But its cold outside

Rotterdam 2016
Just over 12 months ago I decided it was time to get back to proper running after falling out of love with it after a difficult London 2013. In April/May I did a half hearted 10k plan and ran the Boyne 10k in the lashings of rain and had a wonderful time. 2 mins off my PB but that wasn’t bad considering, so it was time to get going again. When I got a bit of consistent running going again I contacted Luke and I was delighted when he said yes to getting me back on track. So from June he was back coaching me with an eye on Dublin, if all went to plan. Dublin was a bit too soon and a few injuries started to rear their heads again so it was time to sort the body out.

In November I started Clean eating and doing kettlebells/cardio/core classes 3 times a week. I did this for 12 weeks and pulled back for the last 6 weeks as a precaution to avoid overloading the body. In those 18 weeks I lost 20lbs and built a stronger body with regular sports massage to keep things under control. As a result of this I was feeling good going into Rotterdam and very optimistic but at the same time cautious!!

Myself & hubby D, flew out on Friday evening, met Racoon Queen at the airport and travelled to Rotterdam together. Bit of hard time finding the hotel even with Goggle maps but eventually found it hidden in a laneway, lovely hotel but a bit too modern for me. I just want to be able to open a window when room feels too hot, all this air con wasn’t doing it for me!!! I slept reasonable well Friday so was delighted with that. Headed for the expo and was amazed that the Goodie bag held the t-shirt & not another thing…think Dublin has us spoilt with all the stuff you get!! Headed to Murphys Irish bar to know where to head for on Sunday and met Mbarr in propping up the bar. Bar girl was lovely and kept supplying us with pints of water which we were dropping our hydration tablets into. Bit to eat there and then we headed off again. Lovely early meal, (queues out the door after 6) in the Italian across the road from hotel and met a frazzled Barry when we walked out the door, pointed him in the direction of the Expo to help him conserve some of his energy!! Walked for a bit & then an early enough night.

Didn’t sleep until after 1 but sleep sound till 5 and then in was hit & miss for rest of the morning. Met Tang at breakfast and I had my instant porridge I’d brought with me, slice of rustic bread, 2 small pieces of banana bread, 2 coffee, 1 tea & 2 glasses of water before heading for my shower and put on the race gear. Dec walked me to the start and at about 9.45 we parted ways and I headed into Wave 3.


I searched for 4hr pacers as I was planning on going out with them to keep me slow and then moving on up, but no sign of them any where. I chatted to a few around me and all were aiming for sub 4 so I stayed where I was. I ended up being about 4 rows from the start of wave 3. I have to say the Dutch man singing “You’ll never Walk alone” had me singing and a few tears were shed, couldn’t quite believe I was on the start line!!! I was determined and believed this was going to be a good run and I knew I was being “watched” from home by family, friends & boards!!

Gun went off and I was carried along in the crowd, no congestion thankfully and smooth enough mile 1, crossing the bridge & the atmosphere was electric. Mile 2 I could feel the sun on my face, I was sweating and I had a flash back to London where same thing happened & for a min I worried, looked at watch, saw 8.32 so pulled it back again. I was passed as this stage constantly but I resisted the urge to go with it. For the next few mile I just found my rhythm and went with it, I didn’t pass much remarks on the watch and kept missing my mile splits, but I had race avg on display and I knew for a PB it had to stay below 9 mins. My pace felt like my long run paces so I said a silent thanks to Myles Splitz for all the steady paced runs I had done!! I continued to take in the atmosphere and enjoy the music as we cam across it. Iw as still being passed but it didn’t bother me in the least, I was running this my own way. At mile 4 I realised with a shock that I was hungry but wasn’t surprised as I’ve being eating nonstop all week and was hungry constantly, I did have visions of running out of energy later but put it to the back of my mind!! Took a gel a mile 5 a little ahead of planned m6 but though better safe than sorry.
Miles 1 – 6 - 9.13, 8.44, 9.05, 8.49, 8.53, 9.02

Every water station I drank a cup of water, no issues with the cups and if I managed to get a second one I used the sponge on my head and back of my neck. This was really helpful as the sun was getting quite hot and we were running into for a good part of the run. I noticed after 10 k that I was now starting to pass people and some were starting to walk but I trotted along happy in my own little work and enjoying the atmosphere. During mile 8 a guy started to run beside me, he was a local man running his first marathon and was hoping for sub 4, but I noticed my pace was creeping up to 8.30s again so I told him to go on ahead as I was going too fast, but he decided he wanted to run with me so he wouldn’t go too fast. I didn’t want that responsibility as my paces were all how I was feeling and we changing a bit constantly, but at the next water station I lost him. I had a Eat Natural Fruit & nut bar in my belt and at mile 10 took a piece of that to quell the rumbling tummy. Gel no 2 at 11.5 miles
Miles 7 – 13 - 8.57, 8.49, 8.56, 9.09, 9.01, 9.06, 8.58

I went through half way in 1:58:11 with 13.17m on the watch.

I apologise for not know names of locations as I hadn’t looked at the course details except to note when we went back over the bridge for the last part of the race. When we passed over the timing mats I thought about those who were tracking and watching from afar and wondered how my 5k splits were looking!!
I kept doing body checks but everything was good. On at least 2 occasions when we rounded a turn in the road the vista just reminded me of Dublin and going through Dolphins Barn & Crumlin.

From mile 16 people were starting to drop and there were a lot of people in trouble, I just prayed that I could hold on. We crossed back over the bridge, Erasmusbrug and My Hubby was at about mile 17 and I hadn’t expected him to be there and I nearly missed him. He could see me coming from way down the road, but I nearly missed his as there was a woman on the ground being helped and then I was watching my step as I came behind a gang going slower and covering the road. He was holding up a poster my youngest had made that had GO MAMMY GO Love Laura on it. It spurred me on no end!! I took Gel no 3 here
Down past our hotel where the ¼ marathon had started & finished & there was huge crowds and music pumping very loudly and a real party atmosphere and I can’t remember the song but I had a little dance & a sing to myself. Mile 18 & mile 20 were two markers for me and once I got by them I was delighted to be doing so well.
Miles 14 – 20 - 8.53, 9.04, 9.03, 8.50, 8.54, 9.09, 9.09

Couldn’t quite believe how well the body was holding up, don’t get me wrong it was starting to tire and legs were getting heavy but I reminded myself that I’ve run with heavy legs before, after all the Saturday Kettlebells sessions, the Sunday runs were on heavy legs. Gel no 4 @ mile 21 and no bother on the stomach. I was afraid to push too soon in case it all came crashing down and every time I got momentum going, I was coming up against people in a world of pain and had to get by them. Congestion was quite bad in places by now and the last few water stations were carnage. People stopping dead in their tracks, queuing to get water as it was only left on the last few end tables. I found it difficult to get the legs going again each time I had to slow.

Coming in a mile 26 I knew it was in the bag but there was no way I was slowing, it was going to be all or nothing. As we came back alongside our hotel I knew exactly how far I had left to go and started really moving. As I headed into the turn and crossed the Tram tracks, my thoughts turned to Blockic and what had happened him at this point!! Coming in the last 100m and from nowhere the legs are flying, I’m flying, the line is just in front and then I see a whole line of men holding hands and trotting for the line, at least 8 of them all across the road blocking it so I let a shout and they parted for me, cheered me on and I ploughed on and over the line with a Woop Woop and delight all round!! The tears started as I couldn’t quite believe i'd made it, was still upright and feeling ecstatic!!!
Miles 20 – 26.37 - 8.52, 8.53, 8.54, 8.49, 8.53, 8.35, 7.23(.37)

Watch time 3:55:23 26.37m @ 8.56
Official time 3:55:25
Overall place 5183/12798
Category V40 106/474

Back to Murphys for a few PB beers and meet up with a delighted Mbarr & an equally delighted Tang, who was still running according to the tracker so we gave him a right auld slagging. Then got to meet lots more Boardies and enjoyed the chat with them all. I left after a few hours promising to return but a few cocktails and dinner and it was 11 pm so body insisted on hitting the hay.
Body is in great condition and the quads are the only part of me that’s anyway affected by Doms, which after walking for hours around Amsterdam yesterday is not quite so bad today!! Few blisters under my toenails but nothing new there for me!! Very long day yesterday with flight delayed so 2.30 when crawling into bed last night but slept like a baby till 7.
Still walking on cloud 9.
Thank you to whoever’s left reading this!!! Thanks to everyone for the good luck wishes and support and I can highly recommend Rotterdam marathon and its one I’ve a feeling I will return to.

Thank you to Myles for the plan that was perfect for me, as mileage wasn’t too high so running was fitted in to my busy life schedule, and it got me running at a pace that made my marathon pace feel very comfortable on the day. He’s a Legend!!

Thanks everyone, I'm still delighted.:D:D

Just spent the last while reading back over my log.. its amazing how I can remember doing lots of the runs from the details i've put into the posts. I obviously love reporting on the weather :eek: as it seems to be in every post!!

Did a short recovery run on Wednesday evening and will go by how im feeling for the weekend. i have been very tired and still eating quite a lot. Legs back to normal thankfully & I will get sports rub next Tuesday just to freshen them back up..My next set of 6 weeks clean eating with Kettlebells/cardio/core training starting tomorrow(i'll bypass the physical training until Monday)

so one week after Rotterdam and I'm still buzzing,
Last week apart from eating and sleeping ALOT i did a few easy runs and a good bit of walking. I returned to my cleaneating and kettlebell/cardio & core class and because i was feeing so good on Sat morning i did the 20min workout with the class. i really enjoyed it and the body is feeling it since but this was going to happen no matter when i return after a 7 week break to doing this exercises. The squats & lunges have my hamstrings feeling a bit tight. Sport massage booked for tomorrow which i will be very grateful for after tonights class!!

Wednesday , 13th April
Ran a mile, walked a half mile and ran 1.5m
Legs felt so much better after this.
Total 3.13m @ recovery pace

Saturday 16th April
went out not sure how far id go but legs were tight after mornings exercise class so it was just a short easy run, directly followed by the youngest looking to go for a walk "on her bike". She just learned to cycled recently and was dying to go, but she soon realised that cycling on hills was different to on the flat where she learned. We did just over a mile before the hailstones sent us home!!
Total 3.20 @ 10.06

Sunday 17th April
Spent the first half of the day sitting at my youngest first Irish Dancing Feis so legs were very tight by the time I got home.:eek:
Eventually at 7.30 last night after youngest looking to go for a run i decided best thing for the legs would be an easy run.
Shes brilliant, 1.65 m @ 11.37(this matched my recovery pace from Wednesday) in which she ran up all the hills and only stopped 3 times to get a drink of water. She now wants to go everyday!!!
Legs felt great so I followed this up with an easy run 4.70 @ 10.03

Total 6.34m
This week I hope to return to a few more runs all at easy pace

WTD: 12.67m
MTD: 69.81m
YTD: 559.46m