Run > Race

London Marathon 49th. 29th Brit. Welsh champion.

Chip time might have been quicker, but they don't issue chip times for the champs start.

I thought it quite likely I would drop out because of the achilles problem. Other than for a 5km, had not warn flats since the Nene Valley 10, after which I could hardly walk for a couple of days. I thought achilles would stretch/warm-up on the run, but that if I finished I wouldn't be able to walk afterwards. Felt achilles slightly on the warm-up.

Entered the start area really late, but managed to get myself almost to the front, though I think behind Martin and Mickey. Began with the usual "feel easy til halfway" theory. All the way I was thinking it didn't feel as easy as it should have, though.

As last year, first approx 6M were quick. I think it goes slightly uphill from then up to halfway. Splits are accurate up to halfway.

I looked at the clock at halfway and thought I had gone through spot-on 75:00, which was my target. Chip said 74:59.

From then my GPS signal went and I missed mile markers, I think. So I didn't really know what pace I was running. Maybe this was a blessing as when I got to 16M realised I had been running about 5:35-6 pace (5:42 is about 2:29:40). The same went for the next few miles - Garmin not much use and I missed mile markers - well, those massive arches over the road are difficult to spot! 20M was about 1:53:30.

At Tower Bridge and just beyond the first time around, I find the noise from the spectators quite inspiring. Actually at various points on the course, the volume is unbelievable. However, coming back through the Tower Bridge area when you're almost ready to collapse, I found the noise a bit too much.

(At this point, thanks to all the support from the Werrington Joggers and others. I might not, for some reason, be able to look and smile, but it is appreciated.)

(Also worth mentioning here, at one stage, maybe 18-19M?, I thought I was going to experience a Vanderlei da Lima v Cornelius Horan moment as someone leapt out on to the course in front of me. I was, however, relieved to see him brandishing a Werrington Joggers poster and shouting encouragement and he didn't interfere with my racing line. Still curious to know who it was, though.)

But I'm always glad to get to here as it feels like the home straight - just a very long one! From here, the mile markers were again a bit of a blur, but I was still maintaining 5:35-6s. I knew sub-2:30 was certain as long as I didn't hit the wall and I couldn't see that happening.

Between 20-24, though my mental arithmetic while running is very poor, I knew that if I really pushed that 2:27 might be on. However, I was feeling it a bit by then and was happy to take 2:28.

I think it was about 24M when it all started to become a lot harder. I was grunting like Mike Barnsdale for the last two miles. That said, I think I averaged 5:43 for the last two miles so I hardly hit the wall. And if you finish a marathon feeling easy, you've surely paced it all wrong.

At about 25M I saw someone in front of me veering all over all over the road and then he literally started running backwards - his legs had completely gone. First aid were ready to leap in. I can't believe for one minute that he finished.

So 2:28:32 - that was beforehand the top end of what I thought I was capable of. But being able to walk down The Mall afterwards was the real surprise.

If there is a negative, the time is no better than the Great Eastern Run and yet I am supposedly better at the marathon. After the GER, I had been hoping for 2:26-2:27 from London, but given the achilles problem and subsequent loss of confidence, I'll take 2:28.

Fuel strategy

3M water 150ml (half the bottle)
5M lucozade 150ml/10g carbs
8M gel (carried with me) + water 150ml/30g carbs
10M gel 150ml/10g carbs
13M water 150ml
15M lucozade 150ml/10g carbs
17M water 150ml
19M lucozade 150ml/10g carbs
21 water 150ml
23 lucozade 150ml/10g carbs
25 water 150ml

Split Summary

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1) - 1m - 5:48(5:48/m) - 85cal

2) - 1m - 5:44(5:44/m) - 89cal

3) - 1m - 5:33(5:33/m) - 86cal

4) - 1m - 5:27(5:27/m) - 88cal

5) - 1m - 5:42(5:42/m) - 86cal

6) - 1m - 5:48(5:48/m) - 88cal

7) - 1m - 5:37(5:37/m) - 87cal

8) - 1m - 5:40(5:40/m) - 87cal

9) - 1m - 5:43(5:43/m) - 86cal

10) - 1m - 5:36(5:36/m) - 88cal

11) - 1m - 5:40(5:40/m) - 86cal

12) - 1m - 5:39(5:39/m) - 88cal

13) - 1m - 5:42(5:42/m) - 87cal

14) - 1m - 5:40(5:40/m) - 88cal

15) - 1m - 5:22(5:22/m) - 87cal

16) - 0.4m - 1:56(4:49/m) - 27cal

17) - 1m - 5:33(5:33/m) - 87cal

18) - 1m - 5:37(5:37/m) - 86cal

19) - 1m - 5:32(5:32/m) - 90cal

20) - 1m - 5:03(5:03/m) - 77cal

21) - 1m - 5:14(5:14/m) - 86cal

22) - 1m - 5:32(5:32/m) - 87cal

23) - 1m - 5:28(5:28/m) - 87cal

24) - 1m - 5:34(5:34/m) - 87cal

25) - 1m - 5:28(5:28/m) - 74cal

26) - 1m - 5:02(5:02/m) - 81cal

27) - 1m - 5:37(5:37/m) - 88cal

28) - 0.42m - 2:22(5:35/m) - 37cal

Pace Zone Summary

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Pace Zone: 4:00-4:19/mile: 1.3%

Pace Zone: 4:20-4:39/mile: 2.9%

Pace Zone: 4:40-4:59/mile: 9.8%

Pace Zone: 5:00-5:19/mile: 17.6%

Pace Zone: 5:20-5:39/mile: 21.8%

Pace Zone: 5:40-5:59/mile: 17.9%

Pace Zone: 6:00-6:19/mile: 11.9%

Pace Zone: 6:20-6:39/mile: 6%

Pace Zone: 6:40-6:59/mile: 2.5%

Pace Zone: 7:00-7:19/mile: 1.7%