Today was the third Yorkshire Marathon, held at York, it is not really hilly, in fact there is less than 800 ft of elevation in the whole 26.33 miles (that's what my Garmin measured), so reasonably flat and not too many twists and turns.
The event sells out quickly, so I entered months ago and set myself a target of sub 4 hours. Last year's 4:17 gave me a good start in pen 2. I set off behind the 4 hour marker but in true form, I soon was in front and running hard. The pacer was planning to run a steady 9:09 min mile pace. I'm rubbish at consistency. I'm also rubbish at negative splits so positive split was the plan, in other words, run like heck then survive.
At 10 km I thought I was going too quick, I tried to slow it a bit. The weather was far better than last year, no fog and quite bright, so there was lots of support on course.
It was hard running with bruised ribs, but I knew it would be, what I didn't expect was the twinges in my piriformis, meaning my left leg started to give way about 12 miles. I forced onwards and passed halfway at 2:02 on the clock. I was off the planned pace and needed to fight onwards. I turned in Stamford Bridge, the first out and back, the crowd boosted me for a while.
At 15 mikes the 4 hour pacer and his followers passed me. I missed the water station, I took a gel but the lady was shouting use both sides of the road there's more water further up. There wasn't, I'd misunderstood. She had meant to go the other side of the table. Hey Ho! Not the end of the world.
I had needed the loo since the race start but I kept seeng signs for toilets ahead but not seeing the toilets. About 16/17 miles I saw toilets, I detoured. Feeling relieved, I tried to get my mojo back and catch the group I had been running with, but was almost floored with a stitch, I tried to shove my fingers into the pain but that and my bruised ribs made breathing a struggle. I ran with my elbow out like a tea pot for ages until it started to ease, gutted as my group got further and further away. At the waster station I grabbed a bottle, took a gel and struggled onwards and upwards.
As I turned towards 21 miles I was still struggling. So far it was very similar to last year and again by 22 miles I had settled back into it. My head was willing but my legs screamed walk, my piriformis was preventing me running fluidly, I felt like I was limping and tried to stay away from the left hand side of the road as the camber was aggravating it. The miles started to tick by again, only 4 miles, just a park run.
At 40 km there was a clock 4:04 the sub 4 was impossible, but I was doing better than I thought. Right, get a grip, sub 4:15 is possible. I tried to pick up the pace as I put as much of the pain away as possible. The hill towards the end was brutal and a sprint finish was impossible even with the downhill.
I crossed the line and stopped my watch. I hardly dare look, it could have gone either way.
4:13. Oh My, I did it. A PB at last. My marathon PB has been 4:16:26 since the first Manchester Marathon in May 2012. A long time coming. But my text said 4:13:35 and the tracker 4:13:15. Either way I'm a happy bunny tonight.
sub 4 was always a tough target, too big a chunk to bite off, especially with the recent event I have in my legs. So hopefully nibble away at my marathon times and one day achieve a sub 4.
No comments:
Post a Comment