Shades Marathon Training

Little M.iss Happy

The alarm went off at 0500hrs as the hotel had laid on an early breakfast Saturday morning. I got off to a bad start by walking into the floor level radiator in my sandaled foot. Ouch. The coach was due to leave at 0545hrs though the first wave of the race wasn’t until 0930hrs. The organisers had said that transition would close at 0800hrs. We arrived at transition at about 0700hrs, just about the first people there, in fact they hadn’t even started body marking which was supposed to happen on your way in, there were some lovely ladies from Team GB racking around me and we chatted and faffed and chatted and faffed. I’d bought an energy bar with me to eat but just couldn’t face it and the 330ml bottle of very watered down coke didn’t last terribly long. It was one warm morning and we ended up sitting in whatever shade we could find. The organisers quietly announced that the run course was in fact two and a half laps and not the three and a half they’d told people previously and also introduced an extra wave into the swim start – if you were listening very carefully and not half way up the course in the nearest portaloo. My nerves were getting the better of me and I spent about two hours trying to decide whether I was actually going to be sick or not. Sue (racing in my age group for Team GB) and Lindi (pirate) were really good at chatting and sorting me out with things such as when to put my wetsuit on and catching a boat across to the swim start. Some people elected to swim across the Vlatava to the start though some of those narrowly avoided collisions with various boats!

Little M.iss Happy

The women were the last away. We had a long discussion about which way the current was running and when you should swim close into the bank and when go midstream. Unfortunately I wasn’t taking a lot in by this time and totally forgot. ASt last the waiting was over and we were off. The swim was 70m across the river, turn left around a bouy and then swim two big laps along the river, across the river, back along and across the river. I’d worked out that the elites were likely to catch me before I’d finished my first lap so had prepared myself for this. Starting slightly to the right of the main pack I swam across to the first bouy keeping out of trouble, most people were quickly away and I had clear water around me and a very few people behind. I was pleased to settle into my stroke and rhythm quickly for me without my ususal ‘what am I doing here, this is silly, shall I just lay on my back, wave my hand in the air and get rescued now’ thoughts. I couldn’t see the bouy I was swimming towards – even with my contacts in it was too far away – but I knew that if I followed the river bank and kept going it would appear eventually. I was close in to the bank, which was where I was supposed to be, but at one point scraped both my hands on underlying rocks – I’d beached myself! This frightened me a little as it hurt my fingers and I couldn’t see the rocks even an arms length away so I moved more into midstream – which unfortunately meant that the current was stronger against me. Finally saw and swam round the turn bouy only to get sucked back into it, I felt the rope on my leg and thought that I’d got tangled. Soon swam clear but this frightened me and made me give the rest of the bouys more clearance. Mark explained later that this would have been caused by the eddy. Anyway the swim continued, I felt strong, was only sighting every 30 strokes as I could see the bank as I breathed anyway. The elites came past (well, inside actually) me just at the final turn bouy and I had the fun of swimming between them and the camera boat for some time so if it is ever televised I should be easy to spot! I gradually caught and passed a few people on my second lap – including at least two men who much have had a two minute head start if not more – despite my calves taking it in turn to threaten to cramp, in all honesty I don’t use my legs much whilst swimming anyway soapart from having to drag my foot horizontally behind me each time it wasn’t too much of a hindrance though it did mean that I couldn’t kick in the final stretch to help alleviate the dizziness. Swam towards the pontoon, finally reached it and was scrabbling for something to purchase on when I was grabbed by each arm and hauled bodily from the water – which was such a surprise that according to Mark I swore! Staggered up the carpeted ramp like a drunk person, nearly falling back into the water, then on to the uncarpeted, slippery stone steps! Couldn’t see much as my lenses were foggy and taking a while to clear but made it into transition. Was pleased to remember almost straight away where my bike was racked (I counted racks from the swim entrance) and to see that it wasn’t the only one left. A swift change into helmet, bike shoes etc (at least I think it was – we haven’t been given any transition splits), inhaler in tri suit pocket and out to the mount line – which was miles away. If anyone has ever tried running in cleats they’ll know why this is an issue. Anyway it gave me time to ask Mark my swim time and was surprised and disappointed to hear him reply 1.45. Actual 4km swim time 1.43.57 (46th  woman).

Little M.iss Happy

Onto the bike and up the slope to the course. 6 laps of a flat, good surfaced 20km loop – yeah right. Flat? There was a 4km drag (supposedly 5% though I don’t know what that should feel like) that just went on forever and had me down to 7mph in places. The downhill bit that followed the turnaround was good fun though – especially the first time when I found myself on the aero bars eating a packet of shot bloks at over 32mph. Yeehaa! Suffice to say that the surface was somewhat changeable too (which made it quite painful for the latter laps) including the ride through the road works and surface gravel. The Czech drivers who got fed up with the contraflow system and decided to use the middle lane in which bikes were racing in both directions at one point made it quite interesting at times too, as did the random cyclists on the course obviously enjoying the lack of other traffic. There was one aid station each lap, just before you wanted to scrub the speed off for the 180 degree turn round, which was handing out bottles of water with screw top lids on – before they ran out that is. Thankfully Mark and another Team GB supporter made their way across the dual carriageway and bought water to hand out to the GB team which they decanted into smaller bottles and gave to us after the turnaround, this meant that you could collect half a banana from the official aid station and water from GB. Unfortunately at least one Team GB member made at least three circuits without water – unforgiveable really. Thankfully I was able to leave my poor swim behind me – nothing I could do about it now – and get on with the bike knowing that each lap was bringing me closer to the run. The drag eventually got broken down into the billboard about nursing old people followed by the one with the Sean Connery lookalike then the petrol station with the temperature (28C), angry Olga and finally the bridge after which you turned round and enjoyed the ride downhill until hitting the headwind on the flat. The wind picked up as the day went on and I found myself losing about 2mph on the downhill and flat into the wind though it did help a little on the long drag up. I made myself eat a Stinger bar on about the third lap and took carb drink when I could. I refilled the aero bottle four times and drank it all. When I started the last lap I knew that  I would finish the race as even if I had to run the rest of the 20km with the bike I would be inside the cut-off, this helped as I was only averaging 16.5mph – a good .5mph down on what I’d expected my minimum speed to be. Approaching the end of the final lap I took a gel and counted 13 cyclists on the course behind me. Was surprised to see Mark marshalling the bike exit but apparently the marshal had been withdrawn despite the cut off supposedly being over 8 hours. Down over the dismount line then the long run back into transition – and they expected you to do this over a section of rocks they’d put a mat over and rough grass – in cleats? I stuck to the path and made my way back into transition, racked the bike, moved the bike that was covering my running kit back into its rightful place and changed bike shoes for trainers and helmet for cap. Three gels in back pocket and I was off. 120km bike. 4.21.22. 40th woman.

Little M.iss Happy

I was really looking forward to the run, this is my strong bit and the one I enjoy. I set off to run the first loop expecting to have to slow myself down after the first mile as usual. Wrong. I managed about ten minutes running and just came to a halt. There was nothing there. I had a bottle of watered down coke with me which I sipped and I took water from the aid stations as I had pins and needles in my fingers despite the amount I’d drunk on the bike but I just had no energy. I knew that this was going to be a hard slog but also that there was no way I wasn’t going to make it. I tried to set a strict run/walk regime but just kept losing it. The ‘tarmac’ run course actually consisted of some cycle path, some very uneven broken paving, some sandy, tree rooted track and a lap of the race course on each lap – after you’d climbed a 6 foot + ankle deep sandy bank to get on to it. Cross country it is then. I finally reached the Team GB aid station – the team manager had bought coke, pretzels etc as there were none provided. Mark was manning it and I asked him for my coke (I’d left some in the hotel for him to bring) unfortunately he didn’t have it but someone handed over a bottle that Scott Nyedli had left, they assured us that he wouldn’t mind as he’d already finished and was on his way back to the hotel and I wasn’t arguing! Drank a couple of mouthfuls of Scott’s coke and I was off – sub 10 minute pace for about the next three miles after which I maintained a very strict run/walk regime, getting stronger with each lap. Thank heavens for Mark and the team support. The aid station at the bottom of the course had run out of everything on my second lap (though this was restocked by my third pass) and when I asked for water at one station they told me they had none and I should go back to the previous station – not likely! I approached the race course for the third time and Mark left the aid station and made towards the finish, by the time I’d completed the circuit of the race track he was there to hand me my Union Jack. I mustered a sprint finish (ok, it felt like a sprint, look more like a slightly faster shuffle on the video he took) and crossed the line, so pleased to have finished and not disgraced myself or the kit. 30km run 3.18.37. 43rd woman.

Little M.iss Happy

Unfortunately some woman tried to make me stand still so that she could take my chip off which I’m told led to a fairly spectacular looking collapse as a couple of medics grabbed me. A member of Team GB went back to Mark and told him ‘you’re wife has just collapsed’ and was quite surprised by the reply ‘ don’t worry – she always does that, I’ll go in a minute’. He’s quite right though, I’m fine if I can keep wandering for a bit but if people make me stop the legs go to jelly. I was given some water and found half a banana to eat, that was it. I saw the man from Cannon collating results from the chips at the finish line and asked him when they’d be online. He invited me to take a look and I was incredibly surprised and delighted to find that my overall time was 9.23.55, meaning that despite the bad swim, bike and run I had made it inside my target of 9 hours 30. Two hours or so later (as the promised shuttle busses back to transition never appeared) we were collected by Nirvana and taken back to the hotel via transition.Talking to people afterwards it was clear that I wasn’t the only person to have found the swim hard and the bike ‘hilly’ and windy which made me feel a little better. I’ve been swimming, biking and running faster in training this year than last but still came out with the kind of time that I’d extrapolated from the full distance at Almere last year which was a little disappointing. One huge lesson though is that I need to sort my nutrition, I’d obviously gone into the race quite empty due to the difficulties in finding food that wouldn’t make me ill in Prague whereas in Almere I’d been well catered for and eaten like a horse for three or four days before. Four hours plus from breakfast to race start was far too long without eating, whether I felt sick of not, and the three gels, one pack of shot bloks, one Stinger bar and banana that I ate on top of two scoops of carb powder in my drink were not enough for a normal day, never mind a long race. Nutrition – the fifth discipline!

Little M.iss Happy

Don't say I didn' warn you!

HM4

LMH,

Sounds as though you had a rough time.  I'm not going to say some of the comments Chris made about the posts which either you/Mark/Elspeth put up however they weren't very nice towards the organisers which is understandable reading that report as well.  Good job Team GB & Mark did what the organisers failed to do.

How are you feeling now?

Little M.iss Happy

I'm feeling much better thank you HY4, prpbably not as well as I'd expect to but that's more to do with the lack of food than anything I think, I let myself get a little too depleted but I'm replenishing now

[Deleted User]

LMH: Respect.

LIVERBIRD

I'm back.

And I put on half a stone. I ate bran flakes, banana and soya yoghurt every morning for breakfast and had fish and salad for lunch. I think I blew it in the evenings..... Still, body fat has come down 5%, but God knows how!  Achilles behaving themselves and I'm probably going to explode if I can't get to the gym soon. I did 800 lengths on holiday and swam in the sea too (ooh - get me!)

Nothing is better than running though......

LMH - I have just drunk my first cup of decent tea in a fortnight reading your race report! You are an absolute STAR and should be incredibly proud of yourself. I put running out of water just behind murder in the acceptability stakes and you sound like you worked your socks off! I did laugh at Mark's reaction to your collapse though - sounds like precisely the same thing Mr LB would say!

Glad to be home. Need to wash 80kgs of washing now so I'll chat later. Missed you all!

JPenno

LMH - well done, sounds like difficult conditions due to lack of organisation - would you race for GB again and do you know where next years is

Little M.iss Happy

JP - absolutely, but not at the Europeans as they're in Spain next year and I have moral objections to Spain due to the way they treat their greyhounds. The worlds are in Germany though....................

LB - welcome home.

Des - thank you

LIVERBIRD

Thank you LMH! One of the mini LB's thought you were racing dressed as the Mister Men character and was very put out that you weren't!

Little M.iss Happy

I do smile a lot!

Valley Runner

Wow LMH Great report and Keith had better watch out on you out doing his race reports
Sounded a tough day but you did it!
Nutrition is so hard to get right for people on a usual diet nevermind a restricted one and can make or break a race.

Welcome back LB   and you brought the sunshine with you  

LIVERBIRD

I aim to please VR!

[Deleted User]

Riveting report LMH

HM4

LB,

Glad you had a good time.  The washing is the only bad thing about holidays (unless you get crap weather while you're away).

Clag

LMH - brilliant report. I've no idea how you do it! Good on you!

PSC

LMH, great report and well done. Not many of us will ever run in Team GB colours. Bad luck with the nutrition. Sounds like the organisation was a shambles. But, despite that, you had a terrific result. So what next. Seen the posts about Germany. What about the full distance?

lol at Mark. Us blokes are such caring creatures hey!

[Deleted User]

Hi LMH

Good to read your report. Congrats on getting in team GB, and well done for all the effort.

Are you posting any of the video of the sprint finish on YouTube.

Keep smiling

Hope

Hi all

Just popped into read your race report LMH... WELL DONE!!!!  Fantastic report. Must have been frustrating for you to not have everything go to plan, especially your special dietary needs, but  despite that you raced well!! And for GB too!!! You must be thrilled!

So what's next for you??

sluggie

Great report LMH, well done you!

Wecome back LB, enjoy the 80kg washing

Little M.iss Happy

Next at the moment is Abingdon marathon but tri wise it's IMWA. I think I prefer the full distance to be honest - unfortunately there isn't a Team GB full distance tri - or not that I know of/have been told about.

Happy Running - if he does we may get divorced.

[Deleted User]

Brilliant report LMH, you did us all proud  I'm in complete awe of your achievement.

Welcome back LB, its been awfully quiet around here

Well done VR on another mara, how many's that now?

Little M.iss Happy

Mrs Mac -I find that so funny coming from an ultra runner such as yourself! Even the full distance only took me 13.13.22 - you run for 24!

[Deleted User]

Yes, but you beast yourself with 3 sports at once. I wimp out at only one

Keith M Stuart

LMH - Cracking report

VR - lol i can easily waffle for longer than i do currently if i so desire Next races are a pair of 10k's 2 days apart if i remember rightly.

Valley Runner

MrsMac wrote (see)

Well done VR on another mara, how many's that now?

Hi Mrs Mac. Altogether I have done 12

Morning Everyone
I'm going to have another go at the hairdressers today, fingers crossed. 

Little M.iss Happy

Morning.

VR - hope it's just you today!

Thank you for the lovely kind comments. Itching to get back into training despite being a tad on the tired side so I'm having to keep a tight rein on myself. Out at a local show with a friend today - despite the rain.