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FLM Training: Sezz
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See at 17M tomorrow
Go do it Sezz - and remember your promise about throwing up on the finish line - I'll give 10 quid to charity if you get vom on Sally Gunnell!
Have a great race!
H
Hey Sez,
Just in case you see this before the race...
Best of luck and I hope you have a great race tomorrow. See you and FF in the pub.
Dan RW
Sezz - we were getting a bit worried when we didn't see you at M17 but VERY pleased to see your result - MASSIVE PB!!! Well done - and really - 5 seconds is close enough to 4:30 - spot on!!!
Big well done!!!
WOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4:30:05 !!!!!!!!!!!!!
But we'll forgot those pesky little 5 seconds shall we?
If I hadn't had to stop at Cutty Sark for 30 seconds as it was so overcrowded or at mile 1 so everyone could nip to the look, then I'd deffo have gone under. AND, apparently, the race was extended by 3 metres due to a gas leak 
But oh so oh so HAPPY!!!
A PB BY 33 MINUTES
Report to follow ....................
Absolutely fantastic Sezz!!
What's next?
Great Run Sezz
I was really pleased with that huge pb for you. You should be very proud of your run.
Well done to FF on his pb though I know he can and will run quicker.
I didn't get anywhere near a PB but as i'm old have to be pleased with my quickest London for 19 years and 4th M50 (2 ahead were New Zealanders).
After not too bad a night's sleep, finally the day had arrived. Hurrah
Luckily, we were staying at Fat Face's aunty's in Blackheath so had a fairly leisurely hour or so before leaving. I felt much calmer than yesterday although had a few aches and pains. We walked to the start and just as we passed the train station, a minute from where we were staying, we bumped into Debster and Woj who had just arrived from Charing X. It was a beautiful morning, wasn't it? I wasn't even that cold in my shorts and old t-shirt.
As soon as i dumped my bag, I headed off to find RunnersWorld who wanted a few brief words with us FLM Dreamers. They weren't where they said they'd be but I happened to stumble upon Steve and RichK on route to the loos. Nicola from RW asked me my thoughts, which I can't remember now but you can no doubt read them elsewhere soon
and we had a few piccys taken. Steve had advised me to go 10:10 - 10:15 until mile 20, see how I feel and then pick it up if I felt ok.
Then we headed to our pens. I was in pen 7 and Fat Face in pen 5 so we said our goodbyes and I stood at the top of pen 7 awaiting 9:45. I then realised I hadn't had my flapjack or gel before the race - was that a bad thing, well I'd soon find out. We kept surging forward until at 9.44 by my watch someone nearby shouted 'we're off'. I didn't hear the hooter or anthing. Gradually we walked forward and moved into a trot as we crossed the start line - then very soon came to a halt as people crossed everyone's paths to head to the loos. Grrr.
After mile 1 I heard my name called and it was Fetchie el Bee! and my lovely ex-lodger. He was pacing a friend to 4:15 so it was best I didn't stay with him! I had my first little blubber in mile 1 as I thought about all the hard training I'd done to get hear and now this was it!! I then heard my name called again by another Fetchie with Fetch coloured hair who has been reading this thread. Hello to you! I didn't catch your name. Because we'd gone too slow in mile 1, I then speeded and did two sub 10 miles, which I was supposed to do, so slowed back down again. Then I had my first wobbly..
. I felt a bit weak and maybe as a consequence of not having enough to eat for breaky maybe, but pulled myself together and eventually the gel I had a mile 5 kicked in.
At Cutty Sark, just before mile 7, we came to a standstill. The work they are doing round there meant the road was very narrow and the crowds were just too much. Unfortunately this cost me 30 seconds. Grrrrrr. I made it up in mile 8 and managed 10:02.
By mile 8, I was feeling rather hot and glad I had not worn another t-shirt under my vest. But then I saw a sign saying 'showers here 'and, indeed, the heavens opened just at this point. I didnt know FLM was into weather predicting!
. The rain was certainly welcomed and cooled me down a lot. I knew it wouldn't last as I could see blue sky ahead and by mile 11 it had stopped. Unfortunatley I missed Nicko at mile 11 (made up for it in the pub though 
)
I was willing my back to hold throughout the race and, indeed, the back ache I've been getitng recently right at the bottom and over the glutes did hold out. But my quads, in particular my left and along the ITB started to stiffen up quite a bit. I also had the odd twinge around my right ankle and knees. I spent a large majority of the race telling myself that "my legs are full of positive energy", "my ankle is strong", "my legs have power". I even said this out loud a few times when the pain could quite bad! I'm amazed that I managed to keep going as well as I did with the tightness in my left leg.
My next blubber point was as we turned right onto Tower Bridge.
At this point the crowds, which were already amazing, really picked up and were 3 or 4 deep. I had hoped to see my brother at this point as he said he might be there. Just the sight of Tower Bridge, one of the iconic sights of FLM, made me shiver all over.
Going past 13, I caught up with the Masai Warriors who by now were walking. I wondered what they made of it and whether they were saddened at all the water we threw away. Avoiding their spears, I sped up to run round them and headed on. The next couple of miles were hard work as we headed towards RW at Mudchute. But the thought of seeing them lifted me. Unfortunately though, I felt that if I stopped then my legs my not start again so run on by and waved, wondering if anyone had spotted me. I heard Sezz shouted out and another runner behind me said she had seen this thread and wished me luck. I had this happen on a few occasions and it really lifted me. Sorry guys at Mudchute for not stopping!
One comment that did spur me on was a guy shouting "100 yards and you're into single figures"!!. He was right, at 17 miles we have 9 miles to go - for me that comment spurred me on and suddenly the way ahead seem slightly easier (although not sure easy is a word I should use for FLM!!). The next mile was 10:08.
But then I started to slow down, and found the going tough with my left leg tightness. I cried for a moment and then pulled myself together. Keep going, keep going, feeling strong!! I longed to get to mile 20 and the crowds and the noise around Canary Wharf certainly kept me going. It's great having complete strangers cheer you on and shout out your name. Mile 20 was a huge milestone and, left leg aside, I was feeling pretty ok so tried to step on the gas a bit, or so I thought.
The tiredness in my legs was holding me back and whilst I felt I was giving it all and running well, actually I was going slower, around 10:24 pace. However, the whole race I kept a check on my pace band and was a minute ahead of the pace the whole way.
I got a huge shout from a work colleague at mile 13 and she was still there at mile 22. By now my hat was beginning to annoy me and I thought about throwing it to her, or stuffing down my waist band, but in the end I kept it on. Just as well really as just after mile 23 (I think) the hail stones started. Ouch! Luckily I was just heading into the underpass so missed most of it. I completely missed the 21 mile marker but did see the Fetchies at mile 22. I didn't recognise any there but gave them a wave anyway.
I passed 24 and by now was dead on with the time, but knew if I kept pushing it as much as could and using every bit of energy, then I could get my target. I also knew that my Mum, brother and his family would be between 24 and 25. As I ran this mile, I scanned every single face in the crowd, or so it felt like. I got so many shouts and cheers of my name back and then suddenly saw my Mum and niece, they hadn't seen me so I shouted at the top of my voice and they saw me and went mad. My brother had been tracking my progress along the way on the website so knew roughly where I would be. Seeing them gave me a real boost despite feeling tired and very very wet. I also had another blubber moment. I kept going - not far now, keep going, feeling strong! But it was hard work. Keep going, positive energy, legs feeling good, come on Sarah you are not going to waste the last 4 months, and then we were into Birdcage Walk, and then 600m to go, then 400m, then 200m. I gave it my everything in those last few yards and crossed the line, hands in the air. I burst into tears and looked at my Garmin - 4:30:11 it said! Doh!!
I staggered back slowly, collected my bag, had my piccy taken, got someone to sort out the foil blanket coz I was too knackered to wrap around myself and made my way to the charity's party. Mum and family arrived minutes after me and I gave Mum the biggest hug and burst into tears again. I said that I thought I'd done 4:30:11 so my brother looked at the website and read out 4:30 and.........................5 seconds!! Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Those pesky 5 seconds. That always happens to me. Oh well, I'll not dwell on them.
I couldn't have run the race any better, I really don't think I could. 5 seconds is piddly, but at the time I was running as hard as I could. and as I said above, the hold up at Cutty Sark and other delays robbed me of some time.
But 4:30:05 is near as dammit!!!
Just reading back my posts, there are so many things I keep thinking of. At mile 8, someone next to me was talking on his mobile saying he was being paced by a Cornish Pasty
. I eventually overtook the pasty somewhere along the Embankkment! I also overtook Dave just wearing a thong and Rusty, who was going a great pace on crutches and Great Uncle Bulgaria Womble was going brilliantly. I kept thinking where Fat Face must be and all the way guessed he was about half an hour in front of me. The crowds were amazing all the way, even better than I remember in 2005 and the noise in places was deafening.
I am so proud to have been a member of the FLM Dream Team. I said on the thread when we were pitching to be a part of it that I knew I had the potential to go faster but needed help to realise that potential. I got that help!!
. The structure and discipline of the Garmin schedule helped me so so much. Knowing exactly what I had to do and when. I'm always good when having to work to a strucutre, in all parts of my life, and it was perfect for mara training. Having to post after every run was good fun and I really enjoyed being a part of this thread. I couldn't cop out of a run because I had so many people following my progress, I couldn't let them down. I couldn't let myself down.
My training has been almost spot on for every run, I hit almost every target and today was no exception. Spot on 4:30
Well done!
You did 4:30!
And onto my Oscar speech styly thank yous.
Thank you to RunnersWorld for giving me this opportunity. Thank you to Dan for all you help and good luck in your new job. Maybe me and FF will bump into you when we move Oxford way.
Thank you to Steve MC for all your help and advice along the way. Really really appreciated and I learnt so much along the way.
Thank you to everyone who has posted on the thread giving me encouragement. You're fab!!
. It was great comparing myself to others following the same schedule and knowing we were going throught the same highs and lows.
Thank you to the other FLM Dream Team. Wardi, lovely to meet you and your training has been amazing. Well done on your PB. RickK, you're lovely and you know you can do it! Granny Denny, well done for keeping going despite the injury and for finishing and getting that medal!!
Thank you to all you other lovey lovely forumites who have wished me luck along the way. This forum is amazing! Without it I would never be where I am with my running.
And thank you to my darling Fat Face, for your support, encouragement and love throughout these past months. For being there when I had crap runs and beat myself up and felt deflated, for cheering me on when I did a great run, for running slow miles with me when you could have gone at your pace, for letting me eat chocolate coz you were as well, for lots of free sports massages and for buying me lots of lovely pairs of running shoes.
And you did a fab run too, ok not the time you wanted but you knocked 14 mins off your PB. That's briliant.
THANK YOU EVERYONE!
AND I AM NEVER DOING ANOTHER MARATHON AGAIN!!
well done sezzy
(never say never though)
Haven't read all your report yet Sezz cos I am tired and a tad p*ssed but I am might proud to call you my friend. You have showed so much determination and discipline. you really do deserve your 4.30 and then some. Well done, my lovely
Now, can we go on the lash like the good ole days???!!
I shall keep my report a little shorter
I would have loved to have broken 4 hours but I didn't. I suppose lowering my PB from 4:28 to 3:59 in one go was always going to be a big ask and it proved too much today. I set off at the pace required to do it and went through 13.1 miles in 2 hours and 1 sec. I carried on for a couple more miles at this pace but pretty quickly realised that if I continued to do so I was going to risk blowing up in spectacular fashion, so I made the decision to slow down. Then the pesky knee pain I suffered at Oakley returned. I swallowed a couple of ibuprofen and carried on at a reduced speed and eventually the pain went away. I had some pretty bad miles from 16 to 22 before I got going again and finished quite strongly to cross the line in 4:14:27. Yes, I'm a little disappointed, even though it was a 14 minute PB but you've got to save something for next time haven't you.
Congrats Sezz, enjoyed the report, the thread has been part of a great experience, i got in at 4.19 so happy enough, feel fine this morning which is a bit scary!
Congrats to all the thread who experienced the best marathon in the world, see some of you a Watford 10k
Sezz!! Brilliant result!! Well done!!
Wicked Sezz! PB for me too @ 4:35:22, so I was well pleased!
Me too - DEFINITELY NOT DOING IT AGAIN!!!! DEFINITELY!!
Cool! Well done Chill and Souffle.
So, this morning I can just about walk but sitting down unaided is difficult and getting up out of a chair is even harder!
We're going for a walk later in Trent Country Park. FF just suggested I should go for a run to bed in my new trainers. Haha. Erm....
My stats for yesterday as follows:-
5 km 0:31:0110 km 1:02:5615 km 1:35:0720 km 2:07:00half 2:13:5725 km 2:39:1330 km 3:11:3335 km 3:43:5840 km 4:16:14finish 4:30:05
Not bad really. Quite pleased with the half time considering I've done slower halfs than that in the past.
At 24 miles my time was 4:07:04 - that was just seconds quicker than the pace suggested. Unfortunately I lost time over the next 2.2 miles. I'm determined not to dwell on just missing out going sub 4:30 because overall it was a damn good time
.
Well done!
Excellent training and excellent racing
well done sezz
you have been an inspiration , i too got stuck at cutty sark so if you take off the 8 secs you have broken 4 30 !
my initial thought as i crawled up the steps to have my chip pulled off is never again BUT ....... it wouldnt hurt just to go on the website and put your name on the ballot for next year would it ???