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1,000 Miles Later...
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Cheers paddy. I only got to the start with 3-4 min to spare due to the ridiculous toilet queues. That didn't help the nerves to begin with. But there was more than that at play. Very well done yourself. Glad to see it wasn't all doom and gloom.
If it was as easy as just turning up and running a time, it would take the fun out of racing. With this being the main target of the year, it would be easy to reflect negatively on the year but overall I've come on leaps and bounds. Most importantly, I enjoy my training.
Will have to think about what the next step is. I've only been running 16 months so perhaps these kind of targets are a touch ambitious when looked at from a long term perspective.
Will try and get a march report up tomorrow0 -
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Tough break yesterday, do you reckon nerves had anything to with it?
I was shocked to see you on the road, fair play for jumping on and seeing it out. Pity I didn't have a spare 3:40 flag to give you, I could have done with a hand!
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Pre-Race
Got up to Dublin mid Saturday afternoon, met up with my father and headed straight out to the expo to pick up my number. Also picked up my six gels as I had last year. This year however, I had no pockets in my shorts, so I purchased a belt. Wearing something on race day I'd not used in training, stupid. Headed back to the hostel and tried to get some sleep. Only got in about 2 hours, if even that. I had got much the same sleep last year and I had slept well the previous 2-3 days leading up to the race so I wasn't too worried about this. While I tossed and turned throughout the night I was sweating quite a bit though, so I suspect that may have had an adverse affect, particularly on salt levels.
Another mistake was not eating earlier. Usually I eat breakfast 2.5 - 3 hours before a race, yesterday I ate at 7.30. Either it was the lingering breakfast, or the gel belt, but my stomach was not good from mile 1. First lesson stick to the tried and tested and do not vary from it on race day, no matter how insignificant you may think it is.
Got down to the start around 8.10am. Wished my father well and headed off for the orange pin. Joined a queue for the toilet straight away but only got in and out at 8.55am. Experiencing the national anthem from inside a portaloo was certainly different! Peg it up along the barriers, leaping over 3-4 and found a spot to tuck in just ahead of the 3.10 pacers with about 2 minutes to spare. Between getting there in a hurry and fiddling with the gel belt, the race was off and I never had a chance to take in the start, or even say to myself you're about to run a marathon.
Miles 1-3
Off we popped and I was much further behind the 3 hr pacers than I'd have liked. Didn't worry about it though and figured I'd work my way gradually towards them. Lots of congestion in the first mile, especially the first turn, where (as I was on the right hand side) I had to take it narrow and was forced to a halt.
As I said previously, within the first mile, my stomach was not well. I was hoping, it would fade away, as these kinda things do on training runs. Unfortunately that wasn't to be the case. I think it was more to do with pressure being applied from the gel belt rather than the later than usual breakfast. Each time I pulled on the belt, it would provide a relief from the unpleasantness. I probably should of just chucked it away there and then. However I though if I could get through 10 miles or so, I could carry three gels in my hand and toss it then.
After three miles, my garmin was already measuring .1 of a mile shorter than the markers. Because of this and congestion, I was 20sec or so down on where I'd have liked to be. This didn't worry me too much though. I said I'd stick with the 3 hour guys as planned and as they'd started a few second before me, I'd be reeling back in toward target. I was pumping sweat already but I felt relaxed and wasn't working too hard. 6.50, 6.52, 6.32
Miles 4-7
Up though the park and as I had planned, I stuck with the 3 hour pacers. Didn't feel great with my stomach but at the same time I wasn't under pressure. These miles actually felt like they flew by. 6.48, 6.38, 6.34, 6.43
Miles 8-10
As was my prerace plan, I nudged slightly ahead of the 3 hour guys on the downhill after the park. I remember running mile 8 quite fast but it didn't feel like I was exerting too much effort. I was also trying to make up for the discrepancies between my garmin and the overall pace. Looking back at the split, despite how it felt, I definitely ran it too fast. 6.16
The next mile was a touch too fast also at 6.29. Actually looking back on the splits now, it looks like I tried to claw back too much time in a short period of time. I was setting myself up to suffer. The next mile in 6.35 and that's when the wheels started coming off.
Miles 11-13
Over the next two miles, the three hour pacers started to slip away from me. I wasn't upping my effort levels to stay with them at this stage of the race, and hoped I'd find some kind of rhythm to work back towards them. In keeping my effort levels on a par, the pace started to slow. I wasn't gasping or anything, actually my breathing was still quite relaxed, I just simply didn't have the energy to keep up. Through half way in 1.29.13, I was on pace for sub three but I knew it was defiantly off the table 6.53, 6.47, 6.59
Miles 14-17
Things slowed dramatically into the wind on mile 14. With the three hour paces racing off into the distance, I reduced myself to a jog fighting limply into the wind. 7.44
I just had no energy levels at this stage. Three hours was gone but I though I could try and salvage a somewhat respectable time so I decided to walk in a hope I could regain some strength. The walking begin at the end of mile 15 and the start of 16 and I got back up to a steady pace for mile 17 but it was getting warm and still very windy out there. 8.12, 8.26, 7.30
Miles 18-22
When I couldn't keep with the 3.10 pacers, I knew my race was done and now all I wanted was for it to be over. If I had a way back to the city centre I would of pull out at this stage. Nothing to be gained from plodding along. I had also developed a pain across my chest in the second half of the race. Not sure what cause it but it seemed to get bad when I took on water. Maybe it was cause by my stomach or maybe it was guzzling water trying to regain some energy.
The left turn at bushy park I found particularly upsetting. I remember it fondly from last year as the point were I began to feel confident about reaching my goal. The crowd there was great as always so I jogged through but soon after I was back to walking. Run, walk was the theme of this section. 9.04, 7.15, 8.35, 10.31, 7.53
Miles 23-24
Walked up Roebuck and continued walking for a bit after it. When I tried to get going again this time I was met with chest pains and my left hamstring had locked itself up as it started to cool down. I decided to remain walking from here. I also learned the phrase kids can be so cruel to be quite true. On at least three different occasions toddlers asked their parent "why is that man walking?"
The 3.20 pace group passed by and it seemed like only 2 min later when the 3.30 guys came powering through. Another depressing though entered my mind as I remembered being right on their should at this point last year. 16.36, 20.04
Miles 25-Finish
Along came team Gavlor and he gave me a hello. I shook my head and replied with something like bad day in the office. As the 3.40 group was just pulling away, I said I'd try and stick with them. Had another quick work with Gavlor. Asked how the pacing was going and he had it pretty much spot on. Moved off to the side and let him support those who really needed it. I was grand until I took another sip of water and a pain in my chest brought me to a halt once more. Walked it off for a few seconds and jogged it home from there. 8.06, 8.11
3.39.30
Post-Race
As soon as I stopped running, I started gasping for for air for about a minute. Short sharp breaths, as if I was hyperventilating. It quickly subsided and I didn't really think much of it. I headed around the first corner and found a place to sit down. I knew I should of stayed on my feet walking for at least 10 minutes to try and slowly regulate blood flow back from my legs. Having taken the second half of the race relatively easy, I figured I couldn't be too spent. Yet another mistake as when I tried to get back to my feet, nausea came over over me.
I tried to get up 3 times over 30min but each time I felt sick and dizzy. Someone had asked had I wanted help after the first attempt but I declined as I though it would just go away with time. I was fine lying on my back but each time I tried to get upright the same thing happened. Eventually a member of the medical crew asked me was I ok and I explained to her what was happening. She got me to my feet and this time the dizziness stayed away but I started rattling with the cold so I was brought in the first aid tent.
So a began a 2 hour cycle of attempting to stand upright, followed by dizziness, followed by vomiting. As it kept happening, I was transferred to the medical tent where I was put on a drip and finally started to feel ok. A big thank you to St.Johns and all the medical staff, they were superb.
Aftermath
So what went wrong? Looks like I ran miles 8-10 too quickly but I would like to think I should have been able to keep pace for at least another handful of miles. I'd ran 14 miles in training on tired legs ok but that seemed to be the limit yesterday on fresh legs.
The soon and sudden drop off in pace would led me to think it was a combination of poor fueling and the tough weather conditions. That's if I had to give one reason. The gel belt squeezing on my stomach was stupid and certainly didn't help either.
Where too from here? What I want to do is get myself signed up for a spring marathon. However I'm going to try and seek some advise and take a more long-term approach to things. I didn't get close to my target for this training cycle but it certainly hasn't been a waste of time. I've a HM PB and an increased base to build off from here.
As for the rest of the year, I may sign up for the Waterford HM, if I do, I'll do three weeks of easy running leading up to it, no sessions and see how things go. Will be looking start building myself back up come December solidifying some targets for early '15.
I may avoid Dublin next year, but I'll certainly be back at some stage. It really is a fantastic event and the support is something else. Bombing down those final two miles with a deep sense of satisfaction has to be experienced again.
Off to tour Andalusia for 12 days in the morning so I'll try and put this nightmare behind me. A very well done to everyone else who ran yesterday, particularly those who reached their goals.0 -
Tough break yesterday, do you reckon nerves had anything to with it?
I was shocked to see you on the road, fair play for jumping on and seeing it out. Pity I didn't have a spare 3:40 flag to give you, I could have done with a hand!
I didn't sleep well the night before but I was the same last year. I didn't have butterflies or feel what you could describe as nervousness, I just couldn't sleep. At the start I didn't even give myself time to get nervous :pac:
I was wondering why you were on your own alright. I figured it the other guys were back helping some of the hangers on like you'd often see with a pacing group. I guess I wasn't the only victim out there :eek:
At the last station I actually picked up two water bottles and offered them amongst your group trying to do some good with where I was. I ended up having to stop again after taking a sip though :rolleyes::pac:
Congrats on a job well done. I'd say pacing in a race with crowds like that is great fun.0 -
Echo
Echo
Echo
Time to revive the log and put Dublin behind me. A shocking day but taking the year as a whole I can't be too disappointed. The margins in a marathon are tiny when trying to run to your best and I got it very, very wrong.
My enjoyment of running is still very much in tact however and I got back on the road last week, running 32.5 miles total with a 10 mile long run all in around 8 min/mile.
I'm still unsure about what to target in 2015 but I've decided to skip a spring marathon. As much as I'd like to have another go at sub 3, I think working on other areas/pace will stand me better in the long run. Another main reason is I've only been running for 17 months so relatively speaking I've very little mileage in my legs to be shooting for aggressive marathon targets.
In the short term, I've signed up for the Waterford half. I may not run it at 100% but just go out and enjoy it and have an enjoyable end to racing in 2014. It's just down to road and the proceeds are for the club here so why not.
Looking past that I'm just going to work back up to 60-70 miles a week and get comfortable banging them out consecutively with a session here and there. I'll be shamelessly lifting them from ecolii's log for the time being
. I'm looking at the Ballycotton 10 mile as potentially my first goal race of 2015 (if I can get an entry), where I'd be looking to break the hour mark.
Monday 17th - 7.02 miles @ 8.06
Tuesday 18th - 8.04 miles (w/ 24 X 30sec hard/30 sec rec) @ 7.30
A nice little session for a return to speed work. Averaged about 5.20 effort hard pace. Not too taxing but worked up a good sweat. I'm glad I didn't wear two layers!
Plan for the rest of the week is to hit 40 miles, with a tempo Thursday and a long run of 12 miles on Friday as I'm off to Belfast for the weekend.0 -
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Time to tidy things up and round out November. I'm happy with how I've returned to running after the marathon and my holiday. I don't think I've lost as much fitness as I thought I would but I'll get a true feel for where I'm at after Waterford next Saturday.
Wednesday 19th - 6.22 miles @ 7.49
Easy does it.
Thursday 20th - 7 miles (inc 20min tempo) @ 6.56
2 miles warm up
20 min tempo @ 6.05
1.72 miles warm down
I was delighted with the pace I hit for the tempo section. Only 20min but back to what I was running pre-marathon with the expected levels of effort.
Friday 21st - 12.02 miles @ 7.42
Got the long run in early as I was off to Belfast for the weekend.
Monday 24th - 6.07 miles @ 7.44
Easy run
Tuesday 25th - 6.89 miles (inc 2,1,3,1,2 min hard @ 7.13)
2 miles warm up
2 min hard (5.37 pace)
1 min hard (5.31)
3 min hard (5.32)
1 min hard (5.15)
2 min hard (5.31)
2 miles warm down
Took this from ecoliis thread (along with the other sessions) where the pace called for was between 3K and 10K. I said I'd target 5K pace, 5.40 but felt quite good during the run so was able to push down towards 3K pace after the first rep.
Wednesday 26th - 6.02 miles @ 7.48
More easy running. Nice and mild these days
Thursday 27th - 10.84 miles (inc 4 X 10min @ MP) @ 7.06
Mp sections were 6.37, 6.38, 6.35, 6.36.
My first MP run exactly a month since the actual marathon. The first 10 min felt like tough going but once I got going the session came together nicely. Enjoying the variety in these session.
Friday 28th - 5.02 miles @ 8.44
Recovery
Saturday 29th - 14.03 miles @ 7.50
Long run for the week and final run of the month. It also brought about my 2,000 mile of the year.
No idea where I'm at for Saturday but that's what the race will be all about for me. Looking forward to plenty of blaa's afterwards. :pac:0 -
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paddybarry wrote: »That's more like it, nice running!
Cheers paddy. Nice run yourself this weekend. Sub 17 isn't too far away.DCM demons exorcised.
Well done
That's what filled my mind hitting that final mile. Won't be fully forgotten until I get a marathon right but it'll end the year on a much higher note.ThebitterLemon wrote: »Great run SB, strong finish too, well done
TbL
Cheers TbL. Enjoying your log of late. Looking forward to following the progress towards Boston.Well done lad - great run
Right back at you. Congrats on the big pb.Great running, well done.
Cheers dintbo. Well done on smashing through your own target.Duanington wrote: »Great running Skeleton boy, super finish too. Well done
Thanks. Great run from yourself. Sorry the race report disappeared on ya but I'm sure there'll be better days to read about yet!
Monday 8th - 5.02 miles @ 8.55
Very slow recovery run. Some doms in my right leg that'll hopefully have disappeared by tomorrow.0 -
Monday 8th - Sunday 14th
A week of easy running after the Waterford Half, nothing exciting to report just kept things ticking over. 6 runs, 44 miles in total with a 15 mile long run. Was planning to make the long run a progression run but a few too many beers were had the weekend so I thought twice about it.
Monday 15th - 5.04 miles @ 8.17
Easy run on a windy night. Tried not to force the pace and kept things very relaxed. Worryingly I've developed a dull pain directly under my right knee. It fades during a run but can be really felt when going down stairs.
Tuesday 16th - 8.73 miles (w/6,5,4,3,2,1 min @ various) @ 7.25
Another one taken from ecolii's continuity log. A bit breezy tonight but nothing too severe. Felt sluggish during the warm up so though things might get tough during this one.
6, 5 min @ HM (6.12, 6.12 pace)
4, 3 min @ 10K (5.51, 5.52)
2, 1 min @ 5K (5.36, 5.29)
Found the first rep tough as I got through the sluggishness but enjoyed the session after that. Pleased with the paces and with how I worked into the wind.
A new supermarket has opened on the loop I do most of my quicker stuff, adding more traffic to weave around as they are pulling in/out
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The knee is much the same. If anything a touch stiffer today when flexed fully. Recovery run tomorrow and I'll see what it's like on Thursday. If there's no improvement I might take off a few days as next week is likely to be disjointed anyway with Christmas.0 -
Aside from a disappointing marathon effort, 2014 has far exceeded my most optimistic expectations. First of all I stuck with running after starting with one goal, to run a marathon in 2013. Not only that but its become probably my favourite pastimes. (There isn't much else I'd get up at 4.30am for, like I did during the summer to get in a long run before an early bus to Dublin.)
My progress this year has been a big motivator and even though gains will be much smaller going forward, if I'm as consistent with my training in 2015, as 2014, I'm sure I'll be looking back happily on this year come January 2016.
Mileage
Jan - 141
Feb - 142
Mar - 130
Apr - 181
May - 179
Jun - 167
Jul - 217
Aug - 250
Sep - 267
Oct - 206
Nov - 122
Dec - 149
Total - 2,152
Favourite Race
Even though I ran better times by the end of the year, my favourite race of the year was back in March, the Tralee Half Marathon. I was hoping to finish in 1.26ish so it's probably the last race where I will smash through my expectations, like I had with my first handful of races to that point. I had two sub 6 min miles in the final 4 miles, (which I didn't do in any of the 3 other halfs I ran this year) and the final mile itself was 5.40 (I've only run quicker miles in a 5K since).
To quote myself from the 2015 goals thread:skeleton_boy wrote: »1. Sub 1.18 HM
2. Sub 60min 10 mile
3. Sub 17min 5K
4. Sub 36min 10K
5. Run a middle distance race / sub 5 min mile or 1500m equivalent
6. Run over 2,500 miles on the year
My main focus will be the first goal. If I can run sub 6 pace for a HM by the end of the year I'll be delighted.
My first goal race of 2015 will be Ballycotton where I'll hopefully tick off goal number 2. A long run tomorrow will see week 1 completed of a 9 week plan Ecoli posted in the continuity thread. I'll post up how the week has gone tomorrow once I've got it done.0 -
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