After a night of bed hopping (I slept most of the night with Aidan in a single bed) I got up at 7am and had a bowl of cornflakes mixed with readybreak (I know not my usual breakfast) and started on the water.

After breakfast I got my gear ready – Protein drink (the containers for baby food come in handy) Recovery drink, reconfirmed my gels

On the road by 8am, but I needed to get petrol and my coffee, discovered I forgot my race pack, not that I thought I needed it, but just in case I went home to collect it. and I’m on the road and out 20 minutes later than planned.

Traffic to Charleville was very slow.

The race;

Started with the 1:40 pacers, but I very quickly got carried away with the crowd, by Mile 1 I was about 20 seconds in front of them, so I eased off and allowed them to catch up with me.

The going was easy, however I was concerned about my calves there was a small bit of tension in them and it stayed with me for the entire race.

I really enjoyed the run, it was easy and I had no issues with the pace – and I was running with the 1:40 pacers, this was a level I just couldn’t run last year.

The pace for the first 10 miles was around 7:36 on average – this pace would bring me home in 1:39:30 – I’d be happy with this 🙂

At Mile 10 I decided to go for it – and I feel like I took off like a rocket, picking people off, this felt great.

Mile 11 was at 6:57

Mile 12 I had dropped to 7:18 and by Mile 13 I was back to 7:37 – I was struggling to keep the pace. In the last 200 meters I went for it and upped my pace to a peak of 5:05 min/mile and then nearly died after I crossed the line – 1:38:58

While I’m delighted, and it was amazing to run the 10 miles feeling no pain, I question the last 3 miles and how I allowed my head to slow me down.

after I finished I did my 1 mile recovery and I felt great again, no pains no problems at all, so it was all in my head again.

The 1:40 pacers crossed the line not far behind me, I wonder if I had stayed with them would I feel different.

either way looking at the McMillan Running Calculator 1:38:58 is a pace of 7:33 min/mile for a 1/2 marathon and that should allow me to run 3:28:17 @ 7:57 min/mile pace for a marathon, I thinking the pace I need to be looking at is between 7:55 and 7:59 for the Dublin Marathon which should bring me in just under the 3:30 mark.