Run > Race

VLM 2016.
First marathon in 2 years, and pretty much first race for 2 years (only a relay leg and 2 park runs since April 2014). Obviously a bit wary, but very pleased to have got it right. Had hoped to be looking at a little better than 3:10 (maybe even a slim chance of sub-3) when in training in Feb, but the last 5-6 weeks went a bit awry and MP efforts pointed at 3:10.
Alarm 6:30
Breakfast between 6:30 and 7:00 of Co-ops chocolate twist, banana, and a cereal bar (no breakfast at this basic hotel :-o).
Another cereal bar on train (just after 8).
Half banana and one gel in FGFA area, say 45min pre-race.
One more gel just pre 10.00am start.
4 gels at roughly 5,10,15,20.
For once, got hydration/bladder not quite right and knew I'd need to stop somewhere on course. About 25-30sec lost at mile 15 as a result.

Calves felt tight first, but took that as an OK sign, since Dublin 2012 & 2013 both had calves feeling the heat early on. It's when quads tire that I know it's a bad day.

10s inside 3:10 at halfway was OK, but the wee stop meant that from 15-20m I was always about 15-20s outside an even 3:10. But not worried, I knew from somewhere around Canary Wharf that I had a strong run-in still to come, and it was about 19-20 that I started to claw back that time, and more. Solid comeback.

Looks like HRM played up for about 4 miles (!).

Participant
Name Gaskell, Paul (GBR)
Club Larne AC
Category 40-44
Runner no 29538
Finish details
Place (M/W) 2908
Place (AC) 667
Place (overall) 3127
Finish time 03:09:35
Race State
Race state Finished
Last Split FINISH
Start time 10:01:11
Pred. Finish -
Pred. Finish (Time of Day) -
Splits
Split Time Of Day Time Diff min/km km/h Place
5K 10:23:26 00:22:15 22:15 04:27 13.49 -
10K 10:45:50 00:44:39 22:24 04:29 13.40 -
15K 11:08:30 01:07:19 22:40 04:33 13.23 -
20K 11:31:07 01:29:56 22:37 04:32 13.27 -
HALF 11:36:01 01:34:50 04:54 04:28 13.44 -
25K 11:53:59 01:52:48 17:58 04:37 13.03 -
30K 12:16:29 02:15:18 22:30 04:31 13.33 -
35K 12:38:56 02:37:45 22:27 04:30 13.37 -
40K 13:01:05 02:59:55 22:10 04:26 13.53 -
FINISH 13:10:46 03:09:35 09:40 04:25 13.62 2908

Over final 7.2k
you passed
522 runners & 1 passed you

(I think I know who it was too, twat in a backwards white baseball cap ;-))

Split Summary
===
1) 1.01m - 6:59(6:56/m) 161/176bpm 26cal 8.66/9.42mph
2) 1.03m - 7:27(7:13/m) 159/174bpm 101cal 8.32/9.17mph
3) 1m - 7:05(7:07/m) 154/166bpm 100cal 8.43/10.01mph
4) 1.02m - 7:08(7:00/m) 158/177bpm 100cal 8.56/9.9mph
5) 2.01m - 14:28(7:11/m) 150/160bpm 196cal 8.34/9.71mph
6) 0m - 1(9:50/m) 151/151bpm 6.1/8.2mph
7) 1.03m - 7:22(7:08/m) 150/155bpm 101cal 8.41/9.3mph
8) 1m - 7:11(7:12/m) 148/153bpm 95cal 8.34/9.17mph
9) 0.99m - 7:16(7:18/m) 149/152bpm 94cal 8.22/9.22mph
10) 1.03m - 7:25(7:13/m) 148/152bpm 93cal 8.32/9.63mph
11) 1m - 7:11(7:11/m) 147/154bpm 82cal 8.35/9.14mph
12) 1.02m - 7:16(7:07/m) 148/151bpm 86cal 8.44/9.2mph
13) 0.99m - 7:13(7:16/m) 149/155bpm 82cal 8.26/9.53mph
14) 1.03m - 7:20(7:08/m) 150/158bpm 87cal 8.42/9.18mph
15) 0.98m - 7:11(7:20/m) 149/152bpm 78cal 8.18/9.75mph
16) 0.9m - 7:32(8:20/m) 149/153bpm 85cal 7.21/31.4mph
17) 1.03m - 7:21(7:08/m) 150/153bpm 86cal 8.42/9.2mph
18) 1.01m - 7:10(7:04/m) 152/156bpm 88cal 8.5/11.84mph
19) 1.06m - 7:21(6:56/m) 152/156bpm 89cal 8.65/16.91mph
20) 1.01m - 7:09(7:04/m) 151/154bpm 82cal 8.49/10.93mph
21) 1.04m - 7:23(7:07/m) 153/155bpm 91cal 8.43/9.06mph
22) 1.01m - 7:03(6:58/m) 155/158bpm 91cal 8.61/9.31mph
23) 1.01m - 7:04(7:01/m) 156/160bpm 95cal 8.56/9.71mph
24) 1.01m - 6:56(6:51/m) 155/158bpm 88cal 8.76/75.85mph
25) 1.04m - 7:26(7:10/m) 157/159bpm 97cal 8.37/10.38mph
26) 1.26m - 8:42(6:55/m) 159/163bpm 119cal 8.67/10.05mph