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Blarney Half Marathon 13th September
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31-08-2009 8:28pm#1
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Make sure you look at the elevation profile on the mapmyrun link
Ran this last year and it does climb all the way to about half way point, where just before that there is a sharp climb. the second half is mostly downhill running or flat, but there are some hidden climbs.
As its mostly an out+back course, you will see where these uphill bits are at end, going out at start.
The way I ran it last year was to go out steady+pick up time in 2nd half, and that will be the plan again this year. A tough enough course, medals for all that finish+to my mind 20euro for pre-entry is great value.
A good spread is put on afterwards as well by the club;)0 -
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tisnotover wrote: »
The way I ran it last year was to go out steady+pick up time in 2nd half, and that will be the plan again this year. A tough enough course, medals for all that finish+to my mind 20euro for pre-entry is great value.
A good spread is put on afterwards as well by the club;)
I wasn't aware of the hills before I ran it last year
(rookie mistake) and psychologically they wore me down. Knowing about them beforehand is a huge leg up. The steep down hill section just after Grenagh is difficult to run as well 
.
You should keep something in reserve as the real race should begin then.
+1 for the spread afterwards.
Also at the finish line (1/2 km to grub) there are copious amounts of bananas, mars bars, water & sports drinks
.
Medals are OK, but are not marked with the year of the event(the casing in which the medals are presented are marked with the year but this scrathes off quite easily).
My DCM training is going really well and I am looking forward to this race as I have not entered many races over the past 3 months.
Didn't do myself justice last year and will certainly aim to be finishing the race with some modicum of dignity on Sundat week!
As yet I haven't decided whether or not I'll race it or just incorporate it into my DCM training schedule (conveniently, 13 miles is scheduled for that weekend!). Most probably I'll be conservative for first 7 -8 miles (8:00min/mile) and then step it uip a notch for the final 5 or 6 miles (7:30/mile), that's one plan anyway. Or I might get caught up in the racing bug on the day and attempt a PB (currently sitting at 1:42.18). Who knows?0 -
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tisnotover wrote: »
Excellent, as long as it's not too warm. Just waiting for the race number to arrive in the post now. Will have to drive the route on Saturday to see what I'm getting myself into. I knew I should have spent a bit more time on hill work. I cant even wear my heellys, cos I'll only end up rolling back downhill. :P0 -
got my race number in post yesterday, you should get it today...
those heelys would be lethal, as eliwallach was saying it is a fair steep drop in altitude once ya get over the hill in Grenagh!?!
don't mind if its wet, but sun/heat would be a big no-no!0 -
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preview now up on "Running in Cork" website:
http://corkrunning.blogspot.com/
forecast still looks good, we may need those water stations 0 -
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tisnotover wrote: »preview now up on "Running in Cork" website:
http://corkrunning.blogspot.com/
forecast still looks good, we may need those water stations
Forecast looks like 16-18 deg, clear skies, around the time of the race....ideal conditions. Light ENE cross wind which while being no help should be no hindrance either.....I had been hoping though for a nice wind at our backs though to push us up the hill.0 -
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So, how did everyone get on in this? I'm ashamed to say I DNF'd due to a very bad knee injury. The thing that got me though was having to wait 30 minutes for the damned ambulance to arrive, from being held up by the slow runners... :mad: I suppose the only good thing about it was I got my pick of food when I arrived back at race HQ - those choccy eclairs were bloody lovely!
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So, how did everyone get on in this? I'm ashamed to say I DNF'd due to a very bad knee injury. The thing that got me though was having to wait 30 minutes for the damned ambulance to arrive, from being held up by the slow runners... :mad: I suppose the only good thing about it was I got my pick of food when I arrived back at race HQ - those choccy eclairs were bloody lovely!
Sorry to hear that I spotted you as I went along and hoped you had only stopped waiting for someone hope the knee improves quickly.
I enjoyed the day and the choccy eclairs tasty tasty tasty..
It was a very hot day and my first time doing this distance and finished
in 1:47 so happy with that.
Gave the Boards Ac singlet a good test and as with reviews of Pearl I. gear it came through with flying blue colours.
This was a tough but very well run race, friendly and a challenging especially with the sunshine.
Was good to meet one or two boardsies and there was a least two Boards AC singlets on show
Well done to Eli on a great time
I'll be back 0 -
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Cork Half Marathon 13th September
So i've just recently moved down to Cork to do my masters and last week I heard about this race. I had intended upon doing the DCM '09 but I got injured near the end of our soccer season and had to give that up( see abandoned training log:D).
After slowly building up my runs (to about 8/9 mile max) I decided to give this race a go. The last and only other half marathon i've done is Connemara this year which I did in around 2.06.??.
The weather was ridiculously good for this time of year and the flashbacks from the Cork marathon were starting to happen (the only 2 times i've ever run in Cork its +20 degrees
)
The race started pretty much bang on time and there was a good atmosphere at the beginning. John Buckley was at the start line to send us on our way. I didn't really know much about the course beforehand except a vague idea about elevation. Normally it takes me a few miles to settle in but I felt pretty good from the beginning. The first couple of miles passed nicely and then there were a few climbs to contend with. I remember turning one corner in particular and muttering out some things that should not be repeated;)
Anyway, what goes up should come down and we had the nicest ever down hill, it was lovely. After around the 9/10 mile mark I think the hard work was done. A big shout out to the guy at the side of the road around the 3 and 10 mile mark who had the trad music blaring from his car, that seriously helped lift my spirit. My main aim before the race was just to get around but mid way through I knew I could dip below my previous time. My watch gave me 1.58.09 which I was delighted with.
I must say that I really enjoyed the run today, a great route, very well organised and I'll defo be back next year.0 -
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Here is my experience of Blarney (lifted from my training log):
Hal Higdon wanted 13 miles this weekend and St. Finbarr's AC duly obliged with their annual staging of the Blarney Half Marathon.
Last years event was a rain-athon and made for a miserable 13.1 miles for me in which I clocked 01:50.51; this year however the sun came out to play. Talking to a few at the start line and comparisons were being made with the weather for the Cork City Marathon - surely not in the middle of Sept?
Met Blind Hurler at the start line fully decked out in Boards AC singlet and factor 20.
We were set off pretty much on time and with afield a 550 it didn't take long to get a bit of running space (although a road race would not be complete without the usual slow runners whon start up near the front).
Caught up with Condo131 during the first mile and exchanged pleasantaries - I said it probably wasn't a day for a PB, he said it was, however, a good day for a PW
.
First mile in 7:30 and I was feeling good but was mindful of the hills still before us. Mile 2 in 7:30 again. The sun was really beating down on us now and for mile 3 we were exposed to the full heat of the sun. Thankfully we were back under shade for the next couple of miles. Water was provided in plastic cups ergo 20% in your mouth and 80% over your face and down your front, which probably wasn't a bad thing today.Small uphill for the second half of mile 3 saw the pace drop back to 7:36/mile. Beforehane I was in 2 minds whether to run this as a training race or to go for a PB - after the first 3 miles went so well I decided to maintain the pace as best I could over the next hilly section and then "make hay" over the downhill section. The uphill section began in earnest from mile 4.5 to 6.5. It really was relentless. Just keep the head down and count 100 paces and have a look up. Head down again and count another 100 paces, look up.......
Finally the village of Grenagh, and a steep downhill section. Last year I went "cracked" on this section and passed loads of runners, and ultimately paid the price later. Today was a time for cool heads. Condo131 had passed me around mile 4 and now I found him just in front of me cleverly running the shortest route possible from bend-to-bend, I follwed him and enjoyed the downhill without going too crazy.
There was a long section between mile 7 and mile 9 along a very quiet road during which I upped the pace a little and felt good. In my mind I was doing some rapid calculations and felt I was in good enough shape to beat my Current PB of 01:42.18 - set in Bantry in May, but this was a great chance for me to beat 01:40.00. All my calculations pointed to a 01:39.xx finish.
Just after mile 9 we looped back onto the first 4 miles of the route. I hadn't remembered all of this section being downhill on the way out(!) as I now found myself climbling slightly under the shade of the trees. I was still picking-off some runners along this section. The exposed section Mile 11 to mile 12 was tough and the sun was both hot and in our eyes.
Mile 12 was dig-in time. My legs were feeling it a bit now. The lead car (now finished with the business end of the race) had returned to the course and drove just in front of me - this was a first! At the mile 12 marker the lead-car clock read 01:31.xx - a sub 01:40 was still on
. The last mile was tough and long. Still on target though - it was then that I remembered to 0.1mile at the end of the race. All calculations wrong and all bets off . To compound matters there was a nasty sting in the tail of the Blarney Half Marathon with a sharp sapping uphill just before the finish line, so any attempted sprint finish was ended before it could begin.
Crossed the line in 01:40.20 to record a PB and you've gotta be happy any day you register a PB, even if the sub 01:40 had eluded me.
Copious amounts of sports drinks and bananas at finish line. Medal was unceremoniously dumped into my hand too. More tea & grub back at race HQ. But the day was just too hot and nice to be sitting around drinking tea
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