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Chucky ár Lá... DigDig's gonna get you!
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Wednesday - 6.5 at 8:27 - This was quite a good spin, it was very warm so I felt I worked harder than the stats and it was my last semi-pacey run......
A while after my run I had a sports massage, calfs in general are in good nick apart from a few trigger points and boy did I feel them. Need to work on doing some Piriformis stretching though.
Thursday - Rest - Again it's a lovely evening but, despite the temptation, I'll give the legs a night off to recover from last night's massage.
Ultra update - I've no taper madness going on as I haven't had what one would call a taper. I'm pretty much going into the unknown on Sunday, having had the mixed preparation. I couldn't say I'm in any way confident. My participation was still very much in doubt until I managed the 30 mile training run a couple of weeks ago and that didn't exactly leave me feeling flushed with self belief.
That said, I'm also not going to make things more complicated than they have to be. Myself and CL had agreed to run the Ultra together (hand in hand toward the sunset) and do so at 6:25 ish pace but I suggested to her the other night that she'd be blowing some great training not to give it her all. Unfortunately she rather quickly complied...... :eek::rolleyes::D Anyway, good luck to her and I hope she flies the sub 6 effort and is waiting for me with one of those ridiculous DCM grins:)
I'm going to run by caution for the first 20 miles... Somewhere around 9:20 - 9:30 pace per mile and then run by feel for the final 19.3 - If that sees my per mile pace dropping then so be it...If it sees it going the other direction then I'll just have to accept it, finish in whatever time I can and go on the tear in Galway with all the Boardsies if I can still walk
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Great stuff digger. You will really enjoy it because no matter what pace you are going you will be passing slower runners from the other races and get great encouragment.
I'll have a nice pint of black stuff waiting for you in peacocks hotel
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Bored tonight with not having a run so actually used CL's foam roller (somebody has to utilise it)
I found some recommended exercises on YouTube and off I went... ITB sorted - Pirifomis sorted - Groin sorted - Quads sorted - Lumbar sorted... Not a bad piece of equipment for a lump of foam:) 0 -
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Happy to have completed the Ultra although there were some very tough moments. I'm actually too drained to formulate a meaningful race report and yet I know the event was so well put together and the scenery/experience so worthwhile that I should do so in order to encourage others to sample it, be that the half, full or ultra.
So, for now I'll say that I had a tough run but am reasonably happy with my time and achievement, had great fun with the usual boardsies, met some that I hadn't before, really enjoyed the camaraderie and am basking in the glow of CL who continues to astound us all
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05.40 and the alarm went off. I had slept reasonably well but was quite groggy. A quick shower was followed by room service and a breakfast of two poached eggs, bacon, toast and tea. 06.40 and myself and CL headed off to Cathedral Square for the bus. Just before we left the G Hotel I read a text from my eldest Daughter (she’s 20) that she’d sent at 00.30 …. It was a picture of her left hand with an engagement ring on and an OMG written!! This had instantly put me in quiet form and despite the buzz on the bus and the developing scenery I remained that way until CL remembered that it was April the 1st and my Daughter had most likely been playing an April Fool on me, the relief was palpable.
The bus stopped and there was a charge for the hotel toilets, Ultra runners must eat some strange stuff pre race:eek: We got ourselves ready and then listened to the race briefing by Ray. It brought things into perspective when he mentioned a couple of the lads who are now no longer with us. A few words by the World 100K Champion and off we went to the bus and the quick trip to the start.
Nerves and excitement followed as we approached the 9.00 am mark and then Ray blew the hooter and we were off. My original plan was to run 9:20 – 9:30 pace but decided at the last minute to run with the 6 hour guys and see how I felt. The first few miles went by pretty quickly, I was getting slagged for still hanging around that group, (Oisin, CL, marthastew, izoard, Aiman, Belcarra and Philip) , I was getting told off by CL who warned me again about my missed training and illness. Aimo dropped off the pack looking for a lift from an ambulance and I think belcarra started to feel a little unwell at this point and himself and Philip slowed a bit but I hung on with the group until about mile 18 possibly (hard to be sure about the detail) I waved goodbye to CL as that group headed off around a corner and up the hill. At this point I knew a sub 6 was a massive risk and I decided to consolidate somewhat. My legs were feeling unhappy and I was joined and passed by the two lads again. A few miles later I caught up again but Belcarra had an extended stop and Philip and myself ran quite strongly for mile 24/25/26 to clock the 26.2 in 3:59:39.
Unfortunately the legs started to send me warning signs as we started up the Leenane hill and I sent Philip on ahead as I had to walk/stretch for about 20/30 metres, I could see him power on ahead through the field and he finished in a great time. The next 8 miles or so were generally quiet but both psychologically and physically very difficult. I was trying to figure my times out to see if I had enough in the locker to allow me a walk up the Hell of the West and still break te 6.30 mark and RQ's PB of 6:40:D, I didn’t want to walk but again felt it would be the correct decision. 5 miles to go…. 4 miles to go….. Then finally, the Hell of the West, I had two bottles of water and tried to stretch out a good stride as I walked up this. As soon as I reached the top I started to run again, very stiffly at first but then found a very good rhythm and began to overtake a lot of people as the road flattened out. My last mile was at 7:58 pace and I took a couple of Ultra places back in this stretch. As I ran toward the finish line with a big grin I started to get some cheers from digijem, shaz and nules but thought the lads had said to watch out for the false finish so was looking for the ‘Ultra’ finish line and urgently asking meno, Oisin and CL where the fcuk it was….. The fact that I had run over the mats and under the clocks should have been a give away and I felt like a dufus 
:D
So, 6:24 and the loose change. I’ve mixed feelings I guess, I’m a little disappointed that I wasn’t closer to the 6 hour mark but also satisfied that I’ve managed the distance given the problems leading up to the last six weeks of training. It's the longest distance I've ever run, in fact, it's almost 33% further than my previous longest, this may be corrected by meno the mad mathematician.
Legs are sore and lacking in any power so I will see how the recovery goes before I’ll consider going back next year to try dip under 6 hours. An absolutely brilliantly organised and executed event with amzing camraderie and scenery and one which I would encourage everybody to sample, whether the half, full or Ultra. Thanks to all the Boardsies for their encouragement and good wishes as well as the craic at the party.:)0 -
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I was trying to figure my times out to see if I had enough in the locker to allow me a walk up the Hell of the West and still break te 6.30 mark and RQ's PB of 6:40
For the record old man, I'd been very ill for the two months previous, had done even less training than you and spent half of it walking and chatting to Jimmy and Dave
Well done. Surprised you made it out alive. At your age. 0 -
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Great report Digger!
Those 8 miles after the Leenane hill are always overlooked but they are pretty undulating.
Someone on here called them the dead zone of the course and I think that sums it up pretty well!
I think the pair of us have unfinished business with that Ultra course...maybe we should petition Ray to host it bi-annually??
So, was the ring an April Fool's or not??[/QUOTE]
Thankfully it was0 -
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chinguetti wrote: »Well done on Sunday and major kudos for sticking at it despite all the training problems.
I do like the photos of you trying to figure out where the finish was. Were you in a world of pain that you just couldn't focus or you took the cheers the wrong way?
Something I misheard before the start of the race made me think the Ultra finish was 50 metres further than the half or mara.... 0
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