A good friend of mine who is relatively new to running and has just finished his first half marathon is determined to do an endurance race at the end of the year. He is a big guy and was (six months ago) carrying a little bit of extra weight. It has been amazing to watch his progress since the start of the year. He could just about manage about 800m before running out of puff and now he has completed a half and is training diligently for bigger and longer. We have started to train together because we both kind of need each other. I need him to set a pace that is steadier and more consistent than I normally run (and a little slower) so that I safely build my miles and properly complete my LSD runs. He needs me to keep him going and ensure he doesn’t quit at 10k on a Saturday morning when his head is not in the game. We are a perfect match.
Last weekend we set off for an 20km run that allowed us (on a hot day) to pass by his house in the middle and refill our water bottles. Stupidly, I had a bad week in terms of diet and hydration and I got a nasty cramp in my right calf after about 6km and thought about packing it in. Having Will there was great because I stretched it out, drank about a liter of fluid, (mostly Nuun) and when it started to relieve, we set off again and ran a nice steady 20 km’s. My calf started to niggle at the end, but it was a really nice morning, we chatted a lot and we both felt awesome afterwards.
The longer slower distances are really important for me and my prep for NY. The half a few weeks ago showed me that I am in good shape but I am just not fit enough yet to finish a full in a reasonable time. Will and I are going to run lots together over the next of months and I am really excited to have a training partner who is as keen as I am !!
Now, a few days later, my calf is tight from the after-effects of the cramp and i trying to rest it, but it is nothing serious or long term so i am not too concerned!
Will and I both have wives and busy jobs and other commitments but we are determined to get ready for other respective races and i am feeling pumped for the next few months. What a great feeling.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
KL (half) Marathon
Last Sunday was the KL marathon (full and half distances). It has been an important milestone fixture on my calendar events for the year and one in which I was hoping to notch up a PB.
Leading up to the race, preparation was going ok. I am definitely starting to get back to my fitness levels of 2009, but I have not yet started my speed training and have not yet notched up my weekly miles to where they need to be for a strong half or full marathon.
I spent a few days in Perth in Australia earlier that week and did some core strength training, but no running. I simply didn’t have the time. I know that tapering means slowing down, but I don’t think that means stopping altogether. The trip, whilst not that far, does involve a five and a half hour flight each way and resulted in me being pretty tired by the end of the week.
The night before the race, a group of friends got together for a pasta party and I drank lots of water and ate lots of carbs and went to bed feeling pretty good. Waking up on race day though, I felt sluggish. It is hard to put your finger on what that feels like or looks like, but I knew that I was not on my A Game.
Going through my normal early morning routine, I ate, showered, made it to the start area, warmed up and started to feel a little better.
The first 5km of the race was tough. I was running strong, but the heat, humidity and traffic fumes on a busy road meant that I hadn’t settled even at that point. I looked at my watch and I had been doing 5:10 minute km’s; so I decided to slow down and see if that helped.
I passed the 10km mark in just over 53 minutes which means I had slowed down my second 5km to 5:30minute km’s. But I still wasn’t settled. I was still feeling sluggish. I had taken a gel at about 40 minutes and that helped a little, but not enough.
Things started to go wrong from there. The next couple of km’s slowly started to take 5 to 10 seconds longer each km. I took lots of water, I had another gel, but by the 15km mark, I was hovering around the 6 minute per km mark and slowing. I felt so out of rhythym that I even stopped and sat on a curb for about 90 seconds to “have a word with myself”
I crossed the finish line in 2 hours and 30-odd seconds. Not a PB. A real disappointment. With retrospect, I put it down to three things:
· Fitness – I started too fast for my level of fitness and simply ran out of juice
· Over-thinking, over-preparing and not having the right mental game for the day. All of my PB’s over the last couple of years have come on the days that I least expect them. I must remember to go out to enjoy myself, and celebrate a PB if it comes. Not the other way round!
· Just a bad day. I didn’t sleep great, I was tired from the travel in the week. Of all of the reasons that I didn’t do well, this is probably the smallest contributing factor.
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Next race is in a couple of weeks and I will put all of this behind me and simply go out and run. Looking forward to it!
The race itself was a credit to the organizers and to Standard Chartered Bank. It was very well run, loads of well-manned water stops. Lots of good signage and marshalling. Plenty of clean-ish port-a-potties. Perfectly organized water, fruit, refreshments and medal-station at the end. All round great demonstration of how a race should be organized!
Leading up to the race, preparation was going ok. I am definitely starting to get back to my fitness levels of 2009, but I have not yet started my speed training and have not yet notched up my weekly miles to where they need to be for a strong half or full marathon.
I spent a few days in Perth in Australia earlier that week and did some core strength training, but no running. I simply didn’t have the time. I know that tapering means slowing down, but I don’t think that means stopping altogether. The trip, whilst not that far, does involve a five and a half hour flight each way and resulted in me being pretty tired by the end of the week.
The night before the race, a group of friends got together for a pasta party and I drank lots of water and ate lots of carbs and went to bed feeling pretty good. Waking up on race day though, I felt sluggish. It is hard to put your finger on what that feels like or looks like, but I knew that I was not on my A Game.
Going through my normal early morning routine, I ate, showered, made it to the start area, warmed up and started to feel a little better.
The first 5km of the race was tough. I was running strong, but the heat, humidity and traffic fumes on a busy road meant that I hadn’t settled even at that point. I looked at my watch and I had been doing 5:10 minute km’s; so I decided to slow down and see if that helped.
I passed the 10km mark in just over 53 minutes which means I had slowed down my second 5km to 5:30minute km’s. But I still wasn’t settled. I was still feeling sluggish. I had taken a gel at about 40 minutes and that helped a little, but not enough.
Things started to go wrong from there. The next couple of km’s slowly started to take 5 to 10 seconds longer each km. I took lots of water, I had another gel, but by the 15km mark, I was hovering around the 6 minute per km mark and slowing. I felt so out of rhythym that I even stopped and sat on a curb for about 90 seconds to “have a word with myself”
I crossed the finish line in 2 hours and 30-odd seconds. Not a PB. A real disappointment. With retrospect, I put it down to three things:
· Fitness – I started too fast for my level of fitness and simply ran out of juice
· Over-thinking, over-preparing and not having the right mental game for the day. All of my PB’s over the last couple of years have come on the days that I least expect them. I must remember to go out to enjoy myself, and celebrate a PB if it comes. Not the other way round!
· Just a bad day. I didn’t sleep great, I was tired from the travel in the week. Of all of the reasons that I didn’t do well, this is probably the smallest contributing factor.
Next race is in a couple of weeks and I will put all of this behind me and simply go out and run. Looking forward to it!
The race itself was a credit to the organizers and to Standard Chartered Bank. It was very well run, loads of well-manned water stops. Lots of good signage and marshalling. Plenty of clean-ish port-a-potties. Perfectly organized water, fruit, refreshments and medal-station at the end. All round great demonstration of how a race should be organized!
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