As you stand there at the start of your long awaited event what goes through your mind? I very rarely make conversation with those other hopefuls around me as I like to prepare myself mentally for the race ahead regardless if it’s a triathlon, duathlon or half marathon.
Last Sunday, May 31st was no different in terms of my silence on the start line, the ‘only’ difference surrounding the event this time was the fact that I was venturing into the unknown by running my first marathon, in Edinburgh. I’d trained for the distance before up to about 18 miles or so but never had I attempted the full 26.2 miles.
My focused to succeed meant that I was following a fairly strict marathon training schedule. I only ran 3-4 times a week and cycled on my ‘cross-training’ days to keep my aerobic capacity on the up.
All my training was completed without too many hitches and I felt prepared enough to get myself round. The only variable that gets me mentally is how quickly I could get round. I managed 2hrs 41min for a 20 mile training run and my training schedule was aimed towards an average 8 min/mile pace which would get me round in 3:26.
So there I was standing among another 15,000 or so other mortals waiting for the starters orders. We were all there for a million different reasons but all our goals were the same, to finish the race.
The most difficult part of any long-distance training programme is getting to the starting line. Many obstacles have to be confronted and there are so many things that could go wrong. However, I was there with the sea of others ready to roll out of Edinburgh on the 26.2 mile journey.
The day itself was amazing, with clear blue skies as far as the eye could see and a slight early morning cool breeze. The crowds were out in there thousands around the start area and the atmosphere was electric. The announcer on the PA system kept everyone entertained with the usual countdown to start wit until the moment of waiting arrived, bang, we were off. I was in the ‘pen’ behind the elite guys so within a minute or so I was over the start line and my journey had begun.
Mile 1was really emotional, the crowds, the runners, the event and the anticipation of seeing my family in the crowds meant it was a one to keep with me for the rest of the race. A quick toilet stop in mile 1 as well as the crowds of runners meant that it was a slow opening 8:38 mile, but thoroughly enjoyable none the less. Miles 2-8 were pretty uneventful; everyone was getting into the swing of things and settling into their running. What did strike me early on in this period was the rate at which the early morning temperature was increasing. The weather forecast for the day was due for a hot one but little did we realise how hot it was going to get.
Mile 8-9 brought us to Mussleborough racecourse area where the first leg of the marathon relay folks would change over, something different to take your mind of the running for a brief second before we were out on the open road again. My pacing was spot on averaging 8 min/mile. Through 8 mile in 1:04.
Throughout my longer training runs I’d been practicing eating drills on the move, which were four jelly babies and four gulps of Lucozade sport every half hour. On race day I was wearing what I’d been wearing in training, a hydration belt which held two 10oz bottles and a little pocket to house the jelly babies.
My eating an drinking drills were going well during the race. I was even more conscious of ‘fluids on board’ during the race due to the weather, so every water stop I made sure to sufficiently rehydrate.
Miles 8-13 took us along the sea front on the out-and-back section of the course, some love it, some hate it. Personally it wasn’t very exciting for me, through some dreary villages and heavily overgrown roadsides meant that whatever sea breeze we had, just disappeared. During this period of the race you’d start to see the odd competitor by the side of the road, tucked in the shade accompanied by paramedics, all the more reason to eat and drink, I though. From mile 11 or so an annoying niggle in my left hamstring appeared, nothing serious enough to stop me from running but certainly enough to play on my mind a little.
Through 13 mile in 1:45. At this point I was now down on my schedule but not too concerned as if I was able to continue at this pace I may still break the magical 3:30.
All of a sudden miles 14 -20 seemed to become fairly demanding. The country roads narrowed and the large hedgerows blocked the sea breeze. During this phase of the race it felt as if there were nowhere to escape the heat. I noticed more runners sat by the side of the road wrapped in silver blankets with paramedics by the side of them and again thought to myself, keep hydrated and fuelled.
I started to see the elite athletes coming into view further down the road on the opposite side and these boys were flying. The winners time was around 2:18 and no wonder, the stride length on the front two boys was awesome and there was us mere mortals just trying to focus on placing one foot in front of another.
I hit mile 16 and decided I needed a little motivational support and luckily I had paced my ipod into my waist belt for this reason. The music went on and I went into a trance, the music blocked out the patter of feet on the road as well as any other distractions from the road side and I managed to tap out a steady tempo. The turning point of the out and back section took us around a large country house, some country house on the coast surrounded by overhanging trees which offering a little rest bite from the searing heat.
This didn’t last long and before we knew it we were back on the same road going in the opposite direction with the same high hedgerows and lack of breeze. Fluids were now being taken on board at an alarming rate. At each water stop I was taking two small bottles of water and a Lucozade sport drink and boy were they well received. I was through 20 mile in 2:45, down on my 20 mile training run by five minutes.
I was now down to an average pace of 8:15 per mile, however things started to deteriorate come mile 21. I read numerous articles relating to hitting the ‘wall’ but never really thought it would happen to me, but boy did it ever. In my years competing I have never experienced anything as strange a feeling as this. It felt as if I was carrying a refrigerator to the finish line. I knew I had to move my legs quicker than they were going but just couldn’t. I felt like I had the energy but they just wouldn’t move quicker. One quote I read before the marathon sums the whole race up and is apparent at this point in the race. It goes; ‘A marathon is 20 miles of hope and 6 miles of truth’.
My time for mile 21 was 9:48, yes that’s right 9:48!! Never have I run such a slow mile in my entire life. The mile markers could not come quick enough, my body felt like it was going into melt down but in my mind I knew one thing; that I would never walk at any point. I wanted to come through this experience and be able to say that I ran the entire 26.2 miles. After mile 21 my pace lifted some what but not quicker the 9 minute miles. The pace varied between 9-9:25 to mile 25.
During mile 23 I managed to tag along side a chap that was running at a similar pace. We didn’t make conversation, make eye contact at any point, or even acknowledge each others existence. The thing we did do though was to keep each other going. Our foot strike seemed to hit the ground at the exact same time which exaggerated the mental trace I was in. We took on water at the last station and passed mile marker number 25. The pace lifted for a brief period due to the thought of finishing the race but again slipped slightly. It didn’t help that my new ‘running buddy’ decided to take off, however only to suffer in the final stages. The sight of the finish at the racecourse seemed to take an eternity to reach. I was running on auto pilot and was just about finished my journey.
I ran into the racecourse area I noticed a type of floor matting underfoot that was covering the grassed area. This played havoc with the legs as I was unable to determine whether there were any uneven ground under the matting that could cause any potential problems. My legs we tired enough without any extra variables to worry about. As I continued through the finish area the crowds really were amazing, shouting and screaming words of encouragement as I made my final steps. I was conscious that my family were waiting among the crowds on the left of the finish approach, so I tried to keep left, look out for them as well a watching my footing.
There they were. The family were going berserk and it was such a welcoming sight. I was mentally and physically drained but the sight of them gave me a massive boost and I made it over the finish line. 26.2 miles in 3 hours 44 mins and 26 seconds of running. A little disappointed I wasn’t able to keep to my schedule of 3;30 but pleased with my achievement.
Everyone who crosses the finish line has earned and deserves the medal. Some complete the marathon in 3 hours, some in 6 hours. The differences between us all aren’t related to paces. The differences are related to genetics, the decisions me make and the priorities we have. The accomplishment however, is identical.
Race Stats;
Miles 26.33
Time: 3:44:26
Avg pace: 8:3/mi
Avg Hr: 86% Max
Calories Burned: 3,792
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