Dublin Marathon: 11 Weeks to go

For tips and training plans to build up to your first marathon, check out a recent episode of the Any Given Runday Podcast: on Spotify HERE and Apple Podcasts HERE and a blog post HERE

My Dublin Marathon training so far could not have gone off to a worse start.

Back in May, while having done over 100km in the Backyard Ultra, I thought I was on track for aiming for better than a sub 3:30 PB in Dublin.

Unfortunately, a niggling hamstring injury was getting progressively worse.

By June, long periods of walking were becoming increasingly more painful. As was standing. And it was confusing because, while I had a back issue in April, I could not pinpoint when this pain started. And I had similar mobility in both legs.

Eventually, I decided to get acupuncture to relieve the pain. I was told I didn’t have a back issue and that it was “only” tight hamstrings. But after 6 acupuncture sessions (including one with a separate physio), I was still unable to run.

In the middle of all this, I did the Ring of Kerry cycle. While cycling itself was painless, the attempt to walk at pit stops along the way was almost unbearable. Desperate to get over the injury, I ruled out cycling after it.

On multiple recommendations, I went to a Thai massage. Never having gotten one before, I had no idea what to expect. But after an hour of being twisted and contorted in every which way, I was told to go fix myself… and stretch 4 times a day.

Having heard this story on the Any Given Runday Podcast, Eric recommended a few Yoga YouTube videos.

After a week of doing that, I felt no better heading out for a day drinking session that Saturday. Sunday, I was nursing a very nice hangover.

Monday, and for the first time in weeks, the pain was not as bad! Maybe there is something to this Yoga, on top of all the rehab stuff I was doing up to this point. I continued with Yoga right up until this past last Bank Holiday Sunday, when I was at a wedding. The hamstring flared up just before the ceremony but was miraculously grand by the time I was on the dance floor that night. I would pay for that

And sure enough, I did, with another beautiful hangover Monday.

But come Tuesday… no pain in the hamstring. I went out for a slow 4k, dreading each step for fear the pain would return. It never did.

A week later and I’m convinced: Alcohol, is the cause and solution to all of life’s problems!

My watch tells me all my fitness is gone:

I’ve put on a bit of weight and am at the heaviest I’ve been in a long time. Not ideal for marathon training

But, mentally, I’m ready to get back on the road and build myself back up to marathon shape. And I’ve got 11 weeks and a lot of obstacles to get through along the way. I’m going to try update this blog as regularly as I can in the process and give a goal for the event 4 weeks out.

Until then

#LetsGoGetEmAgain