DCM 2015: Mentored Novices Thread

Dubgal72 wrote: »

When did you sign up G? Check your emails for starters....

PJD wrote: »

Thought I had deleted my email! Phew! Have the link now !!! So are we meeting at the expo and going for a few beers or would that be a bad idea!!! :-) ..... okay.... save the beer for monday!!

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Hehe let's do better than a chocolate teapot. Next week, we're going to compile a course overview based on our personal experiences. Why not start now...?!


To make your overview easy to search for, please put 'course overview' in the title (as above).

yaboya1 wrote: »

I think the funny thing about the Dublin Marathon is that all the talk beforehand focuses on 'Heartbreak Hill' and other minor inclines late in the race, when the truth is that the second half is relatively flat compared to the constantly undulating first half.


Miles 11-13 - This is the steepest incline you'll tackle in the entire race. St Laurence's Hill takes you out of Chapelizod up into Ballyfermot. Don't even look at your watch here. Just concentrate on keeping the effort steady & consistent. From there to Rialto you're constantly going slightly up or down. Again, it's the effort that's all important. Don't even worry if you're slightly behind pace through halfway. Dublin is a course that suits a negative split.

Miles 14-15 - A long drag from Dolphins Barn up the Crumlin Road and then on to the Walkinstown Roundabout. Wind is normally against you here, but it was stronger than usual last year and you'd be very unlucky to encounter the same conditions. Effort again is the most important thing in these miles.

+1 to this,
Miles 11-15 were definitely the toughest last year. Chapelizod to Ballyfermot, under the concrete tunnel is a bit tough as Yaboya says, but thankfully when you get up that hill the course is flat for a short while to get your recovery in.

Crumlin Road to Walkinstown Roundabout, Long drag:
One great tip for this section if it is windy, is to 'draft' with the herd of runners, get behind the tallest and widest runner that you can find , as you will save a lot of energy this way. Don't be the nugget that is weaving in and out of people on the paths just to gain a few seconds. This 'drafting' method works very well on the Chesterfield Avenue (PP) as this can be quite windy too....... drafting is perfectly legal in this race and you can save a lot of energy that will be needed for later on....:)

Once you get to the top of Roebuck Road, you then go down a lovely magical mile or so on Fosters Avenue and then it's mostly downhill/flat to the finish. For me, once I hit that point last year I knew that I would make to the finish line, as the crowds were like a big fantastic magnet dragging me towards that medal!!

Off to the physio this afternoon to get crunched back in to place and then my last LSR on Sunday morning ......then Ireland beat France in the Rugger and then we beat Poland in the footie.....Carlsbergs don't do 'Dream Sundays'.....but if they did :pac::D:D:D

Mulberry wrote: »

A pace band will also give you your 'real' marathon time, rather than your garmin time.

To explain:
Pretty soon into the marathon you'll notice that your watch is beeping the miles (or KMs) well before you hit the mile marker. This is because you will inevitably be weaving around the road a little, overtaking people or going from side to side on the road - and all of this adds distance. So, your watch will have calculated that you've run 5 miles before you get to the 5 mile marker. In actual fact, you'll have run at least 5.05 miles by then.

What's important about this is that, later on, your garmin will show you have finished the 26.2 miles BUT you'll still have from 0.25 to 0.5 miles to go before your each the gantry, depending on how much weaving you've been doing.

So (and this is where it gets really important), let's say you're going for a goal time of sub four hours, you've calculated that means you need to run at an average pace of 9.05 per mile, which will get you home at 3.58.09. Great.

BUT, if you do a marathon like my DCM in 2012 you'll actually cover around 26.5 miles. If you stick to 9.05 pace religiously in this scenario then your finishing time will be 4.00.42.

Ouch

A good way to avoid this is to monitor the cumulative time you've been running (as well as your average pace of course, if you're used to doing that) on your Garmin and use a pace band.

Your pace band will say the following:
Mile 1: 9.05
Mile 2: 18.10
Mile 3: 27.15
Mile 4: 36.20
Mile 5: 45.25
etc.

Ignore the mile beeps from your watch and instead glance down at the 'time passed' on your garmin when you hit a mile marker. In this case when you hit the 5 Mile Marker glance down at your pace band - if the 'time passed' says c. 45.25 then you're on track for your sub four marathon.

Also, try to run the racing line wherever possible. 26.2 miles is long enough, no need to be adding any more distance!

Best of luck everyone.

This Fat Girl Runs wrote: »

Here's my report of the part of the course I've been running. Quite regularly too so I'm happy with how familiar I am with the roads.

This report is in a different format to most. As much as I love reading and writing, I am a far better visual learner! I did this as much to help myself remember as to hopefully be of use to you guys! I don't see it as overkill, it was really helpful to put it together! (And fun too! )

Usual caveat: These are just my own thoughts from my own experience of the part of the course I've been running. It's not a technical reconnaissance. If I find a hill hard it's because I find it hard. Please do not berate or belittle me for it.

Ok, on to the good stuff! I am posting my report in parts based on the road. I also have a full pdf of these. If anyone wants the pdf just pm me with an email address or I can upload it somewhere and send you the link.

I really hope it's helpful!

01 Patrick Street (Mile 1)
02 High Street (Mile 1)
03 Bridge Street (Mile 1)
04 Ushers Quay (End of mile 1)
05 Blackhall Place (Mile 2)
06 Manor Street (MIle 2)
07 Aughrim Street (End of mile 2)
]08 North Circular Road (mile 3)
09 North Road Phoenix Park (mile 3)
10 Zoo Bypass, Lord's Walk (mile 3 & 4)
11 Chesterfield Avenue (Miles 4, 5 & 6)
12 Castleknock Road (Mile 6)
13 College Road (Mile 7)
14 Tower Road (Mile 7)
15 Knockmaroon Road & Upper Glen Road (Miles 8 & 9)
16 Chapelizod Road (Mile 9)
17 St Laurence Road (Mile 10)
18 Sarsfield Road (Mile 10)
19 Inchicore Road (Mile 11)
20 Inchicore to SCR (Mile 11)
21 South Circular Road (Mile 12)
22 The road ahead! (To inifinity and beyooond!)

PJD wrote: »

Thought I had deleted my email! Phew! Have the link now !!! So are we meeting at the expo and going for a few beers or would that be a bad idea!!! :-) ..... okay.... save the beer for monday!!

Stevo1983 wrote: »

My Dad signed up for the marathon last week. Only told me today.
He's looking to get it done in under seven hours.
He's been out jogging and walking the last few months so hopefully he hit his time.

Early run tomorrow, I do love my 6 AM Club.
Sunday Gerry Duffy is giving a motivational talk in the Civic Theatre in Tallaght.
Heard he is very good.

Mrs Mc wrote: »

Gotta love MrsKennyG bet there were a few 'f's ' in the sentences that followed that question g !!!

This Fat Girl Runs wrote: »

Here's my report of the part of the course I've been running. Quite regularly too so I'm happy with how familiar I am with the roads.

This report is in a different format to most. As much as I love reading and writing, I am a far better visual learner! I did this as much to help myself remember as to hopefully be of use to you guys! I don't see it as overkill, it was really helpful to put it together! (And fun too! )

Usual caveat: These are just my own thoughts from my own experience of the part of the course I've been running. It's not a technical reconnaissance. If I find a hill hard it's because I find it hard. Please do not berate or belittle me for it.

Ok, on to the good stuff! I am posting my report in parts based on the road. I also have a full pdf of these. If anyone wants the pdf just pm me with an email address or I can upload it somewhere and send you the link.

I really hope it's helpful!

01 Patrick Street (Mile 1)
02 High Street (Mile 1)
03 Bridge Street (Mile 1)
04 Ushers Quay (End of mile 1)
05 Blackhall Place (Mile 2)
06 Manor Street (MIle 2)
07 Aughrim Street (End of mile 2)
]08 North Circular Road (mile 3)
09 North Road Phoenix Park (mile 3)
10 Zoo Bypass, Lord's Walk (mile 3 & 4)
11 Chesterfield Avenue (Miles 4, 5 & 6)
12 Castleknock Road (Mile 6)
13 College Road (Mile 7)
14 Tower Road (Mile 7)
15 Knockmaroon Road & Upper Glen Road (Miles 8 & 9)
16 Chapelizod Road (Mile 9)
17 St Laurence Road (Mile 10)
18 Sarsfield Road (Mile 10)
19 Inchicore Road (Mile 11)
20 Inchicore to SCR (Mile 11)
21 South Circular Road (Mile 12)
22 The road ahead! (To inifinity and beyooond!)

This Fat Girl Runs wrote: »

Here's my report of the part of the course I've been running. Quite regularly too so I'm happy with how familiar I am with the roads.

This report is in a different format to most. As much as I love reading and writing, I am a far better visual learner! I did this as much to help myself remember as to hopefully be of use to you guys! I don't see it as overkill, it was really helpful to put it together! (And fun too! )

Usual caveat: These are just my own thoughts from my own experience of the part of the course I've been running. It's not a technical reconnaissance. If I find a hill hard it's because I find it hard. Please do not berate or belittle me for it.

Ok, on to the good stuff! I am posting my report in parts based on the road. I also have a full pdf of these. If anyone wants the pdf just pm me with an email address or I can upload it somewhere and send you the link.

I really hope it's helpful!