Robin Hood Full
ftrobbie
Posts: 1,017 Member
Well abbreviated version
Stopped training plan at the start of August knee injury, before Sunday ran 44 miles in the previous 7 weeks. Gone from a sub 4hour plan to lets finish plan and under 5 hours would be great. Got round in 4:25:01, ecstatic. Emotional, very.
Longer version. With all the road closures yesterday and expecting to be in a lot of pain at the end, I got to the venue early to park as close to the race end as I could get. Task 1 accomplished, however it did leave me 2 hours to kill.
Weather outlook for the day 20C around lunchtime, however when I arrive at the start it was foggy with a visibility of about 100yards. Two competing thoughts kept going through my mind, I'd paid for it and therefore I was doing it and why was I here, what did I have to prove, why risk my knee giving up again, especially given that 2 weeks ago, I managed 16.5 miles in 3 hours. That left me with this is going to be 5 hours plus. The compulsion to run came from a simple fact, if not today then when? What excuse would I use next time? I knew this was a mind game. I knew I had had these thoughts during C25k, I knew I had had these thoughts during B210k, they even occurred when I lined up for Silverstone HM and I was as well trained as I could get for that. I lined up at the back of my corral, the sub 4 hour guys, and thought well I am out of place here but here goes. The intention was to do 9min run, 1 min walk intervals and to see how it goes, with an overeride to keep my heart rate in the 135-155 range (155 is my safe long distance HR). The other issue is that the first half of the course is the half marathon, so 7500 HMers and 1300 FMers share the first 12.5 miles.
Wave after wave gets released and we are off, I missed the first walk interval, never heard it, made the second but the paces were hot, sub 9:30, but it's cool, HR is mid 140's. Missed the walk at 29 minutes but that was ok. At 3 miles get the first disheartening thought, you can see the elites (FM and HM) going through 7 miles on the opposite side of the road. It's going to be a long day! At 4.7 miles I am 500yards from home, can I stop? At around 6 miles with pacing still above where I thought it would be that I started to get the same niggle and stiffening that I got when my knee broke down. It is here where mind games start and it's not pretty, but I have got into the 9 min run 1 min walk mindset. I am also near the 2hour 10min HM pacer, and keep yo-yoing around him depending on whether I'm at walk or run. It was around 10 miles that I noticed it was hot, I am sure that the fog had burned off by mile 6 but I only became conscious of it at mile 10 and started wanting water to cool me down rather than hydrate. At 11 miles some wag shouted how much further, with answers of 2 miles, it was here that my heart sank, for me another 15, barely 40% done, at least my knee had stopped hurting, and I had left the 2hr10 pacer behind. At 12.5 miles the split came and the realisation that for most of the field their day was done but for me and other mad souls we had to do it all again. Around 14 miles the 4hour 15 pacer came past me on a walk interval. For the next 2 miles I kept close to him and then fatigue started to set in. Between 14 and 16 miles it was a real mental battle, how would I survive, my pace had started to slow, the thought of over another 10 miles to do, I was not even two thirds through. I let the pacer go. It was tough, however there were some great marshalls out there around these points and I will always remember the marshall jumping around on some rocks being really cheery. After 16 miles, single digit miles to go, the mindset changed to how little there was to do. At 18 miles a little hill I had to walk up and at this point my thighs were locking up. As I looked around, I could see others suffering as much as me. Then the run through Nottingham City centre and people cheering us on and then the brutal Derby Road hill. It's not really brutal but after 19.5 miles it feels like it. Over the top and it's largely downhill but any slight rise is agony and there are still 4 rises left. The last 3 miles were just painful, the desire to stop with less than 30 minutes to the finish was enormous, it was a true mental battle. In the last half mile you can see the finish line 100 yards to the left but you have to run past it, so cruel, but there is plenty of support and it is this point I start to cry, not in pain but the emotion of getting near to the end and thinking of Darrel who died of bone cancer 13 months earlier and the man I raised sponsorship for in the first place. The irony of the comment "you can do it", you bet I can with 200 yards to go.
So afterwards, I am sore, my quads hurt, they feel like they have steel rods inserted in them. I have foam rolled them and gone for a 3 mile walk this morning, lets hope the tightness eases soon. Another marathon, not anytime soon. Signed up for a 5k, 16m 3.5k cross country duathlon in 6 weeks time. I'm hoping that the 2 hour affair is going to be more fun. Final thoughts on the marathon, glad I did it, but boy was it emotional. It's even causing me to well up now. Have fun
Stopped training plan at the start of August knee injury, before Sunday ran 44 miles in the previous 7 weeks. Gone from a sub 4hour plan to lets finish plan and under 5 hours would be great. Got round in 4:25:01, ecstatic. Emotional, very.
Longer version. With all the road closures yesterday and expecting to be in a lot of pain at the end, I got to the venue early to park as close to the race end as I could get. Task 1 accomplished, however it did leave me 2 hours to kill.
Weather outlook for the day 20C around lunchtime, however when I arrive at the start it was foggy with a visibility of about 100yards. Two competing thoughts kept going through my mind, I'd paid for it and therefore I was doing it and why was I here, what did I have to prove, why risk my knee giving up again, especially given that 2 weeks ago, I managed 16.5 miles in 3 hours. That left me with this is going to be 5 hours plus. The compulsion to run came from a simple fact, if not today then when? What excuse would I use next time? I knew this was a mind game. I knew I had had these thoughts during C25k, I knew I had had these thoughts during B210k, they even occurred when I lined up for Silverstone HM and I was as well trained as I could get for that. I lined up at the back of my corral, the sub 4 hour guys, and thought well I am out of place here but here goes. The intention was to do 9min run, 1 min walk intervals and to see how it goes, with an overeride to keep my heart rate in the 135-155 range (155 is my safe long distance HR). The other issue is that the first half of the course is the half marathon, so 7500 HMers and 1300 FMers share the first 12.5 miles.
Wave after wave gets released and we are off, I missed the first walk interval, never heard it, made the second but the paces were hot, sub 9:30, but it's cool, HR is mid 140's. Missed the walk at 29 minutes but that was ok. At 3 miles get the first disheartening thought, you can see the elites (FM and HM) going through 7 miles on the opposite side of the road. It's going to be a long day! At 4.7 miles I am 500yards from home, can I stop? At around 6 miles with pacing still above where I thought it would be that I started to get the same niggle and stiffening that I got when my knee broke down. It is here where mind games start and it's not pretty, but I have got into the 9 min run 1 min walk mindset. I am also near the 2hour 10min HM pacer, and keep yo-yoing around him depending on whether I'm at walk or run. It was around 10 miles that I noticed it was hot, I am sure that the fog had burned off by mile 6 but I only became conscious of it at mile 10 and started wanting water to cool me down rather than hydrate. At 11 miles some wag shouted how much further, with answers of 2 miles, it was here that my heart sank, for me another 15, barely 40% done, at least my knee had stopped hurting, and I had left the 2hr10 pacer behind. At 12.5 miles the split came and the realisation that for most of the field their day was done but for me and other mad souls we had to do it all again. Around 14 miles the 4hour 15 pacer came past me on a walk interval. For the next 2 miles I kept close to him and then fatigue started to set in. Between 14 and 16 miles it was a real mental battle, how would I survive, my pace had started to slow, the thought of over another 10 miles to do, I was not even two thirds through. I let the pacer go. It was tough, however there were some great marshalls out there around these points and I will always remember the marshall jumping around on some rocks being really cheery. After 16 miles, single digit miles to go, the mindset changed to how little there was to do. At 18 miles a little hill I had to walk up and at this point my thighs were locking up. As I looked around, I could see others suffering as much as me. Then the run through Nottingham City centre and people cheering us on and then the brutal Derby Road hill. It's not really brutal but after 19.5 miles it feels like it. Over the top and it's largely downhill but any slight rise is agony and there are still 4 rises left. The last 3 miles were just painful, the desire to stop with less than 30 minutes to the finish was enormous, it was a true mental battle. In the last half mile you can see the finish line 100 yards to the left but you have to run past it, so cruel, but there is plenty of support and it is this point I start to cry, not in pain but the emotion of getting near to the end and thinking of Darrel who died of bone cancer 13 months earlier and the man I raised sponsorship for in the first place. The irony of the comment "you can do it", you bet I can with 200 yards to go.
So afterwards, I am sore, my quads hurt, they feel like they have steel rods inserted in them. I have foam rolled them and gone for a 3 mile walk this morning, lets hope the tightness eases soon. Another marathon, not anytime soon. Signed up for a 5k, 16m 3.5k cross country duathlon in 6 weeks time. I'm hoping that the 2 hour affair is going to be more fun. Final thoughts on the marathon, glad I did it, but boy was it emotional. It's even causing me to well up now. Have fun
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Replies
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congratulations on completing it. mind games are tough0
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You have done a fine job of honoring Darrel with your race. I've always found your posts inspirational and enlightening, and will probably refer back to this one specifically when dueling my own mind games while running. Way to go, @ftrobbie !0
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You've come a long way -- great job!0
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Thanks everyone. I have to keep on reminding myself about how far I have come, from a 20 stone (280lbs) guy (Feb 2014) who was morbidly obese and who could not run more than 2 minutes 16 months ago to someone who has a normal BMI, 6 stone lighter (84lbs) and can do a marathon. That's what made me well up on the finishing straight. Sunday was a stark reminder of what I thought I could do and what I can actually do are 2 different things. It was also a wake up call as to whatever you plan for, dealing with what actually happens is far more important. Plan the work but then work the plan (well sort of). My journey has only been made possible with some hard work from me but also with the spiritual support from people on here and Strava. You guys and girls with your own battles have made me more resolved to fix my problems. I and my family are truly grateful for your input, whether you understand the impact that you have had or not. I am again welling up because it has been an emotional 20 months and without you you knowing it, you have all provided a crutch I have needed from time to time. Thank you and good luck on your individual journeys.
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Good to hear your thoughts. Glad you got there in the end.0
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Great run mate, now get yourself fully healed up and back into the training. If I remember correctly you've mentioned signing up for a 65 miler next year?0
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Yep 18 June 2016, Carlisle to Newcastle 69 miles. Why did I sign up for that, 26 miles was bad enough. More fortitude and training required.0
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Just resting and doing some light cycling, will commute in tomorrow and Friday. May try a gentle shake out run on Thursday morning. Other than that it is rest and foam rolling, which does help!! Thanks for the advice. Full on training will not start again until November, some light sessions between now and then around maintaining fitness and getting ready for the off road sprint duathlon at the start of November0
