Run > Race

This was my ninth marathon, and first in four years. I had hoped to break 3:30, and it was looking good for the first 10 miles, but I just couldn't step up the pace after that. The plan was to run the first couple of five mile sections in 41 mins each (I was actually a bit faster), then the flat 10-15 mile stretch in about 39 minutes, but my thighs and my right hip felt really started to tighten up. I found my mind starting to wander around the 11 mile mark, and although I managed to regain focus, I was still slowing down. Did I go too fast in the first couple of miles? As I type this (two days after), my thighs are still really sore and it's painful to walk down steep hills, so I suspect the hammering my quads took on the downhill sections played a big factor.

The steep climbs, on the other hand, didn't seem so bad. I was prepared for them, and compared to many other runners who walked the big hills between 17-21 miles I did really well.

I lost an energy gel somewhere along the way, and so instead of an SIS gel at 20 miles I had one of those Clif blocks. It was a bit too chewy, but it did the job.

The outside of my left knee started to hurt around 23 miles and by the time I crossed the Ness bridge it was very painful. I had to keep telling myself I could handle the pain, and that seemed to work, even though stepping on to or off pavements was really difficult (damn those cobbles!). Despite the pain I had a decent finish, although I couldn't quite kick on like that girl with the odd breathing pattern who had been near me since the 24 mile mark.

An enjoyable race, which - somehow - seemed to pass really quickly. My finishing time of 3:35:51 was slower than I'd hoped for, but still pretty good, considering how sore my knee was.