Training Run Times

[Carmona]

Not the best day before. Not only did I have a couple of beers, I had a whiskey after dinner with an old mate....No pressure though. There was a fuck up on the metro as it was so packed they couldn't close the doors and the thing was stopped in a station for so long that most of us got off and walk/jogged. Took a while to get to bag drop and between all that I used up some energy and forgot the old Vaseline.... Fortunately didn't come back to haunt me. Now, as it happens I would have been better off missing my start pen and time and going off with the next wave 10 mins later but at the time I was glad to get going in case it got warm by midday. I wanted to do 5 min or 4.55 Kms but I just couldn't. Every goddamn km was 4.45. I knew this would eventually get me. There were hundreds if not thousands passing me. I'm not kidding. To give an example of the level and speed, my pupil, Quinn Ballbach, who I coached to his first marathon did a beautiful 2.37. Almost even split, less than a minute positive. His finishing place? 790th. He couldn't fuckin' believe it. So, I was manually pressing lap times at 5k intervals and every bleeding one was about 24 mins up to km25. The calves had started to get fairly tight even before that spot and I started pouring water on em till the end. Did get a bit of spray too from a medical helper at one stage. They never fully cramped. Anyway, the quads and everything else were starting to hurt so I didn't really need the cramps . Part 3 to follow.

 

[Carmona]

Typing this much on the phone is a bit of a pain... But it's a marathon report. Forgot to mention that this was my first 42.2 since the 2.57 in Valencia exactly three years previous. Si, I suppose it was always going to get tough! And the 4.45 Kms in the first half were always going to bite my butt. From about 30 on things started to get hard. I told myself to concentrate, ignore the voice - or voices - telling me to walk. Get to 35, then we're heading home. And to be honest that was what the last stretch was. Every second was "Ok, lad, it's hurting but ya gotta keep jogging. Time target is guaranteed (kinda)" I did also remind myself that it was fairly incredible that I was running a marathon at all. And so to be at km35, well what could I say?!? No-one had forced me to do this. I'd love to say I picked it up and enjoyed the last few kms but unfortunately that didn't happen. I mean, I was aware of my surroundings and all and I guess I was 'enjoying' it in some ways. Mostly masochistic ways though. At 700 metres from the finish I see and hear a shout out from Quinn, his gf and brother. The fooker looked like he'd just done an easy 10k!!! Sure, that's about it. Finished, no real sobbing strangely but I was envious of others who I saw hugging partners.... The softie in me could have done with an old hug at that stage. Met a couple of Boardsies that evening for a few jars and shite talk. So lads, anyone looking to pb in a beautiful Spanish city... Register early for 2023!!

 

[BlackpoolTerrier]

Good man C., well done. Be interesting to see how the body recovers - probably a bit faster than you think since you had no choice but to run a bit slower.

Some going that a 2:37 finishes 790th

 

[timeout]

Well done Carmona! Thanks for sharing those insights. There’s nothing like the pain fest of the last few miles of a marathon. I was watching some of the VLOGs of the YouTube runners that did it…really seemed to be a great buzz there and that finishing stretch is becoming more iconic every year

 

[jimmym]

Great stuff, Carmona,

 

[nelly sham]

Dipped my toes back into the thread and I see a marathon report with a 2:37!

Was just going to say I'm back almost running 5ks! Two false starts due to a bad calf strain and weird holiday accident (don't cannonball into the shallow end).


As you all were.

 

[jimmym]

Dipped my toes back into the thread and I see a marathon report with a 2:37!

Was just going to say I'm back almost running 5ks! Two false starts due to a bad calf strain and weird holiday accident (don't cannonball into the shallow end).


As you all were.

You will get back into it , just build back up slowly, you would be amazed how after a few weeks you will feel stronger

 

[jimmym]

Joined a gym last week, going to do two lunchtime sessions per week , All the advice i have been given says
it will help prevent injury, I will be concetrating on my calfs and hamstrings,

 

[nelly sham]

You will get back into it , just build back up slowly, you would be amazed how after a few weeks you will feel stronger

I think I've already done the 5k on the second to last run, it was a 30 minute block so I wouldn't have been too far under/over. The final run of thr program is a 35 minute block so that will definitley cover it, once the frost and black ice goes that is!!

A mild Xmas in Cork and I should get it consolidated as my baseline again, all going well.

 

[nelly sham]

Joined a gym last week, going to do two lunchtime sessions per week , All the advice i have been given says
it will help prevent injury, I will be concetrating on my calfs and hamstrings,

Yep, should do just don't let the ego tell you you're doing light weights. Ask for a program that complements running.
Some Bulgarian split squats too to put some hairs on your chest and make you question every decision you ever made that brought you to rep 8 on set 3!!