Race report thread

That's a terrific race, Sean, matched by a great report.

Why would you be thinking of giving up Marathons? Given the exceptional year you have had across all distances, do you not think there's an equally better performance later in '15 or through '16??

I know I'll see you during the week, but just some q's while they are fresh in my mind;

(1) Was the hydration situation a hinderence in Rotterdam? (My choice in '16 is Manchester or Rotterdam- hydration could be the deal breaker)

(2) What was your average weekly mileage?

(3) Compared to P&D - how was the Hanson plan? - Do you think Hanson would suit anyone or only those who are already aerobically strong?

(4) Having known you for a few years, I'd say this is one of the best spells of running you've had - what do you put that down to?

(5) What was your toughest session in this training cycle.

(6) You never mentioned your affinity for chocolate deserts at 12:45pm?

Well done again. Inspiring stuff.

Southbourne Fast & Flat 10k

This race is organised by my sons school so I run it if at all possible. In fact the last race I ran was this one last year. It's a mostly out and back course with a few twisty bits at the end to make up the 10k. On a calm day it's very quick with just one short hill. I ran a 5*2km's session on parts of the course the previous week to try and get an idea of what pace I should aim for. It averaged out at 4:31 pace although it was well beyond 10k effort for most of the last rep. Based on that I planned to head out at 4:30 pace expecting to fade to 46 or 47 mins.

I recently changed the units of my garmin from miles to km's but didn't realise that I'd need to change the lap unit as well so although my speed/distance was measured in kilometers my lap marker was still coming out in miles.

1st mile - Started off a little quick but wasn't long getting into a 4:30 groove. The mile was done at 4:23 pace which reflects the slightly faster start and the one downhill in the race. Felt well in control and was passing quite a few people as the race settled down.

Mile 2 - Continued to pass the faster starters here and virtually latched onto a Christchurch runner who was about 20 metres ahead but making steady progress through the groups. 4:30 pace

Mile 3 - The turnaround point comes shortly before the three mile mark and counting the runners coming in the opposite direction I worked out that I was in 86th or 87th position. There was small incline to get around a roundabout and I pushed off on the downhill section catching and passing the Christchurch runner that I had been following. 4:30 pace

Mile 4 - I was a little surprised to feel a strongish breeze in my face (conditions were excellent) and made the decision to catch up with a group of 10 runners ahead to try and get shelter but most of them were slowing and I went straight through the group with a couple of them tagging on to me. It was at this point that I first heard a weird shout of 'Come on' behind me. 4:28 pace

Mile 5 - The weird shouts turned out to be coming from one of the guys who had latched on. He pulled ahead of me during this mile and I wasn't at all sorry to see him go. Ran this mostly solo otherwise without passing anyone. 4:30 pace

Mile 6 - Passed one of the leading ladies here and surprised myself at how easy it was to try and encourage her and say that we were on sub-45 min pace (not trying hard enough?). I caught a few runners as we approached the uphill on the way back. I put in a small effort but mostly let the others pull away. I think that they may have pushed a little too hard though and I caught them again almost immediately on the flat briefly slowing me down on a narrow section. At the 9km marker I released the brakes and pulled away. I had my eye on the 'Come on' guy who was a luminous green singlet as my long goal although he was about 150m ahead of me at this stage. I was passing a load of people as we'd caught up with the backmarkers from the 5k race which had started 10mins after the 10k so I'm not sure how many places I made up. Turned the final corner to see 'Come on' too far away too catch but made up ground all the way home finishing 8 seconds behind him.

The time was 44:15 for 67th place which I was surprised at. Considering everything (and how my legs were when the DOMS hit 2 days later) I'm happy with how I judged my effort. While my breathing was not 10k effort until the last km my legs were pretty shot at the end and I think that I got as much out of the race as I could have.

Report from London is here

overpronator wrote: »

Report from London is here

That's a wonderful report to match a great performance - a fall, 3 cramps and some walking but you still managed a negative split! Great stuff.

Background
I’ve been following the P&D up to 55, 12 week plan, for a few weeks mostly to try and build a base again but nominally with a view to doing Dublin. I started it 11 weeks out from Dublin and if I get any kind of a niggle that stops me from running I don’t plan to do the marathon as I just haven’t got the endurance and don’t want to take any big risks with the bigger picture of being able to run consistently in mind. I’m surprised that I’ve got this far in actually and am cautiously revising my thoughts on my chances of running – still only about 40% but well up from the 10% chance I gave myself at the start.

So the plan called for 9m w/4@tempo last week. As I’ve been struggling to get the right effort levels in for tempos and the week I’m skipping includes one of the tune up races I thought I’d swap the week around and do this 5 mile race.

Warm up
Well I screwed that up – something about a race being close to home plus an early morning airport trip allied to a latish night meant that I was a bit blasé about getting going and I didn’t leave myself enough time to warm up properly. I did a lunge matrix and the Myrtl routine plus about ¾’s of a mile running which was just enough to warn me that my hips were stiff. I took a minute to do what I could to loosen them which helped but I knew that they were too tight.

Race
I’ve run this race once before 2 years ago (33:31) and it’s not a great course – lots of twists and turns allied to numerous undulations plus the number of footpaths used mean that you can never settle into a rhythm. Also the start of this race is mad. It’s not a big race with 258 runners yesterday but after about 200m we go through what is basically a gap in a hedge which can fit one person either side of a bollard (https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.7433078,-1.8259641,3a,75y,259.03h,68.44t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2UQxMm0zcX3xeE5mDGuYog!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1).

Goals
I’ve only run 5 mile races twice before and my PB is from 2 years ago which is at a slower pace than my half PB so a PB is my minimum. I’ve got my time from the Tullamore half in mind, on it’s own it suggests about 35 mins but it was a half and I figure that I’m better suited to the shorter stuff so 32:30 is in my head as a good time. It’s indicative of how much thought I put into the race that I only had 2 goals rather than the 3 I like to have in any race.

Start
What I should have done particularly in light of the limited warm up was ease into the race but with the gap in mind and the usual adrenalin of the start of a race I found myself going on to the grass to get past people. It doesn’t help that the first half mile is up and down footpaths with plenty of overgrown hedges. You get the usual couple of people who start too near the front of the race for their fitness and I found myself running through unkempt hedges a couple of times to get past them. I wasn’t just passing people though as one of the ladies from the club whom I thought I might be close to swept past me at this stage at a pace that didn’t invite any thoughts of tagging on. She was followed by 5 or 6 other members of the club who were tagging on to her. 6:37 for the first mile represented a pretty good pace judgement though I was working a little harder than I would have liked.

The second mile has the main uphill parts to it and I started getting that feeling of stiffness that we used to attribute to lactic acid but is apparently something else. My left calf complains that I didn’t do any dynamic stretching beforehand and a glance at my HRM showed 162 which left me cursing my lack of warmup again but I back off slightly as I won’t sustain that effort for 5 miles. About halfway through the mile one of the guys in my club goes past. I haven’t run with him for ages but I’m still a little surprised to see him go past. We yo-yo a little for the next half mile.

Around about the start of the 3rd mile a quick body scan tells me that I’m all over the place so I settle back and relax into a shorter more controlled stride. Almost immediately I overtake my clubmate and start pulling away (he’s a minute back by the end). I’m reviewing my pace at this stage and thinking that a small PB is still on the cards but far from certain. The mile itself is probably the least pleasant of the race, up and down footpaths and lots of twists and sharp turns. I’ve started to catch and overtake people though. I have one annoying moment as I come up behind two runners who force me on to the grass to overtake which was totally unnecessary. I use momentum as I duck under an overgrown hedge to pull away from another.

Mile 4 is the deceptive one as you head back towards the start/finish you think that you’re closer than you are but you still have an extra loop to do at the end of the race. I make up time on the downhills and lose a little on the uphills but continue to gradually make up a couple of positions. Heart rate is now at 165 but I’m not feeling the burn and can sustain the effort. I’ve started to catch the group from my club that swept by me in the first mile and pass a couple between now and the finish.

Mile 5 has that annoying loop I mentioned with more sharp turns though thankfully at this stage not many other runners to fight for space with. I notice that my left foot has gone numb which I’ve never experienced before. Wonder if it’s going to have any impact and adjust my stride slightly which seems to help a little. As we come into the park I’m closing on another guy from my club and contemplate sprinting. I tell myself that this is a substitute for a tempo and don’t sprint (more likely reason is that I wasn’t sure that I could sprint!). 33:11 on the clock, 33:07 on my watch which is adjusted to 33:08 when I get my chip time.

Aftermath
Afterwards I caught up with the others from the club. There were free massages which I thought would be a good idea for my calves but it was a mistake and I end up cold from hanging around for 40 mins so I skipped the extra miles that I should have done.

I know that I shouldn’t be disappointed but I am a bit although mostly I’m annoyed with myself. I don’t know that I would have gotten to 32:30 with proper preparation but I should have given myself the chance. In any case my time fits in quite neatly with what I was hoping was marathon pace at the Tullamore half. I get the chance to make amends in 3 weeks time at the Bournemouth marathon festival 10k which if it’s calm will be a lightning fast flat course with just 3 sharpish turns on a pier to slow runners down. I was asked for a predicted time when I entered and I put down 41 mins which is 32:30 equivalent I think. There's also a couple of VO2 max sessions between now and then which should help.

Oct 25th 2015, Frankfurt Marathon

I was wondering where to start this report. A bit of background about my marathon history, the training for this one etc. But I decided I’d just deal with the details of the weekend itself. It’ll be rambling enough at that! God knows how I’ll do it justice, but I’ll do my best.
So the actual journey to Frankfurt began Friday afternoon when four of us got together to drive up to the airport. It was good that one of us could drive as it put us more in charge of things from the start. We could decide on the right time to head off and not have any pressure getting to the airport on time. All the pent up nervous energy seemed to dissipate a little as soon as were on the road. There was non-stop chat about what lay ahead of us and we were soon at the Poitín Stil where we would have a bit of lunch before getting to the airport. Onto the airport then for a 17:50 flight which was grand. A nice drop of wine during the flight helped keep things calm. I had two glasses as one of the lads was taking absolutely no chances on this trip. He had treated his body like a temple all through the training for this one and wasn’t about to let things slide now! No problems on that front with myself. I had been quite content to contaminate my body with the odd drink over the last few weeks so why change things?
The flight was smooth as was the baggage collection. One of us had been on a slightly earlier flight (he booked later than us and got a better deal!) and when we met up we headed for the train into the centre of Frankfurt. It was all very straightforward of course, being in Germany and all that, but of course us being Irish, we missed our stop at the central station. Thankfully the next stop was only about two minutes further down the line and we got ourselves a taxi to the hotel. Again the fella who booked his trip later than us was staying in a different hotel to us but it was only a couple of hundred metres down the street from ours. So we all got out there and walked the rest of the way to our hotel. By now it was about 11 pm local time and it was noticeable that the area we were walking through was seedy enough with a lot of groups of people drinking on the street and we even witnessed some people openly taking drugs. It was a bit disconcerting to say the least and I dragging a little red suitcase along behind me stood out a little bit!! But the atmosphere was not that threatening as all the groups just kept to themselves. Once we arrived at our hotel we were very quickly checked in. I had a room to myself which was nice as I could be a slobbish as I wanted! The hotel was perfect for what we needed. The rooms were small but very clean as were the bathrooms. The beds were excellent, really comfortable. Things were going well so far. Once we had settled into the rooms we headed out to have one drink to get a feel for the atmosphere around Frankfurt. And where would the best place for that be? An Irish bar of course! At least we had a weissbier! Well two of the boys stuck to the water. Back then to the hotel and a relatively good night’s sleep which was interrupted by intermittent sirens. I reckon the hotel is on a main route to a hospital as most of the sirens were from ambulances passing right by the door of the place.
Next morning we headed looking for breakfast. There were no dining facilities in our hotel, it was lodging only. There was an arrangement with a hotel a couple of doors down from ours for breakfast and we said we’d avail of that option for handiness sake. At €12 it was expensive but there was a good spread and the scrambled eggs were excellent! After breakfast we were going to do the “Pretzel Run” which was a 5k run organised from the marathon start. We could see lots of people passing our hotel on the way to it. But we changed our minds and decided to just head off on our own final jog before the big day itself. It turned out to be a good decision as we had a really enjoyable trot around the area and got a nice few strides in along the banks of the River Main which was a nice place to run. We also happened upon the hotel where the rest of the crew from our group (Asimonov and his brothers!) were staying. They had flown out earlier Friday and we hadn’t managed to meet up yet. It was good to meet and make arrangements for the rest of the day. There was a suggestion about going on a bit of a boat trip on the river later but we still had to get to the expo and get registered (Asimonov had done all tis the day before.) so we said we’d see how things would go. I had booked an Italian restaurant months ago for the all-important carb loading and as it turned out, we wouldn’t meet up again until until dinner time there. So we headed on again and once we got back to the hotel and changed we were anxious to hit the expo and get all that stuff out of the way. It was only a few hundred metres up from the hotel, so our location was very convenient for the race itself. When we arrived the Pretzel run people were still around so of course up we went and got our own pretzel, drink and, most importantly, medal! If things were to go pear shaped the following day at least we’d have something to show from our travels! The expo itself was quite good with a lot of gear on display with the odd bargain here and there. Registration was quick and easy. I like the atmosphere at marathon expos. There always seems to be an energy about them. I suppose it’s the air of expectancy about the place with everybody in the same boat wondering what lays ahead over the next 24hrs or so. The lads headed back to the hotel fairly quickly but I hung around a bit longer soaking up the atmosphere. Also I wanted to find where my name was printed on the big “marathon wall” which was in the centre of the room. After about 15 minutes staring at it I found it at about head height right in front of where I was standing! I should’ve seen it almost immediately! That was my cue to head back to the room and hook up with the boys. The evening meal was to be at 6:30 and already we were getting peckish so we went looking for another Italian to start on the carbs. What we eventually found was a little place right across the road from our hotel that we hadn’t noticed earlier at all. We stuffed ourselves with pasta and pizza. Between us we ate three large bowls of spaghetti and four twelve inch pizzas. With drinks, the bill only came to €52! The food was excellent. Some value. It was 3:30 by the time we left. We’d be eating again in three hours! Where would we put it? Anyway back across the street we went and we all went back to the rooms for an afternoon nap. Another good decision I feel as we all got a really decent rest and were refreshed for the evening ahead.
We met at the restaurant at the appointed time and everyone was in great form. One of the worries we all had heading into the race was that the water would be in cups. None of us had much experience taking water this way. The only time I tried it I almost choked myself. As it worked out though one of the lads had picked up some kind of virus earlier during the summer and wouldn’t be running the next day. He had kindly offered to head out onto the course during the marathon to give us drink bottles at not one but two places along the way! Fair flucks to him!! He even had the route map with him to show us where he would be standing waiting for us. He was going to be at the 15k mark and at 34k also. Another little helping hand that would be very welcome the next day. Myself and the lads who had stuffed ourselves earlier only managed about half a pasta dish but it was just about perfect as all the grub would all have worked its way through the system well in advance of race time tomorrow. Back to the hotels then, all in great form and ready for the challenge ahead. I was quite relaxed myself. As soon as I was back in the room it was time to lay out the gear for the next day. Amazingly I was still quite relaxed and soon after hitting the sack I was asleep. The clocks were going back which would give us an extra hour in the morning. Still though, I set an alarm on my phone and my watch as well as organising a wake up call from reception.
I didn’t need any of the above measures as I was awake at around 6 o’clock and immediately feeling nerves that had so far not really been a bother. After all the months of training, waiting, the day was finally here! The lads were awake early as well so after a bit of pottering around we again headed up the street for breakfast. The lads were in good form and were mad for grub. Me? All I could get down were two croissants with a bit of jam. €6 each! Still though they filled a gap and I wasn’t too worried about breakfast. I don’t think the breakfast has much of an impact on the race. Back to the rooms then and it was time to tog out. The lad down the road was to call at 9 o’clock on the way to the start and from then it took just five minutes to get there. We met up with Asimonov and his brother straight away and had a bit of craic helped ease the tension. I went up to the bag drop with my change of gear for after the race. (The rest of the lads left theirs in the hotel) The conditions were absolutely perfect. Dry, calm and around 12 degrees. We hung around a while and some of the lads went for a bit of a warm up. There was no sign of them coming back so eventually we headed into the starting pen. When we had arrived at the start there didn’t seem to be too much of a crowd actually in the pen but now it was packed and it was very difficult to get up near the start line. I was a bit peeved at this because we had been there early enough to have avoided this. Eventually we made our way up to about twenty metres from the start line and with about ten minutes to go all there was left to do now was wait for the off. It was one of the longest ten minutes ever!
At 10:00 am on October 25th in Frankfurt we were at last on the final 26.2 mile leg of a journey that began in the foyer of the Spring Hill Court Hotel in Kilkenny sometime last February when we got together after a track session to investigate our options for this weekend. Now the race was actually on! We had got near enough to the front of the race to prevent having to weave in and out between slower runners and I got into my stride right from the off. I had always had the garmin set to miles and all my training was done at minutes per mile paces but because Frankfurt was measured in km with km markers I decided to change for this race. I was a little bit worried about that but I had the pace band and knew what splits should be. Even during the first few km it seemed to me that the standard of the “ordinary” runners in this race was higher than what I’d encountered before. For most of the first part there was a fairly constant stream of people passing me. I was determined to hold my 2:55 pace and at this stage was feeling quite comfortable. I was tempted to tag along with the odd passer by but resisted the urge. I had my plan and I would stick to it. I wasn’t coming all the way out here to blow up in the last miles of the race just because of a bit of over exuberance during the early miles or should I say km! Another thing that became clear was that the tall buildings were completely messing with the gps signal and the watch was not anywhere near matching up with the markers. After the first two km I turned off the auto lap function and would do it manually from there to the finish. I was bang on pace so far and feeling good. In fact I thought that I would be under more pressure at this pace so this was great. There were a lot of sharp turns during this part of the race and we had to be careful with the kerbs as we rounded each corner. The first 5k were thankfully uneventful for me at least. It wasn’t the same for Asimonov who was almost bulldozed out of it in the first k by a gobsh1te who came storming up from behind and barged right into him. I have no idea why he did this. There was plenty of room for him to pass. Asimonov’s race could have ended right there but thankfully he kept his feet and ran a great race, passing the gobsh1te about 2 k from the finish. My first 5k split was 20:44. Right on target and feeling strong. So far so good. The next 5k would go along the same lines. A big plus was how drinking from the cups was going. I was grabbing them and squeezing them into a kind of spout which allowed me to sip from them fairly easily without sputtering all over myself! The second 5k split was 20:43. Bang on. The course was so flat. There was a small drag in the tenth k but it was nothing really. It was during the next 5k that I had my first bit of concern. The odd time during the training block my right hamstring had given me a bit of discomfort and just before the 15k mark it gave me a little bit of a dart! It was completely out of the blue and while it didn’t upset my rhythm it did mess with my head. Our drinks man was waiting as planned just after the 15k mark and was a sight for sore eyes. Here I took the first of my gels which I was carrying along diluted in a drink bottle that I was able to carry very comfortably for the whole race. The 15 k split was 20:42. This was going well! Could I keep it together? I was still feeling strong and was even beginning to feel a little confident. The next 5k went by in 20:43. I was sticking rigidly to the plan. The flat course made this a good bit easier. Soon after the half way point was reached in 1:27:22.
Once I got past half way in such good shape I began to push it just a little bit. The reminders from the hamstring kept me from overdoing it which was probably a good thing. This part of the course had a lot of long flat straights and was quiet enough as regards spectators. To be honest though I wasn’t minding the surroundings much. I was really focused on getting this job done. We could have been running in an industrial estate for all I cared. The 25k split was 20:37. I had passed one of the lads who had headed off fast from the start at around 24k. We chatted a little but I was determined not to change my pace and carried on ahead after a few hundred metres. He was in good spirits but was slowing up a good bit at that stage. The kilometres were still ticking by at a nice rate. By now I was beginning to feel that the “A” target was really on! Just keep things going as they are and not get carried away. The 30k split was 20:34 and still feeling good even with the slightly quicker pace. Now the real stuff was to begin. From around this point I began to do calculations in my head. How much could I afford to slow down over the last 10k and still go sub 2:55, sub 3:00 even which would still have made this somewhat of a success. The 35k split was back to the 20:43 mark. For the first time now I began to allow myself believe I could actually do this. But then, as if the marathon gods were telling me to cop on, I began to slow down ever so slightly and the effort levels were rising. I wonder if this was because I lost focus and concentration with the distraction of doing all the maths and beginning to look towards the finish a bit early. I remember making a right turn not long after receiving the second water bottle from our faithful companion (who had hired a bike to get from the 15k point to the second chosen hydration point!) and for the first time in ages seeing the skyline of the financial centre. Only 8k left. I thought of the run I’ve done from my front gate so many times over the last few years that’s the same distance. Getting close now but still so much could go wrong. I could still hit the wall. I was beginning to get worried. Could things still go pear shaped? Maybe the hamstring could still go. I’d heard enough stories of marathons coming off the rails over the last few kilometres. I didn’t want to add to them. I now felt I was definitely slowing. I even began to try and work out what I would need to do to the finish just to break the 3hr mark when I was still right on target for the 2:55. This period of doubt lasted up to the 40k mark which saw my slowest 5k split of the race of 20:50.
So there was a little over 2k left and the 2:55 was still completely in my own hands. I had been worrying way too much about a small drop in pace when in actual fact I was still in reasonably good shape. I was still passing runners, which I had been steadily doing since half way. I had paced myself well and now had a chance to achieve something that, even at the start of the training cycle, I didn’t think was possible. Ffs 2k left, five laps of a track. I could probably walk to the finish and still break three hours. It was time to throw caution to the wind and let it rip! From being afraid of having a dnf I was now going all out with a smile on my face. I’ve never enjoyed the closing stages of any race like this one. I was feeling great now with a renewed bounce in my step. Hamstring? What hamstring? I was passing loads now and really enjoying the crowd approaching the finish. As I rounded the last corner about 300m from the entrance to the Festhalle indoor arena where the finish line was, I broke into what felt like an all-out sprint. I was roaring and waving at the spectators lined up on both sides to cheer louder. Did they not realise what I was about to achieve? The last 60 or so metres inside the hall was full of fist pumps and more roaring. There was loud music, flashing lights and then the finish line. I stopped the watch at 2:54:13! Was I happy? No, I was fcuking delirious! I couldn’t believe that al the training and effort had actually paid off. I made my way around the back of the finish area and waited for the rest of the lads to finish. They were soon in and all had achieved their targets! We all got our medals and met with Asimonov who had run a brilliant race which was almost a pb. There were loads of refreshments available including beer! The sense of elation and satisfaction I felt was not abating and I didn’t want it to. Not only had I run the best marathon of my life but I wasn’t in bits after it! We hung around for ages. But eventually I went up to get my bag before we headed back to the hotel. Before we did though, we all got the medals engraved with our names and finishing times. We were like a bunch of kids.
What a day! I could go on about the rest of the day and our celebrations but this report is way too long already. Suffice to say we had a good one.
So many things worked out for this marathon to produce the result it did for me. Training, lack of injury, travel/hotel arrangements, perfect course, perfect conditions and most of all a great bunch of clubmates who made all of the above so enjoyable. The motivation I got from them all through the cycle and the craic we had during the many long runs and tempo runs we shared was a major factor in the feelgood factor that surrounded this whole project. In hindsight there was no way we were going to fail!
I was a hurler for most of my sporting life and when that came to it’s natural end I thought that my days as part of a team were gone. How wrong I was. Joining Gowran A.C. just under two years ago was one of the best things I’ve ever done sporting wise. It opened up a whole new sporting world to me and gained me a bunch of new friends. There’s a great atmosphere in the club and good advice is always at hand (Thx Asimonov!). I’ve had many memorable days on the hurling field with my club and county and this whole weekend ranks right up there with the best of them. And there’s more to come……
Thanks lads!!
Oct 25th 2015, Frankfurt Marathon
I was wondering where to start this report. A bit of background about my marathon history, the training for this one etc. But I decided I’d just deal with the details of the weekend itself. It’ll be rambling enough at that! God knows how I’ll do it justice, but I’ll do my best.
So the actual journey to Frankfurt began Friday afternoon when four of us got together to drive up to the airport. It was good that one of us could drive as it put us more in charge of things from the start. We could decide on the right time to head off and not have any pressure getting to the airport on time. All the pent up nervous energy seemed to dissipate a little as soon as were on the road. There was non-stop chat about what lay ahead of us and we were soon at the Poitín Stil where we would have a bit of lunch before getting to the airport. Onto the airport then for a 17:50 flight which was grand. A nice drop of wine during the flight helped keep things calm. I had two glasses as one of the lads was taking absolutely no chances on this trip. He had treated his body like a temple all through the training for this one and wasn’t about to let things slide now! No problems on that front with myself. I had been quite content to contaminate my body with the odd drink over the last few weeks so why change things?
The flight was smooth as was the baggage collection. One of us had been on a slightly earlier flight (he booked later than us and got a better deal!) and when we met up we headed for the train into the centre of Frankfurt. It was all very straightforward of course, being in Germany and all that, but of course us being Irish, we missed our stop at the central station. Thankfully the next stop was only about two minutes further down the line and we got ourselves a taxi to the hotel. Again the fella who booked his trip later than us was staying in a different hotel to us but it was only a couple of hundred metres down the street from ours. So we all got out there and walked the rest of the way to our hotel. By now it was about 11 pm local time and it was noticeable that the area we were walking through was seedy enough with a lot of groups of people drinking on the street and we even witnessed some people openly taking drugs. It was a bit disconcerting to say the least and I dragging a little red suitcase along behind me stood out a little bit!! But the atmosphere was not that threatening as all the groups just kept to themselves. Once we arrived at our hotel we were very quickly checked in. I had a room to myself which was nice as I could be a slobbish as I wanted! The hotel was perfect for what we needed. The rooms were small but very clean as were the bathrooms. The beds were excellent, really comfortable. Things were going well so far. Once we had settled into the rooms we headed out to have one drink to get a feel for the atmosphere around Frankfurt. And where would the best place for that be? An Irish bar of course! At least we had a weissbier! Well two of the boys stuck to the water. Back then to the hotel and a relatively good night’s sleep which was interrupted by intermittent sirens. I reckon the hotel is on a main route to a hospital as most of the sirens were from ambulances passing right by the door of the place.
Next morning we headed looking for breakfast. There were no dining facilities in our hotel, it was lodging only. There was an arrangement with a hotel a couple of doors down from ours for breakfast and we said we’d avail of that option for handiness sake. At €12 it was expensive but there was a good spread and the scrambled eggs were excellent! After breakfast we were going to do the “Pretzel Run” which was a 5k run organised from the marathon start. We could see lots of people passing our hotel on the way to it. But we changed our minds and decided to just head off on our own final jog before the big day itself. It turned out to be a good decision as we had a really enjoyable trot around the area and got a nice few strides in along the banks of the River Main which was a nice place to run. We also happened upon the hotel where the rest of the crew from our group (Asimonov and his brothers!) were staying. They had flown out earlier Friday and we hadn’t managed to meet up yet. It was good to meet and make arrangements for the rest of the day. There was a suggestion about going on a bit of a boat trip on the river later but we still had to get to the expo and get registered (Asimonov had done all tis the day before.) so we said we’d see how things would go. I had booked an Italian restaurant months ago for the all-important carb loading and as it turned out, we wouldn’t meet up again until until dinner time there. So we headed on again and once we got back to the hotel and changed we were anxious to hit the expo and get all that stuff out of the way. It was only a few hundred metres up from the hotel, so our location was very convenient for the race itself. When we arrived the Pretzel run people were still around so of course up we went and got our own pretzel, drink and, most importantly, medal! If things were to go pear shaped the following day at least we’d have something to show from our travels! The expo itself was quite good with a lot of gear on display with the odd bargain here and there. Registration was quick and easy. I like the atmosphere at marathon expos. There always seems to be an energy about them. I suppose it’s the air of expectancy about the place with everybody in the same boat wondering what lays ahead over the next 24hrs or so. The lads headed back to the hotel fairly quickly but I hung around a bit longer soaking up the atmosphere. Also I wanted to find where my name was printed on the big “marathon wall” which was in the centre of the room. After about 15 minutes staring at it I found it at about head height right in front of where I was standing! I should’ve seen it almost immediately! That was my cue to head back to the room and hook up with the boys. The evening meal was to be at 6:30 and already we were getting peckish so we went looking for another Italian to start on the carbs. What we eventually found was a little place right across the road from our hotel that we hadn’t noticed earlier at all. We stuffed ourselves with pasta and pizza. Between us we ate three large bowls of spaghetti and four twelve inch pizzas. With drinks, the bill only came to €52! The food was excellent. Some value. It was 3:30 by the time we left. We’d be eating again in three hours! Where would we put it? Anyway back across the street we went and we all went back to the rooms for an afternoon nap. Another good decision I feel as we all got a really decent rest and were refreshed for the evening ahead.
We met at the restaurant at the appointed time and everyone was in great form. One of the worries we all had heading into the race was that the water would be in cups. None of us had much experience taking water this way. The only time I tried it I almost choked myself. As it worked out though one of the lads had picked up some kind of virus earlier during the summer and wouldn’t be running the next day. He had kindly offered to head out onto the course during the marathon to give us drink bottles at not one but two places along the way! Fair flucks to him!! He even had the route map with him to show us where he would be standing waiting for us. He was going to be at the 15k mark and at 34k also. Another little helping hand that would be very welcome the next day. Myself and the lads who had stuffed ourselves earlier only managed about half a pasta dish but it was just about perfect as all the grub would all have worked its way through the system well in advance of race time tomorrow. Back to the hotels then, all in great form and ready for the challenge ahead. I was quite relaxed myself. As soon as I was back in the room it was time to lay out the gear for the next day. Amazingly I was still quite relaxed and soon after hitting the sack I was asleep. The clocks were going back which would give us an extra hour in the morning. Still though, I set an alarm on my phone and my watch as well as organising a wake up call from reception.
I didn’t need any of the above measures as I was awake at around 6 o’clock and immediately feeling nerves that had so far not really been a bother. After all the months of training, waiting, the day was finally here! The lads were awake early as well so after a bit of pottering around we again headed up the street for breakfast. The lads were in good form and were mad for grub. Me? All I could get down were two croissants with a bit of jam. €6 each! Still though they filled a gap and I wasn’t too worried about breakfast. I don’t think the breakfast has much of an impact on the race. Back to the rooms then and it was time to tog out. The lad down the road was to call at 9 o’clock on the way to the start and from then it took just five minutes to get there. We met up with Asimonov and his brother straight away and had a bit of craic helped ease the tension. I went up to the bag drop with my change of gear for after the race. (The rest of the lads left theirs in the hotel) The conditions were absolutely perfect. Dry, calm and around 12 degrees. We hung around a while and some of the lads went for a bit of a warm up. There was no sign of them coming back so eventually we headed into the starting pen. When we had arrived at the start there didn’t seem to be too much of a crowd actually in the pen but now it was packed and it was very difficult to get up near the start line. I was a bit peeved at this because we had been there early enough to have avoided this. Eventually we made our way up to about twenty metres from the start line and with about ten minutes to go all there was left to do now was wait for the off. It was one of the longest ten minutes ever!
At 10:00 am on October 25th in Frankfurt we were at last on the final 26.2 mile leg of a journey that began in the foyer of the Spring Hill Court Hotel in Kilkenny sometime last February when we got together after a track session to investigate our options for this weekend. Now the race was actually on! We had got near enough to the front of the race to prevent having to weave in and out between slower runners and I got into my stride right from the off. I had always had the garmin set to miles and all my training was done at minutes per mile paces but because Frankfurt was measured in km with km markers I decided to change for this race. I was a little bit worried about that but I had the pace band and knew what splits should be. Even during the first few km it seemed to me that the standard of the “ordinary” runners in this race was higher than what I’d encountered before. For most of the first part there was a fairly constant stream of people passing me. I was determined to hold my 2:55 pace and at this stage was feeling quite comfortable. I was tempted to tag along with the odd passer by but resisted the urge. I had my plan and I would stick to it. I wasn’t coming all the way out here to blow up in the last miles of the race just because of a bit of over exuberance during the early miles or should I say km! Another thing that became clear was that the tall buildings were completely messing with the gps signal and the watch was not anywhere near matching up with the markers. After the first two km I turned off the auto lap function and would do it manually from there to the finish. I was bang on pace so far and feeling good. In fact I thought that I would be under more pressure at this pace so this was great. There were a lot of sharp turns during this part of the race and we had to be careful with the kerbs as we rounded each corner. The first 5k were thankfully uneventful for me at least. It wasn’t the same for Asimonov who was almost bulldozed out of it in the first k by a gobsh1te who came storming up from behind and barged right into him. I have no idea why he did this. There was plenty of room for him to pass. Asimonov’s race could have ended right there but thankfully he kept his feet and ran a great race, passing the gobsh1te about 2 k from the finish. My first 5k split was 20:44. Right on target and feeling strong. So far so good. The next 5k would go along the same lines. A big plus was how drinking from the cups was going. I was grabbing them and squeezing them into a kind of spout which allowed me to sip from them fairly easily without sputtering all over myself! The second 5k split was 20:43. Bang on. The course was so flat. There was a small drag in the tenth k but it was nothing really. It was during the next 5k that I had my first bit of concern. The odd time during the training block my right hamstring had given me a bit of discomfort and just before the 15k mark it gave me a little bit of a dart! It was completely out of the blue and while it didn’t upset my rhythm it did mess with my head. Our drinks man was waiting as planned just after the 15k mark and was a sight for sore eyes. Here I took the first of my gels which I was carrying along diluted in a drink bottle that I was able to carry very comfortably for the whole race. The 15 k split was 20:42. This was going well! Could I keep it together? I was still feeling strong and was even beginning to feel a little confident. The next 5k went by in 20:43. I was sticking rigidly to the plan. The flat course made this a good bit easier. Soon after the half way point was reached in 1:27:22.
Once I got past half way in such good shape I began to push it just a little bit. The reminders from the hamstring kept me from overdoing it which was probably a good thing. This part of the course had a lot of long flat straights and was quiet enough as regards spectators. To be honest though I wasn’t minding the surroundings much. I was really focused on getting this job done. We could have been running in an industrial estate for all I cared. The 25k split was 20:37. I had passed one of the lads who had headed off fast from the start at around 24k. We chatted a little but I was determined not to change my pace and carried on ahead after a few hundred metres. He was in good spirits but was slowing up a good bit at that stage. The kilometres were still ticking by at a nice rate. By now I was beginning to feel that the “A” target was really on! Just keep things going as they are and not get carried away. The 30k split was 20:34 and still feeling good even with the slightly quicker pace. Now the real stuff was to begin. From around this point I began to do calculations in my head. How much could I afford to slow down over the last 10k and still go sub 2:55, sub 3:00 even which would still have made this somewhat of a success. The 35k split was back to the 20:43 mark. For the first time now I began to allow myself believe I could actually do this. But then, as if the marathon gods were telling me to cop on, I began to slow down ever so slightly and the effort levels were rising. I wonder if this was because I lost focus and concentration with the distraction of doing all the maths and beginning to look towards the finish a bit early. I remember making a right turn not long after receiving the second water bottle from our faithful companion (who had hired a bike to get from the 15k point to the second chosen hydration point!) and for the first time in ages seeing the skyline of the financial centre. Only 8k left. I thought of the run I’ve done from my front gate so many times over the last few years that’s the same distance. Getting close now but still so much could go wrong. I could still hit the wall. I was beginning to get worried. Could things still go pear shaped? Maybe the hamstring could still go. I’d heard enough stories of marathons coming off the rails over the last few kilometres. I didn’t want to add to them. I now felt I was definitely slowing. I even began to try and work out what I would need to do to the finish just to break the 3hr mark when I was still right on target for the 2:55. This period of doubt lasted up to the 40k mark which saw my slowest 5k split of the race of 20:50.
So there was a little over 2k left and the 2:55 was still completely in my own hands. I had been worrying way too much about a small drop in pace when in actual fact I was still in reasonably good shape. I was still passing runners, which I had been steadily doing since half way. I had paced myself well and now had a chance to achieve something that, even at the start of the training cycle, I didn’t think was possible. Ffs 2k left, five laps of a track. I could probably walk to the finish and still break three hours. It was time to throw caution to the wind and let it rip! From being afraid of having a dnf I was now going all out with a smile on my face. I’ve never enjoyed the closing stages of any race like this one. I was feeling great now with a renewed bounce in my step. Hamstring? What hamstring? I was passing loads now and really enjoying the crowd approaching the finish. As I rounded the last corner about 300m from the entrance to the Festhalle indoor arena where the finish line was, I broke into what felt like an all-out sprint. I was roaring and waving at the spectators lined up on both sides to cheer louder. Did they not realise what I was about to achieve? The last 60 or so metres inside the hall was full of fist pumps and more roaring. There was loud music, flashing lights and then the finish line. I stopped the watch at 2:54:13! Was I happy? No, I was fcuking delirious! I couldn’t believe that al the training and effort had actually paid off. I made my way around the back of the finish area and waited for the rest of the lads to finish. They were soon in and all had achieved their targets! We all got our medals and met with Asimonov who had run a brilliant race which was almost a pb. There were loads of refreshments available including beer! The sense of elation and satisfaction I felt was not abating and I didn’t want it to. Not only had I run the best marathon of my life but I wasn’t in bits after it! We hung around for ages. But eventually I went up to get my bag before we headed back to the hotel. Before we did though, we all got the medals engraved with our names and finishing times. We were like a bunch of kids.
What a day! I could go on about the rest of the day and our celebrations but this report is way too long already. Suffice to say we had a good one.
So many things worked out for this marathon to produce the result it did for me. Training, lack of injury, travel/hotel arrangements, perfect course, perfect conditions and most of all a great bunch of clubmates who made all of the above so enjoyable. The motivation I got from them all through the cycle and the craic we had during the many long runs and tempo runs we shared was a major factor in the feelgood factor that surrounded this whole project. In hindsight there was no way we were going to fail!
I was a hurler for most of my sporting life and when that came to it’s natural end I thought that my days as part of a team were gone. How wrong I was. Joining Gowran A.C. just under two years ago was one of the best things I’ve ever done sporting wise. It opened up a whole new sporting world to me and gained me a bunch of new friends. There’s a great atmosphere in the club and good advice is always at hand (Thx Asimonov!). I’ve had many memorable days on the hurling field with my club and county and this whole weekend ranks right up there with the best of them. And there’s more to come……
Thanks lads!!

Firedance wrote: »

aero, you're gonna have to stop making people cry am very glad I read that before I sent in my nomination for race report of the year, if you really are retiring from marathon running, writing is surely your next exploit

I have spent my life making others cry - usually for different reasons:).
Yes, definitely retired now. I do enjoy writing, however it's not top of the list of activities I intend to direct my marathon energies towards - maybe I'll write about some of them in future.

Ososlo wrote: »

yes yes yes! I had a very melancholy soundtrack playing in the background when I was reading it. Suffices to say, I'm glad I was at home alone reading it!

Another epic report aero. Congratulations on your race. I'm sure both your parents would have been very proud of you. I really can't wait to do DCM again after reading that. You really captured the essence of how special an event it really is.
Well done:)

Thanks! I've talked of PBs, targets, medals, but if I could have had only one wish granted it would have been to experience that "specialness", and number two would have been to somehow manage to convey to others just how wonderful an event it is. I did email the organisers to say thanks, but I suppose if I can encourage just one more person to sign up then that's a much more practical thank you.

aero2k wrote: »

My DCM race report is here. it's very long, I hadn't time to write a short one:).

Just had a proper read over the weekend, well done on a fab performance. Would have congratulated you in person in McGrattan's if I had let you get a word in

Porterstown Parkrun, Dublin 15 - Saturday 12/12/2015

I know, I know - "it's not a race" etc etc. But this one means a lot more to me than most of the actual races !

Having taken up running in the summer of 2012 (now 42, still male!) I've spent the vast majority of these events stuck in the middle of the pack, wondering if things would ever change! Of late, although football has taken a back seat, life has pretty much taken over to the exclusion of running.

In spite of all this, I took second place in the Hartstown PR last week, Storm Desmond and a (slightly) quicker guy getting the better of me in the end. That was a 13 runner field!

This morning I arrived at 9:20 having made the short jog from the house through a monsoon. Apart from the two volunteers, I was the only runner, with just ten minutes to the designate 9:30 start. With this in mind, I decided to take on a warm up lap. To my horror, I was barely half way around, and could see a few more bodies arriving at the start. Would they go on without me? I picked up the pace, and mercifully we were afforded a couple of minutes extra before we set off. Looking around I recognised most of the six(!) other runners, and believed that if normal form held up, this could be a good one. But it wasn't a normal day!!

Laps 1 & 2
Porterstown PR consists of 3 and a tiny bit laps, similar to Poppintree. I set off into an early lead, and although there were numerous lakes and streams to splash through, it wasn't nearly as windy as Hartstown. Better again, I seemed to be going further ahead every time I looked behind! I went through the finish with a lap to go with a lead of well over a minute? But would an extra lap to warm up be my undoing? Could anything else go wrong?

Lap 3
I was mindful of the fact that I hadn't got out for a run since last Saturday, and was concerned about maybe pulling a hammy, or doing something else stupid like going on my snot in one of the puddles. Another obstacle came nearly halfway around, in the form of two ladies with their four dogs. Would any of them take a shine to me? Thankfully, although one or two (of the dogs!) had a second glance, none were biting
Having negotiated that obstacle, I then got back to my earlier practice of looking back every 15-20 seconds, not used to being in such a position! The other runners still weren't getting anywhere near close enough though, no matter how many times I checked on them.....

I turned into the home straight, and with no challengers around, I felt it was safe enough to slow right down, and raise my arms high in the air in celebration. Delighted with myself, especially on such a foul day! FWIW my time was 22:xx, but this wasn't a day for PBs, and it was about 2 minutes slower than mine. Some may scoff, but it's my first place, and who knows, there might never be another! And you know what they say..."You never forget your first" Thanks to everyone else who ran, and to the dedicated volunteers!

Pre Race
Although I had run seven HMs prior to this, and one full one, I was still like a child on Christmas Eve as we headed West on Saturday morning.

There was a small hitch at race pack pickup, as, to my horror, they didn't have one for me! I had to defer my entry from last year, but I never told them I was travelling this time. Thankfully they made one up for me there and then. Driving along the N59 and through the Inagh valley, the mile markers were up for the ultra and the full, which definitely added to the buzz.

mojesius was my travelling companion on the bus; a fine choice for her first half marathon! An up and down 40 minute trip from Clifden landed us in Leenane a full two hours before the off. 'Twas Baltic out with a gale blowing so the cafés filled up rapidly ! About 11:30 it was time to take off the layers, as the rain started to come in over spectacular Killary Harbour. I generally "race" better without the creature comforts, but even with the gear being collected 20 minutes before the off, most people weren't too keen on shedding theirs, let alone doing much warming up. As we arrived at the start area, I found a spot between the 1:30 and 1:45 pacers, and wished mojesius well before she moved towards the back. I don't think I've ever felt so focking cold before a race. It was so wet and windy now that everyone around me just wanted to get going!

Miles 1-3

With the wind blowing every which way except behind us, I decided chasing a PB was only going to lead to a world of hurt. Just ignore the watch and do your best! A short downhill was immediately followed by a steep uphill as we climbed left out of Leenane. I was passing geansaí loads of people, but many had obviously started in the wrong spot, so it was tricky enough to guess who to run with. So I said to myself, just keep it steady on the hill heading out. I knew the hill would last for most of the first 2. Around the 2 mile mark, the 1:45 pacer came up behind me. In fairness to him, I can't imagine his namesake from the darts taking on such a job Anyway, I took this as my cue to pick up the pace. There's a difference between not considering a PB a realistic option, and just trotting around happy to "just enjoy it". Not that long ago, I would have been delighted with a 1:45! But I felt that this time I should be a bit further forward, plus my hands weren't turning blue any more and I could feel some actual warmth in my body. A guy from Enniskillen had been shadowing me more or less all the way through this section. I dropped him shortly before the end of the mainly downhill third mile, and got a bit more of a shove on, through the wind and rain.

Miles 4-6

There was a lot more up and down in these very exposed few miles than some would have you believe. The wind picked up too, and it truly was a case of "hang on to your hats", as I had to carry my cap in hand for a while. The shades came in handy too, with hailstones starting to lash into us from front and side on. My legs were burning already, but I was still passing people regularly, including a trio from France (2M 1F). They would be more persistent than most of the others I encountered in the first half, so much so that I ran with them for a while. Towards the end of Mile 6, there was a long very steep downhill, where I did all in my power not to fall, as it was very hard to keep the brakes on in the wet! I slowed down a bit to take some water on board at Mile 6, trying to keep the doubts at bay regarding whether I would be able to do this.

Miles 7-9

Mile 7 opens with a long straight and very exposed section. I passed the leader of the French trio as we left this, and didn't see any of them again. Still gaining places overall, but a guy in a red Limerick triathlon top caught me at the end of the seventh mile, which was uphill and around a sharp bend. I kept with him for the next bit, with more up and down and all around, and a constant battle with the wind and rain. There's a short but steep hill at the end of Mile 8 as you approach An Mám, where I found it hard but managed to keep the legs turning, as we eventually reached the right hander at Keane's pub and a bit of downhill respite before some water and jellies at the 9 mile marker. I had to slow down a bit for the water, but the Limerick guy was slowly pulling away by now.

Miles 10-13.1

As I left the water station behind, and crossed over the appropriately named Failmore River, the infamous "Hell Of The West" loomed large in front of me. It really has to be seen to be believed. Miles 10 & 11 are dominated by it. My mantra here was DON'T. STOP! My pace definitely slowed, but I was still passing people as the pain levels increased along with the wind speed. I have to say that the full and ultra mile markers were a help throughout as you approached the half ones. However on Mile 10 for ages I couldn't see the blue marker at the end. Where is it? How long is this !!! During Mile 11, I caught up to this guy who kept screaming every 20 to 25 yards at the top of his voice. I'm sure most if not of all of the other runners were in pain at this stage of proceedings, but he was the only one at that!!! Bit offputting, especially when it was almost right in my ear as I was passing him. Trouble was, as we neared the top of the hill, I was running on empty, and rather than leave him for dust in mainly downhill Mile 12, he passed me back.
Indeed, there were still a couple of little climbs after HOTW, and it was so exposed in the last 2 miles that the blasts of wind/rain/hailstones were majorly wearing me out. I could hear the PA in the last mile, but much as I would love to honestly say I sprinted to the end, I only had enough energy to keep the same pace going. At least they called my name out, which was a bit unexpected, as I barely bagged a top 100 spot among the HM finishers, coming in not far behind the 3rd Ultra guy as it happened. I'd passed the 4th & 5th UM placers at some stage. Some going from all of them!!

Time: 1:41:05 (1:40:40)
Position: 93rd (or thereabouts!)

A very pleasant surprise was waiting for me at the finish. I had bought my wife a ticket for the spectator buses, but as the weather was so bad, I didn't think she'd head out. Au Contraire

I was in bits collecting various finisher goodie bags etc. Thankfully, we were able to get chairs in Peacocke's, as I felt very woozy after collecting my coffee in the hotel. Other plusses were remembering to bring a change of socks and a spare top, as well as being early enough to get a post race rub down for my completely and utterly mashed legs. Next job was to try and find mojesius, in amongst the thousands milling around the place. As it turned out, she found us, coming in frozen but delighted with herself, as we were about to go outside to look for her.

As we boarded the bus back to Clifden, we were met by a lady handing out leaflets about "Jogging & Lyme Disease". Leave it out :rolleyes: I like to think I deserved the hot bath when we got back to our hotel!

Analysis/An Chéad Chéim Eile (The Next Step)

As I mentioned earlier, I decided before the start that it would be foolish to chase a PB in such conditions. I've read about some DNFs yesterday for runners who would be far better and more experienced than me, albeit in the longer distances. Had I gone all out from the start, I probably would have ended up in the same boat. Yesterday's time is 3 1/2 minutes slower than my PB (Carlingford 2014) but I would value Connemara more, and it's probably the best race I've ever run. Clontarf in July is my scheduled next HM, which provided we don't get baked, should offer a far more realistic opportunity to lower that one.

In the meantime, I've signed up for the Dublin Marathon Race Series, with hopefully DCM at the end of it provided I stay fit and healthy. I signed up for these in 2014, but didn't make the DCM start due to injury.

All of my training up to now has been done solo. However, that may change soon as I'm seriously considering joining a club. Even for a 40something mid pack plodder, it might add a bit more structure and value to what I'm doing, as I aim to lower my times from 5k all the way up to marathon.

Maybe it was the 6th full marathoner I passed? Yellow bibs, green bibs, all the same when you're wrecked! I since found out that the guy on the hill got 5th place in the full. Serves me right for trying to race him! There's 3 or 4 photos on the Conn FB page of me (orange top, shades) just ahead of him and two other lads, taken at the top of HOTW. Well done you, the ultras especially deserve credit for running in such horrendous conditions. I only found out the actual Ultra start location as I was coming up to the finish; I just assumed it was the other side of Peacocke's.

BHAA Trinity Track Races, Wednesday 15/06/2016, Trinity College

Pre Race
This was an event I was all set to take part in for the first time last year, but outside events transpired to rule me out. So on a beautiful, sunny and warm (but not too warm) evening on the lawns in Trinners, I was finally to make my debut in this unique (for BHAA) event. I had a nice relaxing post work coffee before picking up my bib and heading in to get changed. All very straightforward, until I opened up my bag, and to my horror discovered that I hadn't packed any shorts! Several times tearing the bag apart didn't resolve this matter, so panic and a trip outside to find a sports shop that was still open after 6:30 on a Wednesday ensued. Not as easy as it sounds - at the third attempt about 15 minutes later I succeeded, clearing one of several issues the evening would bring up!

Back on campus and finally suitably dressed for action, concerns moved on to whether another lack of short stuff (i.e. intervals, sprints etc) would be my downfall. The good news was, unlike for example half marathons which I'd be more used to, it wouldn't take long to find out!!

For these races, athletes were grouped by their standards as per BHAA rankings (in general, more on that later) I was in the 12 & 13 races (or 4xx bib numbers) which, as I saw it, meant that I could be in for a prize if things went well.

1000 yards
The distance above is a throwback to when an old WR was set over this course and distance fadó fadó. The track looked and felt great, and with no wind to speak of, I felt in good shape as a dozen of us lined up at the start. I recognised most of the lads, but there were a few unfamiliar young 'uns who could cause greater difficulties.

My strategy here was to go out hard and see could I hang on. I managed to get in front almost instantly, and led through the finish line and around the bottom bend, feeling fairly comfortable, or so I thought. Then it all rapidly came apart, as the kids whooshed by me and I had no answer. It didn't take long for more to stream past, and as we went through the bell (ok, no bell, although there was a starting gun!) I knew I'd well and truly made a Horlicks of it. Still another lap to go though! I made a half hearted attempt at repairing some of the damage around the top bend by the pavilion, but any lads I passed in this manoeuvre sailed by me again on the finishing straight. A classic example of how not to pace a race; I hope nobody recorded it. Shocking beyond belief.

Time: 3:15.1
Position: 9th

2000 metres
A complete strategy revision was called for, as we lined up about an hour later for our second stint; minus the kids from earlier, thankfully. This time, I deliberately started out last, to see could I work my way through the field.

Early on the first lap, three lads were already tailing off at the back, so I quickly skipped through that group to 6th. Ahead of me were two lads in yellow tops, a work colleague, a Cru guy and a lad in a plain white top. I cleared yellow top #1 as we rounded the top bend, and then plain white top stepped off injured to leave me in 4th, but with a fair bit to make up as we completed the first lap.

Laps 2 & 3 were similar, with Cru man and workmate jockeying for position up front, and yellow top about 5 metres behind. I was trying to keep it steady and avoid another blowup, while slowly gaining ground on the lads ahead.

On Lap 4 I sensed the three were coming back to me, so I tried to pick up the pace a little. I briefly moved into second as we turned into the home straight, but yellow top and workmate surged back ahead as we turned into the last lap.

Last lap I felt I had the measure of those two, and indeed I caught them again on the back straight. That still left the Cru guy, who I was also catching. I went for it around the top bend, and was still gaining as we entered the home straight. Unfortunately, he got another boost and kicked on again, so my first ever race win (not counting my parkrun first place) will have to wait! As it happened, yellow top saw his chance to grab second with a late sprint, but I just barely held on for that prize, to the sound of oohs and aahs from the crowd in a time of 7:49.2 .

Post Race - The Need For Speed
I have to say that this was one of my favourite running events ever. For a mid pack plodder like myself, grouping people by standard is a great idea. Didn't always happen last night though; spare a thought for the poor women who had to try and "race" Euro XC medallist Caroline Crowley as they all lined up together in the 2000! Sandwiches, canapés, tea, coffee, Jaffa cakes and Heineken all went down a treat afterwards, before I collected my first ever individual prize as we approached 10 PM.

Having said all that, the races really brought it home to me just how much I have to focus on shorter work in the coming months. Otherwise, it'll probably be a case of same old, same old, in terms of times and overall performance as the year goes on. Great evening in Trinners all the same - roll on next year !!

Chapter 2

Race Day
We were staying 800m from the finish line so I knew I was within easy walking distance of the baggage drop and start line. I laid out everything I needed the night before. My tubular bandages for my forearms used to stuff my gels into (patent pending!) my extra layers to keep warm, my special shorts with three pockets sewn into the lining used to store my zero tabs.
I had breakfast at 5.30. Big bowl of porridge, two slices of toast loaded with butter and a hot cup of tea. I lay down on the bed for 30 minutes, changed and headed for the baggage drop at 7:15am. Wow, the weather was phenomenal. No external excuses today. The walk to the baggage drop seemed to go on for ages.

I met one of my masters team mates who had bagged an elite sticker (and went on to win o-45 gold with a fantastic time of 2:38) and we continued to walk and chat to keep warm before he headed off to the elite area. I bumped into most of the Sligonians in wave 1 prior to the start and wished them well including DNA_Leri who looked relaxed and went on to run a superb sub 3 debut. I didn’t realise until after the race that bar the bit of walking, I had done no warm up or stretches!

I had printed out a 2:50 pace band and highlighted the faster stretches green and tougher stretches orange. I had circled the areas where I struggled last year and included dots for gel stations should I require extra. I went in with sub 2:50 as my main goal with fall back goals of a new PB (sub 2:54:58) and a last point of refuge being another sub 3. I had an ultimate dream that if things came together on the day and I felt good at 20 mile mark that I might try and push on, and that 4 min/k average (2:48) might be attainable.


0-10k
The race got underway and I took off pretty quickly. After about 200m I had to pull a serious manoeuvre to avoid running into the back of that motorbike, whatever that was all about. It resulted in a sideways jump and me clattering into another runner. Fortunately, I barely budged the lad; I suppose that’s why I don’t play GAA anymore.

I struck up several conversations early on with runners I knew would be targeting in or around sub 2:50. Most of them took off up the road. Hopefully I would be crossing their paths again later on. I spent most of the first 10k running with one of the top 5 Irish women (NNP). She was also targeting sub 2:50 and we kept each other in check as she said she also was fond of going out too fast and suffering for it. I popped an isogel at 8k and half a zero tab in some water at one of the water stations. All in all I took three zero tabs during the race. I think this stood to me as I sweated a lot on the day. I passed the 10k mat in 40:06 (209th place) which was on target for sub 2:50. I must say I was thinking to myself this is like an easy jog. I was deliberately holding myself back.


10k-halfway
I remember from last year that I had suffered a lot on the hills so my aim this year was to run all downhill sections at a fast pace and slow down going up hills. I lost NNP when upping the pace on the downhill’s after re-entering the park. I took my second gel at 16k and throttled right back on the climb under the Chapelizod bypass and was immediately passed by at least 15 runners blasting up the hill. I passed club supporters through Kilmainham which gave me a great lift. One of them told me to relax my shoulders a trigger I used throughout the race from that point on.

The roar as we turned right at Dolphins Barn was spine tingling and I felt my speed quicken. I quickly reeled myself in knowing that I had suffered on the drag around the halfway mark last year. I passed my wife here who was going crazy jumping up and down and roaring like a lunatic. I had a little chuckle to myself knowing she would be mortified when we talked about it later! I passed under the halfway mark in 1:23:58. I was a minute up on my projected split. What to do now? If I stay conservative I have a minute cushion built up and should come under the 2:50. F*ck that, I felt good if I could maintain 4 mins /k I was on for my dream 2:48. I made a decision here to forget the pace band and run by feel for the rest of the race, glancing at the watch to keep me in check if going too fast or to give me a kick up the rear if flagging.


Halfway-36k
As with shorter races the no-man’s land miles are where I usually lose time due to lack of concentration. I kept concentrating on keeping a steady pace and I passed a significant amount of runners in this section. I took my third gel at the Walkinstown roundabout (24k) where a work colleague had shouts of encouragement and took half a caffeine gel at the 32k mark (30k split 1:58:59). I started spluttering a bit with this one and thought it wise to leave the gels at that.

I knew I had hit a bad spell around Clonskeagh /Roebuck Rd last year so I wasn’t too concerned if my pace dropped a small bit on this section. My pace for this section last year was 4:30/k. This year I got through it feeling comfortable enough in 4:03/k average. Comfortable; not in a sitting beside the fire with a pint of Guinness kind of way, but comfortable in comparison to last year where I felt like I was going to die.


36K-Finish
“You’re on the home straight. It’s a race from here” I said to myself. I cannot describe the feeling I experienced over the last 6k or so. It was like somebody had tilted the road downwards and I had a gale on my back. I met club supporters again on the Stillorgan road just before the UCD ramp. I think they were as surprised as I was to see how well I was going. It gave another shot of adrenaline to the system. I had to be careful though. My left calf was twitching like mad and I had to check my pace several times as a cramp wasn’t far away.


I continued to reel in runners. Random strangers were telling me “You’re flying it”, “Great running”. As soon as I caught someone I was looking up the road to the next runner. I felt like I was floating along. At somewhere around the 40k mark I came up behind a classy runner from a neighbouring club who is always well ahead of me any time we are running the same race. As a crazy coincidence this was also where we passed his club supporters and coach. I slowed down for 100 metres unsure as to what I should do, almost afraid to pass. I briefly toyed with running alongside him before summoning the courage to pass, offering words of encouragement on the way by. This was a surreal moment for me.


The finishing stretch seemed to go on forever. I remember closing my eyes for periods of it as I find it helps me focus more. I got to the finish line and saw my two masters’ team mates waiting for me as the clock ticked past 2:46:30 (an 8 minute PB, negative split of 90 seconds and I made up 100 places from the 10k mark to finish 109th). They were as happy as I was. “You brought home the bacon”, one of them remarked. National O-35 team Bronze the reward for our efforts.

It was a brilliant day for our small club. Seven of our eight runners set PB’s. The eighth won O-45 National Gold and was just 3 seconds off a PB set 5 years ago aged 40. Third male masters Team and sixth male senior team. Our coach said it was the best performance out of a training group he has had in his 30 years coaching. Just reward for the effort he puts in with us all. The perfect weather had also played its part.The rest of the day was spent drinking beer and eating ridiculous amounts of bacon fries.