Backward Blackfriars

The leg is feeling better, but I'm still feeling down. I feel at the bottom of the fitness mountain with a lot of climbing to do.

I decide a lunch time run could be good. I head out to do the North Thameside route backwards. I start of fast but I am still aware of the slight nagging in the thigh. I also still feel sluggish.

Still it is a beautiful day and I am still more runner than non-runner. As I think about the thigh, I notice other pains. Pains in the knee, pains in the calf. Maybe my thigh was like this before and I didn't notice? I decide that unless after the run I am in Chronic pain, to simply ignore it. I think some cycling would be good. Part of my frustration is the aches of pains, the rest my lack of fitness.

I pass through Blackfriars and Paternoster square and get back to the office. I head to the shower.

Then I feel good. Really good. The runners high kicks in. Something like, "Finishing the Marathon de Sable in world record time at the same point as someone mentions that you won the lottery and you finish 2.5 pints of a decent Fullers ale and a decent medium-rare rib-eye steak with crispy frites but fluffy potato centre followed by a tar-thick but sweet Espresso". Nice.

5km 29:29

Melancholy

The marathon (and warm up races) have really taken it out of me. I feel sluggish and the leg still isn't fully recovered. I also feel overweight and out of shape.

Tonight I run with group 3 and even out of shape it's easy to hold the pace. We skirt around the edge of Chislehurst Common. It's too dark to be running offroad but it will soon be light enough. I can't wait.

My mood is down but I decide to power up Chislehurst Hill. The early season form seems a distant memory. I don't know whether it's rest or running I need. How I feel tomorrow will give me a clue.

51:12 8.67km

Lazing on a sunny evening

Tonight is the night the club celebrates all the marathon runners. The group runs start early and we finish in the pub also for the Grand Prix results. The marathon finishers are allowed to wear their medals.

Despite the run yesterday I am still in recovery mode. Tonight there is the smorgasbord of options. Group 1 would be too slow, group 3 would be good but for some reason Mark has decided to run on the road despite it being a beautiful spring day and the countryside calling. Group 2 with Richard is the answer. A few twinges from the thigh, but a lovely run around Scadbury Park.

Back to the pub, for endless chats on Marathon, pace and such like. The kind of chat you can only have with fellow runners. Jerry, Richard, Chris, Matt, John, Alan and Karen indulge me. I'm still not right, but I don't think I did any damage tonight.

5 miles? 56:52

Slowly, Slowly went the sloth

As you can see I have not run since the Sub 4-hour Marathon. The main thing is the feeling in my left leg like the school bully has recently given me a dead leg.

But I can't put it off for ever and so go for a lunchtime run. Slow as can be. The leg is a little sore, but it isn't killing me. I head down to under London Bridge and Lower Thames Street where 24 hours earlier I had been watching the Marathon. I turn and head back to the office.

By Guildhall, I see Sam from work, and he says:
"Nice Run?"
"Still recovering from the Brighton Marathon", I reply

I do an extra loop round the office to put on an extra minute or so. Later on in the day I feel, much, much better for the run.

Time to start picking up the pace again soon, it's coming into 5km season.

3km 17:49

Hot Marathon

Brighton Marathon, a years work. I go down with John, Dave, Richard and Emma. John and Dave are supporting. My years target has been sub 4 hour. I have been training so hard, that based on other races my predicted time is between 3:35 and 3:45. I wonder if even 3:30 is possible given that this is my race for the year (i.e. all out 100% race effort)

John and Dave drop us at Preston Park. After a few minutes we all go off on our own to get ourselves in the zone. I know it is going to be sunny so I slap on the sun cream. At the start I see Matt from the club, which is good as we have a good chat. The start comes quickly and we are off.

Initially it is annoying with slow runners blocking the way, particularly on the hills. Within the first couple of miles I get blocked behind the 4 hour pacemaker. Eventually I squeeze past.

4 or 5 miles in, things are going well. I am running 5:00/km which would be a 3:30 marathon. I keep talking to myself to keep things tidy.

The problem is all the time it is getting hotter. Gradually, but hotter and hotter it gets. There is not a cloud in the sky and the sun is beating down.

I gradually start to slow down, not a disaster, maybe 5:08/km but the heat is taking its toll. Around 10 miles I start to struggle. I have been drinking, but the sun and the hear are overbearing. Standing in the sun for 4 hours would be hard. Running, a Marathon? Crazy.

I struggle from 15 to 18 miles. I am in a bad mood and having to dig deep. I had trained so hard for this but none had been done in heat or sun. The trouble is I have had this four hour target for so long. In reality, with experience you would have to write-off this Marathon, slow down and enjoy the day. But I have my target. I have to get round under 4 hours. Once I have done it, then future marathons I can play it by ear.

The miles around 20 down towards the power station and docks and Shoreham are horrible. A few times I manage to get myself into the shade, and it feels so mych better. Suddenly in front of me is someone on the ground screaming in pain like I have never seen. Cramp. He cries
"Won't one of you &^%$£s stop and help me?"
Guilt gets the better of me. Me and another guy stop and lift his legs. I am looking at my watch seeing the time drain away. Eventually I pass the leg to someone else. I discuss with the other guy who stopped about why the spectators didn't help given that we were running a marathon...

In front of me is an idiot on a bike talking to his friend. I give him a mouthful of abuse telling him to get of the course. He rapidly takes my advice.
"&^%$%^ &^^%$$"
I say to him as I go past.

The last 6 miles are hell. The sun and heat have destroyed me. I am running between 6:15/km and 6:30/km. Fortunately my fast paced early kms have given me enough of a buffer that I should just be able to drag myself over the line. The whole time I am doing the calculation of how slow I can get away with running still make it under 4 hour. I have to stop and walk a number of times. The moonlight challenge 32.75 mile ultra was hard and tough, but I loved it. I enjoyed the struggle. Today this is just suffering. I feel sick.

This is among the hardest things I have had to do. I run 5km most days of my life. Today this is the hardest 5km I have ever run, to get over the finish. I stop a number of times to walk. The crowd is shouting, but I ignore them. I keep doing the calculation of how fast I would need to run to make it there. I wonder if I can walk? But even walking is hard.

At the speed of the continental drift the finish approaches. I cross the line. 3:55! I had done it.

I feel really ill but don't know what will make me feel better. I have drunk loads and eaten lots. I need shade. I find some shade and relax. After a while Matt comes along and joins me slumped on the floor. We both agree that the heat was impossible.

It was so hard, but I did.

Next time I do a marathon,
1. If it's hot, all bets are off. Jog and enjoy!
2. Pick a reasonable time and run an EVEN pace. Don't set crazy targets, whittle the time down 5 or 10 minutes at a time.
3. Estimate a faster time to get closer to the front at the start
4. I ran in the Piranhas and they were fine. No blisters and lack of padding/cushioning was fine
5. I work at a desk all day. I think my hips/legs are not flexible enough, hence the pain there. I need to stretch more
6. I peaked to early. January, I was detoxed, light and superfit. Probably why the Moonlight Challenge went so well.
7. Doing the Dunsfold 20 and Reading Half Marathon as races drained me too much. No races in the run up!

There were some hairy moments, but bloody did it!

26.2 miles 3:55:07 Hot

Beckenham Assembly League

I shouldn't really be running and should be resting before the marathon. But the Assembly Leagues run hosted at Beckenham Running Club is about a mile down the road. I blagged my way of work to get home in time. All I need is for my wife to get back with the car. Eventually she returns, possible too late to make the start...

I thought a few people from the club would be there. I rush in to collect my number to make the start on time. When I look at the signing in sheet only one other person from the club is running. At the start I see a couple of other people from my work running club.

I don't intend to run fast. I am going to jog. I'm surrounded by Beckenham Shirts, but I feel smug in my PWR shirt as we won the mob match at Park Run on Saturday (Unfortunately I was unable to attend)

The race has a huge steep hill up to Ravensbourne Station and is then pretty flat apart from a little climb at the end. Even though I am only jogging I take a fair few people on the hill. They catch and pass me on the downhill.

It's a beautiful evening and I enjoy the run. A few hamstring twinges but I don't know if that is my mind playing tricks and teasing me.

At the finish, I do enough to ensure the person behind does not catch me but definitely no sprinting.

The surprising this is that my time was 5 seconds slower than last year where I had ran as hard as I could!

At the end I jog the half mile through Beckenham Place Park back to the car. Despite gently jogging I am easily sub 4 hour marathon pace. I am realy lookin forward to Sunday..

4.46km 21:05 (4:43/km)

Club Confidence

I think I've made it through the injury hell. It could be argued that I shouldn't run tonight. The thing is, my confidence needs building. I need to feel I am able to run once more.

I could have gone with group 2 or group 3 for an easier ride but I decide on group 4 to prove to myself I still have it. This will be 9 minute miles lead by James.

I start off sitting in the front chatting with James. I glean some good Marathon advice from Karen. I chat with Emma also doing the Brighton marathon and get her thoughts. Later I get some more advice from Phil and Sarah. One of the benefits of being a member of a club.

The legs feel a little tight and un-tuned but not too bad.

Towards the end, the runners at the front kick-up the pace. I could go with them but I let them go.

It's built my confidence. I am still able to run.

10.07km 55:43 5:31/km

Up and running

After a weekend off, today I am feeling better. I decide to venture out on a lunch time run in the aquas. The ankle feels good at the start.

I run down to Blackfriars via Paternoster Square. Down the Thameside Path to the Tower and then back via Leadenhall and London Wall.

I'm a little sluggish from the weekend excess but I run well. At the end the ankle still feels good. There is some tightness in the calf but it's not concerning me.

I don't think I will run the time I could of a few weeks ago in the Brighton Marathon on Sunday. I am probably 3kg overweight and the injury disruption has just taken me off the boil. I'm sure I'll break the four hours, so it will be job done.

5km 28:08