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Too Tall To Run
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Well this didn't go to plan at all. Laid low with a bad sinus headache on Sunday I was already contemplating not doing this. Up early Monday morning and headache still there but not as bad so decided I'd go in and give it a lash, anyway had to meet Pronator to give him his race number.
Quick couple of miles warm-up & chat with Pronator before hitting the corral and met up with thewolf who was in flying form and all set for sub 1:30.
Was feeling OK so I decided to stick to the plan. First mile was grand & went through in 7:20. Up into the park & pace slowed a little, mile 2 in 7:28. Its around here that I started to feel like everything wasn't so rock 'n' roll & I was slowing down more & not just because of the incline, mile 3 in 7:45. Mile 3 was the samba band that I play in & was sorely tempted to pull over & join in as it seemed like the easier option.
As the park levelled out to mile 4 I was just hoping that I'd be able to conserve a bit of energy & regroup on the next few miles. Somehow I remember the band at the 4 mile mark singing Nutbush City Limits & all I could think of was, "I wish I had Tina Turners legs". Mile 4 in 7:40
The trad band at mile 5 were singing The Leaving of Liverpool & fully expected Luis Suarez to be doing a jig on stage such has been the media coverage surrounding him. Anyway I seemed to be picking up a bit on the downhill section here and went through mile 5 in 7:27. Tucked in behind an American runner around here who was going at a tempo I could easily match. Mile 6 was good bit quicker & I was starting to feel OK, mile 6 in 7:14. Was happy to see the half way mark, think the clock was showing 46:xx, decided to try stick with the american runner to the finish as the goal was now gone & it was just about damage limitation. Mile 7 in 7:25
Must have let the concentration slip here as my (unknown to them) pacer got a few yards on me. Really started to struggle now and all manner of excuses started to flood in, mile 8 in 7:35 & mile 9 in 7:54.The hill out of Chapelizod couldn't have come at a worse time & I practically slowed to a walk, such was my level of delusion I reckoned if I turned round I'd see Neil Horan hanging out of the back of me. Raycun's energetic sweeping at the water station didn't do anything to help raise my energy levels :P. The brother-in-law lives near 10 mile mark & seriously contemplated pulling out, mile 10 in 8:17.
The sight of the 1:40 balloon coming past me spurred me on a little but that didn't last too long, mile 11 & 12 in 8:03 & 8:18. Only a mile left so gave it all of the little I had left, mile 13 & last bit in 7:55 & 1:05.
Met thewolf at the finish who had just ran 1:28 and was jumping around like a kid at a wiggles concert while shoving power bars down his shorts & I couldn't have been more dejected.
Official time was 1:41:25, previous PB was 1:43:05 over 2 years ago. This was only 3rd time running a half so I still have a lot to learn so just need to pick myself up & get back training & focused. Big lesson from the day, don't try run exactly to plan if not feeling 100% or maybe don't run at all. Lesson I should have learnt from the marathon 2 years ago.
Up next Celbridge 5K & then the Athlone half & the isotonic beer
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