P&D Spring Marathon 2021

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  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    Good to see you HA, we posted at the same time earlier

    SQ - defo agree, approx 11m of running into the wind was better as 11x1m last time, this time is more like 11 x 1km.........hope you go well too. I'll be thinking wether we are running close to each other sunday (virtually). We'll do a warm down together again one day, hopefully that sort of monkey business will atand me in good stead Sunday.

    AWC - cheers

    Jools - good strategy, you cant beat the wind, control the controllables for as long as possible. This one is going to be a game of strategy.
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    2m jogette done, wind speeds at the mo are a bit lower than tomorrows predicted speeds, so i ran 1m out into it, didnt seem too bad until a gust flipped my cap off. I'll leave the cap in the car tomorrow.

    Had some 0% frothies last night, drank 3 poured the 4th away, if normal beer was that awful id have no problem staying off it.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Good luck to everyone racing this weekend. I'm a little envious, I must say.

    So two more runs logged. Did 4 on Thursday (12 mins run/1 walk) which felt harder than it should . Today I stuck with 3 miles (well, 5K in fact) and for 15 run/1 walk (so only the one walk break).  Hamstring noticeable but tolerable.
    Physio said once I got to this point I can start doing full runs. Perhaps that will help me moderate my pace better. My HR was way high today (Garmin said 180 by the end) which is a bit worrying - not sure if it's due to watch shenanigans, me being a bit dehydrated (it was warm) or a staggering lack of fitness. When I do my next run I'll make sure to keep it at recovery pace, around 11min/mi - my running pace today was closer to 10.
  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    Cal I have a similar HR response to a lay off of even a week so don’t force it & it’ll come back down soon enough. Enjoy the continuous running.
    4M today including my local parkrun’s 11th anniversary. Great to catch up with a bunch of the regulars before & after. Ran 3M easy before throwing in some short accelerations to get the legs turning over in the final mile.
  • hamo44gfchamo44gfc ✭✭✭
    Cheers for the well wishes everyone, appreciate and heard them all. Shout out to HA for his, lovely to hear from you again after seeing the runs increase on strava, same goes for you AWC. Hope both of you drop in again more often.

    Just spent a lovely morning on a boat trip then lounging in the sun in Chester, really is a lovely place. “Presents” for the kids bought so back to the hotel and that’s me done until tomorrow morning. 

    All the very best, and best of luck to TR, SQ and Jools for tomorrow. Run well, never mind about anything we can’t control and smash it.

    can’t wait to read some reports about goal times being hit and races smashed...


  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    hamo, I didn't get to see much of it when I did the marathon there but the friends who came with me had a nice day out. It is a lovely city from what I saw. I take it you're doing Wrexham. Nick the Badger from my club is running - you'll notice him as he has rather striking silver hair despite being only 35. I think his PB is 2:24 or something daft like that. 
    Best of luck to you and everyone else. Looking forward to seeing how you all do.
  • Quick check in to wish the 4 all the best for tomorrow.

    Good to hear from AWC & HA.
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    TR vs  windy Goodwood part 2

    Took 10m to get on 2.57 schedule, was behind by 17m and around 2.58 but had run out of windbreaks, vowed to go down fighting and ground out a 2.58.40. Wind was awful. Chuffed fot running a sensible 17m and then hanging tough, cramp got me s bit in last 1/2m but i had enough of a buffer.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Very decent, TR. I went for a walk this morning and cut it short as there was a cold wind and I was improperly attired. Weather looks quite nice now, but that's no help to either of us!

    Well done in Chester, hamo...I was looking for my clubmates (Matt Dickinson sixth - sheesh!) and saw your name - good time there.
  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    edited April 2021
    Congratulations TR. All those wet & windy commutes finally paid off.
    I’m not as strong as you. 
    Arrived at 8:30 thinking that was plenty early enough for a 9:18 start but as I made my way to the ample parking I realised I’d be queuing for numbers & toilets for most of that 😆
    Fortunately the full & half had separate queues for registration so I just had enough time for a few hip looseners & my lunge matrix. Toilet took a bit longer but I was well wrapped up & used the time to pin my number on before arriving at the front just as things were getting a little more urgent 😂
    Back to the car to drop off the extra layers, pick up my bottle of Maurten 320 & complete the dynamic stretches. Crossed paths with SQ who was en route to the start so we wished each other well.
    Jogged the 3/4 of a mile to the start & was set off almost immediately. It was a TT format with approximately 10s between runners. This meant it was a solo run from the off. I started straight into the wind for 1/2 a mile which was 3:38 but then turned slightly which provided some shelter. The pace increased to hover around 7 & I went through 5M in 35:10. This was consistent with my A goal but with the worst of the wind likely to be in the final third I was happy to stay at that for now & suck up the damage later.
    After 5.5M we started the first (of 3) 5.1M loops. The wind was fine until at 9.2M in we turned into a wall of it. It was strong enough that my feet didn’t know how they were going to land so each stride was painful! I resolved not to fight it & accept the inevitable damage. Through 10M in 70:26 but with another 0.6M of headwind I lost a few more seconds. I knew it wouldn’t last though & once we turned the side wind was mitigating the damage being wrought by the relentless sun. The pace picked back up to 7s & all was fine til the return of the wind at 14.3M. I instantly slowed but remained calm knowing that in under a mile and a half I’d be out of it again. 15M in 1:46:06.
    Round 3 & I could feel the effort increasing just to maintain pace but tried to stay relaxed. I was lapped by about half a dozen chaps - though the guy in 4th came back to me within half a mile as his calf went. Turning into the wind for the final time was horrendous: it felt stronger than ever but once again I was determined not to fight it. 20M in 2:22:02. I finished my bottle of Maurten & took my only gel to see me through the final 10K. Unfortunately the return leg was also into the wind on & off so I started to slow significantly. My legs were fatiguing too & then at 22M I felt sick which forced me into a brief walk. This was disastrous though as the remaining 4M became a stop start walk/shuffle though I did manage to pick it up slightly in the final mile to finish in a disappointing 3:24:44 😒
    Great to see folks afterwards but very strange not knowing how anyone has done. 
    Burger washed down with a Proper Job in the sun once I got home 😎
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    Jools - well done for getting stuck in amd giving it a go, socially distanced marathons on isolated windy courses are tough!
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    SQ - nice, i like it.
  • TR - sounds like a tough day at the office but you pulled out a very good result.  To echo Cal, I was out for a run this morning and when I turned into the wind I just thought I’m really sorry for the guys trying to dig out MP in this.  Sub 3 post COVID on a less than perfect day, I think you’ve earnt a few frothies.

    Jools - I think you’ve earnt that Proper Job too.  Not the time you were looking for but it sounds like a decent 1st 20 then if the stomach goes, I’d try and forget about the last 6.  As TR says, SD marathons on less than perfect days are tough.
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    edited April 2021
    Cheers Macca, they're about to be opened. Reckon i can still go sub 255 sgain, and a bit more if i get on the carbons. I wanted to go sub3 today in the normals just to prove i still can. Ill be 54 in 2 weeks so im happy to still be sub3.
    The results show i ran very even, esp the last 4 laps when i pushed on, although i could have sworn id rum the last 4 laps into stronger winds with no windbreaks twice as fast as the previous laps going on effort put in.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Jooligan, sorry you were disappointed. I know from experience that once you stop, it is really tough to get going again. I'm sure the next one will go better.

    So today was to be my first continuous run for a while - no walk breaks. And I managed the 3 miles (well it was actually 5K) no problem. I found it easier to regulate my pace without the walking breaks so I kept it to a very even 10:40is (mile were 10:43/10:42/10:42 which was how metronomic I was). HR didn't get too high either.
    But on the other hand, hamstring wasn't particularly happy. It wasn't painful per se but I could feel it the whole time so I will have to make sure it doesn't get any worse as I can't afford any more setbacks. Considering I had a proper rest yesterday (just a couple of 2 mile strolls to get my steps count up to 10K) and warmed up properly today (25 mins of hamstring and glute stuff, then a one mile walk) it really should be less grumpy than it is. I think I'm just old.
  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭

    Pleased that you are slowly getting there, Cal.

    Sensible pre-race day shakeout, Jools. I’d definitely agree about the wall of wind when you went around the corner. A noticeable rise in HR followed here, for me at least. Do you usually carry a drink in a marathon? Sorry to hear that you felt so sick. That, compounded with the win, must have been such a tough finish. I am pleased you sorted yourself out with a burger and beer – more than well deserved. Still a very respectable time, and you live to fight another, cooler and calmer day.

    TR that is fantastic! Very impressive in the wind on the open racecourse. Well done – hugely well deserved. Must be very satisfying to have run so evenly as well. Hope you enjoyed the beers!

     


  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭
    edited April 2021

    Long and self-indulgent report below. Do skip to the bottom for a TL;DR, or get a coffee!

    Shepperdine Marathon race report

    Having built back from last Autumn’s stress fracture, I initially entered the half. However, after getting in a few longer buggy runs, I decided to roll the dace and transfer up to the marathon. So a much shorter than usual build, with only three 20M+ runs. The target was clear: renew membership to the sub-3 club.

    Taper week went well with some easy running, healthy eating and a spot of visualisation. Standard lack of sleep the night before the race, but nothing unusual on that front. I woke up feeling excited to be racing again, and looking forward to seeing a few clubmates, as well as Jools. The weather was bright sun, 7 – 15C, and a 14mph wind from the NE (more of which later).

    Parking dramas were avoided, and I seemed to time it nicely to just miss the build up of toilet queues. Managed to find 15 minutes or so to walk away from the concrete jungle of the car park, power station and surrounding businesses, and find a quiet nature path out towards the estuary. A good time to focus on my breathing, take it all in and think about what lay ahead. Genuinely excited.

    Great to see Jools as I headed towards the start line. He had his club vest and number on, but about three long layers beneath as well as gloves. Surely he wasn’t going to race like this?! Lovely to catch up with him and wish each other well.

    We had received our individual start times, with a 10s gap between each runner. I arrived towards the start a few minutes early, expecting to soak up the atmosphere and check things out. But when I got there, the initial marshal said it was fine to start whenever you wanted. I probably should have taken a moment to compose myself, check shoe laces, final pee etc, but I blundered on to the final marshal. There was no timing mat, rather a barcode scanner gun. He did this, and then said: ‘go on, clock is ticking’! I started my watch what must have been a few seconds after the scanner and cracked on, hoping this wouldn’t come back to haunt me.

    It looked like a large tailwind for the initial 5M five out, then obviously varied for the 3 x 5M loops, before a headwind on the return. Knowing this, I settled into what felt a sensible effort, seeing a 6:30 – 6:40 on the watch. Interestingly, there were no mile markers until the return leg – 21M onwards.

    The scenery was lovely. Very peaceful and quiet country lanes, barely a bump in the road to contend with. I overtook a few of the extra early starters – those who had indicated they might be 5h+. I found myself being overtaken every now and again as a sub-2:45 runner came past, having actually set off at the allotted time. Whilst it is usually dispiriting to be overtaken in a race, though this wasn’t the case as it kind of made sense. Nice to share a few chats along the way as well. Race day magic is weird – no way it could run 6:30s and chat in training! This said, I think I ran 95% entirely solo, albeit with faster or slower runners usually in sight.

    Took my first ever Maurten gel at mile 5. Obviously, this was a bit of a risk, especially as numerous people had said how important it is to try them first. Enjoyed the jelly-like consistency, and being able to control the speed of consumption. The four gels I took went down well, with no obvious distress from the two caffeine (100mg) ones.  I try to do a little systems check every five miles – thinking through each body part to see what might be hurting, aching, feeling good etc. If nothing else, it offers a little target to aim for and a distraction for half a mile or so.

    It was at about 9M, so towards the end of the first loop, that the headwind suddenly struck. You turned a corner (where a clubmate was giving great support) and boom – smacked in the face with wind. This led to a tough mile and a half until turning to start the next loop. At least it seemed as though only a third of each lap had a tough wind to it. I quite enjoyed the laps, looking forward to passing the same farm each time, knowing what was around the corner, and dodgy footing etc.

    I went through half way on my watch in 1:27 and change. Going well! From mile 17M I could hear a runner I had earlier passed, who had said he was deliberately running a negative split, coming up from behind. His breathing was laboured, but I did all I could to work with him and encourage him, sharing turns into the wind for a couple of miles. At 52, breaking sub 3 was his lifetime goal. Given we were averaging 6:40s on my watch, I thought this should, just, be in the bag for him. Although I thought it a little strange this his mile splits seemed to occur a long time after mine.

    With the wind for the final section of the final loop, it was a tough ask to then go into the 5M headwind on the return leg. This was also the first official mile marker – 21. OMFG my watch was half a mile ahead of itself! The maths I had been doing about the final 10k in 45 minutes etc, was suddenly out the window. This was going to be tight!

    I tried really hard to just focus on one mile at a time from here. My GPS was saying about 6:55 for each mile, but manually lapping it with the markers showed about 10s slower. So this represented a suitable speed decline given the wind and heat. I started overtaking a few at this point. Mostly those walking, having jacked it in. One guy even had his Alphas in his hands. But also a couple who had slowed but were managing still to run.

    It was going to be so close for the sub three. At 25M, we turned for the final time, and fortunately got a break from the wind. Hot enough to be actively seeking shade at this point, and also overtaking the slower half runners, a little bit of weaving was required. My breathing was laboured and it was getting bloody hard.

    At 26M, my left knee suddenly seemed to stop working and it became very hard to left the leg properly. A sub 7m/m limp required to the end! Into the grounds of the power station, around a roundabout and a final straight to the finish gantry. A glance down revealed I have twenty seconds for roughly the final 60m. Bloody hell this was agony! Pulled some big gurns and some guttural groans and powered through, stopping my watch on 2:59:57. Christ I hoped I hadn’t ballsed this up!

    Cracking t shirt and unique ceramic medal. I am usually pretty anti medal, but this seems like a good one. Perhaps it is more special given the circumstances, but definitely a keeper.

    A lovely afternoon in the park and pub with the kids, before getting the provisional results through that evening. 2:59:55 – thank god!

    A really satisfying day. Lovely to race, see other people and just put it all out there. On strava, it looks as though I went out too hard and banked loads of time early on. Kind of true – but I actually think it was a fairly even spread of effort given the tough headwind on the return. Almost everyone I know seemed to find it a very tough day, with, sadly, most falling off their targets. So to get the sub-three in these circumstances, with added watch dramas, feels quite special. Ten minutes off a PB, but it is all about your current stage of life and fitness. Tired and sore today, but feeling really positive. Love running!


  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    So happy you got that sub-3 confirmed, whew!
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    SQ - cracking stuff, you decided late on to run this and still bagged a sub3 on a tough day. The patient build up after SF and then the 5k block set you up, for a quick block of miles and you got yourself into really good shape. Well played for hanging tough.

    The sub3 folks wanted a report, so ill put it here too.....
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    edited April 2021
    Ole Gunnar S said last week that sport was nothing without a fear of failure.......mmmmm

    TR vs Goodwood part 2

    I reckoned  was in 2.55 shape, but the wind was going to ruin that, with it increasing in strength as the morning went on. I would try to maximise my sub3 chances by running as easily as i could to keep around 2.58 pace and then push on in the last 2 of the 11 laps. So my quads would be taking the load late on and protect my usually cramping hammies. Gels on odd laps, water on even. 9 laps of snoozing and a 2 lap race.

    We get called forward in order of fastest first, loads line up ahead of the sub3 marker, I'll be surprised if they all finish ahead of me, but ill have plenty of windbreaks. Every few seconds we go off in 4s, and im away in under 2mins.

    I find a windbreak for lap 1, all miles done sub 7min, but its going to be tight on the windy ones. Theres two tough sections that might total about 1km, but not much assistance as the course is triangular, so tou dont actually get the wind fully behind you.

    Im behind 2.57 pace (my reference) but settle into it and wait to warm up. After a few laps my sore foot aches, but my OP is ok, so not too bad, on we go. I find a windbreak for the next few laps, and am up with the 2.57 pace by 10m. I chat to a couple of brothers who are going well, but they easr away and i decide to ease off a bit, as i cant keep pushing so far our.....mmmm.....i need to while away the time for another 5ish laps before i can crack on........1/2 way in a smidge under 1.29 i guess at.......im falling behind the pace.

    I make friends with what must be the leading lady, she is finding the wind tough, but i say she can run with me. Helping her will while away some time. The amount of other races on the course was building and there were lots of runners to get past after 3 or 4 laps were done. This is going to make sub3 hard.

    With about 10m to go, i realise im behind the pace for 2.57, but could run 2.58 if i run strong.......4 laps (approx 9.5m) is a long way to push on though, increasing winds, no windbreaks.......if i dont it might end 3.0X again.......come on son youve run all those +10% runs which have a hilly last few miles......you can run a strong 10m to the finish.......you run marathons for this last hour.......you can do this.....bag a 2.58 here and you'll be proud of yourself......sport is nothing without......ok, lets go.

    Im running strong, 19m, 20m and still running strong, no 7:XXs......2 laps to go, push on again son, you can do this, 2 laps, less than 5m......at 22m i work out i have 30min to do the 4 and extras......23m.....1 lap, push on son you can do this.....24m, still no 7:XXs, ive holding pace.......im catching my previous winbreak from the early laps, and the 2 brothers.....but not in time for the last windy bit......i knew that mile 26 would be one of the slowest miles due to the amount of wind in it (i wrote 11, 19 and 26 on my number), the wind slows me, i lean into it and my hammy spasms, fck it..........ease back, wait for it to ease off and then crack on, it does, im out the wind.......7.08 (ruined the sequence - bllx), tet to catch the brothers, i push on and am through in 2.58.3X.......you did it son, fair play.......i grab a drink and snacks and disappear off to puke, although that then changed to a feeling of needing a bit of a cry......fortunately neither happened.

    Reckon i can still go sub255 on a better day.

    Lap times (proud of these, eased off a bit after 4 and then pushed on after 7).....1.57, 16.01, 15.58, 15.52, 15.55, 16.05, 16.08, 16.09, 16.05, 16.12, 16.06, 16.06

    The last hour is why i run marathons, i have to hang tough when the time comes, its really important to me.....sport is nothing without fear of failure.
  • JohnOzJohnOz ✭✭✭
    Well done guys, tough running conditions all round but finishing a marathon and living to fight another day is a win.

    SQ - great report and even better run, well done on another sub 3. Takes a lot to pull out all the stops with that headwind and knowing your watch is off so especially impressed you managed to find the extra gear when you needed to. Must be something in buggy running. Lucky so you were so close when your knee went, I almost had visions of you crawling across the line Hayley Carruthers-like! Did the other guy go sub 3?

    TR - also a great write up, felt like I was there with you. Those lap times are impressively consistent, you're right to be proud of that run. Definitely a 2:55 in you with plenty more chances for that this year. Agree with you on the last hour, it's when you really find out if you've trained well and the feeling you get when it comes off is amazing. 

    Jools - tough day in the office but you approached it really well up to the last bit. Unlucky with the nausea, have you had it before? Not representative of what you can do and the only upside is that maybe the last bit meant that you can recover relatively quickly and go again. Nothing like a good burger though as a reward!

    Hamo - hope you're also recovering well.

    An easy 20 miles on Sunday was the longest I've run for about 2 months, good to get it done but definitely felt the lack of stamina towards the end. I have a 10k this Sunday so wanted to get a longer run done earlier this week. Whilst I'm following the P&D structure I'm trying to include some MP runs within the MLRs this time. Opted for 5x3km with 500m jog, which should be doable after 4x4km last weekend. Air was a bit smoky from some hazard burning in the area and I could feel my nose stinging a little but on we go. First couple were good, around 6:34 pace then it got harder and eased it back by 5 secs for the last 3 sets as my HR was getting too high. Good to get it done and 14 miles completed. Starting to get the tired legs feeling so I know I'm getting into the depths of marathon training.  
  • HA77HA77 ✭✭✭
    Well done on getting sub 3 SQ and TR, both sound like very well run races in tough conditions.
    Sorry it didn't go as hoped Jools. Sounds like there's some decent fitness there though, just got to get thing to go your way on race day.

    The format of starting separately and running on your own the whole way seems pretty tough. Not sure how much time difference it would make but I'm sure it's a decent amount, especially on a windy day, so an extra well done. Even on a calm day, my race plan is generally to find a group, tuck in and switch off as much as possible until half way. I think I'd struggle on my own the whole way. 

  • hamo44gfchamo44gfc ✭✭✭
    TR...Congrats on the sub 3, brilliant time in tough conditions and in your first race back, you avenged your 3:00.00 rightly there. Well done for toughing out the finish too. Hope you enjoyed the frothies, well deserved. Quality report too.

    Cal...That is serious running from your club mate, i ran a fair bit of it with/behind another club mate of  yours, Rose Harvey, she had a brilliant race, and got the commonwealth QT if i'm thinking right. Good news that you  got a continuous 5k in, very metronomic pacing as well. 

    Jools...It mightn't have been the time you where after, but well done on toughing out a good run in brutal conditions on your own, can't have been fun facing that in a solo TT type race. Hope you enjoyed your well deserved beer.

    SQ...Excellent, knew you would sub 3, proper class work. Fair play to you getting over the gps shock and putting the head down and cracking on, and then still smashing it after your knee gave up, class, delighted for you.

    John...Lovely long run, and a good quality MP work in a MLR. You know you are getting into it when the legs constantly feel tired.


    2:39.48 for me on Sunday, happy that i bagged a championship place for London 2022 so the pressure is off there, but it wasn't quite the time i was after, and would be lying if i said i wasn't disappointed. On reflection there are lessons there that i will learn from, but i never felt "good" at any stage of the race. My belly was iffy right up to the start, then from mile 3 i had quite a bad stitch, which came and went for the rest of the race. I was on pace until mile 17/18, but what killed me was bad cramps in my thighs. I think i don't get on with the Alpha flys, as i have worn them twice now and have had the same cramps both times, which i have never had before. It got to the point where i couldn't up the pace/effort without my thighs seizing, and i had to walk to let them settle, then run until i had to let them settle again. Between that, the heat (it got warm very quickly) and the wind (it wasn't anything awful don't get me wrong, but when your head is down it just adds another thing to fight) it just wasn't my day. I don't mean them to be sounding like excuses, they aren't, i just didn't have it on the day.

    But, in saying that, I am proud of myself for battling on and finishing sub 2.40 (champ time), when it was easier to just drop out, and I feel very grateful to have been able to compete in a race with such quality and talented athletes...I am on the live stream getting over taken by Jake Smith, my claim to fame :lol: I gave it my all on the day, and that is all i can do.

    I recovered in my usual way with wine and beer, so all is good. My thighs are in the worst shape they have been after a race in a long time though, I am struggling about like an old man at the minute, which doesn't normally happen to me, i am usually a bit sore but not too bad. So I will be taking it very easy for the foreseeable future.

  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭
    hamo - that is a great effort. Very well done for finishing in a (new) champs time, given how you felt. What do you might have led to the dodgy stomach? Interesting feedback on the alphas as well. Really pleased you enjoyed a celebration. And welcome to the SoreQuads club!

    Cheers, HA. Definitely agree regarding running solo. I love the benefits a well paced (and well behaved!) pack can bring. But to be honest, it was so refreshing to part of anything bigger, it still felt great. 

    Thanks, John. Not quite Carruthers-esque, but felt like it. The chap going for his maiden sub 3 didn't make it. a few minutes over, but he was really positive after and seemed pleased with a PB. I did think he was breathing too hard for that stage. 

    Loved the report, TR. You had some good mental chatter going on. Frothy time. 

    Carding a couple of zeros here. Might run tomorrow, might not. Eager to give the t shirt an outing!
  • AWCAWC ✭✭✭
    SQ & TR: 2 great races there to get under 3 hours, fantastic achievement as always! I agree with you TR on that feeling of being right on the edge and knowing you might blow but managing to nail it - its one of the best feelings :)
    Hamo: great job on the champs time with all which that brings at London. That will be a special day for you I'm sure! Well toughed out not to give up and interesting feedback on the Alphaflys - maybe they just don't suit
    Jools: sorry to hear about the problems on the day. Its never a good feeling when you are beginning to struggle and then you turn into a headwind - literally just knocks the stuffing out of you. Well done for toughing it out and getting to the finish for beers etc!
    I've got a race this Saturday - Country 2 Capital which was postponed from January and I've done the last couple of years. A 43mi ultra from Wendover into London then along Grand Union Canal - have seen Macca there before so hopefully see him again. Had a trail marathon last week as well - feels great to be back racing!
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    Hamo - i feel for you that you didnt get to realise your potential, but well done for hanging tough. Sunday was a tough day for marathons. You learn about yourself on the tough days, and they are the days you look back on. Plenty of time left to get faster.

    Cheers for the comments, i remember the converstations i had with myself when i look back........the marathon i think of the most is Abo 2018 which was my first since 2015, i pushed too hard, didnr drink enough, eat enough or respect the distance and ended up a cramped up mess in 3.01, i think about that day every time i go for a run.......got to learn from the bad times i guess.........i could have possibly gone a bit quicker earlier Sunday, but not by much and it would have risked another 3.01.......it was defo important to finish strong. I like that approach now, its just a matter of finding the right smount of effort for the first 17m, but that does depend on course and conditions.
  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭
    Good to hear from you AWC. And well done on the super result last week.

    I’d agree, TR. I reckon in years to come, it will be the races that I have finished strong and have a positive memory that will stick around. That said, there is something to be gained from rolling the dice every now and again, as long as you are prepared to deal with the consequences int he last few miles. I actually think it depends on how you find a race. For me, the crowds at London, especially towards the end, are awesome if I am feeling strong, but oppressive if I am ruined. So I think gambling in a smaller race like last Sunday suits me better. 

    I always think of my father in law, a very impressive runner, saying that he looks back at his many London marathons with a fonder memory of the 3:0x he paced well rather than the 2:59 he tried to go hard and hit a brick wall. Lots of psychology at play - and after all, who cares? All a bit of fun in the end!
  • HA77HA77 ✭✭✭
    Hamo - Tough that it didn't go your way on Sunday. I've no doubt you're a sub 2:30 guy, just need things to go your way on the day. Massive training block will put you in good stead for October. Well done on toughing it out for the champs time. Recover well.
  • Well done all those who raced at the weekend. I enjoyed reading the reports and stories of toughing it out to reach your targets. Very inspirational. 
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    edited April 2021
    SQ  - ive had miserable tail offs and strong finishes, somewhere in the middle is probably optimum as amateur hobby rumners. If you run a small positive split at london then you are still overtaking more than you lose.......most folks have eyes bigger than engine.

    Id usually be back at it today, but i dont feel the need so will probably wait until saturday.

    My birthday is in 2 wks, so im going to treat myself (hopefully with some nike 25% discount) to a pair of Next%. Ive seen a few websites saying to order up 1/2 a size ? I was going to order the same size as my pegs and 4%, which is a 9? I proved to myself i can still run sub3 in normal shoes, now we'll see how quick i can go in supershoes, as id still like to be competitive AG wise.
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