Connemara invitational - Marathon Double Day 1

This week was the closest approximation to the 10 in 10 so I was hoping for a peak in my mileage and a couple of solid back-to-back marathons. I missed Easter Monday's opportunity for any miles, being laid low with crippling period pains (at least the timing means it'll be well out of the way for the TiT) but was on for 100 miles in 6 days. It's important psychologically: if I can manage this alongside work at a good pace and not be too knackered or sore, it would really boost my confidence.

The weather's been great, so I ran 10 miles outside on both Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 8'57 minutes per mile and 8'51 pace, topping Tuesday off with a brisker 5 miles at 8'00s in the gym. Thursday was a tough day - 10 miles of speed/endurance intervals in the morning then 5 miles at 8'00s in the evening again. The intervals have really helped me to maintain pace over a longer period and I'm sure have contributed to my recent stronger marathons. It's 9 x 1 mile at 7'30, then 45 seconds recovery at 8'30 pace, deliberately little recovery to make it tougher. It's a beasting (and probably not recommended by coaches) but it works for me and I love the sessions. Friday was a bit of a trudge after 2 hours of hard work so was a steady 8 miler at 9'30s.


Saturday was the Invitational Connemara marathon. It's a good thing I'm so relaxed about these things now as I knew next to nothing about the race other than "it's definitely on". Luckily, Allan, Jim and John were staying at the same B&B so they gathered me up for breakfast at MacDonald's before heading down to race HQ at the Marriott. It was a small but fabulous group of runners in the Invitational (you get a place by knowing the race director, or knowing someone who does, Jim sorted us out):


Allan Rumbles - one of my best marathon mates, ran his 100th at Zurich on New Year's Eve, recently ran the 80 mile Oner over insane terrain in 21 hours
Jim "Manic" Mundy - a former TiT, ran his 100th in a dress, sorry, Hermes outfit, now on c.225 maras
John Dawson - another former TiT, running strong at 72 years old, tremendously inspiring and on his 350th mara
Michael Grehan - another 100 club runner, a total rock in my hideous Beachy/Greensands/Dublin triple and one of the loveliest men you'll ever meet
Steve Edwards - 3 x TiT, full of wisdom and advice and accompanied by the fabulous Teresa, and running his 499th and 500th marathon this weekend, all sub 4 and most sub 3'30, a real legend
Larry whom I hadn't met before but arrived having milked his cows, then had to rush off afterwards to milk them again, two other TiTs Mark and George, Fetchie Graeme who went on to run a great time in the ultra, me and a couple of other guys. 12 in total, only one girl. I was going to be first lady, and last lady, depending on your point of view.

L-R: John, Larry, Graeme, ?, ?, me, Allan, Manic, Steve, Michael, Mark, Teresa (Steve's fabulous OH) as en route support, George

The aim was sub 4 for each day and I anticipated the course to be similarly difficult to Windy. As it turned out, the second half was tougher and the wind today made it a monster. The first 6 miles were opportunity to bank some time so I was running at about 8 mm for this bit. What I didn't anticipate was quite how stunning it would be. I can't do the scenery justice, mountains and glacier lakes and wide open blue skies with hardly a cloud to be seen. Incredible. And to be warm enough to merit shorts and crop top, in April, in Ireland, is just a blessing! Within 2 miles I was by myself; Steve and George were leading, followed by Mark, then Allan, Graeme and Michael in the following pack. You needed a fair bit of resilience and experience to run 24 miles of that marathon entirely by yourself, it gets quite lonely out there, but it was a good test of my resolve.

Steve and George on the lonely but stunning route

The headwind was a beast today, most of the second half was into the face of it and it was like trying to run through a wall, terrifically hard work. When it dropped, the stillness and quiet was sublime, and I was coasting along loving the views. It feels like I run with my abs and lower back now, having worked on that area for a while, it feels so much easier to keep strong and controlled there and let the legs use momentum. I get no pain in my legs now after a single marathon, a bit of tiredness, sure, but no soreness. Something's working.

I went through the half way point in 1'50, plenty of time in hand in case of disasters. Turned out I needed it, at 13.5 miles, we hit the first serious hill, it went on and on and was into the teeth of the wind. I was NOT going to walk the hills today and was proud I didn't, but it required a bit of yelling at myself after a while. This wind, sorry to keep going on about it, was deafening and very testing and just relentless. But the scenery, two support cars, random cars waving and slowing down for a few encouraging words, and the cute lambs all helped put a positive spin on things.

I passed Mark suffering with his glutes (a sore arse in any other words), and George who'd gone out a bit too hard and was happy that noone caught me. After a long and arduous drag up from 23 miles to the top of the pass, the last 2 miles were blissfully downhill and flat into the valley with a chance to really drink in the view. I finished in 3 hours 52 minutes, very very happy given how tough I found the conditions. I'll think about tomorrow tomorrow!