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Sub 3.30 Tim: #asics262
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Sunday - race day.
Like bootcamp, store day and training days, the alarm was not needed as I was awake long before it was due to go off. It was dark whilst I ate my Weetabix and mentally started my preparation. Outside I could hear the drunken laughter of late night revellers, stumbling back home. I am very much the believer of the power of a positive mental attitude and I had made myself a playlist of songs which I had used on the previous flipagrams I had made on for bootcamp, store day and training days. I had noticed whenever I heard this songs, I felt more positive and I really felt there was a linkage between them and being positive to achieve. Whilst listening to them I read the multitude of good luck messages on twitter and the forum. I had not planned to do this but was glad I did as it lifted my spirits further. Taxis had been booked for 7am and the rest of the ASICS fab 5 were waiting in the lobby, all smiling but understandably nervous about the day ahead. As the taxi pulled away, the sun was just rising and it was a stunning site to it peeping over the Arc de Triomphe as we were dropped off. The Paris marathon starts by running down the Champs Elysees, away from the Arc De Triomphe and finishes running up Avenue Foch the other side of the Arc De Triomphe. We headed towards the finish line towards the hospitality tent. Well i say tent but it's more like a trailer. On 3 floors it was in an unbelievable position. Glass fronted and with a balcony on levels 1 & 2, my breath was taken away as I walked out of the trailer onto the balcony as I found myself quite literally, right on the finish line.
Then it was time for a final photo shoot. The guys had decided we were going to shoot right next to the finish line. It was surreal to think we were standing right by the finish line of a major big city marathon, literally a few hours before the elite athletes would be crossing the line. There was a sense of anticipation building. A few final finishing touches were being done, and then there was us. The ASICS 5, having our photos taken, like superstars. The brilliance of hospitality was the fact that we did not need to worry about any kind of bag drop and we could spend time relaxing before heading to the start. Well as relaxing as it can ever be, before the race of your life.
I wanted to get my pre race thoughts together so I grabbed my iPod and headed out onto the balcony to look at the finish and to revisit what to me were my journey's game changers. The things which had turned me from a hap hazard 3.51 marathon runner into a sub 3.30 marathon winner. These were things I had spent the previous days and in some cases weeks, reminding myself of. Every thought needed to be positive not negative. So my playlist started again and I reminded myself of the game changers.
Victors "History is not Destiny" Speech. Where Victor helped me understand that just because it has happened before does not mean it will not happen again. This time I had trained differently, eaten differently, thought differently. I would get that different result.
Sam's "You might be able to run 3-15" Speech. She told me I had sub 3.15 potential. But Sunday was not the day to try it. This was about a carefully executed race pace strategy. No heroics. To get 3.29. Or maybe better. But not to blow up, crash and burn. And she reminded me why she thought this was achievable, listing down my achievements to reach this belief.
Ruth's "Believe in yourself you have eaten right" Speech. Eat right and you will have the power and strength to run a sub 3.30. You have never fuelled yourself right either in racing or outside, put that right and you will be stronger and more powerful to achieve.
Frimley 20 - This run gave me so much confidence. This was my mental practice run, my dress rehearsal and didn't it go well. The carb load strategy, the gel strategy, the pacing strategy. the strength I felt as I crossed the line. I knew then I was heading in the right direction.
My 19.35 park run - To achieve a 35 second pb a few weeks before was massive. I knew I was in great shape then. I seized and anchored all the positivity this run gave me.
And the final game changer - standing 1 yard short of the finishing line and visualising myself crossing the finish line. This powerful mental image was to stay with me throughout the run.
Then it was time. The call to head off to the start came. Myself and Tom were off before the other 3 so we were heading off first. Just before leaving I headed to the ASICS trailers luxury toilet and then we were good to go. We headed off down Avenue Foch towards the start. Sadly half way down I suddenly found, that despite only having just gone, I needed to go again, and I knew it wasn't a pee up against a tree man stand toilet visit either. All around there were men doing this but no sign of any portaloo's. A few yards further on and suddenly I saw out of the corner of my eye a portaloo. I said my goodbyes and good lucks to Tom and went towards it. Only to find, the only way to get to it was to go into one of the massive tents which adorn the post finishing straight as the loo clearly was for the usage of the tent's hosts. Which turned out to be a Dutch children's charity. Blag it with the charity tent or try and make it to the start where there were going to be portaloo's, but also a gazillion people queuing. Urgency and desperation won and I headed into the tent. Rushed out to the loo and joined the queue. Sadly every body in the tent had a bright orange luminous Dutch Children's running top on. Apart from one interloper in the toilet queue. Who was sporting a rather bright ASICS RW yellow top. It certainly was not the most difficult game of where's Wally with me quite clearly being Wally!! Well I have always thought head down and play deaf, a great way to deal with this kind of situation and luckily after 15 minutes of being stared at, I made it into the loo.
I left the tent a lot happier than I arrived and then I headed off to the start. The start in Paris is split into blocks. Sub 2.30, sub 2.45, Sub 3, so I found the sub 3,30 and entered, luckily with 15 minutes to spare. I used the urinals which were in the pen numerous times and I was right about the portaloos, total carnage. I witnessed a few scraps where people tried to queue jump before it was time. At 9.00am the sub 3.30 runners were let loose. It is staggered start where different sides of the road are let go at a time. As I shuffled forward towards the start line I started my watch about 30seconds early to give myself a small buffer of protection. Then I crossed the line. And what happened next is hard to describe but here goes.
The race
The moment I crossed the start line it was like I had changed. It was a kind of out of body experience. I went from being me to being one hell bent, tunnel driven, focussed, unwilling to accept anything other than a sub 3.30. My head was filled with more positivity than you could imagine. I felt 6ft 6 inches tall (all 5ft 8 jokes are acceptable at this point). I felt strength I had never felt before. I would love to be able to tell you about the course, the views etc but I would struggle. All I had in my mind was my race strategy, my gel strategy, the good luck messages from the family/friends, the forum, twitter and my game changers. Nothing else. All the kilometres and the miles were marked out on the course and I consistently checked my pace wristband every time we passed one to check I was on track. There were runners all around me but I was in my own zone, my own bubble, nothing around me was sinking in, all I was doing was thinking about strategies, paces and my game changers. I am now a massive fan of race chunks. It makes it manageable and easier to focus. 2 x 3 miles plus 2 x 10 miles for me
3 miles at 8.05
3 miles at 8.00
10 miles at 7.55
10 miles at 7.50
Then a sprint.
The first 3 miles it felt like I had my brakes on. In fact the first 6 miles it felt like I was running with my brakes on. It was a great feeling. I was running easily within myself and all was going well. Suddenly a voice shouted out at me from the side of the road which brought me out of my trance like status. My wonderful sister in law Jo and Carol her equally wonderful partner were jumping up and down and waving, a lovely sight. Only a few hundred yards later and I saw ASICS Gareth, Andrea and Sam were all screaming at me. It gave a boost to my already positive mind. The next 6 or so miles and I got into a really excellent rhythm, I was running at the edge of the road as there were fewer runners and it was much easier to be fluid with my running. All I can tell you about the surroundings between 6 & 12 miles is there was a park, a big square, a race course and I took some gels. I took the first gel on 40 minutes and thereafter every 35 minutes. I was breaking down each kilometre, each mile, checking that I was on track and starting to see the buffer between 3.30 and below gradually grow.
This focus helped me as the next thing I knew it was mile 12 and I could see Jo & Carol in the distance, who were in the middle of the road, standing on top of a road bollard. It was brilliant seeing them again and I could hear them long after I went out of their sight I am sure. Then as I rounded the next corner, I saw Andrea and Sam who were just settling down to enjoy a cup of coffee by the road. I had to shout at them at least twice for them to see me but it was lovely and uplifting to see their faces smile back and to hear Sam shout "you can do this, you can do this"
Next big milestone was half way and I went through this just under 2 minutes under target. I tried to put the brakes on at this point but on reflection mile 13 - 16 were a bit fast. That part of the course had some downhill's in it but maybe the confidence in being in the 2nd half of the race helped, I don't know but I did speed up. I couldn't tell you what mile it was but I do know that soon after this I could see the Seine and I was by the river. It was during these next few miles that I passed three other runners who each said go on Tim, you can do it, and something like, we've read about you in RW, or you can hit your plan. It was brilliant. Inspiring. And only added to the positive mental feeling I had. Around 16 miles there was a very long tunnel. Might have been as much as a mile. There was all manner of things going on inside it, like a DJ with a mix desks and green lasers spraying all around. Leaving the tunnel and I was focussed on getting to 19 miles where I knew the Ben/ Tom/Dan were going to be waiting.
Still I was ticking off the kilometres, still ticking off the miles, and everyone of them was another step closer to home. And each time, I could see I was still inside the dream target and the buffer was little by little increasing. Next thing I knew I could hear a man by the side of my shouting 'Got him. Got him. Got him. We have visual. Got him' For a few nano seconds I worried something serious was going down but as I turned to my right I saw Ben screaming into his walkie talkie and I smiled. He was communicating to Tom down the road. Then as I thought this Dan came into view and I waved my arms like a loony at him, doubt this pic will make anything other than an out-take magazine!!
The road was starting to get narrow now as I reached mile 20 and more and more people were slowing or stopping. It really did make it hard to keep running at my rhythm. It was the first time I felt a negative thought cross my mind and immediately and automatically I found myself thinking about the finish line. More and more this finishing line image was becoming bigger and bigger in my mind and I was hungrier to get there. Now some people say 20 miles is the half way point of a marathon but I replaced this with the thought of only 2 more parkruns to go. It was a great feeling and I filled my head with my local parkrun, the great people in it and how easy 2 parkruns are. I don't recall much about the next couple miles except at each mile point I was relieved to see the miles times were bang on.
And then I had my first wobble. 22 miles arrived and my body temp suddenly rose quickly and I felt sick. I felt sick as I thought I might not achieve my goal. But as suddenly as the wobble arrived, it disappeared. Within 400 mtrs or so, I was fine. Although the sickness had been replaced by leaden legs. I really had to dig deep now and keep the pace. I couldn't believe how quickly the legs had become heavy but I was still keeping good pace and then the 23 mile marker came into view, I was still on track and with a buffer of a few minutes. But my legs even more leaden. A junior wobble was imminent until a lovely lady came past me then and gave me so much encouragement. Jen (your name was on your top) if you ever read this, you were another game changer. 'One more parkrun to go, just one, you'll make it'. I had run the previous parkrun with my godson Charlie and had done it in 27 minutes. All I could think of was if Charlie could do that, so could I. Mile 24 arrived and all I was thinking about was the finish, that mental image. But it was tough. During mile 24 something happened to my legs. Hard to explain. Little spasms, uncontrollable spasms. Not often, more every 50 mtrs or so. I noticed I was slowing up a bit and pushed on. As I pushed the spasms got worse. Mile 24 was the slowest of the race so far.
It stayed the same during mile 25, periodic spasms, legs of lead but the pace, although slowing, was still okay. Until the mile 25 marker. Suddenly I could not feel my legs. They were moving forward but I could not feel them. And the spasms were getting worse. All I could think of was the people at the end of marathon's, stricken and helpless, being carried to the finish. Suddenly the positivity left me, replaced by failure. I didn't just feel sick, I felt sick to the pit of my stomach. History is not destiny though and I dug as deep as I could to push on. I knew I was slowing, I knew my legs were causing me a problem but you were going to have to pick me up off the streets of Paris rather than me fail. Mile 26 came and I had lost two minutes of the buffer I had. The slowest mile by far and I was in danger of missing the time if this carried on. I turned the corner into the home straight and although I could not feel my legs, they were still moving forward. I don't know why but I calculated that I should be able to crawl that last few hundred metres and still make it home. The clock was getting quicker and I was getting slower. Time to dig deep for one last effort. One last effort to get what I had worked so hard for. And then it was over. I crossed the line. And a few paces later my legs gave way. Legs never give way gracefully but this was full on, ridiculous. Imagine if you will a Bambi on ice. Before I knew it I was facing the floor. Rather embarrassing, as I felt okay but just couldn't feel my legs. Before I knew it, a medic had swept me up to the side and was probably asking if I felt fine. His lack of English, my lack of French, it was never going to end well as he was signaling for a stretcher. So I resorted to the international language of a cuddle to show him I was fine. Either he got what I was trying to say or thought I was an idiot, he quickly went to find someone who really needed his help. Suddenly, like the shopkeeper in Mr Benn, Gareth and Victoria appeared. The emotional release of 4 months hard work and success came out and I do admit to sinking into Victoria's arms and crying my eyes out. She helped me back to the trailer but before I entered I suddenly realised I had not got my medal. Bless Gareth, he helped me get over the French security guard who would not let me through to join the rest of the finishers head down towards the medal and goodie bag.
That walk down Avenue Foch was one of the best walks I have ever taken. To have achieved my sub 3.30 time was just awesome, absolutely awesome. I had spent over 4 months dreaming of this achievement and I had done it. I kept grinning, smiling, bouncing, smiling. The lady who put the medal round my neck could see how happy I was and decided to join international cuddle day as she embraced me. I walked back down to the trailer and Nicky came running out to meet me. International cuddle day just got better!!!! Behind every great man there lays a great women. Well I got bloody lucky as I had Sam, Ruth & Sarah. But rock was Nicky. Who had lived through this journey every minute of every day. And had supported me in whatever I needed, sacrificing so much for me, it was so lovely to see the joy on her face as well as the running mascara through the happy tears, Sadly though it was at this point I heard Tom had smashed his PB to smithereens but had missed his goal by 11 seconds. I got back upstairs into the trailer, saw him and went over, gave him a man hug and what we said will remain private but he is such a gent, he only wanted to congratulate me. I know he will get his sub 3.00 but I also can understand his love/hate relationship with the day. I was grabbed then to go and do some interview work before being able to get back on the balcony and watch out for Amy and Tony. It was wonderful seeing Amy come down the finishing straight knowing that she was smashing her target, the pocket rocket was firing!! Although she looked deathly white as she crossed the line and also needed some help from the medical staff. Tony soon followed and for a first timer, he achieved his goal but he had set himself a goal of breaking 4 hrs so his success was tinged with disappointment.
We then turned our attention to Andrea who also beat her PB but missed her sub 4.30 buy a couple of minutes. She was still mightily chuffed as she returned to the trailer with a brilliant PB and the fab 5 were reunited for one last photo shoot.
We left the trailer and headed back to the hotel to freshen up and have a celebratory drink before heading out for a superb meal. The wine tasted better than any wine I have ever had and so did the rather large steak frites. I might have had a few glasses of wine before bed but it was worth it.
The response to the whole #asics262 has been phenomenal. When I got back to my room and checked text messages, twitter, the forum, what had gone on during the run and after was mind blowing. People I didn't know were sending me messages of support/congratulations. Sam had been tweeting whilst the run was going on and these had been tweeted and retweeted, it was crazy. People I didn’t know saying how they had been inspired by my achievements.
I certainly slept well and can honestly say I did not want to go home. Going home meant the end of what has been some of the best memories I have had. I owe so many people, so much gratitude, from RW to ASICS, from family to friends. From people I don’t know to those I do. Thanks from the bottom of my heart.
I suppose its worth going back to where all of this started. It all started losing out to Malcs in last years Bootcamp. He was by far the best man for that year and his thread showed. But you can do one of two things when you lose. Moan and give up. Or get on, learn, develop yourself and still achieve your goals. Easy choice really.
Is this the end of my goals. Or just the beginning.
You know the answer to that dear reader.
Sub 3.15 training has just started!!!
Never ever give up on your dreams. If you want them badly enough, they will come true.
But it might hurt. So be prepared. Nothing good ever came easy. But its worth it. In the end.
I am now officially a sub 3.30 marathon runner. Who is now in training for a sub 3.15 marathon. But not London. That is for my charity. To give something back. As for 4 months I have been lucky enough to live the dream.
Thanks for sharing the journey. Thanks to RW, to ASICS, to Sam, Victor, Sarah, Ruth.
And as they say at the end of every good cartoon. Thats all for now folks.
Wow, that was epic Tim! I feel honoured to be reading it as it went live
Totally love your report. I had no idea how tough it had got for you at the end. What an amazing finish!
I'll say it again, you've been an absolute superstar. I'm so glad you got a shot at this.
I think we all deserved it last year - it's one of the few downsides of this competition that unfortunately there can only be 5 who get to live the dream.
The key thing is that if you're the one who gets the nod you have to throw the kitchen sink at it. No question that you did that. In fact you lobbed in the fridge freezer, oven and dishwasher as well
Congratulations again - looking forward to the race for 3:15!
Congratulations - superb report - great splits and brilliant campaign - well done.
Amazing race report, and such a well deserved result
I love nothing more than a hard work pays off story, and you've demonstrated that will bells on - a real inspiration and I hope all your running dreams continue to come true 
I hope you enjoy London....and then a good rest before the next campaign kicks off.
Absolutely amazing Tim!! You are an inspiration, and like Malcs, a top bloke. Friendly, supportive, honest, gritty, determined. Clearly the timing was right for you to be on this comp this year, and you did it so well. I can't believe that the last few miles of a marathon are ever easy, although its often difficult to remember the tough parts when you get your target time! You did! So, thanks for sharing.
Goosebumps and a bit emotional reading all that if I'm honest!
Awesome report Tim, you did the comp proud! No doubt you're still on cloud 9 to boot as well.
What's the strategy for VLM? I might get to see you there!
Superb Tim, absolutely well done to you, I'm so very pleased for you, you did brilliantly.
Your pace was great throughout the race!!!!!
I had diabetic complications in the warm temps, and got round in 4:26:55. I am very proud to now call myself a marathon finisher. When I look back on where I was this time 6 years ago, I feel it's almost a miracle that I was able to run Paris.
I changed direction on a football pitch, and my right thigh twisted but my lower leg did not, I snapped my ACL, ruptured my PCL, snapped both medial ligaments, dislocated my knee, and ripped away the majority of the cartilage. I had a 6 hr operation and 2 years of physiotherapy. I did not run for 15 months (and even then it was a waddle). From setting a 10k PB the week before the injury, I thought my running days were over. Finally in 2013, 4 years afterwards I broke 50mins for a 10k again something I never thought possible.
Then came PBs at 5k, 10k, half marathon last year, and running many, many miles that made me decide on doing a marathon whilst I still had the chance (arthritis is certain some time in the future).
So I guess this is why despite the disappointment of going nowhere near the sub 4hr in Paris, I'm really happy to have completed my first marathon, and it has led me to the decision that I'm going to do another marathon in the future, and minus the diabetic complications I'm sure I will run the next one faster after the experience of Paris, which was a truly wonderful experience.
Awesome report Superman. Sounds like you really had to dig deep and use all those super powers in the last miles.
I always love the "only a parkrun to go" moment in a marathon and the camararderie of follow runners in times of hardship.
You have been an inspiration, following all your mentor advice to the letter and sharing your amazing journey with the likes of us forumites. Thank you.
Enjoy London now the pressure is off and then go after that 3:15.
Just found out that the winner of the VW55 was actually a man so I was officially 3rd. Off for a well deserved massage now.
Superman, what an awesome report. Great effort in Paris, inspirational stuff!
Pffffft. Absolutely brilliant report Soups! Truly inspirational, I can't wait for Sunday now!
Tim: Oh wowzer - just read your report in my lunch break. What a nailbiter! Like others said, I had no idea how hard you had to fight in the end to achieve your dream. Makes it even more special!! You nearly had me in tears there. Very very emotional and a brilliant read
Excellent report Tim. Really captured your experience of the whole weekend and not least of course the race itself.
Big respect to you and Fairyclogs to undertake it all again in 10 days time.
Congrats on the elevated finish position Fairyclogs!
Fab report Tim, so pleased to see the turnaround from Bushy back in January, just sorry I never got to see Superman fly on Sunday!
I look forward to following your progression to infinity (3:14) and beyond.
Dear Tim, so many congratulations. I am thrilled for you on this fantastic achievement and what an incredible write up, I enjoyed reading it so much that I read it twice
Thank you very much for your great account on the weekend. I am sure it has been very special for everybody to read it but having lived it myself, it was like living it again.
I am sure this is an experience you will treasure forever and that you have helped many others pursuing their marathon dream. Your training has been brilliant and inspirational, even throughout the injury period, and I take so many positive lessons from your journey, not only the training itself.
I hope to apply so many things I have learnt here to my next marathon, and who knows, to perhaps a sub 3.30 training in the future!!! Although at this moment my legs have cramps only by reading those paces
I was glued to the computer on Sunday morning trying to track you all but the tracking site did not work very well until I discovered there was an iPhone app which provided almost real time feedback and I was so excited to see that you were going to make it (no doubt anyway!). And when I read the difficulties of your last few miles not feeling your legs I can only congratulate you once again.
Now time to enjoy London Marathon and I am sure that sub 3.15 will happen in New York. I will be on the crowds at the VLM and hope to see you there!!!!!!!
PS: Doesn't it look like you on the Asics picture on top of the hill showing on the background?
I'm starting to panic now for VLM given these high temperatures!!
What a fantastic write up of your Paris marathon journey Tim!!! I loved reading it... (I'm not afraid to admit I wasn't able to stop a few tears leaking out as I read!) What a mixture of emotions to go through, especially those last few miles; huge congratulations again for digging deep and achieving your sub3:30 goal! I don't think there'll be any stopping you now; that 3:30 mental barrier has been smashed as you'll be a sub3:15 marathon runner soon I'm certain.
As soon as your mentioned Victor's mantra, "History is not destiny" on your forum, I think all of us forumites realised what a powerful statement this is! It's great kudos to you that you were able to draw on this during the tough times to pull you through! The power of self belief is clear to see...
So what's your plan for VLM then? Don't fancy pacing me to a sub4 finish do you given that'd be a walk in the park for you now?
You weren't taking no for an answer.
I had no idea.
A marathon is always epic, but this was in a class of it's own, can't wait to hear what the VMLM plan is.
The marathon is a tough beast to tame. Tim, the toughest goals bring the sweetest reward. What you put in, is what you will get out.
You'll be talking about this for years to come. Well done, inspirational stuff.
Evening all.
Malcs I waited till you had a front row seat before posting the race report.
I am just deciding now what marathon to attempt my sub 3.15. What date is York?
Steve Marathon Coach Many thanks Steve, appreciate it. As did I thoroughly enjoy our Sunday evening meal, hearing your marathon stories. You should really write a book on them, fascinating stuff.
Barbie1976 Thank you so much for your kind words. Pinch me, it might not be real
I hope my goals continue to come true. Whats next for you?
Freemers Many thanks, cant wait for London. And maybe I do have a sub 3.15 in me. I will be finding out. How are you, hows the London Prep going for you?
Angela Thanks for your kind words. And about timing, you are so so right, it was all about timing. I believe things happen for a reason and they did, they so did.
Ruffles Still not decided totally on VLM strategy yet but I will let you know. I also think we need to post up what start we are all on? And where we might meet up? Who knows where last years meet up bench is?
Iain You will have been an inspiration to many with your achievements. I am so proud of what you have done. We have a history of diabetics in our family, I am familiar with the issues. Well done my friend and I look forward to your next marathon.
fairyclogs Well done on your Brighton run, you are amazing. Love a 3rd place. Better than 4th.
Your ears might have been burning as Tony and myself were discussing you at the Expo, he was telling me about the sweatshop running community. Cant decided on VLM strategy yet. I did run 5 miles tonight. Easy running, 8.45 min pace with 3 x strides at the end of it. Unsure of what to do now for the next week. Has anyone got any ideas?
PWC Thanks, appreciated.
Gingermagic Thanks mate, I cannot wait to see how you get on now. I truly hope you smash 3.30, in fact smash 3.25. Although actually, I am a strong advocate of Sam's race strategy, no heroics, achieve the goal.
Chicksta Many thanks, i wrote it as it was, and i did shed a tear writing it. I cant hide the emotion of this journey. I wanted it so badly.
Bk Canter So pleased we are both in the sub 3.30 club buddy. You did brilliantly. Whats next for you?
CDUB72 Thanks mate, I really appreciate all the support you gave me. I can only dream of your times and am in awe of your ability and it was lovely to spend the weekend with you. Be great to hook for a run or two over the summer. And yes when we met at Bushy, it looked bleak didnt it!
Isabel You, like Malcs et al will all know what the weekend is like. Much like you this weekend, I will follow next years fab 5. Thank you for all your kind words and ongoing support. The messages of encouragement when I was injured were a real real help. Please let me know where you might be watching VLM. You should be able to spot me I will be in the Superman suit.
Slowkoala Thanks for your kind words. And you ask a brilliant question. I will respond to this one in a while, I love this question.
TR Thanks, I do really appreciate you popping by. And very well done on your achievement in mentoring Sense A brilliant achievement and I think what you mentors give back to others is wonderful.
BRB I wouldnt fancy my chances of keeping up with you. <img src
*blub* good job I didn't read it at work, very emotional.