Dublin city marathon 28/10/2018

My first marathon yesterday, and while I didn't get the time I wanted I was happy to complete it

At halfway I was on course for the time I wanted then the wheels fell off? I'd been struggling the last month with a slight knee injury, and it reappeared around mile 16

Legs are very sore this morning, and chasing round after 2 young kids it's going to be a long day

Will I do another marathon I'd say I'm 50/50 at the moment. Back to some 10kms and halfs for now

colin32 wrote: »

Will I do another marathon I'd say I'm 50/50 at the moment. Back to some 10kms and halfs for now

Most people swear they'll never run another marathon and then they still do it, so if you're 50/50 already you'll definitely run a few more!

Managed to take a minute off my PB, which I was not expecting. I've had an intermittent calf issue that prevented me from running since the Dublin Half until a week before DCM, that's a lot of key training to miss! I managed 1 medium and 5 short runs in the last week which felt very tough due to loss of fitness.

I was at a work conference on Thursday and Friday where I was on my feet a lot, which did my calf no favours, Saturday morning it was aching like hell, and doing the marathon didn't seem likely. I spent the day doing dynamic stretches and deep foam-rolling, it seemed to get better as the day went on and by the time I was going to bed it was fine.

I got to the start line with the intention of just enjoying the day, knowing that I had nothing to lose. I was ready to drop out if any pain returned, thankfully it was a pain-free marathon aside from the odd niggle when going downhill.

It was the first sensible marathon I've ran, I locked in at relaxed 4:35km/s and kept it up until the 37th km, gleefully running past sections where the previous year I had to walk or stop to massage a cramp, I even managed to run up Heartbreak Hill, though admittedly I wasn't going to until an encouraging gentleman from the crowd reminded me it's the last hill. I had to shuffle and suffer my way through the last 4 km but managed to cross the line at 3:15:37. I was delighted, it's my 4th marathon and first time to actually improve on my first.

TLDR: Turns out if you run the first 3/4's of a marathon at an easy pace you're more likely to get a PB. I mean, nobody as ever told me that before!

iancairns wrote: »

That’s incredible running. Huge respect for anyone who can blast through the 3hr barrier like this.

I’ve been slowly inching towards it 3:31,3:25,3:17,3:09.

How did you smash it this year. Did you train for a 2.50 instead?

Drop much weight?

Thanks!

Ian

I was very disciplined with my training for 12 weeks. Made sure that my long runs were at the correct intensity so that I was getting the benefit from them, but also so that I recovered quick enough to be able to do a session on the Tuesday. Did 9 x 20 milers, 2 x 21, and 1 x 22. The day of the Dublin half in PP I ran 11km on my own in the park at c4.05 pace before the race and then jumped into the race and kept the same but felt really strong and ran the half in 1.23 so my avg pace for 20 miles was 4.00p/km. that gave me confidence so the next week I ran 20 @ 2.55 marathon pace and after that I felt 2.50 was on!

colin32 wrote: »

It's the pain I'm suffering now, and yesterday that is stopping me at the moment

Yesterday was my ninth marathon.

I’m suffering too.

Enjoy what you’ve achieved.

No rush to sign up for something straight away.

After a break get back out once or twice a week.

KJ wrote: »

Yesterday was my 2nd marathon. The first was Dublin in 2015 when I had no training and naively thought I could do it. Finished in 5:08. This time I had trained. At the 30km mark I was on course for a 3:54 finish but the last 12kms took it out of me and I finished in 4:35. Still delighted with that time and I felt much better throughout than the time before.

Pretty much the same here , 30km I was at 3:02 finished in 4:28. Last 12 was tough

2:39:45 PB for me, around 3 mins faster than last year.

Here’s to 2 weeks rest!

El CabaIIo wrote: »

Ultrapercy 2:29:47!!!! Absolutely fcuking delighted for him. 20 odd years of marathon running an still running PB's

Thanks very much. Its an unbelivable feeling. I honestly had given up hope of ever doing it. I never believed yesterday either untill I hit the blue carpet.
A lad I work with who has been helping me this year (intoduced hr training and high mileage) told me "you dont need belief you need training" and he was right. Marathon running is a very tough game at every level. Bad days out number good days by about 10 to 1. If you asked me to pick out a day that I felt good since last May Id struggle but it was worth it.
Yesterday a gang of 11 friends of mine from home were running as part of a fundraiser for another good friend who suffered a brain injury after falling ill playing a masters league soccer match for Straide and Foxford United last December. He is currently in Dun Laoighre rehabilation hospital but was on the course yesterday at 24 miles in his wheelchair assisted by his wife and brothers. I honestly cannot describe in words the emotion of seeing him. Im not one whos given over to sentimentality and Ive been called cynical at times but that moment will stay with me forever.
To finaly achieve a lifetime goal is fantastic but under those circumstances its extra special.
Thanks to everyone on this forum for all the help support and arguments over the years. Keep on dreaming because you can make dreams come through

Four minutes off the target of 3.10, finishing on 3.14. I can't say i'm too upset though and happy with how I managed the run.

It's crazy in my mind how cramps appear, or let me know they are a possibility during the marathon when they don't seem to be an issue in training. Good pacing up to 28km. I started to get that initial tightness indicating cramp onset with the hamstrings down the line. Reduced the pace by a few seconds per Km to limit the risk.

From 33km the pace took a hit and some Kms was losing up to 30 secs on my pace per Km.

Overall I'm happy enough though, I think I read my body as best I could in tailoring the pace to what the max I could get on the day. Body feeling pretty fresh at work this morning and already planning for next years marathons, so i'll take that as a positive reflection on how the day went.

colin32 wrote: »

It's the pain I'm suffering now, and yesterday that is stopping me at the moment

About 3 days from now you'll be "Ah sure, it wasn't THAT bad!"

3:00:10 what can I say. a painfull PB

apjb82 wrote: »

Training was as such:
Monday - rest
Tues - usually km or mile repeats hard with good w/u & c/d, until about 5 weeks out when Tues became another recovery day
Wed - MLR @ same effort as LR, peaked @ 15m (least favourite session of week)
Thurs - Recovery 5/6m @ c4.45 pace
Fri - tempo (really important session)
Sat - easy run with strides
Sun - LR with easy start and picking up pace to about 4.15 finishing pace

Obviously that’s a generalisation and every week was different depending on circumstances. What helped me big time was getting runs done on commute time. MLR on Wed was ran home from work, Thurs recovery was on way to work, and Fri was home again. By fitting 3 runs a week (sometimes 4) into a commute it really made the training possible. I was home and finished by 7 / 7.30, instead of just putting on the runners at that time! Made it more palatable for the wife too

Thanks for that. For your tempo how far did u run and was it at half pace/marathon pace or faster.

Just love reading about this stufg

Out of curiosity what distance is the norm to cover over the distance for an average runner. I try my best to take the right lines but still come out a fair bit off the 42.2. I know it doesn't make a huge difference but still nice to get 30 secs or so off.

42.61 - 2014
42.50 - 2015
42.43 - 2017
42.41 - 2018

wookiesleep wrote: »

Out of curiosity what distance is the norm to cover over the distance for an average runner. I try my best to take the right lines but still come out a fair bit off the 42.2. I know it doesn't make a huge difference but still nice to get 30 secs or so off.

42.61 - 2014
42.50 - 2015
42.43 - 2017
42.41 - 2018

Did it yesterday for the first time. My watch (garmin 910xt) gave 42.4?, and my iPhone which I carried to record for Strava gave 42.9.
I tried to pick the short line on all corners. I guess different things can affect GPS accuracy.

average_runner wrote: »

Thanks for that. For your tempo how far did u run and was it at half pace/marathon pace or faster.

Just love reading about this stufg

Tempo would have increased as the programme went on. Initially it would have started as an 8 mile run with 2 w/u - 4 tempo - 2 c/d. Would have peaked at maybe 13 miles of which 7 would have been at tempo. Then in the last month or so I did no tempo and Friday was another recovery day.

I tried to do all tempo @ half marathon pace but sometimes that was a struggle on a Friday evening!