Marathon 4 of the year - check!
To start... I have recently read a couple of articles on the causes and symptoms of over-training which transpired to be a bit of an eye-opener for me...
Thankfully, without even reading the articles, I knew that I had been struggling with the running and had taken steps to cross-train when the running was proving difficult. As per my last update, I genuinely felt that I had recovered from the over-training but was grappling with the simple fact that a marathon was fast descending upon me and the preparation was more a case of 'under-prepared'. Having just read through my last post, it's clear that writing that particular update proved to be a real turning point for me. After a definite period of over-training, I was on the verge of either reducing the event to a half-marathon or not competing at all. Whilst actually writing the blog, my mindset changed. What was very much a starting state of feeling defeatist, by the end of the post, I had regained some of my fight and optimism again.
I knew that I was not of the ability to complete the marathon with any amazing times or at a pace to be proud of but I also knew that my 2012 challenge was matter of completing the marathons. By the time I'd finished my post, I was very much of the state of mind that I'd rather start and struggle with the marathon but complete it, however slowly, than to not even participate at all. So complete it I did!
Last Saturday therefore saw me, my girls and my sister-in-law Tara head across to Wolverhampton. A good feed up on the Saturday night, X-Factor in bed and chilling with my book was in order. For the first time in years I wasn't at all nervous. I think that the decision to take part and complete the event in the knowledge that I wasn't strong enough to achieve a time to be proud of, really took the pressure off me.
So, I took it slowly! What started off as a cloudy morning soon became a sunny and warm day but the early (9.15am) start time saw most of the race underway before the heat kicked in. I ran the first 9.5 miles with a lovely man, Scott, who was struggling and eventually pulled out. The pace was extremely slow and although it cost me more time, it also provided me with pleasant company and a gentle start to a long run. Once Scott pulled out, I felt ready to up the pace and push myself a little more although I wasn't working at any kind of level that would have achieved a good time and I was genuinely OK with that. My breathing was good, legs were feeling fine and I was enjoying myself. The course was two laps that started from West Park in the centre of the city and worked its way further afield. I had imagined that the second lap would feel rather deathly having to go through it all again but it was anything but.
During the 19th mile, my calf muscles ceased up so I had to power walk for a couple of minutes. This became a bit of a pattern throughout the last 7 or so miles. Walking for 1 minute, running for as many minutes as I could (sometimes 1, other times I completed almost a mile). Strangely enough, when I was capable of running, my pace (9 minute miling) was the same as that during miles 10-18. So even with walking, I was clocking sub 11 minute miles for the remainder of the event. I somehow (not sure how) managed to hold and even improve my placing throughout these last miles. I suspect that my incredibly slow start played a very large part in terms of the fellow competitors I was mixing with in the latter stages of the race.
I eventually finished in 4hr26 minutes. I could perhaps have shaved 10 minutes off this if I hadn't ran with Scott BUT it still wouldn't have been a time to be proud of and it enabled me to enjoy the event that much more.
All in all despite the time which, although slow, was a time I had anticipated I completed it. I even had surplus energy reserves, ending with a slight sprint finish and a smile upon my face. My placing (not great, 150th finisher out of 260) was still amazingly showing me as the 16th female overall and the 4th finisher in my category. My legs are recovering nicely since the weekend which is one of the few bonuses of having a 'lazy' marathon so I should be able to up the miles without too much stress.
So, now here I am, more than 36 weeks into my training plan with fewer than 12 weeks to go until the ultra-race and I'm actually feeling positive. I have 5 weeks and 3 days until the Leicester City Marathon and am looking forward to it. Bring it on!
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