Ray O'Connor (No.80) In The Thick of The Action (Photo: Alan Cowzer)

Dublin 2006 - One Lonely Bag

It's funny really how every day we learn a little. Two weeks previously in Amsterdam my eyes were opened with the understanding that finding the correct pace and sticking to it is key to completing a marathon in good shape. It's simple really, if you've trained to do a 3:30 then there is no reason for not achieving that goal. And in the same way, if you haven't trained, then you should expect exactly what's coming. If that means a 4 or 5 hour marathon then that's exactly what you'll get. There is no bluffing over 26.2 miles. But be sure of one thing, at my level anyway, your cards are dealt before you start. Sure, things can go wrong during the race and there are a lot of other factors that come into play in a marathon - but for me the new king is PACE.

So what has this to do with what went on in Dublin? The first real funny of the day was when Paul Mc asked me how my training had gone in the run up to this. I told him I had run 4 miles since my last marathon - he laughed. All I was looking to do in Dublin was to get out of the capital without too much pain. It was as simple as that. I suspected that my streak of sub 4s was about to run out but I wasn't too bothered about that. This was just a case of getting another one in and all going well get in around the 4 hour mark. The elite start was good craic and as usual we were well looked after. I was explaining to Paul how embarrassing it was going to be when I pick up my bag at the finish. I imagined a woman standing, arms folded with a big puss on her face wondering where the feck number 80 had gotten to and there in the middle of the road would be one lonely bag :-D

It took me all of two seconds to get over the start line and within the first mile I was probably passed by about 3,000 runners. I saw Johnny at Mile 1 and pointed to the clock - I was going out way way too fast with a 7:40 first mile. I was been dragged along at a speed that I wasn't comfortable with and it was proving even more uncomfortable to slow down. Three times in the first 3 miles I told myself to 'slow down, remember the lesson from Amsterdam, slow down, 3 hours for 20 miles', that was the target. The miles whizzed by and I met Johnny again at mile 8. I pulled up to check the time and it looked like I was going way too fast, as I was running for 65 mins at that stage which was 7 mins ahead.

To cut to the chase I managed to steady the ship and found myself in good shape at mile 18 having gone through the half still exactly 7 mins ahead of schedule. Just around that point I suddenly felt really tired, sore, and was basically in trouble.

Here was my wall, as usual, bang on target. I pulled up at mile

19 and took salt, gel, water and gatorade. Unbelievably I recovered very well and got running again, and I seemed to manage to actually pick up the pace a bit. Mile 20 passed with 2:53 on the clock - amazingly still 7 mins ahead. I felt I'd manage to keep that pace all the way to the finish and was looking forward to seeing my kids at mile 24 (this was only their 2nd time seeing me in a marathon, the first being the first Connemarathon in 2001

- so this could be nice). Mile 22 went on forever and by 23 I was in trouble again. Walked a bit and finally made it to 24 where the four lads stood, basically laughing at me :-) although I felt in worse shape than I looked apparently. I was enjoying this run even though I was in pain. But I knew that I had 30 minutes to finish and retain my streak of sub 4s. And that's what I did, run, walk, run to the finish in 3:54 and pick up my lonely bag.

So the whole pacing rule stood firm - I was going to run a 3:54 no matter what, and I lost the 7 minutes over the last 6 miles.

They were always doomed.

It's interesting to take a look at my last three marathons and see that my cards were probably dealt before each race no matter what pace I set early on

Longford - August 2006 - Half 1:41 - Finish 3:52 Amsterdam - October 2006 - Half 1:58 - Finish 3:54 Dublin - October 2006 - Half 1:52 - Finish 3:54 (16 seconds slower than Amsterdam)

My marathons so far this year show a consistency creeping in London 3:46 Belfast 3:47 (one week later) Edinburgh 3:58 Longford

3:52 Amsterdam 3:54 Dublin 3:54 Luton in December will be my 27th overall, but I can't brag - I met a friend of mine in Dublin, Peter Ferris. He told me he was celebrating his 250th! I have a bit of catching up to do yet.

Ray

26 down - 74 to go.