Best Laid Plans

Back in September 2010 I decided to attempt another long distance tri event. Although I started 2010 well by completing some running events, my plans to complete a further 3 triathlons during the summer fizzled out as I seemed to loose my mojo for training and racing. I guess this was partly due to lazyness, but also due to a change in job, complete refurbishment of the house, and the ever demanding but rewarding role of father and husband.

Mindful of the demands that an Ironman would have on my personal life I opted to enter the UK 70.3 – 1.2 Ironman event. I also decided to enter the Gloucester Marathon in January, focus solely on my running from October to January, and then start the Tri training post Marathon. I am much more successful at focusing on short terms goals, and the Glos Marathon came with a further challenge… Marcus had completed it the previous year in a very good time which I wanted to get as close to as possible. This was to be first Marathon in isolation, the previous two being a shuffle walk at the end of an Ironman. So, armed with a 16 week training plan, new trainers, a Garmin 305 and a renewed mojo I set myself the following targets.

To beat my previous best Marathon time of 4:39 – set at the UK Ironman in 2008 – Shouldn’t be too difficult
To complete the Glos Marathon without stopping to walk – Achievable
To finish under 4 hours – Getting harder
To finish in under 3:15 – Going to be mighty tough

The early weeks of training felt a little too easy, but I kept to the plan, mindful that I wanted as little disruption as possible on Lewis and Caroline, so must of my runs started early before work, and before they had woken. At the same time I joined Almost Athletes running club in Cheltenham to give me some company once a week on one of the runs. And so the plan continued through October and November averaging 4 – 5 runs per week, some speed intervals, and a long run maxing at 10 miles. In early December the weekly runs decreased slightly in intensity and subsequently the weekly long run increased. By the end of December I was comfortably running 18 miles, and growing in confidence that all of my targets were achievable. During this time I also made a new best friend …… my garmin 305!!!! It is a great bit of kit to be honest, providing great stats, and the only friend dedicated enough to get up and run with me at 5:30am on a Saturday morning!

Two days before Christmas I developed a cough, which over the Christmas period turned into a serious case of man flu. The flu lingered on and eventually I managed to get it under some control with Anti Biotics. However, I missed three weeks of peak training during this period and didn’t run for three weeks. So coming into the second week in January I was low on miles and confidence. I did momentarily consider dropping out of the race, but thanks to some encouragement from friends I decided to try and get in as many miles as I could before the 24th January. The week before the race I did manage a tough 20 miler which restored some confidence, however, I was under the impression that I wouldn’t meet all my targets and so I decided that I would be more than happy with just a sub 4 hour finish.

Race day on the 24th January started well. I got up at 7:30 and had a good breakfast of toast; weetabix and strong coffee whilst watching United thrash Birmingham on match of the day …… Inspiration.
I left the house at 9:00am; the race started at 10:30 and was only 20 minutes away. On arriving at the registration hall my previous assessment of my fellow competitors was correct. This was a race for serious runners, understandable as it’s a low key, local race in the middle of January. I would say 80% of people were decked out in club running vests. You can always judge how good a runner someone is by how little they wear, and suffice to say on a cold January morning (3 degrees at the start) there were many decked out in tiny shorts and vests.
I was wearing a compressions top, t-shirt, hat, gloves, long shorts and compressions guards, which gives you an indication as to my status in this race. The last few minutes before the race were spent with the normal loo stop, only to dribble out a tiny amount! Checking kit and dreaming of going back to bed. I was nervous …. But nerves are good right?

And so at 10:25 they walked us out to the roundabout and started us of at 10:30 prompt. I started off about half way back and was content to stay there for the first few minutes until the traffic eased. On looking at my watch I was running at 8:05 pace, quite a bit faster than the 8:30 I had planned, but it felt so easy and slow that I decided to stay with it. I guess that’s the effect of nerves and adrenalin. The first couple of miles were uneventful and I felt comfortable as if I was gliding along. For such a small event the support was fantastic on the major junctions and the Marshalls did a great job all day long. At mile 2 I pulled alongside a runner and we shared a quick joke about there only being 24 miles left. The conversation continued on for a few miles and we soon discovered that we were an equal match in terms of the pace that we wanted to run and the amount of training we had been able to fit in. He had also had a similar Christmas Flu attack, and so a sort of un discussed pact was made that we would run together as far as possible. As we headed over the canal and onto the first of three seven miles loops the miles whizzed by, and we discussed everything from Rugby to Politics, and Family to Films. “Steve from Weymouth” as he will always be known to me was completing his 40th Marathon today, a true expert compared to me, but we were well suited in terms of ability and enjoyed each others company. At this stage we were coasting along at 7:55 pace and before I knew it we were at the 10 mile point - a feeding station at the end of a short sharp hill. To my surprise there stood at the side of the feed station was my wife, son, and our friend Malty complete with the world’s naffest sign “Go Nige Go” embarrassing! It was great to see them, but I knew they were in for a long day waiting for me to come around again. Still, I knew they would be off for a couple at the pilot inn before venturing out again. I reminded myself to keep to my nutrition strategy of a gel at 10, 14, 18 and 22 miles and to take whatever liquid I could get down my neck at the feed stations.

The week before the race I had driven the course, and reported back that it was flat with some minor undulations. On the second lap I decided that the assessment made from the car was incorrect and it was more than undulating, the hills although short and sharp were beginning to tell and people were already walking some of them. However, Steve and I were still going well and reached the 13 mile mark in almost exactly 1hr 45mins. I stupidly commented that a 3:30 was achievable but was quickly shot down by Steve saying that it was “very very rare that you achieve an equal or negative split”…. Amateur. As the miles continued on they got gradually harder, and the legs started to ache a little. During this time I heard someone comment that today was there 425th marathon!!!! Amazing but how can someone have enough time to do that? That’s like running a marathon every weekend for 8 years. Now that is dedication. Steve had a tough spell at 18 – 20 miles and said he needed to slow a bit, I though about pressing on, but was thankful for his company and thought I may need his help later, so I stayed with him and we dropped to 8:35 pace on the flat and anything from 9:00-10:00mm on the hills. I have got to say that the final 6 miles or so were the longest of my life and I kept trying to imagine my local 6 mile run that I had run numerous times over the previous months, and how easy and short that felt. The mind games didn’t work on my legs though and they continued to hurt all over, particularly the outside of my left knee. At the 18 mile point I saw my support team for the second time, and this time they had been joined by our friends Rob and Katie. I was glad to see them but also a little embarrassed that they had dragged themselves out in the cold to wait for me.

Seemingly out of his bad point, but with both of us suffering Steve and I continued on through mile 21 and 22. At the 22 mile point we passed a guy who had the worse running style I had ever seen, arms and legs everywhere, dressed in football socks, England shorts and white England top. As we passed I turned to him to offer encouragement only to see the front of his shirt covered in blood. He had obviously forgotten to grease his nipples and they had bled pretty badly. As I suspected, at Mile 22 I hit what I guess they call the wall. The pain in my legs was becoming unbearable, and on a particularly hilly section I wanted to stop and walk. Steve wouldn’t let me though, and urged me on; paying back the support I had given him earlier. The last 4 miles were without doubt the longest and most painful of my life, I had no interest in pace or predicted time at this point and just wanted to finish, and so finally we hit mile 25 and the turning point for Stonebench and a downhill stretch to the finish. Despite being downhill it was still slow and tough, we were both in a similar state and were unable to respond as bleeding nipple guy passed us with a Seb Coe finish.

The finish was a great relief and as we crossed the line Steve from Weymouth and I hugged in a rather gay embrace. I think we were both really grateful for each others company, and I have no doubt both of us would have been slower without the other. I felt quite sorry for those along the course that were running on their own. I will probably never see from Steve from Weymouth again but for those 24 miles he was my best mate ever.

On reflection post race I am chuffed with my race. I finished, I ran all the way, and I beat 4 hours finishing in 3:42:23 and in 159th place out of 344. I’ll take that for now, but next year I’m going for that 4th target again. There isn’t much I would do differently next year, perhaps a few more speed work sessions, hopefully a flu free build up, but that’s about it. All things considered I’m very pleased

As far as the race is concerned I thought it was pretty well run, the pre race communication has obviously improved from last year, the marshals were great, that drink stations were well stocked and the course was challenging. Sure improvements could be made, the wait at the end for a bus to take you back to your car is a pain, and the medal you receive at the end is pretty poor. But then we don’t do it for the glory ….. Do we?