Dublin City marathon

Vrun14

Thanks for your advice. Next thing, has anyone any tips for a pre marathon sports massage? Have only ever had one after a long run. How many days before marathon should I have it?

rockstar_91

davedanon wrote: »

I'm fascinated by the fact that some people lose toenails so readily during marathons or the training thereof. It never happens to me. I get my share of foot problems, mind, just not in that area. Also, up to this year's conversion to low-drop shoes, rather than ASICS 21xx's or the like, I was running in shoes at least a half-size too small. The explanation is I have really big, tough toenails. What I cut off my big toenail when it gets too long wouldn't look out of place in the elephants' enclosure at the Azoo.

Same here! For me its always blisters and calluses on the edges of my feet with the P.F. striking every once in a while. The thoughts of losing my nails doesn't sit well with me having done so after closing a door on my thumb a while back.

Netwerk Errer

Vrun14 wrote: »

Thanks for your advice. Next thing, has anyone any tips for a pre marathon sports massage? Have only ever had one after a long run. How many days before marathon should I have it?

I usually go with a massage 4 days out. Usually after my last workout as all the intense work is done and it still gives me plenty of time to recover from the post massage stiffness. It's all about preference but I would say anywhere between 3-5 days before is perfect.

RayCun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tnKDmq8FPA

download and play on loop

denis160

RayCun wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tnKDmq8FPA

download and play on loop

oh sweet jesus, I'm never gonna be able to sleep tonight after watching that! The nerves' ll never last till the 27th!

Dubgal72

RayCun wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tnKDmq8FPA

download and play on loop

I didn't need a HRM to know that my pulse was going through the roof watching that! Thanks

blockic

Nervous_runner wrote: »

First time posting here but looking for some opinions! I'm signed up to run my first marathon in Dublin and I'm at the stage where I am panicking about if I'm ready and if I have trained enough!! I was following a 16 week programme but I substituted a lot of the short to medium runs for spinning classes and now I am wondering if I made a mistake by doing that!! I'm not planning on breaking any records but would be delighted to do it in about 4hour 15mins. My plan is to start with the 4.10 pacers and stick with them for as long as I can. The furthest I have run is 19miles followed by a 30k race and I was shattered after these - could barely move!! I had hoped to get over 20miles a couple of times. I calculate by the end of this week I will have ran just over 300 miles and done about 25 thirty min spinning classes over the last 16 weeks. I know everyone is different but have I enough training done?!?! Thanks for reading!!!

At what pace would you be running the long runs at?

Based on the information you give above, get yourself onto the Novice thread on here And read as much as you can. Also on terms of your target if you would be delighted with 4:15.. Do the opposite to what you plan to do..start with 4:20 and speed up at the end if you have it..rather than start with 4:10 and die off...

Always play it conservative on your first. If you give more information on pace etc you will get more feedback but might be better to post in novice thread as said above.

AuldManKing

Novice thread is here

Chartsengrafs

Nervous_runner wrote: »

but I substituted a lot of the short to medium runs for spinning classes and now I am wondering if I made a mistake by doing that!!

Yes, I would definitely say so. But hey, nothing you can do about that now. (30 minute spin classes are barely good bike training IMO, and although useful for recovery perhaps, they're no replacement for short, and certainly not medium runs).
What has your mileage been of the runs you did complete? I'm working it out at about 19 miles per week (300/16wks); is that correct? What pace was your 19 mile and 30k race run at?

Edit: Forgot about the novice thread.

M.J.M.C

Thanks for posting that video RayCun - I love them
Big thanks to whoever makes them.

Jay D

Am I the only one who doesn't like seeing the route in advance? I watched a bit of that video but I think all it does for me is build anxiety

I much prefer to just take in my scenery as I pass through. I think that's been the secret of me keeping at running, never thinking of the distance or what lies ahead.

Krusty_Clown

Jay D wrote: »

Am I the only one who doesn't like seeing the route in advance? I watched a bit of that video but I think all it does for me is build anxiety

I much prefer to just take in my scenery as I pass through. I think that's been the secret of me keeping at running, never thinking of the distance or what lies ahead.

I have found it incredibly useful to run parts of the course in advance (particularly the hills). Allows you to associate visual markers with the top of the hills, so you know exactly where it ends and don't lose hope! Also helps with the last 4-5 miles of the course. Not going to Dublin this year (and watching that video has made me regret it somewhat), so will be doing something similar in Frankfurt next Friday (albeit without the hills!).

GoTheDistance

Just watched the video overview of the course. Fantastic info resource. I know it shouldnt be but the heart rate has pumping just watching it. Dont think I'll watch it anymore ;-)

yaboya1

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I have found it incredibly useful to run parts of the course in advance (particularly the hills). Allows you to associate visual markers with the top of the hills, so you know exactly where it ends and don't lose hope! Also helps with the last 4-5 miles of the course. Not going to Dublin this year (and watching that video has made me regret it somewhat), so will be doing something similar in Frankfurt next Friday (albeit without the hills!).

Agree with this. I know the Dublin course off by heart and can't see that being anything but an advantage. When I was struggling in Berlin, seeing a sign that I knew was way past the point where we turned back for home gave me a bit of a boost. I also noticed in a few reports that the winding in and out before we hit the home straight with the Brandenburg Gate confused a few people, whereas I was expecting it so knew exactly what was coming.
No surprises means you know when you're going to hit certain mile markers and won't be disappointed when they're a bit further away than you'd expect if you didn't know the course.

tunguska

Jay D wrote: »

Am I the only one who doesn't like seeing the route in advance? I watched a bit of that video but I think all it does for me is build anxiety

I much prefer to just take in my scenery as I pass through. I think that's been the secret of me keeping at running, never thinking of the distance or what lies ahead.

I did that for my first marathon and it was a big mistake. Forewarned is forearmed, it's always best to know the route, for a lot of reasons.

RayCun

are there similar videos for other marathons out there?
I remember London did a video from a lead car, which was good because you got to see the support out on the route and the runners in the out-and-back sections

Joleigh

Some parts of the video go so fast its hard to watch! I'd like to slow it down and take more in (which I should probably do on the day too ) At least we wont have to stop for traffic lights.

event

Question/advice please

I am doing the dublin marathon, having done my first two marathons last year (limerick in may, 3:58, DCM in October, 3:52). I had big plans this yeah to break 3:45. HOwever, I am fairly sure now thats not going to happen. I do an 18 week training plan and missed the entire month of August due to injury (bar doing the longford half, 1:49). Since then I have done all my long runs (2 x 20 miles included) and also the dublin half (1:47) but to be honest I have been struggling keeping up that pace. I have also missed a lot of other mid week runs

I am strongly considering doing DCM just for the enjoyment and not worrying about time. A mate is going for 4:30 so I am thinking of running it with him, I can see no reason why I shouldnt be able to do this. My main worry is thinking it'll be grand on the day, still aiming for around 3:45-3:50 and blowing up massively towards the end, ruining the day.

Do people think I am doing the right thing?

One problem of course is I am in the 1st wave and never changed down, I may see if they will allow me at the expo

menoscemo

event wrote: »

One problem of course is I am in the 1st wave and never changed down, I may see if they will allow me at the expo

If you are moving down a wave you don't have to do anything. No-one will stop you moving down...

davedanon

tunguska wrote: »

I did that for my first marathon and it was a big mistake. Forewarned is forearmed, it's always best to know the route, for a lot of reasons.

That's your experience, and while I wouldn't dream of dismissing it, I don't think it's right or fair to make sweeping, unequivocal statements like that, particularly where marathon debutants are concerned. My pb this year was done in Derry, which is known to be a hilly course, with the infamous Mahan St. hill/mountain at mile 25. I made only a cursory effort to familiarise myself with the course, and just took it as it came on the day. Lots of people in our group struggled, yet I came home in my fastest-ever time. It's been said over and over on here. Lots of ways to skin this cat. The particular isn't necessarily the universal.

Chartsengrafs

davedanon wrote: »

That's your experience, and while I wouldn't dream of dismissing it, I don't think it's right or fair to make sweeping, unequivocal statements like that, particularly where marathon debutants are concerned. My pb this year was done in Derry, which is known to be a hilly course, with the infamous Mahan St. hill/mountain at mile 25. I made only a cursory effort to familiarise myself with the course, and just took it as it came on the day. Lots of people in our group struggled, yet I came home in my fastest-ever time. It's been said over and over on here. Lots of ways to skin this cat. The particular isn't necessarily the universal.

Are you attributing your best ever time to doing the course without being familiar with the profile? That's how it sounds. And others striggled because...why exactly, they knew the route and didn't 'take it as it came'? Seems like odd logic to me. Perhaps you trained really well, and had a good day at the office.

tunguska

davedanon wrote: »

That's your experience, and while I wouldn't dream of dismissing it, I don't think it's right or fair to make sweeping, unequivocal statements like that, particularly where marathon debutants are concerned. My pb this year was done in Derry, which is known to be a hilly course, with the infamous Mahan St. hill/mountain at mile 25. I made only a cursory effort to familiarise myself with the course, and just took it as it came on the day. Lots of people in our group struggled, yet I came home in my fastest-ever time. It's been said over and over on here. Lots of ways to skin this cat. The particular isn't necessarily the universal.

Dave that's insane logic: you Dont know the route, you score a faster time than those who do??????
If you Dont wanna know how the sausage is made then that's up to you. But if I'm travelling to someplace I'll take out a map and figure out the most efficient way to get there. I won't just turn up, flute around like a headless chicken and hope for the best.
Its that old Harvard study logic, where those who set goals and were specific were far more successful in life than those who didn't.

adrian522

I certainly want to know the course, I see it as an advantage.

One of the first races I ever ran was the Great Ireland Run , 10K in the Phoenix Park. I'd never ran there before, could only barely cover the distance and I remember turning a corner at one point and seeing a huge hill up ahead, it nearly broke me.

I could understand some advantages to it, but for me at least I'd like to know what I'm getting into.

For the DCM there are certain points along the course I've made mental notes of, I know where the hills and drags are and I see that "forewarned is forearmed".

None of which is to take away from people who like to discover the course on the day but personally I like to know what I'm getting into.

neilc

I ran the first 7 miles of the course a few a weeks ago because of the changes. I'm really glad I did, it removes that unknown and is one less thing to worry about.

Kop On

Works both ways I think and very much depends on the individual. This is my first marathon and apart from the Phoenix Park I am not familiar with most of the southside route at all.

I've heard so much about "Heartbreak Hill" though and people worrying about it and it being on their mind before even getting to the start line. To me that isn't a good thing, I'm going in blind on the day and reckon I'll be at the top of "Heartbreak Hill" without even realising it.

I can understand why that approach wouldn't suit everyone but it's how I'll do it.

adrian522

I haven't heard of many people worrying about it at all and I've read pretty much the entire of the novices thread, nothing to worry about there at all really.

Kop On

adrian522 wrote: »

I haven't heard of many people worrying about it at all and I've read pretty much the entire of the novices thread, nothing to worry about there at all really.

Well somebody christened it "Heartbreak Hill" and if you ask any Dublin Marathon runner I'm fairly sure they'll have heard it mentioned.

But we agree, it's nothing to worry about so we're all good.

davedanon

you Dont know the route, you score a faster time than those who do??????

Did I say that? I really don't think I did.


All I meant was: your approach won't suit everyone.

PaulieC

Kop On wrote: »

Well somebody christened it "Heartbreak Hill" and if you ask any Dublin Marathon runner I'm fairly sure they'll have heard it mentioned.

But we agree, it's nothing to worry about so we're all good.

if it's anything like last year, you'll know you're on it. Not because of the heartbreak, but because there is a big gantry set up and they're blasting out music and there's usually a big crowd there cheering you on

M.J.M.C

Joleigh wrote: »

Some parts of the video go so fast its hard to watch! I'd like to slow it down and take more in (which I should probably do on the day too ) At least we wont have to stop for traffic lights.

Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tnKDmq8FPA
Click on the settings cog - speed - slow it down from there