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Paris Marathon 2017
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Thank you again for the amazing support on this forum. All the advice was appreciated and got me round - especial shout out to Kenno whose suggestion of changing pen stopped me stressing about time.
I enjoyed it, I thought it was a great route and the support was very good too. My first 15km I felt very happy, relaxed and comfortable, set for just over a five hour finish so I was probably running a bit fast for my goal but it's rarely fatigue that gets me, I knew it would be my knee so I wanted to get as much done at my normal page as possible. My right knee went as I was coming up to the 20km marker, later than I was expecting. Broke out the paracetamol and carried on a bit more gingerly. Then maybe because of the extra strain on it my left knee 'popped' just after the 23km. I broke out the codine and carried on but they were hurting a lot; I gave myself a bit of a talking to and just kept putting one foot in front of the other, running until they were too stiff to bend and then walking a few minutes until they eased again. At 28km I decided it was worse than labour and childbirth, I was trying not to vomit. I took some more paracetamol and kept moving forwards. By 30km I had a massive smile on my face as it was just over two Parkruns left and I knew that even if I walked the rest of the way I'd make the 16:00 cut off time. I did take some more painkillers at about 34km and thought I could run the rest of the way without walking but any prolonged run (shuffle) made then very stiff and I thought as I was just aiming to finish it was better to take it easy with a run/walk strategy than try and push to get under 6 hours and risk finishing off my knees but not the marathon so I crossed the line at 6:18 in the end.
Thank you to those who said hello as they passed, was great seeing friendly faces on the course.
Oddly enough I never found the temperature an issue, it just didn't feel that hot to me. In fact as I came in at the end which was about 2pm I thought there was a breeze and it was quite cool, my supporters who saw me finish said it was blazing hot at this time though and they were sweating just standing there (our car said 26 degrees when we got back to it). I think running through every hose and tipping a bottle of water over my head and back at regular intervals meant I was soaked through and this really helped. It was only the second time this year I've run without three layers and a jacket on so maybe that helped (I still had two layers on), maybe it was the paracetamol although it wasn't taken for that purpose.
Food wise I ate very little of what I was carting about, I only had one gel and a few dextrose tablets but relied on the water stations otherwise even though they were horrible chaotic and so slippery. My daughter ate my jelly babies when I finished.
Can't bend my right knee at all this morning, it's horribly swollen. Time to rest it for a bit while I contemplate signing up for next year. I have a time to beat now ...
Thanks again!
Was great to put some faces to names at the Frog afterwards and hear everyone's stories. I followed Orbutt's advice and waited for most of the 3:45 pen to go before I set off and kept telling myself that even though I felt I was going too slow at first I was probably going too fast. Did 3:54:03 in the end which was 3 seconds over what the race predictor said. (Though I did need a one minute toilet break in the Bois de Vincennes). Maybe see you in Berlin 1992.
Thank you again everyone for all your support and advice this year and last. Hope nodster and the other MdS runners are doing well.
Anyone else have their family try to use the app? Worse than useless on android.
Just found my detailed result on the ASO site. Fastest 5k: 0-5 in 22:17. Slowest 5k: 35-40 in 32:06. That's pretty much my race report - a steady painful decline. Lovely weekend though, and a nice course. Just wish the Metro didn't have so many stairs.
RoddyMac - Sorry to hear that you had a bad day
RoddyMac - sorry it wasn't your day. There will be other marathons and I'm sure you will be bacl.
Great report Katey - I was thinking of you after I finished hoping you'd get around and looks like you exceeded your expectations. Entries open at 8am on the 12th April....and that's the cheapest price....
I described my race last year as a shocker, in comparison this year was a disaster. I set out at sub 4 pace and was on it but felt quite warm from the start. Around 8 miles I decided it was too hot for me and backed off and did a bit of walking. That was how the rest of my race panned out. I hadn't had the best build up with my neck issue and I always knew that the warm weather was not going to be my friend. It might not have just been the warm weather, who knows but I got around in 5:07 my worst time ever!
I started this block of training in January with the intention of going sub 4 for the first time. I entered another marathon 4 weeks before Paris as I was so disappointed last year to have a bad race I didn't want all of my eggs in 1 basket this year. I got my sub 4 four weeks ago, so I'm not at all bothered about yesterday going so badly. I feel completely drained today, my body took a real battering.
I'm not sure what I'll do next, I'm sure I'll run another marathon one day, but think I'm done for a while. If my wife wants to run Paris next year I'll be there supporting you all.
Really good to meet some of you at the meal and pub afterwards, I'm sure I'll meet you again.
well done everyone who finished and gutted for people who never but there's always next year.
I flew to Paris the Thursday morning and walked around a hell of a lot Thursday and Friday. Felt very achy Saturday, if it was in England I'd of maybe of backed out, but I was there so I was going to start it, I was aiming for 4.30 hours as I my muscles weren't feeling great I managed 4.25.11 (last 5 miles slowed me down a lot) was on for just under 4 hours till 8km. But 4.25.11 is still great.
The heat at the end made it extreamtly hard to run.
on a Sader note I seen a man being given CPR down the river embankment I hope to god he has survived in and makes me happy to see other runners giving him CPR before the ambulances had got there, Iv messaged the Paris marathon twitter account to see how the man was but no reply yet, as this is my first marathon gives me chills if I want to do one again.
hope everyone enjoyed there weekend and got the time they wanted
Gregory - Well done! Hopefully that person and any others who needed attention on Sunday pulled through ok. Big city event like this it's not unusual to see a couple of people needing treatment on the course, particularly in that heat.
Kenno, sorry to hear it was a disappointing race for you. With your sore neck you did well to even be on the start line though let alone finish. Maybe in a few days, weeks, months you'll start to reconsider skipping next year!
For those who have run multiple times do you try and keep your fitness up in between? When do you start your training blocks or is it feasible to do a long slow run every 4-6 weeks and maintain a fair bit of training?
Katey - If I don't have another marathon planned I maintain fitness, but cut back on the long runs. I'd run the same number of times a week and my midweek mileage would be roughly what I'd do for a marathon, but I wouldn't be going beyond half marathon distance on a long run unless I was targeting some sort of event.
If you get to the point you can knock out ten miles in training without really thinking about it then that gives you a great base to build from.
That's as impressive as doing the marathon. I couldn't go down one flight of stairs comfortably yesterday.
Eggy - thanks again for organising the meet-ups, though I only made it to the pub and was generally unable to move from my bar perch during the evening to socialise properly.
Like others, a day seeing some of Paris has done wonders for recovery, I can actually move my right ankle again and stairs are manageable - saw a lot of people in worse condition on the flight back!
For anyone doing it next year - highly recommend a walk along the Viaduc des Arts as recovery - a beautiful elevated 2 mile green space on an old viaduct - starts quite near the Frog Revolution. Also if you feel like splashing out on a celebratory meal, the Ciel de Paris restaurant is on the 56th floor of Montparnasse tower with amazing views across the city with the Eiffel tower front and centre (30 euros a head for 2 courses and coffee; amazing quality of food.
Time for me to contemplate my recovery strategy and how to tackle London; it's looking like nice cool weather which will be a welcome change; if I'm feeling strong will see if I can drop those couple of minutes and get a Boston Qualifier, right now the memory of those hellish last 6 miles through the Bois de Boulogne casts doubt on that though!
Best of luck to all in your future running.
My Marathon Year to come, currently reads as follows;
Marathon 3 = Virgin Money London Marathon (April 23rd)
Marathon 4 = Asics Brathay Windermere Marathon (May 21st)
Marathon 5 = Liverpool Rock & Roll Marathon (May 28th)
Marathon 6 = Fort William Marathon (July 30th)
Marathon 7 = BMW Berlin Marathon (Sept 24th)
Marathon 9 = TCS New York City Marathon (Nov 5th)
My 10th and final Marathon of the year is to be Running the Rift Marathon in Uganda (Nov 11th) https://www.runningtheriftmarathon.com/
List Fairy, could you please add any of the above which I haven't already told you about to the list for me?
Well done to all of you who ran Paris in them extremely hot conditions at the weekend!!
Katey, that's great advice from Eggy and I thought that he put in a magnificent performance on Sunday. I wonder how quick he would have gone in Scottish weather??
I can't have that. This NCFC fan is going to have to up their game!
Hope to catch up with you if you are about for the London Marathon weekend. Staying on Bishopgate on Saturday evening with Chris Field, although apparently he has tickets for us to go and watch the Chelsea v Tottenham Cup Semi Final early that evening.
Pleased that everyone I know who was running last Sunday is doing ok.
Also congratulations to Nells and Steve Duffy for fantastic PB's.
<div class="QuoteAuthor"><a href="/profile/Smudgerncfc">Smudgerncfc</a> said:</div>
<div class="QuoteText"><b>Gregory Curtis2</b> - I am sorry to hear about what you witnessed on Sunday. Can you please let us all know how the person receiving CPR is if you hear anything?
Pleased that everyone I know who was running last Sunday is doing ok.</div>
</blockquote>
I saw a couple of people needing help on gurneys and it was very sobering. Sat myself down in one of the few shadowed areas after to reflect and be thankful.
It was my first marathon. I was happy to finish when I did as I could really feel the heat ramping up from 32k.
I was wondering how the encroaching Air France stand would go down with runners who barely made it due to strikes.
Finished in 4:02:04. The slowest of my three Paris runs. Had one target and that was to be sub-4 and was on track until mile 25 when I had to stop and walk for a bit. A bit disappointed but love love love Paris.
Made it to the meal, great to see many of you, but was too late for the Arc meet-up and my friends wanted to visit a different pub so missed out there too.
Have decided to skip Paris next year but will almost surely run a spring marathon. Some research to do ...
Despite my back and a niggly hamstring I gave it a go, took it easy staying around 12-13 minute miles for most of it, but even then in the heat started to cramp up toward the end. The heat was a killer, I look like a lobster, but managed to get across the line in 6:08 dead. A lot slower than last year but it was to be expected, and it got to the point where I just wanted to get to her line safely.
Well done all, they were tough conditions !
Never got to the pub after, sorry :(
I knocked just over 1min off my PB to come in at 4hr 16m. I was hoping to be close to 4hours, but knew pretty early it was too hot. I was cruising till half way at sub 4 pace but eased off at half way which probably saved me as i had to seriously dig deep in those last 4 miles.
I thought there was a lot less people seeking medical attention this year than last. Last year wasn't as hot but i think it surprised everyone, this year was just hot!
I'm going to enter again tomorrow morning - it's nice and cheap at 8am (French time). Also planning on entering Abingdon to get a cool marathon done in October.
Hopefully see more of you in the future, i'm sure this thread will keep rumbling until the 2018 thread starts up!
Apart from a stiff knee (which hurts the same amount as it did Saturday) I feel fine today, quite full of energy and keen to get back to it! I thought I'd be quite happy saying I was done with running for a bit but instead I'm thinking what next ...