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Speedy Gonzales or Slowpoke Rodriguez?
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European Master Marathon, Funchal. Madeira. Race report:
Background: I entered this with a "build at and they will come mentality" or rather enter a January championship marathon and you will have to build your fitness. After returning from a 2 year voluntary running drought I was rebuilding fitness which was going well albeit with interuptions from niggles in particular with the calves.
After afew hill races, the strenght from the hills quickly converted into flat temp speed with my LT pace jumping to 3:30 per km (not my LT pace but my 20 min continuous run pace, but still..).
I built on that to run a 50 min tempo in what would have been a low 59, 10 mile time if Id ran for 9 mins longer. I then alternated these with longer tempos, 20k and 24k averaging 3:52. This felt shy of marathon effort on a hilly course in winter weather which was promising. I figured running sub 2:40 and being strong at the end have me a good chance of podium in the target marathon and I was on that path or close to it with 3 months left. I didn't have to do anything special, just follow the course, complete the runs safely, be consistent. I knew this, my coach (Stazza) was trying to drill it into me.
I ran an 58 low (9.7 miler) with much on beach and a 35 low 10k (It was probably equivilant to a sub 35, wasn't 100% effort and last 2k slowed right down due to catching the main race body on the last lap). Was visiting in Sligo, due a 16 mile tempo. Blew it and race the first 5 miles in I was @ 29:30 and I knew I coudn't maintain without a race effort. I abandoned that session and added some reps hill sprints to make it a long run with mixed fartlek. On the hoof decided to run long next day and the weekend was a 40 miler. Within a week my calf had had enough and I had to pull out of the Clontarf half which was part of my marathon build up. That was 11 weeks before Madeira and after trying Physios, and stuck in that horrible place where you feel the fitness blow out the door but you can't really rush back. Anyway, I wasn't able to run a session or run more than an hour until 4.5 weeks before marathon. Careful plans I had devised with the coach for the last few months were out the window due to that training mistake.
I had to go as myself and my Dad were booked for a week break in Madeira, so I was going to run the marathon no matter what.
The calf trouble vanished, and I ran two big weeks (ave 95 miles) with about 6 long runs. My plan was to force the muscle into getting very tired and quickly "training" the muscle I had trained before the niggle. Overview from Strava at bottom.
Was happy enough with progress.
I felt very very rusty sp did an aerobic intervals sessions (John Kellogg) type and combined it with 10 min s at LT in place of the the normal VO2 max finishing rep. Also did a couple of the sessions on the TM for efficiency. This was a good call and the alternations session I did was particulary iseful for getting the legs feeling more fluid.
A long run broken into intervals to get 18 miles hard in didn't quite come off with my calf starting to give out. Got most of it done and was out of time for the big sessions..
Onto the race:
Madeira is a beautiful Island full stop. Good for older folk as no sandy beaches, so not a smany families, or lager lout groups.
Hilly though. The race organisers picked out a relatively flat 7k out and back lap (not flat, quite hilly). 4 and a half of these followed by 10k down in Funchal (capital) centre and port. Very good quality tarmac for the lap with some cobbles and more wind exposure at the flat ground on the port.
Very good organization with a slight hitch in that just one person had to mark off (with a highlighter) every masters athletes race number. Took ages and affected my warmup a little. Got it in though. Had my Maurten drink in the tummy with my coffee and was carrying a few gels.
The main marathon was starting 5 mins before the masters. I heard the gun go and realized that I was at the back of the masters field and unlikely to get towards the front before start time. I didn't mind my plan was to start steady and work my way in. Try and take some of the fade I was fearing out that way. Off we went and i started real easy, and with plenty of room on the road to ease past runners. It wasn't long before the leaders flew past in the opposite direction after they completed the first 180' turnpoint (two per lap).
I recognised the favourite in my category, a German who had won the World Masters Mountain running 050 in Clonmel in '22. Recognized the 3rd place guy in Clonmel, a Frenchman. They were not travelling much faster than me and I believed podium was possible. Split was 38:35 for 10km (didnt have watch so was not looking at times pace, just running at a steady feel and visuals from leaders running towards me.)
Very much in the groove now and could finally see the Frenchman's group up ahead. This could potentially put me in silver in my category. I passed a big Romanian athlete at this time. I was controlled on the uphills and very fast and efficient coming down: felt like jogging but was passing everyone around me downhill. Around 15km I passed a big Romanian (in a younger category).
There is a steep little climb near towards the half way point of the lap before a descent to lap end. On the climb at about 19k (lap 3 I guess) the Romanian caught back up and passed. I tried to tell myself he was moving faster not me slower, but I was doubting a little. I passed him on the down but at a water station guzzled 2 drinks and hosed myself with two more. It was warmish (18') but was accustomed to heat from hot yoga. I was working.
Romanian dude passed me going back up and pulled away at 21k. Nevertheless this split from 10k-21k was faster than my first 10k and indeed faster than the race leader (i thought) in my category. Through half way in 81:05. Don't really know how I managed that given the prep, but my new Vaporflys were loving those downhills.
Frenchman wasn't getting closer and a couple of Portugese runners and a Spaniard had been dropped by his group. I focused on using these runners to handrail myself up the field. Caught them but the Frenchman was out of sight and we were coming near end of the lap phase and heading down a steep hill to the port. I pulled a huge gap on the descent without trying too hard and decided I would give my all til the end. There was a chance I was in 3rd.
Pass 30k with an average pace just under a 2:45 marathon.
About a kilometer into the new surroundings my legs started to tire significantly. I passed the leading female from the main race but my pace had slowed big time. We were on a smaller up and down the port lap and I could see a Spaniard who had broken ahead from Frenchmans group now hunting the German down. This was a race for Gold and Silver in my category and it meant I was out. At 35k I am struggling badly, trying to keep form and efficiency.
Now the woman I recently passed: passes me! I won'y bore ye but suffice to say final mile was probably 10 mins. That's accurate.
Nearly stopped but kept going and made the line with relief. Chatted to Frenchman. I asked him was he third he seemed very doubtful. In fact he was only 6th in the M50 category despite finishing 15th in the race!
The German won but was in third at 30k a minute behind second and most of 7 minutes behind the leader at that point. The leader at that stage was a Spaniard from Mallorca, a world class trail runner and a mentor to Killian Jornet--and a 2:25 marathoner (ran 2:28 in Barcelona yesterday). He hadn't prepped specifically for this race and suffered as badly as I did in the latter stages. He was winning inside the last mile and ended up in 4th position! Even for the best the marathon deserves respect and specific training.
The German who is a classy runner dealt with all the opponents to take the win when presented. He deserved it, fair play. Time was 2:38:48.
I was roughly correct in predicting the time needed to podium, but hadn't predicted the Spaniard or the stacked race.
Lessons:
1: Be patient especially when you're a master and build sustainably. If you're greedy and do to much you get injured, you get found out when older.
2: Given my circumstances with 4 weeks to race day: the 2 big week with 6 long runs gambit did whack my fitness up a lot. Could I have tailored it better?
3: Yes: I tried to run the long reasons steady from the get go. You need the layers. First run should have been very easy, very slow, very long. I tried to cut that corner, I didn't need to or shouldn't have and it made the fade worse.
4: My idea was right to go for big volume and big long runs (fitness, leg strenght)
5: The calf niggle worry did limit me. As I was in full experimental mode maybe a modification of Canova's special blocks may have worked.
So with a special block you can do an extra 50% work in a day than with one session alone. I could have doubled up, got the extra volume in which meant my fitness would not have been a limiter when trying to get leg strenght back.
6: Not taking enough carbs during runs. I wasn't pushed on this as I felt i needed to learn how to spare carbs quick. Should have carbed myself to my eyeballs and given my legs a better chance to get trained up and stronger. Also, to learn how to ingest the gels efficiently during the race. I am sure my body should have been able to absorb more if i had done so in a few long runs.
7: Treamill: for the alternations I had the treadmil on 1% for efforts but on 0% for the 'recovery' portions. 0% on treadmill in my opinion is same technique as sjhllow downhill running. The foot tries to cheat and get off the mill quickly resulting in light fasted and very economical steps which are whats most efficient downhill. Convicned those treadmil runs really helped me with those downhills. I didnt push any uphills and made my time on the downs.
I am in for Belfast on April 30th. Given my 81 first half in Madeira my plan is to improve on that average and remove 11 minute fade for a possible sub 2:40. Belfast has a tough second half, but no niggles this time and have set up and am well into an exciting schedule with the coach. I'll fix typos later!
Post edited by demfad on6 -
TRAINING CATHCUP:
Target: Belfast Marathon. April 30th 2023.
With a Marathon split of 81/91 in Madeira endurance was the obvious weakness.
After chatting to Stazza we agreed strenght endurance was an area that needed priority as well as endurance over long fast runs.
The strenght endurance took the form of a Canova type specific endurance progression but based on time. So a fast section with a shorter steady recovery section. This wouldn't normally be necessary or indeed recomended for someone in my finishing time category, but given my weakness in that area and that next marathon was not too far over the horizon this session fit the missing piece pretty well. Covering from 18 up to 21-22k on this one as it progresses. Doing this session every second week. On alternate weeks doing a progression based on 3 min reps with 30-35s recovery (John Kellogg inspired session). For one reason or another I've ended up doing these sessions on the Treadmill. I am finding it helps me control the sessions (recovery speed as steady important in the strenght endurance ones, easy to get right on TM), run with good form, and if any sign of a niggle I can just step off the mill etc. and assess/fix. I am also doing the recovery section @ 0% grade (effort is 1% grade). This mimics downhill mechanics and allows relatively running for the steady recovery portion.
As I started the above progression I also started to progress a long steady run. This was a lesson from Madeira in that the shortcuts I attempted proved I needed the layers of paint. I already had a marathon in my fitness, so assumed body didn't need a long jog. Instead, 3 long steady runs building to 2hrs 5 mins steady (not including warmup).
With these completed I could now build the more specific marathon tempo sessions. 20k tempo and last weekend 23k tempo. 5k warm up and down for me.
Just under 6 weeks to Belfast marathon.
Tomorrows session is 5 x 12mins off 4 mins steady.
I'll update weekly as I close in now. Fingers crossed no niggles this time.
Any questions, shoot!
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