me running…
about runs
First marathon in 2016. Still not ready or at least that how I feel. But I had to try. Try myself. And besides that there was AGM after the run. So, I was on the road again, driving towards Lilliput to see my running friends and to run with them. Lilliput is not even a hour drive so early morning and into the car. Morning was actually grand, not too cold and it wasn’t raining…
For the second time Szczecin invites all marathoners! This time we will meet sooner on 26th June.
Registration for the 2nd Szczecin Marathon is now open.
Run date: 26th of June, 2016.
Start: at 09:00. Start and finish Azoty Arena, 3/5/7 Szafera Street, Szczecin.
Spartathlon – probably one of the hardest endurance race in whole World, definitely in Europe. Besides the toughness of the race that run is so nice. Nicest way to be introduced to ancient Greece, views and history. If finished you should run through Athens, Eleusis, Megara, Ancient Corinth, Ancient Nemea, Tegea and finishing in Sparta. But remember you still have to run alm
and I will taunt you for at least 13.1 miles. Haha… That could be summary for my last marathon in 2015 and the first I have run on behalf of Make-A-Wish Ireland foundation. As I was landing in Dublin at 29th of December I have tasted Storm Frank. Little bit turbulences. But that wasn’t too bad. Trip to Armagh was really challenging. Wind playing around with the car on the motorway. Adding up rain and the trip was a ‘delight’. Anyway, thanks to Clive I had place to sleep before heading to Belfast next morning. Had a place to sleep but it was very hard to sleep when the whole house is shaking cause of wind and rain. So, instead of nice night sleep I had lousy 3 hours of a nap. Early morning, quick breakfast and off to Belfast. Still about 75 minutes drive and I had to have coffee before run. Cause I left before 6 AM there was no open shops at this time of the day. It was a rainy morning still. Not as windy as day before but as I was about to find out still quite challenging when running. I was at parking spot much earlier than I wanted. And actually could start at 8 AM with early starters. Have checked the weather and decided to opt out cause of the rain. It supposed to stop raining later. Now I know that early start wouldn’t be a bad idea. Maybe more rain for the first hour but definitely less windy. And wind for the first part of marathon, probably about 12 miles, was in your face. So, running first hour with less wind would be an advantage…
Clonakilty is always really nice race to run. Doesn’t matter if you are running 10 K, half-marathon or full marathon the atmosphere is always great. You always getting that special vibe here. You can feel like between members of family. Great buzz and much needed support for town itself. Usually there are two runs during the year organized by Clon crew (sometimes more). Ia and Bob always make us feel very welcome. I think that easily you can call that marathon the friendliest marathon in Ireland. And it doesn’t matter if that is ultra marathon in Summer or chilly marathon in December. This year was no different…
Woke up in the middle of the nigh, 3:45? Are you kidding me? Marathon is starting just before 10AM, so why? Cause it is NYC marathon and you want to run it. Usual breakfast, usual but very early. Ice coffee on the way down to subway. And again word which will be used during that post ‘early’. Early subway – 5AM. I was not alone, there was plenty of runners in the train already. Met Aussie, Italian and runner from Luxembourg. We had nice, long chat. All of them were aiming for much better results. One – 2:45, other Boston qualifying time… Me, just wanted to finish. And if possible to get similar result as week before in Venice – 3:25. Aussie was the guy who I have spent quite a lot of time that morning and the rest of the day after marathon run. Mark, that was his name, and me took same ferry. They told us that we can take earlier ferry if we want. We went for it. Two other guys took even earlier one. As we sat there we had another chance to chat. As I found out Aussie was actually from UK, London born and raised, Arsenal supporter (boooo). Nice bloke. He was documenting everything. Pictures, selfies, videos all for friends back in Australia. Landed on Staten Island, you would think that is it but still not. There was another at least 30 minutes trip by a bus until eventually getting to marathon village. Logistically NYC marathon is a nightmare. Cause of the journey from Manhattan to Staten Island and early start of the day for your body marathon felt like a run in the middle of the day. And that is really hard to accommodate. I remember running Eddie Murphy last year. That one started at noon. With all usual routine I was already hungry again before run and eating at that time was a crap idea as I have found out. This time I was trying not to make same mistake. Was trying just to hydrate. Tee, Gatorade to keep my energy levels up. Marathon village and still 2.5 hours of waiting. Anticipation? Yes. But both of us – me and Mark – agreed that we are too relaxed. That something wasn’t right. But that wasn’t first time I had that feeling. Had to stay focused. Toilet, done, twice. Stretching routine to get body into shape. Waiting before my wave and corral gate. At 9AM they suppose to let us in. They did. 9AM still 50 minutes to start. Inside my zone, nervous. Toilet again, waiting. Made a mistake, I took my warmer clothes off to fast. It was cold. About 15 minutes before start we begin to move towards starting line. Runners who knew that race they just now started to lose their clothes. Walking we got to bridge connecting Station Island and Brooklyn. American anthem during which all US runners turned towards flag which was behind us. After that and see words from organisers we have started. In front of me I had 3:25 pacer. In Europe pacers are running either with balloon or flag in here they have small board on the stick with time on it. They are running like that for whole way. Fair play to them…
5:30 woke up to be ready for 7 when Giuseppe will arrive. Bozena wanted to sleep for little bit longer. Before 6 I have woke her up. She wasn’t too happy. I knew that. Not blaming her. 9:40 marathon start and we were leaving at 7. I have prepared my gear for a run. We had small breakfast. And went down the stairs, to wait for Giuseppe. Couple minutes later still no sign of him. Bozena asked me to text him. I actually have checked text which I have received night before… and didn’t want to say to Bozena what I saw in that message. Yep, text was saying that Giuseppe will pick us up at 7:50. Small mistake. But we could sleep about 50 minutes longer. Bozena wasn’t impressed. And I just felt stupid. Could be less tired with longer sleep. Ok, happens sometimes. Our Friend has arrived. We have checked with him if there is any chance for Bozena to be on the starting line with us and then take bus to Venice to cheer us at the end of the run. Unfortunately all roads leading to Venice were close from 10 AM. So, Bozena took the bus same time as we have left the B&B. We were on our way to Satra?? where was the starting line. We have picked up one of Giuseppe’s friend Alesandro. Three of us arrived at the start. Little bit stretching, bag drop and with 8000 other runners to start. 5 entrance gates. I’m in last. Maybe that’s good cause won’t be racing. Just easy run. Just wanted to get to finish if possible in 3:35. Should be doable. Idea was to keep same pace all the time… Start. No, wait. National anthem of Italy first. Surrounded by all these proud Italians screaming their lungs out what most of them thought was singing gave me shivers… Can we start that tradition in Ireland to sing anthem before big races?
That was my third visit to Venice and must say that this time I was enjoying it quite a lot. First time when I was here was almost 15 years ago and from that of experience day I remember just an awful smell. Said to myself that Venice is not worth visiting again. But you never know what life will bring. Second visit in Italy and Venice was maybe 7 or 8 years ago. Short stay, just off email full day here. Decided to go to San Marco, left water bus at Rialto and walked there. Saw Piazza, got quick lunch and decided to walk back to car. But used streets not so popular with tourists. And has change my idea of Venice. Do not go where everybody goes. Use your imagination and allow yourself to be lost in Venice Right then you will start to feel that city,. That was second visit in Venice. And now we had in front of us prospect of another stay there. Wanted to surprise Bozena with that trip but as easy is to hide all preparations (organising B&B, flights, one day off from work with her boss) it is very hide to hide all that bill when they are appearing on the credit card. And Bozena is frequently checking our card spending for any unusual activities. So, there was no surprise for my Wife, she knew all before the trip. She told me that she was actually glad to know about that surprise cause she had could prepare proper clothes for herself and not counting on me being lucky with my choice. There was another thing as well added down the road. Bozena straight from Venice was flying to work conference, so needed to be prepared for that and probably surprise trip (idea was to pick her up from her office just 1.5 hours before the flight)…
Next morning… No breakfast in hotel. Reception open from 8 Am. Same with breakfast. That was too late for me. So, cool coffee and banana had to do. But that was enough for whole marathon. Had one more pretzel before the run. Food covered then. Now to run. All pacers were meeting at 8 o’clock. Meeting point CEP booth in expo. I knew that my ‘Compress Sport’ gear won’t be a big hit there. I was correct. As soon as I have started to get in my gear CEP employee came by saying that I cannot run in that gear cause that is their direct competitor. So, calves sleeves gone and running bottoms as well. But we were provided with whole pacing gear. CEP provided us with compress socks, compress bottoms and technical shirt. Unfortunately no head band. And what to do if you are running always with one, and one you have is Compress Sport? Not great but they have allowed to wear mine as long as no one could see the logo. Gear sorted, flag on my back. As a pacer we were given access to VIP area where we could get coffee or tee and something to eat as well before run. And after, separate changing rooms with showers and proper lunch. And that was very nice.
First b2b during crisis. Definitely not finishing time I was expecting but… Yeah, what time I was really expecting. Previous day I was pacing in Galway – 4 hours. And now, day after I’m on the starting line again. Knowing that fitness is still not there I haven’t got much expectations. Wanted just to finish. Was trying to get 3:45 time if possible. But… hills of Monaghan town. I know these well having run there last year. Year ago I got 3:25. Was aiming for 3:45 as well but legs were ok, was running with my watch but haven’t got the idea that in the vast part of the route (forest / park) GPS signal is really bad. Watch was showing pace which would allow me to finish marathon in 3:35 – 3:40. Ended up 10 minutes faster. But back then I was running with TomTom multisport watch. Great watch but I think was loosing signal quite fast during that marathon (I think that TomTom was short by 2 km almost). This year was much better. With Suunto I was just off by less than 350 meters (that says something about quality of the watch). Don’t get me wrong. Liked and still like TomTom watches but I think that Suunto is THE BEST in business when comes to GPS watches. But love for TomTom is still there. Now just shifted towards Bandit Action camera. Great videos taken during Szczecin where I had infamously missed my 4 hours mark as a pacer (thigh was tight). Ok, shifting little bit from the main topic now. Plan – slowly finish, if possible in 3:45. If not in that time just enjoy the run and first b2b in ages.
This year there was two marathons taking place in Monaghan. Saturday and Sunday – back to back during Monaghan Festival of running. For obvious reasons I couldn’t run the Saturday race. For me was Sunday booked. Saturday route was exactly same as the one last year. 5 loops mostly in the forest. Sunday run was slightly different. First loop was in the town and over the canal. This year supporters could cheer for us not just on the road where the loop was starting and finishing. Now they were gathering as well in the town. And despite very cold weather (started race when it was about 3 – 4 Celsius degrees) and no sun in the morning there was quite a crowd there. Of course there was much more runners now cause of two days festival but as well cause of new distance added. Last year it was marathon and all marathon distances, this year 10 km was added to that. There was another important reason for people to show up that Sunday morning. Leslie Crawford, race director, was running his marathon number 100. Cause Leslie is such a nice guy I think that everyone wanted to make his day special. Big crowds, nice cake at the end of the race, cheers from fellow runners and wishes to get another 100 in the bag soon… Back to run. Knew already forest part, knew that it is not flat. Some ups and downs, some quite demanding and four loops of that. New was that first loop in the town. This year, cause coming from Galway, we weren’t driving through Monaghan and I couldn’t remember if town itself is flat or not. I was just imagining that it’s not flat at all. And guess what… I was right. I think actually that this loop had more incline that loop in the forest (need to double check the watch for details). Ups, downs, town, end of first loop. Official watch was showing over 45 minutes already. More less loop in the town was same length as the one in forest. So, means that I was running slower than anticipated. 45 minutes for each loop was giving total time of 3:45. Being behind on the first one I was wondering if I will be able to finish in predicted time cause probably I will get tired on some stage and the pace will go down definitely. But now I was doing loops which I knew. Maybe haven’t remembered all the turns and ups and downs but idea of that loop was in my head. And with each next turn I was remembering more and more. And in the middle of forest loop I knew all the turns and inclines. It is actually nice to know the route not just from GPS profile but actually know it cause you run it or walk it. At the end of first forest loop (second all together) got 2 minutes to spare. So, maybe the town loop was little bit longer than forest one.