October Training goes astray!!
In my last blog update I was
in flying form and training was going well. I had the intention of updating my
blog weekly after that but unfortunately my training hit a wall. My routine
fell apart as did my blog. I felt strong in September and really thought I had
a good chance of breaking 4 hours in Dublin
after having done 4hrs and 4 minutes in New
York in 2006. I realised that it was time to adjust
my expectations – my lifestyle in 2006 was quiet a bit different to what it is
today.
Apparently women are stronger
physically after having children……well that may be the case but if those
children don’t sleep well then that’s a totally different matter! I didn’t have
any children while training for my last marathon so adding them into the
equation as well as running a business has resulted in totally different
experiences. My two children (aged 2 years and 3 years) decided to throw a
spanner in the works and started to eat and sleep poorly just at a point in my
training when I needed to be doing a 20miler. I was totally exhausted and couldn’t train
properly. I was shattered most of the time after getting little or no sleep
during the night. Getting through the day was a matter of survival never mind
thinking to attempt to run! No, of course I am not blaming the children, it
could easily have been the fact that I peaked too early and did too much in
September…who knows…
My last update was on
September 30th 2012 and between then and marathon day I had completed
just one 17.5mile run and a number of 7km – 10km runs. The week up the marathon
I ran one 5k and one 3k run. I struggled on each and every run during the month
of October. I felt wrecked on even the shorter distances and I wondered how I
was going to manage on marathon day.
Pre Race on 29th October 2012
I actually felt fairly rested
on Marathon Monday (probably due to the fact that my husband took the kids to Dublin two days ahead of
me to have a few sleepovers at their Granny’s house!). After downing my regular
pre race breakfast of porriage and a coffee I grabbed a banana and a High Five
2:1 energy drink and headed into town with my husband who was also running the
marathon. We dropped the bags off and I made it for my clubs (Craughwell AC)
photoshoot.
Mile 1 thru 13.1m
Conditions were perfect for
me although some people thought it was a little cold. I made my way to the
start line where I decided to hang out near the 4hour mark balloons (despite my
supposed revised expectations). I met with my physio Emer Collins and we had a
good natter before the gun went off. Although she reckoned we might be about
the same kind of pace I knew she would be faster then me.
The gun went just after
9:10am and I was glad things were underway. I pressed the button on my Polar
RCX 3 as I crossed the chip mat. I let Emer off before we hit Trinity College
and decided to run my own race. I was happy just sticking with the 4hour guys.
My watch screen told me after 2 miles that the GPS unit wasn’t switched on so I
just decided to run on how I felt (beginning of the series of errors!). I
reckoned that if I just kept with the pacers I would be grand but somewhere
between O’Connell Street
and the Phoenix Park I was running ahead of them. Not
bothered I decided it was no harm to be slightly ahead of them so I was not
getting caught up with all the followers. I kept looking back in the Phoenix Park to make sure I wasn’t too far ahead
of them but gradually they were getting further and further behind (another
error). I met a good friend Gabrielle Dillon in the park and we ran for a bit
together. She looked strong and told me she was trying to keep ahead of the 4hr
pacers in case she needed a toilet stop. Good thinking Gaby. I let her off
ahead as she also looked too strong for me! The toilet break played on my mind
and I decided I would pop into the toilet at about the 8mile mark. By the time
I came out I still couldn’t see the pacer balloons….not good. My next error was
that I skipped that water station at that 8m mark (distracted by the loo stop)
and by 10miles I really wanted to take a gel but I didn’t have any water to
wash it down with so I waited for another few miles before taking a gel. (it
was part of my half devised strategy to take a gel at 5, 10, 15 , 20
miles) Not getting enough water in at
this stage and missing my scheduled gel knocked me a little. By half way I was
pretty much where I was at for most of my training runs but it was just too
fast…especially given my lack of training for the previous few weeks. 1hr 59
minutes for 13.1miles.
Mile 13.1 thru 26.2
I kept searching for familiar
sights but I just didn’t know where I was. I just decided to keep targeting
points (i.e. colourful trees; traffic lights etc) and kept my focus on these
points until I passed them and I then found new targets. I find this helps pass
the time and keeps my mind away from thinking about sore limbs etc. I hit Terenure
and was happy to finally know where I was. I felt ok still but I was starting
to tire. At mile 18 I noticed the 4 hour pacers starting to catch me. I ran
with them for 2 miles and I actually thought that their pace was a little fast.
I questioned if I would be able to stay with them. Just after slowing to grab a
bottle of water at a station they edged ahead of me….slowly but surely I was
gobbled up by the herd following the pacers and I was spat out at the
back…..dropped….I was devastated. Why? Had I not revised my expectations 2
weeks before the marathon? Obviously deep inside I still hoped for a 4 hour
marathon. My 20 mile split showed me at more or less the 4 hour mark but there
was no way I could keep the pace. I hardly noticed the slope of the road at
Roebuck – it was all just tough going at that stage. Thankfully some super
Craughwell AC members were at the top of the hill with a few jelly beans and a
sports drink, I really needed it at that stage. I was so happy to see them. I
was really struggling now…I stopped and stretched my hamstrings on a few
occasions. I recall stopping before the entrance to St
Vincent’s hospital and a very nice supporter said ‘just free wheel
down to Merrion road and you only have 3 miles from there’. I was in bits, aching
all over wanting to stop. I kept focussed and all of a sudden I hit Trinity College, one traffic light after the
other I targeted and passed, I barely heard the crowds cheering. I saw the
green mat of the finish and I upped my sorry pace…I probably looked a mess but
I didn’t care. I crossed in 4hrs 10 minutes 28 seconds. My feet were swollen so
I just had to open my laces. I found it hard to walk to the guys to get my
medal. I was happy and surprised to meet my husband. He had stopped at the half
way mark as his knee had given up on him (he had a mountain bike fall two weeks
prior to the marathon and had injured his knee). I was delighted to see him but
we were both a sorry sight, hobbling like 90 year olds. How we were going to
deal with our two children later that afternoon I didn’t know…thankfully they
were in safe hands with their Granny and Grandad!
One week later
No training done since the
marathon last week not because I couldn’t – I was just lazy and also respected
the fact that you must let your body recover from a marathon. I had no ill
effects from the marathon and managed the stairs up and down no problem the
next day. We brought the kids to the pool yesterday (Sunday) and I skipped off
to do a few lengths – I nearly died on the first 250m. I hadn’t been swimming
since a triathlon in Rosses
Point on 5th
August. I had no aerobic capacity…pity running training doesn’t translate
better to the pool work. Back training this week swimming and running. The marathon did what I had intended it to
do…..it got me out running. The jury is still out as to whether it will be
another 6 years before I do marathon distance again but I do think I will wait
till the kids are older….of course I may eat those words and be back on the
starting line in Dublin
next year. In the meantime I will try to keep my blog going…even when the going
gets tough!
