Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
Sub 3h15
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
London 21
This was to be my 6th London and 9th marathon. I don’t need to talk about the training which went bang on, particularly coming straight off another perfect campaign for Dorney.
The target was 2.49.xx and I felt that my 2.51 in Dorney was completed at an almost canter that sub 2.50 should be achievable. Additionally, a 1.18 half late May suggested even by then I was a bit fitter than Dorney. I was also conscious that people had, had problems using Dorney as a GFA for Berlin due to AIMS issues so was keen to at least be sub 2.55.
Race week was quite relaxed in terms of nerves, I was more excited just to be going back to London. Work was ridiculously busy last week which may have been a help to take my mind off the race.
I travelled down Friday lunchtime alone, did the expo then met up with my family who travelled after the school day. Usual ridiculous day Saturday, walking 9 miles around the history museum, but in turn two decent sleeps in a hotel room which was unprecedented.
Carb loading I scaled back from some of the OTT efforts of previous campaigns and just ate carb dominated main meals and topped up each day with a maurten 320 as a snack. Having one of these pre-race, I am not really sure significant carb loading is necessary.
Sunday morning I did my usual walk from Holborn to Charring Cross, got to the start, did my bits then got to the front of the pen ready to go. I watched in envy as the champs and v40s went off in wave 1, engaging in discussions with others around me as to our frustration with being in wave 3, one guy going for 2.35. I saw a clubmate who has always been much better than me but now the gap was closed. We had a quick embrace and he asked if I was going for 2.49. I said yes and he said we will stick together.
We were off at 9.36 and so was my clubmate, so much for the plan, however I wondered if we might cross paths again later that morning. Plan was to go through half way at low 1.25 then slowly build from there. Within a mile I was hitting the back of the v40 group, however things were still relatively clear but I was fearful as to what awaited at the mile 3 merge. My main observation was that the blue start definitely has more downhill in the opening 3m than the others.
First 3m came in at 6.34, 6.31 and then 6.20 for the downhill mile 3 and 5k in 20.19 so bang on. The merge came and it was ridiculous and extremely frustrating. I was permanently looking ahead for lines and gaps and darting all over the place, cutting my pace, speeding up and so on. Th effort felt right (probably due to all this) and I was becoming concerned that I was overcooking it and kept trying to just ease back. The next few miles came in 6.23, 6.22 and 6.26. As each one flashed up I bemoaned my lack of control. The second 5k came in at 20.01. I was becoming increasingly concerned by my GPS v mile markers. I am usually within 25 metres until Canary wharf. Already by mile 6 I was recording just over 0.1m longer.
At 7m things opened up a bit and whilst there was still an undesirable situation, it was manageable. I had a shout out from Lewis at 7m telling me that I was bang on plan. I then saw a clubmate who was in the v40 start ahead of me. Said a quick hello then moved on.
The following miles came in 6.28, 6.24 and 6.23 so sitting consistently now at mid 6.20s. I saw a female clubmate at 9m who was in champs and had a quick chat with her. The next 5k came in at 20.27.
OK, systems check as we head towards Tower Bridge. I am feeling OK but definitely like this is my limit today, which is fine as sitting here will still yield a pb. Onwards to the Bridge which is my favourite part. Next few miles were 6.21, 6.25, 6.22 and 6.28 through to 13m. The next 5k came in at 19.48 and through halfway on my watch at 1.25.10. OK, despite the extra distance I believe I have covered, bang on 1st half target. Let’s just settle here as mid 6.20s is enough for a 2.49.
The half way marker however set a bell off in my head to ramp it up, just like I do in training and went off with a 6.17, 6.12 and 6.06. I winced as every one of them flashed up and kept trying to pull back, but I was in cruise mode now. The crowds had reduced, my mood less angry and I was enjoying myself. The next 5k came in 20.02 (I appreciate there’s little correlation between my numbers and the 5k splits). At about 14m I had a shout out from OO, gave him a wave and ploughed on. A bit further along I saw g-dawg and had a brief chat and was pleased to hear he was on target.
At 16m I saw Lewis again and he shouted out that it was time to wind things up, I gave him a thumbs up and a nod as if to say, ‘I’m going to fxxxcking destroy this now’. At about 17m I see my clubmate from the start pen so he provides a nice little target and I cruise past him at 18m. I give him a call and a wave and a smile, probably not what he wanted he was working hard and I was in my peak of the day.
The next few miles were 6.12, 6.16 and then the Canary Wharf madness of 5.08 and 5.06. The next 5k was 19.25 to 30k. At this point I started doing my own sums working on 12k and 4 mins per k as my garmin was useless beyond a stop watch. Coming out of Canary Wharf I was 0.7m off the mile markers so it was a matter of ignoring the watch.
It was beginning to get hard work so it was let’s just get to 23 at this pace then even if we sit at 6.30s we’ve had a good day. However, I just started getting faster with a 6.08, 6.09 and 6.07. At about 23m I saw a local speedster who won’t have been aware of my recent progress as he unfollowed me on strava a year or so back (I probably wasn’t fast enough) so I made a point of giving him a cheery wave and shout out as I passed by and a thumbs up. He was completely done, shoulders gone and looked knackered.
The next 5k was 19.18 and suddenly I was into the final complete 5k. I just set myself the target of getting through that big tunnel and getting on the embankment as I knew once there I was home and dry. As I got to each mile marker I did some maths based on dropping to 6.30mm so at 23m I worked on 20 mins left and could see sub 2.50 was pretty much there, but I was fully conscious that something could derail me at any moment.
I ploughed on with a 6.09 and 6.09 and was just astounded as to where they kept coming from. The final complete 5k to 40k came in 19.16, my fastest of the day and I was there on the embankment. At the 40k marker I knew I was at worst 8 minutes away. Things were getting hard now, I was really working for it, but I had the novelty of lots of space as I cut through the pack. Mile 26 came in at 6.13, but I still had way more than 400m to come. I was onto the Mall and the 1k sign comes up and I think, just 4 minutes to hold on tight and this is a nice well supported slight decline so it’s easy.
The signs start coming fast then, 800, 600, 400…. I start moving a bit faster. I had no idea what my time might be as I hadn’t looked at my watch since 40k. As we get to the final corner, turning towards the finish I start opening up and the line comes remarkably fast. As I get towards it I give myself a quiet pat on the back for a job well done, stopping the watch at 2.47.10 (official time 2.47.08). I was immediately peed off I didn’t go sooner to go 2.46, but quickly lay that nonsense to bed! The final 0.9 on my gps came in at 6.04mm and the remainder from 40k in 8.34 so 3.54per k pace.
I don’t for one minute believe I ran 26.9 miles as I know I gained on the gps a good 2 minutes in canary wharf based on the splits so that’s about 0.3m, however I do believe that first 7-8m cost me a good minute compared to having a clear run, though who knows if that might have bitten me on the arse later.
I don’t really know where that 2nd half came from and at half way never thought I’d run another quite aggressive negative split of 1.25.10 and 1.21.58.
I am not sure how I can top that, though equally I thought I had, had the race of my life in Dorney and also London 2019, so never say never I guess! The gains will no doubt be harder to find going forwards.
As I walked down the Mall I saw SBD and we had a good chat, and I was delighted to hear of his time. Great then to meet up with g-dawg and OO plus family for a beer.
A nice month off anything of intention and 10 days in Lanzarote pending. I then have the Derby 10m mid November. I might not be at my peak but I feel sub 60 should be on. That’s followed by a 5m race mid December to finally bank a sub 30 and I also need to find time to run a sub 18 parkrun, with that pb having just turned 3 years old. That will then give me 7 distances/7 pbs in the same year. I am also unsatisfied with my recent 10ks (one around an airfield in a storm, the other on a really hilly course) and want a solid sub 37. Eyeing up the Leicestershire 10k the week after Derby.
Dawg - great stuff, i was urging you to go sub3. Well done. There was someone called Blisters on here who finally went 2.59 and then backed it up a couple of times, you have sub3 expectancy now.
DT - well done again DT, as before it's a great follow. Interesting re different approaches, i put my watch on elapsed time and didnt take amy splits. You defo have a lot more to come, esp with growing self belief.
Gul don't give up just yet ,I know you had a really bad run but on a better day you could surprise yourself .
DT after that neg split I thing you could maybe have a few more pb's left yet
Have actually managed a couple of very short runs this last 4 days ,I am just doing 3 x 1 mile easy with 2 mins walk breaks each mile and I do need those breaks as fitness is bad now having not ran in more than a year . It's been tough starting back again most a mental battle now as it's too easy to slack !
You were pacing it really well for the initial 20K Gul. Do you think you had a virus in the system on the day? I often struggle to find the time for the training so can understand why you want to call it a day on the marathon training. Those early morning starts are pretty brutal. Perhaps it would be good to focus on park runs for a while.
Excellent report DT and brilliant result. You've made huge progress since London 2019. That was a really strong second half and you were a bit unlucky with the way the GFA starts effected the first half traffic. I'm sure you can go significantly quicker in the future. I think Tokyo have a 2:45 GFA entry in case you were planning to run there in the future. I had this in the back of mind on Sunday just in case it went better than planned!
Thanks OuchOuch. Really unlucky for you catching Covid, you were peaking nicely.
TR/OuchOuch - The cramps were less of an issue on Sunday than 2019 and I had run marathons 6 months and 18 months before Abingdon, so it may be less of an problem on the next one. It's just having invested so much in the training over the last 19 weeks, it's bloody frustrating to have a poor finish over the last 6 miles and lose 3 minutes to cramps.
Brilliant report and well done again G-D - Sub 3 after all those marathons under your belt is amazing.
Hope you can get over the PF Gerard and get back out running. Haven't checked the WAVA yet but I think it should be good!
Ian, I hadn't realised you were also running London. Funnily enough, my splits for k's 30-40 on sunday are about 5s slower for that 10k than I ran in Telford that day.
SBD, I haven't looked as far ahead as Tokyo, with NY booked in for 2023 and an application submitted yesterday for a Berlin GFA for next year, Tokyo hasn't had a look in. Though if I did manage a 2.45 and that gave me a short-term opportunity to get in, I may have to consider it.
OO, i Hope you are ready for part 3 this weekend?
TR, thanks, belief is definitely something I am now feeling. I've felt like i've had a bit of imposter syndrome about the sub 80 half in that I must have fluked it and could never do that again now, but run a 1.21 second 13 sunday suggests I could!
I still haven't done a thing since Sunday. I'll have another day of tomorrow and then get to spin on saturday and a short run sunday and take it from there.
Stick around Ian I'm sure this thread will help you get back in good shape 👍
I thought I'd wait a few weeks before thinking about Autumn 2022 but seem to have accidentally entered Manchester already. However, it may not be a 100% effort.
Legs not feeling too bad after Sunday. The quads took a bit of a battering but have managed a couple of 10K recovery runs Wednesday and Thursday and will get out there later today for another 10K.
OO - I'd forgotten you were pacing on Sunday in Manchester. Good luck to your daughter.
3 mile easy run to the supermarket and back this morning starting at 8:16am - weird. Definitely not right yet as I soon had a temperature. And after finishing, my glutes were very unhappy, so a few more days rest needed. Can't get my head round how to fit in more than an odd few miles, but doesn't seem like that's an issue just yet!
Gul: please take it easy and let your body recover!
OO: I think you and Madbark need to fight it out for the maddest person on the thread title.
Hope you're feeling better soon, Gul.
Really enjoyed your report, SBD, what a great result as well. Congratulations!
Same for you DT, another excellent report to go with the result.
Had the week off here. Got a 5 mile recovery on the local trails planned for tomorrow with a few others that also ran London. Coffee and cake to follow at the end.
Legs almost pain free, just a bit of a knot in the left thigh.
So pleased with my result. I was determined to see it through at 19 miles when things got ugly, I vowed never to do it again so I'd better get it done there are then.
Of course now, I've entered the ballot (backup plan) and fully intend to have another go with a GFA spot next October.
Very frustrating, Jools.
SBD, yes I was ok other than my thighs which were trashed. That's the effect of the vaporflys, slightly tipping you forwards. Manchester 22 is in April though not Autumn??
I think, if I had a specific purpose too, I could run an easy mara sunday.
So, I have also started looking ahead and the fact if I want to run London 23 i need to get a GFA next Spring and i've always fancied having a go at Manchester so it seems my likely target.
I will go out over lunchtime for an easy 3m, being my first run since Sunday.
Manc sounds good, ive fancied it before. I have a deferred Brighton place inc park and ride for April. I had a tough day there in 2019 in the wind when my dad was ill in hospital, so need to go back there to have a strong run to set the record straight.
Legs have been pretty good here, i had to hit the brakes at 23 when someone carved me up to get a gel, which made my quad hurt, and its still sore now. So ive taken an extra couple of rest days and will try a run tomorrow. But i was happy to have a nice 5 non running days.
Brighton is easier logistics than Manchester but after this year's mess it's not worth the risk. But Manchester should be fun - rain guaranteed!
I wondered if SBD might want to run Berlin next September as he was due there the last 2 years.
I've not had this long off post mara before, but with this week being our first week back in the office as well I didn't really see the need to force matters.
Not much doing here. I got my new invisalign braces fitted on Thursday and my face has been in agony ever since. The aligner trays themselves aren't too bad, although very tight and there's a rough bit that is cutting the skin under my top lip, but the hooks, metal posts and elastic bands are really, really annoying. I wasn't really expecting to have elastic bands cutting my cheeks to shreds. I'm sure I'll get used to it/adjust, but right now everything hurts. It's worse than the marathon. At least I knew when that pain would end!