Berlin Q or Bust: Road to sub 2:45

This non-running lark is all just a bit grim......

Sat: 21k Easy: 1:39:51 @4:45/km

Planned on 26/28k depending on how the roads were. Wore my trail runners as I did the previous day but the roads were actually pretty clear for the most part so I didn't really need them as they weren't the best ride on the clear roads. Also stepped in/fell into a massive slush filled pothole which ensured my feet were 2 blocks of ice from about 14k onwards, which made my mind up to turn off planned route and shorten run to 21k.

Sun: 16.5k Easy: Mate was doing his long run with loops of the Camp. Joined him for 4 of them.

Weekly Total: 87k with 2 rest days and a good session. I would have taken that Wednesday morning. Gonna do the cancelled half Marathon time trial in the Phoenix Park this Saturday instead. The couple of rest days won't do me any harm to be fair. Passed 1000km for the year on Sat 5 weeks to go.....

Singer wrote: »

Great run. Does that count as a PB?

Yeah not sure how that works! Probably not officially? But I think I'll claim it for the time being just to keep confidence levels high

Rotterdam Marathon 2018: Week 12 of 14
Mon: 10.5k Easy: 52:21 @4:59/km

Tue: 14k Easy: 1:13:10 @5:09/km
Tired for this one, Sunday's 21Miler in the snow catching up with me a bit. Got a good rub down and dry needling in the evening. Felt a lot better for it.....

Wed: AM 5k w/pooch: c25mins
PM 10k Easy: 48:24 @4:50/km

Thu: Thursday afternoon race report!!

Air Corps 5 Mile Road Race

Training partner is in the Defence Forces so he got me a 'guest' entry into this which was just for the DF. Instructions were not to taper at all and just have a good blow out. So with the guts of 50Miles in the legs since Sunday off I went to Casement Aerodrome to run around the airfield.....

Decided I'd plug 6min miles into the on-board computer and see where that got me. Wind was absolutely horrendous,never ran in anything like it in a race
. Was on pace up until about half way but struggling a little with the wind....., but there was a mile+ right into the wind where I'm haemmoroging time. Had sort of resigned myself to a mediocre time,but the last 2k were down wind.
Managed to get a second wind and finished with 3:32 & 3:29 downwind kilometers......for a time of 29:59

Delighted to break 30mins (just!!) at the end of some heavy training in tough conditions. Couple of sessions left along with a 24k steady run 10 days out and then that's me.

OOnegative wrote: »

Great time, can well imagine the aerodrome in Baldonnel being a windy spot.

Cheers yeah I'd say it's probably windy at the best of times but yesterday was windy even by normal standards by all accounts....always nice to knock a round number off the list.

Thu: 5 Miles Easy: 40:48 @5:04/km

Fri: 11k Easy: 56:14 @5:07/km

Sat: Session 3 x 2Mile

I think I had said previously that I had just a 'bit of a session' left.....then I actually checked the plan and saw 3x 2Mile and realised that there was a bit more meat left on the bones of this training block. Target was 12:20's with the emphasis on getting a good workout and most importantly feeling good afterwards!

Splits: 12:07, 12:20, 11:57

Took first one out a bit too hot on the watch but pace felt pretty comfortable. Dialled it back on the 2nd one and hit a 12:20 dead, but really felt like it wasn't an honest effort. Finished then with an 11:57 and feeling in great nick. Now that IS that for the training block....easy running for the most part until Sunday.

OOnegative wrote: »

Just back from Rotterdam and the Coolsingel and Eramusbridge is decked out with the marathon flags, brought me back to 2016. You have had a savage training block and no doubt you’ll run a great race tomorrow week.

Nice one mate. Trying to keep things under wraps here and not get dialled in too early! Are you going to be in Rotterdam in a spectator capacity?

Just finished last little stretch of the legs in and around a warm and sunny Rotterdam thanks for the well wishes. Feeling pretty positive about tomorrow, I know I can do it, hopefully the Marathon Gods will shine on me and I will do it! Off to the Expo now and then try to catch the soccer while simultaneously avoiding eye contact with the thousands of people drinking delicious looking pints on the streets of Rotterdam today........

Km 1-5 21:23 @4:17km

The first few km's were notable for the one thing that probably did for me in the end. Going over the end of the bridge, about a km in I mention to my mate, who I've trained together with and shared the same goals, that I'm feeling thirsty. Was pretty pumped up and put this at the back of my mind as my plan was to take on plenty of fluids every 5k at the stations. Pace was very comfortable, weather was pretty warm, crowds were amazing.....

Km 5-10 21:07 @4:13/km : 42:30

Passed Feyenoord stadium and had the sub 3 pacers round about 200/250m ahead of us but this gap had been pretty consistent since the two sides of the Bridge merged (they had started ahead of us on the opposite side at the startline). The pace was still comfortable but I was delighted to get the cold sponge at the first station as I was feeling the heat. Not uncomfortable, but it was in the back of my mind that I needed to get as much fluids on as possible. Took first gel at 10k, Powerbar Hydro. Partner wasn't feeling particularly fantastic but we were bang on pace.

Km 10-15 21:13 @4:15/km: 1:03:43

Most of this stretch was along the canal and this is where I really felt like it was going to happen for me. I remember the pace being really easy and chatting to my buddy keeping spirits up etc. Taking on fluids at each station but not as much as i would have liked.

Km 15-20 21:07 @4:13/km: 1:24:50
Halfway: 1:29:32

Scratch that, THIS was the section where I thought it was definitely going to happen. The sub 3 hr pacers are slowly coming back to us, effort levels have not gone up. Sandstorm by Darude was pumping out at a corner near 20k, DJ saluted, he returns in kind. This is the day. Also my buddy suddenly dropped off the road at about 18k and I spent 2k thinking he was out when I get a tap on the shoulder just before 20k mark, and there he is having stopped to relieve himself. Now he's in great form and very confident that we're gonna do it

Km 21-25 16:38 @4:16/km: 1:46:10

We'd just overtaken the sub 3 pacers about 24k and were starting to talk about the section in the Park, digging deep and all of that jazz. We were keeping an eye out for a couple of people we knew would be around the course at this point when I felt a bit of pressure in my left calf, almost immediately the right calf followed. **** **** was my immediate thought. It subsided quickly and we went through the 25k mark.

25-30km 23:21 @4:40/km : 2:09:31

Then about 100m later I knew my goose was cooked. My buddy has compared our goodbye to Jack & Rose in Titanic, it wasn't THAT emotional, but pretty traumatic nonetheless a quick high 5 later and he's moving up the road. Except it wasn't the end, the cramping stopped and I managed to stay ahead of the sub 3 pacers and about 100m behind him for the next 3km....thoughts turn to which phoenix from the flames analogies that I'm going to use to describe my comeback when, just past those cube designed houses at about the 28k mark, my calves are absolutely pounding and my race grinds to a halt. Stretch them out, get going again but its not really happening. Im in tears at this point, angry, embarrassed, disappointed....take your pick.

30-35km 24:56 @4:59/km 2:34:35

Into the Park, and it's a pretty demoralizing experience. Getting a few decent stretches of running in, but cramps are getting worse. Get a rub down off some random punter on the side of the road and I'm back moving half decent again.......

35-40km 29:04 @5:49/km 3:03:29

Continued in this fashion until the drinks station around 40km came into sight. I reasoned that I could probably walk the 400m to the station, get some liquids in, and then 'run' to the finish. The crowds are going to be insane I tell myself so I really don't want to be walking at that point on the course. I haven't looked at my watch since I stopped and I really don't care what time is on it.....i glance at it and see 3 hrs pass, I find myself praying that my buddy has made it.....

40-42.2km 10:53 @4:57/km : 3:14:22

Get to the finish line, my time is going to be in the 3:14's, a PB but I genuinely don't care at this stage. I just didn't want a DNF.....got my medal, didn't know whether to put it around my neck or throw it over the railing. Maturer reflection has of course made me happy that I chose the former.

Get to baggage area, met my buddy who ran a 4:00 last km for a 2:59:45....we're both pretty emotional, me delighted for him, him gutted for me. Make a few phone calls home and then sit in the sun for the afternoon drinking some pretty delicious beers. So there you have it....still trying to get my head around the whole thing if I'm honest.