Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose

Donadea 50K 2018 race report

TLDR
Official Time: 4:33:58 (Target 4:30-4:40)

Avg overall pace: 8:52min/mi (from my watch)
Avg heart rate: 167bpm (max recorded was 195, 104% of max 188bpm)
Training plan used: An adapted version of the Gary O'Hanlon 4hr training plan for the Donadea 50K.

Started with a slow first mile and a too fast second mile meant I was right up with the 4:30 pacers from the end of mile 2 and stayed within 30 seconds of the pacers up till around 20 miles, I let them go then and ran my own pace over the last 10 miles...recorded my second fastest marathon time with 3:50:20 enroute to finishing with a new club record for 50K.


Preamble
This race caught my eye a few years ago probably not long after doing my first marathon in 2015 but I noted that a sub 4 hour marathon time was recommended before entering the race. I got a sub 4 time in DCM 2016 but unfortunately we had a wedding on the same day as the Donadea 2017 so couldn't do it. Trained for the Tralee marathon instead and came home there under 3:44. Somewhere along the way I noted that my club's men's record for the 50K was vacant and I fancied getting my name in there. Bad day out at DCM 2017 (Targeted sub 3:40, came home under 3:55 but with a big positive split of +15mins) set my focus for winter training and my first target for 2018.

Morning of the race I left my parents home in Laois just after 7am having had breakfast and fully kitted for the race barring a top and tracksuit bottom to discard. Arrived in Donadea around 8:15, passed through Sallins on the way which was nice as we lived there for 7 years before we moved to Kerry (still own an apartment there) and it's where I learned run (along the canal there) doing my couch to 5K plan in May/Jun/Jul/Aug 2013. Conditions looked to be pretty decent in Donedea, bit of chill in the air which I like and it was dry. I ambled down to the registration tent and hung around there for around 45 mins chatting to a few people I knew and collecting my nice new purple hoodie. Bumped into Singer and walked back up to the car park with him, form was good now which was great.

Stayed in the car then for around half an hour and had some of my homemade flapjack and a banana. Up to the starting area and dropped of my dropbag and my few bits of food and drink at the aid station. Decided to carry the 4 gels I planned to use in my flipbelt planning to take one towards the end of every second lap. Met Neady for the first time before the start and had a nice chat with her for a few mins, felt bad for her not being able to run the race but she went and did a staring role on the sideline throughout with a cheer on every lap. Many thanks!

Walked with Singer up towards the start line there and enjoyed the race briefing....much appreciated humour. Funny seeing some videos/pictures of myself starting the race and I've a big smile on my face. Boded well for a good run I guess!
Kinda missed the start by a second or two before hitting the start button on my watch but no matter we were off to do the 10 laps (not sure if I remember them all)

Lap 1 - 27:33
My first mile was 8:44 (think I thought I saw 9 something at the time) and then my second mile was 8:11. Up right with the 4:30 pacers then and I had a few mins to decide whether I woud stick or twist here. GPS was not very useful as a pacing tool so I said I'd hang back at the back of the pack here and bed in for as much of the long haul as felt okay. Mile 3 I was taking off my gloves and dispatched them at my drop bag at the end of the first lap. Tried to avoid the puddles on lap 1, from lap 2 I was running right through the most of them. The mud and climb in the cross country section (I'll call it) was a bit more energy sapping than pure road but it easier on the body.

Lap 2 - 26:35
Not much recollection here, a lot of chat in the pace group. I wasn't partaking at the back and just monitoring effort. Was feeling fine and it was probably about 5 miles in when I felt I was bedded in nicely. I was monitoring my heart rate here and there just to be sure I was in a good place as I felt I was. Took my first gel here towards the end of the lap.

Lap 3 - 26:41
My plan for the day was to try not to think too much about the distance and number of laps in total. I was just going to count up to 5 laps and then count back from 5 down to the finish. I think it was in this lap when we were first lapped by Mr. GOH himself and he went past at such speed it was a pleasure to witness in full flight. As a midpacker I don't normally get to see the fast end of the field runners unless being lapped of course :-)

Lap 4 - 27:14
No recollection here, the joys of laps. Just to add as well for 4hrs 30+mins I had little to any thoughts of anything but running. Who needs meditation!?!
Actually now I think of it I was actually talking to Marthastew for a good bit of this lap as I had moved up beside her (she was pacing) so I lost a few miles there and nearly forgot to take my gel. Some more lapping going on here, not sure if it was here or the next lap that Cathriona Jennings passed us, I think maybe start of lap 5 but can't recall.

Lap 5 - 26:48
Half way there now, I recalled going through the finish line and thinking maybe a 4:30 is on the cards but there was a long way to go yet. I remember having some thoughts about DCM 2017 and when the wheels started to come off and the annoyance of having to walk. I had decided today that walking was not on the cards, I didn't want to coast it around either but would run it as fast as I could even if it meant a positive split in the end. Early on I decided that I'd rather go with the 4:30s and see how it went than sit back. I wanted to set a good marker on the club records too!!

Lap 6 - 26:58
Getting into the high teens here but things still going to plan, I picked up a small bottle of flat coke from my bag at the aid station and carried it on my pocket. It's great stuff in fairness for that purpose and I do find I get a good boost from it. I was popping some salt tabs during the race and the odd shot block, each roughly every 5 miles. For drink as well I took the odd bottle of water at the aid station and dropped half a zero tab as well I was carrying. Worked well I thought to keep moving forward. On the flip side there was a chap running with camelbak thing and I've never seen anyone to have to stop so many times to go for a p, he well marked the trees anyways if there's any dogs about. I joked with O that I did he needs to connect the pipe to the other end...

Lap 7 - 26:54
Things started to change a bit here now, I noted that the pacers were starting to split a bit and I ended up moving ahead of marthastew in the start of the lap into the hole in the middle between the pacers. I held my pace pretty well but going through the cross county section I could martha saying something to the people behind me. She speed up to go past me and told me she was going to lose the balloon after this lap. I said no worries and fairplay (nothing much coherrent was coming out but I meant to say thanks for getting us this far).

Lap 8 - 27:55
We were around lunchtime in the day now so I knew my wife and father would be around soon. I was hoping to see them on this lap but I did not...turned out they just missed me. Neady was still there giving me a cheer each time and helping keep my confidence up. I knew I was losing the 4:30 pacers now, I did speed up a little bit here to close the gap to maybe 20 seconds but the heart rate was a little high, it was here I recorded the 195 so I eased it off a bit. Just a bit of don't f it up was going through my head now, I knew I should be good for my target range time and even if the pace was now heading for 9 min/mi but you can only run as fast as you can for a given distance. Last get taken at the end of this lap here....hard to get down but it stayed down even if the stomach was not 100 percent happy about having to take it.

Lap 9 - 28:37
Going through the finish area now and there was my wife and da, they gave me a great cheer and I told them two laps to go. It was funny here but there was some tears in my eyes going through here as I knew I was going to do it and was so happy about that. I quickly grabbed 250ml bottle of zero from my drop bag. I got through all of this in the lap, I was definitely having to dig deep here. I think I took a second orange segment off the nice Lusk AC people here, great stuff that. I went through the marathon distance in 3:50:20, my second fastest ever and given my watch managed to be around 300-400 metres short at the end I suspect I was sub 3:50 but no matter it a 50K race. Even though I was tired now I was still running and running fairly strong passing a good few people walking. Each time we went into the muddy part and that bit of climb I was making ground and passing the odd person. I had seen some people finished their race as we were going through the finish line here which was a bit hard on the head but you just keep going.

Lap 10 - 28:43
The final lap, some good cheers going through the final lap here now. Took a bottle of water and got through a lot of it over the lap. Just thought of the lap I did a lot of my training on down home in Kerry, a simple almost 3 mile loop and just thought do that and it's all done. I was so happy that I did a good bit of my training on loops as that alone was a big test on the day and it really stood to me. This lap was strange as it was quite lonely for a lot of the lap but I went past a Navan AC female runner who was walking for a second in the cross country part. She then passed me out and we chatted a small bit over the last few K. She asked me what time I had on my watch and I said just under 4:29 and that we should come home under 4:35, we both kinda laughed as whilst we running you still don't know. She told me she was training for a 100 mile race in a few weeks (wow) and I said she was finishing strong, onto the last K before the finish it had a long kinda lane thing and with maybe 300-400 meter to go I told my new friend I was going to give it on last push and she said go for it. I pushed on a small bit and as we crested over the hill I could see 4:33:xx on the clock and I said I might get under 4:34 here. Just then my left hamstring started just to cramp up so I had to ease back and just eased it into the line finishing up in 4:33:58 official.

77/185 overall, 64th male, 11th in age category

Crossing the line I grabbed Anto there to shake hands but also to stablise myself and took a minute or two at the barriers to get my head back together and ease out the slight cramp. Had my shiny new medal now and it is a cracker. My wife and Da came over to check on me but I was grand after a minute or two, head a bit frazzled but nothing bad. I didn't sit down till we got back to the car half an hour later as I hung around to chat to a few here and there and to see those making the cut off and that clock finally shutting down. I just loved this race to be honest but saying that I am sure when I'd want to go over the marathon distance again. It helped me to get completely over the disappointment of DCM and felt I got rewarded for my training through the winter months. Great start to the year and I plan to take most of the this next week off and then get back into easy stuff before maybe working on shorter distance stuff over the next few months doing a few races here and there.

Thanks for the nice words here, there and everywhere I interact with you, it all helps getting through it especially when it's needed most.


Strava Link

Few pics

skyblue46 wrote: »

Great race report and a fantastic performance. I've enjoyed following your log and I must say your enthusiasm for the event makes me think I'll put it on my bucket list....as a once off!

Thank for your kind words, fully recommend the race to be honest. In regards well run events (and entertainment) it's up there as good as it gets. To my mind as well it's the national championships and if you're going to maybe only ever do one then like the marathon in Dublin you might as well do the best country has.

Annie get your Run wrote: »

Great report D, well done again! Your training paid off and you had a super Ultra debut! It's a brilliant event for sure but best not to tell Anto or he'll get a big head.... :pac:

Thanks AM, it was nice to get the pay back for sure on training. Good feeling running such a long distance knowing you're good for this. Also my recovery is going well, legs a bit stiff today but nothing bad at all really.
Haha does he know I wonder and it gives him the confidence to run it in the unique manner he does, as Neady commented on the Donadea thread he's a tonic.

Singer wrote: »

Great running and report! Delighted you had a good day, and it was good catching up before the race. Sorry I wasn't around to see you after.

No worries at all B, towards the last few laps I was wondering would I be seeing you coming to lap me!! I did have a wonder did you maybe DNF that you didn't lap me but glad to see you got through it. You did well to get through it and it looks like a very tough run, very impressive to get it under the belt on the back of your planned/unplanned marathons!!

jake1970 wrote: »

Great running D and well done on a brilliantly executed race.
Congrats on the club 50k record.

Thanks very much L, even with the positive split I am very happy that I gave it my best and got a nice reward there. I did just have to finish but I think I've set a record that should last for a little bit.

Younganne wrote: »

Well done D, training paid off. Great event and great report too. Enjoy getting the name in the 50k Club record slot!!

Cheers A, it really is a brilliant event. It took a lot of miles to get there in good nick and then it was what I wanted it to be and I got all I wanted from it as well. Yup I wanted to set a strong enough time as well and think I've done that so I might get away without having to race 50K again for a little while yet ;-)

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

Great performance and report, just reward for all the training.
That Ultra 100k club record looks to be well within your scope

Thanks J, certainly felt good getting a nice payoff. Never say never on the 100K, it's the commitment and time needed for the training would be the real stickler there and I wouldn't go near it unless I could train proper for it. My wife would kill me I'd say! In fairness she's great but the last month or so of training can annoy a little bit!!

chickey2 wrote: »

Well done! Great report. You deserved a good run after all that training.

Thanks very much C, I actually like winter training oddly enough...hate the heat but it was good way to get my general mileage up a nice bit.

ReeReeG wrote: »

Well done, and the race report was excellent reading! Would almost make me consider it someday... ALMOST :P

Thanks! No consideration needed here, if you ever want to take on a 50K it's the one to do!!

ariana` wrote: »

Wow great report and great running, well done. As others have said i'm a tiny bit tempted :eek:

Thanks, haha another candidate for next year, love it!! Anto will have to increase the amount of entries.

hot buttered scones wrote: »

Well done - that's great achievement. Glad to see all the training paid off.

Thanks M, thrilled with it and like doing my first marathon getting through the training was a big thing for me. The race almost being bonus territory!

nop98 wrote: »

Well done Diego! Funny how we both "graduate" from DCM15 grads to the ultra class in the same week! #ClassOf2015Rules!

That indeed is a funny one N, what are you going for next btw? I am planning on shorter stuff race wise for a few months at least (I think). Will you give Dublin a go again this year!?

Neady83 wrote: »

A cracking report Diego, well done again and it was really great to finally meet you in person

I wondered what had happened with Marthastew and the pacing groups as the 4:30 and the 5hr pacers were swopping out laps (I think) so I wasn't sure what was going on.

You raced an incredible race, smart and well paced and you looked strong throughout. I'd such fun cheering everyone on and chatting to the most interesting people on the sideline. Sorry I wasn't there to see you finish, I was getting cold and left around the 4:20 mark but I knew you were expecting your family. Maybe hanging around from 8am was a bit ambitious

There's a really nice looped marathon in Clarinbridge on September 8th, mostly flat, bit of trail but no mud. If you liked the loops, this is a cracking one

Absolutely great to catch up with you, I was graced to be in the presence of a proper ultra athlete before I made my debut over the shortest eligible distance for an ultra event!

No worries at all, I was amazed you were there as long as you were to be honest especially with all the 'roids etc. Actually with each lap I could actually spot you on that straight from a few hundred meters away before I got up near to you due to the pink lining on the hood of your coat. Glad you enjoyed the day when you must have been disappointed not to be able to run and never let on at all when I was talking to you.

Cool, will keep an eye out for that race. I will be running Dingle with my better half the weekend before that all going well. She signed up last week as I asked her would she be interested and said I'd run it with her. Not sure what the plans are for Charleville this year yet.

Singer wrote: »

Me three!

Of course!!

skyblue46 wrote: »

Classof2017 are you listening? Fancy getting 4 of us around?

Haha good stuff. Have you heard of "The Race", have a read about that one and see what another 2015 grad Neady has done...24 hour event!! Epic stuff.