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"I just wanna drink beer and train like an animal"
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1:17:27, 81st out of 25,000 finishers and 9th M35
Ok. So just back from NYC after what was a very short visit for other stuff that I managed to sneak in a goal race during. Prep for this race has been a bit all over the place as we have a 2.5 month old at home who along with her sister creates a fair bit of havoc. Quality was good (some really solid sessions and LSR's) quantity has been terrible i.e. 40-50 mile weeks and really only an avg of 5 days a week running since the birth. That said I was pretty confident of a PB as the recent race form has been decent (which I think has everything to do w/ 2 yrs of consistent running and little to do w/ the current cycle)
Key results leading up: A 58:2x 10miles a 34:3x 10k and 2 weeks ago a paced 3:15 full marathon. My strategy has been to use these races as my most key workouts as time is a bit of the essence right now.
Good first 2 days in NYC had to negotiate a book release party on Thurs w/ 2 drinks max and a dinner on Fri before the race w/ one beer. Happy w/ my restraint here. Bit of jet lag but the race started early so that was probably in my favour. Woke at 4:30am for breakfast and coffee- set off for Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn (2miles from where I was staying) at 5:30am. Was completely astonished that a big race like this in the USA, at this moment in history is like arriving at airport! Metal detectors etc- wow...nation of fear.... got through all this and hit the baggage storage trucks w/ a good bit of time to spare.
Spent a good bit of time in my paddock before the race (I was in the top one) we had to be in place 20mins before the gun which kind of sucked but having port toilets in the paddocks helped ease the stress around that. Put myself somewhere in the top 200 or so and figured I'd ease into things. Hooter went off after a Johnstownbridge like bit of messing and we went straight into a downhill. I slowly ramped the pace up to 6:00min or so and as we started up an uphill, the 1st mile went by in 5:55. Good.
Mile 2 was a climb, which in hindsight I probably took too hard as effort level went up for a 5:46. Mile 3 was a rocket and went through in 5:36. Way too fast. Very happy with positioning at this point. It was cool- at this stage I completely forgot there were 40,000 people in the race and at my part of the field, it just seemed like a completely normal race- I was working from group to group w/ plenty of space. (not amazing depth of field as you can see)
Mile 4 5:50- very undulating, mile 5 5:56 (huge climb real drag) mile 6 5:49 mile 7 5:36- too fast! At this stage was feeling pretty good and felt well on for 1:16:xx. At this point we exited Prospect Park and headed down a long straight Ocean Parkway towards Coney Island. Literally 5 miles on a closed dual carriageway. Sun was shining and this stretch is completely unprotected- despite the early hour and the decent temps (15 degreed at start) I felt the sun big time here. Mile 8 was 5:46 Mile 9 was 5:50 Mile 10 was 5:49. Went through 10 in a PB of 58:09 so thought I had time in the bank and was all set. Miles 11- 13 would prove me wrong. Beyond shocking. The wheels came off in a horrible horrible way. Mentally felt terrible, physically, the body started to really fight me. Mile 11 was 5:55 Mile 12 was 6:09 and was perhaps the worst I've felt in a race: ever :eek::eek:. Literally had to pull out all the blood and guts I could just to hang on. Was getting chills, headaches, looked and felt like a punch drunk boxer in the 12th rd. Out on my feet. Mile 13 was 6:11. The final 1k was at 6:20 pace even though I felt as though I was running at end of 5k effort!!! Humbling stuff. Knew the sub 1:17 was gone and just consolidated all I could for the 1min PB. Got passed by at least 5-10 people in the last 800m lol- hilariously including some dude wearing the singlet of our college rivals (huge H on the back) couldn't believe one of those ****ers (found out later was XC alum) had passed me and I could do nothing about it. Collapsed in a heap across the finish line and drew the attention of the medical folks- after a couple q's they pretty much figured out I was just absolutely wasted physically. Took me a good 20-30mins to get back to normal.
Even with all that drama- not unhappy w/ the performance. Showed good toughness when things got bad. PB'd on pretty poor training and poor sleep so can't complain. I know that on the day I gave everything I had. As I mentioned- savage race, well organised, incredible T Shirt, water stations excellent, good support for the early hour and cool finish on the Coney island Boardwalk. Spent an hour after relaxing on a minor league baseball field w/ a beer and hot dog (this was the after party).
The cool thing about all of this is I have a good idea of where I'm at and how I could improve.
1) I'm about 2-3 kg over my ideal racing weight. I was at least 3 lbs lighter for my marathon in Oct
2) Too much alcohol as of late. Wife and I dulling the constant activity/ crying at night w/ half a bottle of wine a few nights a week and I've had beers on weekends etc.
3) Sleep has been pretty poor
4) Training needs more milage- if I could sustain 70-80 mile weeks w/ doubles I'd come on a lot
5) Diet could be better
6) Could get stronger
I list these not as excuses but as opportunities. Mcmillan puts me at a 2:42 marathon after this HM. I've never been down that low on his predictor at any distance over 5k. Again my longer times are coming down really steadily so I'm hopeful I can put things together for DCM and run what I want to run.
I'm back in DUB now- super sore so gonna rest most of this week. In Portugal for a while from mid next week- so gonna take the next month really easy, not race and rest up for the beginning of the DCM cycle. I plan to enjoy my running and put no pressure on myself for the next 4 weeks.0 -
Sounds like a cracking run, despite the tough finish. Spot on, on the beers, weight, diet and sleep. All very fixable and more like a temporary handicap. If you could lose the kids for the next three months you'd be looking at 2:35. 0
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Wicked awesome report. You're one tough SoBWife and I dulling the constant activity/ crying at night w/ half a bottle of wine a few nights a week
Been there, done that. Every time I see someone's cute new baby I need to remind myself what it was like the first few months after our youngest was born.0 -
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Last month - maybe 15 of 30 days run, no watch- just for the fun of it. Last week 14 miler, 5mile tempo and 4x1mile reps 50 miles for week. Today 14 miles hoping to get 55 miles this week. All drinking cut from Jul 1st.
I'm rested, back training hard and am gonna kick your ass Tbb
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