This is my report of insanity in trying to achieve a sub-4 hour marathon at my first attempt!
I went there with my friend Darryl (Daz) Carter, an experienced marathon runner (and now Ironman), who had also been helping me train up for long distance running since September 2006.
Saturday: lovely warm day, spent mostly eating and watching the rugby. Despite the temptation to join the Irish drowning their sorrows at throwing away the 6 Nations and to help them celebrate St Patrick's Day, we had to keep our powder dry for the race.
Sunday: just for info, there were pacers with coloured balloons representing their finish time (3:45, 4:00, 4:15, etc.)
Pre-race: quite hard for me, as I couldn't wait to start my first marathon. Especially when I caught sight of some old geezer rubbing cream into his groin... and not stopping there. Gross! I felt my breakfast about to make a comeback but I managed to erase that image from my mind... urgh! My legs were really feeling good and I felt confident in my aim to go sub-4hr.
Start: Soooo many people! I haven't done London but I thought it would take me hours to get to the start line. Luckily we got under way pretty quickly, although I was stuck behind the 5:00 numpties - not good if I wanted to keep to a 28min pace for each 5Km. I absolutely refused to run behind someone wearing what looked like black Calvin Klein boxers (with the label on the outside!). In fact, I even ended up walking, as there was bottleneck after the first bend. Many of us started running off-piste to pass as many as possible in the first 2Km.
5Km - 27:43 (7689th overall)
Easy peasy, still warming up, still dodging people, managed to catch up to the 3:45 balloon and even had to ask whether I had it right, as I thought the pace was far too easy for a sub-4hr. Mind you, I'd been going quite fast just to catch up with them, so I settled into the rhythm and started to enjoy it.
10Km - 55:24 (7518th)
27:41 for the second 5Km stretch. Now I'm starting to warm up and really settle into it, especially as the field is beginning to thin out so I don't have to spend so much time and energy dodging boxer short-wearing numpites. Again, I didn't bother with the feeding station, so I could by-pass as many people as possible.
15Km - 1:23:37 (7548th)
28:13 for the third 5Km. Still on track for a sub-4hr and still feeling amazingly good. What's all this about marathons being hard? It's a walk in the park... how anyone can go over 5hrs is beyond me (this thought will come back to bite me on the arse!) Made sure I started drinking some Gatorade, although the amount they gave me wouldn't be enough to water a cactus.
21Km / half mara - 1:58:12 (7527th)
My half-mara pb! Well, that wasn't hard as I've never raced over 10Km before. 34:35 for 6Kms but I clocked my lap counter at 28:40 at the 20Km mark. A bit slower but I think that may be due to some undulating roads. Will need to check my HRM stats for altitude readings...
26Km - 2:25:04 (7474th)
26Km ??? No wonder I was gasping! I had to run an extra Km to get my oranges and drinks. Maybe that's why I ran a fast 26:52 for the 5Km from the half-mara time check! Still feeling OK but the loop took us out onto a hot and humid dual carriageway and I wasn't feeling so comfortable now.... Once I got to the feeding station, I had enough of their miserly portions, so I took a whole 500ml bottle of Gatorade and a handful of orange slices. I slowed to a walk in order to eat and drink properly, although I knew this would slow my overall time. I didn't care at this stage, as the humidity was sapping my strength and I was getting worried about the state of my legs.
30Km - 2:58:30 (8270th)
Uh-oh! Slipping down the field and I clocked a very slow 33:26 just for 4Kms! I know I was walking for much of the first Km but still.... WTF's happening to my legs? Still in touch with the sub-4hr balloons but all of a sudden I'm not feeling so good at all. I hope the muscle fatigue doesn't get any worse...
35Km - 3:42:13 (9124th)
...it has got worse! Where are those magic ice-cold sponges? I'm grabbing half a dozen at a time now and stopping to apply the coldness to my sore muscles. Also slowing to a walk after the feeding station, which makes me lose contact with the 4-hr balloon and I get passed by the bunch on 4:15. Noooooooooooo! I try to keep up with them but my legs refuse to comply. What's the matter with you? Pain is nothing, keep moving!
40Km - 4:25:31 (9618th)
More walking, especially on one evil cobbled section. The only thing that kept me going was the support from the crowd. At one point, we ran through a narrow street into Piazza Navona (a long narrow piazza with restaurants and bars on either side) and the uproar from the crowd really made my spin tingle. I have to keep going... for them! Then the sponges... more walking.... then a group of teenagers were chanting, football style. I waved to thank them and they cheered me on, so I just had to start running again. This isn't funny any more... Daz is going to die for getting me into this. Where am I? How long to go? HOW LONG???? God, I hope I can get there... maybe I should walk the rest of the way... oh no, here come the 4:30 numpties... just can't keep up with them... stupid legs....
42Km
Did last 2Kms in 17:42 - much less walking but that's thanks to the motivation of running with a guy we'd at the airport. Also his first marathon, although he was aiming for a more sedate 4:30. Neither of us was going to get that but we wanted desperately to get a sub 4:45 now we were so close. But he started off before me, so I was actually ahead of him on time - so my turn to motivate him to keep him going. Up the final climb around the Colisseum, only to hear Daz shout out "Hahahahaha how are you feeling?". F***ing Bar Stud! I'll get you for this, Carter! (It was at this stage he took a photo of me looking particularly angry!)
Final stretch: Downhill to the finish line made my legs hurt more than the uphill section. I urged my friend to keep pushing, I had a few minutes in hand to get my sub 4:45. Go, mate, go! I just keep plodding on until I get overtaken by boxershorts man! Nooooooooooooooooo! I'll never live this down - overtaken by a numpty wearing Calvin Klein underpants!
Managed to finish in 4:43:13 and also pleased my running mate for the final 2Km also came in just under the 4:45 mark. I'm 9668th overall but I don't care - give me my medal, I've f***ing earned it!
Two days later, legs have recovered already. But I've not forgiven them for letting me down.... tomorrow, I'll remind them of what they need to do with a nice 10Km run
Next stop either Carcassonne (Oct), Florence (Nov) or Milan (Dec) and I'll do a sub-4hr or die trying - I refuse to be beaten!
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