DCM 2019 - Mentored Novices Thread

The best of luck today, hope it goes well for everyone

We're across from the FM104 truck beside the 2500 area of the bag drop! If anybody is about

About 5 weeks ago I said I'd aim for under 2:15

Training was going well I said last week I'd go for as close to 2:00 as I could.

Chip time 1:49:41.

Delighted!!!! Race report later

~1:47:30... Waiting on official time. I'm probably happier than the lad who came 1st today Will do race report later/tomorrow, got a 5 year olds birthday party to run now.

Edit: Chip time 1:47:30 on the button, ecstatic with that result today.

Well done everyone else.

My chip time differs from my strava and Fitbit time by 10 minutes
Anybody else have this?

Soulsun wrote: »

My chip time differs from my strava and Fitbit time by 10 minutes
Anybody else have this?

Did you get a text. The first time is time from the official start time. The second one is the chip time.

Well done everyone who raced today! Great running🌟🌟🌟

greentea is just wrong wrote: »

I still haven't got my chip time, is anyone else the same?

https://www.tdleventservices.co.uk/event-results

Official results are up now.

Haven't posted in here in a while but said I'd give an update after today's half.

I hope everyone had a great run and hopefully it was less eventful than my day.

Have been feeling good about my running over the last few weeks and have felt I was getting back to where I need to be for DCM.

Got to the start line and my legs were just tired before I even started. (Won a month's free personal training through work which I feel is helping my running but made the mistake of going to my last session yesterday morning).

Did the first 4 miles with my friend before I sent him on ahead. By mile 5 I was really feeling it. I probably walked a mile of the remaining 8.1 and was taking it handy in between. Finished in 2:20 which I know is way off what I'm capable of. (I did the first half of DCM 18 in 2:07 with way less training).

Got to the finish line. Got my medal and my goodie bag etc and met my mate. Sat down for a few minutes, chatting etc. Went to stand up and the next thing I remember, I'm lying flat on my back with a handful of people standing over me.

My mate said that as soon as I stood up, I said "I'm gonna pass out, I'm gonna pass out". And that's exactly what happened. I very quickly came to but we all agreed it would be best to be seen by a medic as I was feeling a bit groggy.

The medic checked me over and said my blood sugar was fine but my BP was low. He said I should be ok after a few minutes but if I wanted he could have me brought to the hospital. Opted just to take it easy for a few minutes.

Thankfully I was with my mate who had waited around and he was able to liaise with the steward and the medic etc and contact the wife. Thankfully I had filled out the contact info on the back of the number so that if he wasn't around and it was an emergency, we would have had contact details.

I suppose I'm writing this just to call out how amazing the steward and the medic were, and the few other runners in the vicinity and to stress the importance of filling out the contact information.

Lesson:
I should not have gone to the gym yesterday.
I probably went out too fast considering how tired I was.
Prepare pre race nutrition better (multiple reasons led to my pre race breakfast being a hi-five gel).
I probably should have stopped and not forced myself to the finish line.
Press 'Save' on the garmin immediately post-race (D'oh!). Edit: Found and synced.
Always fill out the the contact information on the back of the number (I always do but this reinforced it).

Taking it easy for a few days and will get back to it during the week.
Need to be 'smarter' with my prep and training.

Thanks to all the staff and medics and my mate who insured I got looked after!

Well done today folks,

First things first, Prospector, I wish you a speedy recovery and hope you feel better over the next few days!

rizzee wrote: »

About 5 weeks ago I said I'd aim for under 2:15

Training was going well I said last week I'd go for as close to 2:00 as I could.

Chip time 1:49:41.

Delighted!!!! Race report later

What can I say. Buzzing! Never done a race report before so going to write it down while it's mostly fresh in the head - apologies in advance there will be waffle

Up @ 7:00 for a coffee, 1 slice of flat brown bread w/peanut butter and 500ml water. Headed off to collect mates & parked up in the park around 8:30. Got to near the start line shortly after that. Brought another 500ml to sip on along the way, with some glucose powder in it (usual routine)

As I was aiming for around 2:00ish mark, I said I'd go close to the 1:50 pacers and I could drop back if I had to. I was in the middle of the road at 9:15 waiting anxiously for the race to start. I was about 300m back from the blue 1:50 balloons.

I got the watch ready and our wave kicked off just after 9:35.

For the first 5km my mouth was bone dry for some reason & the sun was beaming down. I was convinced by the end of the race my head would be like a tomato!

5:25.7 min/km
4:56.9
4:54.6
5:08.5
5:07.9

I was cautious to try slow down the pace a little as I didn't want to tire myself out with the hills that were coming. I was running at the edge of the pack, up and off the grass & paths to try stay at a reasonable pace and with the 1:50 pacers in view.

KM 6-10 - I dropped the pace a little but surprisingly I was on the toes of the pacers (?) I was going by my own watch so said I'd keep on the low side of 5.1x/5.2x min/km for the next while.

5:11.6 min/km
5:16.5
4:56.9 (!!! , downhill ?)
5:11.2
5:11.1

Between KM 9&10 I actually went ahead of the pacers. The hill gave me a boost & I said I could afford to drop the pace later on in the race if necessary.

At the 10km mark I also hit a 10KM PB @ 50:58 (Is that allowed?!) beating my previous 10km pb in Dunshaughlin a few months ago (52:08)

At each water station I was getting two bottles - Drink 3/4 and the rest goes over the head!

The next few KM are a bit of a blur. I remember Tower Hill and keeping an eye on the watch trying to stay in the low 5:xx km/min range

5:08.3 min/km
5:04.3
5:24.8
4:54.4
5:12.6

The main stretch in the park between 16-17km was a nice boost to keep the pace steady. Was great to see all the friends & family out supporting everyone. The 1:50 pacers had just gone ahead of me now.

Turning towards Popes Cross I could feel the legs tightening up. I looked at the watch and figured out I had around 20 mins to do around 3km in order to get under the 1:50 mark. I didn't know whether my watch was wrong or the pacers were too fast but I said I'd go by the watch and see the chip time at the end.

5:09.7 min/km
5:11.6
5:15.1
4:59.6
5:38.4

I'm not too sure where the Lucozade stand was but I had x2 of them and x 2 water at that late stage! Note to self : START USING GELS. I took nothing!!

Jesus Christ after passing the DJ for the 2nd time that bloody hill near the end nearly buckled me. I was tempted to stop and walk for a few seconds but I had a new goal: to dig in and get under that 1:50 mark.

Last KM (and a bit )

5:21.9 km/minute
1:06.7 (0.24km)

Crossed the line @ 1:49:48 watch time. Bloody ecstatic. I didn't want to believe it until I got the official chip time.

Grabbed my medal, t-shirt and goodie bag and sat in the grass with friends & waited on another to finish.

I checked the watch again & my ''moving time'' was 1:47:41 - The chip time was also the exact same (Love my Forerunner )

Soaked up the sun some more (only a little burnt!), did some stretches and headed off home.
In the door 1:30 and straight for a bath!! Currently waiting on food to be delivered then I think a few pints are in order

All in all a brilliant day. Overwhelmed is an understatement. I couldn't have done any of this without the help of all you guys so thanks again!

Only 36 days to go!!! I'll be taking it easy over the next few days and sticking to the plan - just want to finish the 42KM for my first one

Sorry to hear that prospector , glad you are feeling better now. Sometimes we just over do it and it's our body's way of telling us to slow down. Congrats to everyone today

Well done today everyone. Have to say I thoroughly enjoyed that.

Gave myself every chance of 1.50 this week with good diet and bed at 9 and asleep most nights by 10. Got to the line feeling quite nervous but good.

Started strong behind 1.50 pacers and used the first miles to catch them on the down to give myself some wiggle room. I managed to keep it tight through the next 5 or 6 miles then. Made up some time from 9 to 11 I feel. Then last two were tough but delighted with how I got through them. Chip time 1.48.16..i think I could have taken 16 seconds off if I knew!

Changed the face on the garmin this morning for the run, and I recommend it. It was great not tracking the distance or time. There are enough signs for distance without me getting preoccupied. I had the watch show me current pace and average pace. Considering I knew what average pace would get me sub 1.50 I always knew where I stood but could also see when I was pushing it etc. Maybe I'm slow to pick up but I thought it a useful tip so I wasn't tracking 6.1m 6m2.m 6.3m etc.

Also my first medal, and they are better than I thought! Also got the right size t shirt this time so I'm delighted!

Hopefully that time and a strong 2-3 weeks can get me through DCM sub 4.

Well done to all.. Always amazes me seeing all ages, shapes and sizes smash past me during these races!