I was very lucky to be given a place in the Manchester marathon by Adidas, but I only had 10 weeks notice.
I had been running quite consistently up to then, so I did a Coros fitness test, a 5k effort and a half marathon effort to see where I was in relation to the marathon distance. Then I found the 8 weeks 3:15 marathon plan on the Coros training plans and thought I’d give it a go.
The training was going really well, I was hitting the times I wanted to be hitting and getting all the main sessions in. I even had the weather on my side for every run. It actually felt like I might be going to do ok.
With 3 weeks to go I got an achy pain in my foot. It meant I had to limp a bit when walking, but after a mile or so running it did ease up. Luckily it came when I was tapering down a bit so I just made sure I got the long sessions in and not much else, mainly walking in the last week.
A few days before the marathon it looked like it could get hot, so I increased my water intake adding in a few glasses of Tailwind for extra electrolytes and carbs in the final 2 days.
The Saturday before the marathon I felt I had to stretch my legs, so did parkrun and it all felt ok ish.
On marathon day morning I woke up earlier than I wanted but just took it easy in the hotel and wandered to the metro. Got off at Old Trafford, found the toilet queues, 30 mins later I was off to the start area. There was a bit of hanging around but I made sure I was standing in the shade.
Then off we went.
I started behind the 3:15 pacers with the idea to catch them around mile 20 if all was going well. And to run in the shade whenever possible. My nutrition plan was to take a gel every 4 miles and take a couple of gulps of water at every station. This was going well, I felt good, the crowds were great and the sun was up. It surely couldn’t last, could it?
For some reason at mile 16 I just thought what’s the point? I just want to stop, sit down, have a little cry then get a tram back. I just couldn’t be bothered with it anymore. In my previous marathons I think I would have just started to walk. But instead I had a little word with myself and started a counting strategy. Up to 100 for each step, then count to 100 on my right, then 100 on my left. It seemed to work and I started to look at the crowds and laugh at their signs again.
I caught the pacers at around mile 19 and just ran next to them. I started to pretend I was on pacing duties so I couldn’t slow down and had to stay with them.
My left hamstring started to cramp, again in previous marathons I’d have walked, but I just kept going with a straight left leg, swinging it around a bit and then trying to stretch it on the move. It worked. Then it happened again, then on the right leg. Both times I managed to shake it off. Then at mile 22 it was in both. I just stopped, moved to the side, had a bit of a stretch and hobbled on. Now was time for my music. It did the trick and took my mind off the cramp. The pacers had gotten away but I just tried to reel them in. At mile 24 I caught them, stayed with them, then pushed on in the final straight.
I finished in 3:13:31
I wanted to feel great, but my stomach issues started to arrive. I slowly walked back to the hotel. For the next couple of hours it was several trips to the toilet to be sick, then back to a table to rest my head. After about 3 hours I felt just about ok to risk the train home.
I do always compare my marathon times to other distance times I can do and to what other people do, I know I shouldn’t. But this time I don’t really care. I’m really pleased with the way I did the marathon. It was a 7 minute PB, and it was the 1st time I actually managed to talk myself into continuing and not giving in to my head like I do normally.
Once home and about 5 hours after I finished the marathon I managed to keep a cup of tea and an ice cream in. Then on to fish, chips and a Guinness. 😀
