Como Una Cabra
I think you probably learn more when things go badly that when they go well. Both my first and last marathons were, by that standard, great learning experiences. Not a lot of fun, but useful.
I trained for the first one using a Hal Higdon beginners programme. I finished, but not well. The last ten kms were miserable, with plenty of chafing and cramping, and the joy of being passed by a penguin as I shuffled down Nassau Street towards the line.
Numbers 2, 3, and 4 were much better as I put everything that I had learned before to good use. Salt replacement tabs took care of the cramping, and quicker times came in what felt like less effort. By the time the fourth attempt came around, I was finishing strongly, overtaking people all the way home. Something was bothering me, though. I always felt like I was playing it a bit safe with my pacing. I stayed on the cautious side of things and felt like I could maybe go a bit better if I went closer to the edge.
With that in mind, I decided to go for three hours in Valencia last year. Training was fine until I hit my least favourite session in the P&D plan, a 29km Long run with 23kms at Marathon Pace. I completely blew up during that session, stopping for a breather every few minutes. I had never stopped (or given up, as I saw it) in a race, let alone in training. My confidence that I could maintain that pace for a marathon was shattered (and possibly rightly so). In the event, I also went to pieces in the race. I remember approaching the 30km marker feeling decent, and passing it shortly afterwards, feeling obliterated. I dragged myself forward for the final 12k, stopping at two water stations to have a chat with myself and tell myself that I could make it. This was new territory for me and I didn’t really care for it. In the end, I got going again and rescued a PB, and all was good with the world again.
What went wrong? I got too casual. Both in my training and on the day. I usually look after myself well enough during training blocks. This time I was drinking plenty of pints and eating all sorts of rubbish. Lack of proper rest probably accompanied all that. Then on the day, I looked in the mirror after I had finished and my face was caked in salt, a surefire sign that the little swigs from the water I’d mixed with Zero tabs hadn’t been enough. That explains the return of the cramping not seen since the first day. Also, in retrospect, I probably wasn’t really in proper condition to run under 3 hours.
I’m heading back to Valencia in December for another crack at it and I feel like I’m starting from a good place. I managed a PB at the South Dublin 10k on Sunday and have a decent base built up. This time I’ll be using the Hansons plan for a few different reasons. One is that I just fancy a change. The long runs in this are shorter that in other plans but there are a lot more Marathon Paced kms. I’ve heard both good and bad reports from people using it but I could say the same about a lot of the other plans.
Anyway, I’ll try to keep this log up to date on a weekly basis, if anyone is interested in following my progress.
Marathon Times
Marathon|Year|Time
Dublin|2012|3:52:20
Dublin|2013|3:28:00
Valencia|2014|3:22:37
Dublin|2015|3:10:23
Valencia|2017|3:06:16
Other PBs
Distance|Year|Time
5k|2017|18:11
5 mile|2014|29:57
10k|2018|38:07
10 mile|2014|1:03:07
Half|2018|1:24:27
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