Running (up that hill)

[dinekes]

Main physical objective this year is to lose weight Currently 15 stone
Aiming for 13 stone

Secondary and complimentary will be to keep active on a consistent basis.
15 to 20 miles miles a week coupled with resistance excercises/stretches when I'm out.
Aiming to get out and about a bare minimum of 3 days a week up to 5 with 1 decent mountain hike as part of that p/w
Will be walking/jogging/shorter faster runs, push ups, squats, dumbbell lifts, yoga stretches, breathing exercises

Taking it slow and easy to avoid injury.

At 30 push ups in a row now, adding 1 extra per session and beginning to feel a bit of definition
Was doing 45 a couple of years ago so will be beating that in a few weeks.

Cutting booze to an absolute max of 12 × 330 ml bottles p/w
Food will be pretty much same as usual with a few tweaks.

MIght pop in a few updates here just to keep myself disciplined and motivated.

Best of luck all!

[BennyHiFi]

2022 goals vs achieved:


1,500 km target but 1,175 achieved. Putting it down to back in the office a bit, a family death and losing about 4 weeks to various mild illnesses like head colds. Still my third best year in the last 10 years but a wee bit disappointing nonetheless.

4 half marathons target and 3 achieved. Had to drop x1 due another commitment taking precedent. Did one really fast one in Wexford (maybe by third or fourth fastest of the last decade). So think I still have a sub 2:06 in me somewhere. Also did one of my harshest in Oct at Clontarf.

Lose 3 kilos target - added 3 kilos on average. Oh well, the joys of fluctuating weight when you're over 50. Thinks its mostly dietary as I do enjoy bread and biscuits which counteracts the intermittent fasting. Am planning more salads and less sugar though so hopefully I can get on a downward slope again between now and summer.

2003 goals:

1,250km - more realistic than 1,500 I feel and still a stretch on my usual 1,000. If achieved would be my new 3rd best in 11 years so I'd take that.
4 halfs - same as usual. Might mix up em up this year. will deffo keep the x2 Clontarf but have a hankering after somewhere a little more far flung that Wexford and Wicklow. But that's just to see something different. The main thins is to try and get one in per quarter.

I don't really have any time goals. I don't do 5kms as a rule, certainly not consistently like at a Parkrun. Maybe I should try and start thinking about that. Do a few and see if I can set a new record. Have GAA Sat morning with the young fella though so that kinda gets in the way.

Anyway, good luck with your goals in 2023 - one step at a time lads!

[ionapaul]

Ok, so for 2021:

Total distance - 600.9km (obv missed my target but happy enough with the total given the difficulties this year with creches being closed so much and some lengthy injuries)
Fastest 5km - 20.59 (two Saturdays ago in Marlay parkrun first sub-21 in about two years, and they used to be the minimum I'd be aiming for!)
Number of parkruns - 12 of 16 possible in 2021

2022 targets:

Total distance - 750km
Fastest 5km - sub 20.30
Number of parkruns - 35+

Ah. What I actually achieved in 2022:

Total distance - 501km (hurt my back for the 2nd year running, same place, and this time while the pain was less noticeable, the associated sciatica and longer recovery impacted my running more than in 2021! Basically had four full months with 0kms done. Luckily got a lot (for me) of kms in during January and February, and then made a massive push in the week after Xmas to cross the 500km line on Dec 31)
Fastest 5km - 20:15, Malahide parkrun April 2nd 2022 (surprised myself with this one! Since the 4 month layoff in the middle of 2022, the fastest I've managed is 21:47 and will be a while before I can get back down to 20:XX)
Number of parkruns - 27 (not bad considering zero parkruns between May 15 and September 17!)

Zero road races in 2022, usually try to do one somewhere. I'm also overweight compared to my usual self, between 0.5 and a full stone of fat on my belly, bah. Lots of work to do in 2023.

2023 targets:

Top target - Don't hurt my back again!
Total distance - 750km
Fastest 5km - sub 20.30
Number of parkruns - 40

[Goodluck2me]

Another year (almost) over. I suppose we can't complain.



2022 Report
1. Easy success with an unprecedented 905K done and a couple of runs left. Don't think I put in any extra runs, just a case of doing 6Ks instead of5Ks etc and it all adds up.
2. Down to 89Kg now so didn't get to target. Lost 6Kg to end of May but only a further 5kg after that. But I have to remind myself I started from a high of 108kg in September 2021 so it's all going right direction. And it remains great fun to find stuff in the bottom of the wardrobe that I 'rage discarded' and now it fits perfectly.
3. Never did venture into a proper race - I guess the first step might be to use the internet to actually find out where/when they are on !
4. 24:40 achieved in September - only did a handful of parkruns after that and both a few seconds slower.

2023 Goals
See no reason that 900K can't be achieved again, if I continue to be remarkably niggle free (my fellow 50something peers (feel so old) seem to have failing hips/ankles/knees galore so that'll probably get me eventually). But now that 900K has been done, 1000K seems a tantalising target. I guess I'll have an idea after the winter months whether it's possible.

As said progress slowed somewhat on weight loss after getting rid of the initial easy excess. So a more moderate target in 2023 of getting from 89kg to 83kg, roughly a stone in old money.

Definitely do some proper races in 2023. Will read here and boards to find out when they are on. Maybe someone throw a link if there's a website that collates them?

Times - have come to accept I'm a slow bastard when losing all that weight only takes 4 minutes off my 5K times. A few more PBs would be nice though, 24 minute 5K should be doable in summer.

*******
Good luck to all in 2023, whether continuing the good work or approaching a New Beginning. Keep us posted.

Well done AJ very impressive! There is 100% a 23:xx 5kmin there!

[Goodluck2me]

For whatever reason i just can’t get motivated to run anymore, first NYD where i haven’t attempted a running challenge since 2015

[Lao Lao]

I can't remember the last time I posted up fitness goals and am too lazy/embarrassed to look back as they were epic failures so am going to try post some realistic goals to keep me motivated during the year.


1) Run 350Km

2) Run 5km under 25:00

3) Swim 100Km

4) Weight down from current 101.5Kg to 88Kg

[dinekes]

Good job on the weight loss AJ and 4 mins improvement seems pretty good to me!

Staying niggle free over 50 is difficult so your'e doing well there chief!
Operation weight loss on myself next year. Currently at 15 stone. Going to get back into jogging and regular exercise too coupled with just eating a reasonably healthy diet.
Cutting booze by half should see a big improvement from weight point of view and motivation.

Anyway looking forward to it.

Will post goals next week and then update ongoing.

[ArmaniJeans]

Another year (almost) over. I suppose we can't complain.

2022 targets.
Nothing much different really.

1. Somewhere in the 730-750K region of total running.
2.Keep the health/diet improvements going and get to around the 85kg mark by end of year.
3. Try a non-parkrun proper race, either 5M or 10K.
4. 25:00 for parkrun as a first target, but I really think sub 23 is possible next year now that I hopefully have weight on a downward trend.

2022 Report
1. Easy success with an unprecedented 905K done and a couple of runs left. Don't think I put in any extra runs, just a case of doing 6Ks instead of5Ks etc and it all adds up.
2. Down to 89Kg now so didn't get to target. Lost 6Kg to end of May but only a further 5kg after that. But I have to remind myself I started from a high of 108kg in September 2021 so it's all going right direction. And it remains great fun to find stuff in the bottom of the wardrobe that I 'rage discarded' and now it fits perfectly.
3. Never did venture into a proper race - I guess the first step might be to use the internet to actually find out where/when they are on !
4. 24:40 achieved in September - only did a handful of parkruns after that and both a few seconds slower.

2023 Goals
See no reason that 900K can't be achieved again, if I continue to be remarkably niggle free (my fellow 50something peers (feel so old) seem to have failing hips/ankles/knees galore so that'll probably get me eventually). But now that 900K has been done, 1000K seems a tantalising target. I guess I'll have an idea after the winter months whether it's possible.

As said progress slowed somewhat on weight loss after getting rid of the initial easy excess. So a more moderate target in 2023 of getting from 89kg to 83kg, roughly a stone in old money.

Definitely do some proper races in 2023. Will read here and boards to find out when they are on. Maybe someone throw a link if there's a website that collates them?

Times - have come to accept I'm a slow bastard when losing all that weight only takes 4 minutes off my 5K times. A few more PBs would be nice though, 24 minute 5K should be doable in summer.

*******
Good luck to all in 2023, whether continuing the good work or approaching a New Beginning. Keep us posted.

[Lazare]

Class Conor, I’ve. A weird PB or 19:25 but my next best is 21:12, so I’d love to try an train for one properly to see if it’s just a GPS issue. I meant to do that Jingle Bells run too!

Whats the next one you’re doing?

Ah a pity you didn't make it Joe.

I'm signed up to the Raheny 5 mile at the end of Jan, that's next.

Sells out, so if you do fancy it get on it soon.

[Lazare]

What does 'avoided clipping for the first 600m' in your boards report mean Conor?

Yeah what Joe said. Always massive congestion at the start of these things. You need to be really careful you don't go on your snot.

[Goodluck2me]

Ran a 5k PB this morning at Jingle Bells. 19:36.

Absolutely thrilled lads.

Class Conor, I’ve. A weird PB or 19:25 but my next best is 21:12, so I’d love to try an train for one properly to see if it’s just a GPS issue. I meant to do that Jingle Bells run too!

Whats the next one you’re doing?

[Goodluck2me]

What does 'avoided clipping for the first 600m' in your boards report mean Conor?

Probably clipping someone’s heels as your running in close succession?

[Keane]

What does 'avoided clipping for the first 600m' in your boards report mean Conor?

[Keane]

Well done man

[ArmaniJeans]

Ran a 5k PB this morning at Jingle Bells. 19:36.

Absolutely thrilled lads.

Awesome stuff.

[Lazare]

Ran a 5k PB this morning at Jingle Bells. 19:36.

Absolutely thrilled lads.

[Lazare]

Lazare wasnt following the thread but congrats, great report.

Glad you all are talking about running shoes, I should have checked in here before pulling the trigger on a pair.

ON CloudGo for something casual in the 5-10KM range? Brooks Ghost was an option too. Pretty sure the Adidas Ultraboost contributed to some plantar issues before and I know they’re a little narrow so avoided Mizuno

Thanks man.

I would always advise going into a specialist to get guidance when you have an issue like plantar. Amphibian King are the best imo but there's plenty of places.

[Murdrum]

Lazare wasnt following the thread but congrats, great report.

Glad you all are talking about running shoes, I should have checked in here before pulling the trigger on a pair.

ON CloudGo for something casual in the 5-10KM range? Brooks Ghost was an option too. Pretty sure the Adidas Ultraboost contributed to some plantar issues before and I know they’re a little narrow so avoided Mizuno

[Lazare]

Just seen they can be gotten a little cheaper..

https://top4running.ie/p/saucony-endorphin-pro-3-s20755-40?size=42-5-eu-8-uk-9-us-27-cm&utm_source=googlemerch&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=googlemerch&gclid=Cj0KCQiA1NebBhDDARIsAANiDD1VQY4KdFaIulz2mDsdr0QGQB7RNzuykHdCIN5LLRauhRqENYBZhPoaAnfgEALw_wcB

[Lazare]

These your ones Laz?

https://www.365rider.com/en/road-run...lime-ss22.html

No man, they're the training version, the companion shoe as said to me by the guy in Amphibian King.

Mine are the Endorphin Pro 3

https://www.saucony.com/IE/en_IE/endorphin-pro-3/52954M.html

[Keane]

These your ones Laz?

https://www.365rider.com/en/road-running-shoes/11603-saucony-endorphin-speed-2-shoes-blue-lime-ss22.html

[Lazare]

Only catching up on your report today Conor - great stuff and well done!!!

Cheers Paul

[ionapaul]

Only catching up on your report today Conor - great stuff and well done!!!

[Lazare]

Yeah i really enjoyed getting better through lockdown and actually enjoy running the only thing i wouldn’t like is that it’s the only thing you can do which means I’d have to give up other sports (to do it properly anyway).

Only in the last 4-5 weeks of the training block I would say. Tennis would probably be good cross training.

You would just need to be wise about how you structure your week. No high intensity running either side of other intense stuff.

[Goodluck2me]

Do it Joe, I swear you won't regret it.

Some people say the training is a slog but it all depends on your outlook. A guy with a sunny disposition like yourself will enjoy it, and focus on the incredible fitness and hesdspace it gives you.

Yeah i really enjoyed getting better through lockdown and actually enjoy running the only thing i wouldn’t like is that it’s the only thing you can do which means I’d have to give up other sports (to do it properly anyway).

[Lazare]

Almost has me signing up to 2023

Do it Joe, I swear you won't regret it.

Some people say the training is a slog but it all depends on your outlook. A guy with a sunny disposition like yourself will enjoy it, and focus on the incredible fitness and hesdspace it gives you.

[Goodluck2me]

Almost has me signing up to 2023

[Lazare]

Great stuff Laz. Cheers for sharing. Always great to read people enjoying doing what they're doing. Wish I was as fast as you. Wish I was as fast as me 20 years ago.

Deffo more to come from you.

Cheers Benny, it is so enjoyable this thing we do. Hopefully we'll still all be doing it as very old men

[BennyHiFi]

Great stuff Laz. Cheers for sharing. Always great to read people enjoying doing what they're doing. Wish I was as fast as you. Wish I was as fast as me 20 years ago.

Deffo more to come from you.

[Lazare]

Must say i admire you discipline and training regime . We just went out and ran with a vague idea of how fast we were going with bleeding nipples and blood blisters in our shoes. You would have been a great coach for us. However you were probably doing your inter

Haha Willie, yeah, pure hard fuckers then.

Boards athletics forum has been massive for me, have benefitted so much from the hivemind there. Following really good runners/athletes and picking up lots of good stuff. Learning from mistakes of others etc.

[Solksjaer!]

Must say i admire you discipline and training regime . We just went out and ran with a vague idea of how fast we were going with bleeding nipples and blood blisters in our shoes. You would have been a great coach for us. However you were probably doing your inter

[Lazare]

Epic read Laz.
Fair play

Cheers dude

[DeadParrot]

Epic read Laz.
Fair play

[Lazare]

That’s amazing how low you got (in terms of having to stop) and the highs of getting through 18miles without issue, it really is a journey! You looked in fine fettle on Nutley had no idea you were suffering so badly only shortly before hand!

Cheers Joe, was a real boost to see you at that point. I actually couldn't believe I was able to run again after that brief stop.

Thankfully I didn't need to walk at all.

[Lazare]

That's great Conor fair play to you. I've been keeping an eye on your thread on boards and for some reason this time around reading it has actually really made me seriously think about training for one. I think it's how well you nailed the training plan and the buzz you were getting out of doing so.

Up to the point when you started to get cramp pains all of a sudden were you running to target and still feeling strong?

Ah cheers man, that's fantastic to hear. You will definitely not regret it, I say that right now with the body of a 90 year old haha.

I was flying up to that point. Was running 4:27 kms and felt in full control. It was amazing. Breathing was totally fine throughout right up to the finish line too.

Cramp is a real prick.

[Goodluck2me]

Haha, cheers Eoin, yeah, it's an amazing buzz.

Good shout on the 10 10 10.

My pacing strategy is to use the 5km splits. I have a goal average pace for each 5k block. I'll also be paying attention to mile splits.

Aiming for a negative split, so the first half will be taken quite easy. I should get to Walkinstown feeling pretty good, the work begins then.

Aim is to go through halfway in 1:41:x and do the second half in 1:38:x.

That's the hope anyway.

That’s amazing how low you got (in terms of having to stop) and the highs of getting through 18miles without issue, it really is a journey! You looked in fine fettle on Nutley had no idea you were suffering so badly only shortly before hand!

[Keane]

That's great Conor fair play to you. I've been keeping an eye on your thread on boards and for some reason this time around reading it has actually really made me seriously think about training for one. I think it's how well you nailed the training plan and the buzz you were getting out of doing so.

Up to the point when you started to get cramp pains all of a sudden were you running to target and still feeling strong?

[Lazare]

Just in case anyone's wondering, a BQ is a Boston marathon Qualifier, and for me that's 3:19:59.

The 'endorphins on both ends' refers to my shoes, Saucony Endorphin Pro3

[Lazare]

DCM2022 race report

(gonna preface this by saying that things didn't go to plan, I should be disappointed but I'm not, I'm over the moon, but will be looking for advice as to why it went 'wrong')

Got a welcome text from Elaine on Saturday evening asking me about the morning Luas times and I realised that we'd be heading in there together. In 2017 I met up with a big bunch of fellow novices and it was fantastic to be with them, experiencing it with them. In 2018 I headed in alone, and ran alone and the difference was stark. So E's text gave me a good uplift. I copped also that, given we both were targeting 3:20 we would likely be running it together. People have different race strategies so I didn't strongly suggest it to her, but we kinda just naturally did it.

We got off the Luas and nipped into a cafe on O'Connell St for a toilet visit, which was wise given the queues at the start area.

Got to the bag drop at about 8:25 or so. Had a throwaway jumper over the singlet, thinking on Sat that I'd discard it over the first mile, but it was warm enough to ditch it way before the gun. Maybe that should have been a warning of what was to come, but I didn't think it nor heed it.

Gun went and we were off. E and I both agreed that we would run our own race, we would run together but if one of us wanted to hold back or head off we would do that.

First couple of miles were a touch slower than planned but not by much, it was congested and expected, zero stress about it. There were a fair few people that I felt just didn't belong in that wave, maybe dropping fitness since buying the bib and not having the sense to drop waves.

After all my shenanigans in the DCM thread about the 5k water station I felt I needed to grab a bottle at it. I said to E 'Don't tell anyone I grabbed a bottle here' lol. Another warning sign not heeded. I was very well hydrated, but I was thirsty, at 5k. I could run 20 miles without feeling thirst so this was unusual, but it's only unusual now, on reflection. During it I was just enjoying life, feeling amazing.

Onboard fuel was 3x 27gram tailwind in soft flasks, 6x Enervit Cola gels and a pack of electrolyte chews. Plan was to add 250ml of water to the soft flasks and sip, and to gel up at 5 miles and every 35 mins or so thereafter. The chews were there as a back up. Everything went well to plan on that front. (Although I lost a used soft flask at Milltown. I thought I stuck it into the back of the belt and heard a roar behind me, some lad picked it up off the road. I grabbed it off him and said TYVM then put it into the back of the belt. Only went and did the exact same thing and saw it bounce on the road lol. Thankfully that lad detoured off course for a pee and didn't see that his chivalry was wasted)

Felt the pace a little hot on Chesterfield so I said to E that I planned to do 8 min miles up this stretch and she was welcome to head on. We stuck with each other though. Crowds really injecting energy here, the first real roar at the turn onto it. Got my first shoutout here from @Omeceron, a fellow 2017 novice. I probably lost a ton of yards and energy running wide into crowds with arms in the air, feeding off the energy they gave back. I'd inject it. Was amazing.

10k went by in a blip and on target. Loving life right now. Super strong, high fiving kids, endorphins on both ends of my body. Mile splits were bang on, some of them literally bang on to the second. That's some confidence boost.

Mile 6 - 9 were pretty uneventful other than everything was perfect. My worries leading up to it about whether Covid had taken a bite were unfounded and tossed aside. I figured I'd know by 10k whether the lungs were impacted and they weren't. I had never felt fitter.

In and around mile 9 E and I got separated. I pushed on a little. Not sure whether it was mile 9 or 10 but I noticed I was about 30 secs behind the split on the band. This concerned me a little, it probably shouldn't have. I had planned to go through halfway in 1:41:x, and this was my main focus at this point, in no small way because I had told people that were tracking me. So I injected a bit of pace. Still all in line with the pace strat.

Went through halfway in 1:41:38, bang on target. Now the plan was a 1:38:x second half.

Sailed up Crumlin road, yeah it was breezy but nothing too difficult I felt. There's always a big line of unfortunate cars here that timed things shitly. I shouted at one lad sitting in his idling car 'ye wanna swap with me?' and got a good belly laugh from him. Said it again to some wan a few cars back and she just gave me daggers lol. That was the end of that joke. I suppose the point here is I was in great form, still strong, still loving it.

Great buzz running through Walkinstown rbout, again running the wide line getting the crowd going, the ultimate buzz. Another shoutout from a friend here. My wife said she would be at Borza on Crommelsfort rd if she managed to get down. Ran by there and didn't see her, but no biggie. Was only half expecting her anyway. Spotted my best friend then at the Sub and got a massive boost from that. 200m later there's my wife and 8 year old. Another injection of positivity. It's really amazing what those encounters do for you. I was on fire right now, so so strong.

Saw another pal at KCR and gave him the bicep curl to let him know I was feeling strong.

I was feeling so good and so fresh here, I was running at 4:27 - 4:30 kms and it felt effortless. My breathing was perfect. Felt so in control. I started doing some maths and realised I was heading for about a 3:18 for a target smash. Everything was visualised. Couldn't wait to update Strava with the BQ.

Then, during mile 18, coming towards Rathgar and out of the blue I got a couple of sharp jolts of cramp pain in the quads. I instantly knew the BQ was gone. The mood change was instant too. Fook.

Dropped the pace back to about 5:10km to see if the pain eased off. Thoughts of DNF at the forefront. 8 miles to go. If I seize up here it's game over.

Thankfully the eased off pace did the trick. I attempted a few times to get the pace back up but the legs were having none of it. As soon as I picked it up I got little electric shocks of pain, now throughout the legs, not just the quads. Bollox anyway I thought.

It's a horrible feeling, as I'm sure all of you reading are familiar with. You've a fooking long way home, suffering for it's entirety is puke enducing. The shooting pain got more and more frequent, even with the reduced pace. At mile 21, at what must be some convent I felt I got hit by a sniper. Both legs just gave up, shooting pain in every area. I had to stop. Two nuns came over to me to help, shouting across the road to some other guy, something about getting a medic. I looked over the road and saw this man trying to make his way over to me and I panicked thinking they were gonna put me in a wheelchair or something. Game over if that happens. Fook the fook out of that I thought, although it did feel like my credits were rolling. I said 'No No, thank you, I'm grand, thank you, it's just a cramp'. I stretched it out for what felt like about 40 secs or so and thankfully was able to get back running. It must have only been about 20 secs though looking at the splits later.

Got up heartbreak running, but didn't have the confidence to barrel back down Fosters. At UCD I got a bit of confidence back, knowing it was just a parkrun. Did some maths and figured some sub 5 min kms from this point would get me a sub 3:25. Didn't factor in the extra 200m plus the poor race line form (but good crowd control) I'd shown. Still though, it was a good thing to focus on.

Turning left at the end of Nutley was fantastic, in terms of positivity. I'd had thoughts of DNF that were banished now. Just grind this thing out. One foot in front of the other. 2k to go and I found something in me, managed to ignore the pain and pick things up again. Was suffering but the end is nigh.

Ran through the purple mile and did what I did at Myos, pumping the arms for the crowd, and they roared back and filled my veins. Ran onto the mat with my hands up in the air and fist pumped.

3:26:24 chip.

Six minutes and 25 seconds outside my target, outside a BQ. I'm so far from unhappy though. I'm wide open to advice and critique as to how things went a little south, I'm no shrinking violet and will always take critique as constructive, so please don't hold back.

I just know I've not peaked. This block has filled me with such amazing confidence. I've loved every minute of it, even the gritty Monday morning runs. I nailed every session and missed a total of four runs, three of them because of Covid and one because of travel. Didn't miss one out of lethargy.

More to come I feel.

[Lazare]

I just put up a race report on boards, on my training log. I'll c&p it here.

[The Aul Switcharoo]

Looking forward to the trip report Laz.
THe cramping must have been a bastard to deal with.
Say you're enjoying a massive breakfast this am!

Considering what time he eats dinner at he's definitely a brunch man.

Trip report will be good. No pressure

[dinekes]

Looking forward to the trip report Laz.
THe cramping must have been a bastard to deal with.
Say you're enjoying a massive breakfast this am!

[BennyHiFi]

Awesome time Laz, really well done.

[Solksjaer!]

Great job. Be proud

[coillcam]

Good man Lazare. Well done and enjoy the pints.

[Lazare]

Thanks lads, the second half didn't go to plan, a lot of cramping from mile 18 onwards.

Delighted with the 3:26 regardless. I'll pop up a more detailed review.

Few pince right now

[shrapnel]

3h26. Awesome! Well done laz. Now sit down and have a beer. Well deserved

[The Aul Switcharoo]

Doing great so far and bang on time at halfway. You were a few minutes off the pace after 15km, so wasn't sure you'd make your target. Keep it going !

Came here to post this... 1.41 half when you call a 1.41 half is class

[shrapnel]

Haha, cheers Eoin, yeah, it's an amazing buzz.

Good shout on the 10 10 10.

My pacing strategy is to use the 5km splits. I have a goal average pace for each 5k block. I'll also be paying attention to mile splits.

Aiming for a negative split, so the first half will be taken quite easy. I should get to Walkinstown feeling pretty good, the work begins then.

Aim is to go through halfway in 1:41:x and do the second half in 1:38:x.

That's the hope anyway.

Doing great so far and bang on time at halfway. You were a few minutes off the pace after 15km, so wasn't sure you'd make your target. Keep it going !

[Lazare]

Haha, cheers Eoin, yeah, it's an amazing buzz.

Good shout on the 10 10 10.

My pacing strategy is to use the 5km splits. I have a goal average pace for each 5k block. I'll also be paying attention to mile splits.

Aiming for a negative split, so the first half will be taken quite easy. I should get to Walkinstown feeling pretty good, the work begins then.

Aim is to go through halfway in 1:41:x and do the second half in 1:38:x.

That's the hope anyway.

[The Aul Switcharoo]

Enjoy it obviously.

The classic 10-10-10 really is the nuts. You'll enjoy the first 10 miles. Try not to enjoy it too much and pace yourself well. Then the training comes in for the next 10 miles. My parents saw me at Chapelizod at 10m the time I did it and I had paced it perfectly and it felt like a breeze. Was still smiling ish.. Heartbreak Hill isn't actually too bad.

Last 10km is when the profanity comes. Just think good/happy thoughts last mile doesn't count. You've made it. Finish like an animal. I want a 6x.xx min mile to finish from you. That last 300 metres is absolutely epic, probably the thing I'd miss most

And then enjoy the craft wanker beers

[The Aul Switcharoo]

Good luck tomorrow Lazare. Obviously always being lurking on this thread. You deserve a savage marathon after all your training over the years. Would love to go up and watch but working and no time off

Have a bit of a case of fomo over it. I basically gave up running. Just doing strength work and small cardio in gym for golf. Trying to play good golf a day after 10ks, 10m or long runs wasn't exactly helping the golf swing. My hip mobility and other stuff was getting a bit affected

Can muster the odd 5km or 5m but won't exactly go at a marathon again

[Lazare]

Have a great run Laz.

Cheers man. Feeling good and ready now.

[Lazare]

Good luck. That number has to be a bit of a target on your back though.
I'd say anyone with 10000+ on their singlet who passes you will be thinking 'have a bit of that then, ya 3-digit wanker'.

Yeah, there's something cool about a 3 digit one alright.

Think it's to do with how early I got to the expo.

Could be how early I entered too, think I bought it soon after it opened in 2019.

[dinekes]

Have a great run Laz.

[ArmaniJeans]

Bib no. is 784

Good luck. That number has to be a bit of a target on your back though.
I'd say anyone with 10000+ on their singlet who passes you will be thinking 'have a bit of that then, ya 3-digit wanker'.

[Lazare]

Bib no. is 784

[Lazare]

Looking forward to the long trip report Laz, I have a feeling you're going to nail it.

Thanks man

[Lazare]

can you share your race number so we can follow your progress on the tracker? (pm if necessary).

Will do. I'll have it in the next hour or two.

[shrapnel]

can you share your race number so we can follow your progress on the tracker? (pm if necessary).