Frankfurt Marathon - 2:29:25 - first vet. Stats below.
I had made no secret of the fact that I wanted to go top of the UK M40 rankings for 2013 (would have needed 2:27:15). Unlike pretty much every other marathon I've done I came into it confident, quite sure I was in my best-ever shape for a marathon.
I was probably in hindsight reading too much into the fact that I had got down to my lowest-ever weight, back to the "race weight" of GER 2010. At the end of the carb depletion, I felt ridiculously thin - worse than I recall when I was about this weight before, but I knew I would put on a bit with the carbloading. Only put on 0.7kg with the three days of carbloading. The scales at the Expo said I was 4.7% body fat on the Saturday, but I took that with a pinch of salt as my home scales say 14%!
After the excruciating eternity that is marathon-eve evening and marathon-eve night, I was up at 6.30 for my garlic pill, a recently-heard-of so-called performance enhancer, 7.30 the two beetroot juice shots (taking two instead of one for the first time in light of recently found research) and 8.30 two Caffeine Pro Plus and three Kenco sachets.
I knew from last year the GPS would be of no use so switched it off before the start. First km split pretty much spot-on at 3:30 and I continued with the usual consistency.
Halfway in 73:41 and I knew by then that 2:27:15 would be tough. Usually I pace it mainly on feel rather than on the clock, but this time it was mainly by the clock. Maybe this cost me a PB, but I wasn't running for a PB - I was running for the vets lead so I was pushing it maybe slightly more than usual.
20 miles in about 1:52:22 - always nice to get a decent 20M which makes my PB look daft.
35km on target for 2:27:20. Part of me thought it was possible but I also knew it was going to be tough to pick up the pace. However, the pace gradually dropped ... and droppped ... and dropped even more.
I had felt most of the race that a PB was in the bag, but to an extent, once I knew the 2:27:15 wasn't on, I kind of gave up on it and just wanted to finish in one piece.
Painfully slow last 2km and ended up with my third sub-2:30, sixth marathon in 3.5 years within a five-minute timeframe.
I've never been so devastated immediately after a race. A massive missed opporunity, but I suppose I just have to learn from it. Yet again I slowed towards the end and I'm not entirely sure why - presumably carbs issue, but how do I rectify it?
The plan had been to take almost half the 500ml bottle at each 5km station, a similar one to that used before. I realised halfway through this was a mistake as I just couldn't get that much down.
Thanks to Carol Cook for her suggestions on dressing up the drinks bottles and for the purchases to help out with it. I only missed one drink and that was my fault for not paying enough attention.
The one redeeming factor was finishing first vet. Unfortunately, the only prize is a free entry for next year, presumably with not necessarily the elite start that I could probably get next year anyway. Not complaining as the achievement is more important than the prize, but I'd probably get a better first vets prize at the Deepings 10km!
live.bmw-frankfurt-marathon.com 5 km 10:47:33 00:17:27 17:27 03:30 17.20
10 km 11:04:52 00:34:46 17:19 03:28 17.32
15 km 11:22:19 00:52:13 17:27 03:30 17.19
20 km 11:39:52 01:09:46 17:33 03:31 17.10
Halb 11:43:46 01:13:41 03:55 03:34 16.85
25 km 11:57:15 01:27:09 13:28 03:28 17.37
30 km 12:14:49 01:44:43 17:34 03:31 17.09
35 km 12:32:18 02:02:12 17:29 03:30 17.16
40 km 12:50:45 02:20:40 18:28 03:42 16.25
netto 12:59:30 02:29:25 08:45 04:00 15.06
6 comments
Just focus on the 1st MV40 and the fastest Welsh MV40 this year
Paul, interesting read and followed your splits on Sunday with anticipation. Your comment about the carbs is interesting, were there any energy gels on offer later in the race like in London? Given that it is generally cooler than london I am assuming your sweat less and therefore make drinking larger volumes more difficult. A very honest write up and you make no reference to the weather which must surely have had some impact on the time?
Thanks Chris. There were gels on the course and midway through I wanted to switch to them instead but I just didn't see them. The wind was very bad, but only in places - unlike the GER where it was constant for the first half and thus much worse. I admit with the wind and hitting the wall it showed I was capable of low 2:27, but I'm still yet to do it.
You have also set a new MV40 club record, which must help ease the disappointment
great run and brill to get 1st m40 and a big plus to see no j herbert as m40 marathon record holder and lets hope you knock him off every other record to lol
Very very well done Paul now enjoy a beer or two.