Left home just after six and picked up two local runners from Western Tempo (the fast local club, definitely not Almost Athletes like me 😆). Had some good chat during the dark and sketchy drive in the rain.
15 minute walk to Tisley Park, with the final section along the closing metres of the race route. Arrived already soaked. Plenty of time for toilet, nipple plasters, Vaseline, warm up etc etc. Had a good look for Jools, but no luck. My mate then decided he’d dropped his keys on the way, and so retraced his steps at a jog. I told him a near 2M warm up before his first marathon was punchy.
Out into the rain to line up with ten minutes to spare. Genuinely torrential rain. Couldn’t hear the tannoy so got a bit of a shock when the five or six rows in front started to run. Had to rapidly pull off the bin bag and hat to chuck to one side, whilst fiddling with my watch.
The race begins with 300m of the track, before some closed main road then into minor roads and a fairly short gravelly path. This has been fine in the past, but was honestly like England’s finest XC at times this year.
The torrential rain continued with lots of standing water to either swerve to the side of just run through. I mostly opted for the latter.
Found a really good group of aspiring sub 2:55 runners. Pretty metronomic 6:40s for most of the race, with strava showing these only really going in the final three miles.
It was a nice surprise to have the second short rough path now a rubber crumb track (although Jools didn’t like it). This appeared twice, being part of the 9ish mile loop that gets repeated.
Clocked 1:27:22 at half way and felt good, although the incessant chat of the group was definitely diminishing. Had to ‘gently’ encourage some workload sharing, but on the whole, it was a good experience to not be isolated for any of the race.
At about mile 17, my insulin pump fell off, with the rain having battered the glue. Not ideal having to stop and part the group to pick it up. Hamstrings! Probably only ten seconds cost, but a definite HR and mental strain.
Back into the business park - oo I love the smooth flat roads here. Can see why people enjoy an early morning business park tempo. The sun came out with five miles to go. Suddenly 17C and I was opting to pour water over myself to cool down.
Back into the town centre with two miles to go and things get awkward. Wiggly route, the subway of doom and gently uphill the whole way. I was honestly having an out of body experience and didn’t know if I was high or low blood sugar or just exhausted. Being overtaken quite a bit now as the miles slowed to 7:00 and then 7:15.
Back into Tisley park and onto the track. Glanced a the clock with 300 to go. 2:56:xx. Sub 3 still on. Could I better my time at this year’s Manchester? I will not(!) be seeking out any video footage of me on the track as my god I must look slow. Had a nice little sprint off with the friendly lady who finished second.
An almost immediate text message confirmed 2:57:43. Not the sub 2:55 I’d aimed at, but my second fastest marathon since the stress fracture and great experience.
There is a good atmosphere at the end and very easy bag pick up etc.
WARNING: do not read on if you don’t want to be grossed out.
I must have strained too hard somewhere during the morning: I seem to have given myself hemorrhoids. Have essentially been bleeding from my back side ever since 🤮. The joys of marathon running. In a lot of pain today and struggling to walk, never mind sit. Not ideal when I had an hour’s dentist appointment for two fillings yesterday morning at 0815 😆. Sought some medical advice and treatment, but suspect might have to escalate things today. Running? Inconceivable for the time being!
Split Summary
===
1) 1m - 6:45(6:45/m) 154/192bpm [1040b/mi] 183/202rpm
2) 1m - 6:34(6:34/m) 170/188bpm [1118b/mi] 181/194rpm
3) 1m - 6:38(6:38/m) 184/192bpm [1222b/mi] 182/198rpm
4) 1m - 6:34(6:34/m) 187/190bpm [1227b/mi] 182/202rpm
5) 1m - 6:38(6:38/m) 189/194bpm [1256b/mi] 180/198rpm
6) 1m - 6:42(6:42/m) 192/198bpm [1283b/mi] 180/194rpm
7) 1m - 6:44(6:44/m) 178/196bpm [1201b/mi] 180/194rpm
8) 1m - 6:40(6:40/m) 153/157bpm [1023b/mi] 181/196rpm
9) 1m - 6:33(6:33/m) 152/157bpm [998b/mi] 181/198rpm
10) 1m - 6:37(6:37/m) 155/159bpm [1025b/mi] 179/196rpm
11) 1m - 6:40(6:40/m) 156/158bpm [1037b/mi] 181/200rpm
12) 1m - 6:38(6:38/m) 154/157bpm [1024b/mi] 180/196rpm
13) 1m - 6:36(6:36/m) 156/158bpm [1027b/mi] 180/194rpm
14) 1m - 6:40(6:40/m) 157/159bpm [1047b/mi] 179/196rpm
15) 1m - 6:35(6:35/m) 159/162bpm [1046b/mi] 178/198rpm
16) 1m - 6:40(6:40/m) 163/167bpm [1084b/mi] 178/194rpm
17) 1m - 6:42(6:42/m) 163/166bpm [1089b/mi] 179/200rpm
18) 1m - 6:51(6:51/m) 163/167bpm [1118b/mi] 177/198rpm
19) 1m - 6:42(6:42/m) 165/168bpm [1107b/mi] 179/196rpm
20) 1m - 6:43(6:43/m) 167/170bpm [1123b/mi] 177/196rpm
21) 1m - 6:37(6:37/m) 167/168bpm [1102b/mi] 177/194rpm
22) 1m - 6:46(6:46/m) 166/168bpm [1123b/mi] 179/196rpm
23) 1m - 6:59(6:59/m) 167/168bpm [1163b/mi] 178/194rpm
24) 1m - 7:05(7:05/m) 164/167bpm [1165b/mi] 177/200rpm
25) 1m - 7:13(7:13/m) 167/171bpm [1204b/mi] 175/192rpm
26) 1m - 7:19(7:19/m) 167/170bpm [1225b/mi] 177/198rpm
27) 0.39m - 2:37(6:40/m) 171/174bpm [1141b/mi] 179/202rpm
6:45 6:34 6:38 6:34 6:38 6:42 6:44 6:40 6:33 6:37 6:40 6:38 6:36 6:40 6:35 6:40 6:42 6:51 6:42 6:43 6:37 6:46 6:59 7:05 7:13 7:19 2:37
