Chapter 2 - Finding Nemo

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote:

I gave you a follow on Strava to keep a closer eye on your training. This is one of the best logs here Quality race well done. One of my training buddies was just in ahead of you

Cheers man. Just followed you back. A hell of a collection of runners you own! Appreciate the comments. Haven't had a proper chance to compile a decent report yet but I was passed by a few at the end. I barely made it to the line to be honest.

I promised drama didn't I? One thing I learned yesterday is that not all PB's are created equal. Some are great stories of inspiration and some are just an awful harrowing experience. Yesterday was the latter. Haha.

The training has been well documented. Was feeling in great shape. Huge progress made since Limerick where I improved on a soft pb by running 1.21.52. I expected better in Charleville. Weather forecast was very uncertain all week with threats of a storm. In the end it didn't materialize. I think this reinforced the approach I wanted to take on the race but more on that later.

Saturday was spent looking after baba and heading to my folks for the night. My missus was away with her mum and sisters for the weekend. So I was on solo daddy weekend duties for the first time! Quality time with baba and family. I'd like to say Saturday was nice and relaxed but at the best of times I'm a worrier and having baba away for the first time on my own and getting used to some faces she hadn't seen in a few weeks had me a little tense. By evening time all was good and I could sit back with the family after baba had gone to bed. Another thing of note on Saturday was seeing the results come in from Dublin Half. I know I shouldn't be influenced by other people's results but two results in particular again reinforced how I was going to approach Charleville.
I had been thinking about this in the run up to Charleville. Firstly I had decided the Charleville result would not define success for me. The training had gone so well. It was in the bank. That was the success.
The week before Charleville was spent fielding questions of "what time was I targeting" and people looking at me weird when id say I wanted to run as well as I can on the day. Haha. People want numbers. I guess I figured most of my LT/Tempo stuff in the run up to it had been around 6.10. In theory that's probably my ten mile/half marathon pace? That would have me around 1.20.30.
But as the day approached and I decided the result didn't matter, the storm didn't materialize (weather on the day was ideal) , some results from Dublin I wanted to at least match (sorry lads I'm a competitive fecker. Haha) I decided to go at this one aggressively and whatever happens happens. I can't say I regret that decision but I dunno lads, I half regret that decision. Haha.

Anyway I'm rambling.

I had an "OK" night's sleep. 12 to 5.30am. Got up at had brekkie at 7am. Baba woke a while later. Fed her and hit the road for Charleville at 8.45 with race due to start at 10. Had to collect the tshirt. Headed up to the GAA HQ and the crowd was big already. Ran into some of Luke's Tallaght crew and introduced myself. Decided during the warmup that the shades would be required. Thought about an extra layer but decided against. Finished the warmup and headed down to start line at 9.45. It was packed. Met a clubmate and we slotted in a less than ideal position but it was the best we could do. About 7 rows back. A huge crowd in front. Never seen so many club singlets in my life from all over the country. Great to see. Surrounded by people of all levels from sub 67 people to sub 2.30 people. Some range!

The race started without any real warning (or maybe I was distracted). Off we went. I must say it felt a bit chaotic for the first mile. People everywhere. Managed to find a small bit of space but kept asking myself was I feeling OK and was this pace OK for the first mile. I decided it was. By the end of mile 1 I was in some "space" with a whole bunch of people running at the effort I wanted to be at. It really is an ideal race for finding groups of people to work with. I could see the sub 80 pacer group up ahead. This confused me a little coz my first mile clocked at 6.02 which is sub 79 pace. I figured maybe I must have been a good bit behind the sub 80 pace group at the start. Either that or they were banking time early. Given I wasn't closing them at a huge rate I figured they must be motoring at sub 79 pace. I asked myself how I felt. Felt fine but had the obvious doubts how fine I'd feel later.
The first few miles had me working past some of the people around me and eventually linking up at the back of the sub 80 group. By now a few miles had passed and I knew the sub 80 group were going sub 79 pace. I decided to settle with them and hope my grit would take me through.
First few miles/5k split;
6.02/5.59/5.59/18.42
Pretty aggressive start. Asking myself am I a little mad for trying this. Apologies in advance for the haphazard way I'll be recording the splits. I used the lap button which screwed with the mile markers in my Garmin but the plus side is I recorded the 5k/10k and ten mile splits (all were marked on the route too which was a nice extra) .

There wasn't a lot to report over the middle section of the race. I settled in with the group. Miles 4 to 6 were a little worrysome and probably the point in the race when I was starting to doubt my ability to carry this through to the end. I could feel it a bit in the legs already. But I was still clocking away the fast miles and not needing to hang in there yet.
Miles 4 to 6 and 10k split;
5.59/6.01/6.00 - 37.23
Madness really when I think about it now.

I think this is the part where we hit kilmallock and looped around the arches. Strangely enough it was here where I started to feel OK. Maybe I can do this! The loop through kilmallock was great to be honest. Working in a pack of strong runners, crowd cheering. Definitely a boost. The pacer was great. Regular words of encouragement. We even had time for a bit of humor as he reminded the group now was not the time to push on. Just as he spoke a big alsatian barked from behind a fence. One of the lads joked "I think you might be wrong". We laughed. It was the second last time I would laugh in the race. Further up the road and I was feeling it now. A great group of kids out to support us shouting not long to go. That was at mile 9. I laughed. That was the last time I'd laugh.
Miles 7, 8, 9 and 10 splits;
6.01/6.00/6.08/6.02.
Ten mile split was 60.12. That's a big PB over ten miles... Doesn't count though. Haha.

Suffering like hell now. No two ways about it. Can't honestly say I was using any tricks to keep going. Just hanging on for dear life. At this stage the group started pulling away from me a little. I knew I was struggling but if I could just keep going there was a great time on the cards here. Entered into the last mile on my own and not sure if I can make it. Then all of a sudden two big jolts of cramp in both calves. I fecking let a roar out. Hurt like hell. Passed the sign for Charleville. Come on Paul. Even if you jog to the line you've a good time here. You can't quit now. Everything in me wanted to stop. More jolts of cramp. They're pretty frightening when they happen. Haha. I turn the bend and head down towards the 13M sign. I take a look at the watch and it feels like sub 80 is slipping away from me. I'm literally hobbling down the road with the left leg dragging. In bits. My buddy gave me some shouts of encouragement and shouted the clock time. Afterwards he told me how shocked he was at the state I was in. Haha. I pushed as hard as I could without seizing my legs up. I see the clock and it's 1.19.45. Ticking away but at this stage I know I'll probably amble across the line just under. Official time was 1.19.48. Gun time was four seconds slower at 1.19.52. Mile splits for 11/12/13;
6.11/6.08/6.27

Crossed the line in bits and was helped to a chair. I'm not melodramatic honestly. I was just in pieces. I'm not sure how I ran that 6.27. It felt a lot slower to be honest. Sub 79 was lost in the last three miles but on reflection I was very happy with the result. Just didn't like the way it came about. That race kicked the crap out of me. Harrowing to be honest. It's funny. You train and train and feel strong as an ox but then get the crap kicked out of you by the race. Not complaining tho. 2 minutes off my pb and improving all the time.

Absolute highlight of the day was our mini Boards reunion. Met up with aquinn, misterpaul , MurphD, diegob, yaboya and annapr. Genuinely the highlight of my day. I love meeting Boardsies and want to meet more of the gang in the next while. Something special about meeting the people that share your running journey every step of the way. A philosophical end to my report.

I have to finish up by acknowledging Luke. The training has been magnificent and very specifically tailored. The gains are there to see. Sometimes the numbers don't tell the whole story though. The sheer grit and determination isn't just a personality thing. It's developed through great coaching. Those sessions target a lot more than just simple physiological responses. I count myself as very lucky.

So cross country should be a doddle in comparison....................

Thanks everyone for the kind words. The mental scars are slowly beginning to heal!

ariana` wrote:

Super report, what a run, you're some man for gritting it out, ouch Brilliant PB and no doubt there is more - it's usually helpful to have 2 legs operating at full capacity for the full distance

Haha very true. If only I had known that at mile 4 I'd have slowed down lol

shotgunmcos wrote:

No doubt the coaching program and support go a long way but I disagree, grit and determination is all you!

Some of it is me for sure but some of those specific sessions definitely shift the threshold.

OOnegative wrote:

Some guts shown in that race, huge well done!!! If i’m right going on pictures, that beard surely is slowing you down a second or two per mile!!

Thanks! You must have the wrong guy. I know there was a lad with a fine beard in the sub 80 group. I'm more of a designer stubble guy. Haha. If you're looking at pics I'm the guy in the Limerick AC singlet. Shades on. Blue adidas. Grimacing in pain.