Sunday's HM PB is now my breakthrough race, my best result according to McMillian, eclipsing my 10 mile PB of 1:02:38 set in Dungarvan last year - I should now be capable of 1:02:09 over that distance and a 2:54:04 Marathon. In fact I was asked by a few people would I not give up the 3:30 pacing job in Dublin and go for the sub-3 hour. However running a fast half does not necessarily translate to running a fast marathon - anyway i'm committed to pacing Dublin and looking forward to it - the sub-3 can wait for another day.
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I sent a text to Race Director, Michael Herhily, on Sunday about my missing chip result and he said he would check the finishing video and put my time up on the results, which places me between 26th and 27th, 1 second behind the guy in front (even at the halfway timing mat - but I was actually about a minute behind him at that stage). I then got a call on Tuesday night from Glen of ChampionChipIreland who said he had read my blog and wanted to resolve the discrepancy with my finishing chip time - he said that my chip had registered at the start mat and the halfway mat (41:38) but for some reason did not register at the finish - I could have missed the mat at the finish but have no recollection of doing so. Glen sent me the amended results yesterday - I must say i'm very impressed with the level of attention my missing result has got.
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My negative split of 42 seconds was enough to gain me 8 places over the second half of the race (35th down to 27th - If I hadn't faded over the last mile i'd have made 24th place). This result shows that all I need is 5 or 6 weeks of speedwork off an endurance base to get in race shape. Two months ago I struggled with an average 6:55 pace on a downhill 15 miler, and felt worse at the finish than I did last Sunday (partly due to blunted speed from the 100k 4 weeks before perhaps). 1 month ago I failed to crack 40 minutes for 10k (I know it was hilly). On Sunday I ran 4 sub-20 minute 5ks (fastest 19:07) or 2 sub-40 minute 10ks (fastest 38:50) so I think I'm pretty much at the top of the curve - I just hope I can stay there until the 15 mile "Cork to Cobh" on Sunday week and have at crack off my 15 mile PB (set a few weeks after my previous HM PB in October 2008).
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Finally the best of luck to a few guys out there racing this weekend:-
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Richard running the River Ayr Way Ultra - His first ;)
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Marty & Clubmate Pat running the Berlin Marathon.
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Bob in Tokyo running a half marathon.
Also hello to Richard Forrest, a reader of this blog, whom I met this week for the second time, not at Charleville where you would think as we both raced on Sunday, but in the County Library, where I was attending a meeting during the week. Keep up the running and maybe i'll see you on the road from Cork to Cobh.
12 Miles to Go
11.5 Miles to Go
400 yards to go
15 yards to Go
10 Yards to Go
Fantastic HM PB Grellan!
ReplyDeleteThe effort over the past 5 years, mileage and form work, bare foot stuff etc, is just now starting to pay off, I reckon.
You're looking damn fit these days too. As they say if it looks like a duck....
If I don't get my shit together you'll start over taking my PBs!
congratulations on a solid performance, well done!
ReplyDeleteHi Grellan, just catching up on your blog, thats a massive PB to get last wknd, great stuff.
ReplyDeleteWell inside sub-3 form that, and if you were to focus on targetting it, I've no doubt you'd get it with that base.
Hopefully see you on the Eagle long runs soon,
Kevin
Strong performance man. And really cool about the quick correction by the timing company.
ReplyDeleteI was sure you were going to announce aiming for 2:55 in Dublin (I think I would have). Looking forward to our next pacing gig instead.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking tonight about your PB and remembered what you said when I first got around the same time in a similar "breakthrough" race. You said I was getting close to being an elite Master's runner! Or something like that.
ReplyDeleteI remember it well cause it made me happy to hear it even though at the time I didn't think I was.
But now you are doing the same, running wise, it's really pretty incredible!
I reckon you never though as I never thought I would get into the early 1:20s on a half but it's funny once you get there you always think you can do more!
All the best with continued race success!
BTW I wouldn't go near a 3 hour pacing run until I could run close to 2:30! Anything can happen at those faster paces and I'd feel it'll be too much pressure having to lead in that situation. so I think you made the right decsion to take the other group. Enjoy.
Cheers Guys.
ReplyDeleteThomas, going for the sub-3 is tempting alright but i'm looking forward to my fun "Dublin City Marathon" run.
Scott, no fear of passing you out, unless you were after a gallon of sake, blindfolded and wearing stilletos to match your arm warmers - perhaps you could come over and pace me for a sub-3? You're spot on about thinking that you could do better - we'll always be envious of the guys who finish 1 or 2 minutes ahead of us, no matter what time we do.
OMG Connie was right you're like a stick with a beard.
ReplyDeleteNo matter what Scott says, you don't look like a duck. Nice photos - a certain steely determination there.
ReplyDeleteI admire your commitment to the pacing job as I reckon you'd be a 10-1 on bet to break 3. Still, when you do it'll probably be a 2:54... smashing Thomas's PB ;)
Grellan, Scott's girlie arm-warmers are his undoing. He's been running like shit ever since he started wearing them!
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ReplyDeleteThanks for the good luck wishes. I wore Scott's girlie arm warmers on Saturday and I would recommend them. embarrassing to wear but they do work (well they did for me).
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