DCM 2018 - Mentored Novice Thread

OOnegative

kittyclaws wrote: »

It has come up again on a Facebook running page that there will be no 4:50 pacers at DCM this year :eek: Some are arguing that there will be and others are saying that they know for a fact there won't be any there.
Does anybody know a pacer or an organiser they could ask please?
I'd rather re-set my goal now than turn up on the day and choose between 4:40 and 5 hrs (I know I'll be too stressed to pace myself, I can barely manage in training )

There is 4.50 pacers trust me. Pacing groups every 10 mins from 3hr to 5hr pace inclusive.

ReeReeG

kittyclaws wrote: »

It has come up again on a Facebook running page that there will be no 4:50 pacers at DCM this year :eek: Some are arguing that there will be and others are saying that they know for a fact there won't be any there.
Does anybody know a pacer or an organiser they could ask please?
I'd rather re-set my goal now than turn up on the day and choose between 4:40 and 5 hrs (I know I'll be too stressed to pace myself, I can barely manage in training )

From the FAQ on the official website:
[font=MuseoSansRounded, Arial, sans-serif]Following the success of the pacers over the past few years we have included them again this year. There will be pacers for the following times: 3.00, 3.10, 3.20, 3.30, 3.40, 3.50, 4.00, 4.10, 4:20, 4.30 4:40, 4:50 and 5.00. They will run the race at a steady effort throughout, and aim to finish a few seconds under each time band. To be paced by them during the race, just turn up at the start, look for the runners wearing backpacks with large flags, and stand behind the corresponding time.[/font]

kittyclaws

OOnegative wrote: »

There is 4.50 pacers trust me.

If they're not there on the day I'll hunt you down! :D:D

OOnegative

kittyclaws wrote: »

If they're not there on the day I'll hunt you down! :D:D

One of the 4.50 pacers is a Boardsie and hell of a nice chap.

kittyclaws

ReeReeG wrote: »

From the FAQ on the official website:
[font=MuseoSansRounded, Arial, sans-serif]Following the success of the pacers over the past few years we have included them again this year. There will be pacers for the following times: 3.00, 3.10, 3.20, 3.30, 3.40, 3.50, 4.00, 4.10, 4:20, 4.30 4:40, 4:50 and 5.00. They will run the race at a steady effort throughout, and aim to finish a few seconds under each time band. To be paced by them during the race, just turn up at the start, look for the runners wearing backpacks with large flags, and stand behind the corresponding time.[/font]

Thanks for that - I should have checked the source instead of listening to people on FB
Taper has me far too emotional and jumpy!

OOnegative wrote: »

One of the 4.50 pacers is a Boardsie and hell of a nice chap.

Good to know, I'll try find him on the day Sorry I threatened to hunt you :P

OOnegative

kittyclaws wrote: »

Good to know, I'll try find him on the day Sorry I threatened to hunt you :P

I’d be easy enough spotted with a big balloon with 4.10 written on it!!!

incentsitive

Just following on from the chat re pace bands.

Not sure what sort of tech people use, but I've got a Garmin Forerunner 235 and found an app called Race Cheat Sheet which works with it.

It allows you to go to findmymarathon.com as somebody suggested above, put in the criteria (negative split, start, etc) and get the times for every mile based on the elevation.

You put this in to the app, and voila - you have your race band on your Garmin and it tells you how far ahead/behind you are, mile pace, next mile pace, etc.

https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/bc4aae57-541c-49c4-9215-82cdd6574533#0

Compatible with quite a few devices. Hope this helps.

Kellygirl

incentsitive wrote: »

Just following on from the chat re pace bands.

Not sure what sort of tech people use, but I've got a Garmin Forerunner 235 and found an app called Race Cheat Sheet which works with it.

It allows you to go to findmymarathon.com as somebody suggested above, put in the criteria (negative split, start, etc) and get the times for every mile based on the elevation.

You put this in to the app, and voila - you have your race band on your Garmin and it tells you how far ahead/behind you are, mile pace, next mile pace, etc.

https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/bc4aae57-541c-49c4-9215-82cdd6574533#0

Compatible with quite a few devices. Hope this helps.

Interesting! Last year though when I was using the pace band I found that because I wasn’t following the race line that the mile markers on my watch were ahead of the real mile markers on the route. I think I was out by .4 of a mile or something by the end. It meant I needed to work out my pace according to the route mile markers rather than my watch and I’m just wondering if you are using this app how would it account for that? So could you end up on a hill with your watch telling you go faster when you need to be slowing down? Just something to be aware of. Could get confusing or annoying on the day. I’d be interested to try it but maybe on a shorter route.

incentsitive

Kellygirl wrote: »

Interesting! Last year though when I was using the pace band I found that because I wasn’t following the race line that the mile markers on my watch were ahead of the real mile markers on the route. I think I was out by .4 of a mile or something by the end. It meant I needed to work out my pace according to the route mile markers rather than my watch and I’m just wondering if you are using this app how would it account for that? So could you end up on a hill with your watch telling you go faster when you need to be slowing down? Just something to be aware of. Could get confusing or annoying on the day. I’d be interested to try it but maybe on a shorter route.

Funnily, I was just messing around with it this evening on my run to see if I can "move it on to the next mile"! I haven't figured that quite out yet.

The only other thing I'll say is my plan is to start in wave 2 right at the end, let the herd on a bit, and then hopefully I'll be able to follow the race line.

skyblue46

incentsitive wrote: »

Funnily, I was just messing around with it this evening on my run to see if I can "move it on to the next mile"! I haven't figured that quite out yet.

The only other thing I'll say is my plan is to start in wave 2 right at the end, let the herd on a bit, and then hopefully I'll be able to follow the race line.

Your watch won't measure 26.2 at the end no matter what line you run. They are not that precise. Also in the first 2 or 3 miles you cannot avoid the herd. 5000 people turning onto Leeson Street brings things practically to a standstill as do some narrow streets. Allow for the first couple of miles to be your slowest. I was one of the last 10 people to cross the line at the start of wave 2 and went slowly but still had no space until Chesterfield Ave really.

incentsitive

Yeah thought it might be about 26.5 miles alright. There is also the option of a "B goal", which I could set up too.

bucketybuck

This was shared with me on Facebook today, its a chart that family/supporters can use to estimate when you will be at certain points, based on your wave and goal time!

https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=E909038C92A93625!8089&ithint=file%2cxlsx&app=Excel&authkey=!AN9Tj5im4FSdE3c

skyblue46

incentsitive wrote: »

Yeah thought it might be about 26.5 miles alright. There is also the option of a "B goal", which I could set up too.

I would be of the view that you are overthinking it. Go with the paces if the app works for you. As long as it keeps you close to a sensible pace you are fine. ie. A negative split of at least 2 minutes! You're not going to start charging up a hill just because the watch tells you to. If you get to 20 miles within 2 minutes of your target but relatively strong you can bring it home on target without looking at the watch again.

incentsitive

skyblue46 wrote: »

I would be of the view that you are overthinking it. Go with the paces if the app works for you. As long as it keeps you close to a sensible pace you are fine. ie. A negative split of at least 2 minutes! You're not going to start charging up a hill just because the watch tells you to. If you get to 20 miles within 2 minutes of your target but relatively strong you can bring it home on target without looking at the watch again.

I would be of the view that I am indeed over thinking it!

Buzwaldo

OOnegative wrote: »

I’d be easy enough spotted with a big balloon with 4.10 written on it!!!

Will be hoping to hunt you down, in the second halfðŸ˜ðŸ˜. That’s the plan anyway, no harm in hoping.

Naked Lepper

did the half marathon at 1.55
so tempted to go for 4 hour using the DCM pace band but i dont know if it is worth the risk
any tips on what to do?
maybe aim to reach the half way mark and 2.0x ? and see what i have left for the second half?
first marathon, longest run so far was 31k
training was so so, PB 10k is 48min

skyblue46

Naked Lepper wrote: »

did the half marathon at 1.55
so tempted to go for 4 hour using the DCM pace band but i dont know if it is worth the risk
any tips on what to do?
maybe aim to reach the half way mark and 2.05 and see what i have left for the second half?
first marathon, longest run so far was 31k
training was so so, PB 10k is 48min

That sounds good to me...more importantly don't go through 7 miles in less than 1:07. That's the toughest part of the course out of the way.

Naked Lepper

ok thanks will make sure to follow this guidance, dying to get to the starting line now at this stage! buzzing for it but kinda nervous and excited at the same time, will be glad to finish it but lately been feeling like i should give it everything and try finish in 4 hours or 3.59! might be a bit ambitious but why not aim high

this thread has been a great source of info over the past few months too, v much appreciate all of the advice.

ReeReeG

Getting in before curfew...

What are the thoughts on a warm-up before the marathon? The reason I ask is I generally take a couple of miles to feel warmed up so tend to do that before races, but would you do that for the marathon? Or just use the first couple of miles to loosen up as it's congested anyway?

Kellygirl

ReeReeG wrote: »

Getting in before curfew...

What are the thoughts on a warm-up before the marathon? The reason I ask is I generally take a couple of miles to feel warmed up so tend to do that before races, but would you do that for the marathon? Or just use the first couple of miles to loosen up as it's congested anyway?

I can’t imagine you having the space to warm up as you line up in your waves quite early. The first two miles will be very slow and stop start so I think use them as a warm up and be prepared to add a good 20-30 per mile 9mto your pace there.

skyblue46

Naked Lepper wrote: »

ok thanks will make sure to follow this guidance, dying to get to the starting line now at this stage! buzzing for it but kinda nervous and excited at the same time, will be glad to finish it but lately been feeling like i should give it everything and try finish in 4 hours or 3.59! might be a bit ambitious but why not aim high

this thread has been a great source of info over the past few months too, v much appreciate all of the advice.

Thanks. This thing about the first 7 miles is hugely important. I have mentioned it before but never explained it fully. Now is the moment! Like you, we last year and every previous Novice thread were warned to go out steady. Last year I looked at the table of times from the novices in 2016 which showed 10k, half, 30k and finishing times. I paid particular attention to those targeting 3:59:59 as that was my target. Most went through 10k on pace for 4hrs but not the minutes slower that had been suggested to us. Most missed their targets. After a chat we all decided to make that 10k our slowest of the race. We carried out the plan and then attacked the softer part of the course...the result? Negative splits all round and all targets smashed. It's a no brainer.

skyblue46

ReeReeG wrote: »

Getting in before curfew...

What are the thoughts on a warm-up before the marathon? The reason I ask is I generally take a couple of miles to feel warmed up so tend to do that before races, but would you do that for the marathon? Or just use the first couple of miles to loosen up as it's congested anyway?

The what! Curlews don't sleep much. The first 2 miles will be your warm up. Walk to the start, stretch a bit but don't bother running.

Naked Lepper

skyblue46 wrote: »

Thanks. This thing about the first 7 miles is hugely important. I have mentioned it before but never explained it fully. Now is the moment! Like you, we last year and every previous Novice thread were warned to go out steady. Last year I looked at the table of times from the novices in 2016 which showed 10k, half, 30k and finishing times. I paid particular attention to those targeting 3:59:59 as that was my target. Most went through 10k on pace for 4hrs but not the minutes slower that had been suggested to us. Most missed their targets. After a chat we all decided to make that 10k our slowest of the race. We carried out the plan and then attacked the softer part of the course...the result? Negative splits all round and all targets smashed. It's a no brainer.

good advice, will be certain to follow it!
is there a link to the table of targeted times from previous years? i think i saw it on here before but cant find it by searching unfortunately
would be interested in having a look over it


unrelated question - is everyone eating healthy and clean at this stage already? i've cut out take aways and alcohol etc. but have a very sweet tooth so cant give up the sweets etc. just yet, plan to cut them out from monday onwards if possible lol

skyblue46

Naked Lepper wrote: »

good advice, will be certain to follow it!
is there a link to the table of targeted times from previous years? i think i saw it on here before but cant find it by searching unfortunately
would be interested in having a look over it


unrelated question - is everyone eating healthy and clean at this stage already? i've cut out take aways and alcohol etc. but have a very sweet tooth so cant give up the sweets etc. just yet, plan to cut them out from monday onwards if possible lol

All you can do is trawl through the last 2 years threads looking for the days just after the marathon. Maybe someone nicer than me will link them! Haha

Naked Lepper

ill have a gawk should be somewhere around here in the 2017 thread

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057738126&page=370

Kellygirl

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=105117330&postcount=5471

Naked Lepper

Kellygirl wrote: »

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=105117330&postcount=5471

thank u!

skyblue46

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057738126&page=365

incentsitive

Naked Lepper wrote: »

good advice, will be certain to follow it!
is there a link to the table of targeted times from previous years? i think i saw it on here before but cant find it by searching unfortunately
would be interested in having a look over it


unrelated question - is everyone eating healthy and clean at this stage already? i've cut out take aways and alcohol etc. but have a very sweet tooth so cant give up the sweets etc. just yet, plan to cut them out from monday onwards if possible lol

I'm eating healthy anyway, I am still having a few biscuits and bars though. My diet is generally healthy enough anyway but I've cut out the Saturday evening takeaway and the odd bottle of beer that I have!

Having said that, I often remember the quote by an Offaly hurler the night before an All-Ireland final. "We're taking this match really seriously, training twice a week and some of the lads are off the beer since Tuesday".....:D

ReeReeG

incentsitive wrote:

Having said that, I often remember the quote by an Offaly hurler the night before an All-Ireland final. "We're taking this match really seriously, training twice a week and some of the lads are off the beer since Tuesday".....

The 90s were a great time 😀