Running mad or mad to run?

Woddle

Best of luck SJ, will it be the forever lucky imra singlet or the new flashy boards one?

Slogger Jogger

Don't know yet. Decisions, decisions.

--amadeus--

I'll tell you what your consistency and application in training is an example to us all. Fingers crossed that you get what you deserve in Edinburgh. Good luck!

Slogger Jogger

Watch time: 3:01:23. Unverified as this point.

To say I'm happy is an understatement. After the dissapointment of Rotterdam I got back to my running straight away, back to running in the hills which is what I enjoy most and doing imra races. I knew that quietly within my heart of hearts I had to redeem myself for the stinker that was the Rotterdam race. Today was it. 99% perfect. Perfect would have been breaking the 3 hrs, but all in good time.

Conditions today were very hot. Far from ideal for a marathon. I got to halfway in 1:29ish. Lost time in the closing stages, but runners around me at that stage were collapsing on the ground! Unusually for me I didn't cramp, I didn't have to walk any, I just kept a steady pace - albeit one that was getting slower as the last few ks approached. Very emotional crossing the line. After 18 marathons I'm still capable of a PB. Now where is the bar in this hotel... (fuller race report to follow when I'm back in Wicklow with proper (not hotel slow) internet facilities.

--amadeus--

A fantastic time and richly deserved. Well done!

spaceylou

Well done SJ, have been following your log so delighted to read you've come back from rotterdam, great time hope you found the bar after your post and enjoyed!

Hard Worker

Well done SJ. It's great that you enjoyed it and that you are still achieveing pb's.

kingQuez

Well done SJ. Savage time in horrible (for marathoning) weather!

asimonov

Great work sj, it must have been real tough in the heat.

Slogger Jogger

Thanks guys. Maybe the secret to a good marathon is to do a hill race 3 or 4 days beforehand like Prince Williams Seat

Had a nice meal and beer / wine with the family afterwards to celebrate
Happy out. Read in the papers today that some 10 runners were admitted to hospital and that more than 100 runners had to have treatment on the route. For those runners that were slow on the outward half of the route they cut the route short (by cutting off a 3 mile loop section through private grounds) on health and safety grounds. Probably a sensible decision but if your intention was to do a slow but steady marathon you may be surprised to find you did 23 miles not 26 (or you might not know).

Saw in the results that I was placed 140
My half way split was around 1:29:15, so didn't lose too much in the 2nd half. God bless you if you could run negative splits in those conditions.

The heat was tough, but tougher I think 3 years ago here, but I probably was ill-prepared on that occasion. I hydrated well before the race yesterday, wore sunscreen and a sunhat and drank enought but not too much at each water stop / luzocade stop. There was a sea breeze which was more a help than a hindrance too in the last 5 miles.

earlyevening

Well done SJ. A fantastic result in tough conditions. That must feel even better given the Rotterdam disappointment. Hopefully it will spur you onto greater success in a damper, cooler Dublin in October.

Abhainn

Excellent result SJ. Super achievement after your Rotterdam dissapointment.

Maybe sub 3 in Dublin in Oct?

ike

Well done SJ - just goes to show Rotterdam was nothing more than an off day

stmochtas

Congrats SJ

Krusty_Clown

Great result SJ. On a cooler day, you will kill that time. So when's the next marathon, or is it all hilly stuff for a while? I picked up a pair of mud-claws while I was in Edinburgh, so I'm looking forward to getting a chance to try them out, when the legs are back to full strength. I'd love to make the scalp, as it's almost a local race. Fingers crossed.

Seres

great results , especially in that heat. sub three is definitely on the horizon.

shels4ever

Well done super time and reward for your hard work

ManFromAtlantis

fair play sj. nice to see some good reports. the fact that u didnt break 3 is probably a plus for now. i mean what a motivating factor / if u ever needed one for the next marathon. well done.

Slogger Jogger

Thanks a million guys. Sub 3 is definitely within touching distance. If it happens it happens, if not this year, maybe next, or the next It nearly happened here. I don't have my watch splits (computer problems) but the 30k official split had me at 4:14 min/k pace which was almost 2 mins ahead of schedule.

If anyone out there was ever wondering about the value of hill running as part of a marathon schedule I think you can see from my result here that it helps bigtime.

Sosa

Well Done Slogger....delighted for you...great run

Slogger Jogger

Eventually got garmin loaded up. Now if I could just shave back on the km splits in the last 7 or 8k... Up til then it was rock n roll.

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/8370285

Krusty_Clown

Wow, you couldn't ask for a better elevation profile! Great work until 33kms, then the heat probably had a lot to do with it. A HRM would have made for interesting reading.

Slogger Jogger

Yep, the elevation helps... As for a HRM, I tend not to wear one in races, it annoys me! But I can tell you that my heart rate was shooting up towards the end despite the pace falling away...

The following pic is from the set of photos I got from marathon-photos. Loaded them to my flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mickhanney/

ultraman1

is dat an official imra hat.....

Slogger Jogger

Official Paris Marathon 25th anniversay hat...

ManFromAtlantis

ultraman1 wrote: »

is dat an official imra hat.....

looks just like the sugar loaf

Slogger Jogger

Sunday: Edinburgh marathon, 3:01:22 PB
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Swimming pool session to rest the legs.
Wednesday: Easy run on leg 3 of Wicklow way relay course. 8k.
Thursday: Swimming pool session to rest the legs.
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Wicklow way relay leg 5. Just over 13k. See next post for race report.
Today: Jogged the route that will be used for the European Trail in Glenmalure next week. 12.5k, 787m of ascents!

I'll probably continue to factor in alternate days rest/recovery for the next few weeks until I assess my next race target... potentially the Longford marathon.

Slogger Jogger

Very early morning text from Magnet woke me up (thanks Magnet!)... Where is leg 2 start she says? Curtlestown I replied almost in my sleep, before trying to get more shuteye, but that was difficult. Pre-race nerves I think.
General donothoponpop's text messages come thick and fast. The schedule is 'out' due to EE's leg 1 excursion, but we still get to Laragh before 11 I think. Rain is pouring down and its quite cold. Dawdled quite a bit on clothing decision. The downpour before HM appeared persuaded me to wear jacket.
Whilst I was waiting the leg 5 runners for other teams were heading off every few mins. I think from our progress later on we would get to pass a lot of those teams (go team boards!).
The moment came... HM was on the finishing straight... Touch hands and go. Will the legs hold up 6 days after Edinburgh... we'll see. The start of leg 5 is deceptive as its flat so you go out too fast. 1st k split 3:43
The steps up towards the Poulanglass waterfall put an end to that pace, but still kept it going solidly. Whats that above me on the zigzag trail? Its the previous runner? Ahhaa, a target... Kept a steady pace (next few ks: 5:27, 4:53:, 5:04, 5:00) Passed the target, as he walked a bit of incline just past the 4k mark. He put on a spurt but couldn't keep up... happy days. 6 mins and 5:34 were the last of the uphill ks, then it was slipperier downhill through the steep muddy steps and onto the fireroad, where the pace picks up. In my minds eye I could see the runners ahead of me - even if physically I couldn't. I could also envisage donothoponpop waiting for me impatiently if I was late (he was expecting me to do c. 60 mins) . Dig deep and try to turn those legs faster. 4:39, 3:31 , 3:36 , 3:23. My total time of 61 mins may not be strictly correct as I hit the stop button clearing condensation from the timer. Still it was round 60 which on marathon legs + 6 days is a good result. On the final run-in I could see a girl finishing her leg.. Nearly caught her, but donothoponpop wasn't too long catching her running mate on leg 6.
Changed into dry gear in the p**sing rain, and drive on from leg to leg til Shillelagh where we had a nice getogether. Everyone had a great day. Everyone chuffed with 12th place. Next year we WILL do better.
Congrats all.
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/8386061

asimonov

Good stuff SJ. What do you have on next weekend? :-)

Slogger Jogger

I'll have a go at the European trail run in Glenmalure. Nearly 800m of ascent (uphill only), 7k ish distance race. There I will really find out my running level against the best hill runners in the country. All part of the experience...