Dublin marathon
Re: Dublin marathon
Great reports guys it was a pleasure cheering ye and fellow 795 ers on. Great deal of determination and grit shown by all on the day.
Re: Dublin marathon
For the 25th anniversary of the founding of racing795 in 2033 im going to publish a book with all these stories in it.
I'll be a bestseller for sure!
I'll be a bestseller for sure!
Re: Dublin marathon
Great report Mike - very informative.
Re: Dublin marathon
Thanks lads great honest reports. One of the best things about being part of 795. Would agree Mike - Double your half and 15 to 20 minutes catches most people's times that go to plan.
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ragingbill-74
- Posts: 154
- Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:10 pm
Re: Dublin marathon
Overdue Marathon report.
After a long lazy summer ( I was suffering from post Ironman blues) I decided to sign up to do the marathon. It's one of those things I wanted to do for a long time.At the start of the year my plan was to take advantage of my Ironman fitness and break 3 hrs for the marathon. But I just couldnt motivate myself to train after Ironman. Before I knew it the marathon was just around the corner. It was time to make a decision. So I signed up. I had to train now. Only problem was, it was only 6 weeks away and I hadn't ran since May (beside some races). That gave me 4 weeks hard training and 2 week taper. I did five 19 mile runs in 4 weeks varying from 8min pace to 7:35 pace. I ran 8 miles at 7min pace the week before dublin and that gave me some confidence. Too much confidence.
On race weekend I travelled up to dublin with Alma and the kids and registered on Sunday. Then booked into Harcourt Hotel. First mistake. We had e-mailed asking for a quiet room and instead we got a room on the street and a pair of earplugs!!! Went to bed early only to be woken at 2:30 by raucous crowds coming from Coppers. They weren't the biggest problem. Taxis beeping horns all frickin night and paper thin 1800 era windows were!! I did not get back to sleep.
Got up on race morning and felt surprisingly fresh. I went to race start way too early, but luckily took advice and brought an old garment to keep warm and throw away. Someone said to keep up near the front and not be trying to run around people, and I took that quite literally. I was right at the front. My plan was to go with the 3:20 pacer as I felt I had that in me. But all week, plagued by my confidence from the 8 mile run last week, I was considering the 3:10 group. As the race was about to start I looked around and realised the pacing groups were way back. Woops.
Bang. The gun went and off I went. I was running what I thought was conservatively only to find I was on the quays before the 3:00 group went past. I was just into Phoenix Park when the 3:10 group finally caught up and stupidly I went with them. I ran well with this group and felt I was close to but not at my limit for this distance. Got as a far as Dolphins barn with this group and was easing back so I could see Alma and the kids as I knew they'd be here somewhere and I didn't want to dissapoint the kids. I saw them just as I was turning onto Crumlin Rd and it was a great lift. I was soon to come crashing down. I had been distanced ever so slightly and turning into the wind I felt the full force of it when I should have been sheltered in the group. Crumlin rd felt like it went on forever. As I passed the half way mark I realised I was still doin ok and 3;20 was still a possibility. So I put the head down and ran at my pre-race 7:40 pace. The next few miles were a blur of both physical and mental pain as my form started to fall apart and each step became more painful, and the endless straight roads through suburbia numbed my brain.
I eventually gave in about mile 18/19 and stopped to stretch my calves which were cramping up and felt like blocks. I was only stopped two seconds when my good buddy from Kilkenny Tri club Austin Hennessey let out a war cry. We ran together til heartbreak hill. We stopped for gels together even though I wanted to keep going, coz he had waited for me so I was waiting for him. I got to the top of the hill and had to let him go. Shortly after, the 3:30 group went past and I was distraught. I was drawing on all my mental strength now to put one foot in front of the other. I stopped on the ramp off Stillorgan road and qeue'd to get a sip of Coke off a complete stranger. I wanted to gulp the half mouthful that was left when it was my turn, but there was still two more guys standing behind me!! That lifted me mentally and I got going again. The downhill shortly after got me going again and I actually felt like I was running, even though each step was pure agony as the road sent shockwaves up through my body.
I got within a few hundred metres of the RDS when I had to stop again. And as I looked up I noticed a 795 top had just passed. It was Mike. That lifted me a bit mentally as I have so much respect for Mike as an athlete. I tried my best to shout at him to hold up for me. I deperately needed company at that point. I ran as hard as I could and i was gaining on him slightly, but he was like a carrot on a stick. Tantalisingly close but still out of reach. Then he started to pull away. Thanks Mike!! The RDS was a welcome sight and I knew at that point I was gonna make it. But boy were those last few miles the longest and most painful I have ever endured. I got to the finish straight and looked up at the clock. It was just turning 3:34. There was no way I was gonna watch it turn 3:35 and I gave it everything I had. It felt like a sprint but was probably visually akin to a drunken slobber home.
I was filled with mixed emotions after finishing. Dissapointment, joy, Satisfaction, Pain. I slumped over a railing and let it all out. I was hoping somebody would pick me up and carry me to my family.
In hindsight i'm pretty happy with my time as 3:30 was a minimum target I had set myself, and it was a tough day for a marathon. I've learned a lot from the experience. Don't lie to yourself, if ya haven't done the training it ain't gonna magically appear on the day. Don't get caught up in the hysteria. Get a good nights sleep beforehand. Stick to your original plan.
All in all it was a great experience and i'd recommend it to everyone. And well done to all the 795'ers on completing the marathon. After going through it, it is a massive achievement, and chapeau to you all.
After a long lazy summer ( I was suffering from post Ironman blues) I decided to sign up to do the marathon. It's one of those things I wanted to do for a long time.At the start of the year my plan was to take advantage of my Ironman fitness and break 3 hrs for the marathon. But I just couldnt motivate myself to train after Ironman. Before I knew it the marathon was just around the corner. It was time to make a decision. So I signed up. I had to train now. Only problem was, it was only 6 weeks away and I hadn't ran since May (beside some races). That gave me 4 weeks hard training and 2 week taper. I did five 19 mile runs in 4 weeks varying from 8min pace to 7:35 pace. I ran 8 miles at 7min pace the week before dublin and that gave me some confidence. Too much confidence.
On race weekend I travelled up to dublin with Alma and the kids and registered on Sunday. Then booked into Harcourt Hotel. First mistake. We had e-mailed asking for a quiet room and instead we got a room on the street and a pair of earplugs!!! Went to bed early only to be woken at 2:30 by raucous crowds coming from Coppers. They weren't the biggest problem. Taxis beeping horns all frickin night and paper thin 1800 era windows were!! I did not get back to sleep.
Got up on race morning and felt surprisingly fresh. I went to race start way too early, but luckily took advice and brought an old garment to keep warm and throw away. Someone said to keep up near the front and not be trying to run around people, and I took that quite literally. I was right at the front. My plan was to go with the 3:20 pacer as I felt I had that in me. But all week, plagued by my confidence from the 8 mile run last week, I was considering the 3:10 group. As the race was about to start I looked around and realised the pacing groups were way back. Woops.
Bang. The gun went and off I went. I was running what I thought was conservatively only to find I was on the quays before the 3:00 group went past. I was just into Phoenix Park when the 3:10 group finally caught up and stupidly I went with them. I ran well with this group and felt I was close to but not at my limit for this distance. Got as a far as Dolphins barn with this group and was easing back so I could see Alma and the kids as I knew they'd be here somewhere and I didn't want to dissapoint the kids. I saw them just as I was turning onto Crumlin Rd and it was a great lift. I was soon to come crashing down. I had been distanced ever so slightly and turning into the wind I felt the full force of it when I should have been sheltered in the group. Crumlin rd felt like it went on forever. As I passed the half way mark I realised I was still doin ok and 3;20 was still a possibility. So I put the head down and ran at my pre-race 7:40 pace. The next few miles were a blur of both physical and mental pain as my form started to fall apart and each step became more painful, and the endless straight roads through suburbia numbed my brain.
I eventually gave in about mile 18/19 and stopped to stretch my calves which were cramping up and felt like blocks. I was only stopped two seconds when my good buddy from Kilkenny Tri club Austin Hennessey let out a war cry. We ran together til heartbreak hill. We stopped for gels together even though I wanted to keep going, coz he had waited for me so I was waiting for him. I got to the top of the hill and had to let him go. Shortly after, the 3:30 group went past and I was distraught. I was drawing on all my mental strength now to put one foot in front of the other. I stopped on the ramp off Stillorgan road and qeue'd to get a sip of Coke off a complete stranger. I wanted to gulp the half mouthful that was left when it was my turn, but there was still two more guys standing behind me!! That lifted me mentally and I got going again. The downhill shortly after got me going again and I actually felt like I was running, even though each step was pure agony as the road sent shockwaves up through my body.
I got within a few hundred metres of the RDS when I had to stop again. And as I looked up I noticed a 795 top had just passed. It was Mike. That lifted me a bit mentally as I have so much respect for Mike as an athlete. I tried my best to shout at him to hold up for me. I deperately needed company at that point. I ran as hard as I could and i was gaining on him slightly, but he was like a carrot on a stick. Tantalisingly close but still out of reach. Then he started to pull away. Thanks Mike!! The RDS was a welcome sight and I knew at that point I was gonna make it. But boy were those last few miles the longest and most painful I have ever endured. I got to the finish straight and looked up at the clock. It was just turning 3:34. There was no way I was gonna watch it turn 3:35 and I gave it everything I had. It felt like a sprint but was probably visually akin to a drunken slobber home.
I was filled with mixed emotions after finishing. Dissapointment, joy, Satisfaction, Pain. I slumped over a railing and let it all out. I was hoping somebody would pick me up and carry me to my family.
In hindsight i'm pretty happy with my time as 3:30 was a minimum target I had set myself, and it was a tough day for a marathon. I've learned a lot from the experience. Don't lie to yourself, if ya haven't done the training it ain't gonna magically appear on the day. Don't get caught up in the hysteria. Get a good nights sleep beforehand. Stick to your original plan.
All in all it was a great experience and i'd recommend it to everyone. And well done to all the 795'ers on completing the marathon. After going through it, it is a massive achievement, and chapeau to you all.
Re: Dublin marathon
Good man Bill - tough day out but no more than Tully - you finished.
Re: Dublin marathon
TV coverage on today at 4 on Setanta, though will be repeated during the week.
Re: Dublin marathon
Fair running for feck all training
Re: Dublin marathon
D'video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHzvv2pmQGE
with Trish McCord at 12:32:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHzvv2pmQGE#t=752
with Trish McCord at 12:32:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHzvv2pmQGE#t=752