DCM 2017 Mentored Novices Thread

skyblue46

clickerquicklic wrote: »

Bib No.| Username | Target Time | Actual Time
12345 | skyblue46 |  03:53:34|
12346 | quickbeam |  05:59:59 |
12347 | candamir | 03:59:59 |
12348| kellygirl | 04:29:59 |
12349 | Damo 2k9 | 03:59:59 |
12350 | Positron | 04:29:59 |
12351| Lazare | 03:58:xx |
12352|Leesider|04:59:59|
12353 | clickerquicklic | 03:16:29 |


Nice idea Skyblue hopefully I didn't mess this up.

That's perfect! I love the target. Nice to see the non round number individuality!

scotindublin

Take a look here for a table from last year

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057592756/493

Also if you have some time have a read of some of the reports....you will see we all had the same dilemmas as you are going through now....there are some really epic race reports from 2016 and if you even get 1 useful but of information it is worth looking at them.

Kellygirl wrote: »

Must look at that. Interested to know whether people were bang on, faster or slower!

skyblue46

scotindublin wrote: »

Take a look here for a table from last year

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057592756/493

Also if you have some time have a read of some of the reports....you will see we all had the same dilemmas as you are going through now....there are some really epic race reports from 2016 and if you even get 1 useful but of information it is worth looking at them.

Post #5793 has the final list of times.

Race reports were great and I also loved all the posts on the evening and morning before the race.

scotindublin

Just reading mine again....I was on Novice Mistake #3 before the end of mile 5!!

skyblue46 wrote: »

Post #5793 has the final list of times.

Race reports were great and I also loved all the posts on the evening and morning before the race.

Baby75

skyblue46 wrote: »

Great table and could you add me to it please I think I will go for 4. 39.59

The Black Oil wrote: »

@Baby75, I forgot to mention it in my log update, but if you had asked me how I was feeling during one of my weekend runs I'd have said I'm going to be in pain from mile 2 onwards. Even though I've been injury free and ran DCM last year...

It is the taper madness. Re pacers and starting out, head out conservatively. I went out with the 4:10s last year, thought after 11 miles I could catch up with the 4 hr lads - eh, nope. Then I fell behind the 4:10s (finished 4:17:23). This year I'll out with the 4:10s again, but I'll stick with them until at least mile 20, likely even mile 23. Even if you do go with the 4:40s they might bring you in a minute or two under e.g. last year's 4:10s finished in ~4:08, iirc.

I am liking the idea of sticking with pacers and push on if I can

Pacing Mule wrote: »

Hiya. I'll be pacing 4:40 along with younganne from these parts too and another very experienced Anne. Two Annes for the price of one You won't know the best time until on the day but we will be checking in with everyone to see where you're at / how you're feeling on the day and we'll be happy to advise along the way when the best time to push on is.

Definitely start with us as the first half can catch people out. The Phoenix Park doesn't seem like it is taking as much out of you as it can be, and the descent after it can cause issues later too if you hit it too fast. Conservative and comfortable would be your best approach.

Probably somewhere around Fosters Ave / UCD would be the ideal time to take off and bank a couple of minutes if you have it in you. That's 4.5 miles out. But if you're feeling great before then you could push on a bit earlier. Either way we'll look after you really well and have a bit of craic along the way.

Don't worry at all about the 3/4. As AMK said it showed you that you can tough it out. It's come at the peak of training and tiredness. The taper will have you a lot more energised for the big day and there is NOTHING like the support the crowd on the DCM route brings. The wall of sound at Castleknock will raise hairs on your neck!

I will see you there along with my hubby, I met younganne on the 3/4 she chatted to us for a while before heading on working on her pacing for DCM she was lovely Thanks so much for posting I feel so much better now and I am looking forward to the craic

scotindublin wrote: »

Take a look here for a table from last year

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057592756/493

Also if you have some time have a read of some of the reports....you will see we all had the same dilemmas as you are going through now....there are some really epic race reports from 2016 and if you even get 1 useful but of information it is worth looking at them.

I started to read some earlier today before power cut and really enjoyed them, I always like to check out the route and read reports really helps get ready for the day.

Thanks again everyone, so glad I found this group your all legends

Wubble Wubble

skyblue46 wrote: »

Thanks so much. You have been immense for everyone on this thread and I think I speak for all of us in saying this. You have been invaluable to us all. Also to WW, his advice and encouragement have been inspiring particularly knowing he was in our shoes 12 months ago, fought the demons of injury and is here 12 months later still loving his running. Kudos to you both and to all the other experienced runners, too many to mention, who have added value to the thread. I hope I don't offend anyone by not remembering all names but thanks to scotindublin, Testostercone, hotbutteredscones, unthought known, the black oil, the muppet etc

AuldManKing wrote: »

Thanks for that - WW has the hard job - he HAS to post regularly, we just weigh in every now and then.
I'm in awe of people like WW for what they give to running - a lot of you dont see his Park Run contributions. He's a real running hero.

Ah jaysis! Sure when you're good you're good :pac:

Seriously though, it's about the people here who've come on so much in their training, and have been so willing and able to share! That's what's made these threads so good year after year. Not long to go, let's see this one through, it can still get even better

stampydmonkey

Bib No.| Username | Target Time | Actual Time
12345 | skyblue46 |  03:59:59 |
12346 | quickbeam |  05:59:59 |
12347 | candamir | 03:59:59 |
12348| kellygirl | 04:29:59 |
12349 | Damo 2k9 | 03:59:59 |
12350 | Positron | 04:29:59 |
12351| Lazare | 03:58:xx |
12352|Leesider|04:59:59|
12353 | clickerquicklic | 03:16:29 |
12354 | stampydmonkey | 03:56:xx |


Long time lurker. Great advice and discussion over last few months. Thanks

The Black Oil

I'll probably be OK to meet. 75 minutes easy is what's on my agenda. I'd be fairly slow (11:44-12:13) and might turn back to the car about half way through, am unlikely to reach or need 8 miles anyway. Don't know the Team Room. Is it magic? :pac:

I have to confess I still don't quite get the concept of a pace band (if you're already intending to follow a pacer, that is).

Lazare

There's one thing I'm still not fully decided on. Whether to start at the back of wave 2 and pace myself or whether to start at the front of wave 3 with the 4 hour pacers.

I think option A would be much more comfortable in terms of congestion, but I really like the idea of utilising the pacers also. Plus, I'd imagine the buzz would be amazing running with that big group.

What are the veterans thoughts? Particularly with regard to setting off at the very back of a wave, is it as spread out as I imagine?

Kellygirl

The Black Oil wrote: »

I'll probably be OK to meet. 75 minutes easy is what's on my agenda. I'd be fairly slow (11:44-12:13) and might turn back to the car about half way through, am unlikely to reach or need 8 miles anyway. Don't know the Team Room. Is it magic? :pac:

I have to confess I still don't quite get the concept of a pace band (if you're already intending to follow a pacer, that is).

I haven’t fully decided if I’ll follow a pacer or if I do whether i’ll stick with them so having a paceband will hopefully keep me in control if i’m on my own.

Sheep1978

Unless there's a few others who also want or need to get their run on early, I'll have to leave it. Will have to be back in the car for 9.30 to get back for the young lads game

skyblue46

The Black Oil wrote: »

I'll probably be OK to meet. 75 minutes easy is what's on my agenda. I'd be fairly slow (11:44-12:13) and might turn back to the car about half way through, am unlikely to reach or need 8 miles anyway. Don't know the Team Room. Is it magic? :pac:

I have to confess I still don't quite get the concept of a pace band (if you're already intending to follow a pacer, that is).

The Tea Room is the little old kiosk type place near the front of the Yazoo 😉

skyblue46

Lazare wrote: »

There's one thing I'm still not fully decided on. Whether to start at the back of wave 2 and pace myself or whether to start at the front of wave 3 with the 4 hour pacers.

I think option A would be much more comfortable in terms of congestion, but I really like the idea of utilising the pacers also. Plus, I'd imagine the buzz would be amazing running with that big group.

What are the veterans thoughts? Particularly with regard to setting off at the very back of a wave, is it as spread out as I imagine?

I'd say stick with the pacers. I know from experience that you go out too fast!!!! Hahaha. Seriously though nowhere is uncongested. I'm going with the back of Wave 2 myself.

Lazare

I don't think we should be following or sticking with a pacer, but rather utilising them.

I know I'll be letting them get away from me on the drags, particularly in the first half. I'm visualising it like being tethered to them on a 300m elastic rope, hopefully bounced ahead of them for the last mile, but happily behind them when the big hills bite.

skyblue46

stampydmonkey wrote: »

Bib No.| Username | Target Time | Actual Time
12345 | skyblue46 |  03:59:59 |
12346 | quickbeam |  05:59:59 |
12347 | candamir | 03:59:59 |
12348| kellygirl | 04:29:59 |
12349 | Damo 2k9 | 03:59:59 |
12350 | Positron | 04:29:59 |
12351| Lazare | 03:58:xx |
12352|Leesider|04:59:59|
12353 | clickerquicklic | 03:16:29 |
12354 | stampydmonkey | 03:56:xx |


Long time lurker. Great advice and discussion over last few months. Thanks

Better late than never! Welcome. Don't be afraid to join in.

Wubble Wubble

Lazare wrote: »

There's one thing I'm still not fully decided on. Whether to start at the back of wave 2 and pace myself or whether to start at the front of wave 3 with the 4 hour pacers.

I think option A would be much more comfortable in terms of congestion, but I really like the idea of utilising the pacers also. Plus, I'd imagine the buzz would be amazing running with that big group.

What are the veterans thoughts? Particularly with regard to setting off at the very back of a wave, is it as spread out as I imagine?

Veterans? We're actually called "Masters" nowadays (those of us of a certain vintage) whereas less than 2 weeks from now, you will become DCM Graduates

Last year, I went off near the front of Wave 2, with the 3:40 pacers. Of course, that was fairly packed anyway, which it will be for you too, unless you make it your business to get right to the front (I didn't attempt such a manoeuvre). I can't remember how long of a gap there was between the end of the first wave going through the start line, and the start of the second.

I think I may have mentioned earlier that the early miles are going to be congested for everyone bar the elites, due to the sheer weight of numbers. In your case, I'd be more inclined to start with the 4:00 pacers, especially due to the first half being more difficult.

quickbeam

Have we decided a time for tea yet? 10.30am would be about the earliest I could make it straight from Parkrun. Any later and I could go home first and shower and actually be vaguely presentable for meeting.

And how do we recognise each other?

skyblue46

quickbeam wrote: »

Have we decided a time for tea yet? 10.30am would be about the earliest I could make it straight from Parkrun. Any later and I could go home first and shower and actually be vaguely presentable for meeting.

And how do we recognise each other?

Maybe meet at the hole in the wall car park. I met brown eyes and Lazare for a run. We knew each other as we had described what we would be wearing.

As regards a time I am 100% flexible. Sheep and one other mentioned football matches their kids have. I'd happily meet at 8 if others could so he could join us. It is probably impossible to please everyone so if some of the others chipped in that would be great.

Wubble Wubble

quickbeam wrote: »

Have we decided a time for tea yet? 10.30am would be about the earliest I could make it straight from Parkrun. Any later and I could go home first and shower and actually be vaguely presentable for meeting.

And how do we recognise each other?

A bunch of beautiful/handsome/marathon fit athletes randomly gathered together....I did a little piece on last year's meetup - abridged version follows

Sat 13/8/16 - 14 mile LSR - Boards Meet, Phoenix Park

I wasn't really sure how this would go. I had no idea what any of the other novices looked like, and AFAIK it was the same all round for those who could make it to PP. I arrived earlyish at the designated meeting point, and having finished putting on my suncream, got out of the car to see two guys and a girl along the grass verge. Each was standing beside their respective cars looking anxious, as if worried that their prospective dates might not show up

I'm not sure if I said the exact code as given by FD, but I got a favourable response from the aforementioned girl, who turned out to be aceygray; the lads being The Black Oil and kin9pin. Shortly afterwards a tall guy in a cap got out of his car across the road, and his female sidekick walked up to meet him; of course they were nop98 and Firedance.

Kellygirl

skyblue46 wrote: »

Post #5793 has the final list of times.

Race reports were great and I also loved all the posts on the evening and morning before the race.

That is really interesting reading that final table. Dying to get through all those reports.

quickbeam

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

A bunch of beautiful/handsome/marathon fit athletes randomly gathered together....I did a little piece on last year's meetup - abridged version follows

I've met people from Meetup.com before and there is a sort of unmistakable lost look that strangers have when trying to suss out who they're meant to meet. So I guess I'll just be on the lookout for that.

quickbeam

skyblue46 wrote: »

Maybe meet at the hole in the wall car park. I met brown eyes and Lazare for a run. We knew each other as we had described what we would be wearing.

Except I won't be running. 8 miles will take you speedies*, what? about an hour? So meet you at the Tea Rooms one hour after whatever time the rest of you decide to meet at The Hole In The Wall at?

I'm pretty flexible too. Any time after 10.30 right up to whenever.


* everyone's a speedy compared with me.

skyblue46

quickbeam wrote: »

Have we decided a time for tea yet? 10.30am would be about the earliest I could make it straight from Parkrun. Any later and I could go home first and shower and actually be vaguely presentable for meeting.

And how do we recognise each other?

Anyway we'll have run 8 miles, probably in the rain. Don't worry about presentable.

quickbeam

skyblue46 wrote: »

Anyway we'll have run 8 miles, probably in the rain. Don't worry about presentable.

Not worried at all. If I was I'd not even give the option of meeting straight after Parkrun. Sure I'll look far less presentable in McGrattans than I ever would at the Tea Rooms.

skyblue46

quickbeam wrote: »

Except I won't be running. 8 miles will take you speedies*, what? about an hour? So meet you at the Tea Rooms one hour after whatever time the rest of you decide to meet at The Hole In The Wall at?

I'm pretty flexible too. Any time after 10.30 right up to whenever.


* everyone's a speedy compared with me.

At least an hour and twenty...less of the speedy talk. We're all in this together to become marathon runners...end of...times don't matter. Times don't take account of age, sex, fitness history, sportiness or time available to train. The one thing we have in common is to get this thing done...as equals!!

Unthought Known

scotindublin wrote: »

Take a look here for a table from last year

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057592756/493

Also if you have some time have a read of some of the reports....you will see we all had the same dilemmas as you are going through now....there are some really epic race reports from 2016 and if you even get 1 useful but of information it is worth looking at them.

That final table should give you an idea of how hard it is to set a goal time for your first marathon (or even 2nd for some). Its been said before, but you really do need a B and even C goal. And you need to be prepared to respect the distance and switch goals.
You will never get another chance to run your first marathon so give yourselves the best possible chance to enjoy it.

skyblue46

Unthought Known wrote: »

That final table should give you an idea of how hard it is to set a goal time for your first marathon (or even 2nd for some). Its been said before, but you really do need a B and even C goal. And you need to be prepared to respect the distance and switch goals.
You will never get another chance to run your first marathon so give yourselves the best possible chance to enjoy it.

What is it about the day? Why do people who have done a 1:45 half reach halfway in 1:59 and be in trouble by mile 15? This is my big worry. They had done good lsrs of 20 miles but had problems before that distance at paces not appreciably faster. Does nervous energy drain you?

Baby75

skyblue46 wrote: »

At least an hour and twenty...less of the speedy talk. We're all in this together to become marathon runners...end of...times don't matter. Times don't take account of age, sex, fitness history, sportiness or time available to train. The one thing we have in common is to get this thing done...as equals!!

Could not agree more

Kellygirl

skyblue46 wrote: »

What is it about the day? Why do people who have done a 1:45 half reach halfway in 1:59 and be in trouble by mile 15? This is my big worry. They had done good lsrs of 20 miles but had problems before that distance at paces not appreciably faster. Does nervous energy drain you?

I wonder too. I did 36.5km 3 weeks before Cork really slowly and no bother at all really. Then got to 32km on the day and had to walk. I really don’t think it was pace - always felt it was nutrition possibly.

annapr

skyblue46 wrote: »

What is it about the day? Why do people who have done a 1:45 half reach halfway in 1:59 and be in trouble by mile 15? This is my big worry. They had done good lsrs of 20 miles but had problems before that distance at paces not appreciably faster. Does nervous energy drain you?

It depends.... in 2014, my half was 2:01, and I think I did the first half of the marathon in about 2:13... ground to a halt on Crumlin Rd.. it was unseasonably warm and I had been on antibiotics a week or so before...

So much depends on the day itself -- the weather (which you can't control but might have to adjust for), the state you're in... in 2015 I had the opposite experience... which is probably more common!