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I have no idea where to begin or how to word all that happened yesterday. This will be a rambling post no doubt and I'll probably forget lots of things.
Marathon build up and training
Training was a 12 week makey uppy plan which actually worked really well for me. I just focused on getting in the hill & speed sessions with the club each week, adding some tempo & pace runs and then the obligatory LSRs. Training went really well, training with the club was good and my PB at the Terenure 5 miler was the icing on the cake and a definite confidence boost. The goal was sub 3.30 and hand on heart I felt it was there for the taking. I had very few negative thoughts on that score. I had been advised to run by feel and not to be too hung up on the garmin or pacers and I think I held true to that.
I will say that I was questioning the 2 marathons a year commitment - I felt that one marathon is enough for me at this time. Only that I have signed up and paid for Berlin, I would have knocked it on the head. Let's get through Cork first and reassess.
Marathon morning
Arrived in Cork on Sunday after a detour to the Kingdom. I didn't have an ideal marathon prep weekend but confidence and focus were good. Had a semi decent nights sleep despite yapping children on either side of me (the joys of a family room :rolleyes:). After breakfast with jc, I met up with Clare from the club who was down to cheer on her sister running her first marathon and who was my official cheerleader too. My family don't do any extra cheering, they just planned on going to the finish line after spending the morning in the hotel pool - some supporters eh?).
Lined up at the start (with about 4 minutes to spare
) within sight of the 3:30 balloons and not long after 9am we were off.
Miles 1-5
Nothing eventful for these first few miles, these miles brought us around the city centre, out to Blackpool and back into the city again. They are pretty flat and I was in and around the pacers at all times.
Splits are 7:46, 7:49, 7:55, 7:50, 7:48
Miles 5-10
This stretch is tougher than the first 5, plenty of little inclines dotted along the way, luckily none of which gave me any problems. This section also bring us along the dual carriage way, through the Jack Lynch tunnel and into Mahon point and then on up to Blackrock castle. Again, nothing much to report from here. Moved in front of the pacers before the tunnel and that was really the last I saw of them. I wasn't too far ahead and could just about hear them.
Splits: 7:45, 7:53, 8:17 (this mile was through the tunnel when I lost garmin coverage for a bit), 7:45, 7:58
Miles 10-15
At Blackrock castle which was just after mile 11, we turned on to a walkway along the river - this section was super flat and there was a lovely breeze here. My pace was even and steady, probably 40 seconds up at each mile marker and I thought I was probably inching away from the pacers too. Crossed the half way line just before 1:44 and was feeling quite comfortable. Clare and her gang were in full voice here too & I was thrilled to see them. I had no idea where they were going to pop up next!
After the half way mark something came over me and I got a sudden burst of energy and decided to adopt my 'run by feel' approach. We were now on a walkway which used to be a railway line and I just seemed to be bounding along and the number of people I was overtaking was nuts. At no point did I question myself, I felt so strong, I was getting so many shout-outs along the way 'go on gurl, you're flying' and that Cork lilting accent was just music to my ears (did I really type that? :eek:).
Splits to mile 15 were 7:47, 7:56, 7:52, 8.07, 7:49
Miles 15-20
While this is the toughest section by far on the course, it didn't seem to phase me at all. I think confidence was growing and I was still running really strongly here. Luckily this year, the organisers got the half marathon runners to wear blue HFs on their backs so when they did start to overtake at speed, it wouldn't bother us marathoners. There were a few nasty little hills dotted throughout these miles, I just took Aimman's advice 'short steps, use your elbows' and I got through them all. On one particular sharp little hill, I was overtaken by Rob Heffernan - I used all his cheers & pretended they were for me :cool:;). Clare and co were at mile 19, another great shout-out from them.
Splits: 7:35, 7:42, 7:52, 7:44, 7:46
Miles 20-finish line
Now things start to get 'interesting'. Up to now, the heat hadn't bothered me too much. It was very muggy and humid and I took water on at all water stations and doused myself with the sponges and threw water over my head & neck. I can't say that it was very effective, I think it was more of a method of waking me up and keeping me focused. Mile 20-21 has a nice long downhill to start but the uphill after that was awful. I saw 2 ladies up ahead and my focus was to overtake them which I did. I started to tire and the tiredness just intensified with each mile marker. Now it was 'survival mode', just keep running, one foot in front of the other. Again the shoutouts were great and as there were so few ladies around I got a lot of cheers and people trying to read my singlet, so I got 'come on Dublin', 'come on pearses' and of course 'come on the ladies, you're doing great gurl'. I tried to focus on anything to keep me going, I acknowledged the crowds, I soaked up the noise from the final relay change-over, I grabbed water and jellies, just to keep time ticking. Only 4 miles to go, 3 miles - come on the Firhouse loop is only 3 miles, you'd do it in your sleep. I was still running though, still overtaking - so so many walkers yesterday heads in hands. Down past Dennehys cross and on to the Carrigrohane straight. The breeze here was quite strong and despite the humidity, it was not welcome. I tried not to look at the county hall building but focus on the ground or on a runner or two around me. I got through this section of road in one piece, still running, past the 24 mile marker and past the county hall. Down to Victoria cross over a bridge of some sort, details are getting fuzzy, around by some park, eventually I reach mile 25. Over a mile to go. I pass the 25 mile mark but I'm really and truly struggling now. It feels like last year all over again. I do get out on to the main road along by the river and BAM legs stop moving. I walk a few steps and the crowd keep encouraging me, so I start up again. I know 3:30 is in the bag, even if I have to run, walk, run, walk..... Some lovely English guy sees my distress and he take on the role of my coach/mentor. He runs alongside me for 400-500 meters 'come on mate, you're doing great, what time are you going for mate, you're nearly there mate, it's not this bridge, it's the next bridge'..... He practically ran with me to the bridge at the bottom of Patrick Street. If I could just keep the legs turning over, I'd be okay. Up the incline on to the bridge and now my legs are starting to buckle. Where the hell is the finish line, why is it so far up Patrick street, why can't it be on the bridge? Still the legs are moving, but I know their time is nearly up. I see the '100 meters to go' sign - it might as well have said 100 miles to go. I'm in a bad way and BAM legs go somewhere after this. I was close to the railing so I told on and I wonder how on earth I'm going to get to the finish line which must be 30-40 meters away. All of a sudden the guy handing out medals and another guy at the finish line run over to me (I must be closer to the line than I think), they hold my hands and walk me across the line. The guy with the medals says 'sure gurl, look how easy that was, no bother at all'. I might have offered to be his servant for the rest of my life at that point, I'm not sure
:D. Medal around my neck - cue wheelchair and medical tent........again! I then remember to stop my garmin, which has given me that magical sub 3:30. 
Splits: 7:38, 7:50, 7:47, 8:12, 8:20, 8:53 :eek:
26.36 miles covered - 14th woman, 3rd F35
I think my children think that all people go to the medical tent after marathons:rolleyes:, I seem to be making a habit out of it. Trudged back to the hotel for a shower and I started to look human again.
Post-marathon thoughts
Firstly I'm thrilled at getting sub 3:30. I did work hard and train hard and I sacrificed a lot of family time to do my long runs - I earned that medal yesterday for sure. Yesterday, I felt no elation though, no joy, no sense of achievement or satisfaction - I think the last 3/4 mile has just taken some of the sheen off my sparkly medal. I felt that up to mile 20 I ran so well, I got though miles 20-25 through sheer determination and resolve. The last mile was hell on earth and of course that is what I was reliving yesterday and again today. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, I saw many other people yesterday in a bad way and people who didn't get to cross the line. I know I'll cherish the experience but right now I'm trying to make my peace with it.
I think that having achieved the sub 3:30 I have no desire to go out and better that time. I think it's a great achievement and one that I am very proud of. I will run Berlin but will not kill myself there, I can't put myself through that again. After Berlin, I'm seriously considering hanging up my marathon runners - I have a lot of work to do on my 5k, 10k and half times. I also feel I can't put jcsdad through seeing me like that again. If only he'd been anywhere on the course bar the final few hundred meters :rolleyes:
Today, I'm in work, legs are a bit stiff but nothing major to complain about. Everyone is oooing and aaahing over my time so I'll take all the compliments I can get which reminds me to thank everyone who texted and messaged me before and after the marathon - all your nice words were really appreciated. Thanks to coach for all the uplifting words and the faith you have in me and to R who runs with me including some LSRs- I knew the xc route in Tymon park would stand to me during the hills yesterday!
I'd love to say 'Roll on Berlin, PB here I come', but I will focus on the fun and enjoyment side of things there and put all my efforts into getting the shorter distance times down.
I'm sure I've forgotten a load of things, but the brain is still fuzzy....
Can't complain about any of the organisation yesterday, fantastic set up, great crowd support, lots of water station stations, and a big thanks to my 'friends' in the first aid tent - they were amazing! 0 -
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Well done K, a great run and a really good report! Spotted you on some race pics and ya looks cruising along at about mile 15.
Sub 3:30 in the bag with plenty time to spare. I know what you mean about the lack of elation at the end as I had similar in Dublin even though I hit my target. Give it time and in a couple days it will sink in that it is a great achievement.that Cork lilting accent was just music to my ears
If I had a signature, this would be it! 0 -
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