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2:53:00 (my watch) - heavy/sore legs all the way - forced myslef to get to 20M and then review it.
Chucked in the kitchen sink and did the last 6.2 in 41min.
Felt aerobically strong all the way. Shame about my legs.
Really well done to everyone I've heard from (with honorable exception of BEJ):
Well, official results round me down to a 3:04:58.
Halfway in 1:28:31 (bang on target)
5k splits (aiming for 21 minutes each time)
20:57
20:57
21:05
20:59
21:00
21:15
22:43
24:54
11:08 last 2.2
All going well (by the clock at least) to 21 miles. But in truth I was suffering by then. I saw my family, stopped to give the girls a sweaty kiss and that was it. 800m down the road I cramped badly (hamstrings) which cost 2 minutes, then it was run/walk/cramp to the finish. Very nearly emulated that Amsterdam finisher, set off at 150m to go and cramped in both legs. Controlled it just.
Positives:
PB by 7:12
9:53 better than last year
Great pacing to 21 miles
Really enjoyed lots of it
Negatives:
Rain, made me very cold
Illness
Cramp
Losing will to live in last few miles
MtR at 22 miles - lost it completely!
If I had a flat in BEJ's block I think I would have stopped there too!
Just popped home between pub sessions. Not had time to read back yet and look forward to doing so later/tomorrow. My time was 2:46:08. Was secretly aiming for sub 2:45 (didn't announce it on here as I thought you'd all tell me I was nuts with a 1:19 half!), so a little disappointed I didn't make it but it's over 15 mins off my PB so really pleased overall. Longer report tomorrow.
EdB - well ran there. Great PB.
MtR - stopping to see the kids - you big softy!!! Only kidding, well played.
End result: 2:46:14
5km: 19:16
10km: 38:31 (19:15)
15km: 58:05 (19:34)
20km: 1:17:41 (19:36)
Halfway: 1:21:55
25km: 1:37:15 (19:34)
30km: 1:56:53 (19:38)
35km: 2:17:59 (21:06) - lemsip revenge!!! Had to take a loo break just before 20m which cost me ~75-80s of stationary time!
40km: 2:37:37 (19:38)
42.2km: 2:46:14 (8:37)
In a nutshell, I ran with JH1 to about 16m. We had a nice little train going, good fun actually. Unfortunately the amount of lemsip I consumed to get to the start line had it's revenge on me, and that was the difference between a sub/super 2:45. I reckoned 75-80s of stationary time, plus it took about a mile to get my legs moving properly again... As I missed about by 74s, it was definitely a case of what might have been. Pleased to see such even splits though and good to meet so many from the forum.
19.34
20.00
19.50
19.43
(Half way in 1.23.22)
19.30
19.39
20.08
21.25
9.13
Bringing me home in 1.49.02. On the whole I'm pleased as my main target was to get under 2.50. Mission accomplished! However, a little negativity creeped in. I was on for 2.47 at half way and felt full of running and in fact picked up the pace a little. Everything felt so easy on the CV system (although HR was doing crazy things). Unfortunately I developed a cramp problem (as several others appear to have also done). I started getting twinges of what was to follow at about 18m. The first proper mini cramp attack came on in mile 20 and mainly affected my quads (with a little bonus pain in a calf). At this stage it had not particularly damaged my pace - it just made the same pace hurt more. However, it was the beginning of the end. As each mile passed by the threatening precusor feeling to the cramps became more regular and when they developed into cramps they were stronger and more disabling. I simply had no choice but to slow when I felt one coming on (and most of the time this would keep it at bay). By mile 23 I could not pick my knees up properly as that would trigger cramp. I had to develop more of a quick shuffle action to keep a high leg turnover with very low knee lift - ridiculous. And that's how it continued with the occasional muscle spasm and slow down.
Why did it happen? I have no bloody idea. It has never happened before. Some head scratching needs to go on. It probably cost me about 2.30 today so it's not the end of the world.
But to end on a positive. Primary goal achieved. Sub 2.50. I also bumped into DanA and DOT on the course at about 8m. Both looked strong and comfortable and were well on for sub 2.50 at that stage. I haven't stalked them yet so not sure how it developed for them.
Well done EdB, RM, CF, NDOW and TR. Great stuff all round. Loads of pbs. Commiserations BEJ (I hear you on the cramp thing - extremely frustrating) and MtR but in both your cases you have the ground work and the results you deserve will follow in due course.
LOL - that should read 2.49.02
Now where's Marigold - the fred's new list b*tch. He has some rankings to update!
Calf "went" at about 4 miles. Thereafter increasing and subsiding pain. Tried every running style to compensate. Halfway in 1:19:40 and slowed in second half (bad miles round 16-18 and 23-24, I think), to finish in 2:44:03, one minute outside PB, but was aiming a bit higher.
Don't think calf injury too severe, but possibly some light bruising.
Quite happy with time, all things considered.
Well done to those who achieved your aims and bad luck to BEJ and MtR (and any others reporting disappointments.)
Now back to pub.
Just got back in off the train from London
Exceeded all my expectations and came in at 2:35:26 (32 min PB!!)
5k splits as follows ( Garmin splits were useless as I did 26.8 miles apparently!)
18:39
18:29
18:24
18:14
18:19
18:20
18:18
8:17
1/2 Way : 1:17:56 2nd Half : 1:17:30
Maintained a pretty even pace apart from the last couple of K when I dropped off the pace a bit. I'm so happy with the negative split, I didn't think I had it in me at 20 miles and thought I would drop off as the legs were getting heavy.
Ran will Gatorade and Coro for a large percentage of the race ( from around 5miles to 20 miles) which was really good, nice bit of chat going and really helped to keep me in check. Thanks boys
TR - Good to meet you at the start, so pleased for you on the sub 2:55
Well done all, will read back more later.Off to tuck into a well deserved Chinese takeaway!
May pop back later and make a list ( cheers MTrition!)
Well dones to TT, Blisters (well pleased for you !), Marigold, MT, RnM, TMap, EDB and CL - sorry if I missed anyone.
Toed the line and set ff with a 7min mile - though t I had best speed up and soon ended up at 2:50 pace. Dont know if it was the cold weather bit my legs were cold and achy all the way, but I felt strong so just kept toddling along.
Got to 1/2 way in 1:25:40 ish - and still fel t ok. Then it pissed down and I got even colder and my legs really hurt. I was getting uncomfortably colder and was slowing and was getting a bit downbeat. But CRAB says theres those that think they can and those that think they cany - so I decided I could. Once I got to 16M I was on countdown, got to 20M in 2:1120 ish and took a lap time - ate my last gel and decided sh*t or bust - kitchen sink time.
Motored to the finish picking up places - last 6.2M in 41:40 ish.
Ode gave me a massive cheer at 22M and I saw my Wife and nippers at 25M. The last 2 or 3 miles were a bit tough - but WTF.
Happy to have bagged a decent debut marathon time. Just abit sad that I didn't feel good and it was a bit of a chore even in the early stages.
Amazing what a bit of consistent consistency can do for a big lump of muscle. CRAB (and CM) - I thank you - you've made a runner of me after all.
Really nice to meet Ode and PP, and MArigold at the start.
I saw Dan and Jakesy on the way round.
Its been a rollercoaster ride this last 18 months - without the interuptions for illness and injury I'd probably have been sub 2:50.
Proud of myself - even shed a few when I'd finished.
TR
CONGRATULATIONS !! Fantastic stuff
and blisters.....there's hope for us old timers yet
and to all sub 3ers.sub 245ers etc recover well....
WELL DONE ALL
BEJ, sorry to hear about the cramp. As an ultra runner I know how it ruins the race.
Hating to sound down but 2.43.07(04 on the watch)
1.20.19 at half way (60 seconds lost to toilet)
2.03.20 at 20 miles (survived the rain but chest sore)
2.35.36 at 25 miles (slowed here for no reason just head gone)
2.43.07 (paced myself home to get a PB)
Knew early I could not run with Coro but thought 2.38 was still on. Race ruined with toilet break at 8miles which my head never really recovered from. Rain made me want to stop at Canary. All in all not happy with my head or my bladder.
Special mentions to TR and Blisters, really pleased for you guys, its been a helluva journey, and Blisters rather cheekily having his sub 3 broadcast to the nation. Next time MtR - seems iff it wasn't for the cramps you too would have sub 3'd - you look mighidly dejected in that photo.
A whole host of magic times, 230's 240's 250's - absolutely fantastic stuff and a bunch of world record holders too - not a bad weekend for the thread.....
C'mon now Dull, your time is nigh, get your shoes on and get out there. See you at the line Abingdon October.
A very tired Nts here. No energy to read back but looks like many congrats in order on another great day for the sub 3 threda. Huge props to Blisters, TR Marigold and Marders and all those others who bigged it up today ...... great attitude shown by MTr too. I can vouch for that from the pub.
And for anyone who's feeling a bit down - here's something to cheer you up. I did a very painful 4:16 today (and I was alongside Padams when I did so - so that's T-shirts all round!)
On hols for a week now .... recovering.
Sounds like there was a lot of cramp after we turned for home at 19.5 miles.
I will sub-3 next time!
Special congrats to TR. I spent the 1st half of the race looking out for orange singlets ahead of me, clearly I wasn't looking far enough up the road! Well played.
Saw Blisters at mile 7, he was complaining of the heat. The rain must have cooled him off nicely. Didn't notice him go past me, unlike Cracknell, who I'd left at 11 miles, who then came past at 20 miles. But I did see him after the finish and congratulated him.
tough luck Gobi - I was determined not to crack the seal.
MTR
Thanks fella. You're more than fit enough - you just need no bad luck. the training is still in the bank.
Hey All,
2:52:49
3 minute all time PB ( beating my debut of 12 years ago) and 7 mins improvement on recent times.
TR - we must have been sprinting together past Buck House?!
Slightly exhuberant pacing by Dan A and I saw the first 6 miles done in 18 minutes! Great to have run with him until half way - unfortunately lost sight of him from there.
Great performances all round, and especially pleased for Blisters. Anybody know how Kate Lawler's outfit stood up to the rain?!
BEJ - I'm sorry to hear about the cramp. Have a good track summer and regroup. Do you think the rain caused your mussels to cool down too much?
MtR - Sorry you didn't get a sub-3, but you had a very poor final week health wise. Take the positives and move on.
TR/Blisters - I'm made up for you both. You did yourself justice. Congrats. A few shandies?
MT, RnM, TMap, EDB, marders and CL - great times and PBs.
Gobi - I'm sorry the plan didn't work out, but you got a PB and club record!
Marigold - Congratulations, a great time and a very strong last 7M. Really good to run with you and Gator, I think the 3 of us worked well together
I'm pleased with my run, it went exactly to plan
HM - 1:18:05 (tergat was 1:18:00 but my watch said 1:18:00!)
M - 2:35:48 (tergat was 2:35.xx, watch said 2:35:42)
A 12 min PB and a ~20 sec -ve split. I felt in control and strong all the way round. The last 6M were great, I was running with a Serpie and we did a lot of overtaking. This was the marker I was looking for, now a sub2:30 attempt in '09.
RM - Sorry to not make it to the Red Lion; the children and grandparents were cold, wet and tired and this had to take prioroity over beers - sorry
Well done to all the WR holders, not only did you run 496 miles but you also got around the marafun - well done.
The Mr and Mrs Coro combined time was sub-6:30 hrs which we are pleased with; Mrs Coro has asked for a "I beat Padams t-shirt"!
Great showing by EdB and coro saw you both finish on TV.
Cannot believe CL. A calf gone at 4 miles, and then running 2.44!
OO Hope to be at Abingdon. Will work on speed over the summer. Hopefully will carry over to the legs for the Autumn.
One of the better runners at our club hit 40k in 2.38 and never made the finish line. Very weird. Did one of his legs fall off?
Very tired today. Was officiating for the 48 hour World treadmill record all last night. Well done to all involved especially NtS whos energy in organising the event, was possibly the best endurance performance this thread has ever seen. Record beaten by nearly 80 miles.
Day off tomorrow. Really need it.
Dull
Thanks DN. I suppose, by definition the calf injury cannot have been that bad, but it sure smarted.
TR. Excellent - just need Pompey for the cup.
Marigold That's much better than predicted (I thought you were going to run with me!)
Gobi You actually looked relaxed when I saw you along most of the embankment, "waving" to the Fetchies and accelerating away.
Dull
One of my club mates collapsed with a mile to go - marshalls seemed quite keen to get him off the course but he was adamant he was going to finish - maybe your clubmate wasn't so forceful?
Took him 20 minutes + to do the last mile!!
Coro - I think it's a simple case of the cramp I suffered on Wednesday night (not sure whether I posted about it here but mentioned it in my Fetch blog) caused more damage than I thought and the muscle couldn't handle 26.2.
I hadn't experienced cramp in a race since FLM 3 years ago which I put down to lack of endurance - I certainly hope it won't become a chronic Dullesque problem but I suspect it was just a case of having my foot in the wrong position at the wrong time when I was dozing off on the Wednesday. That's the problem with these races - I must have had one of the best buildups ever - I'd put in the long runs, the tempo, the endurance, raced the HMs well and even gone up to 8000ft for the finishing touches, feeling stronger than ever on my return. On the day the pacing was perfect (check out Marders' pace graph), we had a great pack working together and I felt disturbingly comfortable for a race situation right up to 32km - it was barely more than walking. But something still goes wrong!
Sorry, I am going to very quick, will post more tomorrow as I need to got to bed! Basically exactly to plan, 74 half, as big of a neg split as possible. Pity it only turned out to be 25 seconds!
2:28:13. Half way 74.19. 5km splits:
17:32
17:47
17:36
17:35
17:29
17:41
17:32
17:21
7:40
Going to bed happy and feeling in pretty good nick, stairs no problemo.
Oh, and I better mention that I got a pb, not quite 32 mins, but I spose 30 mins ain't too shabby
I think that is one of the things that is bothering me. I should have picked up my pace more.
G
Well played by loads of you today and gonna be a great mara list this year.
Not the best start this morn as went up by public transport and spent a lot of the time cramped up on the train standing up. Anyway went off with TT this morn at 6.15 pace although the 1st mile was quite slow due to all the celebs and masai warriors in the way. By mile 3 was running freely. Got halfway in 1.21.55 not feeling too bad. By mile 16 it was raining fairly hard and started to feel a bit sluggish and TT drifted away by mile 17-18. Started slowing a little by mile 19-20 and TT went past me. Thought he was already up the road but had to have a pit stop. The last 4 miles were painful for me and cold from the rain and ended up with a 2.50.56. Bit disappointed as did want to go as close to 2.45 as poss. Wonder if I slowed on the 1st half by a min it could have save a lot in the 2nd. The last 10k is where I lost it as you can see. Not gonna cry as still a pb and off to Croatia 2moro for a break. Will pack some trainers though so my legs don't seize up.
5k splits 19.16, 19.15, 19.34, 19.36, 19.34, 20.07, 21.17, 22.22, last 2.2k 9.59