PB Manchester
My first and probably only marathon of 2015 was due to take place in Manchester. I had booked to run it in 2014 but won a place at the London Marathon which occurs during the same month and wisely decided to defer my entry.
So it was that I began my training for the event in January having just managed to get rid of a heavy cold that lingered throughout Christmas and the New Year. My plan was to increase my mileage to 100 miles a month and steadily up my long runs to 20 miles a few weeks before the race.
During Lent I also gave up alcohol for seven weeks so I was probably the fittest I have ever been over those first months. Eating well, training hard, not drinking and making time for regular core exercises such as planks and press ups while combining speed and endurance training. Add a taper to the end and I would be all set to aim for my target for the year - a sub 3:30.
My previous best had come in May 2014 in Milton Keynes when I finished in 3:33 knocking twelve minutes off my previous time set in London. I had run London at 8:30 min/mile pace and Milton Keynes at 8:00 min/mile pace but hit the wall two miles from the finish. Could I keep up an 8:00 min/mile pace without crashing at the end?
As the weeks rolled by I managed to fit in my runs and avoid injury. Consistency was the key to the longest period I have experienced without injury since I started running. By finding a consistent level and not increasing it too fast meant that my body was able to get used to the demands being asked of it.
In Brighton I smashed my half marathon PB which gave me a huge boost. The training was paying off. I took it easier in Milton Keynes and treated it as my long run of 14 miles. This went up to 16 the next week and 18 the next before culminating in a 20 miler along the Brampton Valley Way to the Kelmarsh Tunnels and back.
Still injury free I continued to eat and drink healthily, exercise and run but reduced my mileage by 25% with two weeks to go and by another 25% the week before. I was tapering and it felt bad. Surely I was losing all the fitness and strength I had worked so hard for while sitting around waiting for the big day. But I knew my body needed time to build up its energy stores and persevered.
Finally the weekend of the race arrived. I traveled up with a couple of friends from Parklands Jog & Run and stayed in a Youth Hostel in the Northern Quarter of Manchester. I took it easy on the Saturday, watched TV, ate carbs and mooched around. Thankfully it wasn't too noisy that night but I still struggled to sleep as I was so anxious and excited in equal measure.
I awoke way before my 6am alarm and had a breakfast of toast, Weetabix and coffee - nice and early. Then the ritual of attaching the number to my shirt with safety pins, tying and retying my laces, packing my bag and heading out.
Usually marshals check you into the correct pen depending on how quickly you aim to finish but here it seemed like a free for all which wasn't good. As we crossed the line slower runners held up the faster ones and due to the narrow route it caused quite a lot of pushing and shoving. At one point someone fell and was being trodden on while others tried desperately to pick them up. It took a good two miles for me to find space to get into my stride.
Looking back I think this may have helped as the temptation is always to go off too quickly. With fresh legs and a surge of adrenaline I could easily have overstretched at the beginning blowing my pace out of the water and causing a problem like the one I had in Milton Keynes. As it was I completed each of those early miles in just under 8 minutes. A perfect start.
By now I was finding my rhythm and felt really fresh, the taper had worked. The next few miles passed quickly. My first goal was to complete 7.5 miles in the first hour. As my Garmin reached 60 minutes I had completed 7.7. Soon we were in Sale and it was another three miles to my next significant milestone 13.1 miles and half way.
The route took us out of Sale and into Altrincham where the atmosphere was incredible. It resembled the London Marathon crowds with people lining the streets and cheering, giving out sweets and playing music. There were two choirs one of which was made up of primary children which put a smile on everyone's face. I passed halfway in 1:42, just ahead of race pace. I was consistently under 8 minutes and knew that was time in the bank but I was wary of pushing too hard too soon.
We headed back to Sale and then turned left towards Carrington. Around the 15 mile mark I began to tire and I was having to consciously push to continue to manage sub 8 minute miles. At 16 miles I knew that the mileage left was in single figures; that was a positive to hold on to.
However by mile 20 the tiredness had turned into pain. In my head I logically told myself that there was just two Parkruns to go but a Parkrun on fresh legs is a very different prospect to a Parkrun on legs that have been pounding out 8 minute miles for over two and a half hours. I had my one and only gel to give my body a boost.
Much of the race is a blur to me but I have one very distinctive memory of something I saw at this point. We came to a field and as we turned right around the corner a herd of horses came galloping past and took off ahead of us. It was similar to the scenes you see on the Tour de France coverage - beautiful.
This took us onto the B5213. That road will forever be etched in my memory as the sight of the six longest and most agonizing miles of my running life. It went on forever. Each mile marker seemed to take an age to arrive. By now my hamstrings and calves were getting tight and I was worried I might cramp despite the fact that it was cool and I had been drinking plenty of water. I stopped and stretched them out before resolving to give it everything to the finish.
Finally the white scaffolding of Old Trafford came into sight. I was only a mile from the finish. I was still managing 8 minute miles or just under but my feet were sore and blistered and my thighs felt heavy and sluggish. I stared at the ground and pumped my arms thinking of nothing else except the rhythm of my legs and arms. I began to overtake people, many of whom were now walking. It was so tempting to join them but I had come so far and wanted the best time possible. I couldn't relax now.
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| Time shown is the gun time not my time |
In fact I was under 3:25. My final time was 3:24:30, I had smashed nine minutes from last year's PB.
Experience tells me that you need to keep walking after crossing the line to get rid of the lactic acid that has built up. I collected my medal, had a photo taken and picked up my bag, dressing quickly to prevent catching a chill. Just as I headed out of the changing area I bumped into Mick and Steve who had finished shortly after me. We were able to congratulate one another before heading home.
Four out of five of my PB's have now been achieved in just four months - 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Marathon. Just the mile to go! Another landmark coming up is my 100th Parkrun. I'm currently on 93 so should hit this in June.
