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If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me.

Kellygirl

It’s 8 days since DCM and I’m still on a high after the most amazing day ever. This is my report

I’m not 100% sure where I’m going next after DCM. Prior to the day I said it would be my second and last marathon due to the time required to train and that my next goal would be a sub 2 hour HM in Cork next June. I’m rethinking that now - maybe sub 1:50? Maybe the full marathon. I’m not sure I can ever beat the experience of DCM as a whole (from weather to support to pacing to a strong finish) though obviously I could beat my time with more training.

My running history starts back in 2010 when I was coerced into doing the relay in Cork. I did it with no training whatsoever, planned to walk the 5 miles but ran most of it, couldn’t walk for a week but was hooked. The following year I ran 2 stages of the relay and in 2012 I ran my first Half Marathon again in Cork. Children put paid to my running after that until June 2016 when I started back running one minute at a time with C25k. I started doing Park Runs, did a 10km in October and a half marathon in December and on New Years Eve, after a bottle of champagne, signed up to the early bird rate for the 2017 Cork City Marathon. I did that in 4:49:55. It wasn’t bad but I knew I could do better.

My records:
5km - 26:02 (Parkrun 5/8/2017)
10km - 56.22 (Galway Bay 1/10/2016)
HM - 2:10:49 (Clonakilty 2/12/2016) ; 2:04:54 (2nd half of DCM)
Marathon - 4:20:05 (DCM - 29/10/2017)

My goals:
*1000 miles in 2017 (1610kms); currently at 1385.8kms; 224.2km to go
*5km race - sub 25 mins
*10km race - sub 50 mins
*Half Marathon - firstly sub 2 hour
*Marathon - maybe / maybe not.

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ariana`

Well done K. Great report. Look you've said it all yourself there, the lessons learnt, the pace ran away in the first 5km. But you got a PB, two PBs actually :pac: and a great training run too! A tough day out but well done all the same, the next one will be better

Kellygirl

Great Limerick Run Half Marathon

I’m a bit reluctant to do a report as not very happy with yesterday’s performance but the reason I did it was as a learning experience to prepare me for the full in Cork in now less than 4 weeks time and there were definitely lessons to be learned. So - here comes how not to do a half marathon ...

I drove up to Limerick on Saturday to stay with a friend. I had lost the confidence I’d had about two weeks ago and wasn’t feeling great about the race but still secretly hoping that was just taper madness and that I’d pull it out of the bag. After solo parenting for the last few weeks I hadn’t really been eating properly as too lazy to cook proper dinners and a few too many pizzas fired into the oven and too much rubbish and I was up 4 or 5lbs.

One of my 2018 goals was a sub 2 hour half marathon and I was fairly sure from my 5 mile race that I could do 1:54. I set my paceband to 1:53 and planned to line up behind then 1:50 guys and see what happened. I figured they might keep me from taking off and I could drop back then when I needed to.

Miles 1-7
I jogged the mile in from my friend’s house to the start line and hung around there for a while waiting for the pacers to appear. It was nice and cloudy but that started to burn off just as we lined up. I jumped in behind the 1:50 girl and guy and we shuffled up towards the startline. Took ages to be finally left cross the line. Off we went and seemed to be very very fast and immediately I pulled back from them. The 2nd kilometer was downhill and I flew down that, quite comfortably in one way but I knew I was too fast. Decided to just go with it for downhill. I work in miles now but checked Strava in kilometers early and my 2nd kilometer was 4:58 - 5km pace :eek: I did my first mile in 8:08 mins and passed my friend’s house on Rosbrien road. Was pulling back but not enough and 2nd mile was 8:26. I really felt the drag up to the flyover and felt like the whole of Raheen / Dooradoyle area was a drag up and was waiting for the downhill. It was roasting as well and clear blue skies. I now realize I’d 3 miles done in 25:31 - I can’t even do parkrun in that time. Not sure what was going through my head but I’d either planned this really badly or was executing it really badly and wasn’t copping. I was beginning to suffer badly and about 4 or 5 miles in I knew 1:53 was going to go out the window. Ok, I’d go for 1:55 which was more realistic anyway. Started getting cramps in my tummy too and thought I could fly into my friend’s house to use the loo as I passed but how much time would I lose. That went on for the rest of the race and I never stopped but was nervous. I kept trying to pull back to a pace where I was comfortable but just wasn’t finding the right pace. When I passed my friend at 6 miles again she handed me a bottle of water with my zero tablet in it and I just said I was struggling. I totally missed the big sheet she had hanging out her windows telling me to run and it was hard work for a free banana!! I’d 10km done in 55 mins and got myself a pb for 10km according to Garmin Connect. Nailing this half marathon ... NOT :eek: Then when I got to the hill by Lidl at Punches Cross I walked up that hill. A man standing with the Red Cross guys came over and ran beside me and made me run and told me I’d lose my stride and made me run up the hill and I kept going when I turned onto O’Connell avenue seeing as he was watching me.

Miles 7 - 13.1

7 miles was done in something like 63 mins and I was thinking that I might actually salvage this if I can keep my head. I wasn’t enjoying it at all but next thing the downhill started as I ran into the city and Henry Street was fab as totally in the shade and downhill so I just allowed myself run comfortably and catch my breath. I heard a big roar and wondered what it was but as we turned onto Sarsfield Bridge I saw Claire McCarthy belting across towards the finish line to win the female half. The speed of her!! The 3:30 marathon pacer group passed me here, the pacers were full of the joys and chat. Got onto North Circular Road and the drags started again - straight away I was in trouble again. I just didn’t seem to be able to cope with them. Two first aid bikes passed at speed and then they stopped at an ambulance up ahead. A poor guy was on the ground.

Went on and there was a woman with a hose which was the best feeling! Then I saw another man lying on the ground with a woman beside him who had just phoned for help.

There was very little shade along the NCR so a few of us were running on the path trying to get shade where possible.

We then came out to the Ennis road and another guy in bits on a chair with people trying to hold him upright. Passed the water station and all downhill. They must be the Gaelic grounds on my right with everybody struggling up the hill I was going down. Oh Feck! Then I thought that it looked like we just turned around at the bottom of the hill and came back up again. Nope - off we went to the right and passed a hill with people running down and I was thinking that’s not good as I clearly have to run up again to get to the top of that. Turned a corner and there was the hill ... and I gave up and walked. Sub 2 hours gone.

Ran back down the other side to the bottom of the hill on the Ennis Road and headed for the finish line. Walked up again as I couldn’t be bother running it and started running again at the top. An ambulance had arrived and they had just put the guy I’d seen into it.

My last hope to make something decent of this race was to at least get a pb. Luckily this was downhill again. It was great coming to Sarsfield Bridge and really reminded me of Dublin with the lines of people either side to narrow the route and they gave me the last burst of energy I needed. Flew around to O’Connell st. thinking I’d still a bit to go as a half marathon is 13.2miles plus the extra I’d run and then was pleasantly surprised to go over the line in 13.17 miles and remember I actually had the length of the half marathon wrong and longer in my head! :rolleyes:

Finished in 2:02:26 and got a pb of 1:31. (And also my 10km pb at the start

)

Not a happy camper afterwards but had a lovely day sitting on the ground outside The Locke Bar drinking beer. The ridiculous thing is I haven’t had a twinge since and felt I could run again yesterday or even this morning.

Writing this has helped me figure out where I went wrong and what I’d do different - I’m sorry I didn’t start off slower and maybe even go with the 2 hour pacers.

I switched to miles after DCM as used work in km. I’m wondering do I pace myself better with kilometers. There’s a big difference between 8.05 and 8:55 but I’m not registering that when I’m running I don’t think whereas if I see 4:xx km I know I’m going faster than 5km pace.

So Cork in less than 4 weeks. If I didn’t do Limerick I think I’d have chanced going with the 4 hour pacers. I’m abandoning that mad idea now and going back to my original 4:10 plan and I might even start out with the 4:15 guys. I want to enjoy it and get a pb at the same time.

hot buttered scones

Good luck on Sunday! Looks like you'll be running on fresh enough legs and you've a good block of training done - you'll be grand.

Kellygirl

Week 16 - Cork City Marathon Training - 4 weeks to go

The plan had 2 x 8 mile runs and a 10km race for this week. However I went off plan to taper for the Great Limerick Run which is on Sunday. I had a look at a few different plans to get an idea of how I should be tapering while marathon training but ended up making it up as I went along. Been solo parenting since Sunday so it became getting out when I could.

Sunday: 3.64 miles @ 11:27

Decided to get an early morning run in before work. What an amazing morning. Clear blue skies though only 2 degrees. I drive through the city so ditched the car near the marina and headed off down to Atlantic pond and Pairc Ui Caoimh and back again. The views were incredible though there was all fencing up along the river in preparation for Ed Sheehan who’s playing tonight and over the weekend.

Monday: 5.16 miles @ 10:10

My mother babysat and I headed off supposedly for 8 miles. I was thinking as I was running and I was doing 8 miles as on the plan but also because that would bring me to 500 miles before the end of April which didn’t seem a very bright reason to running miles. I pulled out my phone and had a look at the training plan to see what I’d be running the Monday before the marathon and it said 5 miles so that’s what I did.

Wednesday: nothing
Planned 5 miles with the middle 3 at HM pace. However my two year old woke up sick and couldn’t go to crèche so that put paid to any running.

Thursday: 4.81 miles @ 9:56
Stuck the sick 2 year old into my mother’s shopping trolley and headed off for 45 mins. Did a few strides in the middle and that was about it really.

Total Distance: 13.6 miles. My lowest mileage this year. I did pass the 500 mile mark though.

Not feeling too hectic about Sunday now. Hopefully that’s taper madness setting in but I went into sabotage mode with food too and eaten a ridiculous amount of chocolate and rubbish all week and managed to pile on the lbs in the last couple of weeks. Hopefully all will be ok on the day. Looking fairly warm which could be interesting but this is a practice run for Cork which could be very warm so might as well start getting used to it.

skyblue46

Have a great run on Sunday. The work is all done.

Wubble Wubble

Best of luck K! Looking forward to the report

ariana`

Huzzah! wrote: »

Sounds like a classic taper to me. I always feel sluggish, unfit and full of niggles. Just go out and give it your best shot and, most of all, enjoy

Spot on i think! Give a runner a few days off running and suddenly all the doubts set in! Go for it on Sunday K, you've trained hard, not specifically for HM and it's not the main event for i know but none the less you have the miles put in and now it's time to reap the rewards. Give it socks

Kellygirl

Huzzah! wrote: »

Sounds like a classic taper to me. I always feel sluggish, unfit and full of niggles. Just go out and give it your best shot and, most of all, enjoy

You are hopefully right

Huzzah!

Kellygirl wrote: »

i’ve eaten badly this week and just don’t feel in good shape.

Sounds like a classic taper to me. I always feel sluggish, unfit and full of niggles. Just go out and give it your best shot and, most of all, enjoy

ReeReeG

Good luck! You'll be great, you've put in excellent mileage!

Kellygirl

Huzzah! wrote: »

Good luck on Sunday! I'm looking forward to reading your report already

Thanks Huzzah. Not feeling so good about it now. Maybe just nerves but i’ve eaten badly this week and just don’t feel in good shape.

I printed off a paceband last night but as long as I’m sub 2 I’ll be happy.

Huzzah!

Good luck on Sunday! I'm looking forward to reading your report already

Kellygirl

eyrie wrote: »

Looks like you're going great at the moment Kellygirl - the 20 miler doesn't sound like it took too much out of you at all! You should be in a great position for the half next weekend. Make sure you take it easy enough between now and then!

Thanks Eyrie. The taking it easy is the hard part - kind of. I went out just there for 8 miles and was trotting along thinking the only reason I was doing 8 miles was partly as written on the plan but also was to get to 500 miles before the end of April which is silly really. I pulled out my phone and checked the marathon plan to see what the Monday before the marathon is and it’s 5 miles so decided to just do that instead.

eyrie

Looks like you're going great at the moment Kellygirl - the 20 miler doesn't sound like it took too much out of you at all! You should be in a great position for the half next weekend. Make sure you take it easy enough between now and then!

ariana`

Another great week K. You've had a very consistent, uneventful training cycle. We weren't following you this time last year but it sounds like you're in a different playing field altogether a year on. This training cycle and the 3 marathons you ran in 2017 will all stand to you on June 3rd and honestly none of us can tell what to time to target but 3:59:xx wouldn't surprise any of us i don't think

skyblue46 wrote: »

No yours are fine. I was more talking about first timers. You're well used to the distance. I think you'll beat 1:55 easier than the 4:00 full. No doubt you'll do both though.

I was going to say exactly as above! I think you have 1:55 in you and i think you have 4:00 in you (maybe not in Cork but definitely in 2018)!

Kellygirl

skyblue46 wrote: »

No yours are fine. I was more talking about first timers. You're well used to the distance. I think you'll beat 1:55 easier than the 4:00 full. No doubt you'll do both though.

Yes - there’d need to be a lot going my way to beat the 4:00 full next time round but the time after that maybe in Dublin :-) Will see what happens next Sunday for a start.

skyblue46

Kellygirl wrote: »

Are mine a bit odd so? I’ve used Testoerscone’s calculator and McMillans and both give more or less the same results.

No yours are fine. I was more talking about first timers. You're well used to the distance. I think you'll beat 1:55 easier than the 4:00 full. No doubt you'll do both though.

Kellygirl

skyblue46 wrote: »

A HM pace will normally be quite a bit faster than a full. Lots of people consider twice the half plus 15/ 20 minutes is a good guideline for runners in or about a 4 hour full. Of course some do it faster than that, others slower . Training and a person's physiology will influence it.

Are mine a bit odd so? I’ve used Testoerscone’s calculator and McMillans and both give more or less the same results.

skyblue46

ReeReeG wrote: »

Looking strong Kellygirl, that paced 7 miles definitely has you looking good for Limerick next week too!

Just curious though, if you're aiming for 1.55 HM time, that doesn't put your HMP much quicker than your MP? Maybe I'm looking at it all wrong for myself of course...

A HM pace will normally be quite a bit faster than a full. Lots of people consider twice the half plus 15/ 20 minutes is a good guideline for runners in or about a 4 hour full. Of course some do it faster than that, others slower . Training and a person's physiology will influence it.

Kellygirl

Baby75 wrote: »

can not wait to see how you do K

I can’t either. I hope those calculators are right!!! :rolleyes:

Baby75

can not wait to see how you do K

Kellygirl

ReeReeG wrote: »

Looking strong Kellygirl, that paced 7 miles definitely has you looking good for Limerick next week too!

Just curious though, if you're aiming for 1.55 HM time, that doesn't put your HMP much quicker than your MP? Maybe I'm looking at it all wrong for myself of course...

I don’t know much myself to be honest but according to the calculators based on my 5 mile race my times should be 1:54 for HM and 3:59 full. So 8:42 and 9:08 I think it is.

Next Sunday will tell a lot when I get my half time.

ReeReeG

Looking strong Kellygirl, that paced 7 miles definitely has you looking good for Limerick next week too!

Just curious though, if you're aiming for 1.55 HM time, that doesn't put your HMP much quicker than your MP? Maybe I'm looking at it all wrong for myself of course...

Kellygirl

Week 15 Cork City Marathon Training - 5 weeks to go

Monday: Planned - 7 mile pace run
Actual - 7 miles @ 8:54 min / mile

So the plan says pace run - and I’m still dithering over marathon pace kind of. After my 5 mile race the calculators are saying 3:59 so a 9:10 pace so I decided I’d go see how I’d do at that. A friend came with me which made me slightly nervous as I figured we’d be chatting and might not be able to hold the pace. Turned out that wasn’t a problem though the chatting meant I was paying less attention to the watch and we were a bit too fast. We’d pull back after each mile and then naturally pick it up again. Only the last 2km were about right and they were uphill. I have to say it was a nice confidence boost and I loved it. My paces were 8:51; 8:43; 8:57; 8:42; 8:55; 9:07; 9:03.

Wednesday: Planned 20 mile LSR
Actual: 20 miles @ 10:56

Forecast was for wind and rain so I wasn’t looking forward to this. I got a pleasant surprise that it was sunny and quite warm. Luckily I took my waterproof jacket as There were 4 downpours with wind to accompany them but the sun dried me off after each time. It was quite warm and I’d brought 550 mls water with me but had to stop at 15 miles to buy more water. I’d strong winds a lot of the second half but my pace didn’t seem to be affected. Sometimes on a warm day the wind kind of cools me down and I wasn’t too bothered. I was fairly tired after and normally have to quickly grab food and a shower and go pick up my eldest for swimming. That got cancelled so I got a 20 min Epsom salts bath which was great and I really felt the benefits that evening. This was my second last 20 miler - only one more in a couple of weeks.

Thursday: Planned: Recovery run
Actual: 3.6 miles @ 10:39

Probably slightly faster than I meant to go - with a friend and not paying enough attention. Just happy to be out!

Saturday: Planned: 8 mile run
Actual: 8 miles @ 9:52 min mile

A lovely run. Had to be home to take the kids to Peppa Pig in The Opera House so couldn’t include Parkrun. Sun was out again though it was nippy so I got another wear out of my DCM top. At 5 miles I ran over the Parkrun startline 10 mins before it started and was tempted to do it but Peppa took priority and that would have added on another 2 miles to my run, though I’d have liked that part. I got back to the car and just wished I could have kept going. As an aside I got breathalyzed on my way to park the car and I told the guard I don’t drink these days except on occasions. The test took ages to pass me and he quizzed me a bit while it took it’s time - he reckoned mouthwash did that! I nearly had a heart attack!

Total miles: 38.7 miles

Feeling great. I did a bit of foam rolling and using a tennis ball on my glutes and think it’s really helping.

I have the Limerick Half Marathon next week. I’m looking forward to it. Will give it my all and hope that then gives me a good pace to work off for Cork. It’s also my chance to get my half marathon pb sub 2 hour (1:55 all going to plan). Solo parenting from tomorrow again until the day before it so my organized taper will possibly turn into running whenever I have a babysitter. Evenings to myself for the entire week will probably result in way too much time dithering over paces and creating pacebands.

Kellygirl

Week 14 Cork City Marathon Training

Monday: Planned - 7 mile run
Actual: Cancelled

Had to cancel. The weather was awful and a tree fell down outside so figured it wasn’t safe. Tracked a friend doing Boston Marathon in even worse weather instead!

Tuesday: Planned - rest
Actual: Monday’s 7 mile @ 10:07 min/mile

This was a windy one. Started off with the wind behind me so was blown along and it felt really easy. When I turned to face the wind I knew all about it and the journey back to the car was much more challenging. The run should have been slower really considering my long run was the next day. I was under pressure because I knew my babysitter had training to go to herself but still just happy to get out as was solo parenting all week and kids were tough going.

Wednesday: planned - 14 mile LSR
Actual: 14 miles, pace all over the place but average 10:57

Made a mess of this one. Normally I do my long runs by myself but a friend is training for the Cork half and I suggested to her that she could run of her long run with me and chose a route that is a 5km loop which I planned on doing 3 times myself. She is much slower than me - even when I’m going really slow and normally walks any hills and also the first half km so she said she’d set off ahead of me and I’d catch up. It was pouring rain and still windy when I set off and I started fairly fast thinking I’d catch her quickly. Every bend I thought I’d see her ahead but no sign. I kept going just focused on catching up with her until I got to 4 or 5 miles and when I didn’t see her ahead I hopped off the route to the nearest shop to use the loo and off I went again this time much slower and at a proper long run pace! Bumped into my friend cooling down - she’d just ran her fastest and longest run ever and was very proud of herself - no wonder I couldn’t catch her!

Off I went by myself but my energy was waning and then I thought I’d forgotten to bring a gel or anything. I figured if I stayed slow I’d be ok and just got slower and slower and changed my route so I wouldn’t be passing my car in case I hopped into it! When I got to 12miles I gave up and walked. Somehow I picked it up again to run at 13 miles for the last mile.

Not happy with the run but lesson learned and I always plan everything to a t and I didn’t this time. 14 miles got done in some shape or form at least.

Thursday: Planned - 5 mile recovery run
Actual: as planned - 5 miles @ 10:52

The only run I did as I had planned this week. Had a babysitter again so off I went delighted that she was putting the kids to bed and I was getting a break. The sun was out and weather starting to warm up. Was a pleasure to be running and I was so tempted to run further mainly to get my money’s worth from the babysitter but I had to be sensible :-)

Saturday: Planned 10 mile run
Actual: 10 miles @ 9:49 min / mile

My mother kindly took the kids this morning to let me off and my husband was due to land before 11. I wanted to be home before him so again I was under a bit of pressure. I decided I’d do the 10 miles at a 10 minute mile but was faster than that. It was a lovely run though. The sun was out and clear blue skies. Felt fab to be running in just shorts and t-shirt and have the warmth on my skin. I just loved it and was totally content. The pace was completely comfortable. When my run uploaded on to Strava I did look at the paces and think that SkyBlue and a few others might have something to say about this!! :-) In my defense that pace is perfect if I’m going my McMillans calculator based on my 5 mile last week ... though I did say I’d go with Testosterscone’s so that pace doesn’t fit in anywhere there ;-)

Anyway, bit of a messy week down but a total of 36.1 miles done and I’m glad I ended it with a very enjoyable run today.

eyrie

Just spotted your race report now - brilliant going!! Congratulations, that was a great performance and a super time.

Baby75

only catching up now :)and what a great report and great running fair play to you for not losing it when you had to stop in the first mile cannot wait to see what you can do at your half it is so nice to see all your hard work pay off

Sunny Dayz

Well done for not loosing the head altogether in the first mile. It can be easy when a start doesn't go your way to write off the rest of the race/run. You pulled it right back, got the head down, regrouped and went on to have a great race. Lol at you not being able to shelter behind two big men cos they weren't going fast enough!!

ariana`

Brilliant report K! I'm delighted for you. You deserved that. I was laughing at you trying to tuck behind people only to find you were too fast :pac: And so much for your fast friend :pac: Super race, much more to come in the shorter distances in the Summer time I suspect and sub-4 marathon is definitely not too far off either

Kellygirl

hot buttered scones wrote: »

The last few years it's been on the same week, but this year it's on the week before - but I would have a think about it. If you the decide not to do it then the CPO/Garda race in early July (I think) is another good one. Looking good for a sub 4 marathon too if the weather plays ball.

The calculators are saying sub 4 but I still can’t quite imagine it. Will see how the next 8 weeks go I think. There’s hopefully a sub 4 somewhere in the next few marathons and DCM if not Cork.

Just checked the John Buckley again - says May 22nd and May 29th on the BHAA website. If it was the 22nd I’d consider it though it’s son’s 5th birthday that day too so may not be appreciated 😂