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Boards Beer Mile 2015, June 13th

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 2,968 ✭✭✭aquinn


    Chivito550 wrote:
    Group of us in Synnotts. Where is everyone?


    Am diverting to the Hairy Lemon.


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 16,139 Mod ✭✭✭✭adrian522


    Dubgal72 wrote: »
    That was class. Yis are pure legends every single one of ye. Can't believe I have to wait another 52 weeks for this...I have withdrawal symptoms already!

    Ps. Meno wins best belcher, world class.
    Huge thank you to Bungy Girl, the whole night would have fallen apart without her. Fact.
    Drama Queen award has to go to Adrian ;):p Hope you're ok!

    Ha ha, thank you very much. Sub 10 and 5 stitches.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,632 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    aquinn wrote: »
    Am diverting to the Hairy Lemon.

    Looking forward to it Aquinn :)

    THL


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,968 ✭✭✭aquinn


    THL


    You pissed? Famous signature incorrect?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,272 ✭✭✭Dubgal72


    adrian522 wrote: »
    Ha ha, thank you very much. Sub 10 and 5 stitches.

    No way?! Ouchers...alcohol will make it better ;) But sub 10....who needs a sub 3:30 sober-feckin-marathon eh?! :D


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,272 ✭✭✭Dubgal72


    aquinn wrote: »
    You pissed? Famous signature incorrect?

    Yeah ThL ;) ... Or tHL :confused:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,272 ✭✭✭Dubgal72


    RonanP77 wrote: »
    Those are amazing times, I'd be lucky to do it in 15 minutes, I'm not much of a drinker.

    You got 51 weeks and 6 days ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,915 ✭✭✭✭menoscemo


    aquinn wrote: »
    Am diverting to the Hairy Lemon.

    All on sinnotts


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,140 ✭✭✭martyboy48


    Fook it, this is the event I should have been doing today :D:D

    Well done all, looking forward to the vid, pics, excuses :pac::pac:


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,388 ✭✭✭laura_ac3


    adrian522 wrote: »
    Ha ha, thank you very much. Sub 10 and 5 stitches.

    What happened?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 227 ✭✭williestroker1


    Well done lads, lets all celebrate binge drinking.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,524 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Beer Podium IMG_4955.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,524 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    A few more pics:

    https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B03G4TcsmGKCcnm

    Well done all. Impressive performances. Was hoping to capture some puking but narry a drop that I could see.

    Kudos!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,524 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Almost a photo finish. It came down to this in the end:

    IMG_4922.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,677 ✭✭✭kit3


    aquinn wrote: »
    You pissed? Famous signature incorrect?

    Think he was just hoping for company ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,677 ✭✭✭kit3


    Reckon that trophy looked way bigger in TRR's picture yesterday - you sure you didn't just hand back a little replica & keep the real thing ???;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    A very poor performance tonight from me. 10:36, a massive 2:09 slower than my PB, and 1 and a half minutes slower than ever before. Struggled from the beginning, today's racing in Leixlip taking more out of me than I thought. Struggled to get those beers down and was reduced to an ultra marathon shuffle (not even a jog) by the end. Back to the drawing board. The post mortem will begin tomorrow and the race report will analyse what went wrong. Savage event, great numbers, and some amount of craic!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,060 ✭✭✭Pacing Mule


    9:47 for me. Was not expecting that at all. :) Hannibal Smith brought a novelty skirt and Dr Q had the arsenal jersey for me to wear. Bastards.

    Very happy with that. Very drunk too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,677 ✭✭✭kit3


    9:47 for me. Was not expecting that at all. :) Hannibal Smith brought a novelty skirt and Dr Q had the arsenal jersey for me to wear. Bastards.

    Very happy with that. Very drunk too.

    Picture ???


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    Feeling ropey and have a dirty training session in an hour. Not sure why I do this to myself.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,541 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    Congratulations to all of the brave intrepid warriors who faced the grit, the bubbles and the froth. Sétanta's video highlights package from the event, raw and unedited available here. I have the awards ceremony too, so if none of the participants object, I'll post that later today.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,524 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Someone left a blue Adidas tracksuit bottom behind. Was in a Dunnes Stores bag. We took home with us so if it's yours give us a shout.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,060 ✭✭✭Pacing Mule


    Turned up to the beer mile last night and got met with a very happy Hannibal Smith handing me a comedy skirt to wear and an equally happy Dr Q with a special Arsenal jersey which he took great delight in making me wear with an added bonus of it mocking the Irish as a nation as it had a tribute to Thierry Henry on the back. :mad: Still - it saved the blushes of everyone that no Mankini was involved so happyish days all round.

    Zero training done for this. Drank one brooklyn and two mooseheads over the last week to pick a beer I could drink taste wise. Skulled some diet coke too on Friday but that was it. I've a goal race this Thursday so kept the focus on that.

    Beer miles are a great leveler. I went into this genuinely expecting to be at the very back of the field. Lined up at the back and cracked open the first beer. Went down ok. The leaders had downed theirs and were off before I was a quarter of the way through mine. WTF ! Lashed into mine anyway and took off surprisingly with half the field still drinking their beers. Gave it socks for the first 300m and was also surprised that nobody passed me out in the run. This was great ! My plan had been all along to ease off for the last 100m to come in not too out of breath and ready to down the next beer.

    This worked quite well for beer 2. First half went down quite well but then a rogue belch from nowhere hit me and I nearly spewed. Slow down slow down - how embarrassing to spew on beer 2 ! Lap 2 went ok. Managed to get great symmetry and was doing a little belch every 4 steps. Feeling ok and running well.

    Beer 3 is where it started to go a bit wrong. Longest beer here for sure and the closest I got to a penalty lap for sure. That said everyone around me seemed to be in the same boat bar the top 3 lads who were flying around like machines. Got a couple of places here on this lap. Chivito was at a near stand still God help him at that stage and went past him here. Like I said beer miles are a great leveler - passing him out on a track isn't on the normal agenda at all !

    Got lapped by Thirstywork2 at this stage on his way to second place. No great shame in that :) Arrived into beer 4 with the trusted slow down strategy continuing to work well. 4th beer wasn't quite as bad as 3. Adrian522 took off ahead of me and I downed the last of my beer and decided to focus on him. Caught him half way round (didn't realise he was after injuring his hand at the time) and went past him. Was expecting him to come back at me as we hit the final bend. The last 150m were the only parts of the run that were beer mile uncomfortable. Was balancing out running flat out for a decent time / holding off Adrian with not puking all over the place too.

    Dug in and crossed the finish in 9:47. PB over 400m too mid beer mile debut isn't too shabby :D Really happy with that.


    The Arsenal jersey came off immediately but kept it close by in case of after event puking as it would have made a great towel. :pac:

    The evidence ...

    7zCxs2.jpg

    4Pinfk.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,893 ✭✭✭Hannibal Smith


    Fair play Muler!!! No way would i be able to do a race report this morning :pac:

    I feel like a kid on Stephens Day...cant believe its all over...but the best craic with a crackin bunch. Will never get over the regret of not doing it.

    The winning sprint was magic to watch!!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,060 ✭✭✭Pacing Mule


    Fair play Muler!!! No way would i be able to do a race report this morning :pac:

    I feel like a kid on Stephens Day...cant believe its all over...but the best craic with a crackin bunch. Will never get over the regret of not doing it.

    The winning sprint was magic to watch!!!

    Trying to focus the mind on anything but the hangover.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,140 ✭✭✭martyboy48


    I'm a little disappointed nobody spewed tbh :):)

    Any shenanigans in the pubs afterwards or anyone doing something they shouldn't?? C'mon, there's bound to be some dirty little secret someone is trying to hide :pac::pac:


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,065 ✭✭✭dublin runner


    69 second last lap! WTF?!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,062 ✭✭✭davedanon


    Morning all. That was a great event/night. I'm sorry I had to duck out a little early, but I had a case of authentic brain-freeze, I believe, which as you know can be fatal. MY beers were far too cold, and after the second one I got a splitting headache that just wouldn't go away all evening, so I was home asleep on the couch before 1am. I'll be back next year and better prepared though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,060 ✭✭✭Pacing Mule


    martyboy48 wrote: »
    I'm a little disappointed nobody spewed tbh :):)

    Any shenanigans in the pubs afterwards or anyone doing something they shouldn't?? C'mon, there's bound to be some dirty little secret someone is trying to hide :pac::pac:

    I fell backwards off a ledge and landed on my tailbone if that counts. Other than that no dirty secrets to be told. Everyone very well behaved :)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 928 ✭✭✭TRR_the_turd


    If anyone lost an MP3 player yesterday evening send me a PM.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,915 ✭✭✭✭menoscemo


    Congratulations to all of the brave intrepid warriors who faced the grit, the bubbles and the froth. Sétanta's video highlights package from the event, raw and unedited available here. I have the awards ceremony too, so if none of the participants object, I'll post that later today.

    That video is pretty class.
    Favourite quote (as Timmay does his famous flying last lap)

    "He's on EPO, check his phone covers"


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    Chivito550 wrote: »
    Feeling ropey and have a dirty training session in an hour. Not sure why I do this to myself.

    That was horrific, but all done, so life is good again. Looking forward to seeing the video when I get home, and reading all the reports. Will probably do mine tomorrow.


  • Registered Users Posts: 647 ✭✭✭simonw


    Great event, and a great turnout. Watched the video there and it looks like I did better than I thought (some confusion about my time last night), around 10:45 or so which is definitely beatable next year!

    Thanks to all the volunteers and TRR for organising, and especially bungy girl for an emergency moosehead delivery when I couldn't find any in town!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,062 ✭✭✭davedanon


    I hope someone has footage of Kevin puking his guts up afterwards. That was the highlight for me, along with the sprint finish and the "Coghlan look".


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,062 ✭✭✭davedanon


    Oh, and I meant to say thank you to Hannibal Smith for the lift, and all the other organisers and hair-holders.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,915 ✭✭✭✭menoscemo


    Great event last night, fantastic turnout and great support from the Marshals.

    I was nervous as hell coming into this one. I had put in lots of hard training, downing 4 beers on 6 occasions, as well as numerous 3 beer efforts. All the hard training had caused me to put on a few pounds but it would all be worth it if I could finally nail a good beer mile. Having ran a frothy 13+ minute debut and an over conservative 11+ minute effort last year I felt I had still a lot to prove to myself.

    Strategy was to take both the beer and the run very easy at the start and hopefully push on at the end if possible.

    Beer 1: 22 seconds It Kicked off OK. Pretty smooth, The leaders were gone before I'd barely opened my first beer but I decided to run my own race

    Run 1: 92 seconds Surprised it was this fast tbh. My strategy was to run easy and not get out of breath. Chatted to a few competitors on this lap, including yaboya who passed me around 200m in. I was a little concerned that I wasn't burping much and was worried it would be a long night.

    Beer 2: 40 seconds I think I stopped for a good 10 seconds here before opening a beer and let some wind out (much to the amusement of the marshalls). I tried to blank out their laughing and focus on my race :). Beer went down smooth enough i think.

    Run 2: 98 seconds . Again slow and composed. Yaboya passed me at the same point as the last lap. This was starting to annoy me.

    Beer 3: 36 seconds Don't remember this much.

    Run 3: 97 seconds A repeat of lap 2. The winner passed me on the first bend chasing down TW2 who had a 30m lead. Yaboya again passing me halfway through. We got distracted by watching the epic national record winning performances in front. What a sprint finish!!

    Beer 4: 34 seconds Upped the pace on this one and got it down in two gulps.

    Run 4: 86 seconds I knew I'd had a good beer as I was out well ahead of yaboya, I checked back and saw him start knowing I had a good 50-60 metre lead. I knew he would be gunning for me regardless, so I started to push on with 200m to go. Amazingly at this point I realised I was closing in on TRR but I ran out of track :). I managed to finish 2 seconds ahead of yabaoya with a new PB of 8:25 and 7th place :):)

    Absolutely delighted with that and it really shows that training pays off. I never managed to finish my 4 beers so well previously much less run a negative split. Sub 8 next year.

    Now I'm off on a diet for the next few months :pac:.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,968 ✭✭✭aquinn


    Still haven't a clue who most of you are but well done. Interesting experience.
    Thankfully no hair holding for puke which was nice and didn't witness any either.
    Lot of me giving orders in the video yet no one noticing.
    Hope all mouse head stash now finished and back to normal training tomorrow.
    Adrian I can't believe 5 stitches, I hope you are ok.
    I finally got to Sinotts very late and met yaboya, still happy with his beer mile PB.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,355 ✭✭✭Bungy Girl


    menoscemo wrote: »
    I was a little concerned that I wasn't burping much

    No need for concern there....;)

    Well done on the PB.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,355 ✭✭✭Bungy Girl


    simonw wrote: »
    Watched the video there and it looks like I did better than I thought (some confusion about my time last night)

    Yup, there was a bit of :confused: for anyone who finished between 10:30 and 12:00. I'm sure these and the final placings can be corrected with video evidence :D.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭shels4ever


    Bungy Girl wrote: »
    Yup, there was a bit of :confused: for anyone who finished between 10:30 and 12:00. I'm sure these and the final placings can be corrected with video evidence :D.

    Knew I finished in front of Andy :) totally wrecked today and even managed to rob someone's bag in the pub after. thankfully they had photos of themselves so was able to rerun it. criminal mastermind


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  • Registered Users Posts: 93 ✭✭Ron Gomall


    davedanon wrote: »
    I hope someone has footage of Kevin puking his guts up afterwards. That was the highlight for me, along with the sprint finish and the "Coghlan look".

    I got the footage but "sold it" for 3 pairs of new shoes from a well known running store near the Phoenix park...


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,968 ✭✭✭aquinn


    Ron Gomall wrote:
    I got the footage but "sold it" for 3 pairs of new shoes from a well known running store near the Phoenix park...


    Spot the superhero. Smart move.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,395 ✭✭✭✭Timmaay




  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,420 ✭✭✭Ososlo


    Timmaay wrote: »

    ha ha fantastic!!!!!! Some great interviews there. Reckon the beers had gone to some people's heads by the time the interviews came 'round:D
    Well done all. I'm in absolute awe!!!!!!!!

    I'd say this event is really going to take off in a big way now after the success of this year and the involvement of JTG now.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,915 ✭✭✭✭menoscemo




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,632 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    menoscemo wrote: »
    That's actually fantastic!!


    Jasus haha just watched that. TRR would want to concentrate more on the burgers and booze for 2016.

    The lad from JTG would also want to have a word with his girlfriend, apparently his quick finish isn't confined to the track :)

    Hilarious!

    TbL


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,936 ✭✭✭annapr


    davedanon wrote: »
    I hope someone has footage of Kevin puking his guts up afterwards. That was the highlight for me, along with the sprint finish and the "Coghlan look".

    Yep, check out his post-race 'interview' on jumping the gun.... Ewww


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    Will official results be published? A crazy amount of people were stopping 9m before the end. Might have to adjust a few results at the top end if we want to submit to beermile.com or they may not accept.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,695 ✭✭✭Chivito550


    Background:

    Since 2012 I've become a regular beer miler. This year's event would be my 5th beer mile. In my previous 4 I prepared well, and performed respectively well on each occasion.

    1) - Parkville Beer Mile - Melbourne University - Sep 2012

    9:20 with Hahn Super Dry, 4.6% and 330ml, under the required Kingston Rules criteria. I finished 15th out of 39 (top 39%).

    2) Autumn Classic Beer Mile - Melbourne University - Apr 2013

    8:19 with Hahn Super Dry, 4.6% and 330ml, under the required Kingston Rules criteria. I finished 10th out of 26 (top 39%). This remains my unofficial PB.

    3) Parkville Beer Mile - Melbourne University - Sep 2013

    8:27 with Coopers 62, 5.0% and 355ml, Kingston Rules approved beer. I finished 15th out of 40 (top 38%). This is my official PB.

    4) Irish Beer Mile Championships - National Beer Mile Stadium - June 2014

    9:07 with James Boags, 5.0% and 375ml, Kingston Rules approved beer. I finished 6th out of 13 (top 47%). I threw away about 15 seconds trying to twist off the caps that would not budge, rather than using a bottle opener. First ever run on the slower cinder surface too, so I reckoned I was in solid 8:40ish shape.

    I've always performed well, and prepared well for the beer mile, and fully believed that this occasion would be no different.

    Preparation:

    On this occasion I went for Moosehead. James Boags had 20ml extra per beer which would be putting me at a disadvantage, so I went with what seems to be the official beer of the event at this stage.

    I had 4 sessions in the week leading up to the event:

    1) Saturday - 3 x Mooshead off 60 secs
    2) Tuesday - Beer 1200 (3 beers, 3 runs)
    3) Wednesday - Beer 1600 (3 beers, 4 runs)
    4) Thursday - 4 x Moosehead off 50 secs

    My drinking had improved since previous training sessions and I was able to withstand a greater training load. I genuinely felt in great shape. I did all the right things in training.

    Race Day:

    I had a 100m and 200m race earlier in the day. This did not concern me. I'd never raced on previous beer mile days but had trained before 3 of the previous 4. However, on race day I drink Powerade, which I never drink on training days. I didn't really give it much thought at the time. I was more thinking along the lines of the fact that the very anaerobic 100 and 200 should not have me in bits for the beer mile, like a 400m might.

    I ran very well in Leixlip, which felt like the perfect preparation. Racing that day of the beer mile can never be an excuse. Josh Harris broke the WR after running a cross country race that day. However, the next year he pushed himself so hard in the XC race that he didn't have it in him when trying to break the WR. But again, 100m and 200m should not do this to me, so I was not concerned in the slightest.

    I even had a free massage after my races in Leixlip so I would be in tip top shape for the evening.

    I ate my dinner at 4:30, a tad bit later than hoped, but still well in advance of the race. It was a small one, and I drank no water afterwards, so my stomach would be nicely empty, ready for the onslaught ahead. Hannibal kindly picked myself and 3 of the others up, and off we went to the venue.

    As soon as I saw those hills and trees in the background, and those wide open spaces surrounding the stadium, I started to get the butterflies. This is what it's all about. This is why we do this great event, for moments like this.

    Race:

    There were big numbers at the track, not just competitors, but volunteers, spectators, fans etc. I did a lap and felt grand. Then I did a few strides, and my stomach as feeling mildly in knots. Uh oh, this is not great. But I played it down a bit. But this is the type of feeling I usually have the evening of 400m races after drinking Powerade earlier that day. I hadn't felt it at all on this occasion, until I did those strides.

    We were about to start when I dropped my beer onto the ground, much to the amusement of everyone. I quickly swapped that beer for another one, for beer of a foam explosion upon opening.

    Beer 1: This went pretty much as normal, although I had to take a break with about 10% of the bottle left, which never happens. I didn't think much of this, and my time was 25 seconds which is about what I usually open in. I was towards the back, probably only about 5 behind me at this point, but this always happens and never concerns me. I usually make up the ground very easily.

    Run 1: I took off and got the burps out. However the burps weren't tasting like beer, but more like vomit. This was a dreadful sign this early in the race. There was a big pack about 20m ahead of me and I wanted to latch onto them but I just did not feel good at all. I opted for a sensible pace and hope that this was just a bad patch and that things would come good. Meno and DrQ are about 10-20m ahead of me exiting the first lap. I'm still in touch despite my poor start. Lap time: 1:33 seconds. I'm on sub 8 pace, but feel dreadful.

    Beer 2: This was a struggle. The second beer is usually grand. Not this time. I had to take shorter gulps, burp regularly, and slow the pace. Time was 48 seconds, which is about 10 seconds slower than what I'd have hoped for. Not a catastrophe though if I could pick up the running pace. At this point I notice Cathal fairly hammering through the beers, with thirstywork doing likewise. The battle out front looked epic and it was a shame I couldn't enjoy the spectacle.

    Run 2: My mate, who is not involved in athletics, but wanted to do this event, was about 5m ahead of me as I started the second lap. He completely underestimated the event, and as I passed him, he said to me "Oh man, I feel like sh1t". I was feeling poorly so could not respond in words, so made some sort of hand gesture. I laughed a bit as I found that funny, but the laughter would nearly turn to tears, when I was burping up vomit spraw in the back of my throat. I was really having to work hard to keep it down. The first 150m of each lap was where I struggled the most. By this point I have lost all perspective of where I am in the race and have no idea who passed me at what point. My mate came back at me towards the end of the lap and we entered the third beer at the same time. I wasn't worried about him though and knew I'd win out in the end. Lap time: 1:40. I'm now only on sub 9 pace, which would still be good, but the pace is only going in one direction.

    Beer 3: More of the same. I'm really struggling now, and vomit is becoming a realistic proposition during this beer. This was never an issue before. I took lots of shorter gulps, a few breathers for controlled mild burps, so not to trigger any puke. But I didn't want to waste any time just standing there catching my breath. But I'm not the only one struggling. At this point I notice TRR, who was on the 4th beer, really struggling. Seemed to be a tough day at the office for many. Beer time 1:03, about 15 seconds down on what I would have had as worst case scenario.

    Run 3: I'm about 80m into this lap when I see an incredible battle for the title, with Cathal just pipping thirstywork. However this only briefly distracted me from the pain. I was unbearably close to spewing about 100m in. I couldn't believe how everything had unraveled so badly. It was actually a fine accomplishment to manage to not throw up here, I was that close, and my pace suffered as a result. Lap time: 1:48

    Beer 4: This was one of the toughest things I've done in this sport. Far harder than that last rep at the end of a split 400 session. I was now drinking at a speed, not that much faster than guys with no alcohol tolerance manage. I was close enough to spewing throughout but to my credit I kept things controlled, and never risked anything. I just wanted to finish in one piece at this point. Time was a pitiful 1:18. I usually budget about 2:30 for all 4 beers, on this occasion it was a touch outside 3:30, a whole minute lost on just drinking.

    Run 4: The first half of this lap was incredible. I've never run so slowly in my life. I've done warm down jogs after awful track sessions much faster. I've run a crap marathon at a far niftier pace. I didn't even look like a 24 hour runner at this point. I probably looked like that bloke who runs marathons every day up in Ulster, at astonishingly terrible speeds. I think it was Davedannon who was up ahead, who I should have caught with my usual last lap speed, but I couldn't move at all really. I couldn't burp. One burp and I would puke for sure. I waited until 250m to go before it subsided and I upped the pace to a more respectable level. Just before this, Timaaay went storming past me, somehow mastering the art of running an insanely fast last lap, after 3 terrible previous ones. I cruised home, not fully extending myself, as I didn't want a penalty lap. I sort of knew I was safe at this point, and with nobody to catch, nobody behind me, and no chance of even a sub 10, there was no incentive to empty the tank over these closing 50m. Lap time: 1:58

    My finishing time was 10:36, the slowest I have ever run by a country mile. I finished a dreadful 15th out of 22 (to be confirmed). At least I managed to beat my mate, who dropped out mid way through his last beer, having struggled badly over the previous lap and beer.

    What went wrong?

    My preparation was meticulous. I did so many right things. Josh Harris messaged me saying I'm as prepared as I can be. I completely overlooked, one simple thing: the awful effects that sugary Powerade crap has on your stomach. I use it for races to keep fueled during the warm up, but in hindsight maybe I should have stuck to water at Leixlip as a one off. I don't like breaking for race routine though. This one simple slip up caused catastrophic results. I will know for next time. Ideally next time I wont have a race that same day, but with it being June, there's a good chance I will, so I have to learn to manage it better.

    What went right?

    Nothing really. The only thing I can look back on with pride is that I toughed it out, and somehow prevented myself from getting sick when it looked odds on from an early stage that this would happen. Funny enough, I didn't need to spew after at all.

    Where to next?

    I'm desperately disappointed with my performance, and I don't want all that hard training to be for nothing, so I am considering doing a beer mile this week as a form of redemption. We'll see. I know I'm a far better beer miler than I showed on this occasion, and I will be back. Even Josh Harris had a disastrous day when he ran 7:xx when targeting the WR. It happens.

    The event:

    You really can't beat it can you? Great banter, great people, and so much entertainment. It must be the best social event of the year on this forum. DCM is a great day, but there's something so refreshing about this event. It doesn't matter if you are a sprinter, middle distance runner, marathon runner, non-athlete, fast, slow, in between, it's an event for everybody. For a brief period, all our definitions go out the window. We are all simply beer-milers.

    Having JTG there providing coverage was a great added bonus and created an extra bit of atmosphere. I did an interview with them after which was mad craic. The event has come on in leaps and bounds since last year, and now truly is a mainstay on the summer athletics calendar.

    The aftermath:

    There was some serious banter afterwards. About 15 of us legging it to the bus with the driver driving off, and myself getting calf cramp in the process of legging it. Then in Synnotts there was a ridiculous amount of craic. From Meno declaring himself as the Ulster Beer Mile Champion, to TRR and myself solving all the problems with Irish athletics (none of the solutions I can now remember), to myself trying to convince one of the lads who is flirting with ultras to go for middle distance instead, and later in the night, sprinting, when he tells me what he can squat. And then there was Yaboya and Pacing Mule giving me abuse about my performance. :) Certainly one of the more random nights out.

    A big thanks to TRR for organising this great event, and huge appreciation must be shown to all the volunteers who cleaned up after us, timed us, took photos, videos etc, without who, this event would not really be possible to be carried out to the standard it was.

    The idea of a Christmas Classic Beer Mile was proposed which could be a nice idea, but whatever happens with that, the Irish Champs will always be something which will be part of my summer racing calendar.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,606 ✭✭✭RedRunner


    Brilliant stuff lads. Video footage is class. Well done to all concerned!.....next year!

    PS. Pretty sure I've spotted someone in that video that I know from my GAA past but never knew was a Boardsie!


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