It hurts to go up and down the stairs today. Body has improved
over the day and I will have a recovery run tomorrow hopefully.
I was at the startline of the Clonakilty Half Marathon on Saturday
morning and I had a target time of 1hr.30 in my head.
Preparation had been poor for my first half marathon, I have only been
ticking over with 5/6 mile runs since the summer and my longest run
in the past month was 10 miles.I realise now that more effort and discipline is required if I want to hit good times.
(Several pints on Thursday night in town was not a good idea)
Having said all that It was my first half marathon and I worked my
ass off on a hilly course so I am happy with my effort,and strategy.
I planned to start out steady for the first 5 miles and to do a
faster second 5 miles that would give me a chance to kick
on the home stretch back into Clonakilty Town.
The plan went ok, I stayed back and the first few miles were 7.20,
7.15,7.20 approx. (cheap digital watch only allows 8 lap times!)
I was lobbing along nicely and I kicked on bit as we got towards Inchydoney and the hilly section. Some of the front runners were coming back to me on the hills and I picked up the pace a bit.
5 mile split was 36.16.
Next 5 miles were steady and I ended up running with a guy who had
been in the NY Marathon last month. We gained on another 2 runners who
stuck with us and now we had a group of 4.
Not having a GPS Watch I was guessing that I was still a fair bit
behind my goal of 1.30 so I said "bollox to it" on one of the downhills and I flew recklessely down dropping the other 3 and passing 1 or 2
more. I hit another uphill section and I again tae advantage of the fast downhill and I am now on a small flat boreen finally feeling like I am racing and glad to be running on my own for a while.
I pass the 10 mile marker in 71mins 20seconds.
I catch another 2 runners but I can hear that they are hanging on
only a few paces behind.
We cross the causeway and are finally heading back into Clonakilty with only 2 miles left. This waswhere I planned to kick on but my stamina is not there and calves and hammers are tightening up.
The 2 guys pass me and I hang on and concentrate on just trying to
keep as close as I can to them.
My Marathon experience in Cork helps me and I decide to focus on
working hard to get home in a decent time - I set mini targets of
getting to the next corner, only 3 more bends left and
I am there etc,etc.
Mile 12 at 1.25.
The last mile is painful but I stick at it and getting to the finish
line is a very good feeling.
Finish Time is 1hr.33mins.
Well done to all the Full and Half Marathon Runners, It was a great
course and a very well run event in Clonakilty.
