Connemara Full Marathon

Slogger Jogger

Hi,

Any other forum users registered for the full? Hows the training going etc?

I managed to tick over during Christmas and did a good week last week despite the wild weather! This mornings clear and frosty morning was great for running. Surprised myself with almost a 2hr run in the Wicklow hills.

Happy running!

Abhainn

Hi Slogger Jogger

Well indulged a bit much over the latter half of the hols but got in some very decent runs in over the period. too.
Did a very good 14 miler day before Christmas Eve. Found my 12 miler yesterday tougher than normal due to the extra poundage of the week of great food and berverages.
I am lucky (or unlucky as it it tough!) as nearing the end of my long run at the weekend I take in a climb almost identical to the Hell of the West.

Hoping to find two races between now and early March to tune up also, half marathons would be ideal. But as yet none found as it is early in the season. So it looks like a couple of shorter mountain races.

HardyEustace

I'm registered for the full. Training going badly for me as didn't do anything over christmas as came down with a virus/fluey thing. Still finding it a struggle to get the LSR in which I know are the most important. Have one tonight as couldn't do it yesterday. Weeks to the marathon are flying by at a frightening rate.

macinalli

Hi all,

Also signed up for the full. Only started training at the weekend, did 10 miles around the Phoenix Park. First proper run since the Christmas shenanigans so happy enough really.

Abhainn - any info on any good half marathon/mountain races?

Slogger Jogger

Hi,

imra Winter league starts next weekend with the Howth race, and theres other winter league races to follow over the next month or two. If you did a long slow run one day of the weekend and the hill race on the other you'd have done a very good and balanced weekend of training!

Regards,

Slogger

macinalli

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

If you did a long slow run one day of the weekend and the hill race on the other you'd have done a very good and balanced weekend of training!

No way! I cycle to work all week, about 8 miles each way, Sunday is my only day off! Joining up with the imra lunatics does not count in my book as 'recovery'!

Slogger Jogger

The weather these days is making it difficult to keep the schedule going but we persevere. Got out today for a 2 hour run out of Kilcoole to Bray, Kilmacanogue and back. Lots of hills. Great for building character. Gps watch is out of action but mapped it out at 24.5km on my OSI trailmaster software. Anyone else running long this weekend? What did you do / where did you run?

Cheers.

Abhainn

Well Slogger Jogger same county as you.
Did my last quick "short run" yesterday before I hit the slower 16-21 milers beginning next weekend.
Did a 14mile + yesterday morning in ideal conditions. Pushed it out fairly hard, felt strong in latter 3rd of route which was good.

Link below of route.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/ireland/wicklow/914876324

HardyEustace

Doing 12 today, did 11 last Monday and 14 next weekend. Running round Galway city which includes a run along the prom, out by the university and through a bit of the city. Getting a bit of variety which should hopefully help distract from the sore legs.

Slogger Jogger

Good running guys. Abhainn, I'm based just outside of Aughrim and thats where I do most of my running. Would be interested in hooking up for joint training runs at some stage if you were interested. I'm generally on the backroads and hills. Today I surprised myself and did 14.2k in 64 mins. Wherever I ran it was usually to the sound of water running off the hills and streams aflood from the rain. Actually perfect conditions for running as the wind had dropped to nought.

Abhainn

Good run Slogger Jogger. I managed just over 1:43 for the 14+ run on Sat.

I do most of my running during the week around Tymon Park in Tallaght / Tempelogue and do a run / long run around Wicklow at weekends.
Would definately be interested also in some joint runs at some stage.
Cheers

macinalli

Did 11 and a bit around the Phoenix Park on Saturday, actually felt pretty good, the Christmas had less of an effect than I thought!

Going a bit OT, what's the verdict on GPS watches? I'm usually pretty crap about keeping a steady pace in my long runs and have been hearing good things about these gadgets...

Slogger Jogger

Hi,

I've a garmin forerunner 305 which, when its working works great. It got saturated in a recent run - it shouldn't have affected it, but it did - and its going for repair. As a device for given accurate pace, distance etc it can't be beaten.

Regards,

CCR

Hi,

Have registered for connemarathon and training is going well . It'll be my second marathon as I ran the Cork City Marathon last year.

I was just wondering what the course is like in connemara. I'm expecting lots of hills.

baza1976

Hi all, I see most of you are doing longgggggg runs in the lead up to marathon. My first marathon in dublin last october. In my training the most I did was 7.5 miles and finished in 4hr 20min... My buddy was ding 12, 16 and even did a 20 mile run and finished 11 min's ahead of me!!!I don't belive in this 16or 20 mile... If ur going to do 20 mile why not keep going and do extra 5!!! another reason is I have 3 kids and wife to go with it .. I would not be able to go out on the road for 2 or more hrs.. I always play indoor/outdoor footie. also for the month before the marathon i ran everyday and some times if i was good to the kids and wife they might let me out for the second time..

Slogger Jogger

Theres a few more hills than in Dublin alright but the scenery will lift the spirits. The hills aren't bad, what is bad is their 'placement' on the route. The haul up the 'hell of the west' is around about the time runners will be hitting the wall. So.. its a case of practice those thills in training. Incorporate hills into your long runs. If all your training is treadmill based or on the flat it won't prepare you for what the West will offer.

macinalli

CCR wrote: »

I was just wondering what the course is like in connemara. I'm expecting lots of hills.

I did the Connemara half last year and was all set for a crack at the hell of the west. What nobody told me though is that there's another real tough hill coming out of Leenane! Was a bit of a shock to the system... Other than those 2 hills though, the course just seemed to roll along.
I'm having a go at the full this time round and have heard that the first half of the course is relatively harmless

hunnymonster

baza1976 wrote: »

If ur going to do 20 mile why not keep going and do extra 5!!!

With all the missing letters in your post, I'm not quite sure I understand what you're trying to say, but to answer the bit I did understand: The reason for running up to 20 miles is that it allows you to simulate the time you are likely to be on your feet during the race but without a significantly higher injury risk. If you run 25 miles in training there is a much higher risk of injury and not making it to the start line.

baza1976

hunnymonster wrote: »

With all the missing letters in your post, I'm not quite sure I understand what you're trying to say,

What i mean is this: I don't think that you need to run 14, 15, 16 or 20 mile to be able to run a marathon. As I mentioned the most I ever ran in the run up to the dublin marathon was 7.5 miles. As an example I mentioned that my friend was one of these peole who was runnning long distances and even did a 20 mile run and only finished 11 min in front of me. Also another point I was trying to make was that some people can't/don't have time to be on the road for 2/3 hrs training.
I just think that by telling people that you need to run 14, 15, 16 miles is a bit off putting. I'm saying you don't need to run that distance.

Racing Flat

Two case studies does not constitue ample evidence ie you did no long runs and did 4.20, your friend did long runs and did 4.09. But you may be naturally more advantaged than him - have a higher VO2max, lung capacity, lactate threshold etc etc. The counter to your argument might be that the winner ran ?2.09 and he does 22mile runs every week of his life, probably quite hard and probably totals more than 100miles a week....

But all in all across the board, I would say doing long runs is advantageous for running good marathons, but the amount needed to be done may vary bewteen individuals, there'll always be exceptions.

baza1976

Thanks Racing Flat, I'm not trying to make out I'm hero... what I'm trying to get at is this... some people when they hear you must run 14, 15, 16 or 20 miles before considering running a marathon will say/think to themselves that they don't have either time or the ability to keep running that distance and will decide not to run the marathon. And that we should try and remember for the benifit of such people that it's not about trying to win the marathon but it is all about completing the marathon..

Thats my final thought on this I'm off looking for a new thread...