Hoping to run Cork City Marathon 2013

Karenmtob

Didn't run for a week, was absolutely wrecked, had to go on antibiotics which thankfully did the job, feeling much better and actually the rest did me the world of good. Went fir a slow 3miler last nite to test the waters and was fine, so i did 5 this am and was ok after that as well. Supposed to do 8 tomorrow but wondering should i do it or cut back to 6?
Also, alot of talk of people getting sports massage, wondering should i get oe, bearing in mind have never had one before?

ncmc

Glad you're feeling better Karen, it's too bad you missed a weeks running, but better an easy taper week rather than one of the high mileage weeks. I'd say see how you feel in the morning, if you're ok after 6 maybe push on and do the 8, but if you're struggling, don't worry about scaling it back.

Don't know what to advise about the massage, I swear by them for ironing out knots and niggles, for DCM I only had my first ever 3 weeks out and then another the week before. They do leave your legs heavy and personally I get black and blue from them, so they recommend you don't run for a couple of days after one. So if you are getting one, I'd get it no later than Tuesday.

Karenmtob

Week 16 - May 12
Day|Distance|Comments
Mon|4 miles | 40 mins slow recovery run|
Tues |Rest||
Weds|8 miles|Done - slow can't remember the time|
Thurs|Rest||.
Fri|12M|got through it, but didn't feel great |
Sat|| |
Sun|5 miles|had to give this a skip feeling wrecked|



Week 17- May 20

This week was a bit of right off was feeling wrecked, even had to take time off work, haven't been out of work for years, so just shows you this whole marathon thing really takes it toll!!

Monday - Rested
Tuesday - Slow 3.5miles (shouldn't have run in hind sight)
Wednesday- Stayed out of work and slept
Thursday - Stayed out of work again.
Friday - Slow 3.5 miles - just to test the body, cough and spluttered the whole way round
Sat - Slow 5 miles - was a bit better, less coughing
Sunday - 8 miles - legs good, chest so so



Week 18- May 20

MON - REST
TUES - REST - still coughing, so paid a visit to GP just to make sure chest is OK, said it is a viral cough, it will go eventually, driving me mad at the moment.
WED- 3.5 miles - slow
THURS - 4 miles
FRI - 2 miles

SAT - REST
SUN - REST

MON- BIG DAY

I can't believe that is 5 days to the Marathon, I'm really happy with my training I completed all the runs, just missed one 5 miler. So the work is done, I have to trust that it will get me around the course and I'm hoping that I enjoy the experience, that is why I'm going to stick with the 4.30 pacers.

mr.wiggle

Karenmtob wrote: »

Didn't run for a week, was absolutely wrecked, had to go on antibiotics which thankfully did the job, feeling much better and actually the rest did me the world of good. Went fir a slow 3miler last nite to test the waters and was fine, so i did 5 this am and was ok after that as well. Supposed to do 8 tomorrow but wondering should i do it or cut back to 6?
Also, alot of talk of people getting sports massage, wondering should i get oe, bearing in mind have never had one before?

Did you get one K? If not I'd give it a miss now and book one for after the race. I got one last Monday week and it took till Sat/Sunday for the bruising to stop aching. But thats cause i didn't get the advice not to run for 48hrs afterwards maybe? Legs all good now though...I think;)

Hope the cough will be all better by Monday, if not, don't be too worried
cause you'll be soo outta breath you won't be able to cough!!:pac::pac:

Karenmtob

Didn't bother with the massage. Now i'm concerned about the weather! These last few days are torture going so sloooow!!

ncmc

Karenmtob wrote: »

Didn't bother with the massage. Now i'm concerned about the weather! These last few days are torture going so sloooow!!

The weather is starting to really concern me. Accuweather is forecasting 18 degrees! Weather.com and Yahoo, 16 degrees. Hoping it's the latter rather than the former, that could be quite uncomfortable.

Karenmtob

ncmc wrote: »

The weather is starting to really concern me. Accuweather is forecasting 18 degrees! Weather.com and Yahoo, 16 degrees. Hoping it's the latter rather than the former, that could be quite uncomfortable.

Rte weather is saying temps of 20 degrees for monday! Now i'm worried!

Younganne

Best of Luck on Monday Karenmtob. Its going to be warm day so make sure you drink plenty of fluids on the route. Don't drink too much before hand as you'll be busting for the loo, but sip at the water and its handy that if you carry the little bottles with you between the water stations you can sip away without needing the loo on the route.
You have great training done so just go with your planned pace and take it easy at the start, it will all fall into place.
Rule no 1 ENJOY:) as you only get to run the first one once

ncmc

Best of luck on Monday Karen. Try not to worry too much about the weather, it's just one of those variables that you can't control, so follow Younganne's advice and hopefully we will all be ok. While the forecast is showing temps of 16-18 degrees, there has been a nice breeze the last few days, so hopefully that will carry on until Monday, that cools things down a bit.

Most importantly, just enjoy yourself! It's a great experience and even if you lose a couple of minutes due to the heat, you will still have a great day. Just trust the training you have done and know that you are on course for a great time.

Most importantly, The Woodford on Paul St is where it's at afterwards, try and get in if you can, always nice to put faces to names!

PDCAT

Best of luck on Monday Karen. Read your log yesterday. Youv'e done the training. Enjoy the run.

Karenmtob

Thank you for the good wishes and advice.
Nervous, anxious but most of importantly looking forward to Monday. Loads of well wishers today, my kids have the world told I'm doing the marathon!!

scriba

Best of luck on Monday, not that you'll need it. You've your work done, and fingers crossed all will go as planned.

You should get the mods to change your title to: 'Going to run Cork City Marathon 2013'.

Beef

How'd it go Karen? Hope you're well.

Karenmtob

Delighted, all went to plan 4.28. Tough day,

docjewel

Well done Karen,not the easiest day for running a marathon but you've now joined the 1% of the world population club that will ever run a marathon.

Enjoy the celebrations.

ncmc

Well done Karen! You did brilliantly to hit your target in those conditions. Race report please!

Karenmtob

Race Report

Last weekend was the longest ever, I thought Monday would never come. The thought of entering unknown territory was freaking me, the last thing I wanted was to be completely out of it at the end and not knowing where I was, all I could think of was those famous pictures from the LA 1984 Olympics of the woman finishing the marathon in the stadium and weaving from side to side completely out of it, but determined to finish it.
Despite these fears, I actually slept well on Sunday night, woke at 6AM, had bowl of porridge and slice of toast and drank some fluids. Got picked up by three other victims and we made our way in to Cork, arrived in for 8.30am, ran into Mc.Donalds for the last loo break.
My intention was to run with the 4.30 pacers, but when we were lining up, my friends were saying head off with the 4.15 and we'll mind you!! So off we went, down the Quays, but my head was telling me, stick with your plan, your aim was 4.30, don't change it now. So I quickly made my decision, told my friends to carry on, I was sticking to my plan. So now I was in between the 4.15 and 4.30 pacers and thinking this is fine, just keep ahead of 4.30 pacers and you'll do fine. First 6 miles were fine, took my first gel at that stage and hit the Dunkettle roundabout where my hubby and kids were waiting for me with an energy drink, when I say them for some reason I really got emotional, I know I was thinking I've got 20 miles to go, next time I see them will be on St Patrick's bridge, will I make it. So I put the head down and carried on through the tunnel, still ahead of the 4.30 pacers, I was expecting the atmosphere in the tunnel to be great (a friend had told me it was fantastic last year), but it was eerily quiet, and I thought if I was with a pacing team this would be probably be easier and better craic, but I was also thinking I have the cushion, just keep plugging away and see how you feel. Carried on through ringmahon, where a had a few cheers from work colleagues who were doing the relay, at this stage I took my second gel and tagged onto a girl, stayed with her until the railway track when she seemed to pick up the pace or else I was slowing, wasn't too sure to be honest.
Reached the Sextant bar and the demons arrived, thinking I have another 10 to go, took another gel and to be honest from here to Model Farm Road was tough, but I just kept slogging away and tried to block any thoughts of walking. Once I got the relay handover point in Model Farm Road, I perked up again, I knew I was on the home stretch, down hill section by the tennis village nearly killed me, my quads were screaming!! Onto the straight road, told myself you can look at the county hall once and the next time you can look is when you are passing it, on into the Mardyke where I had a few friends, and their encouragement was worth so much at this stage, on in through the skate park, where I encountered 4 women relay walkers, completely blocking the path, I shouted that I was coming through, no way could I manage to go around them and slightly nudged one of them to be greeted by the comment "we're doing it too" (in the strongest cork accent). I had a little chuckle to myself and picked up the pace I knew I was on the home straight, but I also knew that the 4.30 pacers weren't far behind.
Arrived onto the quays and was greeted by a friend & his daughter who were on their bikes, his encouragement was fantastic and he cycled with me, I picked up the pace and increased the gap between me and the pacers, I flew down the quays on to Patrick's bridge where my Mum & Dad were screaming and so proud of me, a few yards up I saw my kids, my hubby nudged my 11 year boy onto the bridge, I grabbed his hand and we belted over the bridge, and down Patrick St, I could hear the announcer saying that we were approaching the 4.30 mark, my son kept saying I'm so proud of you and his encouragement was fantastic, we crossed the line together and over my son goes to receive the medal and grab as many granola bars as he can as he was starving, never mind his poor Mum! The whole marathon was worth that moment going down Patrick Street with him!!
I was greeted by friends & family, hugs and kisses all round. I was delighted but to be really honest I thought I would be more elated, I know that might sound strange but I can't put my finger on it.
I thought the marathon was a lonely experience to be honest, but I think that was my fault I should have stuck with a pacing team, bad choice I think!
I'm delighted with how I finished it, I was tired, but not wrecked, which makes me think, I would have probably been fine with the 4.15 pacers!! But I'm not going to even go there, I think the marathon for me is a one hit wonder. I'm so relieved its over, it is a total weight off my mind, the commitment for those long runs is huge and boy did I obsess over them, I was no sooner finished one and I was thinking about the following one.
I'm delighted I kept this log and the encouragement from everyone when I was thinking of switch to the half a few weeks back meant the world to me.
Thank you all for support and the very best of luck to you for future races.

Beef

Congratulations on a great run Karen!

ncmc

Great race report Karen, loved the bit about your son joining you at the end, that was so sweet. Sounds like you were in control the whole time, I think you were right to err on the cautious side with the weather etc.

Even if you never do another, you should be so proud of yourself for training so hard and having such a great race.

Karenmtob

Thanks ncmc for your fantastic support, you are a superb mentor! Good luck in that 3.30 quest!

scriba

Well done Karenmtob on hitting your target, and on a brilliant marathon. Delighted for you!

docjewel

Well done Karen,I'm glad to see all the hard work paid off in the end & that you enjoyed yourself.
Enjoy the rest now while you can.