The Full Marathon Run

The (26.2m)Run.

I racked my trusty steed thinking to myself, good lass you didn’t give me any major problems and especially no puncture headaches unlike a few I saw around the course wrestling with their tubs. I galloped toward the T2 changing tent…Hey that wasn’t too bad, I can stand, I can run!

T2 was also slow at 7.5 minutes as I did the customary pamperings. I was glad for the spare pair of running socks I’d packed though as my feet were sodden wet through. There was still lots of male nudity in the tent (oh, didn’t I mention that in T1) with women marshals in attendance which I found very odd seeing as you get disqualified in England for exposing yourself at these events. (Twelve times I’ve been disqualified back at home , I never learn!!.....bum bum.)
This was it, time to start the bit I’d been dreading for the last year or so. I reset my Garmin and tested the legs, they felt ok, well, not half as bad as I’ve experienced during some sprint triathlons.
The route out of transition took ages and was lined with spectators cheering me on. My Garmin beeped after the first mile and showed my pace as doing a 7:38 mile. Whoops, I think this was a little fast considering the task in hand so I slowed the pace to 8:15 minute miles. The storm disappeared as mysteriously as it had appeared and the sun was back with a vengeance. What a contrast, but by all accounts the weather conditions were similar last year with even hailstone at one point in the race followed by a heat wave.!! At the first aid station two wet sponges on my head were priority then some water which was a little confusing as they served it in coke cups aswell as serving coke in coke cups!
The course meandered around the lake we’d just swum in and the whole area was packed with holidaymakers and supporters many swimming, sunbathing, book reading, beer-supping and pedalo-ing whilst shouting their encouragement. The fact your race number has your name and country on it is a great idea, a personal shout out ‘Bravo Steve, super’ does you the world of good.
My pace was steadily slowing all the while, more due to the heat than through choice. By halfway my Garmin was now indicating 9 minute miles and the first 13 miles done in 1 hr 55 minutes. Ok this was within my expected time but I was now into unknown territory, remember, I’d only run up to 15 miles in training, 11 more miles seemed an eternity. The amount of water I’d been taking on board finally caught up with me and I was now looking for crowd-less spots between the towns where I could answer natures call. Initially I was being passed quite often as the good runners (or crap swimmer/ bikers as I like to call them) sped by. The more miles under my belt the more people I seemed to pass usually those having difficulty or some simply resigned to walking. Last year’s winner Bella Bayliss was one of these and her race ended prematurely, alone by the roadside.
I’d taken a few energy gels along with water as well as the life saving wet sponges at the aid stations. My socks were yet again sodden wet through as the water ran down my legs into my squelchy shoes. There were times when I contemplated walking but I know once you start to walk you have hell of a time trying to convince the legs to start running again. I had no problem in walking as this was always the back up plan if things turned ugly but I kept thinking to myself well I’m hardly at death’s door and I’ve got no serious injury or blisters, so I can’t really justify reverting to the back-up plan already, unless I’m left with no choice. I plodded on, albeit slowly.
Looking back now I can’t really remember where the miles were lost but I now found myself having 23 miles clocked up on the watch. I’d seen Al on his first lap hobbling after just 5 miles with massive blisters! I felt for him as I knew he’d be 6.5 hours at least in that baking sun. I saw them all, Malc and the two Andys and all were still running. Tony didn’t seem too far behind me and I knew he was capable of a sub 3:30 marathon so whether it was him breathing down my neck or the fact I was only 3 miles from the finish, either one I found my pace increasing to 8:30 min/miles. By my calculations at my current pace I should get under 4 hours comfortably for the marathon, I went for it. My calves were starting to protest and that stabbing pain that had blighted my early season's running was threatening a return! Luckily I was in the fortunate position with only 3 miles remaining were I could ignore it. I would have been in big trouble if I’d had these 10 miles earlier! My Garmin carried on counting up…24, 25, 26 and finally 26.2 miles……….. What the flip!!!!! It was obvious that I was still nowhere near the finish line, what’s happening? Why is this course more than 26.2 miles long?
I could hear the loud speakers in the distance yet it seemed a million miles away, had I gone the wrong way, yet again?
I came in over the line feeling a little dejected as I thought I’d finished almost a mile and half ago my Garmin showed 27.6 miles. I’d obviously cocked it up whilst re-setting it somehow but I still don’t know how! Forget that, the finishing clock showed 10:24:04!!!!!! Almost 36 minutes faster than I’d hoped for. I did a bit of a camp ‘YYEESSSS’ whilst doing some random arm gesturing upon the finish line and this was evident in my finishing photo. There was no family or friends to greet me so despite achieving my year long dream there was no emotional tears like you see so many do at the finish line. This said………………. I was now an Ironman!!

I’d slipped from 41st in my age group after the bike to 76th proving that running isn’t my bag but the fact I didn’t stop or walk helped me beat my predicted run time by 10 minutes.

Running time 4:04:27….goal 4:15.

Total time 10:24:04: Position in the race 397th out of 2600: 76th out of 554 in my age group.