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

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

DRAWING ON INSPIRATIONAL PEOPLE

In lots of what I do in life, especially the bonkers stuff, I draw on combinations of some influential and inspirational people.  There are historical ones such as Isambard Kingdom Brunel who I admire for his ground breaking work and sheer drive and “can do” approach.  Then contemporary key ones that fall into two categories:

First family:
My Dad, a still active 93 year old living in his own bungalow and mentally as “sharp as a pin”, whilst having angina and heart attacks since he was 68!  Years before being a production director in the automotive industry he spent 5 years as a prisoner of war, primarily in Stalag 8B in Lamsdorf in Poland.  He escaped three times, eventually successfully and making his own way across Europe to hitch a lift back to blighty in the back of a Lancaster bomber, from France to be greeted by a WAAF with a DDT spray!

My two teenage, UNI attending daughters who are a daily source of pride, with my youngest being the artist behind this portrait of Dad.

And, my partner Debs, who has brought a whole new life and amazingly selfless levels of support in all my bonkers stuff (bar getting her wellies muddy at Endure24!)

Then, running related, including:
My running club (Sherfield Park Runners) and its great and growing membership from who I have drawn so much energy.  Some have had profound effect on me in many ways.

The SPR runners at VLM2014 where Debs and I went to support 5 club members and had an emotional and life changing day.  I had always said “... I’m not going to run a marathon” whist secretly watching and learning from their prep during the early months of 2014.  So, my first marathon is due in spring 2015, hopefully in London.

Gary Turner, 13 times World Champion in various fight formats, and now an evidence based hypnotherapist, weight and nutrition guru and an ultra runner with his two huskies.

And, Ira Rainey and his book “Fat Man To Green Man” about his path to his first Ultra that just grabbed and inspired me in my holiday reading some weeks ago.

So, put all that with my bonkers approach to getting on in life and making things happen and you have my drive for new challenges developing into getting ready to run a first marathon quickly followed by a first ultra marathon and bonkers moves to ultrabonkers to reshape my life.  And, no doubt, the lives of my nearest and dearest!

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