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Running with the birds or for the birds?
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Saturday February 16th
Donadea 50K
The usual government health warning before reading my race report….. It’s long, waffly and lacking in technical details but as with all of my reports it’s from the heart:)
Background
I was lucky enough to run this race last year as part of my build-up to Connemara Ultra and crossing the Finish line I knew I’d definitely be back. This year Mr Stew decided he wanted to join me and when we signed up we did so with the intention of running it as a training run for our Spring Marathons (Rotterdam for him, London for me). I had a three week break from running in early December and slowly got back into things over Christmas and when January 1st rolled round I was raring to get back into training. Towards the end of January it became clear that there weren’t very many female entries and after chatting with some of the wise men and women of boards I decided that I’d take a big risk and race the 50K. Not wanting to be left out Mr Stew said he’d also race it and we decided sub 4 would be our goal. Our training went really well during the six weeks prior to Donadea and the Raheny 5 mile race was a great confidence booster for us both. Mr Stew took Friday off work and we chilled out with the junior Stews ate and drank well. I was once again reminded how lucky I am to have such great support and was delighted to get so many messages of encouragement on here, on Facebook and by text. Thanks:D
Race morning
Having woken a few times during the night but always managing to get back to sleep I woke early before the 7am alarm and was delighted to see the weather was perfect. A pint of hot water with lemon, two coffees, two boiled eggs and a bagel with peanut butter, honey and a banana and I was set for the day.
Auntie Stew arrived at 8.15 and we were on the road to Kildare. Mr Stew and I were chatting nervously in the car on the way down, sub 4 was a big risk for me as I would have to run a marathon PB (3.25 is my New York Dublin PB) and I wasn’t sure how things would work out. At the same time I also knew that I’m from the “nothing ventured, nothing gained” school of thought and it was worth a shot. I told Mr Stew that the worst case scenario would be for us to blow-up and not achieve our goal but with a lot of luck we just might get there.
The car park was buzzing when we arrived, Donadea is a wonderful forest Park which boasts a stream, lake, castle and a 9/11 memorial along with some wonderful trails. We would be running 10 laps of a 5K loop on one of the trails. The weather in the past few weeks coupled with some forest work done by Coillte meant that conditions underfoot were tougher than we had last year.
We collected our race packs (I even got an extra flake) and the atmosphere was relaxed and calm.
Mr Stew and I were delighted to catch up with lots of familiar faces and delighted to make more new friends. Boards were out in full force with among others….. Aimann, PaulieC, meno, Oisin, shotgunmccos, krusty, emer911 (fantastic supporter), sideswipe, the beepbeep family, Belcarra, Philip, racoon queen, al, graham, pronator and of course Anto. As I exited the loo I noticed an inspirational sign/placard on the wall and I couldn’t help smiling and feeling good…
Take risks, if you win you will be happy.
If you lose you will be wise.
(Although I must admit I was hoping I’d end up happy instead of wise;))
We headed up to the start area and nominated beepbeep as the 4 hour bus driver. I was delighted to meet the wonderful Shotgunmcocs and unfortunately only had a short while to catch up with him before we were off bang on time at 10AM.
Laps 1 through 5
0:24:27
0:24:04 gel, 250 ml powerade
0:23:38
0:23:32 200ml coke
0:23:37 100ml water
We settled into a nice group and as expected the first lap went by before we knew it and I found myself second placed female. I wasn’t willing to risk anything by speeding up at this early stage and decided that I’d stick with my plan and take it from there. The pace was a little too sub 4 for some of us in the larger group so we fell into a smaller group of meno, al, Ollie and Mr Stew. I noticed Mr Stew was struggling a little on the first lap but I knew he’d settle in after a while. We both felt strong on the second lap and on the 3rd lap he had settled into the pace feeling even more comfortable than me. I loved this part of the race (who wouldn’t?) we’re running along, full of hope and energy, exchanging life stories with fellow runners and basically having fun:) During the fourth lap I noticed Meno slipping on the odd occasion, the ground was very tough going in places and I told him to watch his step. He told me he’d need to take a pit-stop and pop to the loo and I was worried for him as it would be hard to catch us up. I think it was during this lap that we passed the lead female and I found myself in first place, I fully intended to hold onto that position and I sailed by her as if I hadn’t a care in the world and tried to look as strong as I possibly could. This was at the top of the slight hill and meno had warned me to make sure my breathing was calm and stable. For good measure I shouted out something sweet to Mr Stew as we passed and although I was happy to pass her I genuinely wished her the best of luck.
The support from the volunteers was even better than last year, they were unrelenting in their shouts of encouragement. We were lucky enough to be running with Ollie, a Donadea club member so we got even louder shoutsJ I told him that that used to be my nickname in school so I imagined the shouts were especially for me. Extra special thanks to Emer 911 who seemed to pop up everywhere in the earlier stages of the race and who was always smiling, clapping and cheering as we passed. The beepbeep family were also always full of praise and later in the day I was thrilled to see SunflowerRo and then on the next lap I heard Claralara and Officer Digger cheer us as we passed by. the day couldn't day get any better
Laps 6 through 10
0:24:01 gel, 250 ml powerade
0:23:57 small piece chocolate
0:23:49 2 fizzy cola jellies
0:24:19 sip of water
0:25:04
Not surprisingly we started having to work a little harder as the laps ticked by and I was very, very sad to see Shotgun on the side-lines out with his Achilles (I’m keeping fingers. toes and everything else crossed for you:)) there was still no sign of meno and I was worried for him, I hadn’t noticed him standing right beside shotgun and it was only when we passed through the next lap I saw him fully dressed on the side. There were one or two other runners out at this stage (some by choice and some others not) and I really felt bad for them all. At one stage RQ decided she’d make us laugh by standing in the way after the mat and I was so glad she did this in the early stages of the race, if it were at the end of the 9th lap I may have just sat down with her;) The course was such that the first half was tougher than the second, and during the second part of the 7th lap I really began to pick things up, the reason for this madness? Mr Stew had popped into the trees for a tinkle and when I looked back to make sure he was safely back with us he had been joined by a runner, my eyesight isn’t the best and I thought it was a female runner. In my defence he was wearing Capri pants and his hair was kind of long. She (he) was gaining ground fast and I decided that I’d have to take it easy or I’d blow-up, imagine my relief when I discovered that we were being lapped by a MALE runner! Heading into the 8th lap it was Mr stew and Al and I and up ahead was Paul who been chatting with us for a good while. I decided to take off fairly fast out of the finish area but I knew Mr Stew would keep me in his sights. The race really began for me here, I was worried that the second female was close behind as I knew I could just about maintain the pace and I was SO keen to get to the 9th lap where I would hopefully get myself a marathon PB. I stayed strong on this lap and chatted with runners as I lapped them and as they lapped me. Passed through the mat and the cheers and encouragement were so, so welcome and I was beaming with joy as everyone was shouting “well done… keep going… you’re first female…”
Heading into the 9th lap I was very sorry to see Beepbeep walking as I turned round by the lake and asked him if he fancied picking things up, he sadly was suffering from tummy problems but he still had a smile for me. I was now concentrating on getting to that marathon clock and I was very surprised to lap the female we had passed earlier, I wished her well and she told me I was doing great. I was now starting to try and remember all those inspirational quotes I’d been reading over the last few weeks and I could just about bring some of them to mind…..
The body achieves what the mind believes….. And Dory Dory’s wonderful Smash is sista!! You know you want to...and you know you can!!!
I was lapped by a really friendly runner (who turned out to be Asiminov) just as I was about to reach marathon distance and it was lovely to chat briefly with him. I could just about make out the clock saying 3.21.5X and I tried my hardest to pick things up to make it in under 3.21, 3.22.11 is my new marathon PB:D I was happy that I was still able to pick things up a bit. I was thrilled to hear somebody yelling congratulations at me from behind: Mr Stew was alive and well and also staying strong:D
I had thought my race began at the 8th lap but it really began now, I knew I was in first place and I had a marathon PB and I really, really had to push myself to concentrate on sub 4. My mind started really messing with me by telling me I could take it a little easy and still have a great day, again I started reciting my inspirational quotes, I started remembering my yoga and deep breathing and I managed to stay strong for the 9th lap. The support from everybody at the mat was overwhelming and I arrived at the mat at the same time as Pauliec (at least I think it was at that time) I could hear people cheering and Anto and Meno telling me all I had to run was 24.30 and I’d get the sub 4. I left them behind fully intending to get that sub 4 and then that slight incline in the first half of the lap had somehow turned into a giant mountain:eek:. I could feel the pace dropping and I was working so hard not to let it drop too low. I had now reached the stage of the race where I was calling on my dead relatives to help me out:eek: I have quite a few so that kept me busy for a while. I was also trying to remember a quote I had read by Tim Noakes about body versus spirit but I started to get mixed up with Dory’s quote and I was somehow coming up with…. Smash Tim Noakes’s spirit. Time for some more yoga-type deep breathing and I tried to soak up some of the energy from the earth (I had soaked up quite a lot of the earth in the form of mud at this stage). I passed Izoard and could just about tell him I had a marathon PB, he was so kind telling me I had the race in the bag and that all I had to do was stay upright and keep moving. A nice timely reminder as I noticed I was slipping a lot because I was getting so tired. The kilometre markers took forever to appear and I couldn’t believe it when I saw the sign letting me know I had only two more K to go, my watch said 3.51 and I was really trying to pull myself together to get in under 4. My legs were screaming at me to stop and then luckily I passed Eamonn who was so full of support, he knew how badly I was suffering at this stage because I was so quiet:) I just about managed a thumbs up and was happy to have my spirits lifted. Finally saw the 4K marker and I was nearly delirious at this stage, I can honestly say that if Mr Stew weren’t behind me and the Finish Line with everyone waiting ahead of me I would have lay down in the trees and fallen asleep. All of a sudden I could hear Mr Stew screaming at me to pick it up and yelling at me to go and get the sub 4. I honestly thought I had picked it up but he said I looked like I was in reverse at that stage! I finally turned round the corner to head into the last 250 metre stretch and could just about the see the Finish Line I heard somebody shout my name and also Mr Stew screaming at me from behind if I had a single ounce of energy left I’m pretty sure that I would have cried with happiness. I was trying to look at the clock and I could see everyone standing cheering and FINALLY I was running through the ribbon and then I was leaning on/falling on Anto and then I thought “oh God, I’m going to be sick” and Anto was so sweet and said “It’s ok if you need to be sick” and once I knew I could be sick I didn’t need to be sick. Then all of a sudden Mr Stew was hugging me and telling me how proud he was so now poor Anto was having to take care of the two of us:eek: Somebody got me a chair and I started to thank everyone and I sounded drunk I was so disoriented. RQ gave me her bottle of coke but I hadn’t the energy to open it. I felt bad because I really wanted to tell everyone how much I appreciated the support but the words wouldn’t really come out properly. After a glass of water and a minute on the chair I felt fine and Mr Stew and I pulled ourselves together and then got super hugs and congratulations from so many people (Officer Digger’s guns are great for hugs). Claralara had had a podium finish in a 10K and Meno was so complimentary even though his day had gone so badly. As I posed for photos with bazman, John Byrne and Rory Mooney I was just about pinching myself and the trophy is fabulous! RQ brought out her yummy chocolate biscuit cake and Aimann’s missus had also been baking and we were all on a sugar high. I popped onto the plinth for a quick massage (thanks Bernadette) and met up with lots and lots of happy, happy finishers.
Mr Stew and I said our goodbyes and headed back to the car and as I sat in it finally hit me… I won a race:D I know very well that I won the race because I got lucky, only 8 females started and obviously the fast runners stayed at home but nonetheless I worked hard and pushed myself to the absolute limit. I was willing to take a risk and it paid off.
Mr Stew is so proud of me but I keep telling him I’m nearly even more proud of him; this time two years ago he hadn’t yet started running and now he’s running a super 50K with enough energy left to encourage his wife at the end of it.
Heartfelt thanks and congratulations to Anto and his amazing team and to everyone who ran or stood on the sidelines. Mr Stew and I feel genuinely privileged to have been a part of this very, very special race and to be part of such a really wonderful running community.
Your body will argue that there is no justifiable reason to continue. Your only recourse is to call on your spirit, which fortunately functions independently of logic.
Tim Noakes
Chip Time 4.00. 28;
26th out of 86 Finishers, First Female 0 -
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Marthastew wrote: »
[/I]Chip Time 4.00. 28;
26th out of 86 Finishers, First Female
Don't forget - Course Record Holder!
Great report
Great racing
Great courage and spirit carried through to the end!
Sincere congratulations MarthStew. You're an inspiration to us mere mortals:p0 -
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Oh MS....I am SO happy for you. You smashed it and owned it and appreciated all of it. You embody every once of sportsmanship there is, and you are such an inspiration. Oh, and don't fool yourself with that nonsense about the fast runners staying home....we all know better.
A special congrats to Mr. Stew. He's a pretty special inspiration in his own right. 0 -
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