Tralee Marathon - Review of the Race

Myself and Diarmuid Normoyle in triumphant mood at Marathon end.
*My son Luke more interested in his lollipop! (and rightly so!)

And so after 16 hard weeks of training, I can finally give the Asics a well deserved break and with it the roads and footpaths that I endlessly tread over that time! Saturday saw the beginning of all that I had been training for and to say that the weather wasn't exactly welcoming was a huge understatement!
Rain and wind greeted all runners at the start line as we left the Wetlands to take on this mammoth task. Full and half marathon runners set off at the same time with the half marathon runners doing a 13.1 loop and the full marathon runners completing the same task twice! I was fortunate enough to have my good friend and running companion Brian (who was competing in the half) to accompany me on the first ten miles which helped enormously as the headphones stayed in the pocket and the company helped me come to terms with  what were tricky conditions on a difficult course. The large crowd at the start helped break what was a strong gale heading out towards Blennerville for the first two miles. A tricky hill in Ballyvelly was negotiated with ease and then onwards we went up Caherslee which was also overcome without difficulty, but it was early days!
The road to Fenit saw the wind come into play again but after these two miles were dealt with and after a 1.5 mile climb at the Kerries was overcome,we had a lovely downhill slope at Ballyvelly to enjoy. It was here that I wished Brian the best as he kicked on for the last three miles and  a very impressive half marathon time! I was still quite comfortable heading back in the canal, behind the Rose Hotel and passing the half way mark at a time of 1:48. with a PB still within range!

Myself and "pacer" Brian in jubilant mood at the finish line!

The second half saw a dramatic change in conditions and circumstances. Without the large running crowd consisting of half and full marathon runners, the strong gale had picked up and was now a massive factor with the next two miles sapping the energy from the legs whilst I tried to maintain marathon pace. The atmosphere suffered also with numbers dwindling now that the half marathon runners had long since departed!
It was on the Ballyvelly climb second time around that I met my brother in law Peter with some well needed gels that gave me a kick to take on Caherslee for a second time.
It was on the Caherslee climb that my coach Joe O'Conner gave me another well needed pep talk which enabled me to psychologically get in the zone for the punishment that was to come.
The long Fenit Road was horrendous as the strong westerly gale again came into play. After two tough miles into the breeze, I had to negotiate a hard 1.5 mile climb again and the sight of my wife Daire and kids Ellie and Luke at this stage was just the emotional and mental boost I needed to get through what was going to be a very tough last 4.5 miles!
After the relief of the Ballyvelly downhill, I also was relieved to find the wind to my back as I head from Blennerville to the finish line. The body was still moving at this point but the mind was beginning to doubt itself. Then came Joe's reappearance and his support as I struggled over the last two miles. His constant encouragement (and giving out!) gave me the strength to struggle on through another strong breeze on the last mile to cross the finish line with my daughter Ellie by my side in a new PB time of 3:39:30!
To say I was happy was an understatement but the body was so drained that I just hit the deck surrounded by family and friends unable to move a muscle! To come through such a tough course under those conditions and post a PB was so satisfactory but would've been unachievable without the support I've had from my family and friends from day one, a fantastic training programme and support from Joe throughout and the support I received on the day (thanks Mark for the water on mile 10!)
I would also like at this point to congratulate all runners on the day on completion of whatever distance on a really tough day for running, but especially all Nisus members who posted PB's on the day - Diarmuid (who finished in 3rd position), Maurice, Dan and Deirdre! 
As my marathon training is now complete, I will now take a break from blogging about it! I still have a twitter account however @ https://twitter.com/marathonlog so feel free to follow.
Thanks to everyone who has read and supported this blog and I hope that it was as helpful (in any way) to you as it was to me!
Thanks!

Race Day Preparation - Some handy tips to make race day less stressful!

So this is it! Race day is almost upon us! The nerves are palpable and you can't wait to get stuck in! The morning of the race can be tough enough to get through so here are a few tips to help calm the nerves and help you to be as prepared as best as you possibly can be!
1. Have the bib number attached to the running gear the night before - Don't go looking for safety pins on ths day adding to the stress!
2. Get up early - give yourself plenty of time to digest your breakfast and mentally prepare for the days challenge!
3. Have gels packed and and ready to go - don't spend morning of the race looking for them.
4. Don't forget to charge your garmin watch - the last thing you want is for the watch to quit on you out on the course.
5. Have an old hat/refuse sack/jacket ready to keep warm at the start of the race but throw off when the countdown begins. It can be cold hanging around before the race gets going!
6. Don't panic if the night's sleep has been poor - you'll have plenty time for rest after the marathon!
7. Embrace the adrenalin/nerves - this is what you've trained for - be confident in your programme and enjoy as best you can!
8. Don't be late to the start line - an obvious one but important - give yourself plenty of time to loosen out/warm up/stretch before the race begins.
9. Take it all in! - Enjoy the camradrie and atmosphere that only a marathon brings.
10. Embrace the support the crowd brings - you'd be surprised how much it can spur you on at all stages of the course.
11. Enjoy it! You've trained hard enough for this - try not to have any regrets after the race is over! To get to the start line uninjured and fit and ready to run 26.2 miles is a hell of an achievment in itself!

To all runners in the Tralee International Marathon, especially my training partners and all members of Nisus Fitness Club - the very best of luck in tomorrows race. Here's hoping for a safe and satisfying run for everyone involved!

My race report will follow on Monday. Good Luck Everyone!

How to cope with pre race nerves

Now that the marathon is just 3 days away the pre-race nerves are starting to kick in and all thoughts go to the big day itself and relaxing is easier said than done.
The first thing I keep reminding myself is that pre-race nerves are completely natural and won't last forever. In a few days these nerves will be a distant memory replaced with only (hopefully) happy thoughts of a race well run. It is also handy, rather than thinking about a Herculean 26.2 miles, to mentally break the run down to segments - think about the start line, the first few challenges, the support of the crowd and of course that victorious last 100 yards when you stride confidently over the finish line!
Start thinking about life after the marathon - the next challenge or that well deserved break from the road!
Take comfort in the fact that there many more feeling exactly the same way as you are now and most importantly trust in the hard work you've put in, rest up and realise that the start line is closer than you think!

The tale of the track - The Tralee International Marathon Route

Now that the Tralee Marathon is only days away, my thoughts drift to the course itself and what challenges I'll face on the day. There are a number of pitfalls throughout that will require patience and concentration to negotiate but overall the course has been less kind in years gone by.
The start of the marathon is, in my opinion, where most problems can and often do occur and the Tralee marathon route serves up a few challenges within the first few miles.
Firstly, the full and half are beginning at the same time which can add to the nerves, crowding and anticipation at the start as it potentially doubles the jostling for position that usually occurs at the start of a marathon. There is also the narrow path on the canal to negotiate after about 1/4 of  mile which is built to cater for at most three abreast but will have to cater for a lot more on the day. The second mile which goes from Blennerville to Cockleshell and returns to Lohercannon involves the worst surface of the route but this only lasts for about a mile so patience is key.
From here on out, with the exception of hills at Ballyvelly (about half a mile) and the long pull of Caherslee, the road to the Spa and a sharp uphill mount at the Kerries the course is good surface wise and also has long stretches of flat as well as the odd nice downhill thrown in for good measure.
A mental speed bump to overcome also however is that this route will have to be done twice, which is never easy psychologically but with a postive attitude, patience at key points and a bit of endurance and strength throughout, the last mile and victory lap to the Tralee Wetlands will make all the hard training worth it!

Rest the legs....and activate the brain!

With the marathon just days away, the time for physical toil is over!
No extra miles are going to make any difference now. The hardwork is done and it's time to give the body a rest and let the brain take over.
Start visualising the day. Challenges you may face. Tough uphills. Nice downhills! The support of the crowd. The finish line!
It's important too to finalise your strategy for the day regarding gels and water. How often are you going to take them? If you are going to have someone on the course to support you/give you gels etc where should they be placed.
To give my legs a rest today, I decided to cycle the course and it both settled me and enhanced my focus for the big event.
These are the night to work on your sleep, hydration, diet and nutrition. Everything else is out of your control.
Don't worry about the intensity dropping - marathon day will make up for that!

The soundtrack of my marathon training programme!

Having run a lot of miles of this marathon training programme on my own (thanks to Brian & Seamus for the other miles!) my ipod has become invaluable and even though it's not recommended come race time it has got me through tough weather, hills and fatigue. At this point besides the fact that I'm completely fed up of every one the 5,000+ songs on it at this stage, I've decided to share a few tunes that have got me through tough (and not so tough) times during this training programme. - I have also left a few embarrassing ones out! (let's just say I've found a new found respect for 80's music and it's ability to give a lift when the going got tough!)
1. Colony - Damien Dempsey:
Damo's raw energy, anger and passion has got me through a lot of tough miles and for that I am forever grateful!
2.I Want to Break Free - Queen:
A handy one when you're bunched at the start of a race! Freddie's big voice has given me a lift and a new sense of freshness when needed!
3.I Feel it Coming - The Weeknd feat Daft Punk:
The easy listening of this tune has calmed me mentally,forgetting the pain and just drifting along without a care in the world!
4.I Can't Explain - The Who:
Upbeat tune that just tends to speed up the legs subconsciously.
5. Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
Come on admit it! We've all had this blaring whilst we power on trying our best to stop ourselves shadow boxing at the same time! Classic!
6. Sweet Disposition - Temper Trap
Nice steady beat that increases/loudens as song continues resulting in uptempo stride and feelings of joy!
7. Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits
Guitar licks that can't be beaten and nice rapid drum beat - just don't skip ahead before legendary solo near the end!
8. Right Here Right Now - Fatboy Slim
If you can't get the legs pumping with this in your ears - you're technically dead!
9. Starlight - Muse
Big venue tune that can give a well needed lift due to Matt Bellamy vocals and loud guitars!
10. All My Life - Foo Fighters
Why not let Dave Grohl wake you from your mid run slumber and give you that well needed kickstart to keep going over the last few tough miles!
11. Scooter - Faster Harder Scooter.....only kidding (Who actually listens to that sh""te?)

Trust your programme on marathon day!

 Throughout this blog I've constantly noticed how preparation, practice and attitude has changed this time around but one thing however has remained constant to all marathon training programmes during the taper period - Mental fatigue and doubt have ever so slowly began to creep in! The solution to this - Trust your programme and all will turn out for the best on the big day!

As intensity and mileage drops it's easy to get that bit paraniod about the level of training you're doing and not feeling like it's enough, but the reality is that the hard work is now done and the body needs time to rest and recuperate before it faces one last bout of punishment on marathon day!
I often feel a bit tired during this programme and every niggle becomes magnified as I want to be 100% fit and ready come the race itself! During the programme, a knock wouldn't mean a great deal unless it seriously affected training times or intensity but come marathon time I always worry that I won't be totally fit at the start line. It usually amounts to nothing as once the starter pistol goes off, these niggles are soon forgotten and I'm focussed on the job at hand!
So my advise (for what's it worth!) for anyone that may be experiencing similar emotions at this stage during their taper is - all the hard prep is now done, trust in your programme and the effort you have put in up to this point, concentrate on diet, nutrition and rest and even though you may not feel like it at times - you will be ready to give it your best shot come marathon day!

5 things to avoid on marathon day!

Now that the marathon is just around the corner, the focus changes to the day itself and getting prepared for the start line. After all the training and preparation, a silly mistake on the day can jeopardise your chances of a comfortable race or good time. Here are 5 pitfalls to avoid on marathon day to prevent this from happening:
5: Don't start too fast - This is a fairly common mistake and can end up being very costly as too quick a start can lead to a very long and tough finish as all that energy used in exploding out of the blocks is needed in those last few tough miles! Be a slave to the garmin and don't stray from your allocated speed to ensure this doesn't happen!
4: Run your own race - I've covered this in a previous post but you'd be surprised how many runners become obsessed with what's going on around them rather than their own race which can have dire consequences when the real hard work starts over the last few miles!
3: Don't change pre-race habits. -  If you have had a bagel for breakfast pre long run, have a bagel on race morning! Any changes to routine now could be detrimental to the big race!
2: Don't worry about the previous night's sleep - Anyone who tells you they slept like a baby the night before a marathon are lying (unless of course they actually are a baby!)! Concentrate on your sleep for the days leading up to the marathon and that one sleppless night won't do you any harm come marathon day!
1: Don't panic - 26.2 miles is a long distance - any mishaps (rough weather, traffic, etc) can be recitified over those remaining miles. I don't think I've ever had a marathon where one thing or another hasn't gone according to plan in the early stages but I've regrouped to rectify later on during the race!

The aftermath - what to do when the marathon is over!

In about 10 days time, I will have passed the marathon finish line (hopefully!) and with it should come an enourmous sense of relief that I have completed my training programme and marathon. But what next?
In the past, there has been a  sense of anti-climax when the marathon comes to an end which is totally natural. After 16 weeks of knowing what every day entails training wise, there is no longer a marathon to train for or routined training sessions to complete.
I used to take this as a chance to kick back, relax, pat myself on the back for way too long and eventually get back to training in a worse state of fitness..but not anymore!
Even though the effects of a marathon on your body can take a reported six weeks to fully recover from and it's not recommended to run for up to two weeks after crossing the marathon finish line, I intend to vary my training on completion of the marathon.
Maybe take to the bike, spend more time in the gym etc. or set another goal such as long cycle or triathlon or improving my times at shorter distances (when I've fully recovered) as I've felt that the sense of routine to my training was a positive thing and helped my focus on my fitness.
Either way, unlike years gone by, I won't be transferring to the couch with the tub of ice-cream vowing not to move until the physical and mental scars of this years marathon heal!

5 Things I'm looking forward to after this marathon is over!

Don't get me wrong! - This training programme has been great (much better than my previous attempts). It has been challenging yet invigorating - never feeling like a chore and I've enjoyed every minute of it. There are however, certain habits and behaviours that marathon training demands that I will gladly leave behind  after the 18th March!
Here are my top five:
5: Running in mindless conditions:It will be great to look out the window on a horrendous day and think to myself in the immortal words of Mr.T "I pity the fool that has to run in that weather!" Marathon training demands that weather conditions have to be battled with to get those miles on the clock and sometimes that may involve battling wind and rain in pursuit of that mileage!After the marathon I will welcome indoor training with open arms!
4: Running gels:A very important part of long mileage training and an absolute must on the big day but these sachets of necessity really are disgusting! Anytime I have to include them in marathon training again just bring me back to dark days of pain over the last few miles of a marathon squeezing the last drop and hoping it's enough to get you home! Suffice it to say, these gels won't be my snack of choice when the race has been run!
3.Having a life!:Marathon training tends to take over your life for the few months leading up to the marathon itself. It's easy to obsess over mileage, form, pace, diet, sleep etc while you are in the middle of a fairly intense training programme. Smelling the roses on a return to normal life will be most welcome on completion of the marathon!
2: Bye bye injury: Training that demands less time on the feet will give the tormented planters that bit of rest required and should result in less injury in general as a training programme (for someone of my age!!) can be tough on the body and the lack of miles and intensity with rest and recuperation and a break from the blasted tennis ball massage!
1.A break from the road:
As much I enjoy running - too much of anything can be bad for you! A break from the roadrunning to concentrate on time in the gym, on the bike and more besides will be welcomed as all that mileage can have both physical and mental effects on the system and a well deserved breather will be just what the doctor ordered!

The frustration of injury and how to cope!

With two weeks to go and all the long training runs behind me, the effects of the last few weeks are beginning to take their toil and the dreaded planter fascitis has again raised its ugly head leaving me with a predicament - do I continue with running or take a break off the feet this close to race day?
I thankfully chose the later and spent the last few days on the exercise bike (which feels a lot more difficult to me than the road, to be honest!) keeping the legs moving and feeling fresh and ready for my return to the road.
Any stupid moves at this stage would be catastrophic as all the hard work is done and it is now just a case of avoiding illness, treating injury and staving off the mental frustration that comes with just wanting to get the race started!

After my spell on the bike, I still feel that my fitness levels have remained, I've given the planter a chance to recover and I've also developed a longing for the road again - which after all the miles I've done over the last few months,I didn't think was possible.
*As a side note anyone who had to run in the horrendous conditions over the weekend - kudos to you!

10 Tips that have made this training programme more enjoyable!

On this marathon training  programme due to a more polished regime (thanks Joe), I have made some considerable changes this time around. Here are what I feel are the top 10:
10. The addition of strength training has had massive results on my pace and durability during those long runs.
9. Active Recovery has helped gain those extra few miles on the legs without totally switching off and therefore staying focused.
8. The 22 mile run has made it easier for me psychologically to cope with those extra few miles I'll face on race day.
7.The improvement in my diet has ensured that training has gone well and that sluggish feeling experienced previously from a bad diet is thankfully a thing of the past.
6.The addition of the heart monitor/belt has lead to a more structured and precise study of those long runs and how I've coped fatigue wise.
5. Varying my runs (especially the nature of my longer runs) has kept me mentally and phsically fresh.
4.The practice run has been great for the body and mind as it's taken a lot of the nerves out of what I'll face on marathon day.
3.Resting when injured/tired has stood to me throughout the programme and as a reult I'm now ready to take on the 26.2 challenge!
2.Running without a water belt has freed me up to run more naturally therefore keeping my natural running pace going.
1.More emphasis on stretching has seen less injuries and a feeling of freshness.

Taking a rest! - the benefits of staying fresh before race day.

It's now at the point of the training programme that after a few tough months, long mileage and high intensity that the body can be feeling the effects. If you experience tiredness on any of these taper days, why not downgrade that run mileage wise or if you have a niggle or two - take a day off! The hard work is largely done and staying fit, healthy and raring to go on race day are the main goals at this stage.
In the past, I've often fretted about how much mileage or how many tempo runs I had done, rather than listening to my body and resting up, easing up on intensity, concentraing on getting proper sleep or even stretching or paying the physio a visit to ensure that the body is ready for the 26.2 mile punishment that's on the way!
Those few extra miles at this stage are of no use and won't be remembered fondly if you suffer from burn out on the day itself!
As Frankie says "RELAX"! (Apologies for the younger readers of this blog...just Google it!)

Mental Freshness - keeping a positive mind during marathon taper

During the taper period of a marathon training programme in the past, it hasn't been the physical aspect that has affected me (the hard physical toil is mainly complete) - it was the mental pressure and affect of sixteen weeks or so high mileage and intensity training now winding down and having to "hold your horses" for the big day!
Usually during this period,one of two things usually occurred (none of which were beneficial to my marathon!). I either took the foot of the gas completely, training and diet wise convincing myself that the hard work was already done and then surprised as to why three weeks of this behaviour resulted in a sluggish, struggle-filled marathon or I kept the intensity high and faced the inevitable burn out on the day resulting in massive frustration come the end of the marathon.
This time out however, I remain focussed on that marathon day itself and have remained mentally positive whilst doing all the other things such as nutrition and training correctly. Most miles are now at marathon pace to get myself so accustomed to this pace that it is nearly in my subconscious come the big day.
Sleep and nutrition have also taken on an even bigger priority also as those extra calories are not being burned off as much due to downgrading of long miles and there is little point in packing on the lbs three weeks out from a marathon,jeopardising the result.
Hopefully, all this will reap dividends when I face that final turn down the home straight on marathon day!