Dublin Marathon 2016 - Mentored Novices Thread

Coffee Fulled Runner wrote: »

Sub 84 in Athlone half today. Very happy with that a nice way to celebrate 2 years running

That's some level to be at after only two years of running, well done! Any chance of a race report?

Firedance wrote:

Yep much nicer to head west....goes from path to grass to path to trails but it's lovely and peaceful and quiet You could run the full LR distance then jump on a train back!

That is such a brilliant and obvious idea I can't believe it didn't occur to me. Nice one!

Firedance wrote: »

Wow folks, super reports coming in on your long runs today!! Serious kudos to you all I think we're still waiting for Max to get out of bed to do his though

Feet up now (remember the leg drain!) And bask in the glory of your awesomeness...:cool:

Massive well done to those in athlone too!!

The cheek! I was done and dusted by 6!

... pm.

Any else's legs be roasting to the touch for hours after an LSR?

FITZA wrote: »

Most of my 'niggles' are in my left leg and I really believe its the country roads, the way they slope away, I'm constantly running on a slightly uneven surface...I've now started running in the middle of the road when I can!!!

That's a distinct possibility, I injured my knee last December and I think it was due to the camber on the footpath I was running on at the time. I google it at the time and Lots of people had blamed this on injuries, The recommendation was to switch from left side to right side of the road and back every few miles to shift the pressure on the knee from one side to the other.

Got the LSR done again very early this morning. Had company today from a marathon veteran so was good to have someone to chat to, that conversational pace lasted and there were only a few pauses on some steep parts! We just made up the route as we went along and in the end I came home with 21.3M on the clock. We wound our way down to Dun Laoghaire, then around by 40ft and out via Coliemore Harbour and then up Vico Road and across back thru Dalkey and back home via Killiney, Deansgrange, up thru Foxrock and then across to Sandyford Village and down into Dundrum where we split for home at the Taney Luas bridge.

Was a great morning for running, compared to last weeks soaking. Whilst I know we did a lot of hills, it was only when I looked at run stats that I realised how many hills we did. No avoiding them out those parts.

Very odd that on the last 2 x runs I've managed to get skin removed (wife says blisters), with both on outside area of right foot. Not sure what has suddenly caused this as never had the issue before. Same runners and socks for last 150 miles (latter have been washed a few times..:D). I know feet definitely feel like they've "expanded" that little bit more on the longer runs.. maybe runners shrank a little in the rain last Saturday!!:eek:

All said, training is ticking along nicely. Well done everyone else on the runs today. Great to see such distances being put in.

bucketybuck wrote:

I'm also using the Clif bar "Shot bloks" and would recommend them if like me you don't like gels.

+1 I take them too. Dont like the texture of the gels, and these are like jellies

aceygray wrote:

Safrongirl, I do have a foam roller, but I rarely use it. Because I hate it. Seriously I don't know how some of you are using it for 15 minutes at a go. It's torture! But I will talk to the physio about it, and see if he recommends any excercises. It would be worth it if it helped.

Aceygray you will be fine in no time!! I cant do 15 mins in a go but whatever time you do it will help. I hate it too! Good luck!!

tailgunner wrote: »

That's some level to be at after only two years of running, well done! Any chance of a race report?

I took Jackie Chan up on his advice last night... But okay I'll give it a go not good at that kind of stuff and normally don't bother. I'll throw it in with my weekly report.

Monday:
13.5km @ 4:48/km easy run

Tuesday:
I had 3km easy with 12km @ PMP with 3km cool down but I couldn't get the time so I just did a easy 8.5km @ 4:59/km at 6am

Wednesday:
13.4km easy run @ 4.47/km

Thursday:
10.6km very easy @ 5:13km

Friday:
"Off" but in reality it was worse then any workout. I was up at 5 am for work, had to go to the north on an emergency job. Had some porridge hit the road. Bitch of a day in 30 degree humid heat sweating buckets in a cooker with not enough water. Didn't get a chance to eat all day, home at 12 that night starving, tired, and pissed off.

Saturday:

Up at 7 am my usual pre race breakfast of porridge, banana, bagel, wheatgrass. We hit the road at 8am and arrived shortly after 9. I feel I have to be at a race early to get in the right mind frame. Mental I know but a few of the girls in our club were there at that time for the same reasons. Got my number, chilled for a bit and did a 2km warm up and then the rest of the lads arrived. Did our stretches and strides.

So the race. Went with the 1:25 pacers it felt a bit fast but I was comfortable with the pace. After maybe 5km one pacer  dropped back but I stuck with the faster guy. I had intended to take a gel before the race but didn't until 7km. Not much to report up to that point it was perfect race conditions not too warm, sun in and out behind clouds and only only a light breeze. As we went through the bog and after the half way point I did feel a bit tired but it was very open and warm at this stage. As we turned onto the main road I took my second gel around 12-13km. Bit of a climb here but here but not much I felt really strong again. I guess a second wind. The group with the 1:25 pacer was getting smaller at this point. One of the lads from the club the next town over I was running along with dropped off a bit here. We came to the final water stop at around 15km where the pacer dropped off the pace a bit (he came in at 1:24:49 I think) and I picked it up for 1km. I don't know what happen to me for the next 1.5km but I let by mind drift as I got a bit isolated for the first time in this race and I slowed down a few seconds per kilometre but got together and reverted back to my 5/10km racing strategy where I'd focus on someone 100 meters a head of me and pass them out. Strong finish,  no issues, felt like I could have gave a bit more over the whole race and have a average pace of 3:56/km. But I don't think pushing myself that hard would help in my aim goal as I'm keeping the main thing the main thing so happy with knocking 6 minutes 33 seconds of my pb on the the same course last year. 1:23:56.

I really enjoyed running with a pacer, I never did that before I could switch off and just run. Afterwards I did a few kilometres warm down and a load of stretching.

Sunday:
I was thinking of doing a few kilometres recovery but my coach said training is going to get much harder in the next few weeks and told take advantage of the rest day.

My achilles feel a little weird, but all good otherwise. Tempted to go out and get the recovery done now, but might leave it a couple of hours.

I've to do 25.7km today. I only managed 21.65km last weekend when I was aiming for 24.2, but I think I've done all I can to improve over the past seven days so here goes nothing lads... this marathon might kill me yet!

3 mile recovery run completed all in order . That's another week done . The week ahead looks tough enough midweek but a shorter lsr at the weekend .