Berlin marathon 2011

RoverHogan

4 stars (good)

Background:
Berlin was my first marathon. I had followed P&D 55-70 mile 18-week plan and the aim was to try and go sub 3. Training had gone well. I had a couple of niggles where I lost the odd session, but I was heading into the taper feeling confident about my goal. I felt a twinge in my left calf after my final dress rehearsal run on the Wed, so this was my only worry heading into the weekend. Zum muscle rub was being applied around the clock, and I decided to skip the final few easy runs.

Marathon Weekend:
Arrived into Berlin on Friday evening with 3 friends, full of excitement about the weekend. I had 2 beers in the hotel on Friday night, hoping they would help me sleep, but I only managed about 4 hrs. On Saturday morning, we took a taxi to the expo. It was pretty crowded, but everything moved with typical German precision, and after a 10-minute queue, I had my number. There were loads of stands selling everything running related - I could have easily spent a fortune! We had some pasta and an alcohol-frais beer in the sun, before heading back to the hotel for a rest. Saturday night we took a taxi to an Italian restaurant, then back to the hotel to get everything ready for the morning. I managed about 4 hour’s sleep again on the Saturday night.

Marathon Day:
Our hotel was close to the zoo, just 3 KM from the start, so the walk over would be my warm up. As we followed all the other runners towards the Brandenburg gates, I felt strangely relaxed. We reached the marathon village about 8:20, and I said good luck to my friends who were heading to block G. When I arrived at block C it was pretty full, so I joined at the back. Whilst I squeezed myself as forward as far as I could, I noticed that the other side of the road was practically empty! There was a double set of fences between the 2 sides. One guy tried to jump them, but a steward stopped him. I headed back to the end of the block where I found a gap in the fence. Delighted with my self I swapped sides and strolled forward in the open space as far as I could go. I checked my watch, just 10 minutes to go. Before I knew it, the elites were introduced to huge cheers and suddenly it was a countdown to 1 and Go!

The first KM was right on target. I was surprised by the number of guys who were taking a leak by the side of the road. There were a few slow runners that I had to sidestep, but nothing major. The road was wide and before too long I found myself settling into my stride. I glanced behind at one stage and spotted the 3-hour pacers about 20 feet behind me. They passed me at about 2 KM, one going either side of me, and I found myself in a melee of arms from the group following immediately behind them! I drifted back about 20 feet to where it was less crowded and ran along keeping this gap from the balloons.

I was glad of the pacers. My garmin was set to show my current speed, but the tall buildings were interfering with it, and it was jumping from 5.20 to 8.20 pace! I had a pace band on my other arm and I knew from this that I was right on target. I decide to give up looking at the garmin, and just concentrate on following the pacer balloons.

The first few km were fine. We hit the first water stop, and because it was just on 1 side of the road, there was a bit of jostling. The pacers would always slow slightly after the water stops, so it was easy to keep up with them.

Gradually, the KM started to go up. I don't remember anything of note during this phase of the race. I kept myself amused by reading all the different tops around me. Denmark seems to be particularly well presented, as noted by everyone I spoke to afterwards.

The running was going well as we approached the half way stage. My legs felt fine, and I took a gel after 15KM. I was grabbing 1 cup of water at each stop, and drinking as much of it was I could. The temperature was rising, but I felt comfortable. I crossed over the halfway stage @ 1.29.55 - a very even split for 3 hours.

I noticed that I had let the pacers gain about 100m on me, so over the next few KM, I slowly reeled them in until I found myself running just behind them. I was noticing that the running was getting harder, but its a marathon, its meant to be hard! I took my second gel at 25 KM. I kept my concentration on the pacer balloons and let the KM pass.

I was somewhere between the 28 and 29 KM stage, when disaster struck.... stitch... I ran on through pain down my right side, but it felt too severe. Cursing and swearing, I was forced to a stop.

I stood on the side of the road, and tried everything I could to make it go away. I took slow deep breaths. I bent over and touched my toes. I massaged my side. I made fists of my hands. The pain was still there.

There were loads of people streaming past me, so I tried running again. I went about 100m, and was forced to stop again. A few German supporters came over to offer assistance, but there was nothing they could do. I gritted my teeth and started running again. If I tried increasing the pace, then the pain got worse, so I jogged along, going what seem like a ridiculously slow pace.

I knew that sub 3 was gone. My only though now was finishing the race. The pain has horrible, but I didn't want this race to beat me. I dug deep and started increasing my speed. Slowly the KM began passing. My side still hurt, but I concentrated on running... Just do it... One step at a time... Any slogan would do!

I didn't have a time in mind any more, but as I got closer to the finish, I started calculating in my head... if I kept my current pace going then I could make it under 3.10. It didn't feel like I was going quick enough for this, but as the KM went up, I could see it was achievable. That became my new goal.

I didn't take any more gels. Because of the stitch I didn't feel like it, and I skipped on a few water stops as well. I looked at the people around me and knew that some of them were a lot worse off then me. I was being passed, but I was also passing other people.

My garmin was creeping up to 26 miles, but no sign of the Brandenburg gate. As I turned each corner, I expected to see it, but no sign. My garmin hit 26 miles... don't panic, I said to myself, you are nearly home. Around another bend, and there it was. It felt great to be running under the Gate, then the last few hundred metres and I was under the clock.

Finish time 3.09.28. (Clock time 3.09.49)
If you had given me this finish time a week ago, then I would have been disappointed. But you only have to look at my photos after the finish to see how happy I was. My first marathon, so and a big learning experience. A PB, and a time to beat again. I relaxed in the sunshine, lying on the grass outside the Reichstag, with an alcohol free beer, I was happy to savour the moment.

Of course, now I have to do the post mortem, and see what went wrong. Up until the stitch I had felt ok. I drank a cup at every water stop, more then I would normally take on in a race or training. Could the extra water and increased effort had been responsible? Its something I will look at in my training going forward. Maybe it was going too fast for too long. I'll be doing a lot of research on stitches and their causes.

If the stitch hadn't occurred, then I don't know how my race would have gone. I struggled over the last 13/14km after it. Who knows, maybe I would have kept up with the pacers; maybe I would have bonked later on... its something that I will need to answer on the streets of another city:D

Garmin Link:http://connect.garmin.com/activity/117770996

Berlin is a great city, and the marathon was brilliant. For a race its size, its amazingly well organised. I will give it 5 stars, but it could be improved (mainly around water stops)! I did the walking tour on Monday, and the stroll around the streets has definitely helped the legs recover. I highly recommend it for anyone visiting Berlin. That and the great German beers!

Pros:
Great organisation
Quick start
Flat course
Unbelievable support around the course
Free beer at the end (free in every sense)
Great finish area.

Cons:
Water in cups
Crap finisher’s tee shirt that costs 20E
Some water stations on just 1 side of the road

Well done to everyone who completed the race, I've been catching up on the logs today, its interesting to see how everyone else got on. Congrats to those who achieved their goals. For those of us who had a hard day, lets chalk it down to experience and move on to the next challenge!

Krusty_Clown

Well done RoverHogan. Cracking time for your first outing. Your heart rate was very high, right from the start (are you quite young?). Is this typical of your runs? Looking back on your V02max 1 mile 5k intervals (if you did them), how did your HR during the marathon compare to your Vo2max HR?

RoverHogan

4 stars (good)

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Well done RoverHogan. Cracking time for your first outing. Your heart rate was very high, right from the start (are you quite young?). Is this typical of your runs? Looking back on your V02max 1 mile 5k intervals (if you did them), how did your HR during the marathon compare to your Vo2max HR?

Thanks Krusty. I'm 39, but I've always had a high heart rate. On some sessions it will creep up into the low 200s!

Krusty_Clown

RoverHogan wrote: »

Thanks Krusty. I'm 39, but I've always had a high heart rate. On some sessions it will creep up into the low 200s!

I'm 39 and I'm the polar opposite! So was your HR for the V03max sessions up in the 205-210 range? :eek:

eliwallach

3 stars (average)

RoverHogan wrote: »

Pros:
Great organisation
Quick start
Flat course
Unbelievable support around the course
Free beer at the end (free in every sense)
Great finish area.

Cons:
Water in cups
Crap finisher’s tee shirt that costs 20E
Some water stations on just 1 side of the road
!

I agree with most of the above.
But must respectfully disagree with the t-shirt comment - I think it is utterly wearable and fits OK, unlike last years.

liamo123

4 stars (good)

Just looking through the website again.....

473 Irish finishers .....
157 either did not start or DOF.....Seems very high to me ????

village runner

liamo123 wrote: »

Just looking through the website again.....

473 Irish finishers .....
157 either did not start or DOF.....Seems very high to me ????

kick a lad when he is down:D

eliwallach

3 stars (average)

village runner wrote: »

kick a lad when he is down:D

At least you didn't have the problem of setting off the alarm in the airport with the finishers medal..............;)

jim0

According to my wife, the German TV commentators were saying of the “second wave” (ie. pens F, G and H etc.): “these are the people who go for the occasional jog around the park, and who never dream that one day they will complete a marathon…”

Some time after my initial rage had died down, it occurred to me that this was actually a pretty accurate description of my own situation. Here’s my story, from deep in pen G:

Background:

This was my first marathon (aged 39), and I have no significant running history to speak of. My first Garmin run was on 07.03.11, so I guess that’s when training began. Work and family commitments didn’t really permit a structured or substantial training programme, so I worked to a simple weekly routine of “one long run on a weekend morning, and 2 or 3 shorter evening runs during the week.” That’s as scientific as things got.

My long runs peaked at 35km, for which my best time was 3:03. In a burst of naive optimism, I assumed that the remaining 7km could be knocked off in less than 57 minutes, and that on this basis estimated a 4:00 marathon was not unrealistic. I then shaved off a further 10 minutes for no particularly good reason, and this yielded the 3:50 target that I entered on this thread.

Taper:

By the low standards mentioned above, training had been going well, until I strained a calf when completing a short “around the block” canter on 14.09.11. I spent the 10 days before Berlin fretting, whingeing and hobbling around the office with a packet of frozen vegetables for company. This may have been part of the pre-marathon freakout that seems (from other postings) to be fairly common, but at the time it felt like the evaporation of a dream (and the investment in airfares and accommodation for the family and I).

Marathon weekend:

Probably not the ideal buildup in Berlin: spent the Friday and Saturday trudging back and forwards across town with two small kids in a double buggy, catching up with friends and of course visiting the expo. While we look to Northern Europe for guidance in social policy issues, I can confirm that the Berlin public transport system is hopelessly pram-unfriendly. Surprised I didn’t bust up several other leg muscles manhandling the buggy up and down the many flights of stairs in the S-Bahn stations.

Marathon:

Manoeuvred myself to the middle of pen G without too much trouble. Saw the 4:30 pace balloons bobbing nearby, so pushed forward 50 metres or so and awaited the gun. Took it fairly handy through the Tiergarten – totally paranoid about the calf flaring up and sentencing me to 42km of agony – but relaxed over the next couple of km as the legs warmed up without exploding. Enjoyed the first 30km, although found it a bit difficult to settle on the right pace – things felt fast enough, but the Garmin was returning some surprisingy slow figures. I didn’t worry too much – average pace was hovering just below the 5:27 (min/km) required for a 3:50, and I assumed that anything slower (within reason) would end up as surplus energy that would help at the end.

The atmosphere was fantastic throughout, with a variety of well-spaced bands to provide a bit of a musical lift when required. The only improvement would have been to somehow convince myself that the legions of Danish supporters were cheering for me.

Things began getting tough between 30 – 35km – where I used up my small emergency supply of jellies – and I found the last 7km horrendous. The leafy avenues of the middle third of the course had given way to glass, concrete and hot sunshine, and a knot of nausea had taken up residence in my gut. Waves of runners were now sweeping past me, my km splits had blown out to almost 6:00, but I simply did not care – survival was the priority. I cursed every left hand turn that did not deliver a view of the Brandenburg Gate (and there seemed to be quite a few such turns), and can barely remember running through the thing when it did appear.

Staggered over the finish line with a weak raise of the arms – while all around me, more energetic finishers were high-fiving and cavorting. Took a long, long time to hobble back to the bag drop area, and met the family just outside the Bundestag – we then ambled back across town to a welcome plate of nachos and a couple of pints under the shadow of the Alexanderplatz TV tower.

Post Mortem:

I finished in 4:02, and I won’t deny that I was a bit disappointed to miss the 4:00. However, without a more rigorous approach to training and goal-setting, I guess I was always going to fall prey to the unknown distances beyond the 35km mark. I have entered the 2011 DCM (my home event) to see whether I can get a bit closer to my training experiences, and I will probably try and follow some pacers this time around.

Anyway, congratulations to all who took part in Berlin, and particularly those who posted here. Thanks for the insight into some pretty impressive performances.

eliwallach

3 stars (average)

jim0 wrote: »

Waves of runners were now sweeping past me, my km splits had blown out to almost 6:00, but I simply did not care – survival was the priority. I cursed every left hand turn that did not deliver a view of the Brandenburg Gate (and there seemed to be quite a few such turns), and can barely remember running through the thing when it did appear.

Staggered over the finish line with a weak raise of the arms
.

Welcome to my world

RoverHogan

4 stars (good)

eliwallach wrote: »

I agree with most of the above.
But must respectfully disagree with the t-shirt comment - I think it is utterly wearable and fits OK, unlike last years.

Fair enough, I would have preferred something that I could wear while running, not sure when else I'll use it. However, I see its Goal jersey day in work this friday, so I'll get one wear out of it:cool:

eliwallach

3 stars (average)

RoverHogan wrote: »

Fair enough, I would have preferred something that I could wear while running, not sure when else I'll use it. However, I see its Goal jersey day in work this friday, so I'll get one wear out of it:cool:

Good man that's the spirit!

@ wearing it for a run: there were Berlin Marathon tech tops available (again at a premium) at the Expo, and still on-line.

Marthastew

3 stars (average)

jim0 wrote: »

I finished in 4:02, and I won’t deny that I was a bit disappointed to miss the 4:00. However, without a more rigorous approach to training and goal-setting, I guess I was always going to fall prey to the unknown distances beyond the 35km mark. I have entered the 2011 DCM (my home event) to see whether I can get a bit closer to my training experiences, and I will probably try and follow some pacers this time around.

Anyway, congratulations to all who took part in Berlin, and particularly those who posted here. Thanks for the insight into some pretty impressive performances.

Congratulations on the PB Jim and very best of luck in DCM.
I'm also hoping to beat my Berlin time in Dublin, it will be tough because the course is somewhat harder. However it will most likely be cooler (not too cool I hope) and with less runners and water bottles instead of plastic glasses we might be lucky.

My advice for you over the next few weeks RECOVERY, RECOVERY, RECOVERY.
Keep the legs ticking over if you feel up to it, it would be worth your while finding a multi marathon plan, I think Hal Higdon has one.
It takes a long time to get over your first marathon, if you feel any niggles see a physio this week and get it sorted before it's too late.

Good luck

jim0

Thanks Marthastew!

You also read my mind - I have absolutely no idea what to do training-wise in these strange days between the events.

I didn't know there were any such things as multi-marathon plans (but I suppose there's a market for every kind of masochist these days) - I'll try and search something out.

Good luck in the DCM.

opus

4 stars (good)

RoverHogan wrote: »

Fair enough, I would have preferred something that I could wear while running, not sure when else I'll use it. However, I see its Goal jersey day in work this friday, so I'll get one wear out of it:cool:

Is this the t-shirt you mean? I was surprised to find it when my friend handed me the stuff he collected for me at the expo, seems pretty similar to any other running t-shirt I've got & wore it tonight for my first run since Berlin.

Marthastew

3 stars (average)

opus wrote: »

Is this the t-shirt you mean? I was surprised to find it when my friend handed me the stuff he collected for me at the expo, seems pretty similar to any other running t-shirt I've got & wore it tonight for my first run since Berlin.

I think he might mean the black one that's jersey material?
I bought the one you have, perfect for running. Any idea what the logo on the front mean? Is it possibly runners running to the Siegessaule roundabout in the Tiergarten?
Maybe it's blatantly obvious and I destroyed too many brain cells with the German beers

RoverHogan

4 stars (good)

opus wrote: »

Is this the t-shirt you mean? I was surprised to find it when my friend handed me the stuff he collected for me at the expo, seems pretty similar to any other running t-shirt I've got & wore it tonight for my first run since Berlin.

No, I got the black one, its "climalight cotton" - reminds me of an old fashioned rugby jersey. I would prefer the one you got! Interesting design on it!

jb-ski

4 stars (good)

Marthastew wrote: »

I think he might mean the black one that's jersey material?
I bought the one you have, perfect for running. Any idea what the logo on the front mean? Is it possibly runners running to the Siegessaule roundabout in the Tiergarten?
Maybe it's blatantly obvious and I destroyed too many brain cells with the German beers

Fernsehturm??

Marthastew

3 stars (average)

jb-ski wrote: »

Fernsehturm??

Aha! (said with a German accent of course!). Dankeschon for that, it is indeed the TV tower. Now I can wear the T-shirt...

eliwallach

3 stars (average)

opus wrote: »

Is this the t-shirt you mean? I was surprised to find it when my friend handed me the stuff he collected for me at the expo, seems pretty similar to any other running t-shirt I've got & wore it tonight for my first run since Berlin.

No that's not the t-shirt I am talking about. This is it:

http://shop.scc-events.com/herren/t-shirts/finisher-shirt-38-bmw-berlin-marathon.html

PS - that's me in front of the car I won for finishing 1956th in M40 category.

PaulieYifter

4 stars (good)

Post Script to Marathon:

Baby Oisín 'Yifter' born today 10 days ahead of schedule - not sure if he's a hurler or a marathoner yet.

Maybe I could have entered DCM after all....

Marthastew

3 stars (average)

PaulieYifter wrote: »

Post Script to Marathon:

Baby Oisín 'Yifter' born today 10 days ahead of schedule - not sure if he's a hurler or a marathoner yet.

Maybe I could have entered DCM after all....

Fantastic news! I'm delighted for you and your family.
I'm sure he'll keep you busy over the next 10 days and you'll be glad you're not doing DCM.
Make sure to bring him in to support us all and you can get his interest in marathons started very early

Congrats again, wonderful news