Can I give more? The answer is usually yes

kerrylad1 wrote: »

Ha,that 2:56:30 looks similar to my goal.See you at the (meet the pacers) table at the rds.enjoy tonight.

You won’t see me in the RDS, only get in from Holland late Saturday.

Was expectin more.

https://youtu.be/4mjKg9SElnU

Fantastic, B - not sure I agree when you say the marathon is not your distance, tough as nails. enjoy the recovery

OOnegative wrote:

Not to get into it now D, but it isn’t, 1.26.11 for a half is sub 3. With a fade should I not be running sub 3.10 handy on a flat route like Cologne? I am hugely proud of what I ran today, but am curious to what ye faster lads reckon?

1.26 half equates to sub 3 on a lot of the online calculators but most of what I've read on here from the marathon lads is that (mostly) you would need faster than 1.26 for sub 3.

That being said, our coaches philosophy would probably tell you that you're absolutely cut out for the marathon with specific training.

Don't forget your blip a few weeks ago. That'll take its toll. You did great today.

OOnegative wrote: »

Not to get into it now D, but it isn’t, 1.26.11 for a half is sub 3. With a fade should I not be running sub 3.10 handy on a flat route like Cologne? I am hugely proud of what I ran today, but am curious to what ye faster lads reckon?

Call as it is, I don’t mind.

I think you can forget about converting a half into a full time, in my experience it just rarely works out that way, they are almost different sports really - the marathon is almost all about that last 10k and how you can cope with it. You ground it out today when feeling it, I know people with much faster half times that have failed to do that.

There are so may things that can work against you over the course of 26.2 miles. The obvious thing to look at is endurance\strength and there is no reason at all why you can't recover now and go into a phase of working on that kind of thing before your next venture. There is no hiding place in races like today and you didn't look for any, you just dug in and got it done, a bit more speed, a bit more strength in the legs and I don't see any reason why you can't run faster again over the distance next time

Enjoy the recovery of course but having the ability to dig in and scrap it out at the end of a marathon is a strength to build on, the weakness is probably there to be seen but so too are the strengths

You doing Donadea? With that kind of fade I might get you over 50k.

Seriously though, I don’t think you’ve done enough marathons yet to reach any overly negative conclusions, especially with that training cycle where you struggled with the heat as well as the Achilles. It’s a brilliant result after all that, and many of us have to grind out a good bit more than just the last 4 miles! You’ll be a great asset to whatever pace group you end up with in Dublin. Recover well!

Some result, delighted for you. Well done.

jake1970 wrote: »

Report?

Will do my best this evening, on my own with the kids this week so not much free time!!!!

RheinEnergie Marathon Köln 3.15.10 (436th/4803)


Prerace

I took a ten day taper before the marathon only running 4 days out of those and making sure I rested as much as I could in that period. I was conscious to get extra sleep also, I wanted to be as recovered as I possibly could be before heading to Köln. We drove from The Hague on Friday afternoon, the wife,myself and our two children. This marathon would be special in that sense as it would be the first marathon they would see there Dad run. We stayed in an Air B&B in the Deutz area of Köln, reason being it was five minutes walk from the start and had a U-stop right outside its front door which made it perfect for travelling home Sunday afternoon.

We went to the Expo on Saturday morning to beat the crowds, it was small compared to the others I've been to in Rotterdam and Barcelona which was good as there was little excuse for walking around checking out the stalls on show. Collected my number and t-shirt and hightailed it out of there. Went for a brief look around the city and grabbed some lunch before heading back to the apartment to chill for the rest of the day and keep the fluid intake topped up. The missus made my favourite pre-race meal, sausage pasta with broccoli, which I devoured. Watched some German tv which I couldn't make head nor tail of and was in bed by 10.30pm, slept reasonably well waking a few times in anticipation for the race ahead...........

Race

Up at 7.30am and got breakfast of porridge, banana and two cups of coffee into me beforehand. Got the crew together and brought a bottle of High 5 water with me to sip on before the off. It was a cool morning with a light drizzle, perfect marathon weather I thought to myself, no excuses can be given about the weather anyway. The children were amazed by the size of the spectacle about to take place and were full of questions about this and that which was great for distracting me thinking about what lay ahead for me. Few quick pictures outside the Köln Deutz/Messe and kisses and hugs and I took my place in the top pen at 9.45am, it being a relatively small marathon numbers wise had no issue getting placed in the front pen. Took my first gel of the day on board here.

Brief few works with a German man who recognised the Trim AC singlet and told me he was running DCM also and we were into the countdown, boom the cannon goes and we are running. I am aware straight off that there was way to many runners where they shouldn't be, I nearly fall over a small lady 100 yards in who was power walking!!! Out over the Deutzer Brücke over the River Rhine and things spread out, we turn left over the bridge and run along the Rhine, runners tooing and frowing trying to get into there own race. I'm still passing loads of runners and as I should at this stage feel brand new, get to the first water table and take a cup on board.

5k: 22:40

We continue on along the river and go through an area called Maternusstrabe where the atmosphere is electric, support is giving it there all which makes the few hairs I have on my head stand on end, it really gives me a lift. By now the race has settled a bit and some runners start to become familiar, some that would stay the distance around me for most of the rest of the journey. Few glances and nods are exchanged but no words are spoken, most of the words spoken are German but I do pick up some bits of English every now and then. I look across to the other runners running the other side of the road we just ran and am thankful I am where I am, this wouldn't be the first time I have that thought during the morning/afternoon. The 10km water table appears and I neck my second gel, Powergel Strawberry and Banana, and wash it down with a cup of water.

10k: 45.02

We are running back towards the city still along the Rhine and the drizzle stops, its still cool but the sun is trying to break through the clouds, you can hear the crowds getting closer as the noise level keeps rising. We turn left, a quick right, then left again then through the Severinstorburg and bang the noise of the crowds hit, it really is loud, kids looking for high 5's, various posters written in German offering support. The crowd here is 4-5 deep and are offering us there all in our race. It thins out for a bit and I do a quick systems check, all feeling good, looking forward to seeing my family at 14.5km where we agreed to meet to give me a bottle of Tailwind, we turn onto Neumarkt and once more the crowd decibel level goes up, I'm coasting along here taking in the support but also keeping and eye out for my wife. I spot her ahead, grab my bottle and she shouts I look great which perks my mood to.

15k: 1.07.34

At this point we turn left away from the crowds, heading away from the city centre a bit and out towards Köln University, I begin to notice my right hip is paining me slightly but try to ignore it, I'm in a group now of 8-9 running steadily at 7.17-7.20 pace and it feels good still, we drop down a motorway underpass and see the leaders coming against us on the opposite side of the road, they are moving and using the decline of the underpass to its full advantage. We do a quick loop around here, I remember little of it as the support was more or less non existent but the first few words in our group are spoken, most are looking around 3.12-3.15. Two of the group are English and are doing most of the front running, I take a turn along with a German runner called Bart, I look at my Garmin for first time in ages and it shows us running 5.40 pace, buildings are playing havoc with the signal. Mile 12 of my marathon per the watch was 5.38!! Take my third gel shortly after.

21.1k: 1.35.26

As soon as this takes place the group splits up, 4-5 push on, I consider it for a bit but sit with the two English lads, again the noise levels pick up as we approach the city centre again. We go through Rudolfplatz where the crowds are lining the streets Tour De France style, right up in the runners faces offering encouragement and cheering us on, there is confetti everywhere also, on the ground in the air as we run through here. I spot my family again around 24.5km, I turn to see if anyone is running behind me, nobody and then point to indicate I am moving to my left, all of a sudden I get side swiped by another runner, nearly knocks me on my hole but keeps running shouting something in German as he went on. The two English lads agree with the names I called him, grab my second bottle of Tailwind from my wife and high 5 the children. She asks if I'm ok, I am I say all still feeling good.

25k: 1.53.17

The crowds stay with us for next few kilometres but start to thin out more as we leave the city centre again. The conversation is minimal now as the 3 of us concentrate on the remainder of our race, one of the lads stops for a comfort break and I think that's the last we would see of him, myself and the other English runner keep moving. The roads here are monotonous and the crowd support minimal, we head towards the zoo so the signs tell us then turn left shortly after 30km and my last gel. English runner remarks the marathon is only starting, don't say that I say to myself. My hips are gradually getting more painful but I'm doing my best to block the pain out, we run through a neighbourhood that was playing AC/DC "Thunderstruck" on loud speakers, it gives me a momentary lift, we turn right and more or less another immediate right and I have to drop the pace. The English runner beckons me to keep up, I tell him to keep going I have to slow as my hips are seizing slightly. He moves on into the distance, so the mind games with myself begin. I promise myself if I get to 35k I would stop and walk for a bit, 1km and I could walk. I hadn't slowed hugely going from 7.20 miles to 7.30/35, I keep moving keep blocking the hip pain out, using the runners running the other way past me as inspiration of how well I was doing.

35k: 2.39.09

I come back onto the monotonous part of the road running along the tram line, hundreds of runners streaming past me going the other way, a few passing me going my way. I again promise that once we get off this section, away from the castigating eyes of fellow runners i could walk, I look at my watch then my hand and see my children's names written on my hand, something I always do before I run a race. I repeat there names over & over, oooh that's helping the pain so I continue to do it. Over and over I say them, hundreds of times, I think of something healy1835 sent me during the week and dig deep again, amazing the stuff that comes to your mind when your in a world of hurt. Over and over the names are repeated when up ahead I spot Mr Side swipe, he's in a completely different world of hurt than me, I offer him words of encouragement which he acknowledges and starts running again but has to stop again after a few yards.

40k: 3.04.11

Back in the city centre again but less crowds here than last time we passed through Neumarkt, bang the hamstrings start to seize, ah not now I think I'm nearly there. Next thing I hear loads of shouting coming from behind me, its the 3.15 pacers, they have a few with them and encourage all they pass to go with them. I try but the hips cramp, try again a bit better, go with them a bit and turn left onto Hohe Strabe, the finishing loop. Crowds are raucous here once more 6-7 deep again. The pacers are screaming, shouting at runners to "Come". I try, bang my right hamstring seizes, here I am surrounded by thousands of people standing like a statue with a spasming hamstring, i can't move, I see my family in the crowd but can't get to them. I bend over and grab my right toe, Germans shouting at me to move, it loosens out, I run like a waddling duck and high 5 my family and keep going. I turn left onto the home straight and the red carpet, the Dom at my back and huge grandstands of crowds to my left and right. I see the clock ticking to 3.15.xxx and try muster a sprint but legs don't allow it, I honestly don't care, I cross the line ecstatic!!!!

42.2k: 3.15.10

Walk on and head for a barrier, bent over and start balling my eyes out for few minutes. Get my medal and drink few cups of Coca-Cola, walk past all the free food and beer and wait on my family. See them and fall into my wife's shoulder for another whinge, get big kisses and hugs off the children who say they are proud of there Daddy, the pain disappears.........

What an incredible report. That was really something.

Congrats on an amazing race.

Inspirational, Barry. Certainly are a tough nut. I’d never have been able to bend low enough to grab my toe, well done on the flexibility front too! Congrats.

Feck ya I'm in work an trying to hide the tears!!!


Wow amazing report, amazing run and pure guts to keep it going when body was objecting! Delighted for you B.

Brilliant report B, delighted for you. Catching up with Sideswipe was an added bonus!

Younganne wrote: »

Feck ya I'm in work an trying to hide the tears!!!


Wow amazing report, amazing run and pure guts to keep it going when body was objecting! Delighted for you B.

Same here

Amazing report and an even more amazing run, well done!

Epic report!

So, how will you train or run differently next time?