Sri Chimnoy Royal National Park Marathon and some long term thoughts

A new marathon and only about 1 hours drive from home. In the oldest National Park in Australia, I think. I am told not too technical, Mostly in wide fire trails. Should be a pleasant bush run that is reasonably flat. 

It is certainly not a focus marathon by any means. Just a long Sunday run with no pressure to achieve any thing other than a finish at a comfortable pace. No idea what that means as I don't know the course but something in the 4.15 to 4.30 range I suppose is likely.

The next semi focused marathon is the Barossa on the 25 May. Again I don't know the course but it is said to be reasonable flat on the road. I think I am over my post treatment fatigue as I ran a 1.38 half on Sunday. The same as I ran a month ago before the Newcastle bomb. 

Barossa. I will treat it as serious and do will have a few days of taper. 

My main focus marathon for the moment is the Gold Coast on 6 July. I have modified my training to move away for the base building sessions and incorporating a couple of temp sessions to try and build on the base I have by increasing my stamina/endurance/speed more than I have now.That training is loosely following Daniels but is made difficult because I am running marathons in the lead up. Not ideal I know but that is the way I choose to do it. 

Focus because I will be just in the 65 + age group.

Canberra Marathon: 3.55.01

Great running conditions on Sunday for the marathon. A challenging course with plenty of short rolling inclines that were not that not that steep you would  call a hill and all runnable and long enough that meant they took an effort that by the time some came well into the second half they become very fatiguing. As far as the vollies, drink stations etc affected me no issues.

After very fatigued affected marathon the week before in 5.22 I had no idea what would happen in this one.I only ran once in week and that was about 10k all up on Wednesday.  After last weekends marathon and talking to Jane on the drive home I had decided to start and stay with her, being the 4.30 pacer. Like a lot of race plans that lasted about 2k. 

 

I was feeling okay and decided to move ahead of the 4.30 pace group but always thinking it was not only possible but likely I would fade and at some stage I would be be swallowed by and passed by that group.   I knew I would  I would then then get an earful from Jane for the brain snap at 2k.
Knowing the risk of a massive slow down was very possible I still moved took it and moved ahead of the 4.30 pace group. I took it slowly and I did not reach the back 4.00 hour pacer until  about 10k. And that is where I stayed lurking for the next 10k. After that I ever so gradually moved towards the front pacer of that group. The pacers where maybe 200 meters apart and I thought maybe one was running gun time and the other chip. Anyway it didn't really matter. I  caught and passed the front pacer at about 33k. 

 

The further the race went the stronger I able to just slightly increase my pace over the last 12k My 10k split form 30 - 40k was my quickest.  Also I moved from 659th  at 30k to 511th overall place.  The split from 30k to finish split being 295th - muck quicker than my overall finishing position. 

 
I am always pleased to have a strong finish. I never ask the question about whether I finished with something in the tank. I finished strong and I am pleased with that and that the expected slow down did not happen. Also pleased to be almost 90 minutes faster than least week.

A few weeks to give the body some more time to recover before the next marathon on 4th May in the bush in southern Sydney.

Thoughts on Canberra Marathon

I have run this marathon more than any other. I think this is number 15. For that and other reasons it has a special place for me in my running. One would be that it was where I ran my first sub 3. 

The course has changed over the years and this year there has been a significant change with it be a lap the western side of Lake Burley Griffin. There are some out and backs along the way to make the distance. The profile shows a few inclines. I have not looked at the profile closely and will take the course as it comes on Sunday. 

A few weeks ago I had thought I would be in a position to have a real serious go at a sub 3.30 but that in my opinion is not going to happen and to think something special will happen to my fatigue on race day to allow it to happen is more than wishful thinking.It is just not going to happen. It is physically impossible at the moment. I have to accept that at the moment my body has no energy and nothing I do or eat will change that. I just have to give my body time to repair itself in its own time.

I have given my body  some space this week with just one lap of the Bay Wednesday.

I should be and am grateful that I will be at the start line thinking not 'if I will make it to the finish line' but more 'how long will this one take me'. My friend from way back and helper last week Jane is the 4.30 pace and I will start with her and hopefully have a 50 minutes PB from last week !!! I am hoping with a much slower start I am able to finish with Jane.

Newcastle Marathon 5.22 - yep 5.22

First off I cannot thank my running mate Jane for being so caring and generous with her time in looking after me from about 18k to the end. Short story is a few weeks ago I ran the Orange marathon in 3.33 and one a few weeks before that another in 3.36 - yesterday 5.22. 

 

No doubt the side affects of the cancer treatment has hit me a how.

The week before I was fatigued and only ran once. I thought maybe not running was for once a wise and good taper. I started off with my mind in the fight space and my body felt good. Well the body lasted until about 7k and from then I knew I had an issue and was in serious trouble.

 

I was managing okay with the slow down but going backwards through the field very quickly. I just had no energy and was getting slower and slower and was so fatigued. Jane caught me at about 18k and said she would stay me to the finish.I am so grateful as I am sure I would have been pulled by the medics at some stage if it was not for Jane assuring everyone who saw me struggling that I was experienced and that she was looking after me. In that regard we had no issues and thankfully we did not have to deal with that as well.

I shuffled, walked, stopped and dealt with the mental demons of knowing all this started before halfway. Them the heavens opened up and at the best of times I feel the cold more than most. I was drenched and with a breeze and I am further into my discomfort zone than usual and  that added to that my struggle, like I did not need - in 175 marathons and numerous ultra's including a finish in Coast to Kozzi that was was the toughest run mentally and physically.

I was never so pleased to finish I just could not have my first marathon DNF.

AGAIN JANE THANK YOU SO MUCH.

That certainly has me thinking about my race plan for Canberra marathon next week. I will start and I will finish - just a matter of how an when.