second running marathon - Medieval Marathon Kilkenny

Well completed my second running marathon Saturday gone - wasn't as enjoyable as the first - think that was largely due to not being with the same crowd during the run - also it felt like a continuous up hill run .... not built for up hills lol still managed to complete it in the official time of 4:45.10 although I have a feeling the course was short by about a half mile. Still got the medal and another t-shirt that don't fit :-(

 it was at mile 16 I realised they forgot to include any downhill sections...

mile 24 marker showing at 23.6 miles on mapmyrun :-(

My Maiden from my first Marathon - Eimear

Cork City 10 Miler

So on Saturday night I had the Cork City 10 miler and have to say I rather enjoyed it - managed to wander up to the start with a few minutes before the off as most of the gang where running around "warming up" even snapped a quick picture of the star guest Freddy Keron as he warmed up

As usual I started at the back and kept myself out of the way of people as I picked my own pace 

that's me in the light coloured baseball cap

and of we set - I nipped up onto the side to get to a place I felt comfortable pace wise and settled in for the first two loops of the start of the course

As we went round I simply sat within a small group and at points where I felt I could pick up the pace I did - I got the feeling that a few around me thought I might fade (especially on the inclines) but I just dug in and kept the legs ticking along. On the path along the river I found that I could see the 90 minute markers in front of me so made an effort to get up to them. Which I did - but again found I had a little more in the tank so kicked on and went passed them (this meant going off to the side in the grass as they ran 4 abreast) 

Then as the last mile presented itself I found I could kick again and went into Beowulf mode with quite a thumping finish (for me - after running 9 miles lol) and saw the race clock on 1 hour 28 minutes I ducked in and wasn't even that exhausted - so got a quick snap of the race clock lol 

so the final stats

taped the knee - didn't quite last till the end