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If... the Unforgiving Minute
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I did not have a great week in the lead-up to the National Indoor Masters.
I have been struggling with a head cold for the last two weeks. Usually I can shift it in a day or two but this one lingered. Nothing serious just bunged up sinuses and a cough. It did not help that there were a few stressful things going on as well but I was managing fine until I twisted my ankle on Tuesday.
I was heading down to the track and stepped off the kerb onto a stone the size of my fist and rolled off my left foot. I jumped in the air with pain, then stopped and looked around to see if anyone noticed, as if that mattered. I continued on to the track, probably not very wisely.
I finished my warm-up and did my planned session of 4x200m at 800m pace off 200m jog recovery. Times were inconsistent 27.9, 31.7, 30.4, 31.2. I cut my cool-down short. I knew I was in trouble as my ankle swelled up that evening. After that wisdom arrived as I rested for 3 days and I could feel improvement each day. I did not want to mention it on here because you never know who is reading.
On Saturday I went for 3 easy miles and did 4 strides. I could still feel some weakness but no pain. However I was still nervous about the tight bends putting pressure on the outside of my left foot in light spikes
On Sunday I arrived in plenty of time at the Athlone Indoor Arena. I did a good long warm-up, first outside, then inside with plenty of drills and dynamic exercises. Finally I put on the spikes and did a few strides, the last one around the bend on the warm-up track. I could feel a twinge so while waiting for my race to start I did very little, just enough to stay loose.
Seven of us lined up for the start. I got lane 2 with last year's winner KC in lane 3. I started well as the photo below shows but let KC take the lead into the bend. He kept it at an easy pace for 300m and then another guy from SLOT came past both of us and picked up the pace significantly at the half way mark. I have no idea of splits even though there were clocks every 100m.
I moved from third into second at some point in this 3rd lap and closed the gap on the leader. I waited behind him until the final bend to make my move and accelerated from lane 2. I expected someone to come back at me over the last few meters but I had done enough. For a fleeting moment as I neared the finish line I had an awful thought "Is there another lap to go?" Luckily there was not. The clock stopped at an unremarkable 2:08 and change but it was the win that mattered today.
My ankle feels a bit tender now but nothing that a bit of rest and a few easy days won't solve.
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conavitzky wrote: »I am officially calling on you to resurrect this thread for one post of your training cycle and dcm 2016 race!! BRILLIANT stuff!
I was kind of planning that anyway but now that you have said it... only if you do a race report too. If I remember correctly you never even did one from your "novice of the year" performance last year and your "last one ever" comment needs explaining this year.
Later
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Why do a marathon? Because it's there. To tick the box. To answer all those people who asked "have you done a marathon". To prove to myself that I could. In the end a bit of each and the time was also right.
I started Marathon training properly back in June with a 14 mile long run to hit 52 miles for the week. From there I built the mileage in July with my first 20 miler at the beginning of August. It was around then I started to tell some people of my plans but it was the end of August before I "came out" properly, although my family had more than a few suspicions already.
During the 18 weeks, I did 10 long runs over 19 miles, including 2x 20mi & 2x 22.5 mi. My 3 peak weeks were Wk09=70mi; Wk12=72mi; Wk14=75mi. Early on I did a 5K (17:30) and a 10K trail race (38:55) on successive days. I also did an 8-mile hilly road race in 49:22. Later I did two build-up races of 13.1 miles in 1:26 and 10mi in 1:05 but for both of them I kept it at Marathon Pace (MP) until half-way. My plan was always to try to run around 3 hours so I included MP runs in my training from early on.
For a while I toyed with 3:03 (7 min miles) as my target but I was not even fooling myself. My competitive streak meant I was always going to try to break 3 hours.
I also got myself a GPS watch for the first time to track my running. I bought a Polar M400 with heart monitor strap for a good price on Amazon. I uploaded runs to Polar Flow and Strava which was useful to keep me honest and a bit competitive in clocking the mileage. I have been particularly impressed with the Polar Flow software which gives me everything that Strava Premium does and more. The Recovery Status view seemed to accurately reflect my training load. This is what it showed coming into last week:
A month before I started marathon training, I injured my knee in a fall and I felt a few twinges in that at times but also in the other knee. I was delighted not to pick up any other injuries. The only time off I took was for a family bereavement in early September. I decided to run as many days as I could, but (almost) no doubles. I ran 7 days for 10 of the 18 weeks, including a 31 day streak ending during taper. I did just over 1000 miles in the 18 weeks leading up to Sunday. The toughest ones mentally were the 6:30am starts for 5-6 slow miles, especially before dawn during the last few weeks.
Almost all my runs were done solo, except the long run where I met up with a group from the club who set out on the dual carriageway at 8am every Saturday morning. If I never run along that road again it will be too soon. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed every run, especially when I had company but by last weekend I had enough.
My plan started off loosely following P&D 70 but I deviated in the last 8 weeks and picked up sessions from various sources including around here, Magness, McMillan and a few others. Some of my favourite sessions were ones involving marathon pace and threshold pace e.g. 3MP, 1T, 3MP, 1T, 3MP - it was on these that MP started to feel comfortable.
Taper went reasonably well as I dropped down the mileage and tried to maintain some intensity. I arrived at the start line in the best shape I have ever been, at least aerobically.0 -
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Might do one alright.....I was kind of planning that anyway but now that you have said it... only if you do a race report too. If I remember correctly you never even did one from your "novice of the year" performance last year and your "last one ever" comment needs explaining this year.
Later0 -
Race plan was to run off the 3 hour pacers and hopefully negative split. I broke it up into 10-10-10. Keep it under control behind the 3h pacers for the opening 10 miles, work hard in the next 10 and then see what's left for the final 10K. I had a plan B target of 3:0x but I put that out of my head on the start line. My 3rd target was to enjoy my first marathon.
It took me a bit longer than I expected to get to the bag drop so I was surprised to find so much space in wave 1 pen when I got there. Plenty of time and space to do my lunge matrix and stretch. I got to meet most of the Sligo lads and some of the pacers there before the off. I had a home-made pace band from findmymarathon.com to which I had added all the water and feed stations and highlighted where I was planning to take them on board. I did not want to have to think about it during the race. I took a High5 ISOgel before the start and positioned myself just ahead of the 3hr pacers and felt quite calm.
Miles 1-10:
Strava says my slowest mile of the race was the first one in 7:04. It was around there that the pacers pulled ahead of me, fine. I also got a shout out from my wife and younger son along Stephen's Green.
I knew running in a big crowd would be a challenge for me and even off the back of the 3hr pack it was congested. A few times in the race I used my track-sharpened elbows and outstretched arms to keep a safe distance.
I almost missed the first water stop, as it was earlier than I expected but I slowed and made sure to pick up a bottle. We all slowed as we entered Phoenix Park and the first of a few pinch points in the race that would need to be addressed if they increase the numbers again. Around the 4 mile mark I spotted my older son in the crowd - I had not expected him to be there. A bonus.
For the first time in the race I started to relax. Breathing was good. The air felt fresher in the Phoenix Park. Slight niggle in right ankle. Both calves felt a bit tight but they often are. The "climb" up Chesterfield Avenue felt easier than it did a few weeks ago in my one training run around part of the course. I think the sun was out. All good. I dropped a 6:38 mile here as I closed the gap on the group and we all spread out across the road. The official 10K split gives me a time of 42:53 at a pace of 6:54. Still off the back of the pacer group.
The first time I noticed the crowd was at the left hand turn in Castleknock. The roar to greet the pacer group made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. I relaxed down the hills and took my next ISOgel as we re-entered the Park around 8 miles.
At times I looked at my watch and we always seemed to be going faster then the target pace of 6:50 per mile but I trusted the pacers more than my GPS. I hit 10 miles at 1:09, perfect.
Miles 11-20:
There was another pinch point around mile 11 and the road surface seemed more uneven. Calves still tight but ok. I appreciated the crowd support again at Kilmainham. They made the hills here easier and the road surface improved. I had decided not to wear my heart rate monitor but I expect my bpm increased during the next section as we approached midway. I spotted a track rival with his camera around here, don't think he recognised me. The half way split was 1:30:05 - average pace 6:51. I was working but in control. Am I making it sound easy? It was not easy.
I think it was along the Walkinstown Road that the sun was in our faces and I could feel the heat. According to Strava, miles 15 & 16 were 6:35 & 6:36 but I was still behind the pacers. If I was pacing myself I would have thought I was going too fast. Mile 19 to 20 was my fastest of the day in 6:33 in the downhill stretch towards Milltown. Official 30K time was 2:07:29 at 6:46 pace.
Some where along here I caught up with the pacers, including the first O55 woman who is from the same club. She went on to win her age category and was actually the only woman over 40 to get under 3 hours ! Another club mate ran 3:23 for 1st over 65 male, exceptional running.
Miles 21-26.2:
Now I was getting the real benefit of the pacers. Frank was the lead pacer, calling the shots. "Ease back here, lads." "Nice and steady." "Work a little now".
My brother and his family were on "Heartbreak Hill" - I managed a wave. It would have been easy to fall off the pace here, many did. I dropped back to 6:57 pace as the group fractured and some pulled away a little.
At the turn onto the Stillorgan Road, my right calf tightened sharply. I had been grazed by the sniper. "Not here, not now". I took the next turns at the flyover very wide. Avoid sharp bends.
I picked up an ISOgel from the feed station at 16 miles as planned and around 21 miles I took the last one I had been carrying - an SiSgel with caffeine. It was thicker than I had remembered. I could have done with water to wash it down but there was none for another 3 miles.
I hardly spoke to any of my fellow runners during the whole race until this section. I had decided to do everything I could to conserve energy but now I needed energy from outside. I caught up with a guy in a yellow t-shirt and he offered encouragement. I realised later that he was an official pacer who had lost his balloon early on. He was sweeping up stragglers who were dropping off the 3hr pace. By now both my calves were cramping intermittently. He offered me a salt tablet but I refused. My stomach had not complained all through the race so I was not going to risk anything now. It was mind over matter to get to the finish.
Slowly I gained on the other pacers and caught up with a woman who had been running near me for much of the race. She was clearly struggling with pain. I offered words of encouragement but she was past that.
My slowest mile was the first one, my second slowest was mile 26 in 6:58. The final run-in seemed never-ending. Finally I saw a sign for 800m to go, that was my trigger. I know how to run 800m. I picked up the pace, I adjusted my form and ran tall down the center of the road. I faltered again until I reached the 400m to go mark, "just one lap of the track" to hold it together. My family were there screaming for me but I heard nothing. The Strava segment for the final 400m says I finished at 6:19 pace. I looked up and watched the clock turn 2:59. Those last few seconds went on forever but I had done enough to get a chip time of 2:58:58. In the heat of the battle, I failed to even stop my watch properly. I ran straight through the line and past those who had just finished. I was afraid my legs would seize up if I stopped.
I met a few familiar faces here but paused just briefly. I collected my medal and t-shirt (probably the wrong size) and walked around the corner. Finally I sat down on the kerb, beside another finisher. We exchanged stories and I took a minute to take in what I had just done. A good day's work.0 -
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