Northern Ireland Running

Well done to all yesterday in Dublin.  I didn't have a great run as my hip was really sore from mile 18 and ended up walking a fair bit, so pleased enough with time of 4hrs 32.  Perfect running conditions and great support from the spectators, with plenty of humour!  Also brilliantly well organised and like Paul D I really liked getting the medal put round my neck, like a real athlete, lol.  Belfast could learn a lot from here

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Paul DB, Paul OH, Irene, Mark & other Dubliners - well done, guys!

I absolutely loved my marathon debut! From waking up at 5.30am like an excited kid on Christmas Day to my last pint of Guinness before boarding the train home. Very proud of my time if just the slighest twinge of disappointment that I couldn't keep my pace at the end and slipped off a London GFA  after seeing the 03:15 pacers disappear into the distance between miles 19 & 20. Happy to have experienced and survived the truism that  "the marathon begins after mile 20". Split times confirm I didn't leave enough in the tank yesterday for the final 6m 385yds but even-pacing would only have allowed me the 'luxury' of going 9secs/mile slower over the first 20m. Would that much slower an initial pace have let me maintain it through 24m rather than 20 and left me stronger to attack the last couple of miles in faster than-average? I guess the answer is 'Yes' but "experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards". 

Thought the crowd support was incredible. Shouts of "C'mon Dromore" really helped in the second half although I'm still smiling today at hearing someone remark, "that's great running" as we passed the 2m marker!

Feeling remarkably good today though quads and calves happy I'm not contemplating anything except maybe the gentlest of recovery runs Thurs/Fri. By which time, it will only be 2 weeks till the Seeley Cup!

Well done all.  Great to read the reports. 

Irene, sorry that your hip didn't hold out for the full distance, but you still managed to get a great time considering. Now you can take it easy and give your hip a chance to recover properly.

Paul B and Paul OH - I didn't realise (or didn't remember) that you two were running it, but of course I shoud have known.  Trust Joe to be there shouting for you.

Alwyn - glad that your first marathon was such a good experience. It defintely has to be one of the best marathons for spectator support.  For a lot of those people spectating yesterday, managing to get to the 2m mark would be considered great running indeed. I love your experience quote.

And a very well done to Mark on his second marathon. 

Well done all who ran on Monday some great stories coming out. Alwyn it's hard to get your head round slower is faster. Marathon running is all about even paced running and getting that pace right. We've all been there and went too fast at the start and been unable to hold the pace at the end.

I saw somewhere the Foyle Marathon is on 10 May. Is our wee country going to be able to support three marathons in a month?

Tough luck with your hip Irene, still a great run in the circumstances.  At the finish I heard the man with the medals say "Well done County Antrim" to someone in your club colours who had finished beside me.  Nice to hear the home county getting a namecheck at that stage.

Great running all - congrats!

Nice job Alwyn - great run, I'm sure you are delighted - keep pushin on with the training and sub3 on the cards Belfast 2013?

I agree Kenneth - sounds like lousy scheduling with 3 marathons so close together.... an autumn marathon oop north would make more sense.

kenneth and ricky, the "walled city marathon" is the 2nd june, now i have heard a rumour that it is going to be limited to 1000 runners, (check out derry marathon walled on face book) all going well this will be my "maiden" (excuse the pun) marathon. congrats to all who ran the dublin marathon

That would make a bit more sense but they are still pretty close together. Good luck with the training.

Thanks, Ricky - still buzzin at my Dublin experience.

On the main, I had followed the Pfitzinger & Douglas up to 55m/wk 18-week schedule. I would love to follow the 55 to 70m/wk schedule next time but it's a big commitment! I know the schedules are not meant to be followed with slavish devotion but I haven't yet got my head around the trade-offs of marathon prep with wanting to run other races (10Ks & Half-Maras) and still HAVE FUN running!!

It's lovely though this week to be chilling out and contemplating next year's goals.

Alwyn, you did really well for your first marathon. Well done. And you picked a perfect one to do. Dublin must be up with the likes of London and New York for crowd support and atmosphere.

Agree with you about the dilemna between putting all your efforts into one race, or having fun and doing a variety of challenges. I like doing triathlons, so between those and also juggling to keep life balanced and particularly to preserve the peace at home, I don't get to put in the mileage for marathons. This was my 4th time doing Dublin, and by far the best as I did concentrate on the marathon training that bit better. It was so good this time running the full distance and soaking up the support, rather than the usual performance of hanging my head in shame and walking part of the last few miles. It would be nice to improve my marathon times further but; as you say, you have then to push up the mileage in training. Something else will suffer. Plus the risk of injury would increase.

Still, like you, I haven't stop smiling since crossing that finish line on Monday. I don't know about next year yet either but will enjoy the break over the next few months.

Where do I start!

Congrats, Martin! I'm just wondering this week if I will ever recapture in future races that thrill of completing a first marathon!!

I know what you mean about the latter stages - I was desperately trying to recall my knowledge of Dublin city centre and so wanting to believe the encouraging shouts of, "you're nearly there"!

you only get one chance to compete in your first marathon!...I'm glad I did Belfast before Dublin...makes me appreciate Dublin even more...!!

Very enjoyable morning at Waterworks parkrun on its 2nd birthday.  Thanks to all involved (Mags, Ruth, Matt & co) for organising the party.  Quite a few Dublin marathon shirts on view too.

went along to the waterworks on saturday, fantastic event really well run, always seems to have a good number out every week, credit to the organisers and volunteers.  as for the run, slightly slower than usual due to a few icy patches but had a decent run nonetheless

Winter training depresses me dark evenings not knowing what to wear and ending up too warm.

I've entered the Seeley anyone else doing it.

Yes Kenny I've entered Seeley 10k along with about 25 others from Ballymena Runners. Should be a good day out.