Brisbane Marathon : 3.31.30

The week between the Canberra marathon and Brisbane was all about recovery.

After Canberra I ran 5k on the Monday night with my 15 year old daughter who is training for a cross country race in mid May. I then ran an east Bay on Thursday and another easy Bay on Friday morning with Aunty K. In the afternoon it was a 3k run with my daughter and some hill repeats.

I had really done very little in regard to carbo load etc. I was not sure how I would run it as the morning approached. I had no soreness or injury but I knew that deep down I was fatigued.

When I left home I said to my wife 3.45 would be a probable time but deep down I thought if all went well I maybe able to get a better time than that. I started with having bets both ways - that is a pace to keep 3.30 in sight but always with the option to back off if that looked liked putting me in 'a blow up' position.

Started running about 24 minutes for each 5k but thought that would be difficult with the high humidity at the start and the expected high temperature as the race progressed.

Passed the half in 1.40 which was on target for 3.30. I remained on target until the between 30 - 35 where the course is in the open sun and very very hot. I slowed then.

You get to the 30k drink station and just about on the other side is the 35k station. You then have to run to the turn around and back along a very hot unshaded part of the course. I walked through 30k station and drank a lot, then felt that the next 5k was the most difficult of the race. Walked back through the station at 35 to take on the lost fluid.

Just after 35k the course goes back into pleasant cool shade. I then ran steady to the end to just miss 3.30 but it was still a result better than I expected in all of the circumstances - post Canberra and the weather.

Canberra Marathon finish line in sight

Canberra Marathon : 3.09.24

It does feel rather nice to put up a time of 3.0x - it has been almost 3 years since a time like that has been in the reults page against my name. This was marathon #77 and the last time I ran a 3.0x was 20 marathons ago.


This is what I said a few days before on CR :

My pacing will very much depend on how I feel in the first 5k. I expect to do that in 21.30 to 22 and if that is a struggle I will ease off but if 21.30 is just on the border line comfortable then that's where I will stay for as long as I can. My gut feeling at the moment is that I am not in a position to be near 3 hours at the end but it will be a challenge to see how close I can go.

This is my CR race post :

I started this marathon with a medical issue which I thought would be a major issue early. As it tuned out it was not as great an issue as it could have been. Because of that issue my plan was to just see how the race developed but having thought some months ago about 3 hours was possible I decided to start at the pace and see how it held.

I was suprised to run through 20k just 30 seconds over 3 hour pace. I then passed a girl who is someone I have run a lot of marathons with although as I was approaching her I did not recognise her. We chated and the half was a minute over pace. I moved passed her and regained my pace and got through 25k still a minute over 3 hour pace but could feel some problems developing.

I made a decision that instead of pushing and then maybe bowing up badly I would just ease off and not continue to chase 3 hours. I got through 30k in 2.11 and thought if I managed my pace wisely I could salvage something below 3.10. Eased back to 24 minutes for each of the next two 5k blocks and got home in 3.09.24.

Not what I expected a couple of months ago but was pleased what I salvaged out of the race on the day.

To put it into perspective : it the first time under 3.10 since Kempsey in June 2004. Also it is the (for what it is worth 17th fasted marathon I have run - so with that perspective in mind and the medical issue that clouded the race plan I suppose Canberra 2007 should be considered as a pleasing result.

I may give the McLeay River Marathon another go at under 3 and then Gold Coast. If I don't go close in either of those I expect I will remove that expectation from future race plans and set another realistic and achievable goal. Maybe just to stay under 3.15 for a along as possible into the future might be worth considering.

Taper - 1 week to Canberra Marathon

Despite the changed circumstances the taper for the final week will still be executed as well as a carbo load in the final few days. I have to say I haven't totally abandoned starting off with the 3 hour group as it is not a matter of fitness it is a matter of how quickly I might recover from the side effects of the medication. So the taper will continue and this week will be as follows :

Monday 9 April
Easy around the Bay with 2 x 2k

Easy warm up then 2k in 7.50. Then an easy lap of the Bay with AK and some 'debrief' on IM and admiring her tat and being amazed at how well the girl has rcovered from her amazing effort just last week. She ran just so comfortably and smoothly this morning. Finished with 2k in 7.40. All felt comfortable.

Tuesday 10 April
Tempo : 4k @ 4 minute pace

Nice and cool around the Bay this morning. Managed 3.53, 3.55, 3.57 + 3.49 for a 15.36. Faster than planned and even except for the push to the end. Still not sure if that means I am improving. It felt hard but perhaps not as hard as things were a few days ago but who knows - certainly not me. It will be just a matter of making some decisions on race morning and during the early part of the race.

Wednesday 11 April
Day off or very easy around the Bay

Had an offer to cruise the Bay with AK and accepted. Some of the usual suspects were seen and we ran most of the Bay with JD who was also in cruise mode. However both were holding back - JD just ready to launch on Sunday.What a wonderful sunrise and a beautiful still crisp autum morning. Such a pleasure to be up and about. I have no idea where I am at but it did feel very nice this morning with no niggles.

Thursday 12 April
4 x 800 @ 2.50 each

Only did 3 as I couldn't remember what I had planned. I was out with my daughter last night helping her train for her cross country race in mid May. I did some exercises and a warm up the 3 x 800 : 2.51, 2.52, 2.52.

Well that's it the endurance build up training, the tempo and MP training and the taper - all finished. All up 19 weeks since I started on the 4th December. Where has the time and the warm weather gone. On reflection I didn't miss more that 3/4 sessions that were planned, didn't really have any injuries that interrupted the training and it has been the best preparation for Canberra that I have had perhaps since I ran under 3 in 2002.

Now to get mentally prepared over the next few days for marathon # 77.

Looking back I did do a a 5 x 800 session on the 11th December : 3.14 (WTF), 3.01, 3.07, 3.07 & 3.04. I commented I was 'very pleased'. It taken 19 weeks to take 12 - 15 seconds off each - seems like a lot of time and effort for what sounds like a little gain. However it is an improvement and so I should be very pleased with that.

Whatever the actual result on the day I will be so happy to be actually running a marathon instead of training for one. I am also happy to be starting another season of marathons and ultra's. This year I am looking forward to my running perhaps more than in the recent past for various reasons. The middle of last year was 'lost' because of the stressy and so I didn't get my annual fix of marathons also I am excited by the prospect of running a few races longer than a marathon. The 'dark side' beckons !!!

As was the case last year I may become the most excited by being at the start of the GNW100 in November. I expect that event to be by far the most challenging and exciting event for the year. The 10 or so marathons before that will be no more than base training for that but having said that each marathon in itself will present its own challenge with the goal in each to finish as fast a possible taking into account all of the circumstances.

Friday 13 April
Day off - no questions

Saturday
Very easy around the Bay with some 500's at MP

Weeks taper - 2 weeks to Canberra

As I did last week I will set out my proposed program for the week and make comments below each as the week progresses. Distance being decreased but intensity still up.

Monday 2 April :
No Run
Yep no run

Tuesday 3 April :
Tempo 3 x 3k @ 11.30

There was no zip this morning and the legs felt heavy but that can happen in the taper as the body starts to recover from the past training. The feeling was reflected in 11.40 and 11.42. Decided that as the time was heading in the wrong direction that another 3 was not needed so opted for 4k at MP being 4.15 kpm just to get a feel for the race day pace. It felt reasonably comfortable compared to the last 2 runs. I was aiming for 17 minutes for the 4k and slipped through in 16.55 but as I have said in the past to do that for 42 of the buggers at that pace seems like and impossible ask at the moment.

Wednesday 4 April :
KL @ 75 minutes

I had to take my daughter to her school cross country training which started very early so I didn't have time to do the KL run. Opted for a Bay run which I haven't done for a while. Ran 29.23 @ 4.11 pace which was fine. Expect to run tomorrow morning for a recovery and as today was short I will add a few 800's in for some fun.

Thursday 5 April :
No run or recovery around the Bay

Each day this week has required a change in the session because of the little twists in life that are present themselves. I did a short recover run but not around the Bay but out past the pool for about 3k and did some stretching and getting my mind focused on what must be done in the marathon. Then back and at the park some 800's : 2.51, 2.54, 2.54, 2.52 they had to be done hard to get those times. I think I last did them in December and was not able to get inder 3 minutes.

Friday 6 April :
Bay Run @ 4.15 pace + 4 x 800 @ 2.50
Some personal issues so just an easy 8k not timed

Saturday 7 April :
No run
Yep no run

Sunday 8 April :
KL @ 70 minutes

No KL but after a 4k warm up did a 10k TT. This was a very significant TT as it would tell me whether what I have suspected for a week or so was correct. I was hoping by having a good result in the TT that what I suspected was wrong.

The TT was a disaster but very much as I suspected.

Rewind a about 5 weeks ago. I was prescribed some medication for an non running issue. There were possible side effects but the medication was needed and really could not be delayed. The side effects have really kicked in with the result being a increase in the thickness of the blood and so the heart instead of pumping blood the consistency of water it is more like honey. So the heart is pumping as hard as before but less blood is circulating, less oxygen getting to the muscles and much less energy and a slow speed.

The medication has been stopped but it is not likely to result in any significant change in the blood. So a very much revised finishing time is now needed as that is the only common sense decision. It would be foolish and in fact impossible to do anything else in the situation I have.

Oh well maybe the Gold Coast will be the perfect race this year.