Flora London Marathon 26/04/09
Having spent several days hoping for cooler weather on race-day (me and heat just don't go that well together) I wasn't as pleased as I would be on any other day of the year to wake up on Sunday to a bright blue sky with not a cloud in sight... But having set out several months ago to achieve a goal time of 3.31, and having told everyone I know about my target, I wasn't going to aim for anything else on the day. And having overcome my first major challenge of the day - using South Eastern railways to get from London Bridge to Blackheath - I thought, well, you never know..! So here's a detailed report of how my race went at the London Marathon 2009:
After successfully negotiating the train journey there, dropping my baggage off and having a half-hour queue for the urinals... I jogged over to the start line just in time for the 9.45am 'kick-off'.
To make my intended target time I had to average 8 minutes per mile for each of the 26.2 miles. So the first few miles were a bit frustrating as the huge volume of runners meant it was very stop/start, and there were periods where we were only walking, never mind jogging... Average pace for the first 2 miles was between 9.30min/mile and 10min/mile. But after 4 or 5 miles had passed I was more into my stride and on to the 8-min miles I needed. With such a slow start, I knew I'd need to do a few quicker miles too, and didn't want to leave it until the end. But I was finding it pretty hot, and the sweat was pouring off me, and I didn't want to do anything stupid and end up in hospital either!
For miles 7-9, I made a conscious effort to up the pace, and made 7.30min/mile pace where I could. Clouds passed over a couple of times, and I tried to coincide my efforts with these brief cooler spells. Going through Greenwich was awesome, great crowd support and superb atmosphere and it was at a point where I was still able to appreciate it! Obviously I was still having to dodge round a fair few runners, but I was getting more used to that by this point, barring a few i-pod and mobile phone users who were a bit less aware of those around them (why you'd want to listen to music and miss out on the most amazing atmosphere and crowd support is beyond me, but it takes all sorts!)
Against all odds, I was very happy to pass the halfway point at 1hour 46minutes, pretty much on track for my target time and having made up a fair bit of ground. But at what cost..? The heat was starting to get to me, and I had a fairly annoying blister coming on my right foot. My legs were still feeling ok and fairly full of running, but I was beginning to feel generally tired and hot. It had been a big effort to get back on track. And I was probably a bit dehydrated.
Amazingly, I was still pretty much on track for miles 14-18, although doubt was creeping more and more in to my mind. High points, such as going over Tower Bridge, obviously help keep spirits and energy-levels up. But it was getting difficult to keep the pace up. I kept checking my Garmin GPS and finding I'd slowed to 9-min miles without realising and then making a conscious effort each time to pick it up again. I was doing what I could to stay hydrated and drink a little bit at every water stop, but my body was beginning to fight me and my legs were not following orders like they should, instead starting to feel like they were someone else's... I was beginning to think, maybe I should just ease off and take it a bit easier, but I also thought, hey I didn't expect it to be easy to go so much quicker than I've previously run for a marathon! And I thought again, my plan was to hit 3.31 and that's that.
(With hindsight - wrong approach. I reckon if after 4 or 5 miles of the race I'd decided that with the heat, and the slow start, I'd aim for 3.40 instead, then I'd have had a better race. But knowing how stubborn I am, that would never have happened!! I was always going to go for broke.)
So anyway, long story short, miles 19 and 20 were tough. I had a slight resurgence for miles 20-22 - I'm not sure why, maybe just hydration and energy gels getting through. Miles 22-24 - unbelievably difficult just to keep moving. I didn't really know what the hell was going on and couldn't really think straight. I walked a couple of times and I drank about half a bottle of water following the water stop. And felt a bit better. I really wanted to stop, sit down and just glug down as much water as I could drink! But my stomach was already starting to slosh about too much and I didn't want to be sick, so I had to just keep it moving. For the final couple of miles, I just kept telling myself it wasn't too far to go and managed to keep a sort of run going, although I don't imagine it looked all that pretty! There was amazing support from all the charity sections along the Embankment around mile 24. If you ever want to feel like a rock star for a day and have complete strangers screaming your name, then run a big city marathon and write your name on your top! (One strange lady even screamed "I love you Sandy!!" as I ran past... bizarre I know, but a very welcome distraction... I didn't have time to stop and chat though...).
It's a very surreal feeling to have all that noise and attention but be so focused on just keeping you legs moving that everything about you is not quite real and you certainly wouldn't waste energy to turn your head and look someone in the face who's just shouted your name! It was the first time ever where I couldn't rustle up a sprint to the finish at the end of a marathon. I've seen that final section of the London marathon, along Birdcage Walk, so many times on TV and so I'd visualised breaking in to a sprint with arms aloft and a huge smile on my face if I ever got the chance, but as it was I just felt a huge relief that it was over, and concentrated on hauling myself over the line!
My final time was 3hrs 47minutes. This is still a fairly big personal best for me at marathon distance. It's over 5 minutes quicker than my previous best, and more than 15 minutes quicker than the last marathon I ran. BUT... I can't help being a bit disappointed that I didn't get nearer my target time. I also saw plenty of other runners in all sorts of trouble getting medical attention, and there was a point in March where injury meant I thought I might not be able to run at all, so I ought to be happy with the fact that I ran it, finished it in one piece, and got a PB. At mile 23 I was very much thinking "I am NEVER doing another one of these stupid marathons", but I now think I would like to 'do London' again in the future but just take my time and enjoy the incredible atmosphere instead of getting frustrated with myself and any hold-ups. (I should maybe also add that my Garmin tells me I did 26.84 miles - probably all the dodging round other people, but I was under 3.45 for 26.2 miles!!)
And that's despite the blistered feet, missing toenails, sunburned arms and neck, and legs that still don't quite obey my orders, even now 2 days on!
At the time of writing, I've also raised nearly £1500 for Venture Scotland, which rises to nearer £1900 with 'gift aid' added. (Here's a link to my website, www.justgiving.com/sandy-marathon , if you want to have a look). This is at a time when Venture Scotland really need extra financial support, and the money will go towards helping disadvantaged young people who are working hard to overcome significantly greater challenges than the one I faced on Sunday.
A big thankyou to the club, and particularly Bert's group, for the training that helped me to improve my marathon time by such a big margin. The disappointment of my last marathon time, at Moray in September, is what prompted me to join Portobello in the first place - and it's clearly paid off! On a cooler day, and at a smaller race, I think I'd have been able to knock even more time off too.
(And on that theme, a friend of mine has now persuaded me to join him at the Lincolnshire Spires and Steeples marathon on October 18th (www.spiresandsteeples.com). He's trying to get a party of 10 together as it's his 10th marathon. Anyone else interested in taking part?!)
Report & photos Sandy MacDonald
Here is Ricky's FLM report
Now waking up in the morning to bright sunshine and blue skies is usually wonderful but not for us marathon runners. (excuse number 1)
I had got the 1st lycra train at 7am from Charing Cross to Blackheath. I went to the 'Good For Age' (haha) area and I lay reading in the sun. I had qualified for good for age due to my Edinburgh Marathon time in 2007 but the body had fell to bits since (excuse number 2). Due to injury I couldn't go to the 2008 London Marathon but here I was now, fit-ish and ready to go. My race plan was simple I had done the Edinburgh half marathon in 90 minutes (my first race in sixteen months) so double the time and add 20 minutes; easy peasy. Of course as we got nearer to the start time I forgot all plans and pushed closer to the front.
My first mile was 6:20, this is easy I thought a Sunday stroll in the sun. 5 miles was reached in 34 minutes instead of the planned 38 minutes, 10 miles 72 minutes and halfway 94 minutes. Who cares I'm cruising I thought I'll be okay and I'll get cheered all the way home. You cannot speak highly enough of the spectors. They support their race with a passion. You are humbled by their cheering and kindness. It is great to be part of all the noise and encouragement. Anyway back to my race just double 94 minutes and p.b easy. But by 17 miles things were not going so well the wheels had started to fall off. Lets try and get to 20 miles in 2:30 and I'd get my second wind for the last 10km. (I really do need psychiatric treatment.)
I got to 20 miles in 2:32 and felt crap. Bits of me I did not know I had were hurting: this is no longer fun. Just keep going somehow. Iain Duckworth cruised by me at 21 miles looking great. I was just wishing this was over. Got to 22 miles and I thought (who cares what time I do) that's it, power walk time. Depression but I should have seen it coming (experienced athlete haha).
But you know what I thought, who cares? It's still a beautiful day. The crowds are wonderful what a lovely place for a walk. I was fed jelly babies and a lovely lady had a picnic basket full of cut oranges, thank you very much. After a bit I managed to start jogging and didn't feel too bad. My wife Susan and good friend Ally were supposed to be at the embankment area about 25 miles. So I tried to keep running here. The crowds here are about six deep both sides of the road. When I saw them I posed for my photo, why hurry now?
Then jogging home I tried to applaud the crowds who cheered even more. The line was in sight; 3:42 a p.w but you know what I felt good.
That's my 8th marathon. My 2nd London Marathon race but something had made it my best race. Maybe being injured for so long made me appreciate the race even more. I met up with Iain who did not look too good but he had done a 5 minute p.b well done mate and thanks for your support in the last few months. His time was 3:25.
I met up with my drunken support team. After a quick shower and feed we headed to Covent Garden to get full of Stella. Life can sometimes be wonderful. The London Marathon is brilliant and the crowds are wonderful so if you've never done it then enter now and enjoy being part of Britain's greatest sporting event.
Lots of love and kisses
Ricky F
