Ever Decreasing Circles:

Krusty_Clown

and the masters reign of terror continues. .. Congrats on another deadly performance!

Kurt Godel

Great read Dom, well done on the 5miler. I always want to run fast after reading your race reports; you describe racing and tactics so well.

blockic

Well done D, enjoyed that read. Ticking off those boxes nicely.

RunningKing

Super running, nice report.

What I've learned today from this and KC's report is that unless you are close to puking, you haven't pushed hard enough.

KielyUnusual

Great time today. All that marathon training has really stood to you over the shorter stuff.

Peckham

Great to see things so upbeat on this log

Dory Dory

Yeah, puking seems to be the post-race topic du jour. Horrible feeling, but I think it can be a great measure of effort. Excellent to see all that training pay off and translate into some awesome and very, very well deserved results. Congratulations.

BeepBeep67

Peckham wrote: »

Great to see things so upbeat on this log

No point in sitting around moping, I can't changed what happened, only learn from it - would be a shame not to put the training to some use.

overpronator

Congrats Dom, fantastic running, well deserved!

TRR

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

No point in sitting around moping, I can't changed what happened, only learn from it - would be a shame not to put the training to some use.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM. RESULT!

Dory Dory

Smashed to bits with room to spare. You SO rock!!!!

blockic

I think I'm after figuring it out! Well done Dom! Super stuff! Things finally put right.

Aimman

Great running today, well done on the time.

RacoonQueen

Legend Dom. Overdue and so well deserved. Enjoy the celebrations.

Marthastew

Mr Stew and I are over the moon for you!!!!
I nearly did myself an injury jumping up and down for joy at the sight of you arriving on the finishing straight with plenty of time to spare, well done the Beep Beep Family:D:D

BeepBeep67

Don’t try this at home!
Let’s get Rotterdam out of the way 1st.
Rotterdam I can now put to bed as an unfortunate set of circumstances, up until today there was a lingering doubt.
The stats from Rotterdam tell me my average HR for the 1st 12 miles was 162, today was 155 for the full marathon. What were the potential contributing factors?
The unexpected heat.
Work, had to go to the UK the week of the race.
Flights, 3 flights the 5 days before the race.
Rest, couple of early mornings for flights and long days in the office, plus catch up back in the hotel, I lost about 10 hours sleep the week before the race.
Training, the controversial one. I reckon I over trained, went in the schedule based on a max week of 75, had 3 x 80+ weeks and a 90 in there.
It all goes into the memory back for future planning.

Kildare Marathon
This is an example of how not to prepare for a marathon or maybe there are some lessons to be learned from it. Everything was geared towards Rotterdam, 3 week taper and the rest. What do you do when you only use up 17 miles of your training? I went out and partied hard on the night of the race and ate some junk food. Took a few days off, went for an easy run then smashed my Master’s 3k PB. This was an important milestone, 1 it got me out in front of people and forced me to talk about it and 2 restored the confidence. I went home that night and drew up a plan, loosely based on the last 4 weeks of P&D, in all honesty I didn’t really follow it! I ran an empty 18 the Monday after work, this was a toughie, running with no water or fuel the last 1hr was cruel, but I probably got the benefit of a 22 without the distance. Another Master’s PB the following Saturday followed by a steady 16 the day after with Abhainn and that was really it. The final 2 weeks included bike rides, easy runs, one mixed pace run that worked out at 10 @ MP, days off, nights out on the sauce and way too much inappropriate nutrition choices.

The Race
Busy day the day before with Abi’s communion, all day on my feet, about a kilo of jellies, but took my mind off it and I was fairly relaxed, I didn’t put myself under pressure to hit a time, the plan was to run with Ian and Gary (sub 3 pacers) for as long as possible.

The conditions were a lot different to Rotterdam, about 10 degrees and steady rain. Headed up to Kildare and got the VIP treatment from ultraman1 and access to the pacers room. Met the main men, pronator and Krusty along with Emer911 and a few others as we got organised. Headed up with pronator to start with a few minutes to spare as he got sledged by the woman on the PA.

Miles 1 – 6 [6:46 pace]
Started handy and stayed out of trouble, there was lots of movement in the sub 3 group so I just hung off the back of the group and let them at it. Went through a few water stations, took a few sips and one of my gels at 6. Pronator disappeared at one stage to take one his many toilet breaks, what a pacer, he looked after the group toilet break average, so we felt no need to go ourselves.
Miles 7 – 12 [6:50 pace]
Feeling very relaxed still, my groin is playing up a bit on the few hills so I try to kneed it out and not let it bother me. Pronator’s Garmin develops a mind of its own at this stage and tests the elevation reading responsiveness by hurtling towards the deck. The sub 3 group started thinning towards the end of this section, with some falling off the back and a few going with Pauline Curley as she made a break for home. Gel at 12.
Miles 13 – 18 [6:51 pace]
Went through halfway in 1:29:15, feeling comfortable, but I knew this was the hilliest section of the course from last year, so time to dig in and get through the work. As hilly as this section was the pace felt comfortable and we kept the hilly splits under 7. Had a chat with pronator at about 16 when he was checking how I was getting on and my response was ‘today is the day’. It feels like a training run, we check times on our watches, all is good and I note my average HR is 154 – perfect! Took a gel at 18.
Miles 19 – 24 [6:44 pace]
Some decent running in the 1st half of this section and we’re reeling in a few runners, I get through 21 with no issues. But do need to have a word with myself as we climb back into Kildare and over the M7 as pronator and Krusty drift a little ahead of me. I’m due to take another gel here but know I won’t stomach it, so decide to go sans nutrition to the finish. Thankfully I’m listening and soon back on pace. The climb around the back of the town is cruel at this stage, but we keep the pace where it needs to be and I’m also passing a few which helps. Soon the welcome right hard turn comes as you leave Kildare town and head towards the Curragh, it’s approximately 5k to go now. I’m starting to get a 2nd wind and make use of the slight downhill for a 6:36.
Mile 25 – Finish [6:21 pace]
Barring any accidents I know it’s going to happen now, so it’s all about places and time now as I gradually wind it up and focus on the bodies ahead. We’re heading slightly uphill but the wind at our backs. I pass a runner I know and give him some encouragement and then drop one of sub 3’s shortly afterwards – 6:33 as we merge with the pointy end of the 10k. One more marathon runner within touching distance is duly dispatched as I get a shout from a fellow Bray Runner closing out the 10k. I can see the stand now and know it will be close for sub 2:58. Suddenly Abhainn emerges from the Curragh and gives me a fighting roar, I shake my fist at him in celebration and he runs a bit with me. He soon says ‘holy fook you’re running 6 min pace’, average 6:29. The final stretch is a bit twisty and I find it difficult to get myself around the tight turn and loose some momentum. As I round the last corner someone says 200 to go and I lift the pace. Great to see some familiar faces cheer me on (Marthastew, MrStew, Meno), I shake my fist again and get a little emotional before seeing 2:57:4X and lift the pace again to finish at 5:54 pace for the last .27. Get across the line, break the tape for some reason? Stop my watch shortly after at 2:57:54, no official results yet.

Actually felt fine directly afterwards and celebrate with the family and some boardies, wait for the pacers to share congratulations, before being whisked off for an interview with the local TV station – ha. Well there you have it, not ideal preparation, but it’s the results that matters. A bit of time off, before hitting the shorter stuff and a few marathons for fun, now the sub 3 monkey is off my back.

2:57:50 - used the course markers, so some are off v the Garmin.

Edit: Got 4 seconds back on the official timing and top 10 finish.

Peckham

Thought about you this morning when I remembered that the Kildare marathon was on. Was wondering whether you were going to sneak under the radar. Delighted you did.

Kurt Godel

Boom! Before anyone can say "don't do it", it's done. Well done on that milestone Dom, long time coming, but you can still mix it with the kids. Delighted for you!

RAL3

Congratulations on a fantastic performance today.

I was cheering you on along at the finish today with the Stews (hearing almost back to normal) and, having been following your log, it was obvious what an achievement it was for you.

Well done.

blockic

Get in!!! In your face Rotterdam. Really felt the emotion in your report over the last couple miles. The experience of your last two marathons really made today all the sweeter! Delighted for you.

I hope someone managed to get a pic of that fist pump!

KielyUnusual

Fair play BB. It took me a while to put two and two together i.e. when somebody blurted out the answer was four but I got there in the end. That's three cracking PBs over the last few weeks. Well deserved after that block of training you put in for Rotterdam.

menoscemo

Great stuff BB, was delighted to see you hurtling down the home straight ahead of time (followed swiftly by a clubmate of mine).

After all the bad luck in Rotterdam though, I can't believe you are looking to do it again? http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056946392

London is a much better bet

BeepBeep67

menoscemo wrote: »

Great stuff BB, was delighted to see you hurtling down the home straight ahead of time (followed swiftly by a clubmate of mine).

After all the bad luck in Rotterdam though, I can't believe you are looking to do it again? http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056946392

London is a much better bet

Had to do a double take on that myself earlier!

Killerz

Congratulations - delighted you got there after the disappointment of Rotterdam! Enjoy the celebrations!

theboyblunder

Ahhh thats brilliant. Love seeing people get what their training deserves.

Well done.

Gavlor

Excellent race!! Fair play to you for turning it around so fast.

But also you are a bast@rd for getting me thinking about racing Waterford at the end of June!

blockic

Gavlor wrote: »

But also you are a bast@rd for getting me thinking about racing Waterford at the end of June!

+1 I'm going for 2:40 in Cork now. :pac:

Gavlor

blockic wrote: »

+1 I'm going for 2:40 in Cork now. :pac:

Is that the 2.40 bus or train?!

Abhainn

I couldn't believe how strong your looked in that last 1/2 mile.
Just fooking well done, thouroughly deserved

And I know what you did last 2 weeks, sub 3 wannabees don't taper as this lad does.
And just to mess,

2:54:xx London 2014?

antomagoo

Well done BeepBeep, great race report