Williamstown Marathon: 4.06.29

Well I made it over the finish line without too much damage being done.

It had a number of firsts. The first road marathon over 4 hours and the first time I have had to walk at 10k and thought I will have to DNF my first marathon.

I did no running at all before the marathon. Before the start I did a couple of 100m runs throughs and it was not right. Oh dear!!! but there was nothing I could do or at least was prepared to do other than start and deal with whatever eventuated. Was running very much within myself at 5.30k's with the hammy telling me it was not happy but seemingly prepared to do what I wanted it to do - run 42.2k.That was until 10k when a very sharp pain was felt that immediately made me stop and have some very unpleasant and horrible thoughts - like DNF. I started to walk and watch the runners I was running with (I did not know them) move quickly off into the distance and I was left alone to deal with the physical and mental issues that I was presented with.

I walked for about 10/15 minutes and thought this is not going to happen for the next 32k. The course has a 9k out and back to the start and then 3 loops of 8 k where go go past the finish each time. I was heading back to the start when I had the issue. So I was watching runners come towards me, run less than a k to the turnaround and then go past me again. That was so so depressing.

After walking for the 10/15 minutes I decided a slow jog was better than a very slow walk and that I needed to get back to the start anyway. So off I trotted with the hammy no providing me with any further sharp pains but resumed its dull ache with the odd complaint with an increase in speed of increase in stride length.

Amazingly I got to the finish at 18k and was okay by struggling. I decided I would try the first loop and at the halfway I had my first glance at my watch since about 10k and noted I had travelled the half at 6.04 pace. Slow but much faster than walking. I am not sure what happened between 21.1 - 30k as I was not looking at my watch but felt I was running nicely but still with feeling the hammy with each stride. I ran that 8.9k at 5.28 pace !!!! No way but I did.

Then between 30-35k I must have got a sniff of home because that was run at 5.16 pace. Having got to 35k with no walking since 11k or so I decided it was time to just get home without doing any more damage and not being a one person hero. So I backed off the pace to finish the last 7k @5.45 pace.

First half : 2.09.27 @ 6.04

Second half: 1.57.12 @ 5.33

Oh on on the last 8k loop I think I passed most of the runners who left me at 10k. There were either walkiing or shuffling so slowly. That is not the way to finsih. Despite the time I am in some strange way satisfied withthe run. On the day I think I did the best that I could.

have no idea how I ran the second half that quick when with each step I imagined that the tearing pain would come and I would hobble to a race ending stop. It didn't happen and I am pleased. It is the slowest road marathon that I have ever run and only the 5/6th time over 4 hours. I went over 4 hours in my first and some of the Fitzroy Falls Trail marathons on a bad hot day have been over 4 as well.

Even so I am not disappointed. I am happy I was able to regroup mentally at 10k and surprised the body held on. Its not too bad today. But again no running this week and fingers crossed that I also finish next Sunday's marathon as well.

I had planned to then run Mcleay River Marathon the following week but work will have me in Singapore for 10 days so I will not be running that marathon and maybe that is a good thing.

Update: No running

Absolutely no running so far this week and I will not be running at all this week. Who knows if it will be recovered for the marathon on Sunday. There is nothing I can do but do RICE and hope.

So far my plan for the marathon will be to finish and do as little damage as I can AND under 5 hours. I have never run a road marathon slower 5 hours and very very few over 4 hours. So it is very depressing to consider finishing one over 5 hours. I know I could walk one in 5.30.

Why start at all. I have paid for flights etc and I guess foolishly I have decided I will go and start and see what will happen. It could be that I start and I have no problems. You will never know unless you give it a go.

It happens - buggar

Bugger a slight issue with the left hammy!!!!!

Now that I think back despite Friday's run being slow something just didn't feel right in the left hammy. I thought nothing of it the rest of Friday and Saturday I gave it no thought because there was no twinges, tightness etc. Sunday was the 25k at SMC and I was ready to push hard.

I even did a light worn up before the start and there was no issue. Started well and settled into a nice 4.30 pace which was the plan. About 2k into something was definitely not right then within the next half a k I could feel there was an issue. At the top of the hill you turn right and it is at least 8/9k before you get back to the same position. That's a long way to do some serious damage OR I could pull out and get back to the start without too much trouble.

A quick assessment of the messages I was getting from the hammy, the question do I need this run if the chances are I am doing some damage that will definitely stop me from running a marathon next week or can I stop now and start recovery. I don't often DNF but the decision at this time was easy.

Pulled out and got home ASAP to begin the RICE treatment. I am no sitting here at a time a little later that when I would be out the door training. Instead I have an ice pack on the hammy.

No more running this week and fingers crossed that about the marathon. Air fares etc are all booked so I will go but it maybe the first one a walk and the first road marathon I have ever done over 5 hours. But in the circumstances that all I can do.

The previous 5 weeks of training have gone so so well. It was just perfect and I thought with all the base training a few speed sessions would be okay. I am absolutely shattered that I am in this position when I had the training to post a some good times.

Easy recovery

Three days of high speed deserved a day off. An easy run around the Bay in the fog with no regard to pace. It was slow and gentle.

Same session as Tuesday

This was never going to be easy. A 10k in total speed session when I rarely do them. I am doing a few now in the lead up to the next marathon. Base building was finished and in the taper I decided to vary things and add some speed.

I thought this could be an absolute disaster with some fatigue slowing the running down. The tester was the 3k at the start for the warm up. A 12.56 and about 20 seconds faster and it felt okay

So off to do 4 x 1k reps: 4.11/4.03/4.05/4.04. I pushed hard and firm but no gut busting sprint at the end just maintained the pace. Nice increase in speed over Tuesday.

Then the 3 x 2k reps: 8.17/8.13/8.15. Again a nice improvement from Tuesday. I really thought the last one would either not be done or would be a crash and burn.

A pleasing session.

Back to the past : Bay 28.57

I am not sure where that time came from but I will take it. It would have to be 4/5 years since I was under 29 for the Bay.

I rarely look at my watch but took a peek as I run under a light at about 3k and was on 4.11 pace and it did feel firm but comfortable. I was pleased to hold the pace for the rest of the lap which my Garmin measured at 6.93k. It doesn't mean much as regards predicting a marathon pace or time but it was nice to run it.

This was run alone as I was 'sans' JD and the Proff. We haven't run together since I did my hammy in in early March. When I stated I thought it would nice if I had the Proff leading and dragging me along.

Speed session for me??

Yes decided it was time to adda bit of speed and variety to the mornings sessions. Who was it that said 'I feel the need for speed'. Was it Tom in Top Gun.

I am not sure I have a need for speed but it did make for an interesting and pleasant change. I was really not looking forward to a session that pushed the pace instead of the usual of holding a pace and endurance. Anyway it was locked in so it was done.

As a tester it was 3k from the Rowers around the Bay as firm as I could but holding steady just to see what time that would be. A surprising 13.15 being 4.25 and really it felt easy. I was planning to do 10 x 1k reps at about 4.40 but decided that maybe closer to 4.30 would be possible.

Long story short: 4 x 1k : 4.16/4.15/4.14/4.15

I then decided I would not try for anything faster but go longer. So....

3 x 2k : 8.25/8.27/8.25

They all seemed too easy. I was not holding back but I was not to the limit. I just wanted to start and end the reps at the same pace. An intersting session.

26k@ 4.56

I thought it would be a bit quicker with the rest yesterday but it wasn't to be. Just a slight issue with my back while running and I have no idea where that came from. The pace was still firm and as seems to be the case the seconds half was much quicker but incorporates the same hills as the first half.

I will do a couple of different sessions this week. Partly to change the interest and add a little speed although it is less than 2 weeks to the marathon. I think I know my body and the preparation that suits me and I think they will not do any harm.

I hope to do a 6k warm up. 6/8 1k reps at about 4.40 or so and 6k warm down. About half a k in between reps. That should fatigue me for the rest of the day. I may stop it early if it does not feel right or the time is getting too slow to have any benefit.

I expect the weekly k's to go down to about 100 but with two tough speed sessions.

Short and quick : 15K @ 4.51

Nice very firm effort to finish off 166k for the week. Last week it was 167k but a different combination of distances.

Tomorrow I will have a day off before reducing the distance next week but adding some speed sessions.

Friday 13th and planets align in the sky: 26K @ 4.51

A day with some unusual characteristics. Those 4 planets being seen in the pre dawn sky over Sydney and elsewhere. A great and unusual sight.

Absolutely flogged myself this morning with an all out effort. Nice little PB of just over 4 minutes. Nice to get a quick one in at the end of another tough week and close to the start of the taper.

Another of the same 26k @ 5.01

Same course, same session same average. Some things never seem to change.

It was cold but I was well rugged up. I heard on the radio Sydney had its lowest overnight temperature since 2007 of 7.8 degrees. It felt like it last night. With the weather being so cool and the running just relentless distance I am surprised that I am able to keep training block going so well. It is now 30 days of straight training days. Not really recommended as I should have a rest day or two but ....

The times for the last 10 days have been about 5 minutes pace no matter the distance. I am pleased with that and do not think I have reached a peak. I am pleased to have maintained the pace with the building fatigue.

Only a week to go before the relief of the taper.

26k @ 5.01

The mornings are quickly becoming much cooler. The sunrise over the Bay was brilliant with a spectacular orange in a cloudless sky and still air. The early morning rowers were silhouetted as dark shadows on water.

I have altered the second half of the run to includes all of the hills that are included in the first loop. The first loop and about half the total distance was slow as is sometimes the case. That slow time then inspires me to push harder and managed the second half in under 4.50 pace. I just need to get the pace up in the first half but it seems to take a while before I run freely.

Still a nice pace for the distance and two sets of the tough hills.

22k @ 4.54

I really worked hard this morning to get back under 5 minute pace. I don't think I have reached the point of over training that I though was a possibility. It was just an off morning. I am into the 3rd week before the marathon but for me I know it is too early to start the taper. Late next week will be fine. Until then I will continue with the long daily runs.

22k@ 5.04

Friday was 4.48 pace so you can guess what I thought of the struggle it was this morning. I hope it is just an 'off' morning. However if I have few slow ones like this, this week I will have to consider some rest days and easing off the distance to freshen up.

29k @ 5.01

Nice solid training session this morning. I thought it might be a bit quicker overall but .... It was at least 4.50 over the last half after a very sluggish start.

15k @ 4.54 pace

Out very early and it is starting to be very cool. I think about 8/9 degrees this morning. However once yo get moving you warm up and don't feel it. However in a month or so that will not be the case. I feel the cold and just hate mid winter early morning running.

However back to this morning. A nice firm run to finish off my week.

A nice 167k for the week and 23rd straight day of running.

22k @ 4.48 !!! and another PB

No I have not been taking anything illegal or performance enhancing. The times are coming down quickly and the effort is becoming not easy but easier to maintain. I have been training wearing a heart rate moniter but is is not something I focus on - it is more some information that I look at out of curiosity.

However despite the pace increasing significantly my average HR for this run has gone down very slightly. The decease is not significant but what I consider is significant the increase in pace with the slight decrease in average HR. Running quicker with the same or less effort by the heart rate.

AHR 135 and Max at 152. By the very rough formula of 220 less my age my maxHR should 159. I think it must be higher. Lets say its 165 then my AHR is just under 82% of max. I have no idea what that means.

Nice session near the end of a big week in k's. One more short run tomorrow morning that will get me well over 160k for the week.

22k @ 4.54 pace

Another glorious pre dawn morning around the Bay. Glass smooth water, near high tide, no wind and no clouds in the sky except for a few clinging to the horizon as the pre dawn light started in the sky.

It was long yesterday so I was not sure what the result would be today but I know I would give it my all. I had a little work done around the hips last night to release some tension in the hamstrings and it seemed to have worked a treat.

I gave the session my all and managed a pleasing time that was over 2 minutes quicker than my previous PB. Training is not about trying to run a PB each day but when you are in the improvement stage that will happen more often than not. When they become harder to get you know you are on a plateau that over time you may improve on or that is it, you are at you limit or there about.

28.5k @ 4.58

Nice very long run mid week

Had to put in a couple a hard laps around the Bay at the end to get under 5.00 per k pace. Ran this some course on 26 April when I ran 5.06 pace. So on the back of some solid training a nice improvement.

I have say that at the moment I have no niggles at all. I am just hoping it stays that was for the next 2 weeks when I can start to back off the distance with the taper.

22k @ 5.00

Another morning another 22k. Yes it is getting mind numbing and very repetitive but on a few more weeks to go until most of the base building for the year will have been done.

After Williamstown Marathon at the end of the month the marathons come in a rush until mid September. During that time there is not much happening in training except taper/recovery sessions.

So I just have to HTFU over the next few weeks and stay focused on running long daily. I just hope all this pays off when I start running the marathons. Some times around 3.30 would be nice.

Today was back tot he quickest I have run the session and it was pleasing to be able to increase the pace as the session progressed. It was dry around the Bay for most of the run with some steady light rain in the last hour or so.

Recovery : 22k @ 5.17

No stiffness and no niggles. I planned tot run the full 22 but had the option of heading home at 13k but felt okay to continued on. I was pleased with the pace fora recovery run after going long yesterday. Nice start to the week.

Loooooong run: 35k: 3.09 @ 5.24

With about 4 weeks to the next marathon I thought I needed to push a long one out. It was a bit of a struggle over the last 9k but this was never about pace but long in distance and time. I don't think I have ever gone that long before in training but I felt okay at 32 and just went the longer way home.

I recovered well during the day and managed an afternoon in the office. Yes I know get a life but the work needed to be done.