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

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😊

Ah it was only the odd sentence here or there, maybe I should have saved my energy 🙈 thanks a mill, hopefully see you there😊

Thanks a mill, I know exactly what you mean. Strava just gives the bare numbers, race reports give the thoughts, decisions, grit & heart that goes into running a race. I love sitting down reading reports especially for the same race from different perspectives, it's brilliant 😊

Thanks so much, it wasn't easy but I got there! Of anything else in my running being consistent & focused is what I am most proud of😊

Thanks a mill E, happy to keep progressing however I can😊

Thanks so much, no it defo wasn't the easiest but happy I never gave up. I really don't want it to come across that I'm so wonderful for helping someone 🙈 all it was really was that I seen him walking, felt like slowing myself so really by helping him & saying lets do this together I was also helping myself. I know that feeling when you just don't think you have it in you & all you need is a positive voice to reassure you that you can...I did no more than anyone else would🤗