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Berlin or bust...
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Thursday
Yoga. That is all.
Friday
Rest day. Took a time out and went to the All Ireland Beer Festival to try one or two delicious craft beers.
Saturday
Uugh... might have had one tasty craft beer too many. Didn't move very much all day, but hauled on the gear in the evening and got out for an 'easy' 4 miles. It was supposed to be at pmp, but THAT wasn't happening! Going to get in the 4 pmp miles at the end of tomorrow's long run instead.Summary 4 miles in 00:38:03
Avg Pace: 9:30 min/mi0 -
Sunday 25th Sept
12 miles LSR (with my 4 pmp thrown in from yesterday)
Well life conspired to ensure I couldn't do my long run the morning, which turned out to suit me just fine when I saw the weather. So I ended up putting my runners on at about 4 and heading out into a lovely sunny afternoon (instead of the torrential downpour that we had in the morning).
I had loosely decided to run the last 4 miles at pmp to catch up on yesterday, but my second mile was a downhill that was sub-pmp, so I was in two minds as to whether I should just get them done early or not. Mile 3 ticked along and I decided to do the middle 4 as pmp miles and last few slower.
So mile 4 -7 were at 09:00 / 08:52/ 09:07/ 08:58 with the rest of them at a more LSR-ish pace - an average of 09:22/mi. Still a bit fast for a LSR, but I felt good and just kept running. Had to deliberately slow myself a couple of times when I glanced at the watch.
It was actually quite a confidence boosting run. I was really doubting my fitness and my pace, but today's run felt good and the pace felt (relatively) easy doable, so I'm feeling much better now.Summary 12 miles in 01.51.03
Avg Pace: 9:15 min/mi0 -
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Monday
No time for anything as I had to travel to a funeral and was wrecked when I got home.
Tuesday
Caught up on the Pilates with the Tuesday lunch time class. It was the beginners class, but it was better than missing it entirely.
4 miles in the evening. A lovely sunny evening too - what's going on with the weather? Headed out for the usual Tuesday route. Jogging along happily and glanced at the watch to notice that the 1st mile was REALLY slow - I just wasn't paying attention - so decided to pick it up for the middle two miles to do a sort of tempo run. (middle 2 miles in 8:38min/mi and 8:27min/mi)
It felt hard, but good... Enjoyed it.Summary 4 miles in 36:18
Avg Pace: 9:05 min/mi0 -
Wednesday & Thursday
Woke up Wednesday with a sniffle and spent the day sneezing (seriously - all day sneezing!). Feeling pretty cr*p at the moment. Dosing myself with VitC and hot drinks and hoping this thing is going to blow over in a day or so.
No running. 0 -
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RacoonQueen wrote: »Ah that's crap Emer. Just rest up, running won't benefit you at this stage of training anyway. This is what happens when you lower the mileage, tapering is bad for you.
Thanks for the sympathy. Feeling a bit better today. Still sniffling but the head is clearer. Might try a run tomorrow. <fingers crossed>0 -
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Thanks for all the good wishes!
Gave Pilates a miss today 'cause I was still feeling a bit off. Throat is a tiny bit scratchy, so I'll be minding myself for the rest of the week. I'm sure some of it is just taper madness but it's hard to know whether to ignore it or not... so I'm playing it safe.
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I did the training but was floored with a cold about a week and a half before the big day. Nothing major, but I did the smart thing and looked after it, with very little running. By the time Krusty and I left for the airport on Thursday I was feeling better. I was up for the challenge and was really looking forward to seeing Chicago, which everyone said was one of the best city destinations in the US. We landed and were checked in at the hotel by early afternoon, so went for a wander to orient ourselves. The location was perfect - just off the main strip and a stroll to numerous bars, restaurants, cafes, etc. AND just a mile to Grant park where the marathon started & finished. Great stuff.
Did the expo on the Friday - a free shuttle was running from a block away from the hotel <sweet> - and arrived there nice and early. Collected the number, and I signed up to track the 4 hour pace group. I had heard that the GPS reception for the first few miles is useless (too many tall buildings and underpasses) so I thought that sticking with these guys would be my best bet for keeping the pace. I got a neat little pace band tattoo for my arm, a 4:00 label to pint on my back (so all the 4 hour people could support each other if they lost touch with the pacers), and instructions to be at the start corrals by 7:00 at the latest.
We spent the rest of Friday and Saturday doing as little as possible while still getting in the shopping and the sights (a boat trip on the Lake and River was a great idea) and marvelling (in horror :eek:) at the glorious sunshine in October in Chicago. Did the usual pasta dinner the night before and had sussed out a spot for breaky that did porrige and was open - get this - all night! So up at 4:20am (well that was 10.20 irish time so didn't feel THAT bad) and headed out for porrige and coffee, joining the night time revelers that were tumbling in for an early/late(?) bite on the way home from the nightclubs. It was definitly the most surreal breakfast :P I've ever had!
We joined the throngs walking towards the start area but had to part company early as Krusty was heading to the 'A' Corral and I was joining the unwashed masses in the 'Open' section. I made my way into the correct place in the corral just near the 4 hour pace group and met a nice local girl to chat to while we waited for the start. It was about 18c at this stage and the sun was just coming up so it felt very comfortable. After a rendition of 'Star spangled banner' (those guys are very serious about it - hats off, hands on hearts, heads up, singing out loud), the gun sounded and we were off.
First half
A nice big open start area so there was no messing about and we seemded to hit the pace fairly easily. There were a few right angle bends in the first mile or so, and the masses around me had to slow considerably to get around each, so the pace was a bit on/off, which was not the best. The Aid stations were every 2 or so miles, with gatorade and water, and again the crowds meant that everything slowed down at these points.
Still, the atmosphere was electric, the support was unbelievable, the pace felt easy and I was thoroughly enjoying myself.
As the race went on, the sun came up, the temperatures went higher and the humidity rose too. I was making sure to take water at each Aid point, and had my trusty straw to ensure I was actually able to get most of it into my gob. By mile 6 I was starting to feel the heat and decided to chance some gatorade. I had some salt sticks too (donations from Krusty) and even though I hadn't used them in training much, I knew that I probably needed the extra salt on a day like this. Loosely decided to take one each hour, but just monitor myself with that. I had 5 in my pocket - just in case.
I kept with the pace group easy enough, and even caught them easily when I had to slow at mile 7 to open the gel. The pace did seem to be a bit erratic, as they slowed through each aid station (unavoidably) and pick it up again after. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but that slowing and surging probably did nothing to help my case in the second half of the run. So up to mile 10, I was with the group and it was going OK - not brilliant, I was feeling the heat big time - but OK. By the half way point I had slowed by about 20 seconds per mile and the pacers were no longer in my sights. I went thought the half way point in 2.02, so I knew at that stage that a sub 4 hour time was not possible for me (today), but there were still loads of other people around me with a 4.00 on their back, so I kept plugging, thinking a 4.05 or 4.10 at the outside were still there.
How naive!
The easiest part of the run was over...
Miles 13 - 17
So I knew 4 was gone. It didn't bother me that much really. It was always going to be a stretch goal, and with the days conditions I wasn't going to beat myself up. But mile 14 came and went and the sun rose higher and I was getting SOOO hot. There were hoses and fire hydrants spraying water over the course at different spots and I ran through each of them appreciatively. One of the Aid stations had sponges and that was glorious. I got a cup of water to splash some of the salt off my face and ended up splashing salty water into my eye - aaagh! I'm blind! Nah, rinsed it out, but it was damn painful!
As the temperature went up the pace did too, and mile 14, 15 and 16 averaged at about 9:40/mi.
Mile 17 - 24 ...welcome to hell!
Had to stop for a pee at 17. Not good. Though there were loads of loos (brilliant race for that, it must be said) it felt like an oven in that plastic box and I though I was going to pass out. And when I got back on the road, my hips and thighs were starting to seize up and every step felt like I was wearing someone elses legs (someone slow and fat and unfit!) So I was just plodding to the next mile, to the next water station, to the next... you name it, I was doing anything to cajole these foreign legs into keeping going for just a bit longer. I walked though all the aid stations trying to take on as much water as I could (without cramping or throwing up), tossing water down my neck to try to cool down. I was in my own little hell, and there was no one to rescue me! Around then the 4:15 pacers past me and I yanked the 4:00 off my back in disgust. I tried to keep with the 4:15 guys but the legs were having none of it and they sailed off into the sunshine and out of sight.
By now the only thing keeing me going was the crowds. I really can't say enough about them, but these enthusiastic, cheery, upbeat folks were a big help to me in that pit of heat and salt and pain. Shouts of 'Good Job' and 'Go Runners' and random humorous banners 'Worst Parade Ever' and more poignant (and fitting maybe) 'One day you won't be able to do this. Today is NOT that day' kept me moving, very slowly, but moving, none the less.
Pace for this section averaged about an embarrassingly slow 11 min/mi (because of all the walking)
Mile 25 - Finish
Only 2 miles to go. Dig deep. Don't leave anything out there. HTFU. No more walking. Pain, Pain, Pain.
But again, the support was fantastic and the crushendo started to mount around the 24 mile mark. There was an announcer at 24.2 to let us know we had 2 miles to go. You could see the strain in the runners around me as we all started to dig for the last bit of energy.
I found a little bit of something, the foreigners legs were starting to co-operate somewhat. I actually started to pass people and noticed quite a few 4:00, 4:15 and even the odd 3:55 people in the stretch around me. So I was obviously not the only one having a bad day... Mile 25 took me 9:56 but I was at least moving. The legs were still going. A shout of 'Pump those wings, that's what they're for' almost made me laugh, but it did remind me to use my arms.
1 mile to go, 800mt, a slight hill, 500 mt. I passed 2 runners that were on the ground being attended to by medical personal. Another girl has stopped in the middle of the road and was throwing up what little fluids she had left. There were casualties everywhere, and still the finish line was not in sight. Mile 26 took 9:59.
Another corner, I could see it. Run. Remember the photographers, smile <but I felt like crying>! 8:50 for the last 0.2mi.
Finish
Crossed the line in 4:23:29 (chip time). A long way off the original goal, and way off any of my fallback goals too, but it's still a PB. A very minor PB of just 43 seconds, but I'll take it.
I visited (my) hell and survived.
I have my marathon story to bore people with.
And I have a nice medal and tee-shirt.
I know I can do 4:00 I just have to find a nice flat COOL course. Ideas anyone?:DSummary: 27.02 miles in 4:23:32 garmin time / 4:23:29 chip time
Avg Pace: 9:45 min/mi
Have to just say: Chicago was fantastic, the race (except for the heat) was really good, well organised, fantastically supported and definitely one for the bucket list.
The temperatures peaked in the high 70s (somewhere about 25c / 26c) with humidity at about 55 (I'm told - don't really know what that means) but it was not pleasant for us Oirish people, especially given the mild summer we've just had. Warm weather training should would have featured in this plan, had I known... 0 -
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Thursday
Went back to yoga instead of running. That was a tough thing to do with tired tight legs.:p But I did it. Loosened things out, I'm sure.
Friday & Saturday
Nothing doing. Too busy.
Sunday 16th Oct
Finally got my a$$ back in gear and went for a run today. Did 5 (slow) miles in the park on a lovely sunny afternoon, sporting my lovely new Chicago finishers t-shirt. Lovely run. One of my toe nails is a touch tender from last week, but it was fine running. The legs were fine too, but they are feeling a bit tired now (as I sit here sipping beer :rolleyes:)
Just as I was finishing I was stopped by a guy that was out walking. He was also in Chicago last week doing the marathon - small world! It was his 54th marathon :eek:. He told me he used to run them, but he has a dodgy ticker and can only walk them now. And he's doing Dublin too.
...see, those race t-shirts do make a differenceSummary 5 miles in 46:52
Avg Pace: 9:22 min/mi0 -
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Monday 17th Oct
Pilates lunchtime class. Legs felt very sluggish after my little run on Sunday but the class helped - even if it was painful.
Tuesday 18th Oct
3 miles in the dark.
What happened? Where did the sun go? I was running in the park on Sunday in lovely sunshine wearing just shorts and a tee-shirt, and today I wore my (warm and cosy) tights, long sleeves, hat and gloves - co co co cold!. And it was SO dark. First real dark run this season. I guess I'll have to get used to it though.
On the plus side the legs seem to be recovering nicely. No niggles or anything (other then the toe nail), and they felt fine while running.Summary 3.01 miles in 27:26
Avg Pace: 9:08 min/mi0 -
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Thursday
Yoga class.
Must've been something happening that I didn't know about, 'cause when I got the class, I was the only one there. Ended up have a private one-on-one :eek:. Very tough class. My glutes have been in bit since
Friday
Rest day. Went to the pub. Great fun. It's been too long.
Saturday
Decided to take an unscheduled rest day. Weather was crappy. Did the shopping and cleaning instead, so not a complete loss. 0 -
Hi Emer, jsut catching up on your Chicago adventures. Great report and well done for clocking a pb in those conditions. You definitely have the sub4 in you after all the hard work so you're right to chalk that one down and target the next. Well done again. And enjoy the rest days and the pub fun! You deserve it! 0
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Sunday 23rd Oct
Wasn't really properly organised today so just went for a run, just a run. I was a bit tight for time, and had to be back within 45 minutes, so just decide to run as I felt.
The weather was foul (again) but it wasn't as cold as it has been over the last week. I was wearing my shorts and t-shirt with a peaked cap to keep off the rain. It was only drizzling as I left - and that was fine. I don't mind a bit of a shower. But about 20 minutes in it started to rain hard. The gutters along the side of the road were quickly overflowing. Every step was a squelch and every car passing threw up a wall of water. Lovely :eek:
But still it was kinda liberating - probably because I knew I wasn't out for 2 hours and it was warm enough that my hands weren't freezing off the ends of my arms
Got home totally drenched -every stitch of clothes was dripping and my runners probably won't be dry till next week :rolleyes: Fun though!Summary 4.02 mi in 36:30
Avg Pace: 9:05 min/mi0 -
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