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Never say never
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ThebitterLemon wrote: »Well done Mrs Mc.
Probably all down to that hill work AULDBOT had you doing
TbL
Ha ha must have been .... he knows best after all 0 -
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Well done A - we were cheering at the finishline and you must have ran right past us, sorry we missed you! Delighted you got a good confidence boost.
Thanks N sorry I didn't get to see you at the finish I got a flapjack from c and went to get my bag with the intention of coming back to say hi but the baggage area was mental unfortunately.0 -
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Saturday 24th October
SSE Dublin Half Marathon official time and PB 2.03.46
:D
Up early on Saturday morning my long run routine generally starts 2 hours before I leave the house so decided to keep things the same as will happen on DCM day. With the bus strike on Saturday I was being picked up a little earlier than usual 8 am which meant a 6 am start. Was in bed by 10pm Friday night and I would say was asleep by 10.02 and thankfully slept all night waking to the alarm at 6. The forecast was dreadful for Saturday and looked like it was going to be something similar to the Frank Duffy which was not nice. Usual breakfast of porridge and a cup of tea. Did some stretches and foam rolling before I left the house. With FBOT away golfing in Spain was missing him this morning he usually keeps me calm and tells me to cop on when I start stressing about the events ahead so was feeling very nervous by the time I was picked up. Was picked up at 8 and off we headed to the PP where it seems most others had the idea of going early as the parking spots started to fill up quickly. Thankfully the rain still hadn't started. We sat in the car for a while and then headed for the loos for the usual pre-start pit stop. Headed straight for the bag drop where we met a few of the St Anne's Park Run gang, KillerZ, MurphD and the mighty Martha Stew and Mr Stew all ready for pacing duties. Thankfully the rain still hadn't started and the wind had also died down, could we be that lucky. Decided to ditch the arm sleeves I was contemplating wearing. Put the bag in, put on the black refuse sack as it was starting to rain a little and headed for the wave for my time. I still wasn't 100% sure what I was going to go for. FBOT had suggested I start a bit behind the 2 hour pacers keep them in my sights and see how the race went so decided I would do this.
I haven't had very good races recently and a lot of that was down to negativity getting in on my head during a race. I had googled "how to stay positive in a race" the night before and got this really good article on tips for racing which I found reallygood. https://runnersconnect.net/running-tips/how-to-stay-positive/
Not sure if that link will post but basically the things I took from it were, every time you race you are getting stronger from the last time you raced, think back to the first race you ever did and how far you have come, visualise crossing the finish line and how you will feel, run for something greater than yourself like your kids your hubby your family someone you've lost, have a positive mantra in your head, focus on your form, and as my good husband says "enjoy". So armed with all these tips and DGs tip to lock all my negativity in a box which I did I lined up behind the 2 hour pacers, where Martha Stew told me that I was great and sure I was already feeling good ! I was a bit closer than I would have liked to the pacers so held back a bit as we moved towards the start line. Rain was starting to pour down now but it wasn't too bad. We were off. The first mile is always very congested and it takes time to get into a rhythm but there were loads of people with the 2 hour pacers and even running a good bit behind them it was very congested really until mile 3. Clocked 9.13 for the first mile which would be unusual as you would tend to belt out a bit fast initially but found that people were in my way and I was trying not to weave.
I was so glad I had run this route with Firedance last week as I was familiar with it and unlike Frank Duffy where my legs were starting to cry at the drags early on in the race I just felt positive that I knew there were drags and I focused on my form ran tall put one foot in front of the other and on the big green pacing balloons that were ahead of me. Mile 2 8.46, mile 3, 9.08 Still very congested with runners. Up onto chesterfield ave and by the zoo the legs were getting tired then I reminded myself that I had run this loop twice with Toulouse the previous week and it was fine by the time I came onto the North Road I felt I was in a steady rhythm. My pace had definately dropped here but I was feeling strong and I could still see the baloons ahead of me even though they were a little further away I was happy with my pace and kept it steady, 9.17,9.20,9.31. Heard A Quinn shout out on the North Road but had gone passed her before I saw her, good to hear your shouts though A, passed Mrs KennyG and another St Annes Park Run buddy here also and got a shout of encouragement from them which helped. Mile 6 saw us come back onto Chesterfield Ave but you have to run up this tiny path which really doesn't have enough room and I can't understand why people who are walking at this stage don't move out to the side, :mad::mad:ended up running on the grass here, it was a bit uneven in places. 9.29 for this mile. Was glad to get onto Chesterfield Ave and the wide avenue. The pacers were a good distance from me at this stage but to be honest a sub two HM was for another day, this race was all about October and getting a good positive race under my belt so I didn't stress and I didn't think negatively about this. The next few miles were fairly consistent in relation to pace, I kept it as steady as possible I also changed my watch to avg pace for the run which YoungAnne and Firedance had suggested and knew that if I kept the avg pace consistent I could still bag a pb. I tended not to look at the watch too much either and focused on enjoying the race feeling strong and trying to keep the pace consistent. I think this worked as the splits were 9.26, 9.30, 9.34,9.24,9.28. Then the final mile. This is always so hard at the finish of the race. I focused on my form, I focused on the person in front of me, I think it was around here I passed the ambulance and thought of that young guy from last year and said a little prayer that whoever was in the back of the ambulance was okay. The ambulance came up behind us sirens blaring, some guy with headphones beside me didn't hear it and was in its path so I hit him in the arm and he gave me a thumbs up thinking I was wishing him well, I pointed and shouted at him that the ambulance coming and he eventually moved over, don't know what he was listening too but it must have been loud. :rolleyes: Settled back into the race, took a quick look at the watch and a quick calculation and worked out that I wouldn't be far off 2.03 which I would have been delighted with. As soon as I saw the finish line someone shouted 400m left, thats four benches in St Anne's, 4 benches left, I kept tell myself and belted for the finish line, 9.48 for the last mile. I was so chuffed to finish in 2.03.46 a pb from the HM last year 2.07.05 so a good day at the office for me, and a positive race at last which is good before DCM. Met up with TFGR and Singer (happy with yet another pb) at the finish line for some flapjacks thanks C they were yum met Aneurotic from the DCM novices group this year who was pleased with his run also. Was starting to get cold so said I run up and get my bag and come back down to them then. Unfortunately that was not to be as the baggage area was mental and was ages waiting to get my bag. Didn't get to see anyone after the race and went to find my friends for a lift home, sitting in traffic for a hour to get home. 13.1 miles avg pace 9.22
All in all I am really happy with the day. I gave it my all I don't think I could have given more to get the sub two hour, that will have to be for another day. Its a very tough course really tests the legs. The quads are sore today and I would build in quiet a lot of drags in my long runs so should be used to them but maybe not the level of drags that are in the PP. It gives me a good sense of where I might aim for in DCM and after yesterday think it will be more in the region of around the 4.20 mark but will discuss with resident coach on his return from hols.
Was really looking forward to my lie in this morning and woke early body all set for the usual long run typical !! Brought the two Mc Jnrs out for breakfast instead where we had pancakes bacon and Maple syrup in a local restaurant looking out on a beautiful morning on Clontarf Coast. Tracking a few of the boardies on the Berlin app, delighted for Adrian522 and Duanington on their brilliant times.
Recovery 4 miles this afternoon and to use TBL's term nursing home special, legs a bit creaky but they loosened out by mile 2, got soaked, I timed that run badly as it was lovely out earlier, first time the rain has actually been quiet cold. 4 miles avg pace 11.03 splits 11.22, 11.13, 10.37, 10.59.
Not looking forward to this week with a mid week 10 miler and a 20 mile run at the weekend. Why did I sign up for this again tell me !!!
Weekly miles 33.3
YTD Miles 849.70 -
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Duanington wrote: »Just catching up here A - what a great performance on what is deffo one of the tougher half routes around. A PB over that distance, this close to the marathon should always be a good confidence booster - well done
Cheers D 0 -
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Bungy Girl wrote: »Argh I am so behind on logs
. Fantastically well done, brilliant to knock so much off your PB in testing conditions.
Thanks G hopefully see I at PR tomorrow 0 -
Monday 26th Sept
Pilates
Tuesday 27th Sept
6 miles easy on the plan tonight, couldnt get out till late tonight so Mrs KennyG came along to keep me safe in the dark. Avg pace 10.49, splits 10.43, 10.45, 10.53, 10.42, 10.54, 10.57. Didn't feel the miles pass away a lot of catching up to do !!
Wednesday 18th Sept
10 miles easy on the plan today. Was not looking forward to this, its a big mid week ask sure 10 miles is a long run !! Anyway decided the only way I'd get this done would be to do it as a runmute. Brought all the gear to work and mapped out a route that would bring me from Ballsbridge out to the Merrion Gates and then back in by Sandymount across the east link back to Clontarf coast. There was something on in the 3 area so the traffic was lined back to the Merrion Gates so there was definately an element of smugness as I ran past all the traffic. Was just thinking how far I have come in the this training cycle when this run didn't really take anything out of me, I really enjoyed it. Avg pace 10.51 splits 10.46, 10.41, 10.42, 10.50, 11.09, 10.40, 10.46, 10.49, 10.45, 11.17.
Thursday 29th Sept
4 miles with 5 * 50 m strides on the plan tonight. Mrs KennyG joined me for this one a strong wind against us on the coast but was welcomed when we turned around that its was pushing us along. Did our strides in the last mile.
splits 10.24, 10.17, 10.34, 9.52 total 4 miles avg pace 10.16.
Friday 30th Sept Rest day:D
Saturday 1st October Bonus rest day on the plan this week because of the 20 miler tomorrow. St Anne's Park Run 3rd birthday today so was on volunteer duty today. Unfortunately the rain didn't co-operate and it was miserable however a whopping 235 people turned out for the run and the cake afterwards. A great day. Managed to get 3 tickets for the Dublin match so M and kids headed off to Croke Park to support the boys in blue. for me it was plain food for dinner, watch the match on the tv could not relax watching it OMG :eek::eek: but happy with the result. Off to bed early my life has become so boring !!.
Sunday 2nd October.
So this is what it was all about this week the long run of 20 miles. I was so anxious about this run and felt it hung over me all weekend. I am not sure why I am so nervous, I think having not sorted out my fuelling yet is adding to it having a lot of stomach trouble this year. Tired a gel today however and it didn't seem to effect my stomach it was however disgusting. As suggest by firedance I had the imodium melts in my running belt and took one before I headed out and a dioralyte as I am not brining Nuun on the run any more, sticking with just the water. I was also keen to do the DCM course before the big day. One of the girls from PR is doing the marathon this year and is around my pace so I dropped her a message to see if she was interested in doing the DCM route with me. Was delighted when she said sure why not. I am useless with directions and am always guaranteed to get lost so M had done out a route for me and with some car swopping organised for U to drop her car at my house. M was doing a long run so he drove over to the Merrion Centre and left his car there, and I drove my car to the PP and left it there with the plan that M would do his long run to finish in the PP and take my car and my run would finish at the Merrion Centre and I would take his car home. What you think of that for planning. Meant I had to give a bag to M to leave in his car and bring both car keys with me. But had all the stuff laid out from the night before and was all organised.
U had another running buddy organised to come with us. So we met at Chesterfield Ave opposite the zoo and off we went. I really enjoyed this run. It was a fab morning, the scenery was new (I don't remember any of the course from last year !!! Did I do DCM last year ????) we chatted away and before I knew it we had 5 miles done, didn't feel it pass at all. I had a map of the route in my running belt and I also had a small print out of the street names where I had put little notes where we had to run right or left on the roads in my running bottoms and I had the route on my phone on Map my run too, no guarantee I wouldn't get lost though !!!:P:P.
Thankfully our other runner knew the course to Terenue having done it the previous week so left the navigation to her. The park was full of runners and a lot heading off on the marathon route with lots of cheerful greetings around the route. The legs felt good, I felt strong run was going well. One of the runners was starting to struggle a bit by mile 7 and the pace was starting to drop a bit, she told us to go on but knowing how hard it is when you are having a day like that I just said to her not worry about the pace that I was glad to get the miles in and we continued on. The next 7 miles the pace dropped to 11.30 pace but it didn't bother me too much the main thing for me was getting the miles in. I bumped into the marvellous MarthaStew near Bushy Park out for her run so ran with her for a while and she left us with a big cheer that she would see us in 4 weeks. We stopped in Terenure village to stock up on water and the runner that was struggling suddenly felt unwell went very pale and thought she was going to faint. We got her to sit down and gave her water and some sugar. she had spots in front of her eyes and wasnt feeling well. She decided that she would call it day and we called a taxi for her to get her home. Me and U then headed off and I took out my little bit of paper with the road names and was glad I had put my little notes on it so I knew where to turn left and right. We continued to chat the pace upped a little bit and I still felt comfortable. We passed a few workmen putting up a sign for DCM and road closures and one of them shouted to us that it was getting real now !! They blew the horn at us as they passed us later on on the route and it was nice to have a bit of a laugh about it. It was around here that I struggled last year so I took in the course I tried to recognise areas from last year but only remembered some parts.
As we came to Fosters Ave I felt a great satisfaction that the run was nearly complete and when we turned onto Nutley Lane and the watch beeped 20 miles we gave a cheer and gave each other a high five and headed off to find M's car. Celebrated with a chocolate milk and a banana from the boot of the car and off home glad that this milestone is out of the way.
20miles, avg pace 11.05 splits, 10.41, 10.50, 11.31, 10.36, 10.43, 10.42, 11.24, 11.35, 11.36, 11.28, 11.29, 11.39, 11.39, 11.33, 10.54, 10.46, 10.55, 10.45, 10.24, 10.40.
Weekly miles 40 miles
YTD 889.8 Miles0 -
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