What's next.

MisterJinx

God almighty but work can just be crazy sometimes. I'm absolutely pull in all directions at the moment and it's quite hard to keep the head above water. Running is keeping me sane (more than usual) as it's something I can keep in control of and try and tick the box off each day and to have a focus for the mind that isn't work… It's working for me anyway and long may that continue as I'd crack up and just not leave the desk if I didn't have my run to do or kids to ferry to training and it forces me out and I always feel better after it.

I'm just into week 4 now of the Ben Parks HM training plan. Ramped up from 59K to 64K to 74K in the last 3 weeks. Mid week sessions have been a little spicy but no injuries thankfully and the body has been able to handle 800m repeats at 5K pace and 1k reps at 10k pace without me going completely off the rails and going far too fast which is the usual issue I have. I'm still probably going slightly on the faster side of the pace bands (5k pace intervals at 3.50 k/m or slightly faster, 10k pace intervals at 4k/m or slightly faster and HM really trying to be consistent around the 4.15 k/m pace).

It is amazing how I ran a HM 5/6 weeks ago at 4.18 pace and then you do a 3k HM interval at 4.15 in the middle of a long run and you are bunched, I suppose it's just the tired legs and all that but hopefully this works. I am trying to make sure I do the hard sessions hard and easy easy and the paces are correct for where I am at. Today is a rest day and really looked forward to it as I had to back end the 2 sessions last week into the end of the week so I was quite tired heading out on Sunday and really didn't fancy it but got it done which is all that matters and happy that I did, another box ticked off.

Week 1 59K Session 6x3k at 5k pace, LR 18k

Week 2 64K Session 6x1k at 10k pace, LR 8k easy 3k HM 8k easy

Week 3 74K Session 5x1k at 10k pace 3x400 at 5k pace, LR 5kEasy 3KHM 5KEasy 3KHM 5KEasy

Recovery week this week, back down to 58K with a 3x8 HM session and 18K long run all easy.

Also wound up bookending the Clontarf HM with the Saint Coca's 5K and then the Docklands 5K as I liked those races when I've done them before. I need to remember the HM is the A race so I'll see closer to the time how I approach them (that is a lot of racing for me!)

MisterJinx

Week 7 of the plan. Things I'm learning.

Right now running 6 days a week is difficult.

• This is due to work mostly but also I've been tired as well from the load and on Monday's when there is a rest day planned I've wanted to take it, but Monday is one of the days I can definitely run, if I take the rest day I am under pressure for the rest of the week.
• I've been trying to make it up with a bit of Saturday running, it's not ideal and doesn't really fit as I normally do the supermarket shop at that time!
• I had been able to get a shortish run in on Wednesdays before the gym, that hasn't worked out the last couple of weeks. I'd like to keep the gym in place as it's good for me but it does mean that run is inconsistent.

I need to consider all of this for the next marathon build and maybe I can't up the mileage from last year which was the intention…..

I've enjoyed the sessions on the plan.

• Good range of paces from 5k up and different time/distance each week in the speedier sessions. I've enjoyed that and with the exception of the 1 minute repeats last week I've kept them all in range and not gone out too hard
• The HM intervals in the middle of the long runs have been harder than expected. I though they would be fairly straightforward but I struggled with the 6K on Sunday at pace (could have been the heat) but generally I've needed a walk rest after the interval (1 or 1.5 minutes) then then back to easy. I though it would be easier and it's not like I'm going a lot faster than my last race effort (less than 10 secs/k than Bohermeen)
• I hope it feels easier on the day, I expect it will as training is usually harder than race day (that is what I'm telling myself anyway)

I missed about 4 runs over the last 3 weeks. Not ideal and reasons are above so I'm not hitting the mileage on the plan. Slightly worrying but there is not a lot I can do except prioritise the sessions. I'm about ~10k short each week

Week 4 - 50K - took the rest day on Monday and didn't catch up in the end and only a short run at the weekend, busy bank holiday added to limited availability

Week 5 - 67K - both sessions and 22k vanilla long run (5 days running only)

Week 6 - 69K - good session on Tuesday with 15 min HM followed by 8x1m 5K (but a bit fast but not fast enough to cause an injury or strain anything thankfully). Tried to catch up some mileage on the sat but after 3 laps of the pitches at GAA training I was done mentally and physically.

This week is supposed to be 80K but I'm not going to hit it as I've a bike ride on Sunday, will do the long run on Saturday instead. Will see if I can do a short run before the gym or skip the gym, not sure yet.

Oh I bought some new gear!! Got a couple of pairs of the Asics 2:1 5in shorts (with cycling short type boxer under them) for €25 a pop. They are not the ventilate version I have already, the material is solid, but I do like these as it stops the leg chafing.

Needed to refresh a couple of the running singlets as the grey UA ones just haven't lasted so got a couple of new ones, hope they are the same model, some product names can be similar but not the same. I've found the UA ones great, super soft and don't cause any rubbing. Threw a pair of regular shorts in the basket to see how they go if I use the anti-chafe cream on shorter runs.

Saw a 25% off voucher for 365 rider and wound up buying the Saucony ride 17, I'm going to return them as it was just an impulse buy with the discount!! I like softer shoes and the reviews of these don't match what I want, will try them on but expect to return.

Thinking of getting the NB 1080's v13 or Rebel v4 for a comfort ride and then either the Speed or Triumph 21 for daily in the marathon block. I'll see how the budget is. I've a voucher for the run hub so going to try and get over there at the weekend

MisterJinx

Week 7

Spicy enough week. Session was 5min @10k with 2 minutes rest and 4 x 2 mins at 5k pace. After the first rep it all came together and hit the paces no issue.

It was a high mileage week so I kept getting the runs in. Saturday was the long run with stuff. 5K on off for 25K, so 2x5K at HM pace. At this stage I'd been running 12 days straight which is probably beyond me at this stage. Got out to the PP in 5K, then there is a loop around the visitors centre of just over 5K so started at the Cabra gate and went for it. First HM 5K went fine, hit the paces, 3rd 5K was easy, when I went for the second 5K at HM pace I knew the legs just didn't have it, I could feel the fatigue. I didn't stop though, ground out a 5K at 4.27 m/k, not the pace I was looking for but I was kind of happy with myself for toughing it out as it would have been much easier to call it a day. There was a slog home with a stop for an ice cream and a half litre of Lucozade sport!

75K for the week in total which is better than I expected although still a little shy of the planned 80k (with a 70k cycle thrown in for good measure).

Week 8

I was very happy for the rest day on Monday of week 8 and a step back week. I decided I would take the rest and just ease off as I could feel the energy levels were low. 4 runs, 58K and an S&C session for the week. Very manageable. Only session was 4x 1 mile at HM pace which was comfortable enough at 4.10 m/k as it was after the rest day so felt refreshed for it.

This week and next week are peak weeks, >80K each, that is marathon mileage for me. Will be good to get them over with. Session done already this week and 2 runs completed. I just need to figure out the weekend as there is, again, a good bit on.

We'll see how this all pans out however I do feel my form is improving. On the session this evening I didn't have to concentrate on the form as much, I seemed to be naturally running a bit taller. I've also found that when trying to get up to higher paces I'm not relying on a very fast turnover to do it, "I feel" I'm using more of my stride and mechanics overall to get there. I'm sure if I had a video it'd still very much look like plodding however it does feel better and more engaged with a better arm swing and hips more forward. Even though the S&C is only once a week perhaps it's making a bit of a difference.

MisterJinx

Week 9

This was the first of the peak weeks. Speed session was 5mins HM, 2mins 10K and 1min 5K x4 on the Tuesday. This went pretty well, paces were probably at the top end however again with the loop I was doing I had the downhill for the 10K and 5K portion so to have the effort right I felt I need to be 5to 10 sec's per km faster than I could actually manage in reality. Some of the session have been complicated like this one so instead of just using the lap button I programmed in the session on my watch. It's really handy when it buzzes you to change which is great but I did also put in the pace zones and that got annoying really quickly as it was going off all the time either as I'm starting, loosing gps, speeding up into the next pace bracket and overshooting a bit…lots of buzzing

The long run was 24K as 8K Easy 8K HM and 8K Easy. Went to the PP for this and did a big loop from the Ashtown gate, up to Castleknock gate, down chesterfield and around by the Zoo and up the north road to finish back at the Ashtown gate. I was really happy to have hit the pace, especially coming up the north road which I thought could really kill me off but I held up really well and walked away with a bit of confidence.

In total 84K on the plan and 84K completed so was also really happy to have ticked all the boxes for the week.

Week 10 was a different story! 13K very easy on the Monday and the session was supposed to be Tuesday but I was lone parenting, had a sh1t tone of work on my plate and by 7pm even the thoughts of a run coupled with the jobs to do still had me on edge. My 11 year told told me it was fine to skip the run so I did, she was right. I'd a work evening the following day, no run, and a hangover after going to Fat Boy Slim on Friday (it was sh1te) and decided I wasn't going to flog a dead horse.

I got my session in on Thursday, 6x 800m at 10k and 200m at 5k. I did this at the 15 acres in the PP. The wind was fierce strong, the head was a little sore after the previous evening but the sun was out and it didn't go too bad. The long run was 16K easy, 8k HM and 2K easy. I ran clockwise into the park, around by the zoo and up to Castleknock train station and then from there I had a nice straight 8k along the canal and finishing me off just about the 2k from home. The gradient and bit of a breeze were with me so I did decided to make sure the effort was there and get the pace to 4.10 instead of 4.15. I cruised along, obviously the fresh legs helping me as much as the favourable route. I got the nicest (indirect) complement along the way, I was passing out these two ladies out for their run and I just heard in the background "he just breezed along - yeah yeah totally breezed by" - nice to think someone thinks you're breezing along :-) It's taken 8 years to get to this point.

So not a good week volume wise, 60k out of 87K on the plan. Life happens. Also my knee was sore this morning, just below the knee cap. I was going to run today and make up a bit of volume but decided rest was the best thing to do, getting sensible in my old age. I'll hammer the IT bands with the massage gun this evening and hopefully that will do the trick.

2 more week now, I've booked Saint Coca's but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to make it as I might not have transport to get out there and also it's the week before the HM and it wouldn't be a good idea, I think, to race it considering the Clontarf half is the A race. If I do get to go I'm going to put the watch on HR and get to 175bmp/~85% effort and hold it there. I'm going to do the Docklands 5K the week after the HM so I can race that, although I'm sure the legs will be a little cooked (assuming the HM goes ok that is!)

MisterJinx

Weeks 11 and 12 were a bit of a mess, to be honest. My knees were sore, so I had to start running every other day, and work was incredibly hectic. My mileage dropped quickly as life took over. Then I realized I had miscalculated my dates and ended up creating a 3-week taper instead of the planned 2-week taper. I had accidentally used the date for Saint Coca’s instead of the half marathon when making my plan. What a stupid mistake.

On top of that, I came down with an allergy on Monday evening after cutting the grass at home. I woke up the next morning completely stuffed up and spent the week trying different meds. By the time I got to Saint Coca’s, my mileage was down to about 30K for the 2 weeks of tapering, having missed out on 20K from the peak week.

Race Report: Saint Coca’s 5K

I decided to stick with my plan of not treating it as an all-out race but instead getting into that high threshold, low VO2 max heart rate zone and holding it there. After a 12-hour day sitting in the home office, I got up at 6:30, threw on my gear, and headed out the door.

I managed a reasonable warm-up with some easy running, strides, and about a minute and a half of tempo work to shake off the initial stiffness. I really like this race. You start by heading over the motorway, through some roundabouts, and then onto country roads for most of the route. I met @murph_D at the start line, we wished each other good luck, and then we were off.

I set my watch to monitor my heart rate, managing the start for the first few hundred meters before steadily getting up to the high 160s. At the 3K mark, I was feeling strong, so I pushed slightly into the low 170s, and it felt great to be passing people instead of being passed.

Around the 4K mark, I started to feel the effort and had to dig in a bit. My heart rate probably peaked at around 175 as I climbed the hill towards the finish line. It was only when I could see and hear the finish gantry that I realized where I was, so I went for a sprint finish, seeing 19 minutes on the clock.

I finished in 19:15, which is a 31-second pb! It was an excellent result, especially knowing that I had more in the tank because I hadn’t gone all out. Maybe managing my effort well, even without hitting the really high heart rates, gave me a better performance than going all out the entire race. Something to think about for the future.

MisterJinx

Clontarf Half Marathon

This is now the 3rd week of taper! I was still only running every other day and had to skip the speed sessions because work was insane. This project is wrapping up, but it's taken a lot out of me. Sometimes, even when I had time to run, I just didn't have the energy.

I was still feeling the head cold and allergies from the previous week, which hadn’t fully cleared. After Saint Coca’s, I was feeling confident, but that started to fade as the week went on. I didn't get much running done during the week and felt like I was falling off my peak.

On race day, it was very windy, and the crowds were insane. I moved up through the crowd to get closer to the front, but the 1:30 pacer balloons disappeared around the corner early on, and I never saw them again.

For the first 6 or 7 ks, the wind was at my back, and I was flying along. Looking back, I realise I was probably going too fast. I was running at about 4:10-4:11 / k, with my heart rate in the high 160s. My thinking was to bank some time while the wind was behind me, knowing it would be tough on the way back. When we turned around at Sutton after about 10K, I realized just how strong the wind was!

I was struggling with my cold, which hadn’t gone away. I couldn't breathe through my nose, so I had trouble eating my energy sweets and had to swallow them whole. I was also getting thirsty and had to stop and walk to drink water at the roundabout on bull island. The wind was brutal as we headed back onto the promenade, and by about 13-14K, my energy levels dipped. I knew a sub-1:30 finish was out of reach, and my motivation just left me. It became a real struggle from about 16K onward, with the wind making it even harder. I'm not sure if it was physical, mental or both, perhaps just seeing the pace tick down got to me.

People were passing me, and I knew it wasn't my day. I walked through another water station just to get a drink, and the last few k's were a real struggle. My Strava graph shows a serious bonk around 13-15K, where the wheels just fell off, although my HR was down rather than up. Finishing time was 1.32 high and I certainly didn't feel great about it afterwards however it is my 3rd fastest HM and I did a 10K pb out on the course but it's not what I wanted.

Reflecting on it, the wind was tough, but my faster start might not have helped. I had hoped to have some energy reserves to fight through the wind and get a PB, but it just didn’t happen.

Next week, I have the Grant Thornton 5K on Thursday. I'll probably do one or two runs in between, but my legs are feeling quite heavy with lactic acid. I thought after Saint Coca’s that I could take more time off my 5K, so we'll see how it goes. Then I have the Fingal 10K on Sunday. That makes four races in three weeks, which is the most I’ve ever done. I normally don’t race much and won’t race again until the Dublin Half in September, when I'll be well into marathon training. We'll see if I have anything more to give in these next two races.

MisterJinx

The end of the racing block :-)

Wow 4 races in such a short time, I've never done that before and I have to say I found it enjoyable. I wouldn't do it all the time though as my general consistency was out the door and I would rest up before the races so the mileage was down quite a bit and I was tired however it was good to experience it.

GT 5K - Another PB :-)

The details are getting hazy now but this was a good one. As I put on my Strava, this is the race, exactly 8 years ago that I did my couch to 5K after not doing very much exercise and smoking for 20 years. I do like this race and I think it's this race that has all my previous 5K PB's. I did think there was something in this for me based on Saint Coca's so I went in feeling good and confident enough of running a good race.

Cycled down from work and got the bag dropped off and all that and the did a bit of a warm up. I think I'm getting better at these and did some strides and a couple of minutes tempo and some dynamic stretches. Lined up just behind the 20 minute pacers, rather than pushing up past them, and then headed off. Again I went with the HR on the watch. Had to push through a busy first 500 meters (maybe should have pushed up a little ahead of the 20 pacers) and then just got myself into a nice rhythm. Ticked through the first few km's and at 3k I was going to switch the watch but decided I was ok with what i was doing. I knew from the turn around that I had put a reasonable gap to the 20 minute pacers so I just kept moving along. At 4k I had to bite down and keep it moving and then I was staring at the gantry for the last 500 meters. I had heard an 18 from the announcer when I was within earshot so I gave it everything and crossed the line. Checking Strava it gave me 18.52 which is just amazing. I was delivered, when I checked the race results the next day it only had 19.02. I don't know why that happened, I obviously understand it on a half due to the longer distances but I've never seen that on such a short distance. I "claimed" the 18.52 when I updated my strava - probably cheating in some way as I always use the chip time but I've already done it so maybe just this once I'll go with the watch and take the slap on the wrist…:-)

Fingal 10K Another Another PB :-)

I was conscious that this was the 4th race, I'd been chatting to someone during the week and they did highlight that a bit of caution might be needed for this one and I thought they were right so I decided not to "race it". Lined up with MrsJinx a good bit behind the 50 minute pacers and I was happy to go off at an easier pace and see how the legs felt. It's a really crowded start and MrsJinx was happy to have a big lad there to get her through the crowds at the start however after about 400 meters she waved me on so off I went. This was just before the turn onto the motorway so I was able to get into the middle of the road and just work my way through the crowd.

Passed the 50 minute pacers fairly quickly and then we headed onto the country roads. It was a couple of K's before I saw the next set of baloons and I was actually just moving really nicely. However I was a bit confused and it took me a couple of minutes to realise they were 45 minute pacers and that I had slowed a little and I had to work my way around them which was harder to do on the tighter roads. All the same I was still moving well, I had all the screens available and clocked that my first 5k was 21.3x which was slow enough but I was feeling good. Pass a couple of club mates along the way and again just kept moving along, HR was low 16x's. Comfortably hard but not into the red line area at all.

The last 2/3k were an amazing feeling, I was looking at the pace and I was very comfortably on 4m/k pace. I was passing people all the time and my breathing was good while I could hear those around me starting to struggle. I've not experience that before and it did give me a mental lift. I was a little held up in the woods but not much and no one's fault as I had started so much further back and I did my best to just get around when I could using the bits of verge and grass.

Crossed the line in 41.27, another pb. It' looks like I did the second 5K in 20.07 which is just incredible :-) by the looks of it I lost about 30 seconds on the first km but I wasn't chasing a time so I'm happy to know there is more there and really delighted to see that there was a sub 4m/k and several 4m/k mixed in there over the race.

MisterJinx

Overall, very happy with this block of training although I didn't get the A goal which was the HM but the other results have given me a lot of confidence. Looking back my keys learnings are

1. I probably need to be around 50 miles / 80k per week to see these results, which is a lot of running
2. I can't do 6 days per week, for the marathon I will do 5 days and an S&C session
3. The variety of pace work in the plan probably did me very good, although some sessions were quite complicated
4. I'm now not afraid to be running for a prolonged period of time at sub 4m/k. I think I had a mental barrier here that 3.xx pace was just too fast and I would blow up. I'm not afraid of that anymore, I think :-)
5. Running to HR was a good way to just listen to the body and run a controlled race. However I think I am probably leaving time on the table. For races in the past I have run with HR in the 180's, I can go there, it's just very uncomfortable, I didn't want to for these, but if I want to get the most out of the race then I need to practice this.
6. Looking forward now to the marathon and for that distance probably a bit of confidence that the few blocks back to back have probably brought me on a bit.
7. Next year I think I'd re-evaluate doing HM block HM block Mara block. I think the 2 HM's block back to back might have been slightly too much (could have been life workload too) but I think a 5k 10k block in between might better, we'll see on this one.

crisco10

Thats a pretty hectic period of racing, but PBs falling like skittles speaks well to your form!

I totally hear you you on Point 4 btw; I still have that mental barrier.. 3:xx is fast. 4:xx is not.

MisterJinx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122412090#Comment_122412090

It was hectic but it worked out and no injuries afterwards which was the aim by the end of it all. I think the form is good, certainly managing myself better and finishing strong which is a turn up for the books

I think 3.xx will always be fast !!

MisterJinx

A very late update on marathon training. Because of holidays etc I wound up doing a shortened block of 10 weeks starting straight after the hols. It is short however with the 2HM blocks and the racing in June and July the fitness was there and a good amount of mileage so far this year already. In fact I just reach 2,000km this week, which is about 400km ahead of last year.

I went from a few flux weeks straight up towards 80k/week which was a bit of a risk but the body handled it fairly well and I wasn't concerned about injury at any stage and would have reduced if needs be. I'm on 6 weeks now in and around the 80K with last week being a peak week of 95K and probably much the same this week before starting to taper back down.

I'm made most runs however there were a couple of easy ones missed which account for the fairly flat 5 weeks but in those weeks I was varying intensity so even there was step back in intensity even if the mileage stayed the same.

I've been doing mid-week tempo work and speed work. The speed work has been fine, 5k reps, some of the tempo has been more challenging at HM and MP pace. I've also been working good blocks of MP into the long runs. I was pretty doubtful on MP for a few weeks but it is starting to feel a bit easier now. Last long run was 5K intervals for 35K and I was holding 4.30m/k and not completely fecked by the end of the 5K intervals which was a great confidence booster! Legs were very tired though but that is to be expected and I know fresh tapered legs will make all the difference.

I use the HR to gauge where I'm at and the HR keeps decreasing for all my paces including MP efforts and they seems to be hitting low Z3 for those efforts which is where I'd want it to be. Once the legs freshen up on the taper I should be better able to predict a Marathon time for myself but the signs are ok at the moment. It still feels "fast" but the effort level is definitely in the right space and I'm hitting the paces for all the sessions I'm doing.

I've only had one niggle worry. A little bit of hamstring pain on the left side, actually lost power in the leg on the long run on Sunday for about 30 seconds but it came back. A pain running from the top of the glute down the hamstring, if I get it again I'll book straight into the physio (she hasn't seen me yet in this block so that is another good sign!).

Stomach has been a little iffy at times. I'm just using decathon gels this time as I couldn't get a hold of the Torq ones and the decathlon ones had been fine. It might just be the few beers of a Saturday night, hopefully not an issue and I think sometimes i just get like that, doesn't even have to be a long run with gels, just a bit windy/crampy at times. I suppose all the effort will put some strain on the system in one way or another. I think I remember it from other blocks too but I was fine on the day.

Speed, tempo and the longest run this week, getting through it and then staving off any sickness will be the main battle until race day :-)

MisterJinx

DCM ’24 – A goal time – 3.09.59; Result 3.09.36, a 10 minute pb

Where to start, firstly I’m really happy with the result but secondly and probably most importantly I was so impressed with the race and support on the day, it’s only my 3rd marathon but easily the best atmosphere I’ve experienced in a race and one that I won’t forget. All the hot spots along the course felt bigger, louder and more supportive. The crowd really roaring everyone on and it felt like there were much fewer quiet spots than in the 2 previous years.

I know there has been a bit of debate about the start and finish changes but I thought both worked very well, I’d no issues with the wave start and I thought that not hitting the corner of Leeson street was a good change.

The final mile was a hella noise and crowds and the twists and turns were actually good imo, the only thing I thought was a little less successful was the final 300 meters where you turned onto the pepper canister church where the crows either seemed a bit removed or less crowded compared to the previous stretches however I was working hard at that point and wouldn’t really have fully taken it in so it didn’t matter to me so much.

I’m very happy with the race execution and I’m going to start there as, for me, getting that right made the whole experience so enjoyable. I was just so pleased with my performance on the day. I had said in previous posts that I did feel that the 4.30 m/k pace felt fast in training, and it did in training, but after my now traditional super hard taper, and one MP chunk on the Saturday prior to the race which was horrible, I wasn’t 100% that I could do it. I’m happy to accept what happens on the day and go with it but this was a really good outcome.

The stats are good

First Half 1.36.25 Second Half 1.33.22

Last 10k was the fastest of the race at 43:36 (4.22 avg pace)

Last 5K was my fastest 5K of the race at 21.24 (4.17 avg pace)

Last Mile was the fast mile at 6.38 (4.07 avg pace)

Last K was the fastest at 4.04

It goes on however the takeaway is the strong finish. I actually can’t believe I finished that strong and was able to ramp up to the paces that I did towards the end. Conservative first half and then a steady progression in the second half made it really enjoyable. I'm not sure 100% on the stats on the chiptime website but from that it looks like I passed over 500 people in the second half. If you were being super critical, and I’m not, then you could say I was a little too conservative in the first half and maybe there was another minute or 2 in there but that wasn’t the aim so I’m happy with it. 

I’ve been catching up with race reports etc while writing this and I see that @crisco10 has just done the same as above and with a similar trajectory, promise I wasn’t copying you!!!

I’ll pre-empt a possible question, in case anyone reads this! and asks, what do I think made that possible then I’d say the fact that I had speed work every Tuesday and in those sessions I made sure I was working hard and going at a very solid (if slightly ambitious, for me) 5K pace. Thursday's tempo sessions tended to have a block (usually 5K) at MP and then a shorter block (3k usually) at HM pace, I think this might have really trained the legs to pick up the pace from MP to HMP when you are tired and working hard already. 

To the race itself. We got in plenty early and had a little hanging around to do but this was fine as I was a little concerned about the walk to the start line as I did cut it a little fine last year so erred on the side of caution. I was down in Wave 1 corral by 8.20 ish and in my mind had expected to meet loads of people I knew but that didn’t happen but I was quite happy just taking it all in. Positioned myself between the 3.20 and 3.10 pacers and it was a happy, if slightly nervous start. 

It was the usual bustle and I just made sure to keep to the inside, not get tripped up, keeping the pace steady and not trying to weave and bounce around too much. It was all fairly manageable with the bit of experience behind me now.

Down parliament street and onto the quays  where I drew alongside @Lazare. We had a quick chat and then, as he said to me afterwards, to his great relief, I said goodbye as I was doing my own thing.

The kids were in Stoneybatter where I gave them a hug and trundled on. At this stage I was just keeping it at the right effort and not getting carried away with myself. Again going up Chesterfield avenue I was keeping to my approach to be conservative on the hills, which meant I was going backwards compared to those around me but I’d accepted it and just had to let everyone head off around me. Castleknock was a sea of noise and then the lovely downhill through the park where I shook out the arms, relaxed into it , let the HR drop and made back a bit of time.

No issues through Chapelizid or Ballyfermot, up Saint Lorences hill where my club had a little station and I got a call out :-) . I think after the few days have passed I’ve kinda of forgotten a lot of the detail however I also think I was in a running zone for most of it, just trundling along and keeping to the plan. Halfway came before I expected it. I clicked the watch and saw 1.36, very within the range I’d set myself.

I remember tucking behind a couple of runners going up through Crumlin, getting a little wind break and then around towards Walkinstown. This was the only real part where I thought I might have an issue. My foot was getting quite sore, on the sole of my right foot and what felt like the tongue slipping. I wasn’t sure whether to stop and adjust it or not. In the end I just tried to kick the sole a bit to see if I could center it or settle it a bit. I decided I’d stop in a bit if it got worse but it didn’t, so I didn’t, and on we trundle. 

I fell in behind Lazare again at this stage, I wasn’t catching him, he was just about 50 meters in front of me, moving at the same pace so I fixed on his back for a while and kept moving until he had to stop a stretch out a calf in Terenure. I gave a holler and held back a little to see if he could catch back up which he did soon enough and I checked how he was doing. I had an ibuprofen in the back pocket and was carrying a bottle of water so I offloaded them to him and then, very politely said again that I was doing my own thing, put the music back on and trundled on again, sometimes with him close beside me and other times just behind. 

I’d been more conscious of pace since half way, in that, looking at the 2 previous years I noticed that I could have pushed on a bit once over the half way stage, so without over exerting and keeping the HR in check I had been gradually upping the pace and watching the average pace, very slowly creep down. Orwell Road help here and down to Milltown and the slow crawl up the hill, backing off as usual and running over the top. It seems to works as I usually get back ahead of anyone who passed me within a few meters over the top. 

Round onto the Clonskeagh road and I was, as I had been for most of the race, using the racing line as best I could. I’d added 90 meters to the first half but I know that the route in the second half had more potential to have you running long, so I’m sure I was being quite annoying, but I made sure to run the tangents as best as possible. It was here that I noticed some people passing me, 3 girls who seems to be running/racing together in particular as the passed me at the turn for Clonkeagh road however I passed them, 3 times, on the next 3 sweeping bends as I took a better line. A few other passed just before the Mosque and this was the stage where I knew I needed to concentrate. I was happy that the legs responded and I was able to up the pace a bit when needed. 

Getting onto Foster Ave was great and I was again able to keep up the pace and it was steadily getting a little faster. I was relaxed and had been since half way as I knew there was a big pb here and how much didn’t really matter so it was about maintaining the rhythm and managing myself but the check-ins didn’t report anything bad with the exception of some tight calves which didn’t seem anything more than that.

By the end of Fosters I was catching and passing a lot of runners and it was a great feeling and added to the sense of confidence. My friend was at RTE again and the boost just here was amazing for heading down Nutley. I looked at the watch and I was doing 4.07 pace at that split second and feeling good, a strong finish was definitely on the cards.

When I turned into the embassy belt I could see the green balloons of the 3.10 pacers probably 400 meters ahead of me and that was now my goal.

I set a steady pace, not too hot, to catch them and was doing great until I realised the final pacer was a good bit away from the other 2, then he stopped and had to stretch out his calf!! Oh no, he was a a good bit off the others and I still had a lot of work to do. I was hitting the 40k mark now and looked at the watch as it literally clicked on 3 hours. I was still able for quick maths and I’d 10 minutes for the 2k plus the .2 and whatever additional I had run, it was going to be tight but I decided I was going for it, with a HM pb of 1.30.01, and along held 5K pb of 20.01 I wanted to get under the arbitrary marker that means nothing but does all at the same time.

Off I went, aggressively taking the line round by the RDS and across the road opposite Rollies. @skyblue46 stuck his hand out there and again a little boost to see me to the end!. I seemed to be on the other side of the road to most of the other runners at this point but I did seem to have the shortest line so I just kept going for it and trying to reel in the green balloons ahead of me. 

I could have? / should have? taken the final mile in more, I’d the music off such was the noise but I was really concentrating now and I wanted that time, wanted to catch those balloons, wanted to pass anyone I could to get there. I had to go on the outside rounding onto the canal and then I had a momentary bit of confusion as I thought the balloons were the finish line and then had the realisation there was no clock and it was finishing where I thought it was supposed to, so it was a matter of keeping on going as fast as I could and getting to the line, a final push for 300 meters, I gave it everything that I had left.

I think I finished 2 seconds after the green balloons! What a feeling of exhilaration, I felt on top of the world. 

Some great chats afterwards and then pints with Skyblue, Lazare, @MiniMonstera and MrsJinx to round off a great day. 

I’ve gotten loads of compliments and congratulations from fiends and family which has been lovely. Quite a few questions about What’s Next, just like the title of this log, and to be honest I don’t know yet, I think I just want to let it all settle, enjoy the moment and maybe not set any marathon goals. It was a fair bit of work to get here and I probably don’t want to think about all that again right at this second. I’ve a BQ with a buffer of probably 5.30 on the new bands and there there is a sub 3 attempt that a couple of others have suggested. I’ll mull it all over. I do have Jingle Bells in December and I will give that a good rattle, but that is a completely different type of effort and pain! 

Lazare

Absolutely fantastic P. So very well done.

I said it to you on Sunday, you can either be the boss of the course or you can let the course be the boss of you.

You were the boss on Sunday.

Bravo sir!!

MisterJinx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122781125#Comment_122781125

Thank C, you had a great race yourself and a super result! Well done you

crisco10

Brilliant report MJ - a great read. Delighted you got under the arbitrary time on this occastion.

10 minute PB is no joke, and I really think we had similar races just 10 mins apart.

See you at Jingle Bells where you should drop under another arbitrary time!

MisterJinx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122781889#Comment_122781889

The breakdown looks eerily familiar except for the pace !!

MiniMonstera

Brilliant report! The pints anf chats were lovely!