My road to Berlin

Woddle

Well done abhainn great time, super super stuff

SUNGOD

great stuff Abhainn , great time well done

Abhainn

Week ending 31/8/08

Mon - Rest

Tues - 6 miles in 44:00 07:20 / mile pace. The spare HR monitor I had was dead even though I put a new battery in it only on Sunday.

Wed - 10 miles in 75:34. 07:33 / mile pace. HR 138.This run tougher than last 2 midweek 10 milers. Legs still a bit sore after Sundays's race

Thurs - 7 mile tempo with 1 x 3 mile at around 10k pace in 18:45.
HR 153 (1st mile), 161 (2nd mile), 168 (3rd mile)
Found this session tough. Legs still sore. Feel tired all week
Total time 49:57

Fri - Rest

Sat - 2nd long run of 21 miles. 2:38:30. HR 145. 07:33 / mile. Upped the pace to around 07:23 for last 7 miles
Well this wasn't going to be easy after celebrating 5th wedding anniv last night with a bottle of vino each and a few foreign beers. Has to be done. We don't want another war!
Caught up to a chap at 9 miles into run. Got chatting and he has Lake Garda marathon same day as Berlin. He wanted to do Berlin but missed entry date again. He is a vetern of many marathons incl. NY, Boston and Dublin of 12 times. Nice fella. First time I've met a fellow marathoner on a run.

Got home. Went for lunch, felt very ill soon after. Bed for 2hrs (first time ever after a run).

Sun: 10 miles in 67:50. HR 152. 06:47/ mile
Had to swap my pace run to Sun due to fact I would be in a car for 6 hrs today. Felt good in this run, well after the first 3 miles were over. So as HR was low and felt comfortable pace seemed ok under 06:52 per mile

So 4 weeks to go. One tough week left before taper.

Abhainn

Week ending 7th Sept

Mon - Rest

Tues - 7.1 miles in 49:57. 07:02 / mile pace. HR 139

Wed - 10 miles in 75:14. 07:31 / mile pace. HR 142.

Thurs - 6 x 1k with 500m recovery between each. Avg 03:38 each. Found this session very tough but each intervals quicker than previous.

Fri - Rest

Sat - 10 miles in 67:57. HR 155. 06:48/ mile
Wind and rain terrible for first 5 miles.

Sun - 3rd and final long run of 21 miles. 2:35:44. HR 147. 07:25 / mile.
First 15 mile at avg 07:38 / mile pace.
Last 6 at 06:54 / mile

At mile 2 legs were heavy HR higher than normal and didn't think I'd even complete the 21 miles. However very happy at last 6 mile pace. If I feel as good as that for last 10k in Berlin I'd be trilled.

Abhainn

Week ending 14th September

Mon - Rest

Tues - 7.1 miles in 52:52. 07:27 / mile pace. HR 141

Wed - Rest

Thurs - 8.1 miles in 60:30. 07:28 / mile pace. HR 141

Fri - Tempo 6 mile in 42:00 with 1 x 2 mile (6:11 & 6:05). Avg HR 148

Sat - 6.2 mile in 41:52. Pace quicker than MP. 06:45 / mile. HR 155 which was a bit higher than expected

Sun - 12 miles in 1:26:40. HR 144. 07:14 / mile.
The plan says 12 miles but on reflection maybe should have made this 15. But as it happened a blister had appeared above my heal only 4 miles into run (due to wrong choice of socks). By mile 10 blood was flowing.

Abhainn

Week ending 21th September. Odd week but finished well.

Mon - Rest

Tues - 6 miles in 41:45. 06:58. Miles 3 , 4 & 6 at 06:40 pace. HR 147

Wed - 8 miles in 59:20. 07:25 / mile pace. HR 148. This was a evening run and not very enjoyable. HR higher than usual.

Thurs - 4.5 miles in 31:44. 07:04 / mile pace. HR 145.
Speeded up mile 3 to 06:35. Not a very enjoyable run as yesterday. Legs feel a bit heavy and do not feel fresh. Even if I went really slow I think I would still have felt ****.

Fri - Rest

Sat - 9.2 mile fairly hilly in 63:01. 06:52 / mile pace. HR average 153.
First 4 miles at 07:00 pace while last 5 at 06:45 average
Good run. Feeling better. Must be the beautiful day.

Sun - around 4 miles in 29:50. HR 138.
Ah yes. Nothing like a run on a beautiful morning run on a fab beach. Ran barefoot, waves, water excellent.

So this is the last week. Hopefully it won't drag. Not fully sure exactly what runs I will do but Friday seems the last one before Sunday
Sub 03:05 definately on....... maybe a bit quicker? Lets see.

Racing Flat

Abhainn wrote: »

Sub 03:05 definately on....... maybe a bit quicker? Lets see.

Best of luck with it. The taper sure is strange. I felt run down at the end of last week, and normally that would be due to overtraining, but as it was my easiest week in a long time it was very annoying. Hopefully will be better this week, want to feel light and fresh on my last few runs!

You've done a fair few runs there at marathon pace, so sounds like you're in good shape.

Abhainn

Ya taper is funny RF. We think easy weeks now are 40 miles and under.
Back last January we hardly thought that.

I'm getting paranoid too as I think I am also putting on a kg or two now.
10 days ago I was at my lightest weight since me early 20's. I dare not weight myself now though.

Marathon training plan (all of 9 weeks) went better than I expected. That's why I lowered my pace sessions from 07:05 / mile to under 06:52 /mile pace.
It's be interesting how that transpires into Sunday next

Best of luck to you to buck

Racing Flat

Abhainn wrote: »

I'm getting paranoid too as I think I am also putting on a kg or two now.

Expect to put on 3-4 pounds as you store glycogen and water which you'll need in the race. If you didn't put on weight this week you'd want to worry. You've hit a good weight (last week) so best thing is to not weigh yourself now, it will only fill your head with doubts. I always find I lose weight for a few weeks after the marathon even if not training and eating loads.

Racing Flat

Best of luck Abhainn. Hope you get the sub-3.

ike

Again best of luck - been following your progress closely looking forward to seeing a great result.

Abhainn

This week


Mon - Rest

Tues - 6 miles in 43:07. 07:12 /mile HR 145

Wed - 4 miles total in around 30min.
Incl 4 x 500m in under 1:49 and 4 easy 500's between each. HR 138

Thurs - Rest

Fri - 3 miles in 22:50. HR 137.

Sat - Rest

Sun - Berlin marathon in ??:??:??


Feeling good. That's all I have to say right now.

SUNGOD

best of luck abhainn hope it goes according to plan

Odysseus

Best of luck with it mate, hope the day went as you wished.

Abhainn

Berlin Marathon


The great Haile was introduced. The start was almost upon us. The atmosphere is magnificent. What a location for a start of a race like this. It is clear, cool and no wind. No excuses. I was going to gamble on a sub 3:00:00
Off…
I was starting at the head of starting block D which was perhaps 40 meters behind the start line. 500 meters in and I had kind of wished I had relieved myself once last time behind one of the many trees near the start. Then my left achilles felt sore.. oh God Jesus I hadn’t even started and I was retiring. However that quicker faded. Couldn’t seem to locate the 3:00:00 pace runner and his balloons anywhere
I had a target to go through each 5km section in 21:10. This added up would allow me some time if I needed it later.
5 km … Through in 20:30. I was keeping an eye on my watch as we went through each km point and it didn’t feel that quick, but decided to lift off the pedal a bit.
Passed Jerry Forde in his wheelchair at around 8k and let out a shout “well done Gerry keep her going “ , he replied in a similar manner. Met Gerry at the Achill half marathon in 2007 when he stayed in a hotel room across from me. Nice man. Seem to meet him in every half marathon and marathon I have been in since.
10km … 41:15. So I slowed up only by 15 secs for last section. Just ease off a little more. I was feeling good though. The crowd makes you want to go quicker.
15km… 1:02:08 last 5k only slightly slower than previous. At around 14km I suddenly got bumped twice on the head by some big balloon. What do you know 3hr pace dude was on my shoulder. I decided to stay close behind him for next 21k or so, why not, he’s doing all the pacing.
20km … again a sub 21 min 5km. I was feeling fine.
21.1km .. went through this in 1:27:40 with the pace maker. In May I did the Newry half marathon in 1:27:20 which was a PB then. This doesn’t seem that quick.
I had wanted to hit half way in low 1:29’s. Heart rate not too high so happy enough and at least now I have 2 mins time in the bag for later if I need it.
25 km .. pace maker is slowing slightly but great as I hit that 5km in 21:22. Great I say to myself, you can afford to slow up a bit. Heart rate rising a little and as I go through 28km, and it is here I realise that the race is beginning.
30km… in 2:05:59. Still 2 mins ahead of schedule “Keep it going don’t panic, slow slightly if you have” to I say to myself. Sub 3 is truly on!
I was thinking of family, friends and a friend of my wife who did a sub 3 in his only 3rd marathon in Berlin last year.
35 km... last 5km 21:45 and just a little behind the pace maker. I have still over 1.5mins to play with. It is really starting to get tough now. My HR is over 170bpm now since 30k. My legs are getting heavier with each passing minute. Just over 4 miles to the finish, I imagine the final 4 miles of my long runs from home.
37km… 5 km to go. Continue thinking of family, friends and that sub 3 dude , I have him to blame why I’m here. Really hard now.
39km… Only two miles to go. I looked at my watch. I calculated that two 07:05 miles back to back gets me sub 3. It should be a doddle, shouldn’t it? . Spot a tricolour and yell “common Ireland!“ and then a yell from someone that overtakes me “common Cork!” I try and up the pace and for perhaps 20 secs there is something there but then had to pull back. I knew then for sure that dream was over. There was nothing in the legs, absolutely nothing.
40km..2:50:30. More calculations and yes a 06:52 finish would get me home but sure I was just kidding myself.
Then I hear my wife yelling my name a couple hundred meters before the Brandenburg gate. I see her straight away, God I was so happy. Blew her a kiss and shouted “ I…..” well you know what I mean.
Didn’t care then I am almost there.
Finish was in sight. I straighten up and stride over the finish, and smile!!!

Finish time 3:01:00.

A truly brilliant day. Great credit to the Germans everything on the day was organised so well. 1 million spectators, bands, drums music and dancing from the balconies.
There were people with bottles of beer on small tables, there were supporters young and old. It will be hard to beat this one.

It’s difficult really to explain this achievement. Jesus I was so close to the magic sub 3 mark but would I have deserved it if I had done it?

My main goal at the start of 2008 was to run a quick marathon and better my Dublin time of 3:14. I had set my target at 3:05 – 3:07. I started proper marathon training 9 weeks ago and almost 3 of those were taper.
I had a good base from Connemara marathon in April and a couple of triathlons in July and some other foot races in between. This training went well so the target was lowered to sub 3:05 a few weeks back. I once said to myself if I ever achieved an 84 min half time I should get close to the sub 3 mark. That was reached at the Longford half in August. Training had gone well so why not? It wasn’t enough though.

Unfinished business it is so. Dublin marathon is up next. But a sub 3 won’t be accomplished there.

Readers I hope you have found this log interesting and maybe a help to you.

Slan

Krusty_Clown

Thanks for the great report Abhainn! You've definitely whet my appetite for Berlin next year! Just imagine what you could do with more than 9 weeks training?! Fantastic stuff.

donothoponpop

Well done Abhainn, that's a great time, and a good report to read. A small pity about that extra minute (so many of us have tried to push at 24 miles and there's just nothing there!), but don't let it take from your achievement. Great log.

Woddle

Great stuff abhainn, loved reading your account and congrats on your brilliant achievement

Peckham

Congrats Abhainn - you know now that sub-3 is easily within your grasp. Great race report.

SUNGOD

well done abhainn great report and a fantastic time, rome wasnt built in a day this will all stand to you when you do break the magical 3

ekevosu

a great read and a great time, congrats

Racing Flat

Abhainn wrote: »

Spot a tricolour and yell “common Ireland!“ and then a yell from someone that overtakes me “common Cork!”

I think I might have been in the vicinity at this time. I remember the fellow with the tricolour, and someone shouting 'C'mon Ireland', but I didn't see who this was, then a fellow shouted 'C'mon Sligo' (unless if I'm getting confused and that was the 'C'mon Ireland' shout) and another fellow in East Cork singlet (I think, white singlet, narrow green and black horizontal stripes in middle) said something about Cork.

Anyway, great effort Abhainn. So close, but considering your original hopes and your fairly short length of time training, it was a great performance. Next time will be no bother to you.

Well done.

showry

great run Abhainn

Racing Flat

Do I take it that you're running Dublin in 4 weeks? I held back the urge to tell Woddle that his Longford/Berlin double was a crazy idea, but it worked out brilliantly so maybe this isn't such a bad idea, but I really couldn't imagine going through it all again so soon. Saying that it was always in the back of my mind that if I did just miss out, Dublin might be an option, but I decided that I'd only do it if I missed out due to either going out too slow, speeding up second half and feeling like I'd more left in the tank, or if I had to stop and go to the toilet or something and lost the time that way. But had I missed out following a full out effort, I don't think I'd have done it, because the chances of getting it in just 4 weeks would be remote. I'd rather put the eggs into a Spring marathon basket and use the extra month gained by not doing Dublin to my advantage as part of the grand plan. But as you know, I don't really like marathons, well not as much as my friends who do 2 a year, just to complete, so Dublin may be a good option for you, you know yourself, best of luck with it anyway. I'll be on the course cheering you on.

Abhainn

Racing Flat wrote: »

I think I might have been in the vicinity at this time. I remember the fellow with the tricolour, and someone shouting 'C'mon Ireland', but I didn't see who this was, then a fellow shouted 'C'mon Sligo' (unless if I'm getting confused and that was the 'C'mon Ireland' shout) and another fellow in East Cork singlet (I think, white singlet, narrow green and black horizontal stripes in middle) said something about Cork.

Both the 'C'mon Ireland', and 'C'mon Sligo' were me. I was needing inspiration at that point and that was my way of trying to find it.

Dublin was my fall back also if Berlin went belly up. For me Berlin would have been too early for my last race of the season so this one will keep me focused for a while longer.
I need goals and with no real goals untill maybe March that would seem a life time away.
Fortunately (well from the previous 2 I've done) I seem to be stronger after a marathon in the weeks immediately after. Anyway I using it as a learning experience also.

Racing Flat

Best of luck with that then. i'd recommend Pfitzinger's '4 weeks between 2 marathons' plan, but sounds like you're experienced enough with it anyway.

Racing Flat

Abhainn wrote: »

Both the 'C'mon Ireland', and 'C'mon Sligo' were me. I was needing inspiration at that point and that was my way of trying to find it.

I wanted to shout out C'mon Ireland but I was too busy tryinjg to do the maths. Wonder how the East Cork fellow did?

Clum

Well done, Abhainn.

I'd say I wasn't too far behind you all the way. Started in D block and ran 21.10 to 21.15 5k splits until about 35k. Was on for sub three up to that stage but was slowing and had to make a choice of chasing the time or risking not finishing. Decided to ease in to 4.20min/kms (maybe some 4.25s) and stride it home in a good shape.

Disappointed the sub 3 wasn't there but glad I didn't mess up the finish, it was an amazing experience.

I'll get that sub 3 another day.

Abhainn

Racing Flat wrote: »

Best of luck with that then. i'd recommend Pfitzinger's '4 weeks between 2 marathons' plan, but sounds like you're experienced enough with it anyway.

Yes been googling that but can't seem to find the training detail on the web. Only option would seem to buy the book?

Yes I think the Cork dude came in at 2:59:49

Racing Flat

Sun - Berlin

Mon - Rest/Cross
Tue - Rest/Cross
Wed - 5m v easy
Thurs - Rest/Cross
Fri - 6m v easy
Sat - 6m v easy
Sun - 8m easy
25miles

Mon - Rest/Cross
Tues - 6m v easy
Wed - 8m easy
Thurs - Rest/Cross
Fri - 8m easy with 8 x 100m strides
Sat - 5m v easy
Sun - 12m
39miles

Mon - Rest/Cross
Tues - 8m with 5 x 800m (5k race pace), 2 min recovery
Wed - 5m v easy
Thurs - 15m
Fri - 4m v easy
Sat - 5m v easy with 8 x 100m strides
Sun - 11m
48miles

Mon - Rest
Tues - 6m v easy
Wed - 7m with 2 miles at marathon pace
Thurs - 6m v easy
Fri - 5m v easy with 6 x 100m strides
Sat - 4m v easy
Sun - 2nd marathon
28miles