Vat_Man Tries The Marathon...
- Thread starter vat_man
- 67 comments
- 2,674 views
Originally posted by DODGE the VIPER
I parked there once...
So vat, is it like a sort of marathon series leading up to that big 40 km one?
I think anyone who's lived in Sydney's parked there, mate.
Re the series - not really. The Half Marathon in May is sponsored by the Sydney Morning Herald, whereas the Marathon in September is backed by arch-rival the Sunday Telegraph. It's conveniently about 16 weeks before the full marathon - handy in that most marathon programs are about 14-16 weeks.
The next big event is of course the Sun Herald City to Surf, on August 11 - it's only 14.4km, but it's very hilly. It was 27 degrees last year, and I took a bit of a beating last year - on reflection, I was underprepared and didn't plan my race properly. I'd like to sneak under 65 minutes this year.
Well, just finished the first four week cycle of building mileage - easy week this week coming up (thank goodness!).
So, after being out a day with the previous week's long run being on Sat June 28, rather than the Sunday, I jogged a light 4km on Monday just to ease out the last of my soreness.
So, back on schedule, I ran a really strong 10km on Tuesday night, and an easy 10km on Thursday night.
As mentioned elsewhere, I ran in a Sydney running club's 10km meet at The Domain, just east of the CBD, and managed to get home just under 43 minutes (by my watch), which I was pretty pleased with - my goal was 45 mins, and hoping for 43. That means I've improved a bit over 4 minutes since my last race over this distance in Sept last year, so that was pleasing, particularly since this was over a harder course.
My big concern, though, was that I had to run at least 24km on Sunday, and that I might still be sore.
I ran an old route that has beaten me before, which is to run to the city via the North Shore, and back home via Victoria Road - a deliberately hilly course, as the Sydney City to Surf is coming up August 10, and that is a very hilly 14.4km, so this would be a good hit-out in the build-up.
This is the first time I'd also run with hi-carb 'gel', which help restore glycogen in your muscles.
The run was longer than I anticipated (my guess at distances was a fair way off), and I ended up running for just under 2 and a quarter hours, which at my pace would work out at about 27-29 km. The carb gel really helped - it's like eating honey. You have a quick shot of it (not too much), and then drink a heap of water. Fantastic stuff, takes about 2-3 minutes to work, and you feel great again, lasts for about 20-30 minutes.
So, mileage this past week, including my 4km jog on Monday, was around 62km, my biggest mileage by far. I've pulled up quite sore today from the weekend's mileage (which ended up only 4km short of a marathon, and 10k of it was done at a pretty decent pace!), but nothing too bad, and it's a relatively easy week this week, with 8km on Tues, Thurs and Sat, and 16km on Sunday. Not looking forward to getting out tomorrow, though.
So at this point, I'm feeling pretty good about how training's going.
So, after being out a day with the previous week's long run being on Sat June 28, rather than the Sunday, I jogged a light 4km on Monday just to ease out the last of my soreness.
So, back on schedule, I ran a really strong 10km on Tuesday night, and an easy 10km on Thursday night.
As mentioned elsewhere, I ran in a Sydney running club's 10km meet at The Domain, just east of the CBD, and managed to get home just under 43 minutes (by my watch), which I was pretty pleased with - my goal was 45 mins, and hoping for 43. That means I've improved a bit over 4 minutes since my last race over this distance in Sept last year, so that was pleasing, particularly since this was over a harder course.
My big concern, though, was that I had to run at least 24km on Sunday, and that I might still be sore.
I ran an old route that has beaten me before, which is to run to the city via the North Shore, and back home via Victoria Road - a deliberately hilly course, as the Sydney City to Surf is coming up August 10, and that is a very hilly 14.4km, so this would be a good hit-out in the build-up.
This is the first time I'd also run with hi-carb 'gel', which help restore glycogen in your muscles.
The run was longer than I anticipated (my guess at distances was a fair way off), and I ended up running for just under 2 and a quarter hours, which at my pace would work out at about 27-29 km. The carb gel really helped - it's like eating honey. You have a quick shot of it (not too much), and then drink a heap of water. Fantastic stuff, takes about 2-3 minutes to work, and you feel great again, lasts for about 20-30 minutes.
So, mileage this past week, including my 4km jog on Monday, was around 62km, my biggest mileage by far. I've pulled up quite sore today from the weekend's mileage (which ended up only 4km short of a marathon, and 10k of it was done at a pretty decent pace!), but nothing too bad, and it's a relatively easy week this week, with 8km on Tues, Thurs and Sat, and 16km on Sunday. Not looking forward to getting out tomorrow, though.
So at this point, I'm feeling pretty good about how training's going.
Well, after a bit of a scare with shin splints a fortnight ago, I've had my first really big week of training - Tue, Thu and Sat at 14km, and 36km today (Sunday).
I had a bit of a push for a time on Saturday - I've got two fun runs coming up, the first in Brisbane next week (12km, the Bridge to Brisbane) and the Sydney City to Surf (14.4km). I want to have a bit of a go at times for these events, so I had a push on Saturday to see where I am time-wise. I ran 14.8km in just over 62 minutes, so that suggests I could be looking at under 50m for the Brisbane run, and around an hour for the City to Surf (well, apart from the fact the Sydney run's really hilly and crowed - realistically if I get under 65 mins I'll be pretty pleased).
So to Sunday and 36km - very interesting. I ran at 5 min kilometres, so it took pretty well bang on three hours. I didn't push at all, just looking to ensure I did the distance (I was also a little stiff from Sat). I've been looking through a lot of training notes on the internet and a lot of people mention that from about 32km it starts to get pretty tough - and sure enough, at about the 30-31km mark I started to tighten up. I'd been very careful with planning my fluid intake and use of carbo gels, so a good solid drink and a swig of the gel and I got through it fairly easily.
I felt pretty good at the finish, and I think I could probably have eked out another 6km. I'm feeling a lot more confident now - mind you, I'm pretty sore! - as having been to to within about half an hour of the full distance, there doesn't seem to be any major unknowns there. I have two more 36 km runs before the marathon - I might push one out to 40km just to see.
I had a bit of a push for a time on Saturday - I've got two fun runs coming up, the first in Brisbane next week (12km, the Bridge to Brisbane) and the Sydney City to Surf (14.4km). I want to have a bit of a go at times for these events, so I had a push on Saturday to see where I am time-wise. I ran 14.8km in just over 62 minutes, so that suggests I could be looking at under 50m for the Brisbane run, and around an hour for the City to Surf (well, apart from the fact the Sydney run's really hilly and crowed - realistically if I get under 65 mins I'll be pretty pleased).
So to Sunday and 36km - very interesting. I ran at 5 min kilometres, so it took pretty well bang on three hours. I didn't push at all, just looking to ensure I did the distance (I was also a little stiff from Sat). I've been looking through a lot of training notes on the internet and a lot of people mention that from about 32km it starts to get pretty tough - and sure enough, at about the 30-31km mark I started to tighten up. I'd been very careful with planning my fluid intake and use of carbo gels, so a good solid drink and a swig of the gel and I got through it fairly easily.
I felt pretty good at the finish, and I think I could probably have eked out another 6km. I'm feeling a lot more confident now - mind you, I'm pretty sore! - as having been to to within about half an hour of the full distance, there doesn't seem to be any major unknowns there. I have two more 36 km runs before the marathon - I might push one out to 40km just to see.
- 1,045
THANK YOU!!!!
I know it's the only hill on the course, but I haven't been able to find any photos of it anywhere - love your work!
How long is the hill? I gather it's a similar length downhill on the other side?
Nothing like getting the heart rate up early!
I'm a bit fortunate that where I live in Sydney is pretty hilly, so hill training is a fact of life - I don't need to specifically train for it.
I know it's the only hill on the course, but I haven't been able to find any photos of it anywhere - love your work!
How long is the hill? I gather it's a similar length downhill on the other side?
Nothing like getting the heart rate up early!
I'm a bit fortunate that where I live in Sydney is pretty hilly, so hill training is a fact of life - I don't need to specifically train for it.
- 1,045
yeah, the downhill is exactly the same!!! Our MINI needs third gear going up the hill!!!
If thats the only hill, you should be fine. Id love to go down on my bike in 21st!!!
If thats the only hill, you should be fine. Id love to go down on my bike in 21st!!!
- 1,045
hey, vat_man how did you go in the Bridge to Brisbane?
Not bad - got back from Brisbane this evening. I ran 50m38s. I was hoping to slip under 50 mins, but I had a little 'crisis' around the 10km mark where I was fairly sure I was going to throw up (I didn't). I actually ran a personal best 10km (about 42.12) on the run.
It was pretty slow up the bridge, but once the field got over the crest it freed up quickly.
Have to say, too, very professionally run event. They did a great job.
I jogged back through town back to St Lucia (we were staying with my partner's mother) - Brisbane's quite pretty along the river. I was surprised - love that Storey Bridge, too - they weren't mucking around when they put that thing up!
It was pretty slow up the bridge, but once the field got over the crest it freed up quickly.
Have to say, too, very professionally run event. They did a great job.
I jogged back through town back to St Lucia (we were staying with my partner's mother) - Brisbane's quite pretty along the river. I was surprised - love that Storey Bridge, too - they weren't mucking around when they put that thing up!
One of the major sponsors of the Bridge to Brisbane, Suncorp, has a very cool feature where they had a webcam record everyone finishing.
This is me going over the finish line (apologies for quality).
The red mat is for the timing chip - I'm actually going for my watch to stop the timer there.
This is me going over the finish line (apologies for quality).
The red mat is for the timing chip - I'm actually going for my watch to stop the timer there.
Attachments
- 1,045
yeah, brisbane is pretty cool around the river, 'cept for the colour of the water!!! yuck!
Well, it's marathon week - Sunday's the big day.
I'm in the midst of the two week 'taper', where the training miles come down to consolidate all the work done, and ensure the legs are fresh for the 42.195km journey.
I didn't realise it had been a while since I've posted here. The week after the Brisbane event I ran Sydney's City to Surf event (a quite hard 14km run through hilly terrain, between the CBD and Bondi Beach) in 60m16s, a time I was pretty pleased with (although it would have been nice to sneak under the hour).
I also did my final big run, which ended up being around 33-34km, and took in the final third of the marathon course. That was about three weeks ago - I came up quite sore from that run (the other 36km run I'd done was on a soft surface, so I suspect the hard surface had an impact), and more worringly copped a little injury at the top left of the left calf. It's been nothing terribly serious, but in favouring it the muscles around the left knee got a little upset.
So, this weekend I ran in two 10k races - didn't push hard, although I ran a 43'15" on Saturday and a 44'55" on Sunday, with a remedial massage on Saturday afternoon. The left calf's okay, but I do find it takes 4-5km to come good, once the blood flow gets through it. The masseuse mentioned that if that particular muscle gets inflamed it can impinge on the nerve that runs down through that area, and that may be what was causing the ache referring down through the lower leg. I'm a little stiff from the weekend - I'll have another epsom salts bath tonight and see if I can't draw the last of the acid out of there.
So - it's a week of complex carbohydrates and water for me! Ahh - the joy of carbo loading....
I'm in the midst of the two week 'taper', where the training miles come down to consolidate all the work done, and ensure the legs are fresh for the 42.195km journey.
I didn't realise it had been a while since I've posted here. The week after the Brisbane event I ran Sydney's City to Surf event (a quite hard 14km run through hilly terrain, between the CBD and Bondi Beach) in 60m16s, a time I was pretty pleased with (although it would have been nice to sneak under the hour).
I also did my final big run, which ended up being around 33-34km, and took in the final third of the marathon course. That was about three weeks ago - I came up quite sore from that run (the other 36km run I'd done was on a soft surface, so I suspect the hard surface had an impact), and more worringly copped a little injury at the top left of the left calf. It's been nothing terribly serious, but in favouring it the muscles around the left knee got a little upset.
So, this weekend I ran in two 10k races - didn't push hard, although I ran a 43'15" on Saturday and a 44'55" on Sunday, with a remedial massage on Saturday afternoon. The left calf's okay, but I do find it takes 4-5km to come good, once the blood flow gets through it. The masseuse mentioned that if that particular muscle gets inflamed it can impinge on the nerve that runs down through that area, and that may be what was causing the ache referring down through the lower leg. I'm a little stiff from the weekend - I'll have another epsom salts bath tonight and see if I can't draw the last of the acid out of there.
So - it's a week of complex carbohydrates and water for me! Ahh - the joy of carbo loading....
Sage
Staff Emeritus
- 12,533
- United States
- GTP_Sage
Good luck, and have fun!
👍I've got my first Cross Country meet coming up on Wednesday - I'm a little bit nervous, because if I do well at that meet I could be bumped up to Varsity (I was put in JV today... Varsity is the top 7 fastest, and I stand at about the 9th fastest on the team).
- 1,045
good luck!
Well, I'm home - finished around 3h38-39 (forgot to stop my watch!). Ran the whole way. I'll give a final write up shortly. Pretty rapt - would have been nice to get under 3h30 (5m km pace) but it was fairly warm and we were into the wind for most of the run. Just heading out for walk to keep the legs going - had a massage right after the finish, during which I cramped (better there than out on the track!).
Running over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Anzac Bridge - just sensational....
Running over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Anzac Bridge - just sensational....
GilesGuthrie
Staff Emeritus
- 11,038
- Edinburgh, UK
- CMDRTheDarkLord
Congratulations!
I saw yesterday that it was the big day, but was too late to wish you well. I've just read this thread all the way through, and it's an incredible effort you've put in, you must be proud, and with due justification.
My slothful ways mean I have to train to run to the bar for last orders!
What plans now? Are you going to do a "World Tour of Marathons"?
I saw yesterday that it was the big day, but was too late to wish you well. I've just read this thread all the way through, and it's an incredible effort you've put in, you must be proud, and with due justification.
My slothful ways mean I have to train to run to the bar for last orders!
What plans now? Are you going to do a "World Tour of Marathons"?
Okay, vat_mans marathon report
I was a good boy on Saturday night didnt have a drink, and went to bed at around ten. The other half was recovering from a virus she had last week, so she was happy to retire early. Despite being pretty nervous for about a week leading up to the marathon, I slept very well, which is unusual the night before a race. I usually ensure I get a good nights sleep on the Friday before, mainly because I expect to struggle for sleep Saturday night.
I got up at about four, and had a good sized bowl of porridge, attended to other personal matters, and went back to bed at about 4:20, and actually managed another hours sleep before getting up at about 5:30.
Had a strong cup of coffee, attended to personal matters again, quick surf of the net, and then at about 6:20, we were away. Partner drove me over to the start in North Sydney, dropped my bag off, and then warmed up, waiting for the start. Bumped into a couple of people I knew who were also running Im part of a loose community of Sydney runners, and weve just started getting our own running singlets which are quite distinctive. Cant say I felt fantastic warming up legs were a little sore, including my troublesome left calf, but actually felt better than my 2km system check jog on Saturday afternoon, which I chose to take as a good sign. I usually go on how my foot landing feels the Kayanos felt like pillows, thats generally a good sign.
Didnt have too much of a hold up at the start, and we were away down Miller Street. I didnt have a big warm up, since I figured with 42.195km I could probably call the first 5km a warm up! I was a little slow to get going initially, but fortunately the start is pretty gentle so it wasnt long before I was cruising along at a shade under 5 min a kilometre pace. Bumped into a couple of people who recognised the new singlet for the community, and had a chat with a woman who knew a common acquaintance I used to go to school with in Melbourne.
Hit the first drink post at the 2.5km mark, and made a point of stopping for fluids at each stop (every 2.5km), water initially, then water and sports drink from 12.5km onwards.
Hit the 10km mark in Centennial Park about a minute ahead of schedule (49 minutes rather than the target of 50). Remembering the advice of a friend who said it was critical to ensure you didnt go out too hard, and carrying a slightly uncomfortable bladder, I elected to make a quick pit-stop to both attend to personal matters, and take the opportunity to calm things down a bit.
Had a chat to a guy who was wearing a GPS watch unit, and caught up with another member of our running community. I ran with him until about the 34km mark, when I dropped off the back of the little pack wed formed.
I felt fantastic from about the 10km mark (toilet stop was a good call) through to about the 25km mark got through the half marathon at about 1 hour 44 minutes 30 seconds, about 5 minutes outside my half marathon PB from May. We were starting to work a bit the headwind had come up since the turnaround point at Randwick, which wed be fighting all morning. Took my first carbo gel at about the 20km mark, and took them probably every 5-7.5km from there onwards.
We hit the start of the Anzac Bridge (the first serious hill at about the 25-26km mark) a touch under 5 min km schedule, and it was here that we started to see our people starting to walk. Its a pretty serious hill there, just at the back of Darling Harbour (Giles might remember it its the ramp at the back of the Imax Theatre there). The Anzac Bridge is a double hill youve got the first climb up onto the overpass, and then another climb up to the peak of the bridge. The second climb took a bit out of me, but I was still feeling pretty good. Had a little emotional touchstone as we went under Victoria Road just under three years ago, I stood right next to the road with my late mother and watched the Olympic marathoners go past she was wearing my replica Ayrton Senna cap (remember the blue Nacional cap?) which freaked out one of the Brazilian runners.
Just on that I should give some emotional background to why I did this to myself. As many of you know, my mother passed away from lung cancer in February last year, after my father died of either stomach or bowel cancer in late 1997 dont get me started on smokers, neither made it to their 60th birthday. Anyway, Mum signed up to work at the 2000 Sydney Olympics as a volunteer towards the end of 1999, before being diagnosed with lung cancer in March of 2000. She went through chemotherapy, and managed to get into remission in time to get to the Olympics to realise her goal of working as a volunteer at Olympic Park Sunday was actually the third anniversary of the opening ceremony, hence the significance of the event
Anyway, I got knocked around a little by the next climb up to Norton Street, and I had a little numbness in my left hand (courtesy of my old neck problem) I managed to recover over the next flat 4-5 km stretch, but I was starting to bleed time away from my 3 hours 30 mins target, and I knew I had to conserve strength for the climb into Five Dock and the rolling hills up Queens Rd through to Concorde.
At the 32km mark (20 miles the spot where the wall lives for a lot of people running marathons) at the back of the Iron Cove we had our first guy carried off in an ambulance.
About a kilometre later, we started the first part of the climb into Five Dock I gently dropped off the back of the group I was in, and once I got to the top of the hill in Five Dock and started to head west along Queens Road to Concord, it was a pretty lonely run from there.
The wind continued to strengthen. Fortunately, Id run this section of the course three weeks ago in even stronger winds, so I knew what to expect. I was keeping a bit of an eye on my pace, as I wanted to ensure I got in under 3h40m.
Theres another big climb from Concord Oval (at about the 37-38km mark) up to Concord Rd that one hurt, and I was starting to hurt in the quads. Lets not talk about how my feet felt. Once I got over that hill, and started to head over Concord Rd to North Strathfield Station, the voices wondering about stopping started I kept telling myself that the disappointment of wimping out would hurt more if I stopped now than if I carried on to the finish, and thinking that my mother had had to endure much more pain than this just to fight to stay alive. I was passing a lot of people who were walking, shuffling, injured along this stretch.
Next to North Strathfield station (about 39km), as we climbed ANOTHER short hill, two police were keeping a very close eye on a guy that looked to be on the verge of passing out. He actually wobbled right in front of me I had to put my hand on his shoulder to make sure we didnt collide. I think his day was done!
My little crisis continued through the 40km mark, as we passed under Homebush Bay Drive and the final fluid stop, and into Olympic Park I struggled onto Sarah Durak Avenue the final hill! and turned right onto Olympic Boulevard, to see the gentle downslope and the finish line. There was a solid crowd there, and the adrenalin started to pump at this point there was no doubt I was going run it home! My pace picked up, and yeah, I got a little teary. Saw a running mate of mine who went nuts when he saw me that helped a lot! Continued to push all the way to the line the announcer was calling the names of people finishing. Crossing the line I yelled YES, with my arms raised cant wait to see the photo!
I walked awkwardly into the finishing area, and saw two guys from the running club. Joined the queue for the after-run massage, which was pretty damned painful, I can tell you, especially when I cramped in the left calf.
So, was it worth all the work and pain? Absolutely. Will I do another marathon? Absolutely. Im planning to do three next year. Am I sore right now? Good god yes yesterday at lunchtime I had a massage that would rate as the most painful hour of my adult life. Im probably as sore today as I was yesterday, but with a little strength returning to my quads, so were progressing.
Just amazing. Im rapt. Would have been nice to get under 3h30m, but given the conditions Im very pleased with around 3h38-39m. I ran the whole way (well, apart from my pitstop at the ten km mark, but the alternative was wetting myself), and I finished well. Cant wait to recover and get after a half marathon but Ill have to. They say it takes 4-6 weeks to recover properly from a marathon. Nuts.
I was a good boy on Saturday night didnt have a drink, and went to bed at around ten. The other half was recovering from a virus she had last week, so she was happy to retire early. Despite being pretty nervous for about a week leading up to the marathon, I slept very well, which is unusual the night before a race. I usually ensure I get a good nights sleep on the Friday before, mainly because I expect to struggle for sleep Saturday night.
I got up at about four, and had a good sized bowl of porridge, attended to other personal matters, and went back to bed at about 4:20, and actually managed another hours sleep before getting up at about 5:30.
Had a strong cup of coffee, attended to personal matters again, quick surf of the net, and then at about 6:20, we were away. Partner drove me over to the start in North Sydney, dropped my bag off, and then warmed up, waiting for the start. Bumped into a couple of people I knew who were also running Im part of a loose community of Sydney runners, and weve just started getting our own running singlets which are quite distinctive. Cant say I felt fantastic warming up legs were a little sore, including my troublesome left calf, but actually felt better than my 2km system check jog on Saturday afternoon, which I chose to take as a good sign. I usually go on how my foot landing feels the Kayanos felt like pillows, thats generally a good sign.
Didnt have too much of a hold up at the start, and we were away down Miller Street. I didnt have a big warm up, since I figured with 42.195km I could probably call the first 5km a warm up! I was a little slow to get going initially, but fortunately the start is pretty gentle so it wasnt long before I was cruising along at a shade under 5 min a kilometre pace. Bumped into a couple of people who recognised the new singlet for the community, and had a chat with a woman who knew a common acquaintance I used to go to school with in Melbourne.
Hit the first drink post at the 2.5km mark, and made a point of stopping for fluids at each stop (every 2.5km), water initially, then water and sports drink from 12.5km onwards.
Hit the 10km mark in Centennial Park about a minute ahead of schedule (49 minutes rather than the target of 50). Remembering the advice of a friend who said it was critical to ensure you didnt go out too hard, and carrying a slightly uncomfortable bladder, I elected to make a quick pit-stop to both attend to personal matters, and take the opportunity to calm things down a bit.
Had a chat to a guy who was wearing a GPS watch unit, and caught up with another member of our running community. I ran with him until about the 34km mark, when I dropped off the back of the little pack wed formed.
I felt fantastic from about the 10km mark (toilet stop was a good call) through to about the 25km mark got through the half marathon at about 1 hour 44 minutes 30 seconds, about 5 minutes outside my half marathon PB from May. We were starting to work a bit the headwind had come up since the turnaround point at Randwick, which wed be fighting all morning. Took my first carbo gel at about the 20km mark, and took them probably every 5-7.5km from there onwards.
We hit the start of the Anzac Bridge (the first serious hill at about the 25-26km mark) a touch under 5 min km schedule, and it was here that we started to see our people starting to walk. Its a pretty serious hill there, just at the back of Darling Harbour (Giles might remember it its the ramp at the back of the Imax Theatre there). The Anzac Bridge is a double hill youve got the first climb up onto the overpass, and then another climb up to the peak of the bridge. The second climb took a bit out of me, but I was still feeling pretty good. Had a little emotional touchstone as we went under Victoria Road just under three years ago, I stood right next to the road with my late mother and watched the Olympic marathoners go past she was wearing my replica Ayrton Senna cap (remember the blue Nacional cap?) which freaked out one of the Brazilian runners.
Just on that I should give some emotional background to why I did this to myself. As many of you know, my mother passed away from lung cancer in February last year, after my father died of either stomach or bowel cancer in late 1997 dont get me started on smokers, neither made it to their 60th birthday. Anyway, Mum signed up to work at the 2000 Sydney Olympics as a volunteer towards the end of 1999, before being diagnosed with lung cancer in March of 2000. She went through chemotherapy, and managed to get into remission in time to get to the Olympics to realise her goal of working as a volunteer at Olympic Park Sunday was actually the third anniversary of the opening ceremony, hence the significance of the event
Anyway, I got knocked around a little by the next climb up to Norton Street, and I had a little numbness in my left hand (courtesy of my old neck problem) I managed to recover over the next flat 4-5 km stretch, but I was starting to bleed time away from my 3 hours 30 mins target, and I knew I had to conserve strength for the climb into Five Dock and the rolling hills up Queens Rd through to Concorde.
At the 32km mark (20 miles the spot where the wall lives for a lot of people running marathons) at the back of the Iron Cove we had our first guy carried off in an ambulance.
About a kilometre later, we started the first part of the climb into Five Dock I gently dropped off the back of the group I was in, and once I got to the top of the hill in Five Dock and started to head west along Queens Road to Concord, it was a pretty lonely run from there.
The wind continued to strengthen. Fortunately, Id run this section of the course three weeks ago in even stronger winds, so I knew what to expect. I was keeping a bit of an eye on my pace, as I wanted to ensure I got in under 3h40m.
Theres another big climb from Concord Oval (at about the 37-38km mark) up to Concord Rd that one hurt, and I was starting to hurt in the quads. Lets not talk about how my feet felt. Once I got over that hill, and started to head over Concord Rd to North Strathfield Station, the voices wondering about stopping started I kept telling myself that the disappointment of wimping out would hurt more if I stopped now than if I carried on to the finish, and thinking that my mother had had to endure much more pain than this just to fight to stay alive. I was passing a lot of people who were walking, shuffling, injured along this stretch.
Next to North Strathfield station (about 39km), as we climbed ANOTHER short hill, two police were keeping a very close eye on a guy that looked to be on the verge of passing out. He actually wobbled right in front of me I had to put my hand on his shoulder to make sure we didnt collide. I think his day was done!
My little crisis continued through the 40km mark, as we passed under Homebush Bay Drive and the final fluid stop, and into Olympic Park I struggled onto Sarah Durak Avenue the final hill! and turned right onto Olympic Boulevard, to see the gentle downslope and the finish line. There was a solid crowd there, and the adrenalin started to pump at this point there was no doubt I was going run it home! My pace picked up, and yeah, I got a little teary. Saw a running mate of mine who went nuts when he saw me that helped a lot! Continued to push all the way to the line the announcer was calling the names of people finishing. Crossing the line I yelled YES, with my arms raised cant wait to see the photo!
I walked awkwardly into the finishing area, and saw two guys from the running club. Joined the queue for the after-run massage, which was pretty damned painful, I can tell you, especially when I cramped in the left calf.
So, was it worth all the work and pain? Absolutely. Will I do another marathon? Absolutely. Im planning to do three next year. Am I sore right now? Good god yes yesterday at lunchtime I had a massage that would rate as the most painful hour of my adult life. Im probably as sore today as I was yesterday, but with a little strength returning to my quads, so were progressing.
Just amazing. Im rapt. Would have been nice to get under 3h30m, but given the conditions Im very pleased with around 3h38-39m. I ran the whole way (well, apart from my pitstop at the ten km mark, but the alternative was wetting myself), and I finished well. Cant wait to recover and get after a half marathon but Ill have to. They say it takes 4-6 weeks to recover properly from a marathon. Nuts.
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Wow ... that's impressive. I'm impressed. I keep telling myself to get back in shape but I just don't have anything driving me to do it. Now that the weather is cooling here I should get back on my bike.
It's really neat that you have a group to run in like that. It also brings back memories with you talking about chatting with people while you were in the marathon. I've done a few 10km runs here when I was able to chat with fellow runners. I've also done some where there was no room to be wasting energy on communication (:
So you were shooting for 25m 5km pace? It's kind of difficult for me to calculate ultra-long distance paces when I'm so used to shorter things like 800m, 1600m, and 3200m runs. My 5km personal best is 17 minutes, so 25 sounds like forever. I suppose that's what it takes to get that much ground covered.
My Dad ran marathons in Texas from college until I was about 5 years old. I think his personal best is 3h19m so you're actually doing quite well. I bet your next time will be tens of minutes improved.
Congradulations Vat! I'm proud to know you (:
It's really neat that you have a group to run in like that. It also brings back memories with you talking about chatting with people while you were in the marathon. I've done a few 10km runs here when I was able to chat with fellow runners. I've also done some where there was no room to be wasting energy on communication (:
So you were shooting for 25m 5km pace? It's kind of difficult for me to calculate ultra-long distance paces when I'm so used to shorter things like 800m, 1600m, and 3200m runs. My 5km personal best is 17 minutes, so 25 sounds like forever. I suppose that's what it takes to get that much ground covered.
My Dad ran marathons in Texas from college until I was about 5 years old. I think his personal best is 3h19m so you're actually doing quite well. I bet your next time will be tens of minutes improved.
Congradulations Vat! I'm proud to know you (:
Ha - thought about that, but I think there's plenty more to come, so 'runner' seemed more appropriate. Thanks anyway!
I was hoping for 3 hours 30, which is pretty well bang on 5min kilometre pace - so that would work out to be a 25 minute 5k. I just started to bleed time after the 27km mark, and I couldn't produce the surge down the hills to compensate for the climbs.
As I mentioned, Sydney has a reputation for being a tough course, and on top of that we copped a headwind for probably two thirds of the distance. Based on commentary from a few people, it would seem that would translate to around 3h 20-25m at somewhere like Canberra, which is pretty flat. We'll see how that goes April next year - I'm pretty sure with slightly more focussed training and a good summer schedule I could run 3h20 pretty easily.
I'll revisit my training schedule in the coming weeks and try to build some specific speed/interval sessions in, probably on Wednesday evenings - see if I can find some speed. I want to break the 4 minute km barrier for ten km - my next serious 10k event's in November, but I'll be targetting around 41 - 42 mins. My PB's 43, but I ran a 42m40 10k at the Brisbane 12k (ran 50m35s for the total distance - hey, I just realised I ran sub 4 min ks for the last two, man, a negative split!) where I felt like crap, so with a bit more endurance and strength I figure I could probably find a minute. 4 min kilometres is the barrier - I reckon I could sneak under it for five km now (well, apart from the marathon recovery thing).
Nice to have the medal and the t-shirt though. Once the photos come through I'll post them.
Sage
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*sigh*... vat_man, you klutz! j/k
... My record last year was 19:48. However, I have improved substantially from last year - I was running mid-pack in Frosh/Soph, and now I'm very close to Varsity - So, I'm hoping to easily improve on that on my first meet, come September 17th. I'll report what I get (though I've run that course before, and it's pretty lousy... and scores of people got lost last year).
j/kEh, nothing to be proud of
... My record last year was 19:48. However, I have improved substantially from last year - I was running mid-pack in Frosh/Soph, and now I'm very close to Varsity - So, I'm hoping to easily improve on that on my first meet, come September 17th. I'll report what I get (though I've run that course before, and it's pretty lousy... and scores of people got lost last year).
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Originally posted by Sage
*sigh*... vat_man, you klutz!
Eh, nothing to be proud of
LOST!!?? Who's running your events? That's absurd!
Sage
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Yup, lost. They were just standing around, trying to figure out where the heck to go.
The problem is that the course is mostly comprised of loops - it basically loops around the main park three times, but each loop is different yet overlaps on parts of the other loops, so it's horribly confusing. It wouldn't have been so bad if there were people who knew the course directing us, but there weren't - There were a few people along the course, but few of them seemed to know anything about it, and some indeed gave wrong directions. And only the first mile of the course was chalked off.
I imagine that the race organizers got a bit of hell from a number of people though, so hopefully it's better this year. I'll find out tomorrow!
