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Sorry, I thought you said get faster before the 100th Marathon
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Day nine - Almost there
For me today, this race had the same feeling as the last day of a summer holiday. The bags are packed and throwing into that room behind reception waiting for the airport coach to arrive, you're trying to relax on a sun lounger in your half 'summer' / half 'wear something warm for when you get off the plane in Dublin' clothes and you can't get back into the holiday mood. Couple of people in the house have gone home and one of the others stopped running a few days ago to get back to full energy to run on the 10th day. There was a noted lack of enthusiasm and motivation in the air.
After the now customary pre race preparation ritual, which I think I can do blindfolded now, like an Army Private can strip down and reassemble a rifle in 30 seconds I got to the registration area which was sparse as more people are opting for the early start because their times were getting slower.
When we started, I quickly found myself in last place and resolved to shuffle along. Don't get me wrong, I was in good spirits but because tomorrow was the last day and brings with it the hype of everybody showing up to share in the last run and the celebrations, Day 9 was like the big anticlimax before it all kicks off tomorrow and I just wanted today to be over so I could start soaking up the atmosphere in Day 10.
One if the BMOH guys was just planning to do 6 miles, but when I seen him hiding in a car at mile 4, I embarrassed the guy into joining me for a bit longer. It was good to have Mike along as it took my mind off things and just chat for a while.
I cheered myself up as we were approaching a bunch of girls offering refreshment by drowning the front of Mike's shorts with a bottle of water leaving him to explain himself to them when we were getting some fizzy drinks. Yeah, it's childish, but we had a great laugh and lifted our spirits. Mike decided to stay with me until half way (I was a bit weary he was plotting revenge) and at mile 9 we passed Shane at the water station.
By the time we hit halfway in 2:18, the finishing Gantry was already up so I told Mike to run ahead and do a celebration jump over the finish. I gave him an 8.5 (he lost marks for having wet shorts)
For the second loop, the earphones went on and just for a treat, I even plugged them into the MP3 player
At mile 16 I passed a day runner nursing a blister with vaseline but just before mile 19 he caught back up with me and we ran together until we got passed Steve Gibson and then he drifted ahead with less than 3 miles to go.
The last couple of miles were more or less the same as every other night, but I didn't have the same mad sprint finish as yesterday, I was happy enough just finishing comfortably and throwing in the obligatory jump at the end. Finishing in 4:50
After a couple of protein drinks and a good massage, the legs were not feeling too bad, but the Achilles is still a bit tender and after tomorrow, I'll have to spend a bit of time giving it some TLC before the Belfast 24 hour race next week (JUST KIDDING)
So it looks like day 10 is finally here and going to be another hot sunny day. I got a message from a friend that the good weather only came for the 10in10 and would I do another one straight away to make the most out of the summer weather. I can't print my response here :eek::D
Looking forward to all the other runners and familiar faces showing up today for the finale.
26.4 in 4:50 (11:00 pace)0 -
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It was like waking up on Christmas Morning when I woke up and was convinced I could hear santa's sleigh still on the roof, but it was the medals hanging from the curtain rail blowing in the breeze like a wind chime......
Nah. I can't even get away with that bit of waxing lyrical, there was no bloody breeze, just the sun with his hat on again hip hip hip horray!!! ***insert sarcastic emoticon here***)
It was all kicking off for the finale. Ally and UM1 arrived in time to help clean up the house and a friend who was on holiday in Galway was passing through Bunratty on her way back to Cork and dropped in to wish me luck.
Pulling into the car park, there was an electric buzz of activity with a large contingency of Marathon Club Ireland members and the like showing up to take part in race No. 10.
In for a cent, in for a Euro (hmmm.... that updated phrase doesn't have the same impact) so when the gun went off, I made a dash for the front and held top place for the first 400m. Then like every professional pacer in the London Marathon, the time came to pull back and give the speedy guys a chance to lead the pack.
Shuffling along nicely for the first half, I felt full of beans and since early on in this event, I never bothered looking at my watch to see what the pace was. Today was a good day. I was out there with the front(ish) of the field running just sub 8:30 miles, wouldn't it be funny if I got a PB? Eight miles in and I could feel myself starting to slow up slightly, so I thought I'd just check to see what the pace was up to now before it gets lost in the overall stats (9:20 pace
) It was nowhere near 8:30, so much for using biometrics to judge pace. Regardless, I wasn't out to break a record, just finish strong and soak up all the memorabilia for the last couple of laps. Just after mile 10, I noticed that Anto's 'Never Fail' plasters had suffered a wardrobe malfunction and I looked like I just guzzled a sloppy kebab with extra tomato sauce at 4am coming out of Coppers.
There was nothing to do but bite the bullet, throw caution to the wind and do something I have never done in my entire life. the top came off and was tucked into the gel belt and I was running as nature intended (well, almost
) At this point I would like to extend my sincere apologies and sympathies to all the residents of Sixmilebridge and Kilmurray. In my mind when I run, I have the well toned hairy chest of John Hamm from MadMen. For everyone else in the real world, I'm a sight for blind eyes. :eek::eek::eek:
Unlike all the 5pm starts, the 2pm start meant all our favourite shady spots were not there, but at this stage all the 10in10 runners knew how to handle the course. I think at this point we could drive a rally car at high speed blindfolded around the course and not even brush up against a hedge once. It was another matter, watching the day visitors belt off with the best intentions and soon after, find them hunched over a wall or clambering into the back of a car to avail of Satan's temptations of Cold drinks, Air Conditioning and a free lift back to the finish.
Coming into the town, I quickly donned the running singlet and when I got to the car, threw it against the door to let it stick there for a while and dry out while I nabbed a backup and tucked it into the belt for later. At this point in all the other races, I've armed myself with the MP3 player but today I wanted to just enjoy the rest of the course enjoying the sounds of the country instead of polluting my eardrums with the best of Chesney Hawks and Michael Bolton (The best double A side single I every bought, please note)
Back out the town and I was tipping along nicely, only to find I was gradually overtaking people, Jonny99 and Steve Gibson were among the 10in10 people and a few day trippers.
At the Redhead station Ice cream and cold drinks station just before mile 22, I found UM1 (aka, let's smash out a PB today) lingering around a bit longer than usual asking for ice lollies from the bottom of the freezer
The last four miles were run very comfortably. I let UM1 go ahead to save face by being beaten my a guy who did 10 consecutive marathons, (nah, he was grand, just would have been too much effort to keep up) and in the last straight, the top went on and I got ready for the big jump. What better way to end a 10in10 but with ten jumps up to the finish line.
Finished the run in 4:36
loved every minute of the 10in10, and not just in a retrospective hated it then, but love it now. There was no bad points. There was a bit of a wobble when the Achilles got knackered and you might have gathered that I was a bit off from yesterday's run, but that was just anxious about being so close to the end. It was completely different to what I was expecting but the legs held out and kept going and never let me down.
Just want say a big thanks to all organisers, volunteers, participants and even the locals who chipped in off their own initiative to help us all get through this during the hottest days in God knows how many years. And to Ally who's had the patience of an angel.
Time to put the feet up for a little while and rest the Achilles and figure out a new name for the log.
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You. Totally. Rock.
Amazing stuff there - adventure, intrigue, and romance all rolled into an entire sitcom season condensed into ten days. What a downer tomorrow will be for all us "groupies", but, alas, well done to you, and what a brilliant series of humorously written reports.
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Well done Eamonn, I'll miss your race reports I've said it before, but not only was it a great achievement in a physical sense, but your race reports have all been so upbeat and full of good humour and you ended each day with a smile on your face. You never let tiredness or pain dull your good spirits and that is most impressive of all.
Hope it's not too much of a shock to the system to get back to work and away from your boys pad!0 -
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Ok. The lowdown on Aimman and the redhead.
A date is being considered!!!!!!
It'll be mid-september at least though,partly because
a)Aimman cant face sixmilebridge for a while and
b) Her dad says she'll have to wait for the Junior cert results first:D:D:D:D
That soon? I thought it was October, excellent, I'll have to brush up on my Justin Bebo and Juan Direction LP's.ur gonna have shave ur nipples.....
That's for another forum Anto 0 -
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Hows the recovery going? How many crunchies consumed? :pac:
Recovery has been a bit strange. Took a new approach to a reverse taper
Sunday - Nothing
Monday - Still Nothing
Tuesday - Nothing with Nada Intervals
Wednesday - Decided to double the intensity and did nothing for twice as long
Thursday - won first price in the 5k to Couch training program
Friday - Thank Crunchie it's Friday again, but couldn't be bothered to go out and buy one, that would have exerted too much energy
Saturday - Cross Training carrying boxes up and down stairs for about 26 hours
Sunday - Melted in the sun. I now look like this
So from my highest mileage week to my lowest of zero miles, time to dig out the runners
Monday - Found a pair of runners that looked wrecked and ancient. I wondered how I didn't throw them out when I had my Runner Amnesty last year, then I realised they were one of my current pairs (only have 2) and the 10in10 aged them so much, David Dickenson would be convinced they were from the Victorian Era. Mind you, I think he was also out in the sun this weekend
Went our for an easy 5k, which is just as well because it nearly killed me. The breathing was off, legs were like 'WTF???? Here we go again:mad:' and I was being overtaken by grannies joyriding snails.
Tuesday - 4M along the canal. Pace was a little bit more respectable but still a bit shy of getting a speeding ticket.
Wednesday - Thought a 4M out and back to a shop at lunchtime would be handy enough. I felt like I was out for two hours getting there and back, time stood still.
I had the impression I was going to be like this
But in reality I was this
There's a strange clicking from my Right Hamstring. Finding it hard to extend the leg out too far without feeling something click or move suddenly. Must be just a knot somewhere which the hamstring is rolling over once it's stretched. Might just need to massage it out or bite the bullet and make my very first Physio appointment
Bad News.... Following the 10in10, I had a surprise visit this morning for Drug Testing. They found excessive levels of Beers, Cider, Homemade Wine, Macdonalds, Chinese Takeaways and several banned sugar/tasty comfort foods that I indulged in over the last week.:o
Good News... Final results are out and I got 8th out of 23 for the 10in10. 0 -
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