started to get the butterflies. This is what it's all about. This is why we do this great event, for moments like this.
Race:
There were big numbers at the track, not just competitors, but volunteers, spectators, fans etc. I did a lap and felt grand. Then I did a few strides, and my stomach as feeling mildly in knots. Uh oh, this is not great. But I played it down a bit. But this is the type of feeling I usually have the evening of 400m races after drinking Powerade earlier that day. I hadn't felt it at all on this occasion, until I did those strides.
We were about to start when I dropped my beer onto the ground, much to the amusement of everyone. I quickly swapped that beer for another one, for beer of a foam explosion upon opening.
Beer 1: This went pretty much as normal, although I had to take a break with about 10% of the bottle left, which never happens. I didn't think much of this, and my time was 25 seconds which is about what I usually open in. I was towards the back, probably only about 5 behind me at this point, but this always happens and never concerns me. I usually make up the ground very easily.
Run 1: I took off and got the burps out. However the burps weren't tasting like beer, but more like vomit. This was a dreadful sign this early in the race. There was a big pack about 20m ahead of me and I wanted to latch onto them but I just did not feel good at all. I opted for a sensible pace and hope that this was just a bad patch and that things would come good. Meno and DrQ are about 10-20m ahead of me exiting the first lap. I'm still in touch despite my poor start. Lap time: 1:33 seconds. I'm on sub 8 pace, but feel dreadful.
Beer 2: This was a struggle. The second beer is usually grand. Not this time. I had to take shorter gulps, burp regularly, and slow the pace. Time was 48 seconds, which is about 10 seconds slower than what I'd have hoped for. Not a catastrophe though if I could pick up the running pace. At this point I notice Cathal fairly hammering through the beers, with thirstywork doing likewise. The battle out front looked epic and it was a shame I couldn't enjoy the spectacle.
Run 2: My mate, who is not involved in athletics, but wanted to do this event, was about 5m ahead of me as I started the second lap. He completely underestimated the event, and as I passed him, he said to me "Oh man, I feel like sh1t". I was feeling poorly so could not respond in words, so made some sort of hand gesture. I laughed a bit as I found that funny, but the laughter would nearly turn to tears, when I was burping up vomit spraw in the back of my throat. I was really having to work hard to keep it down. The first 150m of each lap was where I struggled the most. By this point I have lost all perspective of where I am in the race and have no idea who passed me at what point. My mate came back at me towards the end of the lap and we entered the third beer at the same time. I wasn't worried about him though and knew I'd win out in the end. Lap time: 1:40. I'm now only on sub 9 pace, which would still be good, but the pace is only going in one direction.
Beer 3: More of the same. I'm really struggling now, and vomit is becoming a realistic proposition during this beer. This was never an issue before. I took lots of shorter gulps, a few breathers for controlled mild burps, so not to trigger any puke. But I didn't want to waste any time just standing there catching my breath. But I'm not the only one struggling. At this point I notice TRR, who was on the 4th beer, really struggling. Seemed to be a tough day at the office for many. Beer time 1:03, about 15 seconds down on what I would have had as worst case scenario.
Run 3: I'm about 80m into this lap when I see an incredible battle for the title, with Cathal just pipping thirstywork. However this only briefly distracted me from the pain. I was unbearably close to spewing about 100m in. I couldn't believe how everything had unraveled so badly. It was actually a fine accomplishment to manage to not throw up here, I was that close, and my pace suffered as a result. Lap time: 1:48
Beer 4: This was one of the toughest things I've done in this sport. Far harder than that last rep at the end of a split 400 session. I was now drinking at a speed, not that much faster than guys with no alcohol tolerance manage. I was close enough to spewing throughout but to my credit I kept things controlled, and never risked anything. I just wanted to finish in one piece at this point. Time was a pitiful 1:18. I usually budget about 2:30 for all 4 beers, on this occasion it was a touch outside 3:30, a whole minute lost on just drinking.
Run 4: The first half of this lap was incredible. I've never run so slowly in my life. I've done warm down jogs after awful track sessions much faster. I've run a crap marathon at a far niftier pace. I didn't even look like a 24 hour runner at this point. I probably looked like that bloke who runs marathons every day up in Ulster, at astonishingly terrible speeds. I think it was Davedannon who was up ahead, who I should have caught with my usual last lap speed, but I couldn't move at all really. I couldn't burp. One burp and I would puke for sure. I waited until 250m to go before it subsided and I upped the pace to a more respectable level. Just before this, Timaaay went storming past me, somehow mastering the art of running an insanely fast last lap, after 3 terrible previous ones. I cruised home, not fully extending myself, as I didn't want a penalty lap. I sort of knew I was safe at this point, and with nobody to catch, nobody behind me, and no chance of even a sub 10, there was no incentive to empty the tank over these closing 50m. Lap time: 1:58
My finishing time was 10:36, the slowest I have ever run by a country mile. I finished a dreadful 15th out of 22 (to be confirmed). At least I managed to beat my mate, who dropped out mid way through his last beer, having struggled badly over the previous lap and beer.
What went wrong?
My preparation was meticulous. I did so many right things. Josh Harris messaged me saying I'm as prepared as I can be. I completely overlooked, one simple thing: the awful effects that sugary Powerade crap has on your stomach. I use it for races to keep fueled during the warm up, but in hindsight maybe I should have stuck to water at Leixlip as a one off. I don't like breaking for race routine though. This one simple slip up caused catastrophic results. I will know for next time. Ideally next time I wont have a race that same day, but with it being June, there's a good chance I will, so I have to learn to manage it better.
What went right?
Nothing really. The only thing I can look back on with pride is that I toughed it out, and somehow prevented myself from getting sick when it looked odds on from an early stage that this would happen. Funny enough, I didn't need to spew after at all.
Where to next?
I'm desperately disappointed with my performance, and I don't want all that hard training to be for nothing, so I am considering doing a beer mile this week as a form of redemption. We'll see. I know I'm a far better beer miler than I showed on this occasion, and I will be back. Even Josh Harris had a disastrous day when he ran 7:xx when targeting the WR. It happens.
The event:
You really can't beat it can you? Great banter, great people, and so much entertainment. It must be the best social event of the year on this forum. DCM is a great day, but there's something so refreshing about this event. It doesn't matter if you are a sprinter, middle distance runner, marathon runner, non-athlete, fast, slow, in between, it's an event for everybody. For a brief period, all our definitions go out the window. We are all simply beer-milers.
Having JTG there providing coverage was a great added bonus and created an extra bit of atmosphere. I did an interview with them after which was mad craic. The event has come on in leaps and bounds since last year, and now truly is a mainstay on the summer athletics calendar.
The aftermath:
There was some serious banter afterwards. About 15 of us legging it to the bus with the driver driving off, and myself getting calf cramp in the process of legging it. Then in Synnotts there was a ridiculous amount of craic. From Meno declaring himself as the Ulster Beer Mile Champion, to TRR and myself solving all the problems with Irish athletics (none of the solutions I can now remember), to myself trying to convince one of the lads who is flirting with ultras to go for middle distance instead, and later in the night, sprinting, when he tells me what he can squat. And then there was Yaboya and Pacing Mule giving me abuse about my performance. Certainly one of the more random nights out.
A big thanks to TRR for organising this great event, and huge appreciation must be shown to all the volunteers who cleaned up after us, timed us, took photos, videos etc, without who, this event would not really be possible to be carried out to the standard it was.
The idea of a Christmas Classic Beer Mile was proposed which could be a nice idea, but whatever happens with that, the Irish Champs will always be something which will be part of my summer racing calendar.0 -
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Still haven't a clue who most of you are but well done.
+1
Super event, even just as spectator.. Such a pity I could not participate due to social engagements later, I would have been battling the moose for the wooden spoon. However, it was worth coming along to watch it first hand.
Well impressed with the beer-drinking prowess, especially the first beer by the eventual runner-up. I think he had it finished before most competitors had even opened theirs.
The "3, 2, 1, GO!" followed by the sounds of a dozen beer bottles being opened. Priceless! 0 -
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I think I know who you were too! Damn :mad:+1
Super event, even just as spectator.. Such a pity I could not participate due to social engagements later, I would have been battling the moose for the wooden spoon. However, it was worth coming along to watch it first hand.
Well impressed with the beer-drinking prowess, especially the first beer by the eventual runner-up. I think he had it finished before most competitors had even opened theirs.
The "3, 2, 1, GO!" followed by the sounds of a dozen beer bottles being opened. Priceless!0 -
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I'm just after realising it was you. Sorry for not introducing myself.I think I know who you were too! Damn :mad:
No worries I didn't want to go around asking people for their boards names (per the below)...TRR_the_turd wrote: »15) Don't introduce yourself using your Boards handle, you will sound like a weirdo
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