Run > Race

Paris marathon.

Had a list of time-objectives for this race, starting at 3:25 (which is what I set out to achieve), and only taking a few minutes out of my PB was a long way down the list of what I was after - had worked hard on the training so to only take 3.5 mins out of my PB is slightly hard to take. On the positive side, is still a new PB set on a great course in great conditions so can't be that bad.

What went wrong/lessons learnt:

1. Should have done my long runs closer to race pace (as Jon suggested!) - the faster midweek training/slow long run approach seemed to work a lot better for the half marathon (when the midweek sessions were closer in distance to the race) than the full marathon. If I'd upped the pace on the long runs from the start I could have coped with it and, with hindsight, I should have.

2. Wasn't well-rested enough - work has been very busy and house move has meant home has been busy as well and this in addition to a poor taper (not sure Ballbuster was the best idea two weeks before, especially as I then back-loaded my penultimate weeks training into Thursday, Saturday and Sunday), meant legs did not feel great even before the start (even slept in compression tights the day before to try to ease them up a bit). Prior to last marathon in London I had a two week holiday doing not much at all and could really feel the difference this time out.

3. Didn't train/cross-train enough - I was really only training 3 times a week, should have been cross-training twice a week as well but couldn't fit it in. The 3-times a week plan did what it said it would (got me a PB), but for the big PB I was after I think I needed the cross-training sessions or extra running as well.

4. All the above was compounded by my getting a cold the day before the race, waking up with blocked nose, headache and sore throat on day of the race didn't help, and no matter how much I tried to ignore it, it was definitely a factor.

5. Definitely felt like there were more runners than in any of my previous marathons and as a result I was always battling to keep pace - spent most of the first half of the race trying to catch up to my target pace, would have been better off accepting that that time was lost and settling into an easier pace that would have got me under 3:40/closer to 3:35, rather than straining to get back onto 3:25 - 3:30 pace. There was a scrap at every feeding station which was costing me around 30 seconds at each one (and there were 8 in total) but had to stop at each one due to hot weather, was dehydrated by the end despite taking on food and water at each feed station.

On the positive side:

1. I worked hard on sticking to the racing line and saved a lot of effort there - after 3 miles I was already 0.1 miles over on my Garmin vs the mile markers, but once I resolved not to waste effort by deviating away from the racing line, I limited the distance lost to 0.2 miles over the next 23.2 miles.

2. Managed to find a good 'sprint' finish, doing my last half mile in 7:35 pace.

3. You can't spot it from the splits, but I pushed myself as hard as I ever have over the last few miles to make sure I got the PB (despite dehydration/feeling sick and, worryingly, pins and needles in upper body). Would have been much easier to settle for a slow time and make my excuses later but glad I went for it and came away with a sub 3:45 PB.

Overall, much learnt, a new PB and a nice weekend with Laura and the parents so really can't complain too much!