Pushing my boundaries and making my physio rich...

Sorry to jump in- feel free to remove/ delete if this is out of order. Here's my story:

I ran my first marathon in Limerick 2011 as part of a 'try get fitter and/or lose some [bl**dy] weight' effort. The experience was positive (especially the part about losing 16 pounds) so I ran the Dublin 2011 marathon, losing another 18 pounds in the process. I was down to 172 pounds after Dublin.
My times were decidedly unimpressive by the standards I read about here in other Boards marathon related threads but are on the right trajectory: 4 hours 41 for Limerick then 4 hours 16 in Dublin. I'm aiming for (as close as possible to) sub-4 hours for Limerick 2011.
Anyway, I wrote the following poem to encourage anyone who's thinking about training for a marathon but is unsure about whether they are up to it- hope you enjoy it!

===========================================
Run 26 miles? You’ve got to be crazy
And sure, it’s not something you’d do (if you’re lazy)
Why suffer the torture, the pain and the ache
When to cover that distance you need only take
A bus ride, a car trip or just ride your bike!
You think “Me run a marathon? Go take a hike!”
Yet so many do it year after year
I’ll tell you the reason (if you’d like to hear).

You’re tempted? That’s great- such a positive spirit
So let me outline how you’re going to hear it.
I’ll start with the factors that give you the spark
To consider to partake in this ‘running lark’
Then I’ll describe the training (run road and run hill)
And end with the Finish Line smile, if you will!
I hope at the end that you give it a go
And cease to exist as a couch potato!

You might take up running when you realise
That your waist is expanding in front of your eyes.
That middle age crisis takes hold of your mind
And your friends can no longer pretend to be blind
To the fact that you’re fat- there’s no easy way
To state it. You’re piling it on day-by-day.
Hence you loudly assert (your New Year’s resolution?)
That you’re going to eliminate this ‘bodily pollution’

As an ex-couch potato you’d best join a crew
Of like minded slow joggers- it’s easier to
Start gently- try start with a 5 minute walk
(They say that the test is that if you can talk
While training you’re doing it just about right)
And after 5 minutes you start to take flight.
But don’t be ambitious- this has to be possible
You don’t want to end up inside of the hospital!

And so training progresses, for sessions you meet
Each week gently boosting the time on your feet
From 30 to 40 minutes then much more!
And slowly you find that the aches and the sore
Muscles acclimatise- you’re making progress
And probably find that you weigh slightly less
(Which is good) but be wary- it’s then that you must
Be prepared to advance to the next stage…or bust.

It’s then that the training begins to get tough
As now you must try raise the bar high enough
And work hard to ensure that your daily routine
Converts you into a ‘mean running machine’!
So- up hill and down dale, on beach and on trail
(For serious distances) “Breathe in then exhale”
Remember to also adopt a good diet
If dessert looks quite tempting, it’s best not to try it!

Your training will peak at mile 20 or so
By that stage it’s roughly 3 weeks to ‘get go’
To the date of your marathon- feel your heart beat!
You’re going to do it- you know you’ll compete.
You’ve done all the training and will demonstrate
That you’ve got what is needed for your marathon date!
So now for these last weeks you ease off the throttle
But don’t forget also to 'stay off the bottle' :-)

And finally- it’s here: the marathon day
You’ll run the whole distance (no matter what may)
You gather together at the starting position
With all of the other ‘competition’.
To tell you the truth they’re more like running brothers
And sisters as well- and even grandmothers!
The ties that have brought you to this day and place
May well last beyond the present day’s race.

Start orders are given and off you all go!
The crowd applauds, cheering you on as you slow-
-ly find your right pace and get into your rhythm
You know what is needed – that is a given.
You’re now on your way-the game is now on
You’re running your first ever full marathon!
Things settle down soon- you’re feeling just great
Or better than that- you’re feeling first rate!

You’re now halfway there and still feeling good
You know well this distance; you know that you should
Be feeling just fine (because you have trained)
You don’t even feel the slightest bit drained.
The miles soon clock up- the long effort tells
Make sure that you take on those energy gels.
You’ll need them to provide you with the extra fuel
To help you get through these last miles so cruel.

6 miles left to go and the dreaded wall
Might make you slow down, want to stop or to crawl.
Try not let these thoughts get the better of you
Just tell yourself firmly that you WILL push on through.
Don’t doubt that you’ve got the strength that’s required
To keep it all going- but just be inspired
By thinking of that little steam train that ran
Up the very steep mountain saying “Yes! Yes I can”

The final mile beckons, the end is in sight
The crowds cheering you on are a source of delight!
Your legs feeling sore, your muscles sure ache
But sight of the clock is certain to make
You give it your all for the last couple of feet
Your first marathon is now fully complete!
Reaching the end has tested your mettle
Congratulations- here’s your finisher’s medal!

Was that also your longest run since the marathon?
No harm in getting a new pair anyway, pushing those ones down the rotation...

Just spent the guts of 45mins reading through this thread.

An outstanding effort throughout. Im recently after taking up this LD running lark and can see parrallels between my own experiences at present and those you have gone through.

My goal for the year is to complete my first DCM in 3.45-50

Finding it tough going at the moment. Ive a fair bit of weight to shift, but your blog has been very inspiring! Please keep it up!

Delighted you're getting back out there vaggababe, you comin to Limerick?

tHE vAGGABOND wrote: »

Conor - How are you doing? Hope there is light at the end of the tunnel with your issues?

Nothing can be done about the mental ones;) but I'm on the way back with the running, finally!:)

chinguetti wrote: »

Good to hear the knee is well Vagga. Mind the foot though. And let them be jealous says I.:p

On the running front, sure i'm doing a bit. I'm now a funrunner (we all agreed this yesterday on a lsr:)) as i don't have a log or a garmin but did 10 miles yesterday. Meno was trying to get me to put up a log but he'ld find out about my speed sessions and tempo runs so the game would be up after that so they're no point.;)

Pacing Limerick for 4.30 so i'll do that, also a couple of XC races for the change and a few other things as well. Probably do a small foreign marathon later in the year and not Dublin but i've alot of foreign holidays this year that aren't running related and the Olympics to go to so nothing is set in stone yet.

Next year for the sub 3.30 i think.

Better actually start the speed sessions at some stage. Can't have you dragging the team down in Cork Myself and Robin will start our own breakaway team if we see any slacking