Lost in translation…

Turn left then right then left again… OMG, I’m so bad at listening to instruction about the route. I know that it’s for my own good but I would like just run. Don’t think about where you need to turn, only make sure that you will put right foot infron of left and after that left infront of right. And you probably already guesed (or you have run with me in Sixmilebridge then you were informed about that even via laudspeekers during Sunday’s race) that I got lost. This time I ended up doing 46.5 km, which should be counted as my first ULTRA marathon. But start from the beginning…

Saturday’s run route was a 21.1 km loop done twice. Small round via village and after that rest done on the country back roads. But just after leaving village you had to turn right. And there, where I went throught the junction. Ended up alone nowhere neer the route. At this stage I knew that I was lost so just wanted to do 10 km and just come back same way and try to do second lap the correct way. After being almost 3 miles of the course I was picked up by Richie O’Donnell (one of the race director) and brought back to place where I should make the turn. Everything according to rules, didn’t matter that I was already almost on my 8 km and place where I had to start again was just less than 4 km from the start. Anyway, that had to be done if I wanted to continue. Now I had to start gaining on my fellow runners. So, my plan of running with pace of 5:13 min/km was trashed again, but must tell you all that even that whole missed ture situation hasn’t stopped me enjoying that race. I was still going with a smile on my face knowing that at the end of the race I will have couple more kilometers in my legs than everyone. Aparently I have run quite strong cause I was 4th still. My official time was 3:59:27, but without ‘car lift’ (according to watch) it was 3:55:30 (I was quite of the course if it took 4 minutes to bring me back to route) for 46.47 km. I was very happy but then I slipt, I wasn’t watching for my diet. I have eaten too much that day and the next day for breakfast. And there where the problem started…

I have called that tactic simple – ‘crap tactic’. Yep, I shouldn’t be using that word on the blog but still. I have made the mistake and had to pay for it. First will explain the tactic and give you time after that will write more about the event itself. Tactic was: 5 mile run –> toilette –> 15 mile run –> toilette –> 6.2 mile run. So achieved time wasn’t really that great. Got to the finish line in 3:40:55 but would say that run took me about 3:30 – 3:31. I need to restrain myself from eating before marathon, day before and the same day. Need to say that it was very hard not to eat on Sunday if race has started at midday and not in the morning as usual. Of course that is not an excuse. Ok, back to event. There was couple of option to run: half-marathon, full marathon, 30 miles and the last one – double-marathon. Route was set on the 1 mile loop, so at the end of your run you could easily say that you know these couple of streets inside-out. Double started early in the morning at 7 AM in the fog and cold. Some of the full marathon early starters went the same time to finish early. After that, at 11 AM there was start to 30 mile race and 1 hour after that full marathon took place. Last but not least half-marathon runners began their race at 2 PM. Support on that short route was brilliant. People from the village, surrounding areas were shouting for each of us. And again on our numbers you could find runner’s name which was helping when supports were trying to encourage you to run faster. Whole 1 mile loop run it’s great idea but must admit that after about 15 laps I just got bored with same streets over and over and over again. Good thing was that you could chat a little bit with fellow runners when you were passing them by or they were passing you by. During Sunday run I had more support than usual. It wasn’t just my Wife. In the crowd there was my running coach – Don and others members of Trail Heads. I was running full marathon option but there was TJ and Stephen who both were running the double-marathon. And they did fantastic. At the end of the day it was tough run but I was happy again after finishing two marathons again.

Ohhh… Almost forgot. Haven’t got medals for any of two marathons. Medals that have arrived for the event were the wrong ones. Now we are waiting for the proper ones. In the mean time I was presented with ‘arrow sign’ which was hanging on the posts during Saturday run.

Next year? Probably, yes.

Pictures as usual.