That hurt.
Apr2620103:14 p.m.
3 hours 53 mins.
Feeling disappointed, to be honest, as I was aiming for sub 3.45. Yesterday didn’t go too well, partly due to my own stupidity.
All intention of meeting fellow bloggers at the Lucozade stand went out the window in an effort to find somewhere to shelter from the freezing rain. My muscles were seized up before we even started. Talking of starts, I didn’t think the blue start was very well organised. They dropped the tapes between pens really early, before I’d made it into my allocated pen 4. So once we did start I was dodging slower runners (including 2 women actually walking from the start line, what were they thinking???) for the first 3 miles. That made me 2 mins behind schedule, so I panicked and sped up, committing the ultimate Schoolgirl Error.
And then I didn’t slow down, soon finding myself 5 mins ahead of schedule. And for inexplicable reasons (nerves? largesse?) I drank nearly a whole bottle of evil, sickly Lucozade Sport before the start. Which mixed nicely with my pre-race Immodium Instant (‘nuff said) and Ibuprofen. So after taking my scheduled first gel at mile 7 on top, I felt sick as a dog. Spent the next 7 miles belching loudly, I’m sure to the delight of the runners around me.
At mile 14 I was passed by the Runners World 8 min mile pace group. That was BAD. I was meant to be running 8.30 pace. After that little shock my legs started a slow descent into hell. By mile 20 I had had enough. I don’t know if I hit the wall, so much as found myself trapped inside a concrete bunker. Decided a walk break might revive me, but my legs wouldn’t go in a straight line. Saw a TV camera pointing straight at me and vanity forced them into action again. But from that point on, it wasn’t pretty. A mixture of painful, staggering ‘running‘ and breaks for drunken, weaving ‘walking’. Fortunately, whenever I saw friends spectating in the last few miles of the course, I was ‘running’. The last mile went on forever and ever and ever. Even site of the finish line didn’t cheer me.
When I did cross the line the very first person I saw was my physio, on lookout duty for broken runners collapsing in heaps. He was all pristine in his official white tracksuit top, till sweaty me collapsed on his arm, dribbling and gibbering. Boy was I glad to see a friendly face.
Tottered off to get my medal and tried to pull a happy face for my photo. Remembered it was all over, and beamed.
Then it all got better when two friends, my dad and Mr D picked me up at the Runners Meet And Greet. They took a limb each and hauled me over to a nice grassy spot in St James Park, where Mr D produced a bottle of Champagne from his bag. Now that was more like it!
Unfortunately, I can’t say I enjoyed yesterday. The IT band didn’t niggle, which was good. But I suffered from missing too many long training runs from it and an earlier calf problem. Spent the last 6 miles cursing and swearing and promising myself I was never, ever, on any account EVER going to sign up for a &*~$&*@$ marathon ever again. But, in truth, I know I won’t rest till I’ve run that sub 3.45 time I know I’m capable of...
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Comments (7)
glen_b 'There seems to be a common theme amongst at least 75% of the blogs, and that is people missed their own targets, but by small ish margins, and the second half seems to have been a major problem. Maybe heat and humidity, if only because no training has been done in anything other than arctic conditions. I think given your ITB issues, and the fact you were taped up from the start, your time is exceptional, and you should try and find the positives from it. Very well done, and a major thank you for keeping me entertained by your highly amusing blogs over the past few months, please keep them up going forward to let us all know what the next adventures will be.......' added 26th Apr 2010
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gloshawk 'Great time; I'm really impressed, especially after reading the trials and tribulations of the ITB over the last few weeks. You got round, you got a fab time, and you've still got something to aim for if you want to. All told, I'd have that down as a successful day! I'd agree with you about the blue start (although I did use it to my advantage to slip up a place or two from lowly pen 7) - I tripped over the 2 ladies out for a Sunday morning stroll as well. They must have thought they could do it in 3.30 or something! Well done again!!' added 26th Apr 2010
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Firefly123 'Well done, Ruth. That is a fantastic time. I also found it b***** hard going from mile 20 (struggled from mile 16 to be honest). I hope you'll keep in touch either on here or FB - if you use FB. I'm sure you'll achieve that sub 3:45 one day.' added 26th Apr 2010
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simonedumergue 'Wow Ruth, considering what you have been through on the injury front, that's a superb result. I would give anything to have least gone sub 4 hours! I'm sure you do have a sub 3:45 in you, but do stop and smell the roses and appreciate what a damn fine run that was with a history of injury and a challenging set of conditions for running (I very nearly shouted at the three women walking three abreast having a good old gossip, taking up half the road - grrrr!). I know what you mean about not really enjoying it yesterday - that is how I felt. I've loved your blogs. Hope you do keep posting in the future :-)' added 26th Apr 2010
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Suziewee 'Well done that is a fantastic time, but I know how you feel once you have set yourself a target, whatever that might be, you want to do it. But considering all your injury worries that is fantastic. I made the old Imodium, Ibuprofen and too much Lucozade Sport mistake too - not a happy tummy!' added 26th Apr 2010
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jach222 'Blurgh... feeling that magic mixture reaction at just the thought. Ruth... I've never run a marathon. I hope to run a marathon one day. I hope to survive running a marathon regardless of the time I do it in... YEAH RIGHT! It's a natural reaction to go off fast, if only to get away from 'Sunday runners' (like sunday drivers but without the car). You did fabulous yesterday and you are allowed to say that. You've joined an elite group of people and you are allowed to be very proud of yourself, extra 10 mins or not. Sounds like you learnt a lot yesterday which means you have to run more races, more marathons and thus carry on blogging. Well Done x' added 26th Apr 2010
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blondiekels 'Well done Ruth... You managed a time like that in pain and recovering from injuries?? Pretty awesome if you ask me!!' added 27th Apr 2010
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