Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads

4:11:31. Some hard miles in there! Compares favourably with last year, 4:17:23. Wouldn't change the time at all, happy out - as the fella says. Will get a report up once my brain has recharged...why did I bring that Knorr soup packet up to my bedroom tonight?

TBO vs 2016 Graduates intermediate plan (link) vs DCM 2017.

Pre race - Meeting internet people

Went to bed shortly after 10pm, was awake from 4am onwards. Up before 6 for porridge and a banana. Realised I hadn’t changed my ordinary watch’s time (manual hands), nothing I could do as a I always forgot the instructions even when I go on holidays. Anyway. Hopped in the car, drove to Whitehall church, parked up and got a taxi into the city. Went to the loo in McDonalds, Googled the watch issue (not whilst in the loo), then saw the post about that the novices were meeting at St. Stephen’s Green. Headed up there and it was introductions by first names, not usernames. What are yiz like? :pac: :pac: Didn’t stay long and made my way to the baggage area, knew it would be hectic enough getting through the crowd. Got sorted out here and went into the wave lane. Final loo visit, then up to the barrier. Saw the 4:10s and stayed with them, same lads as last year, well, definitely 2 of them.

Gun goes off!

Up to the start, kicked off at 9:20am, as per the schedule. Nice and exciting to get under way. Sunshine in full flow at this stage. The congestion mentalness in those early stages – annoying, but can’t be avoided. Heard some people to my right say they were going to leave the 4:10s behind ‘soon enough’, maybe falling back or perhaps more likely, pushing on. Didn’t bother with the first water station. Congestion perhaps why I didn’t notice any mile markers until mile 4… Eyes need testing, perhaps?! Good support in the park, as usual (and after it too). Past the zoo with someone dressed up along side a staff member. :P I conserved here a little for the sake of doing so. The red 4:00 balloons were somewhere ahead, but common sense (and 2016) knew better than to go near them. Stomach felt a little like a washing machine somewhere in the park - did settle down, thankfully. I hadn’t consumed food at this stage. There was an old fella in the park on the course too, he was good humoured and I think he got a shout out in in the novices thread, a guy maybe 80+? Could well have been him. There was a guy recognised from last year, yellow 100 t-shirt.

Hard miles

All OK for the first 10k, maybe even a little after that until the seed of doubt started to grow and I struggled with kicking it. Approaching the half point was good because I knew I had stuck to the plan and not repeated last year’s mistake by moving ahead. The rear pacer was saying we’d get there by 2:04:45 and he was right (see below). I don’t remember a lot of details immediately after this until mile 16 and looking at the split for 14 I think this is where I felt most zapped of energy. Confidence slipping.

Great support earlier in Walkinstown…any opportunity to smile I gladly took. There was definitely a Garda motorbike escort for an ambulance, somewhere between 14-15, I think. Memories of that sort of thing from last year too. There were also mini tents on the left, with tables and people getting their legs sorted out. Don’t recall that last year. 16 was a welcome mile marker, though. Knew I had made somewhat of a dent in this thing with still a fair chunk to go. Think somewhere around 18 is where I tried to grab a wine gum off someone, missed only for him to run after me – thank you!

Post 20 (some of the splits here, ugh). The original idea was to stick to the pacers up to mile 23 and see about nudging forward after that. That didn’t really happen as generally I found it tough going once the early doubts started to take hold. Anyway, I was keeping an eye on two people with fundraising t-shirts as folks to stick with. One was a little stronger than the other, but both better at performing than me and also tailing the 4:10s. Both they and the pacers got away from me anyway. Once that had happened I put any idea of effort out of my head, mostly.

The turn towards UCD was familiar and some decent confidence returned here, so physically I felt better. But, I decided to hold any final effort until after mile 25 on the basis that my earlier struggles meant I was potentially out of steam for the final push. I made a reasonable effort to pass people from 25 (I think) on and felt pretty happy with that. Two blue singlets I didn’t want to overtake me, sorry ladies. Oh, the emotion started to kick in here in the final chunk. It was like 2016 all over again. I kept it in. Jesus.

I was dreading the 4:20s chipping away at my ankles and looked back twice in some of those grrr miles, just in case. No sign. Given the mixed experience, it was much to my surprise when I pressed stop after the finish line having sensed the green 4:10 ballons were a distant sight on the course. Garmin said 4:11:34 – how did that come about? On reflection, theoretically I could have been more aggressive in the final movement and if not caught the 4:10s, I may have been close enough. I don’t live my running experience by regrets, what’s the point?

Post race

I only looked at the Garmin once during the race, in the park. I didn’t notice the time, only the pace, 9:23. Pacers were great at encouraging people, commenting on the upcoming terrain/what to expect. Simple things like relaxing the shoulders in the downhill stages. It was nice to have that reassurance and experience by your side. Some singing and craic in there too. Never doubted the training at all, perfect plan. ‘Failing’ on the basis of the training plan never entered my head. It is hard to pinpoint what I struggled with overall – stamina, lack of S&C, the weather, maybe the toll of the course, my head... Perhaps overanalysing this now. I’m fortunate not to have a physical issues in general, so what gives? Certainly, the marathon experience can throw ye into a food blender, shredder and cut ye in half. Or, as the Yanks would say, chew you up and spit you back out. Got through the finish and some girl was being tended by a friend to whilst puking. There was a bloke earlier who was limping a fair bit around mile 20, had I been closer I’d have given him a shout. Another guy very much down close to the end (around the 26 marker, iirc), on his side, blanket, team around him, etc.

Physically, once the immediacy of having stopped and I can haz barrier now plz had passed, I was not too bad. Stairs? Even a randomer in McGrattans seemed to think I was grand, ‘showing how it’s done’. :pac: I was leaving by one of the barriers when I paused to let a Garda go ahead, he told me to go on and go home to rest my legs. Another smile for the day. Earlier there was a Garda runner who came in a few minutes after me, didn’t dare ask who the best Garda was, just in case! Later on passing Trinity I heard a young daughter asking her mother if she enjoyed it - that’s what it’s all about. Car journey home – time to ditch the podcasts and stick on some Dire Straits, Imagine Dragons and Eagles. After getting home there was a little bit of skin missing from a middle toe, and it had a deep red angry look. Upper feet have a few blemishes, minor stuff. Cycling cream was applied to the nipple region before leaving the house…

I had a bad dream on Sunday night, that another rescue helicopter had gone down. I suspect this is because I saw a guy (DFB) on the course with rescue 116 on his gear and this was also on DCM social media. Bit scary what the subconscious can absorb, tbh. Going by the tracker, I was a ahead of my work colleague on the 10k and half and 30k, but she was 2 minutes 20 secs ahead of me in the end. Chatted to her yesterday, she was very happy – delighted for her debut experience. Never saw her on the course.

Thanks to volunteers at the baggage/t-shirt/medal area. Great work. Despite some of the challenges, there will a third visit to DCM.

Official photos don't look too bad. :pac:

Stats machine

Splits from tracker
10k 58:45 (9:28)
Half 2:04:44 (9:35)
30k 2:57:15 (9:30)
Finish 4:11:31 (9:49)
Avg 9:36

Garmin version 4:11:34 / 26.44 miles at 9:31

Mile | Split
1 |09:34
2 |08:58
3 |09:26
4 |09:18
5 |09:31
6 |09:14
7 |09:49
8 | 09:32
9 |09:16
10 |09:13
11 |09:27
12 |09:26
13 |09:30
14 |09:49
15 |09:24
16 |09:22
17 |09:24
18 |09:21
19 |09:32
20 |09:22
21 |09:46
22 |10:40
23 |09:54
24 |09:46
25 |09:53
26 |09:34
0.44 |08:10

P.S. I forgot about HTFU…

Mon 27/11

Rest

Tues 28/11

60 mins very easy
6.47 miles at 12:51

Cold ish for about 20 mins. Loved the run, nice and simple and avoiding sitting on the M50. They seem to have painted the cycle route around the area, that's overdue. Jingle Bells number arrived.

Weds 28/11

60 mins kinda easy to moderate attempt.
7.39 miles at 12:49/12:20/11:01

Cold digits. 2C at car afterwards.

Thurs 29/11

Was considering a long run, but then started procrastinating (any excuse) and Googling on the wisdom of those before a 5k. Guess it couldn't have hurt - opted to skip it.
60 mins easy
6.67 miles at 12:15

Fri 1/12

Rest

Sat 2/12

Jingle Bells 5k.

Parked up and read for a bit. Walking towards the start and saw a fella collapse. Fortunately, he was with a few people who caught him, then got help from the civil defence. Spotted Wubble Wubble and said hello, skyblue46 too.

Not much of a head for 5k strategy, so made it up as I went along, really. Legs felt good, body too. Plenty of people pushing on early. I did settle down trying to do 9:33 or thereabouts whilst waiting for the final 2k. Heard a woman struggling quite a bit at the 1k mark, her partner could have helped to slow her down imo), maybe... Anyway. 3.12 miles at 8:15 (yeah, right), according to Garmin. Having auto lap on would have been useful. Didn't think of it. Good to see all of the Christmas costumes. Decent bit of support out there on the course too, great event overall. 25:43 - a 19 second improvement on last year's effort. Have done faster park runs. Oh, a herd deer afterwards...they were just across the road in the bushes and move into the field. Quite a sight. You wouldn't want to be facing those antlers. (Hi Santa, if you're listening :pac: - wait, wrong deer).

Week: 23.65 miles

Still haven't searched for my water bottle and belt post-DCM, it's around here somewhere. Almost at year's end. Base plan craic next week.

Right. Winter training, let's be having ye.

Tues 5/12

45 min very easy - at 12:50
6.09 miles

Temperatures OK. Legs good. Helps to tie laces before starting…

Weds 6/12

60 min progression (Easy to MP)
at 12:04/10:40/9:38
7.75 miles

Training in work, good to clear the head from that with a run.

Thurs 7/12

45 min very easy at 12:33
5.83 miles

More training for work.

Fri 8/12

Rest/Xmas shopping

Sat 9/12

40 min easy (at 11:58) + 10x100m strides (AP with full recovery)
7.62 miles

Eh, bit mad on the AP front... Majority under 6 min/mi when I should have been in the 6:44 - 6:57 range. Steady on, TBO.

Sun 10/12

90 min easy at 11:52
9.76 miles

Was expecting a deluge, but not too bad. Brightened up near the end. Have yet to properly look for my thin gloves. Vodka bottle and a brown paper bag hanging from a tree, as you do.

Base plan - Week 1: 37.05 miles

Mon 11/12

Rest

skyblue46 wrote: »

Been following your log, very enjoyable. I have to admit to being confused with time, distance and paces...how are they worked out?

Thanks, I do a mile either side of each routine - at easy. Whether this is 'correct', I don't know, but I consider it warm up/cool down (think it was considered fine in the 2016 graduates thread) and it's habit at this stage.

Time - as listed in the plans. 45/60/90, etc.
Paces - worked out from the calculator http://www.runfastcoach.com/calc2/index.php
Distance - whatever Garmin records. Using the lap button it'll combine it all as one whilst still breaking things down.

Typical example
Warm up - 1 mile
Hit lap button
Routine, complete as per plan. If it's just one pace it'll capture 45 minutes as lap 2, one block of time after the warm up. If it's 60 minutes easy to MP, I tend to break that into three blocks of 20. In that case, I'm hitting the lap button 3 times, hoping to capture easy/moderate/MP.
Cool down - 1 mile

From Sunday just gone
1 mile warm up, took me just over 12 minutes
90 minutes easy by the plan was at 11:52 min/mi - within my easy range. Counting this on its own, it's 7.63 miles.
Cool down - just over 13 mins - 1.13 miles
Hence 9.76 over all for Sunday

When I post the pace it's really about the main routine one, not the warm up/cool down ones. 5 days per week with x 2 portions from each day not being part of the main event, so to speak. i.e. 10 miles just warming up/cooling down. That's worked for me so far, as a non-expert. Don't worry, I get confused by my own talk sometimes, bit bored of some of the local roads too. But would not doing much without a goal/plan/past experience and of course, the community on here. Keeping it enjoyable (even if tiring!) helps too.

Some Christmas shopping...

Dear TBO;
Congratulations! You are now registered for the Connemarathon 2018 - Full Marathon | 26.2 miles - Individual - Full Marathon. Please check the events website for updates.

Back half of Week 4 - final stretch of 2017. Drop in temperature, mostly - little else, really.

Weds 27/12

Pre - 1 mile
55 min moderate 5.26 miles at 10:32 min/mi
Post - 1.06 miles

Thurs 28/12

Pre - 1 mile
60 min very easy 4.85 miles at 12:25 min/mi
Post - 1.06 miles

Fri 29/12

Rest

Sat 30/12

Pre - 1 mile
50 min easy (last 5 min @ Threshold) 3.84 miles/45 mins at 11:45 min/mi and 0.59 miles/ 5 mins at 8:50 min/mi
Post - 1.06 miles

Sun 31/12

Pre - 1 mile
1 hr 45 easy 8.94 miles at 11:49 min/mi
Post - 1.28 miles

Fine morning out there. If it were another time of year and a little later in the day, a dab of sun cream would have been needed.

Base Plan Week 4: 38.79 miles.

2017 recap

Jan 2nd - Dec 31st

Taking into account (incl warm ups, etc):

3 weeks of base plan in Jan 2017 - 88.55 miles
5-10k plan - 406.1 miles
2 weeks of running after Inishbofin 10k - 63.5 miles
Base plan pre-DCM - 231.17 miles
Intermediate plan - 506.48 miles
4 weeks of base plan for the winter - 148.62 miles

Mileage not including Inishbofin 10k, FD10 or DCM...1444.42 miles. 1486.82 with those races. Jeepers. Rather that than paying for it in petrol, eh?

Happy New Year and thanks for the support.

Thanks for the comments. Real life does take over - from the bereavement, to my sister being sick (still), work, seeing a family member off at the airport and trying to engage with the HSE on other matters. Discovered what was stabbing me in the left foot with my older shoes, decent nail or carpet tac size thing - now removed.

Onwards with the intermediate plan and the road to Connemara.

Mon 15/1

Rest

Tues 16/1

Pre 1 mile
60 min very easy. 4.74 miles at 12:43 min/mi
Post 1.31 miles

Weds 17/1

Pre 1 mile
10x2 min @ CV w/ 2 min rec (not arsed posting recovery spec below)
Post 1.32 miles

Lap|Time|Distance|Pace
1|2 mins, 15 secs|0.25 mile|8.55
2|2 mins, 37 secs|0.30 mile|8:36
3|2 mins, 29 secs|0.29 mile|8:27
4|2 mins, 16 secs|0.26 mile|8:51
5|2 mins, 35 secs|0.30 mile|8:36
6|3 mins, 09 secs|0.37 mile|8:29
7|2 mins, 30 secs|0.39 mile|8:31
8|2 mins, 26 secs|0.28 mile|8:41
9|2 mins, 10 secs|0.36 mile|8:25
10|2 mins, 06 secs|0.24 mile|8:45
11|2 mins, 37 secs|0.31 mile|8:36

I always lose count around 6 or 7 and end up doing too many, or something like that. It'd be easier to post screen shot from the phone.

Thurs 18/1

Rest

Fri 19/1

Pre 1 mile
60 min very easy. 4.87 miles at 12:25 min/mi
Post 0.97 mile

Sat 20/1

Pre 1.03 miles
60 min very easy 4.76 miles at 12:47 min/mi
Post 0.89 miles

Sun 21/1

Pre 1 mile
2 hour easy. 10.04 miles at 11.59 min/mi
Post 1.13 miles

Week 1: 40.08 miles. This week was a little colder, snow hail, cold hands starting off after work. Family duty, rain and floods.

Week 2

Mon 22/1

Pre 1 mile
60 min very easy. 4.75 miles at 12:39 min/mi
Post 1.57 miles

Tues 23/1

Rest/Long evening meeting

Weds 24/1

Pre 1 mile
3x8 min @ Threshold w/ 3 min rec
Post 1.05 miles

Time|Distance|Pace
8 mins, 18 secs|0.92 miles|9.01
8 mins, 54 secs|0.98 miles|9.08
8 mins, 59 secs|1 mile|8.59

Thurs 25/1

Pre 1 mile
60 min very easy. 4.80 at 12:35 min/mi
Post 1.01 miles

Fri 26/1

Rest

Again, real life on the go, hence not much commentary. A few cold evenings out there.

Mon 5/2
Rest

Tues 6/2
Pre 1 mile
60 min very easy. 4.83 miles at 12:37.
Post 1.24 miles

Weds 7/2
Pre 1 mile
20 min @ Threshold. 2.21 miles at 9:12.
Post 1.44 miles

Thurs 8/2
Rest

Fri 9/2
Pre 1 mile
60 min very easy. 4.81 miles at 12:32.
Post 1.05 miles

Sat 10/2
Pre 1 mile
60 min very easy. 4.81 miles at 12:30.
Post 1.09 miles

Sun 11/2
Pre 1.01 miles
90 min progression (30 easy/moderate/tempo)
2.59 miles at 11:42, 2.87 miles at 10:33, 3.09 miles at 9:41
Post 1.25 miles

Week 4: 36.3 miles.

Mon 12/2
Rest

Tues 13/2
Pre 1 mile
60 min very easy. 4.82 miles at 12:35
Post 1.48 miles

Weds 14/2
Pre 1 mile
40 min Tempo. 4.18 miles at 9:31
Post 1.86 miles

Thurs 15/2
Pre 1.01 miles
60 min very easy. 4.82 miles at 12:33
Post 0.78 miles

Fri 16/2
Rest

Sat 17/2
Pre 1 miles
60 min moderate. 5.74 miles at 10:33
Post 0.92 miles

Sun 18/2
Pre 1 miles
2 hr 30 easy. 12.88 at 11:43
Post 0.78 miles

Week 5: 43.26 miles.

Anyone else who runs on the outskirts of Dublin look at it from a decent vantage point (Man O War, etc) and think about waving? Shure, what else are ya gonna done on wet long run? No? Thought not. Highlight of today's spin - a seal in Loughshinny harbour.