Chasing the Kona dream and a Mai Tai cocktail

nerraw1111

You deserve a better after every race. Either to drown your sorrows or to celebrate, either way a nice cold beer is always earned and deserved.

RacoonQueen

Could have been reading a completely different report if it hadn't been for the head cold. We tend to adopt a HTFU approach with things like that when it comes to training but when you're racing with it you're really putting yourself under pressure. Seriously savage running, to push through after picking up a head cold a few days before a race which must have been a serious mental battle in itself.

Wouldn't be surprised to see you beat that time in an Ironman marathon over then next couple of years, especially after the time you pulled out in IMUK last year.

Take it easy and let yourself recover. Enjoy the post race celebrations. You're currently faster than Brian!

TheRoadRunner

Hard luck & well done. You've given yourself a great platform for your next sub 3 attempt. Starting a training cycle with only 6 minutes to take off your pb is a lot easier than starting a cycle looking for 20 minutes! While I realise hrm are great I'd never wear one in a race or a hard session. I feel they can psych you out. Just my opinion.

Dory Dory

Brutally honest report, which begs respect in its own right. Well done on the pb - 14 minutes is a tremendous amount of time - 32.06 seconds/mile improvement! Go ahead and flog yourself for a day or two, we all do that so it'd be both a waste of my breath and insincere of me to tell you not to, but once you've tired of that, remember that you threw everything you had out there (and left some in the weeds :eek:) and you dug as deep as you could on that particular day, and that's all anyone (including you) can ask for.

Again, well done. Savage effort. Really.

Bambaata

Hard luck Fran. Sometimes it just isn't meant to be with illness etc getting in the way but i'm sure the pain you went through will stand to you in the larger quest! Its not often you make yourself hurt like that and to be able to keep her lit will certainly stand to you. You still have a fantastic time and such a large chunk off the PB!

theboyblunder

Well done Fran. Hard to be too dissappointed with a cool 14 min pb coming off an illness in the buidup. Heat doesnt help us mere mortals in a marathin either. Super report. Go and enjoy some beers. You'll get it next time.

big mce

Great report jb and very honest. You did well, didn't hit your target but still got a great pb. What doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger and all that!!

BennyMul

a great report, hard luck on missing the time, but congrats on leaving it all out there and pushing to the end, you should be proud of that alone it would have been so easy to call it quits.

One of the truly hard parts of training for a single event.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

RacoonQueen wrote: »

You're currently faster than Brian!

Thats a bonus in itself...59secs i should have really tried harder to win your bet:)

TheRoadRunner wrote: »

Hard luck & well done. You've given yourself a great platform for your next sub 3 attempt. Starting a training cycle with only 6 minutes to take off your pb is a lot easier than starting a cycle looking for 20 minutes! While I realise hrm are great I'd never wear one in a race or a hard session. I feel they can psych you out. Just my opinion.

Fair point on the 6min reduction as opposed to reducing by 20mins. On the hrm i totally hear what you are saying. I am actually going to run a race this year without it and see what impact it has if any. I did not adjust pace based on the readings i was seeing during the marathon but it could be another negative you could do without in a race.
Your up next in London:)

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Monday
I was due to do 30mins of easy spinning to try help the legs, done about 4mins and had to stop.....ouch.

Tuesday
Cycled into and home from work, also got out at lunchtime. All easy stuff, the cycle into work i was stiff as a plank and was churning out a whopping 133watts:o. Lunchtime spin was a little better around 170watts. Ride file info was for the full day of sunshine spinning, first time out in bib shorts and s/sleeve top.
Time:1:14:13, Dist:34.89kms, Power:AP164/NP171, Cad:81, no hr, TSS:56

1.5hr Sports Massage
An hour was not enough so my guy worked on me for 1.5hrs. He was amazed at my achievement on how badly i fvked myself up. Glutes, Hammers, Quads, Calfs were all in a state of trauma as the muscles were burning hot. Both my retinaculum muscles at the ankles were badly swollen and muscle fibres were all over the place. It was painfull lying there with the legs taking a hammering but i know it will help recover the legs quicker.
I was telling him about Barcelona and how badly i suffered in particular with the doms. He mentioned something around if you are not 100% healthy in a race and you are going at race pace and putting the body under stress lactate will build up much quicker in the muscles. Any truth in this? It might go on to explain why the legs were feeling as fvked from 25km onwards in the marathon.

Its going to be all easy swimming/cycling this week with no running. The legs are a little better today but still hurt like hell and stairs are causing a problem:rolleyes: In the UK tomorrow with work which i could do without and still have this stupid head cold. All in all a pretty bleugh week in store and the mojo is low.

Krusty_Clown

Hi JB, as long as you are taking time off of your PB, you're pointed in the right direction. When I broke 3 hours (after finishing Berlin in 3:00:50) I aimed (and trained) for a time that would ensure I got below the barrier (2:55). It means that you have to train harder than you would just to break 3 hours, but it also gives you a nice fall-back cushion if things don't go right on the day. I know you have no plans to tackle a marathon as an 'A' goal for a couple of years, but just something to keep in mind.

Your HR graph is interesting, as just after the mid-point of the race, it dropped significantly, when you found the going particularly tough. Was the problem that you couldn't sustain the same HR as you had for the first half?

Incidentally, I was out running in Phoenix Park while you were running in Barcelona and the temperatures were hitting 18-19'C (close to Barcelona). After 6 miles of PMP, I was fooked and couldn't have done another mile at that pace, where a few weeks previously I had done 12 miles @pmp in relative comfort. I think part of the problem with spring marathons is that you train throughout the cold winter, and as soon as you hit the first hot day of the year, the body really doesn't know how to cope. It's particularly tough if that first hot day happens to be your goal race. May have contributed to your struggle on the day.

Izoard

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Incidentally, I was out running in Phoenix Park while you were running in Barcelona and the temperatures were hitting 18-19'C (close to Barcelona). After 6 miles of PMP, I was fooked and couldn't have done another mile at that pace, where a few weeks previously I had done 12 miles @pmp in relative comfort. I think part of the problem with spring marathons is that you train throughout the cold winter, and as soon as you hit the first hot day of the year, the body really doesn't know how to cope. It's particularly tough if that first hot day happens to be your goal race. May have contributed to your struggle on the day.

Great report JB and stonking PB!

All that suffering will stand to you when you hit the canal path in Roth:)

KC - I think you are right on the money here - I'm a definite warm weather runner, but always die on the first couple of "warm" runs in Dublin - for it to be your A race where you hit the heat for the first time in a season - well...

shotgunmcos

Very honest report Fran. You really gave it a go and fair play for that. It was hard to read actually as it brought me vividly back to my failed sub3 attempt last year. Well done to your ould Fella too. You have made huge leaps at every level in such a short space of time so I have no doubt that you will get it another day with an improved running base.

I guess one thing to consider ahead of Roth is how you will deal with the heat. It was 28 degrees last year and I suffered like a dog on the river bank. I cannot emphasise that enough. We just don't get to train in those conditions at home and its very easy to underestimate dry heat.

+1 on KC's comment about a PB moving in the right direction...

tunney

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Very honest report Fran. You really gave it a go and fair play for that. It was hard to read actually as it brought me vividly back to my failed sub3 attempt last year. Well done to your ould Fella too. You have made huge leaps at every level in such a short space of time so I have no doubt that you will get it another day with an improved running base.

I guess one thing to consider ahead of Roth is how you will deal with the heat. It was 28 degrees last year and I suffered like a dog on the river bank. I cannot emphasise that enough. We just don't get to train in those conditions at home and its very easy to underestimate dry heat.

+1 on KC's comment about a PB moving in the right direction...

Heat in Roth. I'm pretty sure he will be prepared.

Bambaata

I can also relate to the above comments on the heat! I died a death last Sunday!

El Director

Finally got around to reading your race report JB and it was a great honest account. Most people would have just given up and thrown all toys out of the pram after they knew their target was gone so huge respect for sticking it out and coming home with a massive PB, you did yourself proud man.

Hopefully this weather keeps up and the heat in Roth won't be a factor at all!

Ennis on sunday or no?

Notwitch

tunney wrote: »

Heat in Roth. I'm pretty sure he will be prepared.

jb, i hope you like looking at your bathroom walls!

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Hi JB, as long as you are taking time off of your PB, you're pointed in the right direction. When I broke 3 hours (after finishing Berlin in 3:00:50) I aimed (and trained) for a time that would ensure I got below the barrier (2:55). It means that you have to train harder than you would just to break 3 hours, but it also gives you a nice fall-back cushion if things don't go right on the day. I know you have no plans to tackle a marathon as an 'A' goal for a couple of years, but just something to keep in mind.

Your HR graph is interesting, as just after the mid-point of the race, it dropped significantly, when you found the going particularly tough. Was the problem that you couldn't sustain the same HR as you had for the first half?

Incidentally, I was out running in Phoenix Park while you were running in Barcelona and the temperatures were hitting 18-19'C (close to Barcelona). After 6 miles of PMP, I was fooked and couldn't have done another mile at that pace, where a few weeks previously I had done 12 miles @pmp in relative comfort. I think part of the problem with spring marathons is that you train throughout the cold winter, and as soon as you hit the first hot day of the year, the body really doesn't know how to cope. It's particularly tough if that first hot day happens to be your goal race. May have contributed to your struggle on the day.

Good post Gary and a lot of valid points raised. On the 2:55 thing i would like to think next time around i would be training for a much faster time to make sure sub 3 is a given.
On the hr that is not sustainable for me as its 96.5% of my LT. In my training runs i was hitting MP and below aroiund 92% of my LT which i knew i could comfortably hold. My hr was a full hr zone higher and i am not sure if that was done to the head cold, weather or a combination of both. That would explain why hr dropped off the 2nd half as i could simply not sustain that effort/hr for the full marathon. I chose to ignore hr later in the race and just ran as quick as my little legs could carry me.
Excellent point on the weather, normally that temperature should not bother me but it was a race and it was MP effort in those conditions which i have not simulated in training. One of the perils of spring marathons.

Izoard wrote: »

Great report JB and stonking PB!
All that suffering will stand to you when you hit the canal path in Roth:)
KC - I think you are right on the money here - I'm a definite warm weather runner, but always die on the first couple of "warm" runs in Dublin - for it to be your A race where you hit the heat for the first time in a season - well...

Ah the canal in Roth another place were i will visit the pain cave for sure:o

shotgunmcos wrote: »

I guess one thing to consider ahead of Roth is how you will deal with the heat. It was 28 degrees last year and I suffered like a dog on the river bank. I cannot emphasise that enough. We just don't get to train in those conditions at home and its very easy to underestimate dry heat.

+1 on KC's comment about a PB moving in the right direction...

Cheers Mike i now know how you must of felt after Berlin, its a bit gutting to miss the target. I have a week in Turkey at the end of April and temperatures will be around 30 degrees so there will be a lot of IM specific work going on that week and possibly some bricks to simulate conditions in Roth. When the weather heats up here i will be out cycling and running in my winter gear, this will include indoors on the turbo when i cycle in the hot press in full winter gear:). Your right i must not under estimate those conditions for Roth as it could easily end your race.

tunney wrote: »

Heat in Roth. I'm pretty sure he will be prepared.

You better believe i will be prepared:)

El Director wrote: »

Finally got around to reading your race report JB and it was a great honest account. Most people would have just given up and thrown all toys out of the pram after they knew their target was gone so huge respect for sticking it out and coming home with a massive PB, you did yourself proud man.

Hopefully this weather keeps up and the heat in Roth won't be a factor at all!

Ennis on sunday or no?

Cheers Micheal, the toys were nearly out of the pram a few times. I was looking forward to Ennis but i would be mad to even attempt this weekend as i am in bits and went far deeper in the marathon than first expected.
I might still be down that direction so will give you a buzz if i am.

Notwitch wrote: »

jb, i hope you like looking at your bathroom walls!

I did not know what this meant until i seen the other thread:) He will have me in an anorak covered in shrink wrap doing hill repeats i would imagine.:)

Izoard

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

Ah the canal in Roth another place were i will visit the pain cave for sure:o

At a mere "28 degrees" it was a fuppin' furnace - your Turkish plans will come in handy.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

A difference two days makes after a bit of active recovery and a chat with the coach. I am over the dissapointment of Barcelona at this stage, no point dwelling too much in the past as i need to start looking forward.

All focus now well and truly shifted to Roth with it only 14 weeks away....call it my A+++ race after not nailing my first 'A' race. It helps that the weather has been good, the legs are coming back to me and i have been doing a few easy sessions just to get out and help with active recovery.

Wednesday
Swim - 1.8kms
No real planned session just getting into the water this week for a wash:) WU of 200p and 200sw, left the kick drills out. Main set of 4x(100sw easy and 200p cruise pace) No idea of pace on any of these but just happy to be back in the water. I warmed down with 200 breast stroke which helped the legs.
Time:40mins, Dist:1.8kms

Easy Bike
My car is still down in Dublin from last weekend so i have been cycling into/out of work with easy spinning at lunchtime. I was not paying attention to any stats on the G500 but surprised to see avg watts, i was moving well for the easy effort.
Time:28:07, Dist:15.28kms, Pace:32.6kmph, Power:AP208/NP210, Cad:82, TSS:31, KJ:341

Thursday
1hr easy bike
Another red eye flight to UK. I did manage to get out for an hour in the closing daylight. Another very enjoyable spin and the legs improving again. I paid no attention to stats but surprised i held IM intensity for the hour without any real effort.
Time:1:03, Dist:33.93kms, Pace:32.1kmph, Power:AP208/NP211, Cad:82, TSS:73, KJ:785

Mojo returning!! I miss running hopefully i will get back to it next week at some point.

Abhainn

Aliya Wailing Bench wrote: »

I did manage to get out for an hour in the closing daylight. Another very enjoyable spin and the legs improving again. I paid no attention to stats but surprised i held IM intensity for the hour without any real effort.
Time:1:03, Dist:33.93kms, Pace:32.1kmph, Power:AP208/NP211, Cad:82, TSS:73, KJ:785

Mojo returning!! I miss running hopefully i will get back to it next week at some point.

Good to see your over Barcelona. That is very positive. You've nailed a great 3:05PB -that is a stepping stone to your sub 3 goal. When I attempted my first sub 3 in Berlin (3:01) it was off a 3:22 in Connemera (prep was messed up with some injury issues) but while I was gutted for a time I knew I would conquer the aim. Next time I ran a 2:47

You mentioned IM intensity above. I assume that is wattage rather than pace? If so just rides on varying conditions i.e. profile and wind how would one guage IM intensity without a power meter?

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Upcoming races
15th Apr - Sportsman Duathlon - C
06th May - Club Boyne 10k (highly recommended for those looking for a well organised 10k) - C
03rd June - TriAthy Sprint - C
08th July - Challenge Roth - A+ Race
11th Aug - Caroline Kearney - C
26th Aug - Dublin City Tri - C
30th Sept - Challenge Barcelona - B

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Abhainn wrote: »

You mentioned IM intensity above. I assume that is wattage rather than pace? If so just rides on varying conditions i.e. profile and wind how would one guage IM intensity without a power meter?

Cheers Joe
My IM intensity above is by power. I will be aiming at 210watts on the day and this should give me a sub 5hr bike split for Roth, benefits of being tiny/light:). Given it came easy and i am recovering its a good sign.
For someone without a power meter i would go off hr/PE. You know what you can comfortably hold on your long easy bikes at the moment so thats a starting point.
Another way of being a little more clinical about it would be doing a test and establish what your threshold hr is on the bike. Everyone is different but for me (from memory) my threshold hr on the bike is 165 and i can go out around 88-90% of that over the IM distance. Trial and error then on your long bike to what feels right.
Pace is not worth a crap as there is so many variables, power>hr>perceived effort. Hope that helps chief.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Friday
Easy bike
Another cycle into work and out for a short spin at lunchtime. Once again felt great on the bike and really comfortable with the tt position i have tweaked a little.
Time:43:53, Dist:21.80kms, Pace:29.8kmph, Power:AP190/NP198, Cad:79, TSS:44, KJ:322

2700mtr swim set
Just worked a set as i went along mixing in some drills. Felt sluggish in the water but got through it. WU of 300p and 200sw, some drills as 4x50 catch up, 4x50 f/scull, 4x50 m/scull and 4x50pt paddle, 3x400p easy on 7.15 and a cool down of 200 back crawl.
Time:65mins, Dist:2700

Saturday
Long Bike
I had to pick up my car keys at the sisters in Stamullen (stopped off for a while) and headed down to Dublin to pick up the car. I added on a few kms and headed into the PP for a sniff of new tarmac on Chesterfield Road:). It was a bit stop start coming into and out of town which broke the ride up a little. I don't know how people commute around the city on a bike as i near got wrote off a few times:o
Something is happening on the bike!! I have picked up a handy 15watts from somewhere compared to previous long rides. This is strange given the legs are still recovering and the lack of bike focus in the last few weeks with the marathon training. Not complaining mind you but I am finding IM power very easy and i notice my power range is increasing. All good and feeling strong on the bike.
Time|Distance|Power|Avg speed
30mins|16.14kms|197watts|32.3kmph
30mins|15.87kms|210watts|31.7kmph
30mins|17.34kms|212watts|34.7kmph
30mins|16.70kms|215watts|33.4kmph
30mins|16.31kms|212watts|32.6kmph
11.34|5.29kms|216watts|27.5kmph
2:41:38|87.64kms|209watts|32.5kmph

Time:2:41, Dist:87.64kms, Pace:32.5kmph, Power:AP209/NP213, Cad:80, TSS:183, KJ:341

RacoonQueen

Probably just missed each other in the park. You'd never have believed it was me out on the bike anyway.

El Director

nice numbers there JB! What was the HR like?

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Probably just missed each other in the park. You'd never have believed it was me out on the bike anyway.

Seeing is believing:)

El Director wrote: »

nice numbers there JB! What was the HR like?

Cannot find my hrm since i got back from Barca, i am sure it is about somewhere. Just went by PE and it was an easy spin with some steady efforts around 230/240watts thrown in. Felt as strong as an ox on the bike today.

El Director

Excellent...god don't you just love days like that

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

El Director wrote: »

Excellent...god don't you just love days like that

Especially when you don't expect it. Genuinely surprised with the numbers on the bike this week. Need to change out the shoes though as the foot box is too big and my foot is floating about so i know i am losing power on each rotation.

Good luck tomorrow interested to see how you get on.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Sunday
1.9km swim
Straight swim with pull buoy for a 1.44 average, moving well in the water
Time: 33:03, Dist: 1.9kms

I had planned to get out on the bike again for another spin but never got an opportunity.

Weekly numbers
26th Mar - 01st Apr|# sessions|Time hh:mm|Distance kms
Total|8|8:37|203.59kms
Swimming|3|2:18|6.4kms
Cycling|5|6:19|197.19kms
Running|0|0:00|0kms
Strenth/Core|0|0:00|N/A


This week was all about recovery, from feeling like crap warmed up at the start of the week to getting back close to normal by the end of it. Happy with the cycling i got in. More swim and bike focus next week but will introduce running back into things. Chomping at the bit to get stuck into IM specific work.