Run > Race

Gun time shown. Chip time: 2:45:26.
The gun went. We didn't move. Took 11s to cross the start line and then next one minute celeb-dodging before I was able to start running properly. Was about fifth or sixth, just behind Spider-Man and immediately ahead of Superman as we joined the blue start. The pace felt okay but not as comfortable as at Ashby 20.

At five miles, I sensed the problem with my feet was starting despite having applied two layers of taping and plenty of Compeed lubrication. From then on my concerns were whether I would have stop and loosen my shoes there and then, carry on and hope it wouldn't get worse or whether I would have to pull out.

It got worse and just after halfway (I made sure it was after that so I could get a decent half-marathon split) I made the decision to stop and loosen my laces. They were then too loose so I stopped again. The 14th mile was thus 7:40 whereas I had been doing nearly 5:50).

Stopped a few more times to fiddle with my shoes and it did seem to help in each case momentarily but it was not helping really. If I'd just carried on and not stopped at all, it probably wouldn't have slowed me down.

My Garmin, which recorded 5:29 and 5:48 splits for the 19th and 20th miles (although Garmin was measuring was short and this was probably where the signal was particularly erratic) suggested I didn't start struggling until the 21st mile. Got to 20 in probably around 2:01:40 so another six miles of 6:00 would have seen me under 2:40, which would have been okay.

But then why I hit the wall at this stage remains a mystery. I don't think I started too quickly and I didn't think the heat affected me. There were only a few times that I noticed the heat - I remember I nearly went through one of the showers then pulled out because I thought, "it's not that hot". That said, this article shows 18C may have had an effect http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_1/hot-weather-running.shtml. So maybe it did have an effect and I should have reassessed my target and started more slowly.

Maybe I wasn't taking in enough carbs on the run. Had a couple of sips every Lucozade station.

Stopped to walk a few times in the last few miles and found this probably was quicker in the long run than simply plodding on. I just couldn't seem to lift my knees up. I've done 20-miles-plus so many times and I'm reduced to this! I could have pulled out and probably would have done had it not been London. I'm so glad I finished though.

I'm not too downhearted about it. Just need to learn from it and have another go next year. I'm more pleased about the Salford 10km than disappointed about London. No reason why I shouldn't be hoping for sub-2:30 if all goes right next year.

5 km 0:18:23 25 km 1:33:59
10 km 0:36:51 30 km 1:53:37
15 km 0:55:25 35 km 2:13:48
20 km 1:13:55 40 km 2:35:33
half 1:17:51 finish 2:45:26

Garmin splits - not very reliable

Split Summary

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1) - 1m - 6:10(6:10/m) - 114cal

2) - 1m - 5:54(5:54/m) - 117cal

3) - 1m - 5:40(5:40/m) - 119cal

4) - 1m - 5:44(5:44/m) - 118cal

5) - 1m - 5:52(5:52/m) - 115cal

6) - 1m - 6:00(6:00/m) - 117cal

7) - 1m - 5:53(5:53/m) - 117cal

8) - 1m - 6:02(6:02/m) - 116cal

9) - 1m - 5:56(5:56/m) - 117cal

10) - 1m - 5:53(5:53/m) - 116cal

11) - 1m - 5:50(5:50/m) - 117cal

12) - 1m - 5:59(5:59/m) - 116cal

13) - 1m - 5:54(5:54/m) - 119cal

14) - 1m - 7:40(7:40/m) - 115cal

15) - 1m - 5:46(5:46/m) - 120cal

16) - 1m - 5:58(5:58/m) - 108cal

17) - 1m - 6:40(6:40/m) - 115cal

18) - 1m - 5:56(5:56/m) - 118cal

19) - 1m - 5:29(5:29/m) - 111cal

20) - 1m - 5:49(5:49/m) - 104cal

21) - 1m - 6:47(6:47/m) - 119cal

22) - 1m - 6:14(6:14/m) - 120cal

23) - 1m - 6:13(6:13/m) - 121cal

24) - 1m - 6:45(6:45/m) - 122cal

25) - 1m - 6:19(6:19/m) - 85cal

26) - 1m - 7:13(7:13/m) - 119cal

27) - 0.83m - 6:00(7:14/m) - 101cal