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AndyS
48 Posts |
 Posted - 12 Oct 2009 : 7:38:08 PM
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A lovely cool day - perfect for running. Met Steve at the start as we converged on the portaloos. He kindly waited with me while I dropped my bag off at the tent and we made our way to the start.
I was feeling good after a comfortable run at the GNR and a fairly gentle 10k two weeks ago. But was a bit nervous as to how my body would react in mile 18 and beyond! I'd managed up to 21 in training and that had been tiring but not horrible...my target was to run 8.30 per mile and if things went wrong the fall back was under 4 hours, and plan C was to finish!
For the first 15 miles I was running a fairly steady 8.40 and feeling comfortable. Mile 16 is always a low point for me but with water, gel and high5 drink taken at 15 it did not seem too bad. Mile 17 was a different story - my thighs started tightening, I tried altering my pace and stride length but it did not help so I though I'd stop and have a little stretch - it might have helped the quads but the hamstrings wouldn't straighten out after and cramped up  only for a moment but it hurt! got going again very gingerly and had another gel just before the water station at mile 18 and washed it down with some more water and high5. The flyover at mile 19 was not nice and I had another walk break. The next few miles were alongside the river in a nice park - very picturesque but we all could have done with some spectators cheering us on. The marshalls were all very encouraging but I could have happily got on a bus and gone home! I was by now well in to plan C if not D!
Mile 24 to 25 were back in to the town and a few more supporters were out. But there was a lot of walking going on. I struck up conversation with another runner who was on the same walk run schedule as me and it was reassuring to know he was feeling as c**p as I was. At about 24.5 miles I decided enough was enough and I had to stop feeling sorry for myself so suggested we started running again. I was determined I was not going to have another walk break.
I had been warned about the last mile hill and I was going to run/jog up it. Runners who had already finished were walking down and they all gave encouragement and it was strangely motivating to know that the faster I ran up it the sooner I would be finished!
As I got to the top a massive cheer went up for the runner behind me. As she passed me I resolved that I would not let her beat me to the line - at the same time I saw the 26 mile marker and decided to go for it. From somewhere I found the energy to sprint for the line and pipped my unknown rival about 5 yards from the finish.
Plan C was well executed in the end my watch read 4:13:55. My first marathon and for a short time my only marathon EVER. However, having got plan A and B worked out it would be a shame to waste them 
Andy S
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Mij0
848 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2009 : 8:04:27 PM
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Congrats on finishing your first Mara. If you have the bug then plan a and b look good, what about a good for age plan
Fat again :-( |
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Heavyweight
1453 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2009 : 8:22:06 PM
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| Andy - I hope you're feeling proud of your performance, it's very impressive for a first marathon. I've done 5 now and haven't got beyond plan "D". |
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Laura Foster
1146 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2009 : 8:24:01 PM
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| Well done Andy. The water park is pretty, isn't it. |
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claire1
487 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2009 : 8:28:34 PM
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Well done and bask in your sucess!
The pain fades and the warm fuzzy bits remain.... well they do when you can get on and off the loo without wincing.... I needed a zimmer frame for days!
Excellent run. |
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colinhewes
182 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2009 : 10:28:43 PM
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Well done Andy, that was an excellent effort. The first one is always a step into the unknown and I guarantee you'll be back for more.
Colin Hewes
Stage 4&5 vet. |
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fishyweb
2311 Posts |
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mdunn77
1545 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2009 : 08:08:16 AM
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| Well done Andy.. your description of cramp kicking in at mile 17 reminded me of London.. not nice. You did fantastically well for your first marathon. |
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Dips
4077 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2009 : 08:41:41 AM
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Well done Andy, I am yet to find anyone who executes plan A in their first...I think mine ended up as plan Z! Impressive time that you can now build on. Its so much easier after the first!! 
Dips x
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." C.S. Lewis
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LittleBigMan
1070 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2009 : 09:51:50 AM
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Fantastic Andy! Congrats on sticking with it and completing your first Marathon! It must be a great feeling!
As Steve commented, take pride in conquering this mammouth distance and good luck with plan A at your next Marathon!
LOL at Claire's comment 
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"The will to win is worthless, without the will to prepare." |
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Wicked D
2207 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2009 : 2:52:09 PM
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Andy S - MASSIVE well done & welcome to the world of a MARATHON RUNNER, your time was great (my first 2 maras were 4hrs 50mins)so good on ya
its ALWAYS the last few miles of a marathon that hurt the most and can take as long to run as the 18/20miles before
I'm sure you'll ALREADY be thinking of another marathon to run in the future (yes you will   ) and be thinking you can BETTER your 1st time, even if its Leicester again
well done
"If you're going through hell, KEEP GOING"....W Churchill |
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AndyS
48 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2009 : 2:55:03 PM
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Thanks for all your great comments.
I now know what my wife is going through with two arthritic hips - at least mine are now better - she did offer me her stick at one stage yesterday!
Just got my chip time through 4:13:52 so feeling better now
Despite telling my wife 2 weeks ago that I was definately not doing another I can't make up my mind whether to look for one in the spring or next autumn 
Thanks again for your encouragement.
Andy |
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PeteStockdale
416 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2009 : 4:46:38 PM
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Very well done Andy. Glad to hear you enjoyed it enough to be contemplating another one at this early stage - it must have gone well as most people are still in the 'never again phase' two days later.
Sorry we didn't see you. I had hoped to see you when you finished, but I didn't have a good run and wasn't in much of a state to socialise*
But if you are toying with another marathon then no doubt our paths will cross at some point. Nottingham in September is good, Halstead in May is good if you like small and rural. And of course there is London which, as everyone will tell you (), is absolutely brilliant.
So quick, get yourself signed up before you see sense.
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* Mine was a race of two halves. Went through halfway on PB pace feeling really good. Then between mile 14 and 15 I suddenly felt dreadful and had to go to the toilet 3 times in one mile. After that my pace got slower and slower and by the end I felt absolutely awful. Ended up walking the final mile and a half and that took me forever as I struggled to stay awake (I would have sat for a rest but I feared falling asleep). I have been tired in races before but this was something else entirely and I can only put it down to a bizzare few hours of illness (as I was fine by the evening). At the time I really wanted to finish, but in hindsight I probably should have stopped - rational thought probably disappeared with most of my breakfast around mile 15.
Still, no damage done in the end, and my enthusiasm for running silly distances is still there.
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"I just felt like running" - F. Gump |
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krissienewton
1269 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2009 : 5:22:41 PM
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Well done on completing your first marathon - a fantastic achievement.
Krissie
Get up and walk if you have to, but finish the damned race - Ron Hill |
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mdunn77
1545 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2009 : 5:47:11 PM
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| Bad luck Pete - what an inconvenient time to be struck with a stomach bug! Glad you were ok afterwards. |
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LittleBigMan
1070 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2009 : 5:56:13 PM
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Yes, bad luck Pete. I figured something must have been wrong when I saw your time. I said to Gill that something was amiss or that you must have been injured. How strange that it affected you that way, whatever it was.
Hope you're OK now!
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"The will to win is worthless, without the will to prepare." |
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Leicester marathon
