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Send in the Clowns - BAC 10K Challenge
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I recovered well from Chicago marathon three weeks ago. Joints still a little tender, but muscles were all working fine. My 13th marathon (5 of which were raced) was going to be a cold wet affair. I put on the jolly green giant suit, and was deservedly given a slagging by the other pacers. Bastids..
A bit of craic in the hotel, and we were off to the start line for 9am. I was running this one with Liamo123 and Lecheile, and the boys were in great shape. Good to meet so many Boards posters and 'normals' before the start of the race!
The 3:15 pace bands were geared up for a 3:14:01 finish, so after the start of the race we settled into a few positions, with Liamo initially taking the front, me in the middle and Lecheile and his merry crew taking up the rear :eek:. The first mile marker was off a bit, so though we were pretty much on track pacing wise, everyone's Garmin was reporting that we were off by 30 seconds. Even at the early stages, there were lots of people complaining about the heat and humidity.
Over the last number of paced marathons (5 at this stage?) I've gotten used to a few people Garmin-watching, convinced that their Garmin is right, and everybody else in the race is wrong. Typically, they are the guys who are sweating a little more than they should, heart rate running a little high, the guys who can't understand why the effort levels are too great for their target pace. You try to engage them with logic and evidence, but, they just don't want to believe. You tell them to drop back if the pace is too hot, but instead they push forward, as if to make a point. You hope their destiny has a happy outcome, but you don't really want them around, as they make all of the other runners nervous. This race was no different. A french guy trying to convince me that we were running at 3:10 pace. I showed him my watch, my pace-band, my other watch.. Still not convinced. I have some rudimentary French, so I started chatting to him in his native speak, and he calmed down a little. Then he pushed on. Where he went, nobody knows...
But largely, we had a great crew, with lots of folks who I had run with before, including the Roadrunner's mate who shared a centerfold with me in the DCM expo magazine. We did as much posing as we could muster, but I don't think we'll make the magazine next year. Kathryn Thomas' will probably steal our limelight, and she deserves it too, running sub-3 in those jeans and high-heels.
By the mid-point, it didn't look like anyone had dropped off the pace, and between the three pacers, it looked like we had hundreds of runners. We passed under the clock in 1:37:27, so you couldn't get much closer than that. Took a gel, just to make sure I didn't bonk and kept the water levels topped up. We were doing lots of shouting to get the crowds riled up, and they responded admirably. Despite the murky conditions, it felt like there were more supporters out than the previous two years of warm sunny days. It was great to get so many shouts of 'Go on Krusty/Gary', a testament to how many people you get to know through this running malarky!
By the time we hit the hill at Roebuck, there was a lot more shouting. It's definitely a tough point, when you are running at goal pace, and the downhill to the 'dualer' was a welcome respite. Strangely my mum and other members of my family came out to give me some support (for one of my slowest ever marathons) but sure, a shout is a shout! Caught a glimpse of Mrs Clown, before we hooked around the corner and started heading for home. Down Merrion Road, I'd gone a bit quiet as my throat was sore from hollering and I was saving some energy for the finish area screaming encouragement. One of the runners asked me to start talking again as my voice was very calming and put the runners at ease. Well, feck me if I wasn't dumb-struck. What the hell do you talk about at a time like this?! I tried the election, but they were having none of it. So, I gave the guys regular updates on their estimated time of arrival (around 3:13:50) and kept a low-level of cajoling going for the final few miles.
Arriving at Trinity, the noise levels were fantastic. Running from side to side divvying out the high-fives and conducting the crowds like an orchestra is just great fun. Everyone should try it some time. It's made a lot easier, when you are carrying a great big orange weather balloon. All of the runners pushed-on, so I grabbed the stragglers I could find and gave them some choice arm-pumping, and fist waving and energy-bestowing pats on the back (in other words they picked up the pace to get the hell away from deranged eejit). Slowed down for the finish line, and casually stepped over at a nonchalant walking pace in 3:14:59 (gun) and 3:14:25 (chip), so I wouldn't have been eligible for the pacer's wager. Thanked by so many up the finisher's chute, it left me in no doubt that it's something I want to keep doing, as you can't help but share other people's triumph and sense of achievement.
The organization was spot-on, from the expo right through to the finish line. The DCM folks and our fearless master D'pop made sure everything went off without the least of hitches, and the focus was always on the running, rather than the details. Thanks Paul, you make it feel easy.
Summary: 26.2 miles in 3:14:27, @7:25/mile, HR=1491 -
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G, great to chat with you face to face after all the behind the scenes chat, I spoke with your wife for a little while too, she's lovely.Thanks for the Aero - I think you were disposing of it and / or waiting for it to solidify again but no chocolate covered delight is safe around me!!
Poor oul Meno was gutted when you struck!0 -
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Krusty_Clown wrote: »You know she's one and the same person as Emer_911 who posts on this forum? For that reason, I agree. She's lovely.
Eureka!;)0 -
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TheRoadRunner wrote: »Add me to the mix. Haven't settled for a course yet but London is definitely an option.
Me too. GFA 2013 pen in London will be nothing but boardsies
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Brianderunner wrote: »Me too. GFA 2013 pen in London will be nothing but boardsies
Is it bad that I hope the lower the GFA qualifying time to 2.55 0 -
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shels4ever wrote: »2012 is when all the cool kids are running.!!!! 2013 is for the rest.
Both is better thoughTheRoadRunner wrote: »Is it bad that I hope the lower the GFA qualifying time to 2.55
I would expect nothing less from you, you bollox 0 -
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Today: 10 mile easy run in Shanganagh Park
Met up with some of the Bray Runners and headed off with Pronator for a couple of handy loops, and picked his brain about his training regime leading up to his 2:40 marathon. A quick chat with Pre afterwards, who has got some incredible marathon times ahead of him, and then I ran to the shops to grab some coffee (had my first cup of tea this morning in around 8 years (blurgh!)), and rounded off the run to 10 miles. Beautiful day for running, and great to have a bit of company on a Sunday run for a change (even if the lads do run in entirely the wrong direction in the park).
Finished off with:
Core: 13 x 15
Weights: 13 x 2 x 4
Summary: 10 miles in 1:14, @7:21/mile, HR=~1390 -
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Yep, great to have the company KC. I was never very good with the old "Clock wise - anti clock wise" thing.;)
Hope to make a Sunday shanganagh run a regular thing over the next few weeks into what is probably a badly thought out idea of running the Waterford half in December so soon after DCM.:eek:Krusty_Clown wrote: »Today: 10 mile easy run in Shanganagh Park
Met up with some of the Bray Runners and headed off with Pronator for a couple of handy loops, and picked his brain about his training regime leading up to his 2:40 marathon. A quick chat with Pre afterwards, who has got some incredible marathon times ahead of him, and then I ran to the shops to grab some coffee (had my first cup of tea this morning in around 8 years (blurgh!)), and rounded off the run to 10 miles. Beautiful day for running, and great to have a bit of company on a Sunday run for a change (even if the lads do run in entirely the wrong direction in the park).
Finished off with:
Core: 13 x 15
Weights: 13 x 2 x 4
Summary: 10 miles in 1:14, @7:21/mile, HR=~1390
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