I have not gone mad
No I did not go mad and run three back to back marathons over the weekend. I did however run three events whose accumulated mileage did not even make up to the marathon distance. Friday night was Ennis Tracks Family Twilight Run over 5K in the grounds of Lees Road, followed by the Clare 10K Bra Run for Cancer on Saturday Morning in Ennis and finishing up with pacing duties in Charleville for the Half Marathon.
Running in the dark
My young fella runs twice a year, both times in lees road and both in darkness. Whether its Pieta house Darkness to Light or Ennis tracks Twilight run he is geared up for it. So we are off to lees road for his bi annual race. He wanted to improve on his time but of course he has no training done. He took off too quick and by the 3K mark he was suffering and I know his time is going to be his worst. He suffered through the last 2K for a 28:05, a sore and not happy camper at all. So hopefully he will do some training or even join a club over the winter.
My moobs are not that big
In my search for a pink bra to wear in the Clare 10K Bra Fun Run on Saturday My daughter had hidden every single one of hers on Friday. There was no way in this world was I going to be wearing one of hers around Ennis on Saturday so I had to resort to wearing one of hers indoors instead. Start was at the west county where it looked like some mad hen party had descended on the hotel. Everyone had attired themselves appropriately soon it was down to St Flannan's to the start and we where sent on our merry way. Used this as a tempo run 2K warn up 8K @ 160-165 HR. Most where walking this or where going to be around the hour mark so for a change I could position myself at the front and not impede any other runners. About 10-12 runners hit off in front of me but I kept to the plan of 2K easy. I picked it up after 2K and started to real in each runner until I got to 7K. At this point I passed Brian Haran who was suffering a bit but was the only person who tried to stay with me after I passed him. He stuck with me until 9K but the hill got the better of him. I spoke with his mam afterwards and he had done a 100 mile charity cycle the week before. He is one tough cookie and one to watch for in the future.
As I was in the top three runners I had a Garda escort at the end of the race or maybe he was contemplating picking me up for indecent exposure.A very enjopyable way to spend a Saturday morning and over €5,500 raised for Breast Cancer Research on the day so well done all.
I'm a celebrity get me out of here
Pacing gig in Charleville on Sunday Morning and as I was gigging the night before I struggled with the early start to get to Sixmilebridge for a rondevu with some of the other pacers. Arrived in plenty of time in Charleville got ready, picked up our
black balloons, not very smart a color choice especially when one has to write the time on with a black/blue marker. The boss had made up sheets with our names and time bands to attach to the back of our shirts. I may have needed one but my pacing partner Johnny from North Cork A.C. had no need. You see it seems he is a bit of a celebrity in this neck of the woods. During the start and all throughout the race All I could hear was "how's it going johnny ?".
At the start I realised that I had forgotten to calibrate my foot-pod for the slower pace. So I knew that the pace would show faster on the watch then what we where actually doing. So instead of 9:54 per mile I guessed that this would equate to 9:45 on my watch. My guess was wrong as a result we where down about 15 secs after 2 miles so I recalculated it would need to be 9:37 on the watch. We hit that average pace at Mile 5 and we where bang on every mile marker after this. Charleville is an AIMS accredited race so as expected the Mile markers where dead on and for future reference there was 5K splits as well.
We had a 20-30 in our group up until Mile 8 and from there to Mile 11 this had reduced down to 9. We lost 2 more on the run in, a guy cramped and his mate stayed with him. All the remaining lassies got home under the 2:10. Chip time for the day was 2:09:43 so pretty much done what was asked of us.Anyone considering this race should do it as its flat and if there is no wind a very good PB course.
The only downside of this race is that the standard of baking and size of the spread afterwards laid on by the North Cork Ladies will mean you will most likely consume more calories post race then where burnt during the race.
On the morning of the race we get perfect running conditions but I know that racing is not going to happen as I am guaranteed a pit stop if not multiples. I wished Tom all the best and was sure barring a complete disaster he would nail sub 3:20. He ran 10 miles with me the week before at 8:20 pace like he was just out for a stroll. Of we set and I settled in with Valerie, Peter and Derek for the day as we rumbled along at 4:10 pace. As expected first pit stop came around 3 miles and I knew from this point today was going to be a long day. Caught up with the gang again only briefly as another jump the wall was required near 8 miles. This time I got rid of everything and I mean everything both ends, and was looking like a DNF when I got back to halfway. We met Tom coming back against us on target and looking good at 14.5 miles. Got to halfway but I was now feeling much better and for the first time felt I could eat something, scoffed my banana and some mini mars bars. Tom had gone through the Halfway mark in 1:41 pretty much on target. He had discussed this with me last week and the consensuses was to take the first mile easy and ease up to Marathon Pace over the second mile. Was going very well in the second half myself and the pace had picked up. Derek and Peter fell away so just Myself and Valerie until we caught up with Michael a recent MCI member. From here on things got ropey for me, I had no energy, starting to feel dizzy and I really had to concentrate on what I was doing. Now doubt my two companions noted my sudden lack of chat. We got to mile 23 which had a 
water station, I was hoping maybe there would be some coke but no such luck. Just about to look for a lift back when Valerie shouted back to me to come on its only 3 miles. So the runner in me did just that (us runners are not smart). Now I knew I couldn't hold the pace so I let them off in the distance and concentrated on getting home by doing what Thomas calls the Ultra shuffle. It doesn't look anything like running but at least you are going forward. Got to the finish spent and could only sit down. Got some Coke into me and I was grand again once it hit blood stream. Discovered later that Tom suffered the same fate, unable to take on Gel’s, coming home in 3:28 still a good time but missed his PB by 10 seconds.
