Dream big, work hard, achieve your goals - My DCM '19 Journey

Mon 30th - Rest

Tues 31st - Easy miles

Weds 1st Feb - W/U, 4*1k Eim, C/D

Thurs 2nd - 60 mins @ approx 140bpm

Fri 3rd - Easy with strides

Sat 4th - A few miles shakout with strides

A relatively easy week having raced Raheny on Sunday & then having Trim 10mile this week. It's a small sacrifice with Bohermeen being the target but I did want to try replicate the feeling from last weeks race.

Sun 5th Trim 10mile - Chip time 69:55

The week went by well, I was still really happy with how I ran Raheny & knew I wanted to feel that way again this week so didn't try put unnecessary pressure on myself. I had a good think & decided I would really be happy with 71mins & to run a good strong race. My FD 10mile PB was 72:44 so it would be a nice official PB. I decide again on quite a simple plan like last week, I think I have been guilty of over complicating things, something unfortunately I do a lot with other things in my life. My plan was in place & I felt quite happy with it!

I set off giving myself enough time to get parking etc. Parked in the multistorey carpark & just followed all the runners heading to the bagdrop. It was a few kms away so I used this as my warm up. Put my bag away after changing into my Alphas & then met @scotindublin . We chatted on the way to the start line discussing our goals for the race. We parted here & I settled into the crowd. It was a nice day for a race, a little chilly but the sun was shining. And we were off! I settled nicely and could see the 70min pacers ahead bit by bit getting further away. I felt really good & seen 7:04 for the 1st mile so was happy I was running how I had planned. The 2nd & 3rd miles went by nicely too, felt I could take the pace up a tiny bit as it felt quite comfortable. I had latched on to a nice group too, 3 men from St Coaca's running club who seemed to be pacing 2 girls. One of the girls had a long brown pony tail & in my mind I had set my sights on beating her. Then coming into mile 5 I had heard one of them say they were going for sub 70 & they seemed to be picking up the pace to catch the pacers. I decided here that I needed to ease off on the pace a bit, I was running well but I still had 5 more miles to go & I wanted a good race, not to blow up. I let them go ahead & settled behind with a few others. C had told me there was a hill in mile 6 so I knew I needed to see how I felt after this. I can't say I noticed it too much as in that it made me slow down. In fact I felt like I was getting stronger & listening to some runners around me I definitely wasn't struggling or hurting as much as them. This really made me feel very confident, I knew I'd get the 71mins or possibly under it. The miles were going by so quickly and I was really enjoying this race! I had caught up with the 3 lads but they only had the brown haired pony girl with them & they were really trying to will her on, I ran side by side with her & felt I could pick up even more. She said well done to me, keep going & I told her to hang on too. I then ended up running along side 2 of her paces for a bit. They too encouraged me which was really nice!

Mile 8 clicked on my race & I genuinely couldn't believe how strong I was feeling, the headwind was very noticeable now but it didn't seem to affect me much at all, it was as if I decided fook you wind, you are not going to slow me down!! I was getting closer to the 70 min pacers but didn't really believe I could catch them but that was ok because I was really happy to be racing as strongly as I was!! Mile 9 came up on my watch & I nearly had to pinch myself, I felt like I was picking up the pace & felt so strong, I was digging deep here & really believed I could not empty myself anymore but then with about half a mile to go one of the 70min pacers had slowed down a bit as we turned into the industrial estate, Cmon girl I'm gonna get you under 70mins, push yourself, cmon. Oh my god I thought, is it really possible that I will go sub 70mins, I pushed even harder, the adrenaline was pumping my heart so hard which in turn made my legs pump even harder. The pacer urged the crowd to cheer too, cmon he said, we'll get it on chip time!! The whole crowd were cheering, was I dreaming, this was amazing, this is what the elites must feel all the time, all most there were the shouts from the crowd, one final push & I was over the line!! Oh my fookin god I did it, I absolutely smashed it!!! This was the stuff dreams are made of! After composing myself I found the pacer & I thanked him so much, he was amazing, without him I wouldn't have pushed as hard because I honestly believed I couldn't. He said he did the easy bit as I hadn't been in his group so he said to be able to catch them showed I ran a good strong race, I almost cried, feeling so so proud & happy.

I met C afterwards & he was so happy for me while dealing with his own dissapointment of 1 bloody second!! I told him I was in awe of his racing & that it was ok to feel that sense of not quite getting what you wanted on the day. We set off for a cool down with 2 of his friends which I was delighted about as it's always nicer running with others especially when you don't know an area. We headed back then to the carpark & said goodbye.

I was grinning all the way home & had a few really happy conversations to anyone who would take my call🤣@skyblue46 was absolutely thrilled for me, even when I didn't believe in myself he did & I do appreciate his really good training plans & support he gives me.

My plan again was to run a nice strong race. I had an average pace in mind but this was not set in stone. I felt I learned a bit more about racing again. I was able to judge the efforts a lot better in this race, the paces kept me honest but the efforts were what made me believe I could go a bit harder at times & still feel comfortable. I have gained huge confidence from the last 2 races, going sub 70 was never the plan but Jesus did it feel amazing emptying myself with seconds to go to get it, it's a feeling I won't forget for a long time, it's up there with my 19:33 5k race!

I was thrilled then to hear @Murph_D had also gone sub 70, what an absolute legend😉

Looking over my splits I genuinely couldn't believe I ran the last mile in 6:36😲my fastest mile of the race!! My splits came in at 7:04, 7:01, 6:58, 6:59, 7:10, 6:58, 7:01, 7:02, 6:55 & 6:36.

My confidence has been very shaky for a while now but these last few weeks have really made me believe in myself again. I have enjoyed the high but now I want to get stuck into my plan for Bohermeen & give it my all, at the end of the day that's all we can do!

Thanks so much, yeah it's mad to see the difference. Had a full NCT in the docs & finally got some answers on stuff that had been going on, the joys of being a woman🤪🤣

Hopefully it's a nice route😊

Cheers D, weirdly enjoyed it🤣

Ok just to clear this up, he saved my life once, 2nd time, once he was across safely he shook his head & said it's people like you that give us runners a bad name🤷‍♀️🙄

Mon 6th - Rest

Tues 7th - W/U, 6*600@5K pace off 200, C/D

Weds 8th - Easy

Thurs 9th - W/U, 5*800@hmp off 200, C/D

Fri 10th - Rest

Sat 11th - Easy with some strides

Sun 12th - Bohermeen Half Marathon - Chip time 1:31:58

The week had gone well despite the bad weather, got absolutely soaked to the skin on Thursday but it was a real confidence booster as I felt really good after it. Was out at my Bro in laws 40th the night before but was very good as I just had a blackcurrant! All the gear was laid out & I was actually feeling quite excited about it. As I was getting ready my OH said he wanted to come with me so it meant I didn't have to fret about a) not getting lost & b) trying to get parking. We arrived at about quarter past 10 & things were looking very congested with parking, it was nothing like that the last few times I was here but afterwards I heard there was an issue with access to the field they usually use. I seen @Lazare heading to the meeting point we agreed so my OH told me to hop out & he'd sort parking. I meet C then we waited for K, but with no sign of him we headed off to the clubhouse. A quick warm up around the track then we headed off to the start, very congested so we made our way through the crowds near enough to the front. We had both discussed our race plans & times etc & it was amazing afterwards that we both executed them so well. We were both feeling very positive & fairly calm which was great. My A plan was to run 1:31:59 plan B was to get a PB from Rathoath which was 1:33:01, whilst trying to make sure each mile came in under 7:05 min miles.

Miles 1-3 Myself & C parted ways, both with the intent to execute the plans we had discussed. It was a very congested start and I didn't do a great job of cutting my way through it. I knew I needed to try build up to my pace with it was quite difficult. Once I got going I settled into a bit of a rhythm it felt good. My new motto which I was already saying was "run the mile you're in" it really worked & would help me a lot throughout the race. Miles came in at 7:04,7:04,7:01

Miles 4-6 Turned onto the Athboy road and it was just around here I met with a man from Donadea Running AC. We ran together for a bit when I more or less introduced myself, it felt like the right thing to do haha! We chatted for a bit, he said he had ran a 10mile race the week previous & had gotten himself a nice PB, but he said he was feeling awful already. I told him I feel like that a lot in training & to keep going that he would find a comfortable pace, he agreed. He asked my PB & I told him & also told him what I was aiming for, I was feeling pretty good so went on ahead & he wished me well but turned out to be never too far from me. I was defo noticing the wind at times because a lot of the time I was alone or maybe just with one or two other people, no groups for me to latch onto unfortunately but again I repeated my mantra. Miles came in at 7:00,7:01,7:05

Miles 7-11 There is a drag right off the back road onto the long start/ finish road and it felt tough enough. When I got onto the straight I saw a little group ahead, 3 men so I decided to try catch them. I tucked in with them & low & behold one of them was Andrew from earlier, I ran beside him & he just grinned & said ah you're back, I said yep I just needed a breather, to which one of the other blokes said don't we all!! We crossed over the bridge & it felt very exposed, we had all separated slightly so no real protection on offer. At almost 10 miles one of the men gasped & said fook this is tough, I said sure we're nearly there, to which he gasped, no we're not, not even close. I just said well we've run way more miles than we have left to run to which one of them said yep You're right! I moved on here as I was feeling like I was starting to hurt a bit, gps wasn't great & I was fairly disappointed with miles 10 & 11 when I seen them come up. Miles came in at 6:57,6:58,7:02,7:09, 7:06.

Miles 11-Finish I was hurting now & feeling a bit frustrated with myself after seeing the last 2 miles, I shouldn't have given in & slowed, the wind played a part in it but was I giving up too easily?? I knew I had put in a really good solid block of training, consistency & hard work, it was all there so I was fooked if I was going to give up!! I picked the pace up again, had my sights on a woman with 2 buns in her hair & really nice adidas shorts, she was my target. I ran solidly & passed her here along with Andrew from earlier. The support was really good in a few parts of the course & being a women usually running with mostly men I get a lot of shouts saying Do it for the girls! I also love the look on mens faces when I arrive beside them, that 2nd glance & realise I'm just a little lady then as I pass by I usually get a comment like great running, Keep going. I was now heading around to the closing drag of a road before you enter the track. This absolutely felt like it zapped me, where was the amazing fight I had for the last mile in Trim? Where was that pacer, god I could really do with him now! My legs were burning now along with my lungs, sh!t this was hard, c'mon Elaine, you can do it, don't give up. My last few races I have been helped by random strangers on the race course & now it was time to pay my dues! Ahead of me was quite a tall man again in a Donadea top, he was walking, I was fooked & contemplated joining him! Nope not today, I remembered what the pacer had said to me, not on my watch, so I ran beside him took his arm & said c'mon we are going to finish this together, Ah I can't he replied, yes you can, please don't make me walk this with you. He started running again, we ran together then I seen the turn onto the track so I said lets finish this, off I went, ran as fast as my little legs could carry me, to which I heard my OH shout g'wan Crazy legs you can do it! I finished & checked my watch & was absolutely thrilled to see I got my plan A!! Miles came in at 6:59,6:55 then 6:00 for 0.11. I met C & gave him the biggest hug to congratulate him on what was a truly amazing run by him! As we were queuing for some goodies, the man I helped came over & kept thanking me saying there's no way he would have ran the last bit without me, that made me feel so nice. Then Andrew came over to me congratulated me for my time & told me he had finished in my old PB time!

A walk back to the van would have to suffice for a cooldown! As always it was a really good race, very well put together. Overall very happy to have a shiny new PB. Looking forward to hopefully giving Dunboyne a good go given my strava recorded a 43:10 10k which beats my TT PB.

338 out of 1328

8th in F40

A huge well done to all who raced, some amazing times & race reports to match😊