Marathon Improvers Thread.

winstonia

That sis beta fuel took me about 5mins to open and another mile to get down @15miles during the last marathon I ran. Couldn't take another after and faded off a bit/head went. Did use it during practice and had no issues. Weird what stuff happens on a raceday

woody1

got past the last of the big weeks last week, got the long run done comfortably enough, looking forward to getting through this week , 2nd run of the week got 5k in , feeling fine, and then felt a nasty little pull in lower calf, not a tear feeling but a sharp enough twinge out of nowhere, walked back to car, calf cramping all the way, in physio yesterday and he's fairly positive, its a lot looser today than wednesday but i dont know, doesnt feel like something youd run for 3 + hours on , dont want to do nothing for 2 and a half weeks either and dont feel like doing the marathon to see how it goes / for the craic..

will have to scratch this weeks running and see where i am next tuesday for a start ..

event

Dont stress on it

Last year, I did my last 20 mile long run 3 weeks before Dublin. Only got out for 4 more runs between then and the big day due to a niggle.

Back in 2017 I only got out 3 times after my last long run.

Dont get me wrong, its not ideal. But as they say, the hay is in the barn. So dont force yourself or think all your training is gone, you will be fine come the big day

woody1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121231888#Comment_121231888

didnt work out in the end, 2 weeks rest, physio,ice, etc, tried it out on wednesday, had a lovely 6k ,running lovely and loose and then it pulled again, prob worse this time, so il be spectating on sunday, does anyone know anywhere decent open for breakfast early sunday

Lazare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121290059#Comment_121290059

That's pretty sh1t.

Sorry to hear.

event

Will give a bigger update later in the week.

DCM - 3:26. A 13 min PB from last year. Delighted.

Lazare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121299242#Comment_121299242

That's absolutely fantastic 👏

Delighted for you.

woody1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121292527#Comment_121292527

well what can you do, on to the next thing,

really enjoyed spectating, if anything i got a better appreciation for how good the support is,

will be entering again for next year

well done all

event

So said I would come back to a bit of a report. Anyone that has read my posts before might remember I was trying to break sub 3:30 on the day but fell apart last year, came home in 3:39. Was still a PB but I was bitterly disappointed. I was considering stopping running after it as I was very disheartened. I was doing all my running on my own, all my running buddies had quit and I moved house.

A friend of mine asked me to do Cork with him. He was doing it to raise funds, had never done one before and wanted Sub 4 so said I would do it with him for support. That got me training in the first half of the year.

Back in January, a local running club had something up about Trail running. I started doing a bit in COVID myself but this was with a group and that anyone was welcome to join. So I got over the nerves and went. Really enjoyed it and this became a thing every week, we all met up and ran about 6 miles. As the year went on, I became really good friends with most of the guys and ended up doing my marathon training with them.

In February, I entered a local 5k the day before, wanted to see how the pace was. For the first time I was wearing carbon plate shoes and for the first time I went sub 20. Delighted. Year progressed on, Cork came and went (4:21, my mate had to stop and walk bits and I was fine).

Started my training plan in July. The other guys I met at trails, they were also doing Dublin, 6 of us in total so every Tuesday we did trails and every Sunday we did our long runs. The plan I was following was the one I did the year before. Was one I got online, cant remember where. I also started doing a Core class once a week from July, had never done anything like this before. At the end of July I did a local 10 mile race, 68 mins. This surprised me. 10 days later I did another 5k and again Sub 20, a 17s PB and now stands at 19:24. However a problem began in my mind. For some reason, after 13/14 miles in the carbon plates my ankles are in agony. I overpronate slightly and I knew I couldnt wear them on the marathon. Yet I had set all my PBs in them. I pushed it down the line. At the end of August, I got on to one of the running buddies and they were following a different plan. So I got on to the same coach and got the same plan.

Did the Dublin half in 1:39. Not ideal but we had to start with the 2hr pacers cos we were late. Do lot of ducking and weaving. Wasnt too worried. Wee before this I got the Saucony Tempus for my marathon and wore them in the half.

Training really went well. I ran 6 times a week across 5 days (Tuesday mornings was road and evening was trails). Missed about 5 sessions in the 6 months.

Come the day, I was confident. Myself and one of the girls were going to run together. Her PB was 3:28. Mine 3:39. We both said we think we would go for 3:20 but I think we both thought that was slightly out of reach. I had in the back of my mind just get Sub 3:30.

So the day started and we went through half way at exactly 3:24 pace. Fueling was going well, I was taking Maurten gels this time. I was also taking the drink mix. I take a 500ml bottle in my hand, it had 320 mix and also a sachet of 1500 Precision Hydration added. I also had 2 x 250ml bottles with exactly half a 320 mix and half a 1500 sachet. I didnt fill those bottles, had them empty and was going to fill them on the way around. But I called an Audible on the day. After drinking the first 500ml of 320 mix I felt it was very sickly and sweet. So I said I wasnt going to take the empty bottles. But I was panicking as in the last 3 marathons, I cramped from around 16-20 miles and the 1500 PH was to neutralize this. But I knew I wouldnt stomach it.

Mile 16, I feel the twinge of cramp. Same spot. Panic stations. I luckily had taken some saltstick fast chews with me. So I took 2. This continued for the rest of the race. Id feel a twinge, panic and take 2 salt tabs. The rain started at some point. I had a sweatband on my head so must have looked ridiculous in the pissing rain. At mile 18 I felt something hit my leg. The runner beside me stepped on a gel which exploded all over the inside of my left leg. So I had a gel dripping down my legs in to my socks for the last 8. Lovely.

The girl I was running with was starting to struggle at mile 21. I kept talking to her, describing the route, the bends, the hills etc (its my 7th Dublin, she's never done it). I told myself I needed to do this to help her but looking back I think it helped me more, kept my mind off the cramp. We have done a huge amount of hills this year so roebuck wasnt going to worry us (I say it every year, its not a hill. It comes at a tough point but get out and do some trails and you'll piss up it). Once we got to that I knew we'd be ok. 2 of my mates at the RDS so that gave me a massive lift. We went through 24 in 3:10 so I asked her what was her PB. She said 3:28 and I roared that two 9 minute miles would get us a PB (slight lie) so we were going to do it.

About 100 yard from the line I spotted David Carrie who I know very well. He gave me a serious roar and I lift my arm and roared back.

Crossed the line, stopped the watch. 3:26:32. Delighted. Absolutely over the moon.

First half in 1:43:40, second half in 1:44:42.

For the day itself, I was comfortable for the last 3 really but I had no more to give. I am confident I can get better (goals are sub 40 for 10k and sub 1:30 for the half) but for the day itself, I left it all out there. I have done some in the past and thought

For more info, I'm a 41 year old male. First marathon was in 2013, Limerick in 3:58. I havent made the progression I liked but to be honest, I have never really given it the effort it needs. For years I thought I could keep doing the same thing and I would just get better.

From last year I changed a few things really: Core class, trail running, more miles and with some friends. Not rocket science when you look at it.

Here has helped massively too, I have looked at some others posting and seeing how aggressive ye are in your target setting and tried to do the same myself.

I have Run the Line in 2 weeks so that will be something different. I was hoping to find a good 10k and half before the end of the year to see if I can PB them too but nothing lining up. I've entered next year already, lets go for 3:24

Lazare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121314253#Comment_121314253

Fair play, that's so great to see. You worked hard , put the head down and got a deserved result.

Looking at your mara progression there, it's gas, my debut was also 3:58, and my DCM22 time was within 9 seconds of your latest. ☺️

Cartman78

Seeing as there isn't a 'Marathon Dis-Improvers' thread I'll just have to post here I suppose 😉

Ran 3:16 last year, didn't take up the guaranteed entry for 2023 as I wanted to focus on shorter distances and Cross Country.....but those plans all went spectacularly t1ts up from January onwards.

All the gory details are over on my blog including a race report from the weekend....crossed the line in 3:55 which on paper looks like a disaster but in the circumstances I'm over the moon with it tbh.

Edit: forgot to add that I ran a 5 min negative split.... first time I've ever done that in a marathon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2057689298/pb-or-not-pb-that-is-the-question