Sunday, September 11, 2005

SYDNEY MARATHON : 3:28:51

I said a week ago at best between 3.15 - 3.20 and always better than 3.30. Well I just made the slowest end of my prediction range. I thought I might have retained some endurance to enable me to hold a good end the the marathon but that was not the case. I have been struggling over the last 6 weeks to recover from an calf strain and duringthat time never ran longerthan 14k at one time.

I should have realised that with that preparation that the quicker end of the range was never likely.

Overcast, coolish and light rain at the start made it ideal but by 20k the clouds had been broken, blue sky was to be seen and the sun was warming up. Started withthe 3.015 pacer but he took off at 3 hour pace and so I let him go into the distance within 2 ks.

Thought I would try to run at about 23 minutes for 5k splits for s long as possible - that is just a bit faster than 3.15 pace. Although I was very cautious in the start still ran the first 5 k in 21.34 and even then I knew later on I would pay for the misjudegment of pace in that first 5k. I then started to slow down to get back on pace.

5k splits to 30k were : 21.34, 23.06, 23.34, 23.08, 25.08 and 25.00 - so got through 30k in 2.21.30 and to be on pace needed to be 2.18. I knew then that I would not hold the pace and so I stopped the watch and ran from 30k to the end with no regard to the time just wanted to cruise at a steady pace by feel. I had no idea of the pace or time going by but the pace felt steady and even to the end.

I had no idea of my time until I was in the last 20 metres and was suprised that I had maintained a reasonable pace - so the last 12.2k in 67 minutes which I suppose in all of the circumstances was okay.
At the Gold Coast went through 30k in 2:15 and made it home in another 57 minutes. So much slower in Sydney because the last part of the Sydney Course has hills and for Sydney I was not well prepare din regard to endurance for that last 12k. See what I can do between now and Melbourne - not much I suspect.

Suprisingly no no problems with the calf. Recovered well in the afternoon but was very tired.

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