For me, held with the 3:59 pacers to Cutty Sark, started to suffer heatstroke symptoms and my race basically fell apart, as I had to drop to a slower pace and run:walk lots of it to finish. Ended up 55 minutes slower than I’d hoped, with a tardy 4:49 (although I managed a sprint finish, yay!). Incredible crowds helped me finish, but as a pale-blue-skinned Scot with little experience of that sun thing, I suffered really badly. Guess I’m not a hot weather runner.
But less of me, how was it for you, darlings?
Big shout out to Emily, the 3:59 pacer. I tried to stay close, I really did. I hope those that stayed with you got their goal time. It was brutally hot!!!
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I adapted my goal on start line and reduced target pace by 15 seconds a mile. That seemed to work for me and allowed a steady and quite enjoyable run, actually equalling my pb time from last year to the very second.
I passed two of the 3 hour pacers during the second half so you're in good company.
Having done Paris, New York, Edinburgh and Brighton, I must say that London really does top the lot. The crowds and marshalls were incredible and really kept me going at times. And that bit where you come into the Mall and see the finish... What a day!
Learned a lot about myself yesterday. Will definitely keep this up and apply for another one next year.
Shit. Another peely-wally Scot who can't cope with the sun. I don't think I've ever managed to run non-stop in a hot marathon, and yesterday did nothing to break that trend. Ignored all the advice - I knew better - and set off at my planned / hoped pace of 3 hrs. Realised my mistake about 6 miles in and was taking walking breaks by 10 miles. Caught up with some club buddies and could have stayed with them, but I just didn't have the motivation. In the end, finished in just over 3.5 hours. I was feeling pretty annoyed with myself until I saw the state of some of the other runners out there towards the end of the race. Even more so when I heard the sad news this morning.
With hindsight I was a bit stupid with my pacing and it came back to me bite me. Lesson learned (maybe). After training for months in cold and crappy weather, I just wasn't ready for that strange bright fiery thing in the sky.
I knew there was no way I'd be near last year's time so dropped down 2 pens and thought 4 hours would be sensible. In the heat even that wasn't manageable and dropped to 4.13 .
But I finished. My second long run of the year (19m) before needing a walk and I'm in a better state than after most marathons.
Really tricky conditions out there and with no chance for people to acclimatise.
Sneaky sun !
What a race though, my 3rd and final VLM, and I feel very content!
I think a massive achievement just to pass the finish line yesterday, so sad to hear of many taken to hospital and tragically Matt never made it home.
I was at 188bpm when my head was like that (I am 33) so I am glad I stopped when I did after reading the sad news.
The extra mile you do on your watch for zig zagging I didnt really account for either.
Felt loads of regret and said never again but 100% doing it again next year as I want to know how it feels in normal weather lol
Any other first timers regret?
I noticed that the average time of those completing this year (4.47) is down around 20mins from last year.
Didn't help that water had run out from around mile 22...
I don't even want to say how long it took me because I'm so embarrassed. I agree that at times the crowds felt too intense, I felt really overwhelmed.
Although I felt that everyone who finished in a similar time to me deserved their medal, I didn't feel I deserved it because I know I could have tried harder. My family and friends are so proud of me just for finishing but I can't help but feel if I'd trained smarter and checked my pride at the door, I could've avoided injury and then would have at least finished knowing I'd tried my best. I feel like I've wasted the last 4 months. I'm itching to get back out there and train smart and slow so that I can eventually try again because I want to get my medal at the end and truly feel like I earned it.
I'm trying to look at the positives, although it was a massive pain fest and I feel disheartened now, at least it's given me the drive to try again and do my best so I can become a better runner.
Any finish is a result in those conditions - well done on toughing it out. It will help you in future.
Ghh, the worst thing you can do is get straight out there hammering the training in the next few weeks to make yourself feel better. You'll end up injured again. It may not come immediately but it'll catch you in a month or two.
> Training smart definitely outweighs training hard.
Exactly, frustratingly I learned this the hard way!
I guess the great thing about mistakes is that you can learn from them.
Thank you, it was definitely more a mental battle than a physical one and I don't at all regret doing it.
Mine was a similar story to most other's on here. I started off with the same goal time in mind thinking it was an easy enough pace to maintain (stupid). I started feeling a bit light-headed at Cutty Sark, so decided to pull back the pace. Unfortunately, the damage had been done and probably my head, as much as my body decided to not play ball. From about mile 18 I walked a fair bit of the way until I got to about 0.75 miles out from the finish when I was determined to run the last bit non-stop. I eventually finished about 30 minutes slower than my goal time.
I was gutted at the time - annoyed with going out too fast and not respecting the weather, until I heard people talking on the TV, then on the way home and now on here. Very few had a 'good' race - most struggled. We're bloody brilliant to have finished.
I have Derry marathon in 6 weeks - I don' expect the same temperatures - I hope!
Ghh, this will not be your last marathon. And your next one will be much faster and more enjoyable. Please don't beat yourself up about how you did, and definitely don't be embarrassed - you finished the London marathon in the hottest conditions ever. I watched the footage of the race last night and even the elite looked like they were finding it hard going - most of the guys train in East Africa and they struggled. Most of us trained here - my tune-up half marathon was cancelled due to snow. Take it easy, let your body recover from this and get back into it gently. Well done on finishing!
Well done all!
Not the time I wanted but happy under the circumstances, hats off to everyone who finished and it was so sad hearing about the lad who didn't make it.
I've done a few and never experienced those crazy conditions, particularly given our awful winter - Sunday was the first run in 4 months where I was just wearing one layer!
Hats off to all of you - no one should be disappointed. One lad never made it home and we are lucky to live to fight another day.
My first marathon and I'm pretty happy with how it went. Was aiming for 3.15 and finished in 3.22. Started from Pen 4 which meant I was battling traffic for at least the first half. Decided to stop fighting it and just run to feel.
Crowd and support were amazing! Will be in the ballot for next year and in the meantime keeping up training to hopefully get GFA for 2020! (Need Sub 3)
Thanks to every spectator. HOT for them too.
I really struggled around miles 18 and 22 and resulted in a walk/run towards the end and finished in 4:44 which i was terribly disappointed in. The whole day was incredible and the crowds were fantastic, I will never forget the experience and Im proud of the money I raised.
I didnt intend to run another marathon, but i cant let that be my time when i know i am capable of much better...