London Marathon Week 11 of 12
12/09/2022
Mon – AM rest PM rest
Tue – AM rest PM 3 @ 5:20m/m, 6 x 1k in 2.54 (3min rest), 2 x 200m in 31. 12 total
felt very tired to start session, Somehow came round and felt good
Wed – AM rest PM 3nb trail (no watch)
Lovely day, very tired and heavy on run though. Sprints while coaching kids
Thu – AM rest PM 5tm @ 7:00m/m, 2x100m strides
tired but felt fine on treadmill
Fri – AM 5tm @ 7:00m/m, 2x100m strides PM rest
Train to London, really enjoyed it. Lovely day out the window, eat, read, nap
Sat – AM rest PM Aldershot 6 Stage Road Relays (6km). Leg 1 – 18.37. 10 total
perfect weather, brill course, great to hang out with Kent AC team
Sun – AM 3 easy, 6 @ 5.20m/m, 1 easy PM rest
Perfect weather in Dulwich park but v busy. Start late after watching Kipchoge WR
Total: 45 miles. tm = treadmill, nb = nose breathing
Taking Care Of Business
UK runners have been competing in road relays for over a hundred years. It’s a brilliant way to galvanise a team and test depth. This week it was the S.England 6 Stage Relays; 6 runners in a team each running 6km.
Kent AC team manager picked me for the A team. This meant a lot to me, the only guy selected who had also run in the absolutely legendary team of 2012, where we claimed our sole victory in the event. I traveled down to London on Friday, the day before the race, feeling nervous. I had ticked off a good session at Track Tuesday, but I was also well aware that on paper, I was the slowest 5k runner in the team this year. Infact, I was slower than half the B team.
As our squad sat on the train on our way to Aldershot, conversation turned to predicting who would run the team’s fastest leg. I sat behind my heavy duty FFP3 mask. I certainly did not make a case for myself. Nor did anyone else. I would have my hands full trying to justify my spot in the A.
The course is 2 laps of a very twisty 3k loop. I was given leg 1, my favourite, and as we started, I felt pretty good. I was really enjoying the turns. I began to realise that I could take them considerably quicker than everyone else. Perhaps due to my incredible mountain skills, but, more probably, due to my choice of footwear. It made it more fun for me, to have this slight advantage, but there were still plenty of straight sections. I could hear, from our team mates cheering, that our B runner Dan was right on my back. On the 2nd lap, I thought about trying to utilise my advantage and power through the turns, rather than just take a breather. But, after a deceptively long uphill drag, I lost touch with the leaders and my pace slowed.
I went into damage limitation mode and just hung onto the guy in front, wearing a Dennis the Menace vest. I found his pace slightly inside my maximum, but there was a wide gap in front of us to the next person, if I went for it, I could blow up. The finishing area is set up brilliantly, the runners sweep down into the main field, and run the path around it for half a mile, in full view of the spectators. I found myself locked in battle with two guys. With 200m to go, I felt like they were tiring, I made my move ahead. I started catching the next guy in front, who was quickly fading, but with 50m remaining, I realised I wouldn’t catch him, I eased off slightly. Just before the finish line, someone came back past me and it was too late to respond. I crossed the line slightly annoyed with myself. I could have made my move earlier and ended up a few places further ahead for the team.
My time was 18.37, 17th place. This was 15 seconds off my best time here, which was my A goal. But I had achieved my B and C goals, stay in front of Dan and get sub 19min. Happy enough, I had the team off to a solid start.
As I warmed down with Dan we cheered on our team. This is always my favourite part of the day. Your work is done and you can fully enjoy the spectacle without the nerves jangling. I took great pleasure in berating Owen with the fruity encouragement he is also known to employ. The A team clawed our way into 7th place and our final leg, Rob, finished just as the rain came. The B team also finished a very tidy 27th.
Spirits were high on the train home, we were satisfied with our best performance in recent years, pizza and beer being passed around. Also, surprising me more than anyone, it turned out that I had run the fastest leg for the team. This put me in a good mood, I was mercilessly goading my younger teammates with searing, yet hilarious jibes. Unfortunately, I was the only one who could hear myself, still wearing the mask.
Eliud Kipchoge, making me feel less shit about being human.
Sunday, I slept in then watched the GOAT do his thing at Berlin Marathon. Kipchoge already has the marathon World Record, 2 Olympic golds, fame and fortune. It’s hard to understand what motivates him to keep training and racing at such a high level. He bangs on about proving that No Human Is Limited. I had always dismissed this slogan as some sponsorship spiel. Now, I might just believe this is what truly motivates him. What else could it be? I am generally not inspired by anyone, I mean, it’s hard to penetrate the invincible aura of my own ego, but I’m inspired by him.
I got out and did my run in Dulwich park. It was late and crammed, I nearly got wiped out by a dog, but it was great fun skipping round. Now I’ve pretty much packed away all my tools. It’s just TCB for the final week, Taking Care of Business. Sleep long, eat healthy, check the weather forecast 14 times a day.
RUNNING RELATED HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK:
The Greatest Of All Time. Not just in the marathon, but maybe running as a whole. No Human Is Limited. I’m a believer.
NON-RUNNING RELATED HIGHLIGHT THE WEEK:
“If something is going to happen to me, I want to be there.” Albert Camus
Brilliant little book. Old Man And The Sea (Hemingway) crossed with Invitation To A Beheading (Nabokov). So easy to read but immediately captivating. This was supposed to be my book to get stuck into during taper week, but I finished it too quickly.
Check out my sponsors; I use them constantly, putting them through hell, they are the best there is.
