"The dream is alive, I can run up the hills every night..."

rainbow kirby

4 miles this evening (~10min/mile pace, forgot my watch - timing against the track listing of a Dream Theater album ftw :pac: ), felt really nice to get out on a cold, crisp evening

I think my mojo may be coming back a bit... or maybe I'm just glad to get away from the HUGE assignment I'm working on for Monday!

8 tomorrow, we shall see how that goes...

rainbow kirby

Didn't get that 8-miler done at the weekend, GOD DAMN COLLEGE WORK! :mad: Finally submitted that assignment at 3pm yesterday and came home to vegetate. i'd been working until 11pm every night for the previous 5 nights to get it done. Ouch.

4 miles tonight, with a fairly quick finish after it started pissing rain! (9.34/mile pace overall)
Totally don't feel ready for Monday. I know it's taper nerves, but I've got the whole "wish I'd run more miles, wish I'd done more long runs, blah blah blah" thing going on...

littlebug

Deep breaths..... all will be well on Monday :cool:

Krusty_Clown

You'll be great. Everyone is feeling equally nervous at the moment, with exactly the same thoughts running through their heads. The work's done, just hang in there for the next few days. As soon as you cross the start line, everything will click into place.

rainbow kirby

3 miles this evening (10.00/mile pace). Not my best, not my worst, not a particularly big confidence builder, but meh - noob mistake, I ran when very hungry, which is something that really doesn't suit me.

krankykitty

Just wanted to wish you the very best of luck on Monday Rainbow. You've done so much hard work and I hope you have a great race and enjoy the experience.

rainbow kirby

Just got all the stuff ready for morning, set the alarm for 5:30 to give me time to eat a huge breakfast at an appropriate time too. All I've got left to do now is panic...

Good luck to everyone who's running tomorrow, hope you all do brilliant

osnola ibax

Best of luck tomorrow RK, you've done loadsa training so have faith in it

Bally8

Best of luck RK, thanks for all the support. We will ROCK! Hope we bump into each other at some stage.

eliwallach

Thanks for the best wishes.
Good luck to you too.
Speaking from a perspective of a "second timer", my only regret (I wish :rolleyes:) from last year was that I didn't take time on the day to enjoy it more.
So my only advice to you would be to enjoy the day as best you can. It's a great experience!

rainbow kirby

DCM 4:28:10 gun time

I'm absolutely shocked, and thrilled, and delighted, with going sub-4:30. Never thought I could.

Saw a few boardsies this morning before the race, got a lift in off Gerard65 today and then met up with Bally8 in the baggage area. Started with her, with the intention of sticking with the 4:30 pacers for as long as I could, but went out slightly quick (9.40 for mile 1). Ended up losing her when she took her first walk break, and quite quickly hit my happy pace after that. Miles 3-16 were all in the 9:55-10:10 minute range, and I hit halfway in about 2:14. Got a bit of a shock when I realised that the High5 gels on the course were of the isotonic caffeinated variety - I really don't like caffeine or isotonic gels while running (despite my general caffeine addiction) so I had to avoid them.

Things started to hurt more at about mile 18-19, and Foster's Avenue is the spawn of Satan incarnate. Also got very sick of gels after about mile 20, I'd intended to take one at around 23-24, but I honestly could not stomach a fifth gel today. Survived to the end anyway, with a little help from a mars bar! Chocolate when running is a bit evil though...

I finally had a look at my feet a couple of minutes ago, surprisingly enough all 10 toenails are still intact despite the fact that I thought I felt the nails lift off on two toenails when running (left at mile 22, right at mile 25). It remains to be seen though whether those nails will last the week.

That was the most painful, tiring, stressful, emotional rollercoaster I've ever done. I ****ing loved it, and I'll be back next year.

littlebug

Brilliant RK , cracking running.. testament to all your hard work

rainbow kirby

Just to add - chip time 4:24:56...

Sub-4:25

osnola ibax

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Just to add - chip time 4:24:56...

Sub-4:25

RK, that is absolutely outstanding, brilliant running, you better celebrate hard when the legs come around

goofygirl

Woop woop! Fcuking fantastic, I hope you are over the moon. Fair play to you and all your hard work

Munster_Gal

Well Done

xebec

Brilliant work!! Must feel amazing to get your time!! You kicked my ass anyway

krankykitty

OMG Rainbow, great time!!! All the hard work really paid off.

I think Chocolate and running sounds like a great (yet still evil) combo

Definitely treat yourself now to some nice relaxation and hope those toes stay intact

gerard65

Great run RK, delighted for you. You put the hard work and dedication in and it paid off. I was hanging around for a while to see if you wanted a lift home but I could'nt see you.

Krusty_Clown

Brilliant running again! Congrats! Enjoy the moment.

beamgirl

congrats, brilliant time

stipes212

rainbow kirby wrote: »

DCM 4:28:10 gun time



That was the most painful, tiring, stressful, emotional rollercoaster I've ever done. I ****ing loved it, and I'll be back next year.

Bang on. Never said a truer word.

aero2k

rainbow kirby wrote: »

That was the most painful, tiring, stressful, emotional rollercoaster I've ever done. I ****ing loved it, and I'll be back next year.

I can relate to that, I felt quite emotional all the way round the course - I still am a bit really...

Sosa

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Just to add - chip time 4:24:56...

Sub-4:25

Well done rainbow...enjoy the moment,you deserve it.

Slogger Jogger

Great running RK.

metamorphosis

Great running RK! Well done.

RoyMcC

RK you're a star. From the point you started not so very long ago that is one helluva achievement. You ought to be very, very proud.

MarieC

Wow Rainbow Kirby some achievement and an excellent time for your first marathon!!! Was thinking of ye yesterday and Im delighted to be reading such excellent reports from ye. Well done again!

luvlylady

Huge congrats to you on your great performance - well deserved

shels4ever

Well done, super running yet again,

goofygirl

So RK, you and me (and 12,000 others), same time, same place, different pace next year?

rainbow kirby

goofygirl wrote: »

So RK, you and me (and 12,000 others), same time, same place, different pace next year?

Hell yeah!

Today... everything hurts. I have to go down stairs sideways.

RubyK

Well done Rainbow Kirby, you (along with all the other boardsies) must be delighted with yourself. Congrats!!

goofygirl

rainbow kirby wrote: »

Hell yeah!

Today... everything hurts. I have to go down stairs sideways.

I hear ya. I'm on my laptop in bed, really not looking forward to going down stairs, let alone a transatlantic flight tomorrow!

rainbow kirby

I'm in college, thankfully there is a lift to my 11am class (on the 2nd floor)!

Oryx

Super big styleee well done from me. Fanbloodytastic on making your target. I think you only realise what a big deal it is when youre in the middle of mile 20 going holy god, 6 miles still to go.

Sorry I didnt get to meet ya (or any of the others) on the day.

And glad you seem to still have all your toenails!!

rainbow kirby

I really hope that I continue having all 10 toenails intact - it appears that it was actually the formation of some huge blisters on the 2nd toe of each foot. I've got Morton's toe on both feet (2nd toe longer than big toe) so I'll need to watch that in future because it *did* become an issue in the last 4-5 miles, despite the fact that I've never had any problems with the particular shoes and socks I was wearing yesterday.

Oryx

I have that mortons toe too, then. I just never knew what it was called. I wear my running shoes a size bigger than my regular shoes, but I still stub my toes sometimes. I never realised that losing toenails was a regular running thing till this year.

RacoonQueen

I don't think I said it yesterday but well done thats a really, really fantastic time.

racheljev

Congrats RK, delighted for you! Great time, your training really paid off. Fair play to you.

Lemon

Told you that you were going to do great Rainbow Kirby :-)
Congrats

rainbow kirby

Post-DCM navel gazing time...

So the big and blatantly obvious question is... What now?

Right now, the hard part is getting out of my chair... all the better for killing time online planning races

I'd like to be able to bounce off this and do well in some short stuff over the winter, possibly go for a 5k in December and the Raheny 5 in January. I *think* I can PB in both, my 5k PB (26:22) is one of my softest ones given that it was done back in March, just before my finals, while off my head on painkillers. I'd like to think I could get close to 25 minutes for 5k, given that the first 5k of the 5 mile race in the park was done in about 25:30. I'd love to go sub-40 at the Raheny 5, but somehow I don't think that will happen.

I really don't think there will be a spring marathon for me. If I had the money I'd consider it, but to be perfectly honest I'm probably better off doing some shorter stuff over the winter, building a good base (I'd like to be comfortably running 30-40 miles a week) and then starting a more intense program in June for Dublin 2010. Next year there will be more long runs, I'd like to get at least 2-3 20 milers in and another few in the 16-20 mile range. I'd like to set 4:10 as a hand-wavey target for next year. I think I can get that, maybe get close to 4 hours - yesterday was my first, I paced very evenly (2:11:50 for the first half, 2:13:06 for the second), and never walked, so I think that with more miles in the legs I can go a bit faster.

Which brings me to my next point... what am I best suited to? I have an inkling that I'm slightly better at going long than I am at the shorter races, and I think I enjoy that too - I preferred the steady burn of a sub-2 HM (or the OMGMAKEITSTOP burn of a sub-4:30 marathon!) than the OMGGONNAPUKE feeling of a fast 5k! My times don't really reflect a bias either way, as my half-marathon time predicts virtually everything shorter on McMillan, but is about 14 minutes off my marathon time (it predicts 4:11).

So if anyone has any suggestions, feel free to make them!

gerard65

Try not get into the mindset of 'I am a marathon runner only' or 'I am a track runner only' etc. Have a go at the lot - road, track, Xcountry then decide what you prefer. Join the BHAA, they do different types of races and its a great way to try out the various options.

rainbow kirby

/me hums the "On The Road Again" song from Shrek

3 miles this afternoon at granny-pace, got caught in the rain! Lungs not too happy at going past a bonfire roughly every mile.

Still though, it's nice to be back! Am planning on following the Higdon novice post-marathon schedule for the next month to slowly bring the legs back to life. I'll be doing the Jingle Bells 5k, but can't do the Aware 10k due to having an exam that evening.

rainbow kirby

At the suggestion of a friend of mine... before and after pics. Finally time to publically embarrass myself!

kirby drunk @ Dublin Pride, June '08
kirby @ DCM (Short blonde hair, blue shirt)

metamorphosis

My god woman - some difference. If you don't mind me asking how much did you lose?

Looooking good! Congrats

rainbow kirby

I lost 4st 4lbs. Which I'm rapidly on my way to putting back on if I don't stop eating...

metamorphosis

wow a hearty well done there. I lost just over 5stone few years back. i was gearing towards 16 stone when i left school in 2005 and ever since i started college that september i slowly became more aware of nutririon/fitness and now i suppose i love running so much because it's somethig i never thought i could do or would be able to do. Go figure.

Well done. I know how hard it can be to lose weight. Wouldn't it be great if we could eat to lose weight?!!!! oh nomnomnom I am currently muching a bagel with butter and a mug of hot chocolate

Oh and if i keep eating the way i am since monday ... well lets just say it will be an EEK situation!!!

rainbow kirby

ULstudent wrote: »

Oh and if i keep eating the way i am since monday ... well lets just say it will be an EEK situation!!!

I think it's time to go on a diet until Christmas for me! So hard to resist the lure of leftover Halloween goodies though...

metamorphosis

Brack with butter ftw!