The first couple of miles I only lose 30 seconds off my 8 minute/mile target. After a while I fall in with one of the pacers running 8 minute miles. He has a backpack with a flag hanging out of it. It is still cool but the sun it out and shining bright. I think the pace is running 15 seconds a mile to fast. I later realise that he is running bang on 8 minute per marathon mile (A marathon mile is a bit longer because of weaving and other runners)
The main issue is that I am struggling. I'm only a little way in and it doesn't feel all to easy. About 10 miles I decide to have a gel. This picks me up and I feel better.
I soak in the atmosphere over Tower Bridge. I see two separate groups of my clubs supporters.
But now the sun is taking its toll. I am sweating lots. I can feel it in my legs. I doggedly keep with the pacer. In fact there is a pacer also doing 8 minute miles in front and so I catch up to him and run between the two pacers. Then as we start to come in to docklands around mile 17 I know the game is up. The first pacer I was following goes past and I gradually fade away.
I decide to slow down and enjoy. Just jog the run in. Though my earlier pace has done a lot of damage. It's still really, really hot with the sun beating down. I mange to run the rest of the way but the pace slips to 11 minute miles at some points. Only the fact that I know there will be friends and family supporting me stops me walking and keeps me going. Once I pass them it is only the thought that people will shout at me if I start walking, so I keep going.
In the end I reach the finish and it is 1:45:57. This is 3 minutes slower than last year. Despite all my extra training, the loss of about 4kg in weight the same thing happened, race pace abandoned at mile 18.
My three things for further investigation are:
1. Was it the heat? Not sure if that would of caused the legs to be so sore. I had been training in 1 and 2 Celsius temperatures in the dark. I had run 25 miles on one bottle of Lucozade sport. Today I had countless bottles of water and drink and was still thirsty. I was just not adjusted to the temperature. From what I can see everyone struggled. The records say it was only 16 Celsius, but it felt hotter in the sun and I was sun burnt at the end.
2. I wonder if some of the soreness in the legs could be attributed to the wearing of racing flats. My training were done in more cushioned trainers. I wonder if running a marathon would be better done with some cushioning. I had no problem with this during training
3. Was the pace just to tasty? Maybe I could not cope with 8 minute miles? Running even slightly faster than your limit in a marathon will cause bad things to happen. Maybe I need to have a go at running a marathon and an even or negative split pace that I am sure I can do?
I'm not giving up on the 3:30. This has just made me more determined. Just annoying if I am tied to the vagaries of the weather.
26.2 miles 3:45:57
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