A WEEK ON AND I AM STILL A MARATHON RUNNER!

A week on from successfully completing my first marathon, the Virgin Money London Marathon 2015, and I'm still just as happy as I was a week ago.  This really will be something that lives with me all my life.  I did have about 5 seconds after when I thought “not again” but I soon dropped that nonsense and am eagerly awaiting the outcome of the 2016 ballot to try all over again!

The weeks up to the big day started with nicely controlled “tapering” as run mileage and intensity both reduced and I worked on recovery and energy stores.  In the last week, though, I seemed to encounter just about everyone with a cold as the famous pre marathon paranoia, or “maranoia”, really kicked in as the nerves built and I, like many others, worried constantly about something going wrong in the last few days – especially illness or injury!  What was at risk was 565 miles of relentless, self-focused, hard graft training…many say that the marathon is the hard bit, it isn’t, it is the “Glory Day” when you get back what you put in.  As long as you enjoy it too.

Early start 0616 train from Basingstoke packed with runners and supporters. Time for the iPod and some personal space.  Another train to Blackheath and I was there…umm, into grey, cold drizzle!  Rats!  But, I was lucky as, thanks to the great folks from Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, L&LR, I could join their pre-race do and have food, drinks, warmth and great loos!

All too soon, it was time to hit the Blue start assembly area, drop my bag and await the start in a fetching combo of old throw away tee shirt and a see through L&LR disposable poncho.  Yep, I cut a fine style in the portaloo queue…but I wasn’t alone.  Indeed, some 38,000 of us were doing the same thing, and we watched the big screens as the elites and wheelchairs made their early starts at amazing speeds, then queued in our particular start pens ready for the 10:10 start.  I’d thought that with so many people it may take 10-20 to get across the start line….but at 10:18:22 I was off and trying to remember all the advice.  Mainly to (1) NOT go out too fast and to pace it right, (2) keep my head up – take in the event fully – and enjoy it! and, (3) get my form right and use my arms to reset tempo making sure my hips and pelvis were level.

To be honest, all three worked and I pretty well kept to them although my pace and form slipped a little on miles 25 and 26 down the Embankment that just seemed to go on and on and on!  I was very fortunate that my club mate, Adrian, who was pacing for Runners World, caught me and shouted at me in Birdcage Walk which jolted me back to life for the big finish.  I had been aiming for 4 hours 10-15 mins and was and still am delighted with 4:12:57 with the potential to now tweak some things and improve stamina / form for the last 6.2 miles to go under 4 hours in future.

During the run, I really had enjoyed the whole thing and probably made it all look a big too easy at my cheering points at 11.5 and 23.3 miles where I not only accelerated to be far faster than targets for those miles but went by smiling and waving to show I was OK.  At both, I was very lucky to have two cheering groups…first my own dedicated “cheering crew” of my wonderful Debs who has had to live every day of my relentless training, plus Julia, Heather, Sophie, Danielle, Amy and her friend.  Easy to spot in bright yellow L&LR tee-shirts, they were what I was aiming for at each point and gave me a fantastic lift.  Then, at each place, just down the road were the supporters from running club, SPR, who gave me another lift. Did I make it look “easy” or “comfortable” by managing pace and the race mile by mile?  Yes, I probably did!  I now really do understand why people say the event is the easy bit…it is the utter dedication and determination in the training that is the hard bit with lovely 18 mile wet, cold, at times very lonely Sunday long runs.

I wanted to finish as the priority, I did and in a time I am very happy with for a first time running over 20 miles.  There is a great medal, tee shirt and goody bag but even more valuable are the memories as I was delighted that many of the people dearest to me could be there and share it with me…or, me share it with them?

By running for L&LR I not only benefitted from pre-event support and coaching but a post run celebration at Central Halls where, after a massive cheer that I just hadn’t expected,  some food, a very welcome 20 mins leg massage and an even more welcome beer.  Oh, and a wonderful feeling walking on carpet with no shoes or socks on!

A fantastic event and experience that couldn’t have been possible without a great group of people that each played a big role in the preparation and the day, who I trust with each aspect.  There were my constant “running buddies”, Amy and Libby, some guys from the Club, especially Jonathan, Nick D & Adrian, my coach Ben from Full Potential, all the team at L&LR, Gary Turner...and my brill sports physio, Vicki at The Body Reset Clinic.

In an earlier blog I said “…just eight weeks to go to VMLM2015, and I absolutely can’t wait!”  Well, I wasn’t wrong, I loved it, and absolutely can’t wait to VMLM2016!”.  I know what it will take now with the kind of dedication, focus and sacrifice needed for “the hard bit” the training!  Things will be different now as, before 2016, my “A” race schedule has a run of “firsts” this Summer:

·         24 hour solo endurance trail run, Endure24

·         50km Trail Ultra, the Salisbury 5-4-3-2-1

·         Berlin Marathon

In my next blog I’ll talk about the recovery and the weeks after the marathon. Cheers, Mark

TAPER? I'M STILL TRAINING!!!

Oh my!  The Virgin Money London Marathon really is getting close!  Sunday 26th April to be precise, or even more precise: 3 long runs, 8 effort runs, 9 recovery runs (or parkruns), 6 rest days, 2x Pilates sessions, 4x swims and a bit of cycling away!

 At 8 weeks from race day things were getting tough but they have got tougher still, due to work encroaching on my training, my personal life and especially my sleep.  I have been doing two major pieces of work in parallel which meant I didn't get an off day, including weekends, from 15/2 to 28/3.  Have almost kept to my training plan when viewed over a week as I juggled sessions at extreme ends of the day and did some double training days but some effort sessions and some recovery runs have gone and my weekly mileage dropped, although I've already banked 457 miles of training since December.  Been a bit lax with swimming, foam rolling, leg exercises and stretching....but when many nights I was getting 2-3 hours sleep it was no wonder things would go.

Now, as I train I keep getting told off for:
1. Being too hard on myself (can't help it, that's me!) but I want to do the best job.
2. Not getting enough sleep to allow rest, recovery and muscle build.  Tricky this one as I still have to work, at times, very stressful ultra hours with immovable deadlines.

Long runs have been protected though and, as well as the thoroughly enjoyable Bramley 20 mile race, there have been great miles in an 18 miler (horrid, sore toe issue), a 19 miler (excellent!), various 13-14-16 milers and a faster paced Reading Half Marathon with Amy, my running buddy, who has got me through many a low point in our runs this year.  We had a target, beat it by 3 mins plus and were very pleased with the days work.

Now though, the pattern changes as I move like all other marathoners toward the taper weeks as the amount and intensity of running reduces.  There are still Sunday long runs although these now go 2.5 hours, 2 hours and 1.25 hours so no more 3 hour runs.  Yay!

VMLM and Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research have put together a fantastic facebook video headed up by Stephen Fry – it could even go on various websites – as I raise money for a charity very close to my heart. https://www.myfundraisingfilm.com/view/60075f65-5cb6-473b-ad24-5805c4a9a7fe?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialshare&utm_campaign=myfundraisingfilm

Hope you enjoy it, and many thanks for any support you can give.  Cheers, mark

6 DOWN, 14 TO GO!!

The end of 2014 was tough...I lost my Dad in November and, whilst 94 is a fantastic age and he “kept all his marbles” until the end, it is still a big loss to lose my Dad, my friend, my “sounding board” and my inspiration in one go. A massive hole in my life that will never be filled, but life really is about the next generations and loved ones around me. That’s where my drive comes from now. The early weeks of London Marathon training were more “mechanical” than inspiring and they went in a unmotivated flow, ticking off session after session. Christmas and New Year changed all that. For once, I properly downed-tools from work, rested, re-charged and re-set my life. Proper rest, improving speed and endurance in training, the benefits of pilates and lots of great times with family and friends. I somewhat blew the concept of rest days (Ben at Full Potential please ignore that bit!) as my motivation kicked in and I found myself saying, between two parkruns on New Year’s Day “...funny, the more I go through my training the easier running is getting”! Doh!

But that is the difference, I am now deep (200 miles with 100 miles in 2015) into the 20 week pre London plan, seeing and feeling benefits although not (yet) shifting the weight I want to (basic physics...want to carry less weight, and each 1lb off equates to 10lbs less pressure on my knees) and have not touched a drop of alcohol since N Y Eve...even having a non-alchi birthday! I can really say now, having completed 6 weeks of the training plan that I am utterly enjoying it (yes, I am bonkers!) even its relentless nature. As some of you will know, this path to VMLM2015 is a step on to ultras so my plan differs from many a marathon plan that would have an easy day on Saturday ahead of a Sunday long run. Thanks to Ben (from FP) my plan is a very personal fit to my needs and what work demands of me too...unlike many, with my client work being on various sites, I am not able to do commute runs so I have adapted.

What’s my week like? Mondays are the oddest thing called “rest days” with [drum roll] NO running but with pilates...I am loving pilates but have no style – others have graceful and controlled movements, whereas mine are somewhere between a one-armed paper hanger and someone with their laces tied together! Core work and conditioning rule, and pilates along with my trusty foam roller and a fantastic new knobbly massage roller stick are working. My sports physio, the wonderful Vicki at Body Reset Clinic, is really pleased at the way some old, persistent muscle knots are getting under control. I really am trying to look after my legs and feet with all the investment going into training which means that I have stopped racing karts, which is quite a shock, and do get really annoyed at silly trips...caught a kerb and stumbled out of control into a parked car last week, luckily without any real injury apart from a sore foot for a day. The rest of the week has...3 effort sessions (Kenyan Hills, Intervals, fartleks, threshold, sprint hills, etc.), 2 recovery runs, parkrun and a Sunday long run or a Sunday cross country event. Oh, swimming and starting cycling again drop in there somewhere.

Gotta say, I love mud-plugging on cross countries and whilst the distances are “only” 5-6 miles there is an all-round training hit of threshold + hills + endurance in one wet hit, yes!! The year started with the Cliveden 6m XC taking 3.5 mins off my 2014 time around the beautiful grounds of the house, complete with steep uphill zigzag and twice up the 175 steps of yew tree walk!!!!!!

Fellow club members from Sherfield Park Runners, have been great. Practical advice, great club nights and also joining me in various of my effort sessions rather than me always banging out effort sessions on my own. Many are in their own training for half and full marathons so it works for all and I really, really appreciate the company and enthusiasm.

Events wise things are getting serious. The Bramley 20 (cunningly that is a very local, 20 mile race) is looming very near, as in Sunday 15th Feb! By then I really need to have settled on what “marathon pace” means for me as I am still in a range. 22nd March brings the Reading Half Marathon where Amy, my running buddy (from SPR), and I are targeting a 3 mins + reduction in PBs and getting a sub 1:45 HM. Yeah, not remarkable for many but another step forward for me where my first HM, March 2013, was 2:15+, so all good. April sees the London Marathon itself which I am already massively excited about, including the support that I know will be there from Debs and others, Endure24 in June as a solo and the Berlin Marathon in September. Now the latest piece of the jigsaw has landed...in August, at the Salisbury 5-4-3-2-1 the very popular 50km trail ultra round Salisbury with 5 rivers, 4 hills, 3 country estates, 2 castles and a cathedral!

Why do all this? On one hand I love a challenge and am, in many ways, (Ultra)bonkers! But there is a good cause under all this...raising money for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research. Please have a look at this page, my drivers and what I’m trying to do:

 http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=MarkBurrell996&utm_source=SwitchToDesktop&utm_medium=web&utm_content=Footer&utm_campaign=VMGMobile&stop_mobi=yes

I have a stinking cold....do I care?  No!  Staying cheerful and positive and will use a little rest for all the development to sink in.  Cheers for now, Ultra Bonkers Mark

LOOKING BACK TO GO FORWARD

Today marked the end of my 2014 racing season of 22 events at the Fleet 10k with Debs and 4 other Sherfield Park Runners club members.  A nice, undulating two-lap triangular course (used for one lap as part of the Fleet half marathon each March) that had great PB potential...except that I have been unable to shift a sore throat and head cold for a week and a half.  Debs was VERY keen that I didn't run today, but I did with the promise that "I won't run too fast".  In the end I managed a reasonable, for me, half marathon style pace and landed a 51:15 at an average of 8:16 mins per mile. 

Not shabby, but not what I wanted....a PB better than my 49:07.  Wasn't to be, but I did it, enjoyed it and got another "gong".  A good day, especially with Debs getting her mojo back and really enjoying parkrun and this 10k this weekend.

Which gets me thinking.  What was I trying to do this year in my targets?  Actually, when I step back I am pleased with the way the year has gone.  In psychometric tests with work over the years a consistent trait is that I achieve with drive, bloody mindedness and a belief that I will achieve.  The problem, as such, is I don't celebrate success when it comes because I expect to do well.  So, please excuse me stopping for a second and being chuffed at how my three targets have turned out...5 mile, 10k and Half Marathon:

5 mile: To get below 40 mins. Down to 39:24 by 3:10 from 42:34
10k: To get below 50 mins. Down by 2:20 to 49:07 by way of an interesting 50:00!
Half-M: To get below 1:50:00.  Down by 3:20 to 1:48:31 at Edinburgh HM

So, I am happy at 2014 in an overall mix of pace, style, learnings and results.

So, what of 2015?  A mix of evolution and new challenges awaits after a winter of club cross country events and much training laying down my base.  I am still running every day and stand at 107 on this streak having got to 179 on my previous one in June before illness knock running on the head for 2-3 very frustrating weeks.  My new training plan has a weird concept of "rest days" as I build towards my big double act of running firsts:
April: Virgin Money London Marathon 2015 (my first marathon)
June: Endure 24 SOLO (my first ultra over 24 hours of 5 mile trail loops)

On the way there will still be 5k, 10k and Half Marathon races but with more specific selection to get quality over quantity...am already in 4 HMs at Reading, Edinburgh, Bristol and Basingstoke.  Note:  I ALWAYS enter races early so I don't miss out, unlike some local runners who wait till the last minute and find races closed!  Targets are still developing for the new challenges but a couple that I am clear about already are 10k at sub 45 and Half-M at sub 1:45

All this training and the races and ambitions mean changes and sacrifices in 2015 to give time for the right amount of quality training, especially with the mileages I plan to do.  Since I was 15 I have almost continuously raced either radio controlled model cars or karts, racing karts with a great organisation called Club100 for the last 11 years.  I have hardly raced this year and really can't see me doing much at all next year which has come a quite a shock but what I must do to dedicate myself on my 2015 plans.

A time of change.  Really pleased with this year's progress now to lay down the hard yards/ miles to be ready for 2015's challenges.  Meanwhile, bring on the mud of cross country races!  ttfn, mark

KREK WAITERS PEAK BRISTLE

Bristol is a lovely, historic place and both Debs and I have strong connections with the City and, although we both (separately) moved away some years ago, we both have family there and lots of personal history. Bristolians turn out in force to support the half marathon in their special way, as the route winds around the historic centre taking in The Clifton Suspension Bridge (twice) and the SS Great Britain, both built by a hero of mine – Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Last year’s BHM was quite traumatic as Debs lost her Mum to a stroke just 2 weeks before and, understandably, had to withdraw. This year she was back on a mission, running in memory of Judy and raising over £700 for the small stroke charity www.fightingstrokes.org This was started by Kate Allatt following on from her book Running Free: Breaking Out from Locked-in Syndrome.  Debs will shortly blog about her day here, and, having been ill for a few weeks, with her training was limited to about 6-8 miles a/WEEK over the past weeks even starting was a source of great pride.

We all know that folks have lots of pre-event rituals and I’ve adopted many, such as:
  • Making sure I get a seat on the daily commute to London – FAIL, on 3 days out of 4!
  • Not drinking alcohol in the week before – managed that
  • Lots of rolling and stretching – FAIL, did plenty but not enough and my constant niggly “knot” in my left hamstring just wouldn’t budge
  • Having an “easy day” the day before – FAIL, but for a good reason as I did a Basingstoke, High Wycombe, Birmingham to Bristol loop taking my daughter off to Brum UNI to study History.

Race-eve became a shopping trip as Debs forgot her running shoes...kind of important for a half-marathon but luckily we found a good shop and she left armed with some new treads that had a hour or two of walking to break them.

Back to race prep. I hadn’t felt good all week with some sort of random bug and temperature, with legs like concrete, so not at my most confident. However, a couple of miles round Queen Square and lots of stretching seemed to improve things.


Race day dawned very sunny but, thankfully, without the horrid humidity of the days before. Race Village was only 5 mins walk away which makes a change. Debs was pretty emotional already as she headed off to the other start pens, and it was great to bump into runners from Hatch Warren Runners, another local running club, and Ian from our club about to take on his first HM. Blue pen for me, second back, and eeeeeek! Lots of talk of race paces a bit over 7 mins miles. Rats! My gameplan was around 8s with “plan A” being to spot the 1:45 pacemaker and hang on. Biiiiiig problem as soon as we started – the pacemakers were invisible, seemed to be just wearing an orange run shirt! No balloons, flags or whatever, so useless unless you happened to be next to them!

Pacing worked for first 3-4 miles but then slipped a little at a time as I leaked 10-20 secs a miles over mid race. Last year, for my 1:52, I drifted off in the last 3 miles so I needed to improve that. My 1:45 target was parked for another day so it became all about course PB and I was taking about 10 secs a mile out of that. So, good and positive, as was the great Bristolian support and welcome.

Locals were superb with great shouts. “...looking good moi luvver” or “...yer nearly there, darlin” or “...there be no hills in this areal” but I wasn’t so chuffed about “...keep going funny man!” until realising that was aimed at a Smurf running behind me! Over the miles I got bored of “c’mon Smurf!” so mile 8 saw a quick sprint to escape his sweaty, blue faced presence!  

A lap of Queen Square fell at 9.5 miles and the place was brilliant, excellent support, hot air balloons and a mass drum group...really gave me a boost in spirits and pace. More on this later.

There are a couple of “cheeky” hills late on which were dealt with fine then a tricky ¼ mile of cobbles which messed with my mind last year but were far better this year when treated more like a trail run. Final loop round the centre, 13 miles then the home burst, not quite catching Batman and Robin, and done in 1:49:17 so well inside last year’s course PB and only my second sub-1:50. Happy days!

Just after the finish a girl came over and said “thanks for that” leaving me bemused. She explained “...you shot past me at the drum band in Queen Square and I thought that you were going OK so I sat in behind you all the way back” Didn’t know I’d become a pacemaker!

Overall, a great day for the Sherfield Park Runners. My course PB, Ian starting fast and hanging on to his maiden HM time of 2:07 and Debs digging really deep, on almost no training, to run all the way round to a 2:24. Fantastic! Already planning on running the Bristol HM again on 13th September 2015 and hope to bring more folks from the club.

Ttfn, Mark
*”Correct way to speak Bristol”

WHEN DID A MARATHON BECOME A TRAINING RUN?

October 6th, 1984 was the day that led to me being told I'd never walk again, then after 5 months in plaster and on crutches, leaning to walk again. But now I run.

Why? I raced karts and had a double end-over-end flip crash landing on and smashing my left ankle. The injury seemed quite straightforward but after a month the consultant realised I had damaged the blood supply to my foot meaning my toenails weren’t growing and, more importantly, the breaks weren’t healing. Many tests followed but all that could be done was wait and hope.  Amazingly, my body fixed itself by re-creating the fine blood supply and I eventually came out of plaster ... missing out the “walking plaster” stage as I was already (without permission) walking on the existing cast and, err, riding a bike! Just the sort of bonkers thing I do!

So, walking ... things changed from “...you should be able to keep your foot but not walk on it” to “...you’ll need to learn to walk again” (for which I was given absolutely no help by the hospital!). I taught myself. I fell over a lot but got mobile again but it took me months to be able to walk down a flight of stairs facing forward. Now the mantra was “...you mustn’t run, ever!”.  So I didn’t for far too many years as I was so pleased to be able to have a foot and to be able to walk.  I followed the warnings for some 28 years, and what a waste of running time that was.

The catalyst for change was meeting my partner, Debs, in 2012 and as we coloured in the details of our past lives running came up (she’d run half marathons before) so we decided to start running together.  We did, and I entered us for the Fleet Half marathon just 4 months ahead to give us some focus.  Bonkers!

Away from running I am a 52 year old Dad with two daughters at UNI, a kart racing motorsport nut and a management consultant working long, pretty stressful hours and living in North Hants.  Now I am a runner too!  Also, entirely against expectation, I am the Chairman of a running club (Sherfield Park Runners) that Debs and I started in April 2013 ... but more of that in another post.

Over some upcoming posts I’ll take you through my inspirations; the running club; run streaks; and, into my training.

Training? Yes, this year has been based round 5 half marathons (Reading, Fleet, Edinburgh, Bristol and Basingstoke), lots of 10Ks and 5Ks (love parkrun in Basingstoke and as a “tourist”) and various trails including in a team of 8 at this year’s fabulously wet and muddy Endure24 where my contribution was five, 5 mile laps.  I am constantly being told I am bonkers especially when I grab a new challenge, often coming from when someone says “...you can’t” or “...you are too old”.  This applies even more with my 2015 running plans ... a first marathon (planned to be VMLM2015) and straight on to do Endure24 again BUT this time as a SOLO as my first Ultra Marathon!

My summer reading has been Ultra marathon books from Ira Rainey, Dean Karnazes, Chris MacDougall and Byron Powell, and tapping into some great Ultra marathon groups for info.

Bonkers!
Ultra!
Hence...ULTRABONKERS