Just Do It

Swashbuckler

So looks like you're fully committed to Limerick at this stage?

I hear ya on getting the 20 miler done before the madness of Paddies Day. I pulled my 20 miler to Wednesday so as to clear up the entire day. It meant I had three big sessions within 7 days (Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday) and 69 miles covered in that week. It's taken me longer than I'd like to recover from it. Hard to balance it all.

Lambay island

Ah yeh. Only injury would stop me partaking now. I'm coming down solo it seems so I'll be ready to party after 😄.

That's a big week from you it seems. Make sure the easy runs remain easy after that..Yeh, it can fall that way sometimes. I debated doing another longer run yesterday myself as my OH away next wkend which limits me then. I thought better of it in the end and did a MLR.

Lambay island

Quick Update :

Limerick Marathon is still on the cards this week for me.

I have had a couple of hiccups in the last 5 weeks, One been the stubbed toe which cost me running Bohermeen half and also losing a long run that week. The second was a bout of covid about a month ago. Compared to some others, I got off very lightly on that front. The whole family got it at the time but we all only seemed to have cold like symptoms that lasted a couple of days, if even. It only slightly affected my running at the time - eased myself back at first to test the waters. The week did have an effect though with kids out of school and all on top of and annoying the hell out of each other. My work took the hit..Ha. It was nice when everyone returned to work ,school the following week... In fact, my best run of the block was a 20 miler (at 5.30am to avoid people) at 15-20 seconds slower that MP at the end of that week. Thats was a make or break run for me. If I wasn't up for that, I would have called time on GLR, I was ready to either to pull plug or revert to easy at any time during it.. I had no ill effects which was a big relief.

I had always planned to race the Great Ireland run but with what happened above, i debated pulling out a few times. I really wanted to see where the fitness was at however. It worked out well and ran a disciplined 36.16. I was able to empty out in the last mile and didn't leave anything out there. It was a nice confidence booster.

I'm in a better place fitness wise than when I DNF'd back in Galway in October, but not quite where I was when I did my virtual sub 3 back in 2020. I'm not a million miles away but defo a couple of KG's heavier. The diet took a hit around the covid week and then there were far too many easter eggs floating about the place recently 😏

I have completed four 20+ miles runs, six 30k plus runs all with a decent chunk of MP miles incorporated. I'm approaching 900 miles for the year, so I think that will give me a chance. The target is simply anything with a 2 at the start. The Trim 10 mile race and the latest 10k point towards something quicker but there are still some mental scars there from Galway and I simply wont be aggresive here. I plan to go out at 6.50 mile pace and see where that takes me. Looking at a certain someone else plan from these parts, I will probably cross paths at some stages with himself, if all things going well. I would love to tick the sub 3 box in an official race and give me the platform to maybe be more aggresive at DCM. To be clear , I'm not thinking beyond Sunday though.

Swashbuckler

Having "local knowledge" will help you 🤣

Incase we don't talk in detail about it and you've ditched me to chase sub 2.55 , the last 10k is certainly not the worst.

Mile 20 is all through town with good support and pretty much flat.

Mile 21 is on the north circular road loop and again pretty much flat with maybe a tiny short incline.

Mile 22 is still on north circular but this section has a long drag (nothing terrible but its noticable).

Mile 23 is probably the most pleasant of the last 10k as it includes the drop all the way down to the GAA grounds.

Mile 24 is nasty enough as you loop around (which as a couple of pulls) and then you have to head back up the hill you came down.

Once you reach the very top of that hill its all flat to the finish.

Just wanted to give you that breakdown so you could judge the last 10k.

Lambay island

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118973199#Comment_118973199

Very much appreciated 👍️

Dubh Geannain

Best of luck at the weekend.

Laineyfrecks

Very best of luck D, hope it all goes to plan🤗

Swashbuckler

I'd wish you luck but i'll see you at 7.50am on Sunday 😂

Wubble Wubble

All the best D

Mr. Guappa

Best of luck D, seems like you have a solid plan - hopefully it goes well on the day.

AuldManKing

Best of luck this weekend.

Lambay island

Cheers folks..

py

Best of luck.

py

healy1835

Best of luck chief 👍

Treviso

Best of luck tomorrow D, hope everything goes to plan and you hit your target. Not an ideal run up to the race itself but your long runs and natural talent will stand to you

Singer

Have a great one tomorrow!

Train in Vain

Best of luck today!

marathon2022

Good luck this morning 👍

Lambay island

Thanks all for the kind wishes..I was on for a 2.58 until start of mile 23 when a sniper shot the hamstring out of nowhere. Worst cramp I remember experiencing along with a dizzy spell. Finished then in a shuffle in something like 3.09. Back to drawing board. I'm sure I'll add a report at some stage with my thoughts. Big congrats to @Swashbuckler who ran a fantastic debut marathon. Pleasure to accompany him for 22 of those miles- Top man.

Lambay island

Limerick Report

"You can't turn back the clock, but you can wind it up again"

I arrived down to Limerick on Saturday evening and basically lounged around the hotel room watching the snooker and keeping off the feet as best as I could. The previous night - I hadn't slept at all really and when I finally did nod off, I woke with the sniffles and potentially the start of a cold. Due to that poor nights sleep, I slept quite well then on the sat night before the race- woke up a little snuffly but in general felt good and ready.

Swashbuckler kindly swung by the hotel and picked me up and off we headed into town. It struck me as we walked towards the start/bag drop there were more hills and tiers to the streets than I previously remembered. It had been a fair while since I was in Limerick though and I wasn't previously re-conning where I'd be running on them.

Dropped off the bag, then to swashbucklers amusement as I joined the queue for the portaloos , I realised I had left the running belt with gels back in the bag - back I trud.

Mile 1 - 23

I don't remember much at all. Maybe, I should have listened to the prayer by the Bishop at the start..

One particular thing sticks with me though. I started to sweat an awful lot early on. I was sniffling quite a lot that sometimes it was affecting my breathing. The singlet felt very heavy by approx mile 3. It may not be the reason for what happened but it may have contriubuted to it. I felt comfortable running 6.40-6.50 pace throughout all this stage. There were no demons.

Mile 23 Onwards -

As I alluded to already, I felt I was going well and was looking forwarding to finishing in front of the crowd. There was a bit of a steady drag towards end of mile 22 and I was just placed on the inside line at the rear end of the sub 3 pacing group. I got a minor forewarning pinch in the left hamstring about a minute previoulsy so I decided to ease up the hill and not try to be near the front of group. Let the others do the work here and ease off on the downhill that will have to come soon. I wasn't worried at that stage as that pinch had gone as soon as it came.

It was so sudden then - Boom - the hamstring just locked up immediately. I tried to run a bit further and hang off the back of the group a bit longer but it was quickly evident, that was not possible.

I had gone from running very comfortably and possibly within myself to this all of a sudden. I tried stretching but initially that made it worse as I watched the group sail off into the horizon. I took a few deep breaths and slowly stretched again. This time, I was able to start to walk and ever so slightly broke into a run that allowed me to within about 400 metres, get back to 07.35 min mile pace. A few folk were now starting to catch me and alos go pass me. I tried not to let it break my spirit, but yeh - hard to control the mental side now. I came to a bit of a downhill ,so tested the water a bit and went down to 07.20 pace but I was at that for about 10 seconds before my hamstring told my brain what he thought in an aggressive manner. I couldn't move for longer this time after stopping. I'm not sure what was left in race, maybe 2 miles or something. I felt really dizzy as soon as I stopped this time. A few folk saw me and I got urged on by these locals.

I eventually broke into a run/walk 20 seconds on /off type of thing. the 20 seconds jogging felt like 5 mins though. Every time I stopped i was getting dizzy again so the walks starting lasting longer. The whole thing was becoming surreal and felt like an outer body experience. Could or should I have stopped now ? It crossed my mind, in fact every thing was crossing my mind. I suddenly didn't care about anyone or anything around me. I grabbed a lot of jellies from a kid on the street and chugged them down like I was necking a shot of Tequila. I asked for a drink as it suddenly dawned on me that I was dehyrdrated but no one had water right there. I saw a water station in the distance or was it a mirage- f**k knows - I'm going that way anyway. I will call into a house if I have to"

It was a water station to my relief- I drank 3 bottles back to back and brought a 4th for the rest of the hike to the end. I felt better and I started to run again - Now , when I say run , it felt more like the pace you would do walking the wrong way up an escalator but I was moving anyway. The mind started to clear again and the thought process went something like this " I wonder how swashbuckler is getting on, has he finished? Jaysus I'm starving, i'd murder a pint now"

I saw the 1000 metres to go sign then the one for 800 metres to go. I had to stop again, cant remember why I stopped but someone very supportive came up to me and said "break into a jog there and you will still get under 3.10". Ive no idea where he came from but he was in the middle of the road facing me - maybe he didnt actually exist. The crowd were brilliant from here on in. I had long stopped caring about time but it was enough to get me running again. In fact, my watch was only at 3.03 which shocked me as it felt like I was in this state forever.

I had about 5 mins to get the 600 metres home- seems very manageable - Think again. Crowd were getting bigger now as I went past the 400 sign. I'm going to make it running home or so I thought - Boom - hammer locked again along now with calf on same leg. I was in bits and let a roar as it locked. The crowds were big now on both sides of the road and I was only 200 or so metres short of the finishing line, 100 metres short of the last bend but I couldn't move. A man scaled the railing and linked my arm to get me moving, I tried but I couldn't. He stayed with me until i was able to walk again - I gave him a smile and a nod- about all I could muster. I went from walk, slowly back into a run to a huge cheer from the crowd. I thougt I was smiling but the finishing photos say otherwise.. I ran the last 100 metres and gallery there were none the wiser what happened me on the previous corner. What an ordeal that last 5k was but I was done in 3.09.25.

I caught up with swashbuckler again and was chuffed to hear he got the sub 3. I went into the massage tent then and as soon as i lay down on the table, various different muscles starting locking into a cramp. At one stage, my neck , jaw, right hand, and left calf were all locked in tandem. There were up to three masseuses at one stage helping me. It was a horrid 20-30 mins until eventually I was able to get my body back to myself- with deep breaths and some brilliant treatment.

I never want to experience that again. I need to reflect more on this one. Any advice is welcome. I still plan to run DCM.

Cheers

Comic Book Guy

Wow even reading that report sounds painful D. Well done on toughing it out, don't know how you actually managed it.

On the cramps thing i would imagine dehydration would have been the main issue and maybe not enough carbs on board?

Did you drink much water that morning and then at each water station on the course? What type gels and how many did you take? Did you use a salt/electrolyte tablet at all during the race?

crisco10

Jaysus, I got cramp reading that.

Fairplay, and a humorous report too. After all that, I love the final affirmation.

Lambay island

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119009810#Comment_119009810

Cheers J - Could be both alright . My previous 3 marathons had all taken place in October so there is that. It would have been more humid on Sunday and in hindsight, I'm sure I didn't take enough water onboard before or during race. I have previously been a minimalist when it comes to gels and aids but maybe this is one area I need to look at. I took 3 gels which 2 were caffeine actually. I accidently binned another unopened standard gel on route where I mixed it up with empty one. I have never taken an electrolyte tablet before. Carb loading could have been better too, I suppose. I tend not to change anything with eating habits in week of race.

shotgunmcos

Hey D, sounds a lot like my Berlin hell 10 years ago. Cramps used to be my #1 enemy. Then I started dropping a hi5 electrolyte tab into a pint of water regularly. After anything sweaty. Workouts or easy in humidity etc. Seems to work and havent looked back. Id have one the day before a marathon and one the morning of too. I had a couple in my pocket at Limerick in 19 and swallowed with water sometime after half way.

Anyway, fair play for finishing. Base is there for DCM. Maybe practice a proper fatigue long run?

Laineyfrecks

Jesus fair play for finishing it out D, the end sounded so painful. I got into the habit of using electrolyte tablets training for DCM 19 & continued to use them for Manchester too. I would break them in half then pop them into every 2nd water bottle, maybe it's something else to look at.

Loved reading your report, see ye at DCM 😊

Lambay island

Cheers folks, appreciate the input. Electrolyte tablets seem like a no brainer to bed in for DCM so.

Swashbuckler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119012149#Comment_119012149

You probably remember but my bro in law had two bottles of premixed diuralyte sachets handed to me during the run and I had taken on a diuralyte each morning and night in the two days leading up to the big day. Seems like a no brainer coz diuralyte literally will cause you zero gastro issues.

Laineyfrecks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119012149#Comment_119012149

They work quite well for a hangover too😂😂

Singer

The first 87% of the marathon: 88 words

The final 13% of the marathon: 936 words

Great story but obviously catastrophic finish. Well done battling to the end. FWIW some recent stuff suggests cramp is not related to dehydration, salt, drinking pickle juice etc. but rather just run of the mill muscle fatigue as the marathon slowly crushes your body to oblivion.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343642916_Muscle_Cramping_in_the_Marathon_Dehydration_and_Electrolyte_Depletion_vs_Muscle_Damage

https://runnersconnect.net/muscle-cramps-during-a-marathon/