2008 Dublin City Marathon...

I couldn't sleep last night, it was so bad that I got up a 1am to clean the kitchen. After emptying the dishwasher (what did we do before dishwashers?), filling the dishwasher (I love it), sweeping the floor, and a host of other kitchen related tasks I went back to bed to try to get some sleep. It didn't work, I kept waking up every hour until it was time to get up. This always happens to me the night before something that requires a good nights sleep.

Well, morning had broken and all the athletes in the house were up getting ready while the rest of the household caught a few more Z's. After an extra big bowl of porridge and a final gear check we were out the door.

The cold air hit us like a wall; it was freezing outside, literally freezing! I had to defrost the car windows and crank up the heating to max before we could move. I drive a French car and as we all know the french do style really well but fall down on the engineering bit, so we looked fantastic as we willed the engine to start. As there were very few cars about at that time of the morning the drive to the city was quick and easy and we arrived at the hotel car park with plenty of time to spare; the plan was to leave the car there overnight and pick it up tomorrow.

With the car safely parked we joined a steady stream of runners heading for the baggage area. After some last minute lubrication (runners will understand) we made our way to the start line.

This is where the excitement really kicked in. I could sense that every single person on that start line, every one of the 12,000 people around me, are having the same thoughts running through their heads... "the next step is the first of many for the next 26.2 miles".

There was plenty of chatter as we waited for the starting gun. One guy behind me commented on the "Impossible Is Nothing" wording on the back of my t-shirt, I turned around and was very impressed with his "Bjorn Borg" costume; he had the long hair, head band and wrist bands down to a tee. After a brief conversation I quickly realised that it wasn't a costume, and I was all the more impressed!

My conversation with Bjorn was interrupted by the starting gun and we were off... to a very slow start. Such was the vastness of the crowd that we shuffled towards the start line but thankfully we managed to break into a slow jog as we approached the start line, two things you must do when participating in a race like this: run across the start line and the finish line, what happens in between is down to you and/or the forces of nature!

We jogged past an enthusiastic and noisy crowd which, if you weren't there already, put everyone in the right frame of mind. After running for less than 4 minutes we came to a complete stop as we rounded Merrion Square. No-one could quite figure out what the problem was; had we stopped for a red light? It turned out to be a barrier that significantly narrowed the road outside the entrance to the maternity hospital that the police wanted to keep in case of a unexpected arrival. I reckon the cops on duty had a warped sense of humour by forcing 12,000 runners through a tiny gap outside a maternity hospital! That's my kind of humour.

After a tight squeeze the road opened up again and we're back pounding the streets. I was feeling really good and easily kept up with my running partner Alain and the plan to run 9 minute miles for the first 10 miles we're looking like a real possibility.

A little after the 5 mile mark I took my first gel of the race, it was the last SIS gel I had and I knew what to expect. This was also the first water station I used, I missed the first one. I was managing to maintain the planned 9 minute mile pace and was feeling remarkably well as we entered the west end of the Phoenix Park.

Miles 6-10 were very pleasant. The weather was perfect as we ran through the park. Much of the zip zag route was lined with spectators which made each step a little easier. We exited the southern end of the park and ran across the liffey and through Chapelizod. We then ran west and hit a monster of a hill. Reaching the top of the hill without walking was very difficult but we managed it but it did take a toll and I could feel myself slowing down as my running partner began to slip ahead.

Miles 10-13 were spent recovering from that Chapelizod hill. I also took my second gel of the race, one of the untried Hammer Gels I bought in the marathon expo on Saturday afternoon. By taking one of these gels I ignored the advice that had been thrown at me by experienced runners since I started this game: during a race never, ever, EVER wear, eat or drink something that you're not used to. Eating that hammer gel was like eating tar, and it tasted as bad. It was thick, doughy and sucked every drop of moisture out of my mouth, and with the next water station over a mile away this was not a good place to be. I almost threw up several times for the first time I really wanted to stop. But I carried on and made it to the water station. Taking two water bottles I spent the next mile consuming this awful stuff. Once I got over that episode I was feeling pretty good. The gel did the trick but if only I had used that brand before... On the down side I began to dread mile 15... my next gel stop!

At mile 13 we were approaching Clondalkin and the half way mark.

Miles 13 to 18 were great. We ran through Terenure, Churchtown and downhill into Milltown. I was still feeling good, perhaps getting a little tired but no real worries.

Miles 19 to 21 started something that I wouldn't recover from. I began climbing that virtual wall and it was getting taller and taller. I started to get very tired and what's worse is that I became obsessed with it. This point is critical in any race, this is when you need to be mentally strong to keep the legs moving for the next few miles. Easier said than done and I found it almost impossible to stay positive. But the crowds were unbelievable and actually kept me going, every clap and cheer was like a little lifeline thrown out to me which pulled me a little closer to the finish line.

Miles 22 - 24 were so tough, now I'm really tired and I started to make deals with myself. "Keep running until mile 23 and then you can take a break, just keep going until mile 23" I repeated in my head over and over. It worked and was still running long after I passed the 23 mile marker when the mantra change to "keep running to mile 24".

Mile 24 - 25 broke me and as I passed the 24 mile marker I had to give in and walk and I slowed to a heartbreaking walking pace. The heartbreak was short lived as I realised that my walking pace was as slow, or as fast, as my running pace... that's how tired I was in the last few miles of this race. I kept up as fast a walking pace as I could and marched towards the 25 mile marker.

Miles 25 - 26 were not good. After I passed the 25 mile mark I tried to get back into running but it was difficult, not only did I have to convince my mind but my body was not co-operating. It was a series of walk-runs for this last mile, each run getting a little longer but still painfully short.

The last .2 of a mile was a different story. The crowds swelled, filling the pavements and the atmosphere was electric, I guess they knew what we've been through, it was very exciting as the energy levels rose and swept us along. As I rounding trinity I was back in full flight, just in time as some of my family were there. That extra boost made the last stretch even sweeter!

Crossing the line was an awesome feeling, I don't think I'll ever get used to it. I just beat my previous best by 3 minutes. My official time was 4.44.00, I like that time, easy to remember. At the finish line I met one of my colleagues who ran it in 3.55 and looked remarkably fresh! I, on the other hand, must have looked a fright. I hung onto the railings while we chatted before the long, slow walk to the baggage area... a few meters away.

The next stop was a the pub via a hot shower in the hotel. I've said it before and I'll say it again... the first pint after a marathon is the most perfect pint ever created! Once sitting it was hard to get moving again, so we didn't fight it.

The next day involved a trip to the hotel to pick my car up. It wasn't a pretty sight (the trip not the car, we've established that the French do very good looking cars). Both my knees we incredibly sore and my thighs and calf's felt like concrete blocks; walking was comedic to say the least.

If getting to the car was a laugh, driving was hilarious... every gear change involved an agonising press on the clutch pedal, and I had to drive across town with many, many traffic lights, stop signs, roundabouts and turns... there were tears in my eyes.

Here's the link to my marathon route: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/1208344

The weekend before the storm(ing down O'Connell Street..)

It's been a fantastic weekend. Lots of food and drink and family buzzing around. The excitement is starting to grow as the big day approaches.

On Saturday we journeyed into the city to visit the marathon expo to pickup our goodie bags and numbers. I had run out of energy gels a week ago and hoped that I could get the brand I was used to. Unfortunately none of the many vendors were selling "SIS" gels I had trained with and after much reading of labels I bought what I thought were the next best thing; "Hammer Gels", sounds like a dodgy horror film... turned out to be a very real horror - more later! In addition to gels, more money passed through my hands and I left the expo with a new running jacket and other miscellaneous bits.

The rest of our day in the city was spent shopping for a non-existent ice-cream maker, drinking coffee and buying something to cook dinner in. On the way home we stopped off at the supermarket and filled a trolley, much to the horror of my credit card.

Dinner was amazing: pork steaks stuffed with emental cheese and mustard, all wrapped in juicy bacon slices; and a selection of roast vegetables from the garden. Dessert was an apple crumble made with fresh apples from the same garden. All washed down with copious amounts of Weiss beer!

Sunday was a day of rest, preparation and no beer! That night we had a huge pasta dinner and an early night. Tomorrow I'll be running my 3rd marathon!! How exciting!!!

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

All, don't forget I'm doing this marathon for the Children's Hospital in Crumlin, Dublin!! Follow this link do your bit: https://www.cmrf.org/sponsorshipManager/Usr_EventDonation.asp?EventId=206

MANY, MANY, THANKS!!

Do I look like a copper?

I had a bit of a scare while driving out of my estate this afternoon. There is a sharp 90 degree left turn about 100m before the main road, there is nothing to impede visibility on this turn and it has never been a problem before but this afternoon as I was taking the turn a car seemed to be driving straight towards me.

I blinked and it was true... although now it was actually driving straight for me! I had nowhere to go but luckily driver corrected her course at the last second. We both stopped, and as I walked to her car I could hear her apologising from behind the closed door of her brand new luxury salon car. As I approached the car I asked her if she was blind, when I got to the car she explained that the sun blinded her and she asked me to turn around to observe how low and bright the sun was.

I did this and yes, it was low and bright but if you can't see where you're going do you carry on regardless? I was about to ask her again if she was blind when I noticed something odd about her face, I was so glad I didn't because just then I realised she only had one eye.

I was still a little shaken and quite annoyed. I commented on the fact that she and her 3 child passengers weren't wearing seat belts, she seemed to mumble why was I asking about seat belts when suddenly she became very defensive and explained that she and all companions had just removed their seat belts when the had car stopped. This didn't explain how her seat belt was clicked in place while she was sitting it.

For some reason I looked at her tax and insurance discs. I half expected them to be either missing or out of date however both were present and in date. I asked her if she was OK, she was. As I walked away I commented again about the seat belts and how the kids should always wear them, the very last thing she said to me was "Yes, thanks Guard".

When I got back to my car it dawned on me what she said and that for some reason she assumed I was a Policeman (Police officers are commonly referred to as Guards in Ireland). That's a little upsetting... What characteristics could I possibly share with a stereotypical Policeman? OK, I'm tall and had my hair cut that day but apart from that? I may need to review my wardrobe, perhaps that's part of the problem. Blue shoes, red pants and a paisley shirt... that should leave no room for doubt, although I could be mistaken for a number of other things!!

What could possibly go wrong?

OK, it's Saturday afternoon, the weekend before the marathon, and I decide to take a walk up to town to do a little shopping and get a decent coffee. I slip on a pair of comfy shoes that I hadn't worn for ages... it turns out that I hadn't worn them at all since I bought them on my last US trip so they could be classified as new. It's a familiar story; new shoes + long walk = hello blister! It's not too bad, just a little blister on my heel but REALLY... what was I thinking?? To be on the safe side I missed the 8 miler this weekend. I might do it on Monday or Tuesday but we're tapering off now and it's not that important.

4th last...

Another early start. This morning was fast, I covered 4.09 miles in 36.12 minutes, that a 8:51 pace. According to the fetcheveryone predictor that's a 4:19:14 marathon time... if only it were true!

5th last...

5 more runs until the big day! After another early start we covered 6.30 miles in 1:00:41, that's a pretty decent pace of 9:37.

6th last...

Including this run I have 6 more training runs before the marathon, it's less than a week away and I'm really looking forward to it. It was an early start, by 6.30am we were out running the first of 3 short runs this week. We ran 4.13 miles in 38 mins, that's a decent pace of 9.11. We started out too quickly, the max pace was 07:54, and I can't do that on the day!

Half that will do...

The plan said 12 miles on Sunday, this was supposed to be my last long run before the Marathon but it proved to be a little too far for these two tired legs.

After procrastinating for the entire morning and most of the afternoon I finally got my act together and got out. I got as far as the driveway... my French car let me down again! I have a theory about foreign automotive engineering:

• If they make great wine or bland beer chances are they make rubbish cars.
• ...or...
• If they make awful wine or fantastic beer chances are they make really good cars.

Let's explore that:

• Look at the Germans: dreadful wine, so bad that Panzer's used it as antifreeze, and some of the best tasting beers in the world but they make the great cars.
• What about the French? Fantastic wine, beers that look and taste like coloured water but what of their cars? They look the part but under the bonnet it's a miracle that anything works... frequently it doesn't.
• Italians? Great wine and their beer may actually be beer but only in the broadest sense of the word. As for their cars? Fiat, need I say more?

After 1/2 an hour under the bonnet wishing for a miracle I finally got the car to start and I was off! The Curragh was soggy to say the least but I was glad to be out. I ran the first 5 minutes far too quickly, you see I passed a gorgeous woman in the car park as I was running out and had to pick up the pace! Why? I don't know, but to my horror there was another equally gorgeous woman jogging towards me so I had to keep the speed up. After a couple of minutes I was well out of sight, out of breath and about to slow to my usual pace when, to yet more horror, in the distance I could see another jogger. I couldn't make out if it was a man or a woman so I had to keep this ridiculous pace up. It turned out to be a fat bloke with a beard which really upset me, all that effort wasted.

I carried on at a more reasonable pace. By mile 5 I was getting really tired and struggle to get to mile 6. At that stage I knew I wasn't going to get 12 miles in. I pushed it to 6.73 miles and I was done! It took me 1:10 to run the distance, that's an average pace of 10:22. My maximum pace was 6:00, far too fast!

Here's a link to my route and stats: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/1079520

Donadea 10K Race

After evening of torrential rain this morning was surprising pleasant. I wasn't sure if I should run this race having just recovered from a twisted ankle in Newcastle but it looked like a nice forest route and it was such a beautiful morning that I though why not.

I arrived at the race headquarters in good time, a new one for me. There was a big turnout and it was obviously well organised. The start time was 11am and we marched from the HQ to the start line in one group. I found myself close to the front of the group and thought about moving back but the crowd had formed behind me so I decided to stay. After a few speeches was were off, bang on time.

The race started on the road and entered the forest through a side gate. Once inside it got very peaceful, the running surface was very good and I felt pretty good. The pace to begin with was fast and I kept up with the faster runners for as long as I could. I kept overtaking the same guy, he was wearing a full tracksuit and I could understand how he was doing so well wearing all that cloth. He was taking the sprint-jog approach which never works for me. I started losing ground at around 6K which marked a gradual but definite deceleration. As we approached the finish the sprint-jog guy flashed past me, looks like his technique paid off.

I arrived at the finish line 57:47 which was much better than I expected. That's an average pace of 9:19, not bad for an ex-cripple.

Here's a link my the race stats: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/1079521

I have to admit it's getting better...

... but it looks like I won't get any running in this week... although my foot is getting better I'm still limping. Let's look forward to the 10K forest run this Saturday, I should better by then... Seven days should be enough, shouldn't it?

Knackered in Newcastle...

Thursday evening and after a late departure from the office we were finally on the road to the airport to catch a flight bound for Newcastle and ultimately the Great North Run finish line (via the start line of course). I had a cold, the flight was delayed, the ride was rough, the food even rougher and we landed with an almighty thump but it was well worth it. We had some trouble getting out of the baggage reclaim area and into the arrivals hall; from a distance it looked as if the revolving door had jammed, and we were quite a distance away as the queue was pretty long by the time we arrived. It turned out that the door was hyper sensitive and if anything came close to any part of the door or frame it would stop dead, presumably fearing some poor passenger was stuck under, between or over it's moving parts. After much shuffling left, right, back and forth we finally made it out!

Friday morning was briefly seen as we woke up very late. After breakfast we headed out to the Metro station and into Newcastle city centre via the coast. Most of the Newcastle Metro runs on an old Victorian railway and many of the old stations are still intact and in use. The Victorians didn't do things by half and some of the stations are enormous which is hardly surprising since that part of the coast was a popular destination for day trippers and the only way to travel back then would have been by train. We got off the Metro at Monument made our way to a cold but dry street level. After a little pottering we decided to find somewhere nice for lunch but we kept finding ourselves back at Monument. Eventually we found a tourist information office, got the info we needed and headed down towards the quays. After an excellent lunch and a fairly decent pint we followed the tourist trial and walked along the quays, across the Tyne at Millennium bridge, visited the Baltic centre, crossed the Tyne again at the swing bridge and then up a steep hill towards the castle. We weren't sure if this was that castle that Newcastle got it's name from but we decided that it made sense since we had made the effort to climb the hundred or so steps to get to it.

We decided to cook dinner that night and went to an indoor market we passed through earlier that day. A remarkable place, there were rows and rows of fixed stalls that housed a vast variety butchers, green grocers, fish mongers, etc., talk about consumer choice! With the ingredients in the bag it was back on the Metro via the wine shop to rustle up a culinary delight for the other two that had to work today.

Saturday morning was wet and windy, not at all suitable for a 4 miles walk along the coast. So we went for a four mile walk along the coast towards Tynemouth. We popped into a church that has been converted into a market to dry out a little and have a coffee before jumping on the Metro to Newcastle city centre.

After visiting the Great North Run fitness expo and pottering around the center of town for a few hours we spotted a Starbucks with comfy seats by the window and headed straight for it. On the way we passed a minibus stuffed with what looked like pilots, turned out it was the red arrows arriving at their hotel, how exciting!

After a well deserved rest we got the Metro back to the coast, stopping off for a pint in the local pub. This particular boozer had a couple of nice ales and we stayed for another. We had to think about carbo-loading tonight and we decided we had two options: drive to a far and distant supermarket to get carbo rich pasta or get a takeaway with carbo rich rice. The latter won and we rang in out order to the local Indian takeaway. As we were leaving the pub we stopped outside to decide if we should get a bottle of wine for tomorrow night in the wine shop next door. As we chatted I manage to slip off the curb I was standing on and land awkwardly on my right foot. It was only inch or so drop but enough to twist my ankle. Although I felt it I didn't think I had done any real damage. I walked home with a little limp and then walked to the takeaway and back. After a bit of RICE I thought I'd be fine the next day.

Sunday morning and I was wide awake at 2am. It wasn't going according to plan, my poor little foot was aching and it took quite some time for the painkillers to kick in. At 7.30 am I was up and pacing the kitchen in the hope that my ankle would loosen up. It didn't and I had to admit defeat, the Great North Run would have to start without me.

I watched the start on TV. The weather was fantastic with beautiful sunshine and not a cloud in the sky. Just as the Red Arrows started their display I left to travel to south Shields to meet the runners at the finish line. As I was walking up the road the Arrows whooshed past overhead. The continued towards the coast where they continued their display, most of which I could see from where I was.

When I got to South Shields I had a very long walk from the metro past a very, very long queue of race finishers who were lining up to get on the metro. I met the guys walking up from the finish line and we made out way to the ferry port. It was a very long walk to the ferry, past the same very long queue for the metro. The queue for the ferry was just as long but luckily we were meeting some people in a pub nearby. We stayed there until the queue had all but disappeared, it took approximately 2 pints of beer!

The ferry journey across the Tyne was short but meant we were were only a few stops from home. By the time we got home we had to turn around to keep a dinner reservation. Needless to say we all had an early night.

Monday was a lazy day for some of us, but unfortunately some others had to work. I was in no rush to get up and by the time we did the morning had given way to the afternoon. We decided to head back into the city and potter for the afternoon. We had a late lunch in Wagamama's, a coffee in Starbucks and a pot of cherry flavoured Carmex in Boots. After our last Metro ride it was time to pack and off to the airport.

It was a fantastic weekend and great to see everyone again. Not doing the run was disappointing but there's always next time. I just hope that I recover quickly, the Dublin city marathon is in 3 weeks time... yikes!

Wake up big fella......

The temperature plummeted over night! It was a fresh Autumn's evening when I went to bed and I woke up to a winters morning with a wind so thin it could cut a man in two. Last night God must have fallen asleep at his desk and knocked the temperature switch to Baltic. Somebody wake him up!!

Sniffless... for now

I feel rotten today, I've haven't quite got the sniffles but there's a cold dying to break through given half a chance. I've stocked up on vitamins and various anti-flu remedies in the hope of keeping it at bay.

I reckon my body knows that the GNR is coming up and is having its revenge for last weekends 20 miler that I forced it to run. I heard it complaining but I ignored it... it was like a whimpering puppy locked outside on a cold winters night, scraping at the back door with it's little paw!

I missed my 5 miler last night, but I might make it to the gym tonight for a dreaded treadmill session, best keep out of the cold!