The Road to Chester: Week 16

Race week:

Week 16 highlights:

• 36.3 miles this week. 

Okay race week, lets skip the couple of training sessions and go straight to the main event:

I'd always said pre-race that I would be happy to finish and nothing more. But we all knew I'd like to get 3:15'ish. So at the start I set myself up behind the 3:15 pacer. As we waited to start the nerves started drift away, even if they didn't look like it to Janet who was stood a few feet away. I was about to start a race, this is what I do. 

The race started going round the race course and through the town centre. Having done the Chester half earlier in the year I found myself going up the final hill from that race in the first mile - if only the finish line was 400 meters from the top this time!

As we headed out of the city I settled into a steady pace which felt good but did look to be slightly ahead of schedule (pacer planning for a positive split maybe) either way I passed 10k in 45:25, most of the early race conversation between runners started to drop off all the could be heard was the patter of running shoes on tarmac. By this point I can't say I was paying much attention to anything - running at a base level is easy; one foot in front of the other. I knew the hard work was going to come later. 

20k was passed in 1:30:48 and the magic half way in 1:35:56. 13.1 miles was the furthest I've raced before, I was into the unknown. 

The miles ticked on and still I was keeping up my target pace of 7:26 minute miles or 4:36 minute kilometers. 18 miles passed with a nice little hill to make those legs work and that was where the hard work really started I could feel that I wasn't going as fast as I was and my Garmin confirmed it. 

30k went past in 2:16:57. 12.2k to go the 3:15 target was drifting away but I wouldn't be far off it. It was getting harder and harder as the miles clicked on past 20. I'd heard and been told that a marathon only starts at 20 miles. I know why now!

I knew at some stage in the race it would come down to mind over matter: my body would say stop but I'd have to make it keep going. I never expected my body to give me such a clear message it had had enough. 

At some point during mile 24 I collapsed to the floor. The wall had hit. Big time. My body had basically run out of fuel and stopped working. Mind over mater kicked in, feeling like a drunk Bambi on ice I got up and tried to carry on. Not the best thing to do, over I went again this time on to a nice patch of grass. One of the many race volunteers appeared and handed me a much needed energy drink which I promptly necked. The only downside with these drinks is they take about 20 mins to work. Determined to carry on I dragged myself up and started to stagger up the street. Adam, the volunteer kindly walked with me and made sure I took on plenty of water and as many jelly babies as I was offered. 

2 miles to the finish line. I remember saying to Adam more than once "I'm finishing this on my own two feet" but running those last two miles might be a real push. I new by this point 3:15 was long gone and I was now thinking that Janet together with my Mum and Dad would be at the finish worrying about where I might be. Adam strikes again and rings Janet to tell her not to worry I'm ok and will be at the finish shortly. 

Adam, if you read this, thanks for the support I really do owe you a beer for 5!

Then with less than a mile to go who should appear but my good friend Mark. The things he will do to get a mention in the blog! Never has a friendly face been more needed. I can't really remember what we said to each other but eventually everything clicked again and my pace started to pick up again. By the time I turned into the race course again I was running, slower than before but I WAS going to finish running on my own two feet. 

I finally crossed the finish line in 3:39:05. Not the time I had aimed for, but I HAD finished!

I also need to mention follow Royton Road Runner Ian Dale who passed me just before the 40k mark offering words of support then hunted my out in the finishing pen and offered up a big man hug. It was great to see a fellow R and just what was needed after a really tough race. 

At the finish line looking glad it's all over.

Could I have done anything differently to avoid head butting the wall? Maybe. There were gels and energy drinks out on the course. I took every gel I could but maybe it wasn't enough for me as there was only three for over three hours of hard running. Next time, yes, next time I will be taking my own fuel with me. 

Overall I'm pleased with my achievement. I finished a marathon and now I know what to expect at the sharp end of 20+ miles I can hopefully run through those final two miles. 

The road to Chester is over. The road to Manchester is on the horizon. My next marathon will be the Greater Manchester marathon on 6 April 2014. I already know a number of Royton Road Runners and friends who will be doing it I'll be in good company.  

3:15 at Manchester, I'm coming to get you!