2022 DCM Novice Thread

Laineyfrecks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754875#Comment_119754875

Pretty much the same route as I did myself with some company. You have described it quite well & yes, it's a different kettle of fish getting there with 20 miles in the legs. The Crumlin Road is a bit of a drag & I do agree it could catch some people out particularly if the weather Gods are not with us on the day as it can feel very exposed. I don't recall it being a huge problem for me when I did DCM 19 but it the weather was pretty good that year. It is good to highlight it for people & as I have been saying this is where you decide how much effort you put in because as you say you will still have another half marathon to go. Getting to the halfway mark feeling good is what you really want even if that means slowing down a little on sections like this.

Great to have gotten a feel for it before the big day!

Lambay island

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754875#Comment_119754875

Fair play to you , yes that can be quite a drag up crumlin road up as far as walkinstown roundabout. Its good to keep sheltered in a group in that section. The clonskeagh road can feel quite a drag too at that latter stage of marathon and there tends to be less supporters around there. I actually did a few marathon pace miles on that section on Sunday AM and clonskeagh road was into a significant headwind. Hoping that wont be the case on the day but there is a chance it will be. The crowds filter back around roebuck road and you will get lots of support on that hill at the the top before the descent onto Fosters.

MisterJinx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754957#Comment_119754957

I'd agree from my test run a well, I found the Crumlin drag actually harder than the later hills, I'll personally be trying to keep myself in check here and managing the effort as best as possible to make sure the second half and later hills are manageable.

Los Cafeteros

Thanks for recce info lads. I'm unfortunately another who's succumbed to a virus this week- coughing and sore throat over the weekend. Managed 3 x 8k easy runs last week before cough started on sat. Decided to rest up for weekend and skip the 22k run. Not too annoyed as should be well over it in advance of DCM and the work has been done at this point. Curiously unaffected mentally at least by the 'taper madness' so far..

Laineyfrecks

An article that was sent to me by multiple members of my family & loved ones😬👀😂

How to survive living with a marathoner as they approach the big day – The Irish Times

Laineyfrecks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119755592#Comment_119755592

Hope you are feeling better now. Listen to your body & see how you get on over the next week. Haha good to see taper madness hasn't hit yet!

Adiaga 2

Week 16

Tuesday 8km pace 6:15/km

Wednesday 8km 5:46/km

Thursday 8km 6:03/km

Friday 22.70km 5:58/km

I upped the pace little on the last few runs of the week just because I'd been feeling a bit sluggish. Probably not the best thing to do at this stage but I felt a bit better for it.

Like Los Cafeteros said - great to read the info on the course and especially the hills.

Gazzler82

As @Unthought Known says it’s a self modified advanced Hanson. Saturday is my rest day and given 3 young ones at home the only way for me to get the easy miles in is at lunch. Double days not ideal I agree but easy mileage very important too. First time doing these and it’s going ok. As I said to a buddy of mine I was very wrecked after 100k previous week and not as bad after 88k last week so.

masterK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119756470#Comment_119756470

"To help take the edge off marathon nerves you can suggest watching uplifting and positive marathon movies for inspiration"

🤣🤣 I think I'd get a smack of the TV remote in the head if I suggested that

GoHardOrGoHome

Who are these devoted significant others in this article. I don't recognise them at all!

Laineyfrecks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119757604#Comment_119757604

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119757637#Comment_119757637

I'm referred to as Crazy legs at home 👀🤣 and the most common thing said to me by my OH, kids & even my grandson is, do you not have a run to do? 🤣

Magellanic

Having run part of the course this weekend also, I was pleasantly surprised that the hills weren't too bad. Obvious exception is heartbreak and I think the issue there is where it comes in the race as others have said.

Question for those with race pacing experience on how to manage the hills (apologies if it's been covered). Naturally you will be inclined to increase the pace on the downhills and in some cases its nearly harder to keep a steady pace than to go with the incline.

Whats a good strategy? Should you accept the naturally quicker pace on the downhill and "bank" the time for some slower uphill sections? Or is it best to try maintain the steady pace throughtout by slowing on downhill and pushing on uphill?

MisterJinx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119758090#Comment_119758090

Just from my own experience, the mentors would have much more than me, I try and keep a steady effort. I watch my HR and use that to keep the effort in line. This means I naturally slow down on the hills and pick up the pace a bit on the downhill. I have read that no matter what you do on a hilly course, you will never make up the time you lost on the up hill on the down hill so I use the downhill as a bit of a rest, I try and loosen out the stride and get the breathing nice and controlled and let the HR get back down a bit. There is also the possibility that if you tackle the hills too hard then you can burn through your energy much quicker and as a result in the marathon really suffer towards the end. I'm planning to take the hills at anything from MP -10sec per km to -20sec per km for Dublin.

Lambay island

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119758090#Comment_119758090

MisterJinx has pretty much covered it there. You dont want to be expending too much energy trying to keep MP going up hills. It needs to be done by effort levels really. Aim to keep your cadence (or stride frequency) the same regardless if you are climbing, descending or running flats. Instead adjust your stride length. I tend to do smaller stride lengths on the climbs while keeping the form intact. Running downhill should require very little exertion. The more you can relax and let your body move with gravity, the less energy you will expend and the more your quads will be saved. How you run one downhill will ultimately affect how your legs feel for the next climb. that you ask of them. Naturally if you go too fast downhill, you may struggle on the next hill or drag.

One thing I've noticed in marathons, is some folk dropping off the pace climbing then sprinting past you on the downhill. Dont let that distract you or be tempted to go with them as you will more than likely cruise past them at a later stage when they are spent.

Murph_D

Best approach is to run to effort which means downhills will be a bit faster than average, uphills slower. It takes discipline, but it’s all about the average pace and not getting carried away at any stage - especially during the first half. And take into account that the first seven miles of DCM are (gently) uphill. I like to judge pace/effort by 5k splits personally - saves getting caught up on the ease or difficulty of any particular kilometre or mile.

winstonia

What's the overall gain on the course? 200m?

Lambay island

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119759632#Comment_119759632

there or thereabouts I believe

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119759632#Comment_119759632

Which over 26 miles is not really very much - cyclists would not be impressed by it! And don't forget the elevation loss is also about 200m.

birofunk

Anyone one else come down with a cold this week? I'm fairly bunged up and getting feck all sleep. Typical! What's the advice here?

Lambay island

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119769346#Comment_119769346

Seems to be something going around alright. It's something that can often happen in a taper too as your body adjusts to less running.. In terms of advice no run is integral this week, just listen to your body and only get out when you feel up to it. Trying to get sleep and getting over the cold is your priority now.

TheRef

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119769346#Comment_119769346

LOL. Me too :-)

I was feeling pretty poor on Tuesday and worse yesterday. Nothing too bad though (still working). Struggling to sleep and so yesterday morning took a lemsip and done an easy 6km at lunch. Feel much better today and had remarked earlier that this is the best I have felt in a long time in terms of energy and absence of fatigue. Still not 100%, but for the first time in ages, I feel somewhat fresh.

BTW: I do always run if just feeling bunged up - if for no other reason, to help clean things out, but only if I am sure it won't cause other issues.

Hopefully just the same - a temporary blip that you'll quickly get over. Loads of time left before the big day so do what I did and be happy that you are feeling poorly this week rather than next 😉

Murph_D

It's not just taper madness - colds etc. are always a risk at this time of year alright, especially for people with kids in school or creche (or college). I'd be trying my best to avoid situations where you might pick up a bug, but for most of us it's almost impossible to avoid completely. Got a flu shot myself this morning - I wouldn't be getting one the week of the race, so if you're thinking of this, I'd do it ASAP.

Charliebull

came down with a cold myself Monday morning, first time in a long time, typical

just took Monday and Tuesday off and done a 5 miler yesterday and intervals today, still not a 100% but its manageable

stuffed nose is the most annoying part TBH

hopefully its cleared the system by the weekend

MiketheMechanic

I'm sure this gets asked every year, but I can't remember the switchover times:

What pacers go with wave 1 - 3.00, 3.10, 3.20 I assume? How about 3.30 and 3.40 ? Do they go with wave 2?

TIA,

MtM

Lambay island

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119771113#Comment_119771113

I believe this is it from last i heard ....

TheRef

Not a marathon related question, but likely a novice one. Do let me know if I should post in a different thread...

Looking beyond next week, I am thinking of entering the Run The Line 26km run on November 19th. That's pretty much 3 weeks after the marathon, so I'd be hoping we'll all be pretty well recovered. It has about 1000m elevation gain, so will be tough.

A couple of questions if anyone has any ideas...

Is it too soon for such a difficult event? I plan on doing it as a challenge and to finish, not placing or times.

How much more difficult would this be than say a training run, if I was to plan to run it at an easy pace?

I have run some trails in the past, but nothing organised, and nothing like this.

Dublinlad1989

9 days until the marathon!!

Officially single digits now - hope everyone is keeping well and enjoying the "rest" before the big day :)

py

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119773815#Comment_119773815

Back in 2019, I tackled the 13Km RTL after doing DCM. I was fine after it. Personally I am not sure if I could have done the 26Km, that is a decision only you can make. It is an enjoyable race with some tough technical parts in places. Given the elevation profile, if you want to keep the effort easy, you will be down to walking pace for some stretches. If you're unsure on the longer one, do the shorter one this year with a view to the longer one in 2023.

Edit: you can change which race distance you want to do in the eventmaster portal.

MisterJinx

@TheRef a running buddy is trying to talk me into this race as well!

py

Before the mentors come along with a stick, a RTL 2022 discussion can be found here.