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.