Final 3 weeks lead up were 28, 25, 21km respectively. Obviously inadequate even for taper, thanks to persistent illness. Nonetheless I felt better on the day. Had lost 3kg in 3 wks, despite carboloading. Worked 60+ hours in the each of the last 3 weeks. (Enough excuses!)
Dinner Fri night was good, and Sat was busy with work callouts which prevented me from worrying too much
Woke 0500 - honey on toast, World Cup Soccer and surprisingly not my usual nervous stomach.
Saw the others pre race, all confident.
Went out 22.34 at 5k, 45.23 10k (by garmin which was recording kms earlier than the markers - 10k at 46). 10-15k in 4:40s then ran with some guys who were running at 4:30s for next 4km and realised a little too late I had pushed too hard. 20-25 kept 4:40s, passed half way in 1:37 something. Slipped out to 5 min kms to 33km, then hit the wall. Quads cramped and I died. Managed to maintain about 6min kms for the last 9k with walks at drink stations and a stop to stretch out the quads. Pushed along by others feeling the strain too.
Finished in 3hrs33. Not so unhappy with the time, but more the way I ran the race. I ran the first 32 slower than the Perth 32k where I finished full of running and felt I could easily have pushed on. So perhaps the lead up was partially responsible.
Either way, second Marathon, PB by 23 min - cant be unhappy.
Felt shocking afterwards - could barely walk - sorry guys if I wasn't good conversation at the end. Went home with intention of showering and returning to see the presentation, lay down and woke at 2.30pm ( just in time to watch the Eagles lose). But this seems to have done me good - feel OK tonight.
Sorry to see TS&TF have to pull out. Clown ran a solid run despite pain from early on. Saw homo running very solidly at halfway and expected to see him pass me at the end. Must have been close. Saw TB doing his trademark sprint to the line as I was driving off - after starting very fast in the first 5k.
Sportstracks measured the course at 42.65 - 1% out which was pretty good. It was a progressive trend over the whole course, eack km marker saw Garmin being another 10-20m off. Of course the official measurement is the shortest possible route, so just by running on the outside of corners etc one could easliy add 1m per 100m. Below is the sad picture of my run :)
Now to the second aim of the year ( the first was sub 3:30 marathon) - Sub 40min 10k. I'm told I should comfortably do it this year, at least according to Clown and TS&TF. Run for Gold, Joondalup, Freo 10k, Lake Gwelup, Club Bridges, John Gilmour - surely I can crack it at one of the 6. As for another Marathon - ask me in 6 months.
2 comments:
Epi -
I didn't realise until today what sort of a horrible lead-up you've had. That makes your effort even greater. Well done!
Pity you couldn't hang on to the cracking pace you set at the beginning.
I think our stories are pretty similar, certainly the graphs look alike with the only difference that my pace was always between 30 & 45 secs slower.
Since yesterday I have been trying to figure out what happened and it may just have been a case of hypoglycaemia. In hindsight I probably did take too little glucose on the way, respectively when it was already too late.
My reading of Noakes last night certainly seems to support that.
Although I certainly wasn't thinking this way after 32k, the experience has made me more determined to prepare better for the Rotto Marathon. Lots of hill work, too!
All the best, Henry
Well done Craig..thats an excellent time well deserved!
With a slightly better last few weeks you would have taken about 10-15 minutes at least off that I suspect...
Its a difficult animal to master the marathon..I think you have tamed it pretty well!
All the best with the sub 40min If I get my act together I might also target some good 10k races also...
the dinner friday night was great!..Really good to see all 5 of us attacking the marathon on the day...
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