What's on my mind and races in the pipe line!

My target marathon race is over and to eleviate the void that has been left from undertaking all the training I have chosen some select races to keep up the mileage with the possibility of running another marathon this year.

My first race is the Colworth Half Marathon on 23rd June, choosing not to do the full three day challenge like last year. The next race, another half marathon, the Down Tow Up Flow which takes you from Marlow to Windsor following the Thames path on 28th July;

http://www.purplepatchrunning.com/races/down-tow-up-flow-half-marathon

In addition to running I've started cycling again and may tackle a duathlon, the Votwo Silverstone Duathlon on 14th August;

http://www.votwo.co.uk/events-1/silverstone-duathlon-race-4-2nd-august

This could all potentially lead to running the Grafham Water Marathon on 15th September;

http://grafhamwatermarathon.tumblr.com/

Failing this I will be back for the Milton Keynes Marathon next year, keeping up the training and mileage to achieve my target of a sub 4 hour marathon.

My Milton Keynes Marathon Story

May 6th 2013 the day of the Milton Keynes Marathon and my second attempt at the event to achieve a sub 4 hour race. The weather conditions were completely on the other side of the spectrum compared to last year, hail and wind was replaced by bright sunshine and temperature destined to reach 22 degrees C.

I was feeling good, I had slept well and woken in good time to have breakfast. My kit had been prepared the night before so it was time to relax as best I could until I had to go. Based on the weather conditions I made the decision to carry with me a drinks bottle to replenish the electrolytes which would be lost in the heat. My immediate support team which consisted of my wife and kids along with my father in law and his girlfriend, had planned their strategy on where to be throughout the race. Their support along with that of my sister in law, her husband, their son, my wifes mother, her husband and the Olney Runners team would ensure that I received that marathon pick me up at a number of places.

arrival at the MK Dons Stadium

Race strategy in mind, maintain a low heart rate, keep the pace down and conserve my energy for the last 13.1 miles with the intention to target completing the final 6.2 miles in an hour or less. The race got underway slightly later than the planned time of 10:0am and the challenge was on!

The first thing I noticed that although I was running at 9 minute mile pacing my heart rate had shot up into the high 170s, touching the low 180s. This I wasn't expecting as from my training at this pace my heart rate should be reading in the range 155 to 165bpm. So this is what comes from training in winter conditions to suddenly find yourself actually racing in summer conditions, which with it being a bank holiday was not expected in the UK. I continued wary of my heart rate but not wanting to slow the pace beyond 9.5 minute miles as I thought this would leave me too much time to make up in achieving my goal. Support was excellent enroute although I was a little dissapointed that there were no bands, the MK Marathon organisers had thrown out a battle of the bands challenge but this didn't appear to be a big enough attraction. What was amazing is that there were more bands out last year in the hail and wind so why the route was not flooded with music this year I had no idea.

Enjoying the crowd support I continued running strong ensuring that I maintained hydration by sipping on the water I was carrying. I was further refreshed by a supporter that had taken to spraying down the runners with his garden hose...all the runners could not thank him enough! There was little in the way of breeze so the temperature remained high so any opportunity of running in shade was taken.

early race stage, still managing to run strong!

I pushed on through mile 16 picked up by the family support but by mile 18 tiredness started to creep in and the heat was taking its toll. I could feel my pace slowing, something that I had been able to track by keeping the 4:00 hour pacer in my sight but now that imaginary piece of elastic that joined us was being stretched. By mile 19 I experienced my first cramp with my quads tightening, this caused me to walk until the tightness had gone. From this point the miles came and went in a mix of running and walking accompanied by a second bout of cramp.

not looking as happy or feeling as strong

My sub 4 hour target drifted away, I had no energy to increase my pace and it was now just a battle to complete the race. Even in the last 3 miles I still had to mix running with walking which proved a little disheartening as it was stretching out the length of time that I would still be captured within the event. My beacon of light was the sight of the Kentucky Fried Chicken shop which I knew was located just outside the MK Dons stadium, so for the final 1.2 miles I picked up the pace as now I could sense the finish.

Entering the stadium was a great feeling and although I felt I had mustered up enough strength to look as though I was finishing full of running, I was later told by family and friends that I looked exhausted. I could hear the shouts of encouragement from the stands but had no energy to look up and survey my surroundings, I was focussed on getting past the finish line and tracking down some much needed water;

My Garmin Stats - Milton Keynes Marathon 2013

So I finished, a little dissapointed with a time of 4 hours 23:29 minutes which was slower than last year. I was however happy to have completed the distance and also grateful that unlike last year when I had to contend with getting out of wet clothes in freezing conditions I could now just enjoy the sunshine;

finishers t-shirt in hand, I smiled at the start and could smile at the finish!

Thank you to everyone that came out to support me and to all those that sent me messages of good luck. Having this level of support makes such events not only enjoyable but in this case definitely bearable. All that's left now is that unfinished business "a sub 4 hour marathon"....when's the next race?

Happy training week and welcoming in the taper period!

This was an important week for me, the last week before the start of my taper and the 20 mile run that had avoided me with the cancellation of the Oakley 20. Two weeks ago I had managed a 19 mile run which although I felt good having completed the distance was not very happy with the pace so the target now was to improve on pace to make my sub 4 hour marathon a reality.

The build up to the Saturday run saw me complete two training runs, an easy 4.5 miles and a 5 mile run at fast pace (8 minute miles). I'd studied the Garmin stats from my 19 mile run and compared them against the pace requirements to run a marathon at 8:45 minute miles and also to finish in 3 hours 59 minutes which would require a 9 minute mile pace.

Saturday morning welcomed me with bright skys which was something that I thought would never happen again based on the how the weather has been. An early start with a target to complete 20 miles within 3 hours was ahead of me. I set off at 6:30am in what I considered perfect running conditions and with a mindset to focus on the moment, the scenery, my running style and how I felt;

20 Mile Training Run - Olney, Newton Blosommville Loop followed by Olney to Filgrave Out and Back

All I can say is that I finished very happy with myself having completed the 20 miles in 2hrs 57:23 on a route that was not flat and had me keeping up pace on the inclines and also not stopping at the 20 marker but running on a further half mile at pace (although not timed) to prove I could break the 20 mile wall barrier.

Taper is now the order of the day in which I will incorporate some hill work as I believe this will help no end and also living in the hope that the same glorious weather will avail itself on race day  .

Easter Break Marathon Training

The week has been good, a change in the weather resulting in bright sunny days be it still a tad chilly and windy. An easier training schedule with regards to distance and pace with time off work adding to a manageable and pleasureable week.

Taking advantage of the chance to get away, a few days in the Peak District with the family meant that my training runs were to be done during the latter part of the week. A couple of good walks whilst away would  help build my quad strength and raise my spirits with the change of scenery.

A climb of Mam Tor was the first task, not overly strenuous so a good starting walk;

The lingering snow added to the attraction and fun;



The second walk, Kinder Scout was more testing, a walk tackled I'm ashamed to say with greater ease by my wife and kids even though I'm the one that has been marathon training so my fitness should have shone;

My favourite part was the civilised descent down Jacobs Ladder, so kind of them to have added a stair case which could only have bettered if it was an escalator;

Back home from the Peak District break saw me undertake a practical cross country run of 4 miles having delivered my car for a service in the neighbouring village of Lavendon and then having to get back home to Olney. This was then followed up on the Saturday by racing the Milton Keynes Park Run, the 5k run at fast pace which although not resulting in a new PB delivered a satisfying 23 minutes.

A trip to my parents in London for the remainder of the weekend allowed me to undertake my steady Sunday 7.5 mile run around the streets of West London, my stomping ground of old;

Training Run in West London

Although not the normal scenic charm of the country villages, it was a nice change to run in the built up streets of London.

All in all a satisfying week, my final long run of 20 miles planned for this week and then taper for the big day itself, 6th May 2013!

Longest training run to date

Easter Sunday my longest run to date, a planned route that would take in local villages with a drink stop at mile 10 via home;

19 Mile Training Run

First having to contend with the loss of an hours sleep with the commencement of british summer time, it was a pleasure to wake up to a bright sunny day. Although still cold, the sight of the sun which has been rare and the thought that I'd have to run with sun glasses put me in good spirit. This run was to test my natural instinct for my marathon pace, although Garmin on wrist I was not going to focus on the time but track distance.

At mile 5 which was where I found myself running into Newton Blossomvillle I had a great sensation of feeling good and my mind was flooded with positive thoughts. I had made the decision to run without my MP3 player in an attempt to find myself in the moment and it appeared to have worked. I had concentrated on my surroundings, my running style, how I felt and that moment was achieved. Gel strategy in place, my first taken at the hour marker with the second to form part of my pit stop break at mile 10 along with hydration.

Entering the second half of the run, a route that I had done on a number of occasssions found me pushing on with a sense of not long now till the end. This I thought was good, a strong mental attitude even though I faced another 9 miles. All was good until I entered the part of the route that took me cross country, not a long stretch but a stretch that seemed to drain the energy from my legs. Completing this section left me with 2.5 miles to go so I took my final gel to gain a finishing boost. My quads felt the strain of the final miles which had me thinking "I must do some hill rep work!" nothing new as I'd been saying this to myself since the start of training but have not been inspired to do this type of session.

I finally finished in 2hrs 57:46 minutes, my assessment being that it had been a positive run, the weather great, the distance great but the pace lacking. My average pace had been 30 seconds off my target pace of 8:45 minute miles to achieve a sub 4 hour marathon. There's some work to be done in readiness for my final 20 mile run in 2 weeks before the welcomed taper.