Virgin London Marathon - Race Report

Setting three alarms was a good plan.  iPhone battery drained overnight and my alarm's ipod did not go off.  Woke up to the 3rd one so in a rush for the rest of the morning before leaving for the train from Harpenden at 6:45am.  I managed to cram some porridge down my neck, but failed with everything else that I had intended.  I ran to the station.  Good job I had force fed myself the day before.

Lee, Darren, Viddy, Jamie, Ian, Nikki, Camilla and Sarah were there from AROs - but many more that we should have recruited into the club were also going, along with all their support.  The chat and banter was good with all the runners getting on the train - only just managing to get a seat. Overall, once there the organisation was excellent and in the Good for Age pen, we did not have the struggles to get to the loo or past the start when it did start.  I had crammed in a few additional energy bars, a gel and salt tab (they had passed health and safety tests as Viddy was still alive).

From the Red start, the 1st few miles were more congested than I expected but it thinned out - then we converged with the other Blue and Green start runners.  The crowds were cheerful and already drinking. One kindly chap offered me a cigarette.  But then the calf started to niggle, then hurt.  It was hurting consistently and not getting worse (well at mile 15 it did pang a bit more.)

I took my mind off it all by counting the number of mentions and shouts of "Speirsy".  The 1st one was after a few miles - and was a very loud "C'mon Spicy" - there were many other combinations after that (I got up to 30 by mile halfway just after Tower Bridge), including a loud "SSSSPPPppp" - but I didn't mind.  I only minded when I ran next to Dave and everyone took the easy option.

At mile 16 I managed to overtake a man in a tutu with dyed red hair and felt guilty going past one of the disabled runners who did not have legs under the knees and had running blades.  I forgot about the calf.

The next few miles are a complete blur.  I recall thinking that I was going along embankment and seeing Westminster - but can't remember going past it.  I remember seeing the 800m, 600m, 400m and 200m boards - but not where they were placed.  Apparently close to Buck House... What I do know I was elated when I crossed the line.  I had been using the trusted Garmin to gauge my pace - however it let me down this time around.  I thought I had run 10 seconds faster a mile over the whole course and broken my best case target.

I waited for the other ARO runners who had struggled in the heat - as had so many others during the day.  S-tabs seemed to have worked - although I didn't get to use all of them as they melted in my back pocket from the water I poured on my head and neck.

I now had the 2nd marathon of the day - to join Kate and the kids up in Norfolk for a few days rest.  Replacement bus service from Cambridge to Ely.  A cold day on the beach, then the sick bug that had picked off each of the rest of the family got me.  Must have been run down for some reason.

So in terms of the time - a new PB at 2:51:24 coming in 521st, 100th in my class (40+ year old farts) and 10th Simon. Not as good as my Garmin time of 2:49:09 but I will be back next year as it was truly a lot of fun and an amazing event.

Thank you to everyone who sponsored me to do this - currently at £1,135 plus the tax!  Still not too late if you have not at www.bmycharity.com/speirsy.

Camera spotted - I console myself I did not feel as bad as the guy behind me

Another camera spotted....  Am I getting the evil eye?

Didn't spot camera - only time running on my own for 26.2 miles

S&*% or Bust

 What a taper - 10 days of rest. 

Tested the leg on Friday and seemed OK.  Back still needs care - having managed a self-help pulling it back into line the other night.  May be temperamental.

I have breached the £1000 - so many thanks to all those who have sponsored me!

Race report to come



Question now is what is the race plan and should I "unleash" myself..   (Kenny knows what I am talking about.)

Back or not? NOT

This was the second week of my double dip recovery

Back was remedied on Monday afternoon by another Osteo, Paul, who had been involved with the GB rowing squad at one time or another down at Leander on the Thames.  He wasn't quite as gentle as had Natalie from the week before - but I felt so much better.

Throwing caution out the window, I went for a little jogette to see how it felt.  Felt good as I bumped into UltraJ on the St Albans Rd - he'd had to cut down his 27 mile headtorcher from London to Harpenden as his boss had turned up on site at the Tate.  He'd "only" managed 16.5m having hopped off the train on the way home to do the rest on foot.  I turned and joined him on the final couple of miles back to his place.  I was near limping by the end of it from the persistent cramp in the calf - which meant a slow walk home.  Worse than that, back seized again overnight meaning a dash to Boots for Ibruprofen and steady, heavy dosing for next 48 hours.

Wednesday was another trip to see another Osteo - this time Bryan.  Little did I know that all Osteos just aren't all the same.  No major back crunching this time just a lot of pulling about.  Seemed to work though.  Funny point was when I pointed to the prolonged cramp in the calf.  He examined it and asked when I had torn it....  Eh?  Thought it was a deadleg from the cramp!

Ibruprofen, ice, heat, Echinachea (until I realised it should be Arnica - I don't yet have a problem with my immune system), rolling, stretching, bought some compression socks - but only wear one, sports massage...   anything else to try?  Ah yes - rest.  No running for a week.  Going to have to go swimming or sit on a bike and will miss the Flitwick 10k.

On another note, good news is that the s-tabs have arrived and I am quite sure that sodium, sodium chloride, potassium and magnesium are not yet on the banned substance list.  So if I do run (which I am sure I will, barring doctor's advice not to) then I don't think that I should cramp if these aforementioned minerals are needed to prevent it.  

I will be cutting my stash with Viddy as, although I like a good laugh, the old boy does need some help in that department.  I do hope, however, that these things are bona-fide as I bought them off a bloke off the interweb.  Think I will get Viddy to test them over the next week or so just in case.

Jumping on the old rowing machine

What a disastrous week.  Pre-race planning turned on its head.

Having had a good enough race on Sunday, the cramp just would not abate at all despite the effort of ibuprofen, warm baths, ice, massage, deep heat and rest.  Good news story was that having suffered from a lower lumber ache, "tight" gluts and more worryingly pins and needles in my feet for 2 weeks since my trip on those planes to Tulsa, I visited an Osteo who, with a push and pull, got rid of it all.  Back to normal (just the calf to deal with.)

I did try some running:
Mon:    3m at 10min mile recovery pace (no recovery achieved),
Tues:   7m very easy jog with AROs
Thurs:  4m easy (when I should have been doing the 5k race).

You may not think this an easy week but had already achieved 180 miles in March - my highest ever tally.

By Fri I was reconciled to the fact that I would get some cross training in whilst away with Kate for an Anniversary celebration weekend (without kids who kindly being looked after by their Aunty Sal.)

To the cross training:  having done a good 1hr 20mins already I jumped on the old rowing machine one more time to really give it some welly and get the lungs working.  One, two, ping.... completely incapacitated with Kate trying to look for emergency Osteopaths in Bournemouth.  No such luck.

Revisit to the Osteo planned for Monday morning - 2 weeks to go and got to get this sorted out.....

(btw - for those thinking it, Kate does not have a pet name from me of "the old rowing machine" - it really was an old rowing machine.)

Niggles

About now most marathon runners will pay a lot of attention and listen to their bodies.  This usually happens right up to the big day.  Ignore or listen?  Tiredness or injury? Self-doubt can start to creep in.  For me, this week, my legs have been telling me to slow down or they will punish me soon.  I decided to listen but still got carried away.....

Tuesday: schedule was calling for a long tempo - but just too tired.  An easy run called for but ended up at 12m, with 5 miles added to meet people at AROs Running club then tanked it around another 7 with BenK and Lee.  Amazing that once you are running it's not so bad.

Thursday - UltraJ has been monitoring his own health pre Ultra season which is coming up soon - starting with a 30miler on the Whitlow Way (as usual he managed 31m.) A little easy short jog out turned into a  10 mile head-torcher down the Nikki line.

Jet lag and last weekend finally were shrugged off, but decided to take 2 days rest before Oakley 20 - last long run pre-VLM.

Race Report:  standard pre-race prep seems to consist of a late night party with friends ending at 1am - oops sorry 2am as the clocks went forward.  Also seemed as though I'd picked up the start of a cold being very hot overnight.

Left at 8am with Viddy who was back from Saudi and had already managed 40 miles this week.  Race plan was to run with Viddy for 1st 12miles then see if I could manage more and run the rest at my own pace.

The 1st half mile meant dodging a load of runners who'd piled in towards the front to reduce their chip time (electronic timing from starting gun to crossing the line).  Normally the pace would have averaged quite slow - but we did quite below the target pace... We then started picking up places - generally catching them on the hills.  We eventually caught the 2nd lady at 6m and had a good chat and banter with her for 30 mins until I decided that it was time to see whether I could do some negative splits.  I did OK until 18m when an attack of cramp hit my right calf.  No warning just WHAM!  Stopped and stretched, then someone I had overtaken went past and I told myself I was only 2m from the end.  Managed to pick off him again and another,while ignoring the cramp.

2 miles to go... and levitating

Result:  2:07:10 for just over 20m (as course was long) coming 12th.  2nd lady 45 seconds after (actually 1st lady as other had just been aiming to do 12m and then drop out). Viddy came in about 4 mins later (having tried to tailgate the 1st lady) and picked up Men's Veteran 50 award in 25th place.    Happy with the performance as just below marathon pace and stopped a couple of times, but now wary of the cramps that seem to be back.

Typical laughs with Viddy being a big softy (self-confessed) about his aches and pains (in his big toe... what is left of it) and my post race masseuse getting kicked by a reflex action from my leg as she managed to push the calf cramp further up into my butt cheek.

Lessons learned

1) make rest time part of your training schedule

2) I stopped to drink the cups of water - seemed to work better than taking a shower in it

3) did it without any energy gels - but did the lack of them cause the cramp or was it diet or the overheating the night before?

Taper starts now - and just waiting for the Ibruprofen gel to work its magic on the calf before running again

Only 24 hours to Tulsa......

6am pick up at home on Monday to go to Heathrow to make my way to Tulsa, Oklahoma on business.  But with a cancelled flight out of Detroit, I was worse for wear on arrival at the hotel at 1am the following day...  having taken 24hrs to get there.  I was not sure how the week would pan out - was OK in the end as made use of the gym facilities and did a number of sets on the treadmill in the mornings as it was still dark on the streets and there are no obviously pavements as you don't need them if you drive everywhere.



A site along the "trails"


Tuesday 6am - 3miles easing in to see if the legs were working after the marathon and the trip on the planes.

Wednesday
6am - 8 miles with a warm-up then 6 miles at a half marathon pace (just couldn't face going faster)
6pm - 12.2 miles up and down the Arkansas River alongside the trails.  Cost $25 in cabs there and back, but worth it to get out of the office, hotel restaurant cycle.

Thursday 6am - 3 miles.  Still tired from yesterday's efforts of 20 miles and picked up some further chaffing...  no pictures this time as was on my inner thighs

Had the cattle class red-eye flight back via Atlanta arriving home just after noon then had a Ball to go to in the evening and then the normal packed Saturday with the kids, then entertaining at home in the evening. 

Sunday 7am:  What I really needed of course, was some sleep, but I went to bed at 1:30am and got up at 6:30am to meet up at the Amble Inn.  7 runners consisting of the Pauls, Moritzio, Daz, BenK, Jamie and me.  A total of 16 miles at varying paces - averaging about 7:42 min miles overall.  With the group having split up with about 4-5miles left, 3 of us did have quite a surprise to see one of the other party crouching down in some vegetation on a popular route.  We thought initially that he was hoping to leap out and surprise us - but I think we actually gave him more of a surprise.  Hope it helped.

4 weeks to the Virgin London Marathon - reducing alcohol content from this point on.  Have to, this weekend has killed me.

Race Report: Bedford Clanger....One of us Bonked and justice for another

Pre-race planning is definitely key..... especially for a marathon and especially a trail one where there are no course markers or a map provided.  Instructions such as "go through KG, SLOT across field, take 30 degree left at corner, etc".  On this occasion we also had the advice to "avoid flying motorcycles over the gate."  After UltraJ's nav disaster last weekend, he was all over this one in his prep....  Well actually, he just made sure that both me and Viddy knew exactly where we were going in order to keep him on the right route.  I planned to use the Garmin with a programmed route and Viddy had that, but had also crafted a set of detailed instructions along with OS map extracts, indexed contents and also laminated.

So how did it go?

1.  Simon managed to get us lost before arriving by taking a wrong route in the car

2.  We arrived as a huge contingent of runners left at 9am - we'd thought it was a 9:30 start.  We got on road at 9:15.  But it was ok, they were geared up for staggered starts.

3.  We soon caught up with the stragglers and then a larger drawn out pelaton, somehow missing the queues at the kissing gates.

3.  Everyone on these races and people you meet are always very friendly, except those that we encountered in suburban Bedford who ignored our cheerful "morning" and who obviously thought we were mad for:

a) Acknowledging their existence and
b) Running through their neighbourhood.  
(I think in one or two streets we were lucky as the only runners there would have been ones having just nicked something, but our race numbers gave our true purpose away.)

4.  We actually only went wrong 3 times. One diversion of merit to mention was me knowing we were off the route from the Garmin's map by the distance of 100-200m - which included a river.  Could have gone badly wrong, but Viddy's maps came good and we rejoined the route after 5mins of UltraJ going very quiet and into a familiar territory of despair.

5.  UltraJ and I both discovered that Viddy cramps.  He gets the cramps badly.  He's also got the most fantastic resilience and cheerful ability to make his running 'pals' laugh nearly uncontrollably in sympathy with his plight.

He really was in agony both during and after the race.  An excellent moment was when he tried a sprint at the end and then completely seized on going 1 step beyond us.  

Despite that, we all came into the finish together as planned.  We just had to wait for the results as the staggered start meant we could not tell where we'd come.

So did I Bonk?   Well, I didn't but Viddy did.  My pre-race prep meant I was fully hydrated and plenty of energy in the tank and I didn't cramp after all.  I'd been paranoid that I would relive my last marathon a year ago when it took me 1hr 40mins to do the last 6 miles.

And why justice?  Well, we did OK and managed 3:29 - bang on our higher target that we'd set ourselves.  UltraJ actually got his second place that he missed out on last week, with me and Viddy coming in 3rd and 4th.

So how come we all arrived together but got ranked..... Easy, me and Viddy felt sorry for UltraJ and got the marshalls to organise it.

Just so you know how bad the cramps were for Viddy - he couldn't drive home and had to walk up his drive backwards once he'd crowbarred himself out of the back of the car.  We'd even had to stop to let him stretch whilst on the M1 - watch the video on YouTube to see true compassion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-C1YTzFv5s&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Job done.  Currently on the plane to Tulsa