The main thing is keeping the main thing, the main thing

Singer

Super pacing so far:

5k: 20:42

10k: 40:41

15k: 1:00:50

20k: 1:21:04

25k: 1:41:23

30k: 2:01:58

Singer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118662185#Comment_118662185

As soon as I started tracking he decided to take it easy or something, perhaps caught in a reverie while recalling Harry Kane's winner last night.

35k: 02:24:56

Singer

42.195k: 2:57:20

I should have left it until later to start tracking...

MY BAD

True grit at the end! That will stand to you AMK. Not what you wanted but congrats on your second fastest Marathon all the same.

AuldManKing

There's

always

a

drama!!

AuldManKing

I think I have race report of the year sown up already. And it's not even written.

babacool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118663863#Comment_118663863

I’d say you seriously need the cramping issue sorted. It seems to cost you almost every marathon?! 🤔

Annie get your Run

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118663311#Comment_118663311

Watching the tracker up to the 35k split I thought there'd be zero drama, you were flying and what an epic run! Looking forward to the report.

Swashbuckler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118663917#Comment_118663917

Let the man have a pint before the analysis starts 😉

babacool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118664877#Comment_118664877

No one says he has to read/reply before the first or 10th pint 😁. And not sure if they serve pints in Seville 🤔

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118663917#Comment_118663917

At least he didn't DNF. 😉

babacool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118665407#Comment_118665407

👍

AuldManKing

Marathon Week.

Monday: A nice few miles down to the PP & 7 strides, getting progressively faster. Really felt good.

6.15 miles.

Tuesday: 3m Progressive Tempo - 10 mins WU - 3 miles getting slightly faster each mile (6.20/6.14/6.11) - 10 mins CD. As per all tapers, this felt a bit tough.

What a great workout - done and dusted in 40 mins.

6m total.

Wednesday: Rest day.

Thursday: a few easy miles and some longer strides - 5x30 secs.

Everything in a good place.

5.3 miles

Friday: Travel day - over to Seville, nice flight, nice hotel. Walked around for a couple of hours in the town. What a lovely city.

Saturday: Went to the expo to get my number - very well organised - in and out in no time.

Done a couple of miles plus more strides to see the start line and get a view of how long it takes to get there (answer - 5 mins from my hotel)

2.9 miles + strides.

Met up with a few running buddies for a bit of pizza and back to the hotel to watch the Tottenham match - always good to beat Man City.

I had brought some precision hydration sachets and salt tabs - so made sure I was nicely topped up.

Gear ready, number pinned, shoes primed.

All ready for action.

E.coli

Tease 😅

Swashbuckler

Thought you told me you had the race report prewritten??

AuldManKing

Seville 2022

"My ONLY motivation for doing Seville is to keep motivated over the winter and get some good sessions in - whatever time I run on the day will reflect that - Not putting any pressure on myself again - I dont think the stomach ulcers can handle it!" AMK Nov 5th 2021

The above quote became subject to Mission Creep as the weeks went on and came back to me both during the race and afterwards.

"The best race on the day" is another way of looking at this. This was very helpful to me as the race unfolded - especially outside my Hotel at mile 22.

Sunday Feb 20th - Seville.

The morning of the race arrived - I got up at 5.50 Local time (4.50am Irish time as I kept telling my family) - Breakfast was a light affair, followed a bit later with a Maurten drink and a drink from Precision Hydration that included a lot of Salts, Magnesium and Potassium. 3 additional salt tabs, just before the start line and I was ready to rock.

Made my way to the start line and met my 2 buddies AJ & PM - dropped a bag and went to the start line - all very seamless and very well organised.

The starting pen was for 2.45-3.00 but there was a 3.30hr and even a 4.30 Pacer balloon in the our pen. I was quite a few rows back - but was not worried at all. It seemed a bit surreal that I was about to run a Marathon - it just seemed to catch up with me all of a sudden - I don't think I was mentally prepared for it - I considered this a positive as I had no nerves or apprehension.

My plan was to run as close to 6.25 per mile average for the full event (I had another marker for 20 min 5ks all the way through).

0-5km: 20:07 (Miles 1-3 6:33/6.24/6.25) - Finding my line.

We were set off and there was about 20 seconds on the clock as I passed under it.

I had promised myself that my 1st couple of miles would be my slowest and all going well, my 1st 5k would be my slowest 5k of the race. As I set off - I was moving through the field and trying to find a line - I noted that there were no mile markers - just KMs - so much for being Auld.

I think the most memorable thing for the 1st 5k was going over a bridge.

I recall the 1st water station being cups - I took 1 to trial it - worked ok but not great.

5km-10km: 19.53 (Miles 4-6: 6.22/6.24/6.23) - 'More than 2 hours of this $hit left'

The next few miles felt ok - I do remember checking my watch prior to the 8k mark saying to myself - "more than 2 more hours of this ****" - This set the mindset for the remainder of the event - unlike Rotterdam and even San Sebastian (I got bored in those races) - this was just pure disinterest so early in the race - I wasn't looking forward to it at all and the thoughts of running for that long really played with my mind.

The 2nd water stop was in bottles, so I got a good swig and pored some over my head as I noted it was starting to get a bit warm. I took a caffeine gel at 25 mins.

Went through 10km in 40 mins.

10km-15km: 19.52 (Miles 7-9: 6.22/6.28/6.21) - Finding joy in company

As I approached the 10km mark - I noted a guy ahead in a Rathfarnham top who appeared to be in conversation with another lad. I'll have some of that I thought - it might help with the mindset.

I caught up with him (Colm) and started having a chat - turned out he knew the guy & lady I had dinner with the previous night (Paul M & AJ) and he was part of the famous Jerry Kiernan Harriers group.

We had a good chat for a few miles - nothing too heavy - and sometimes just a few words, as we settled in with a good group who were chasing a similar goal.

I remember thinking about Rotterdam - at a similar stage, I felt like I was jogging - at this stage, I didn't feel like I was jogging - it felt comfortable - but steady comfortable rather than easy comfortable.

Another Maurten gel at about 8 miles (50 mins).

15km-20km: 19.52 (Miles 10-12: 6.29/6.26/6.26) - Teamwork makes the dream work

We were in the group now and not really checking time/pace - the group was moving nicely along and I was taking on whatever water I could in those pesky cups.

Nothing too dramatic here - I'm still with Colm, still in the group and working nicely. The company really helped with those last few miles as did the group.

Another caffeine gel at about the 12m mark - I felt like I was continually eating gels at this stage!

20km-25km: 19.48 (Miles 13-15: 6.16/6.17/6.21) - Things happen in 3's

3 key things happened in this 5k that in hindsight impacted the rest of the race. This is the key part of the race where I question my decision making.

Firstly - Colm announces that its getting a bit hot for him and he's going to drop back - He was pacing his buddy to half way and he reached that, so was pulling back a bit. ( I should have followed him)

Secondly, the crowd we were running with seemed to also dissipate and as a result, I was running on my own.

Thirdly - the GPS seemed to get quite messed up for a few miles - I noted paces of 5.55 on my watch for patches of the run as I approached the half way point.

At halfway - I was amazed to see the clock read 1.25.30 ( I knew I had about 20 seconds on this from starting a bit back - but still - I thought I was much move ahead given the splits. (Strava gave me a HM split of 1.23.41 - which seemed to match my splits and effort)

The GPS was all over the place for a while - so I was just guessing my pace and had no group to pace off - people seemed to be passing me, so I guessed I was going ok??

I recall thinking at this stage - while actually running very well) that this would be my last Marathon - while I enjoyed the training - I wasn't enjoying the race. This would be it.

In hindsight (isn't it wonderful) - I was amazed to see the mile splits back at me - far too fast I know - but at the time, it was difficult to know if they were accurate. Another gel taken here.

25km-30km: 20.03 (Miles 16-18: 6.22/6.20/6.35) - The beginning of the race

The next couple of miles mirrored the last few - far too quick - and I kept trying to take on water in cups, but you can only take on so much. I was staring to feel the heat now and I was starting to see people walking and stopping.

This is the beginning of the race I thought.

At about mile 16 I felt the beginnings of a discomfort in my left quad, wasn't hindering me but I noticed it. As mile 18 approached, I noted my right shin was starting to cramp - this was something I noted previously after some faster sessions, but not in a Marathon (apart from the infamous Dublin Marathon when everything cramped).

I took some of my 'Hotshot' drink and reduced the pace a bit and the shin issue went away, but the left quad was becoming more of a hindrance. I was going to have to reduce the pace or risk a bigger issue.

My 30k split shows up on Strava as my fastest ever (1.59.26)

30km-35km: 22.06 (Miles 19-21: 6.37/7.04/7.19) - Hello Cramp my old friend.

This 5k would be quite tough - the 'quick' 5 miles from 13 to 17 would come back to haunt me here.

At about 19.4 miles (from Strava - where my pace dropped) - I got my 1st real cramp of the race. As I felt it coming on - I took my hotshot thinking that would fix it and I'd keep going - It didn't make 1 bit of difference as the cramp took over my right hammy - I tried punching it similar to Rotterdam - but it was strange, it was if I couldn't really care if I cramped as I didn't have the mental fortitude to attack it as I had in Rotterdam and previously in Dublin. I was kinda slapping it.

In hindsight (theres that word again) - I had put so much stock in my Salt strategy and my magic elixirs that I actually though I wouldn't cramp - so when it came - I was kinda gutted and even more so when the Hotshot didn't work. - it really knocked me. I had a 2nd magic elixir called Cramp Fix - it was also 1 year out of date, so I was keeping it for a 'just in case' - and this was my 'just in case'. I took it and noted a reprieve so I could keep going.

But I was bleeding time here. Another sniper fired a shot at 20.6 miles - just before the park - I stepped off the course to stretch it out as punching it wasn't working (I dont think I was really punching it - kinda slapping again). I took more Cramp fix and the ramp went away - I got going again.

What was interesting was that when the cramp went - I could pick up the pace a bit - my left quad was still an issue, so I was managing that as well.

Good grief - at least I wasn't bored or disinterested I thought (& smiled)

35km-40km: 22.34 (Miles 22-24: 7.27/7.15/7.01) - This is the End

We left the park - I felt I was running 10 min/miles at this stage and I came along a familiar road - close to my hotel - actually - it was going by my hotel. Right outside my Hotel, and I mean, right outside it - I got another cramp and I considered calling it a day - I couldn't face another 30 mins or so of this. I was just about to press my Garmin and I thought about my daughters - would they want to hear about their dad quitting when things got tough?

I thought about a conversation I had with Johnny on the Saturday when I told him I was going to finish it no matter what.

I thought about the massive support I had gotten all the way through this training block - the many well wishes on Saturday flooded my brain at this stage.

All the above happened in a matter of seconds as my hand hovered over my watch - Fcuk it - lets go and finish this I thought.

"The best race on the day means exactly that".

The next 2 miles I actually enjoyed - I was picking up the pace - I began to think of different goals - maybe sub 2.55 is possible - if not - then a sub 2.58 will be the 2nd fastest Marathon you've ran. Both great goals and both kept me going.

The course got really interesting now as we were going through the old town and down side streets - this is fantastic I was thinking. Finally - I had woken up.

40km-42km (Miles 25-26.58: 7.03/7.10/ 4.53 (8.24 pace for last bit) - Just open the fcuking thing

The last couple of KM of this race is just MAD - the crowd comes in on you as the streets get narrow, theres multiple trip hazards with steps on your left and right, and there are about a million arch's that you go through - I was waiting to see 800m to go on every arch, but no.

I finally turned onto what I knew to be the finishing straight - Can I get a 2.56 finish I thought? I was pushing and noted a twinge in my right hamstring again - always the right hamstring - I punched it - actually gave it a proper punch this time as I could see the finish line but I think this made it worse - I had to stop - even though I could ee the finish line 200m ahead - I couldn't even hobble.

Then a funny moment in the chaos - A guy came over to me with a pouch that he was trying to open, I thought it was a cream for my cramp - and he was struggling to open it - I was shouting at him to open the damn thing. Eventually he opened it but it was one of those silver reflective things that you put over yourself at the end of the race - I told him to Fcuk off that I wanted to finish - my cramp semi subsided and I hobbled across the finish line.

Time: 2.57.20

The aftermath:

So - while not the time I wanted - I took so many learning's from this race, which I'll detail in another post.

I do want to acknowledge the many many people who took the time to post a comment on Strava, Social Media etc - its so much appreciated and stays with me - so thank you - I get kinda embarrassed with some of it - but hey ho. I even got a video message from the Curragh Plains :)

The race itself - with the exception of the water in Cups - it was fantastic and I would love to & will run it again, under a different mindset.

I think back to a few months ago - sitting in a hospital bed, thinking that my running career was over, pulling out of Manchester as a result - so in this light, I'm extremely proud to finish the race. This is the dominant feeling in the aftermath.

My 2 girls also got me a card when I got home, saying how proud they were of me for finishing a mentally and physically bruising race - that meant so much to me and reiterates the decision to finish was always going to be correct.

I also got a lovely message from DD saying I'd have laughed if I said a few years back, I'd cramp a few times in a race and still manage a comfortable sub 3 - that's quite the true statement.

I met up with a lot of the Jerry K Harriers later that night and had such a wonderful night with them, swapping war stories - I spoke with Mark Kirwan (who was a 2.17 DCM guy at one stage) and Dave Mansfield (who ran 2.16 in Seville) - along with a plethora of guys & gals who had similar experiences similar to myself. I actually ended up going for dinner with Colm (from the race - he ran 2.55 - and also sitting beside him on the plane home :) - lovely fella)

The only people who care about your Marathon time is you - that's true - but there are a lot of people who are very interested in the journey you took to get there - that's the interesting part and that's what we covered a lot in that bar in Seville and also what interests us here in this fabulous running community on Boards.

Seville - you were great - you taught me a lot, more than any Marathon I've ever done and I'll be back to repay you.

That part about the guy in the last part of the race gave me a good giggle. I can just imagine.

People would give their eye teeth for a 2.57 marathon in their lifetime.

Its a remarkable achievement to go sub 3.

Surely with the fine weather and daylight coming in soon we hope, you'll be up to challenge

your result in DCM.

E.coli

Delighted to see this reaction to the race. Your quote is quite poignant as well. The fact us you came through the winter in great shape and despite the clock not reflecting it on the day you still have that fitness to kick on from.

Regarding the cramps, without getting into the controversial side of the man the following quote still stands

"How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?" Edison replied, "I didn't fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps." 

When you do click it you are going to be as smug as anything as you will smash it because the fitness you continue to build up is not going away. All these blocks will stand to you in the long run

Annie get your Run

There won't be a dry eye in the house! I presume that won't be your last marathon though?! A brilliant report Alan. AJ got me into running many years ago, no better company to have. Sounds like a fantastic experience despite the hurt and what doesn't kill you etc etc. Well done again.

Laineyfrecks

Great marathon A & even better report. I admire anyone who digs deep(whatever the time they finish in) & when they put it into words like yours well it just hits home more. We have all had great races & race reports to match but when things don't go exactly to plan it's not so easy to put into words but you captured it all. Your journey was great to follow as always. Well done again.

ReeReeG

That's a great race report. Sorry it wasn't the race you had hoped for, but a real display of resilience here. Very well done on finishing it out, you should be very proud of yourself! And how amazing to still get a sub 3, savage.

ariana`

Love it. Love the honesty, the humour, the pain and mostly the pride. It really is something when you can run sub 3 on a bad day. Imagine that! You are a remarkable runner, father, friend... you will get your day but for now enjoy being proud of the day you had on Sunday.

On another note Seville marathon is really tempting, it's now firmly on my list though I wonder if it would get a bit warm for a 3:30-4:00 hr marathon runner. My brother lived there for a year to train way back, probably 25 years ago now, he cycled over with his ruck back on his back and spent a year warm weather training and doing a bit of bar work to support himself. Oh to be young.

Swashbuckler

Great report A. My initial reaction when I saw the Strava update was "Feck, he's gonna be gutted". No disrespect to the achievement. Sub 3, even on a good day, is a phenomenal achievement. I just saw the "c word" and knew that was the main thing you wanted to address and avoid this time.

However, the race report tells a different story. It really does seem like you took a lot from that race in terms of learning. I guess I was half expecting the cramp appeared out of nowhere with no real warning but you seem to at least have some handle on why it happened. I'm looking forward to seeing your post on the learnings from the training/marathon itself.

Huge kudos for gritting it out. Love the way you thought of your family and especially your daughters. There's a great reason to fight on - teaching them a life lesson in the process.

It's clear you're hugely popular around these parts. I think the day where you nail it and hit sub 2.50 we'll all celebrate. Preferably in McGrattans but no pressure. 😁.

Last thing - I remember meeting you in McGrattans after DCM 2018 (i think?). You were delighted with sub 3. Well you just ran 2.57 on a day where you had to walk multiple times. I just can't wait til it all clicks...and it will all click.....

Murph_D

Well done A, I do think it was a superb achievement to finish in the circumstances, and your man trying to wrap you up in a space blanket short of the finish line - funny as it reads - really does put another perspective on the fortitude displayed to get to the end.

Your account throws up lots of food for thought too, as it should when things don't go too well. I look forward to that 'learnings' post you've promised. Good that you managed to have a great night out with like-minded people afterwards, which can go a long way towards processing a less-than-hoped-for result.

Great race report too, plenty of soul in there! Enjoy the recovery/recuperation.

Murph_D

diego_b

That's a fantastic race report and gives a great insight into your race and the race itself. Hoping you get to the root cause of those cramp issues, cracking time to run for your second best marathon especially given the cramping issues over the second half of the race. Well done for keeping going and recover well.

MY BAD

You're a legend AMK don't change. Great report and like I said you showed great grit. Lots to be proud of there. I think if you get another marathon in later this year you'll hit your goal no problem

OOnegative

Great lad for the name dropping…….

Am not going to blow sunshine up you’re ar$e Alan, because you already know that I think you’re one of the most down to earth, humble, sound and generous with your time people I’ve ever met.

Don’t change, that performance you’re striving for will come you are to good a runner and to decent of an individual for it not to. Well done!!

MisterJinx

This is a great paragraph "The only people who care about your Marathon time is you - that's true - but there are a lot of people who are very interested in the journey you took to get there - that's the interesting part and that's what we covered a lot in that bar in Seville and also what interests us here in this fabulous running community on Boards" You are 100% right in that the time is really only important to you but it's the journey that is most important, most revealing and ultimately resonates with the community here no matter what level you are at. Seeing the hard work and effort you have put in over the course of this log and then following that up with the insight into your race to frame it all at the end is great read and an inspiration. Well done on the race itself, I could totally picture you at the door to the hotel and how much you wanted to press the button and the through that brought you back from the brink. Considering all the set backs in that race you must be very proud of yourself.

Treviso

You see, you don't need to invent stories about giving CPR to a dying dog and saving a lost granny from a rabid child (think I got that right 🤣) to give a great race report. Felt like I was running the marathon with you from all the details. Love how you went from never running a marathon again at the start, to see you again Seville for another one at the finish - normally it's the opposite way round!

It's a shame that the cramping issues happened again and will be interested to read your promised follow up diagnosis. Congrats on achieving a superb sub 3, showing a lot of grit and determination to achieve it. Guess there'll always be a drama when it comes to marathon running and you need to push through it