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So, how did it go?
All that cold weather training was perfect prep...:)
Ya, those snow shoes came in dead handy up the HOTW today
Think I'll spend next winter in the Sun as my poor body didn't know what hit it. All the hard yards in the ice were in vain. Now I know why you were 'working' in all those exotic hot climates.....it was really just a cunning plan to get in plenty of warm weather training!
1:51:03 on the Garmin, 1:52:49 in the Prov Results
. Didn't think it took that long to get over the starting line. My buddy's prov result is defo a minute too slow as well. How'd Mrs I do? Fair play to her for making it around that course. The first hill was a doozy!
All I can say is I am sooooooo glad I changed from the Full to the Half
The problem now is I've lost faith in my ability to run sub-4 let alone chase 3:45. That heat and those hills were too tough for me today and I struggled all the way. I was half hoping for 1:45ish until I saw the route and I'm actually reasonable happy with my time given the heat, etc but I was toast by 6M :eek:
Well done on your 3:48. That was great in that weather and with your interrupted training patterns. You obviously have it in the legs all the time anyway. Looking good for IM CH on the back of that. I'll have to do a proper race report during the week but I met a few boardsies for the first time which was cool. I had a sign on my back with Boardsie - RedB on it in lieu of a Boards singlet! Anyway - off now to find the aftersun. Well done again.0 -
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Ya, those snow shoes came in dead handy up the HOTW today
Think I'll spend next winter in the Sun as my poor body didn't know what hit it. All the hard yards in the ice were in vain. Now I know why you were 'working' in all those exotic hot climates.....it was really just a cunning plan to get in plenty of warm weather training!
1:51:03 on the Garmin, 1:52:49 in the Prov Results. Didn't think it took that long to get over the starting line. My buddy's prov result is defo a minute too slow as well. How'd Mrs I do? Fair play to her for making it around that course. The first hill was a doozy!
All I can say is I am sooooooo glad I changed from the Full to the Half The problem now is I've lost faith in my ability to run sub-4 let alone chase 3:45. That heat and those hills were too tough for me today and I struggled all the way. I was half hoping for 1:45ish until I saw the route and I'm actually reasonable happy with my time given the heat, etc but I was toast by 6M :eek:
Well done on your 3:48. That was great in that weather and with your interrupted training patterns. You obviously have it in the legs all the time anyway. Looking good for IM CH on the back of that. I'll have to do a proper race report during the week but I met a few boardsies for the first time which was cool. I had a sign on my back with Boardsie - RedB on it in lieu of a Boards singlet! Anyway - off now to find the aftersun. Well done again.
I wouldn't lend much weight to the times from yesterday on your ability to break 3.45.
They were probably the toughest marathon conditions I've experienced in 13 attempts.
Take your training to Dublin (or similar course) and you'd be in good shape.0 -
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Days 162 - 169
Tues 6/4 - Tues 13/4
Tues - Lunchtime swim and evening track session
1300m straight swim
Forgot my Garmin so run data is approx
1.5M W.U. + stretching / strides
5 x 6mins - was hitting 3.25 laps in lanes 2-3 for each split so approx 7:00/M pace.
1.5M W.D.
I got a land when MCOS was running alongside myself + BB at the start of the last split as he's usually way ahead but he was just slumming it with us mid-packers as his warmdown
. Even then he was gone after a few words and 3/4 of a lap.... and not gone backwards .
Wed - lunchtime swim
I've been using 2 different pools at lunchtime for a few weeks now. My original one is closer (1.5M) but the newer one (2.5M) has a Masters session on Mon/Wed/Fri that Kevin7 goes to but is harder for me to get to during lunchtime. He's been encouraging me to join in with them for the past few weeks and I gave it a go today but was too slow. By the time I got there they were powering away and I was coming in cold. I went back to my baby lane after a length with them and did my a few 100's but my heart wasn't in it. I was feeling tired from the running so I called it a day after 800m and slipped away dejectedly. Later, I decided to try again on the Friday but getting there on time and with a warm up.
Toyed with the idea of cycling that evening but skipped it as still feeling tired.
Thurs - Morning run and evening Tri Club Swim Session
BB came over early and we did a handy 6M loop to keep us ticking over with Connemara in mind.
6.09M, 52:45, Avg 8:39/M, 132bpm
Swim session W.U was:
4x50 F/C
4x25 single arm with other by side, change after 25m
4x50 kick fc with breast stroke arms
Main set was:
1 x 200, 1 x 150, 1 x 100 with 200m polo drill (head up) on 4th+final length, 150 same with pull buoy, 100 with 50 fast, 50 slow
5 x 50m fast with 30secs rest
50m W.D.
Total 1250m
Fri - lunchtime swim
Turned up at the masters session but Kevin7 wasn't there so chickened out :P. Swam as much as their set as I could in my own lane and happy with that.
(50m, 100m) x 4 W.U.
150m x 3
(100m, 50m) x 1 + 50m W.D (they did 4 sets)
Total 1250m
Sat - morning run, again with Connemara in mind. Beautiful sunny day.
5M, 39:30, 7:56/M, 145bpm
Spent the rest of the afternoon earning brownie points in the garden before heading off to the Munster HC QF rugby match. Happy days. Had 2 pints there and was very tempted to go on but pulled myself away semi-reluctantly :rolleyes:.
Sun - Connemara Half Marathon
Slept badly in anticipation of early start. After midnight getting to sleep and awoke at 1.30, 3.30 and 5.30am when I got up, had breakfast, packed food. BB was due about 6.15ish but was 6.30 before he arrived. Hit the road and flew up to Galway getting to the Cathedral about 7:45. Beautiful clear sunny day. Had to kill time then waiting to get our numbers, etc from his buddy so went looking for coffee. Wandered all around Shop St area which was eerily deserted until found a Spar opening just after 8am. Picked up a Luc Sports Drink also as well as muffin, got our numbers and were on a bus for 8:45. A guy from the Tri Club was on that bus too so he gave us the lowdown on the arrangements re gear transfer. He had been planning sub 1:40 based on good training this year and 1:42 last year off poor training but was on antibiotics for a running rash infection and unsure how it'd work out.
Got to Leenaun about 9:45 and joined the queue for the W.C. which apparently is the place to be seen and spotted a few Limerick faces. Found a nice wall to sit against and chilled out. Had some grub about 10:30, changed into my gear with my Boards RedB sign on back. Had my compression socks, LS Tech top, hat + sunglasses as per Ballycotton. Did the W.C. again where pgibbo introduced himself and I found out later I was spotted by a few other Boardsies :cool:. He was marshalling and I was delighted someone said Hi as I was keen to put a few faces to names. We started warming up about 11:30. Ran out towards Killary and saw the Ultra leader coming thru about 11:40 :eek:. Gave him a shout and he was motoring! Took on the Luc Sport and headed for the startline. Met my Tri club buddy again who warned against going off too quick up the first hill. V good advice as it was a toughie and the mid-day sun was baking away. BB tends to start fast and go faster up hills so I warned him he'd be on his own if he didn't keep it handy until we got over the top. We agreed to try an 8:15ish pace and review.
The race started bang on time and we quickly hit the hill where the usual ducking and diving thru the crowd kept us occupied for the first mile. I was not that comfortable on the hill and I wouldn't have liked to be doing it on the full or ultra. The Luc Sport drink was an immediate mistake and it didn't sit well in my gut while running for quite a while. Anyway, we got over the hill but the average pace was close to 8:30. It didn't seem to go downhill as much as it had gone uphill and it took a good while for the average pace to drop towards 8:15. It was a pretty undulating course and we were heating up fast. We decided early enough not to push it given the conditions. We took water at 3M but I only sipped it the odd time until we got to the next water stop at 5.75M. BB grabbed another water there but they had energy drink (Luc Sport?) as well which he then wanted so I took his water. We ran on, he took a slug of the energy drink but yelled out that it was making him gag and he started to stop. Should I stay or should I go......? I asked him if he wanted me to stop....and kept going! I didn't hear or see him again till the finish line and he told me later that he had wanted his water back to wash away the energy drink
. We always said we wouldn't hold each other up in any race but had anticipated that it would be a gradual decision with a clear go/stay outcome. This was instant and my instinct told me to go! I'm sure his would too! I let him off in the DCM but that was a clear decision and the right one. This one was more borderline. C'est la vie!
Anyhow, I wasn't feeling happy myself as the sun was taking its toil and the hills justa kepta coming. I wondered how the full/ultra crowd managed and was seriously doubting how I'd manage Limerick with the way I was feeling now. I was also actually thinking about other Boardsies and how they were getting on especially Catweazle and Izoard. I was so glad I wasn't doing the full marathon. An ultra guy had passed us around the 4M(?) mark (12:30pm ish) and I gave him a shout but I think he was the only one I saw apart from the winner.
On and on, I plodded on, with the sun beating down, the unforgiving road ahead, my average pace holding 8:15ish but with the hill they call The Hell of the West still to come. I seemed to pass more people than passed me so I took heart from that and vowed to make the most of it. I tried taking an Isogel going through Maam but it didn't open fully and I got it on my hand as I tried squeezing it into my gob. Yuck - sticky hand. I overheard a lady tell her friend to pour water on her wrists so I did that too with the last of BB's water as well as on my neck before getting some more near the base of the HOTW. As I eyeballed the hill with its twisting road up and over the pass I was reminded of one of the similar Lost Sheep cycle hill climbs which I did without getting out of the saddle . My pigheadedness kicked in and I decided that I was not going to stop unless absolutely necessary. It wasn't as steep as it looked but it did go on for what seemed a long while. A guy in front of me stopped 2-3 times to take photos with his phone looking back down but I refused to look away from the roadspace in front of me until it was eventally replaced by sky and I neared the top. Just before that I actually passed my tri club buddy who was having a bad race. But that just gave me more encouragement to grind it out 
. There were some spectators along that part of the race which was great as they cheered us all on but I had the 1000 yard stare around then and could only nod and mumble. I must've got more water at the top but its a bit of a blur. Tri club buddy (TCB) passed me on the downhill just after the summit so I must've spurred him on a bit. There was little relief as the downhill section levelled and the road just kept on coming. A guy passed me and I saw him asking spectators if they had water. A while later I saw him pull up staggering and fall into a spectators arms. I squirted what was left in my water bottle on him and kept going. I caught TCB again and we ran together for a short while with the end in sight but still a mile away. I was fading but so was he, so I drifted ahead over the last 1/2M. That was the slowest arriving Finish line I ever saw as it shimmered mirage-like in the heat. I was glad to finish and I really don't know if I could have gone much further. The idea of continuing on to make it a 22M as per my training schedule was laughable at that stage and I headed for the shade and welcome relief and water. I clocked 1:51:03 on my Garmin for 13.25M, avg 8:23/M, 150bpm.
After a few minutes I went back to the Finish line and kept an eye out for BB who appeared shirtless around 1:58 after being ill and taking a few walk breaks. We grabbed our medals and t-shirts and stretched for a bit before finding the food and stretching out on the front patio like lizards resting in the sun. The day called for a pint so we obliged and then had another one for luck while chilling out and munching on more food and returning to life. Introduced myself to Krusty Clown who had done the Ultra sub 5:15! Legend. Grabbed our gear bags eventually but my shirt had gone walkabouts so I had to put on my new t-shirt for the trip home. It was after 4pm leaving Peacocks and 7:30pm getting home but it was still reading 19degC. Ate again on the way home and told great stories of our marvelous exploits to the family. What a day!
Mon - rest day but felt like a run. Had to go to Dublin early with work and tired on return so skipped it. Got a txt from BB later after he did 9M!
Now we're getting pre-marathon anxiety - ....we haven't done enough....we need to do more....a bit of last minute cramming.....:rolleyes:
Tues - Usually a track session but decided to rearrange my schedule and did a morning run.
5.15M, 40:30, Avg 7:52, 143
Picked up the pace over the last 2M
Just arranged to do 11.8M loop with BB from his place at 6.30am tomorrow and talking about a little 16miler on Sat!
There's no fool like an old fool! :P0 -
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Nice report RedB
The pigheadedness is surely a good thing for endurance events, and that killer instinct with leaving BB to bake in the sun on his own is the stuff of champions
[after stealing his water - I love it!!]
In all fairness though, sounds like you fairly nailed the run and learned a rake of lessons too [lucozade for one]
Take confidence from your race and go get your sub 3:45 in Limerick no bother. Run your own race on the day and don't worry about BB or anybody else for that matter. 1:51 with the hills and heat from Connemara - 3:45 in Limerick might be a soft target for you? - defo acheivable anyway.
Fair play0 -
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Thanks to all for the encouragement beforehand and the feedback after. Great to see it!
I was laughing myself when I suggested the pacing - just trying to blag a free entry and perks! I have calmed down a bit about the marathon but still a small bit anxious about bringing it home. I need to trust in my training more but my past marathon experience haunts me a bit. I actually did my first DCM in 2003 in 4:30ish and it was not a happy experience. I was bitter about it for a long while and stopped running for a few years until it was pushed to the back of my mind! I made my peace with it in DCM 2009 with 4:50 off of inadequate training and lower expectations but I was happy with it despite slight embarrassment at my 'progress'. I was glad just to get round then but BB clocked 4:08 that day off better training which encouraged me to give this 'proper training lark' a goHave you calmed down a bit over the marathon, I was laughing how things change in the space of a week; you were offering to pace 3.45 last week.. So far, so good. I'd be happy to go sub-4 and going sub-3:50 would be a big milestone improvement on DCM 09 (-1Hr) so thats where I'm at. I think there's a bit more in the training tank so if I do ok in Limerick, then I'll push it on again for DCM 10.
I prefer the longer events alright as my speedier days are long gone and my pigheadedness becomes a virtueNice report RedB
The pigheadedness is surely a good thing for endurance events, and that killer instinct with leaving BB to bake in the sun on his own is the stuff of champions [after stealing his water - I love it!!]
In all fairness though, sounds like you fairly nailed the run and learned a rake of lessons too [lucozade for one]
Take confidence from your race and go get your sub 3:45 in Limerick no bother. Run your own race on the day and don't worry about BB or anybody else for that matter. 1:51 with the hills and heat from Connemara - 3:45 in Limerick might be a soft target for you? - defo acheivable anyway.. I do feel a bit guilty about leaving BB but I'd probably feel worse if I'd stopped and begrudged him those 7 minutes . Water under the bridge anyway (or in my hand as the case may be ).
It is an important lesson alright to run your own race on the day as we're all experiencing it differently despite similar training. I overcooked in DCM 09 and was happy to let him off and to see how well he did.Great report. Excellent observation on the "should I stay with my buddy" connundrum:)
Like the idea of the boardsie name on the back...would definitely help on making the connections.
I think there are a lot of people doubting their general marathon targets after that experience -which is understandable- but not reflective of reality.
For me, it was my slowest Conn, but with hindsight, the most satisfactory given the conditions (and no pacing buddies!).
You'll knock Limerick out of the park.
After reading other reports and checking out the results I am actually quite satisfied now with that run. I was actually in the top half of the field which I'm proud of and it was a decent enough time. The sign was a last minute thing and it fell off before the end but it was worth having in an attempt to make contact within a large crowd.shotgunmcos wrote: »Agree with Izoard, 1:51 in Conn in that heat makes 3:45 limerick a very realistic prospect.
In 2007 my first attempt at a road race was the Conn half on a hot day. I struggled in 1:53 but did 3:33 in Dublin that autumn. You have a lot more mileage put in than I had back then so on the basis of your consistant training... you will reach your target and then some
Whilst desireable, I'm not actually that hung up on the target as I know that stuff happens and maybe it just won't be my day. What I do want is to know I gave it as much of a decent effort as is within my control and hopefully reap the reward from that. Its only a milestone along the way anyway. I'm more interested in knowing that I put in as much as I could whilst balancing the other bits of my life. Its the 'maximize my time here' kinda thing which I'm enjoying compared to flopping in front of a TV every evening. I get out what I put in. Having said that, I would like to break 3:30 someday.
Thanks again to all who comment and even those who read. Its good to know you're out there.0 -
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Holy sh1t Redb thats some milage update on the running challenge, I expected Dusty to be overtaking me shortly but i thought i had another week before you got me as well
Sorry about that. I haven't been keeping it properly up to date so I went back over my paper log which is the reason for the spike rather than additional training. I'm getting in regular 30+miles/wk but that'll drop off again after Limerick and I push the bike side until HOTW at the end of June. And then it'll be back to an 18wk programme to DCM10 where I might try the basic P+D schedule which peaks at 55M/wk . How that'll work with the cycling required for the Lost Sheep is a mystery at the moment but time will tell.
If its any satisfaction, I'll be tapering soon. 0 -
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Day 170 - 175
Weds 14/4 - Mon 19/4
Top of the post I've got to record some injury news. Did something not good within my left calf on my long run yesterday about 9M in. Had to pull up sharply and limp from the canal to the Travelodge where I phoned for a lift home . Limping since and can only get an appointment with the physio for Wed afternoon. Looks like my taper plan will be changing to 2 weeks rest minimum and a question mark over the m'thon until closer to the day.
Weds - 11.5M, 1:40. Early morning run with BB from his place in Ballyneety.
Thurs - Tri club swim session. Didn't record them but drills to w.u. and then a mixture of 100's and 50's keeping an even split. Avg 2:00/100m handy.
Fri - 5M tempo. 38:30ish. Fast 2M, Recovery 3M but all at decent pace. Low 7's fast - mid/high 7's recovery. Happy with that.
Sat - Rest. Went to Nenagh to cheer on Kevin7 and MCOS in North Tipp sprint.
Sun - Planned a 16M LSR where BB + I would do the first and last part of the m'thon route. Didn't go according to plan as my calf starting niggeling me after several miles which I don't remember happening before. Long story short I pulled up, stretched, went again and then quickly felt a small sharp pinch like pain resulting in an immediate halt to my run and taper plans. BB went on to do 19M without me holding him back :rolleyes:. Iced the heck out of it last night and took Difene but still limping this morning.
Mon- Rest!!!. Physio says to ice that bad boy twice daily. Swimming would be ok if not kicking hard off the wall and cycling would need a try out to see if it impacts. He asked if I could hop on it which I can so that seemed to be a good sign. BB says he had something similar 2 weeks out from DCM and he was ok with rest, ice and physio so I'm hoping for a similar outcome but time will tell. Oh well, better to have it happen now than next week. 0 -
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Yeah, hopefully nothing too serious. Might force you into a taper that you might not otherwise have done...!
Would it still be too corny to say that every cloud has a silver lining (see my comment on your own log)
Yep - the gut instinct is its minor and she'll be right, mate as the Aussies say.0 -
Day 176
Tues 20/4 Lunchtime swim 1500m
5 x (200m f/c, 100m f/c with pull buoy)
A simple session intended to clock up a swim while keeping the calf ok. No probs.
The semi-sedentary nature of my job is a bonus at the moment as it allows me to rest. Feeling better and while the limp is still there, the discomfort seems to be easing. Ice is once again my friend but this time its on me rather than me on it. Physio tomorrow pm should sort me out and even give me a decent freeing up of any other tightness in the legs in advance of Limerick.
Injury - nature's way of telling you to slow down. Touch wood its minor. 0 -
Hi RedB. Hope physio went well for you this evening and you're good to go for Sunday week.
Im not doing a proper taper myself (feel like I've nothing to taper from). Trying to get to a certain mileage and have it in my head that if I reach that well then I will be ok on the day......here's hoping.....hard to know what is right to do.
Anyway hope the calf is good 0 -
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Days 177 -178
Weds 21/4 - Thurs 22/4
Weds Physio session - The bottom line is he thinks my calf injury should be ok for Limerick on May 2nd.
A good session with a decent assessment, good work on the area :eek: and a plan for the next week involving rest, ice/heat treatment, stretching, a small trial run if feeling ok at the w'end and then review Monday am with the option of another visit if required. He threw out a few big words for the names of the calf muscles involved and explained what was going on but I was just listening for the "should be grand" bit.
Only my 2nd time ever getting physio. The 1st time was last Oct before DCM 09 where my right knee twinged as a result of too quick a build up of mileage as I tried to play catchup with m'thon training. Similar to my recent trip to the Dentist, I got a gentle scolding for my general lack of optimal body maintenance as I don't stretch (or floss :rolleyes:) very much. I offered my standard lack of time excuse and was advised that 2 short weekly stretch sessions wouldn't take up that much time and it would even be worth missing a run compared to missing the stretching if I was going to be serious with my training. Of course I know he's right and I can feel the benefit of the session but I tend to lapse again after a few weeks of good behaviour. A new one on me was his suggestion that one should have a general 'rub' every 3 weeks to keep the body from overtightening and help it improve. I'm going to have to program in a bit more in this department in the future. Maybe lunchtimes when I'm not running or swimming could be my gentle stretching slot after a short warmup walk. I do a half decent stretching session with the track session and a bit of stretching after w'end runs but stretches after other runs are minimal.
He showed me how to stretch the area and I didn't realise that I had been doing my normal calf stretch wrong where you lean against a wall or fence with one foot forward and one back. All your weight is supposed to be on the front foot and I was amazed at the difference it made in 'transferring' it to the stretch.
BB was in to see him just after me for a general visit so we're like two ould fellas at the moment discussing our aches and pains :rolleyes:.
On other news, the Tri club are organising a bike fit next week so I had my name down pronto as my bike is actually one I borrowed from a guy a year ago (along with his bike shoes,Tsunami tri suit and wet suit) so its probably not set up right for me at all. I tend not to use the tri bars as I'm not very comfortable on them but half of that is probably down to lack of practice :rolleyes:. I might get out for a cycle this w'end in the absence of a long run.
Thurs Evening Tri swim session: 1500m Total
Race simulation for the Joey gang where you have minimal warm-up and want to avoid going out too fast. The idea again was to repeat your race pace fairly evenly across each split.
1 x 100m w.u.
7 x 200m off 30sec holding 4:30-4:40/200m :rolleyes:
It was supposed to be 8 splits but I ran out of time. Was tiring towards the end but got 1-2 sneaky breaks when congested in lane.0 -
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Day 179
Fri 23/4
Lunchtime swim 1200m
4 x 100m
4 x (50m? + 150m)
All off 30secs
Writing this now I'm not sure if I did 50m or 100m on each of the first parts of the main set. I was copying the masters session but on my own in the slow lane (they had an additional 4 x 100m on the end). My short term memory is chronic sometimes and I find it impossible to count and remember my strokes as I'm also trying to count and remember my lengths swam . And as for my split times :rolleyes:. I need to get a cheap stopwatch as that'd probably confirm the distance as well as the split times. Mrs B is actively using her one as she's entered the Great Limerick Run 10k and has even gone for a couple of morning runs this week (I feel like such a lazy sod seeing her go - it should be me!!).
The calf is improving and I'm following the physio's advise re rest, stretching, ice/heat. However the other calf was cramping up yesterday as it wanted to be doing something! The swimming has sorted that out but I hope to have a little run over the w'end to see how its shaping up. Fingers still crossed. 0
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