Saturday 18 June 2011

I think i'll sleep downstairs for a while!

Where do I start? At the finish I think as this is not going to be a long post, except for Ewen.
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I didn't quite make my 9 hour target, although I was on pace for the first 25k - 2:13:59, and the second 25k - 2:14:01 giving a first 50k of 4:26:00. I dropped off the pace from about 60k with my third 25k coming in at 2:21:19 and the final 25 at 2:29:27 giving a second 50k in 4:50:46 and a new 100k PB of 9:16:46 (8:58 pace) - the chip time may be a few seconds faster as I was well over the line when I stopped the Garmin. Delighted with my run particularly as I don't think I could have done anything better, except perhaps organise my nutrition bag a bit better - rummaging through gels, bottles of this and that, flask of chicken noddle soup (worked great by the way) and assorted congealed sweets & salt tabs in a pool of water (did I mention the downpours) after running 75k is an art in itself.
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My legs held up pretty well, with no cramping - just succumbing to fatigue as the miles wore on. I remember completing lap 12 of 20 and thinking that I was on the home straight with only 8 laps to go until it dawned on me that this still amounted to 40k - it's all relative I suppose.
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The winning time was 7:46 - I just happened to be crossing the finishing mat at the same time, but alas with only 85k in the bag.
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Clubmate Paul Daly came in about 15 minutes ahead of me in 4th position (he didn't wear a watch or check the time but thinks he didn't get under the 9 hour mark) - I was 6th. To put this in context there were about 19 starters. My time would have got me 2nd place last year (less than 30 seconds ahead of the guy who actually came second)
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Clubmates John Desmond and Denis Looney completed the half (50k) in 3:48 and 4:40 with John taking second spot after the two front runners pulled out due to injury. This is on the back of his win in the marathon here last year. So a great day out for the Eagle Ultra boys (code for crazy old men).
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My legs are naturally stiff and who knows how long recovery will take but the afterglow of completing my first 100k will hopefully last longer.
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I don't know if the race report will be much longer as there's not a lot you can write about running around in circles, without the risk of repeating yourself.
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I must go off now and find a quite place to lie down for a few weeks.
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15 comments:

  1. many congratulations, grellan. what an incredible, epic achievement. bask in the glory of this moment before heading out on tomorrow's 35km recovery run :) it's been great following your training over the last few months

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  2. Well done...LEGEND! I knew you'd stop for lunch!! :) enjoy the afterglow... If you never run a step again this will be something to tell the grandchildren!! Abina must be delighted that your heart held out!!!!

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  3. Superb stuff Grellan a great achievement many congrats.
    Well done to John and Denis also thats savage running.

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  4. Great run Grellan. 5:34 per km average is amazing if you ask me. Funny, but lap courses seem to work OK for track 10,000s and 100ks. The Tan Ultra was laps of 3.8k + a bit.

    P.S. When your typing fingers recover a longer post would be OK - just keep it half the length of Thomas's sub-3 report.

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  5. Great stuff Grellan well done and don't worry about repeating yourself!!

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  6. Awesome!

    At first I thought the title meant your wife was mad at you, but now I realize it means your legs are sore....

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  7. Wow. Total respect, man! 9 hours was always a tough target, roughly equivalent to a 3-hours marathon.

    LEGEND is right.

    Now make sure you write a really detailed report, just to piss off Ewen.

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  8. Well Grellan, It was inspiring to see you in action on the course. You were like a train churning out the miles at constant pace. The Connemara 100 Mile will be next ? Keep up the good work.

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  9. Yes congrats 'LEGEND'!
    Great achievement, so close to sub 9.
    Enjoy the long sleep :0]

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  10. The real question:

    Did you have to 'poop'?

    Abina must've asked already!


    Well done.

    enjoy the rest.

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  11. Amazing performance to maintain that pace!
    Did you have to battle hard to resist the urge stop for a rest/stretch over the last 20 or 30miles ?

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  12. Congratulations Grellan .. an excellent run.

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  13. Very well done. Inspirational stuff. Getting average pace under 9-minute miles is a milestone in its own right; a different kind of sub-9 100km.

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  14. Not that you should compare but I wonder how many people living now or in the past have ever done what you did!?

    I'm sure it's a very small number. I don't think I could or would ever attempt to do it.

    Frankly, it is probably even beyond the comprehension of 80% of us. The couch potatoes will either think you mad or a liar!

    Fantastic effort Grellan. Congratulations!

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